*(with apologies to Spencer Ellsworth) We knew there would be trade-offs involved when we decided to move from Portland, Oregon, to Orcas Island. We’d be leaving behind so many dear friends. There would be no more walking to Trader Joe’s … Continue reading
I wrote this up on Medium recently and I am asking you to forgive me for replaying it here – I’m in a silent moment right now, when words need to be coaxed and bullied to come, so I am … Continue reading
6 August 2021 You know, the place where I live has been known as the “pacific northWET” for a reason – it’s supposed to rain here all the time, it’s supposed to be damp and miserable, raining all the time… … Continue reading
West Beach at sunset. Not Oprah’s place. Well, technically, Oprah never lived here; but she did buy a pretty nice house on the island three years ago. It was big news at the time, and we islanders enjoyed speculating about … Continue reading
While I was fussing about what to write for my Sunday blog with no tangible result, the Saturday New York Times Crossword provided inspiration. Constructors: Adam Aaronson and Ricky Cruz Saturdays are the most challenging puzzles; long answers, obscurities, puns … Continue reading
Some of you might remember me writing about the day I first encountered the wolves down in Anacortes, and my incandescent relationship with them. My first Day of the Wolf was now more than two years ago, astonishingly, but THIS … Continue reading
I am a creature who lives stretched across time. I can remember vividly things that took place decades ago – down to conversations, the tone of voice in which they were had, the sound of remembered laughter. I am forever … Continue reading
One of the first things I remember from visiting Grandma Cleta’s house was the beautiful curio cabinet in her living room, filled with precious mementos from her and Grandpa Larry’s travels. Of course, we children were never allowed to touch … Continue reading
In every relationship there are stories of what “came before”, the things that defined the person you are currently in a relationship with, before you met them. Sometimes you’ll hear these stories second hand. Sometimes the person in question will … Continue reading
In preparation for a brutal heat wave about to descend on Oregon, I am sitting in semi-darkness, fans whirring, upstairs AC units working at light speed. The garden and the dogs are watered, shorts I have not worn in years … Continue reading
