The World-Famous Orcas Ohana Photo Scavenger Hunt Have you heard about our Orcas Ohana Photo Scavenger Hunt yet? It's the best way to spice up your vacation.

This Week's Best Orcas Island Lodging Showdown: Orcas Ohana Vacation Rental VS the Orcas Hotel! Our award in hand and battle scars fresh, we.

Here is a video about one of the sites in the novel―Orcas Island. I have always loved this island, and Allie is so enchanted with it that she dreams of living there. The video describes the energy vortex said to be off Orcas' ...

Last-Minute Lodging Availability (Friday, June 7 – Sunday, June 9). Crows Nest. 1 queen bed (2 people), Westsound studio overlooking the waterfront. Open all weekends in June at this time, $175.00 per night. Check out ...

Sleek New Van for Orcas Island Senior Center. By Hawley Roddick. The Orcas Island Senior Center has a handsome new van to transport members. This $60,085 Chevrolet Aerolite mini-bus, which is ADA certified, carries ...

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Self-service seed exchange now open in the Orcas Island Public Library. By Cathleen McCluskey. FoodMasters launched its newest program, the Orcas Island Seed Library, to the public this week. The new self-service seed ...

Get on the bus to your summer activities. You can join in even if you don't drive. Win a free summer bus pass by telling why you think having a bus on Orcas Island is important. This summer the bus.

A 3-day plein air immersion with author and teaching artist Mitchell Albala.

The Bossies: Kari Van Gelder, Mandy Troxel, and Amy Lum Today I’m pleased and excited to welcome three very bossy artists to help launch my new Indie Artist Spotlight series! Three is a good number, I think — three times the talent, beauty, spunk, ingenuity, and brilliance. Three times the luck, three times the inspiration for us all, and yes, three times the bossy craftiness. Kari, Mandy, and Amy work together as a needle felting cooperative called Bossy’s Feltworks on Orcas Island, a 57-square mile creative Eden north of Seattle in Washington state. Valentine’s Pin Cushion featuring Suffolk lambs If, like me, you love and appreciate the handmade and heartmade — you’ll enjoy hearing from this enterprising threesome who, back in 2006, took piles of fleece sheared from the sheep on Amy’s farm, gathered around the kitchen table with their five young daughters underfoot, and began fashioning colorful balls and adorable little white sheep. Basket of felted balls at the Orcas Island Farmer’s Market. Tools of the Trade: hands, wool, needles In no time at all, they set off on regular flights of fancy, fueled by endless cups of tea and snacks (!), a shared love of children’s books, inspiration from a menagerie of pets and farm animals, and steadily built an enthusiastic customer base via Etsy and a local farmer’s market. Their felted critters are irresistible — not only well made, but infused with the good feelings of friendship, family, and the joy of maximizing what each is uniquely qualified to bring to the table. Thanks so much for visiting today, Bossy Ladies! * * * ♥ WHERE THERE’S WOOL THERE’S A WAY ♥ Kari’s Easter Chicks Name of shop or business: Bossy’s Feltworks, Amy Lum, Mandy Troxel & Kari Van Gelder Year established: 2006 Items you make: Felted animals – used as free-standing figures, on mobiles, as Christmas ornaments, on pincushions and more! Studio Location: Orcas Island, Washington Online: www.bossysfeltworks.etsy.com Three words that best describe your art: whimsical, sweet, humorous Bossy Valentines come via felted parachute! Self taught or formal training? Both. We are self taught needle felters, two of us with art school backgrounds. In addition to needle felting, this business has included all kinds of learning curves. We’ve learned about processing and dyeing wool, product photography, branding, how to run an Etsy shop, how to vend outdoors, small business management, shipping with USPS… and so much more. We’ve taken advice and knowledge from many sources while making it up as we go along. Tools of the Trade: Our hands, our wool, our felting needles, and occasionally our washing machines! Early days at the kitchen table workshop Inspirations and influences: We inspire each other! We sometimes describe ourselves as super bouncy balls together in a small room, and the mutual support has been pretty fantastic for keeping momentum. We love “Bossy Show and Tell”, when we unveil what we’ve come up with individually. On the flip side, we often sit together and work out a design for a certain item, using our collective brain to troubleshoot. What has emerged is a fusion of our individual artistry, whim and humor that still reflects a uniquely “Bossy” look. Bossy influences have been beautiful children’s books by artists such as Patricia Polacco and Alice and Martin Provensen, and the many delightful requests of customers young and old. We also must give a nod to the beloved critters in our own lives, which include dogs, cats, chickens, ducks, horses, sheep, and most recently cows! The “Bossy” in Bossy’s Feltworks refers to Bossy the sheep, who for many years was the “matron” of the Lum family’s flock. The inimitable Bossy Amy and Kari working the booth at the Orcas Island Farmer’s Market Farmer’s Market display: the Bossy Farm Three significant milestones in your career: Can we have four? 1. In July of 2006 we tested selling our wares at the Orcas Island Farmer’s Market. When we realized that we had not only had fun but also made money that day, we were (joyfully) teary and giddy! 2. Passing $100,000 in overall total sales (yes, this took a number of years). No skeptical husbands remained. 3. Being “Featured Seller” on Etsy.com in the spring of 2011. 4. Graduating from the kitchen table: we now rent studio space for our business. Until Fall of 2011, we were working from our homes, using the backs of our cars to haul things from kitchen table to kitchen table. We love having a clubhouse. Amy at the Bossy Headquarters work table. Beloved pegboard! Food that inspires your best work: Tea and chocolate!! In addition, we eat a shared lunch on our studio day. Most recently we’ve found lunch happiness in nachos with the works and salad. It has to be quick, simple and yummy! During the growing season we especially enjoy the produce that comes from Kari and Amy’s abundant gardens. Bestseller: At our local farmer’s market, it’s the humble yet lovely felted ball. In our Etsy shop, it’s our “Lamb with Scarf” ornament. Most popular item on Etsy. What is your earliest memory of being creative? What is the first thing you ever made as an “artist”? With three of us, perhaps we’ll take a collaborative approach to this question.  There was a particular day in the spring of 2006 when we all managed to secure childcare and planted ourselves on Amy’s living room rug amidst a mountain of newly washed and dyed wool.  With just two hours to ourselves, we felt like we were in some kind of woolen oasis. As that first batch of felted balls came to life, we realized we had something truly special. Tell us about your favorite creation so far, some of the challenges you overcame to make it, and how it influences what you’re doing now. Our lamb is definitely one of our favorite creations. It remains the cornerstone of our business. It’s the item which we make in the largest quantities, and it nonetheless continues to inspire us. In the beginning, the lamb was the challenge. We wanted to make them, and we didn’t know how. We had much to learn about wool, needle felting, armatures, stitched eyes. Most especially, we had to figure out that lamb “essence” — how it could be simple, cute, and easily identifiable to the rest of the world. We can proudly (and a bit wearily) say that we’ve figured it out, as we felted and sold more than 700 of them last year! Felted balls awaiting the washing machine. Describe your studio or workplace. How have you fashioned your work environment to enhance creativity and maximize productivity?  We’ve got our very own clubhouse these days, also lovingly referred to as the Bossy Headquarters. It’s a rented space that we use as a studio/office for production, shipping and storage. We use it as a homebase individually throughout the week, but have one day exclusively set for production. It is good to know that once a week we will all be around the worktable together for at least 6.5 hours, deep in that lovely pile of wool, felting needles in one hand, and mugs of tea in the other. Some things must never change! It is truly the heart of our business. It’s been fun to decorate our space (including prints, pillows, mugs and more, all found on etsy). Having a set space devoted just to Bossy has enabled us to set up good systems and increase our productivity.  The Bossy Headquarters is also well stocked with snacks for moms and kids alike, holds a small couch, has a stockpile of good chocolate, and is not often without a good mix of tunes via Pandora or Rhapsody. It’s just icing on the cake that it’s walking distance from our kids’ school. Lambs awaiting their super powers. Superhero Lambs completed. Bossy children hand-modeling: Lucy works with owl babies. How do you chart your growth as artists? How do you define success? We’ve been defining success on our own terms as we go along. In the beginning, we were looking to make some extra income while being creative, having our children with us, and using wool from Amy’s farm. We more than succeeded, when we think of the ways that Bossy also created the platform for us to support each other physically and emotionally as moms with young children. These days, we’ve got bigger goals. Bossy’s Feltworks has become a larger job, our kids go to school, and we use more wool than we ever dreamed possible. We’ve grown our business each year and we still love what we do. We call that success! Valentine Poodle Love Parachute What do you like best about the creative life? There’s always something new… a new product, a new tool, a new idea… and it’s our job (hooray!) to pursue it. Any new projects you’re especially excited about? This year, we’re hoping to teach more classes, create some online tutorials, and host a springtime studio open house. Amy’s magnificent Clydesdale sculpture measures 9″ from nose to back hoof. Upcoming events/appearances/shows: We’re online all the time at www.bossysfeltworks.etsy.com Visiting Orcas Island? You can find us at the Orcas Island Farmer’s Market, Saturdays from 10-3, May through September on the Village Green in Eastsound, WA. New and popular item: Bumble Bee Mobile! * * * ♥ MORE BOSSINESS ♥ ♥ Of course you want to visit their shop at Etsy to see more of their unique handmade critters. Why not get something special for your Valentine? **Shipping deadline for Valentine’s Day is this Friday, February 8 (noon PST)! ♥ Read their wonderful “Featured Seller” interview at Etsy . ♥ I love this wonderful piece Mandy wrote, “On Being Bossy: Lessons in Running a Home-Based Crafting Business” ♥ Keep up with their Bossy Busyness via Facebook. ———————————————— *All photos copyright © Bossy’s Feltworks Copyright © 2013 Jama Rattigan of Jama’s Alphabet Soup. All rights reserved.

I spent last weekend on the amazingly beautiful Orcas Island where I ran in the Orcas Island 25K trail race put on by the creator of Rainshadow Running . It was simultaneously one of the hardest things I’ve ever done and one of the most beautiful races I’ve ever run all wrapped up in a perfect weekend in a cabin at Doebay Resort , arrangements courtesy of my super-organized and fellow “moment appreciator” Pam. I had some time to think and breathe while driving to and from the Island, and of course while running (you can see the inspiration below). It was truly 2 days of intense “mindFULLness”. Then it was back to work for 4 days intermixed with unpacking, repacking, recovering from the intense physical exercise, being on call at work, bad news related to work/military life (no deployments but I’m not quite ready to talk more about this yet- more soon), keeping up with friends, family and my husband (who often quietly plays video games through my intense frenzy (?lunacy?) when I get overstressed). WW #5 came and went and it was a quieter day than Tuesday and Thursday and I was able to focus many times on turning physical discomfort to appreciation/prayer for my three sponsored families and some friends going through hard times- so there was MindFULLness there. I spent much of Friday in a frenetic haze of checklists, tasks, worry, rushing, work and racing thoughts- essentially a place of mindLESSness as I couldn’t tell you much of anything I did during that time between waking up and getting dropped off at the airport…which leads me to the next “event”: I’m going to Guatemala. Like, now. (not sure if I’ll even be able to post this before I go). If you are thinking “I didn’t know she was going to Guatemala” well, don’t take it personal, b/c I didn’t know either until about a month ago, and even then it was somewhat uncertain, unplanned and out of my control. It all started a year or two ago when I decided I might not want to be a doctor anymore and I wanted life to be simpler and my Dad (twitter @dowford who incidentally is my favorite writer of all time) forwarded me a blog from a guy named Leo Babauta from his zenhabits site, which somehow through some linking led me to this guy Jeff Goins who wrote a book called “Wrecked” about, well, getting Wrecked and he invited me to go to Guatemala (well he invited a lot of people, but after I wrote him and then sort of “let it go”, he wrote me back and invited me so I said “why not”) and I’m now sitting in the Miami airport. It’s a long story and I’ll write more about this specifically soon, but suffice it to say, it will hopefully be a time of MindFULLness, both now, and for the future. You can follow us here if you want: http://goinswriter.com/guatemala-vision-trip/ Twitter: #wreckguate and I’d sure appreciate some prayers for safe traveling, and an open and mindFULL heart and mind and for physical health/issues to not complicate the trip. I don’t know a single soul going, but I sure am excited about what promises at least to be one of the craziest things I’ve (willingly) done. So- WW#5 lesson is one I know I need to continue to work on- being mindFULL, having my mind FULLY IN the moment- whatever/wherever that is. Honestly, I am about 99% better at this than I was at any other time in my life but all the THINGS and THOUGHTS pulling at me constantly are always threatening to make me jump back into MindLESSness that is the opposite of that peaceful/simple life I’m after. I’m wondering if this resonates with anyone? If so- I’d love to hear your thoughts- what do you do to stay MindFULL of the moments you are in? Is it possible? Do you notice when you slip out of that or only afterwards? Ok- off to meet my new friends…and spend some mindFULL moments in Guatemala.

There’s no such thing as bad weather, just soft people. – Bill Bowerman, Nike co-founder and Pacific Northwest icon January.  The word sounds cold, evoking as it does images of textureless gray skies, barren snowy landscapes and people dressed like South Park characters.  Although I largely escape winter by living on the Pacific margin of the U.S., here in the East Bay temperatures still dip into the suboptimal 30s this time of year.  And with few exceptions, January signals the nadir of the racing season. Friday’s view from Orcas Island, with blue sky and gray clouds battling for dominance So for my first January race ever, you might think I’d choose a warm-weather outing in one of the more cold-resistant pockets of the country.  Maybe, say, the Disney World Marathon in balmy Florida.  Or the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half in hot ‘n’ dry Arizona .  Or maybe even stuff my swimsuit, running shoes and Garmin into a small duffel and head out across the ocean for the tropical Maui Oceanfront Marathon .  All logical, common sense choices. Unfortunately, common sense didn’t cast the deciding vote this time… Julie did. We’re told to keep our friends close and our enemies closer.  To that sound advice I’d add one more inner circle for people like Julie.  She’s been one of my closest friends since we met in graduate school.  She knew me back when my diet favored the “carbonated” and “partially hydrogenated” food groups.  We attended each other’s weddings, and she even picked me up from the airport one New Year’s Eve (!) when I could barely stay upright with the flu.  The world would be a shinier, happier place if everyone had a Julie in their lives.  And I’m not just saying that because she might stumble on this post one day while Googling herself. “A long time ago, we used to be friends…” Julie now lives with her husband David and two children in Redmond WA, best known to the rest of the world as the home of Microsoft.  Surprisingly, we’d never run a race together, though not for lack of trying on her part: She threatened to bully me into running the Eugene Marathon with her in May 2010.  She didn’t, so I didn’t. She floated the idea of organizing a team for the Ragnar Relay Northwest Passage, an idea I supported but which due to miscommunication died a quiet, neglected death. She invited me to run the Victoria Marathon last year… on the same day I’d be running Chicago . I suggested the Seattle Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in June, but was told “The Seattle Marathon isn’t all that interesting.” At one point she even offered, “I’m sure I can organize a small race in the middle of nowhere for a cause no one will want to support.” That may have been her most enticing offer yet. Finally, this past August she appealed to my trail-running sensibilities and sold me on the Orcas Island 25K , a mid-winter event staged by the folks at Rainshadow Running , a Pacific Northwest-based trail racing outfit.  Several members of her local running contingent would also be running Orcas Island, and when I sent her my registration confirmation she was pumped.  Psyched.  Excited.  Like a mosquito in a nudist colony. And so it was that Saturday found me within snuggling distance of the Canadian border.  Roughly 30 miles northeast of Victoria, British Columbia and 40 miles south of Vancouver as the crow flies, Orcas Island is the largest of the San Juan Islands located in the northwestern corner of Washington state.  The race itself would begin and end at Camp Moran in Moran State Park and feature a climb to the summit of Mount Constitution, the highest point on the island at 2,409ft. Katie and I flew to dreary-but-dry Seattle on THURSDAY , where after landing I kept a tight grip on my MacBook just in case the airport security/Microsoft gestapo got any ideas. Clearly we’d landed in Seattle… where else do you see one of these? FRIDAY morning we packed our gear into Julie’s SUV and, joined by her running buddies Charlotte and Kathie, drove the 80 miles to Anacortes before hopping a ferry to Orcas Island.  En route we saw seals, great blue heron, and plenty of seagulls.  We saw no orcas.  I was ready to sue someone for false advertising. Four hours after leaving Redmond we docked at sunny Orcas Island, where the mercurial winter sky dangled the possibility of dry race conditions.  We’d seen the forecast and knew better.  After a brief reconnaissance drive up Mount Constitution, we checked in at the Doe Bay Resort on the eastern edge of the island.  Doe Bay is located within 6 miles of the race start and offers simple, no-frills cabin lodging that I’d recommend to anyone visiting the island.  Though somehow the five of us couldn’t find time for the clothing-optional soaking tubs at the resort.  Maybe next time… That’s no killer whale… oh, wait, we must be in Doe Bay After killing two hours in the sleepy bayside town of Eastsound, we made our way to Camp Moran for the optional check-in and bib pickup.  Here we also experienced Rainshadow Running’s clever, quirky alternative to the traditional race t-shirt: in the interest of conserving and reusing resources, the RR crew scour thrift stores for diverse articles of clothing, onto which they have printed the Orcas Island race logo.  Fortunately runners were also given the option to save $15 by declining a race “t-shirt” during online registration, an option I enthusiastically endorsed. Scanning the assembled crowd of jovial runners in their fleece hoodies, puffy down jackets and wool beanie caps, the scene to my mind embodied the Pacific Northwest… if someone had cranked up “ Smells Like Teen Spirit ” I would’ve guessed Nirvana concert, circa 1992.  The low body mass index of the room added to the peculiar irony of this race’s former name, the “Orcas Island Fat Ass 25K.”  And speaking of low BMI… I had the opportunity during bib pickup to meet elite trail runner Candice Burt , whom I recognized from a recent Trail Runner email as having set the women’s fastest known time (FKT) during an unsupported run on the 93-mile Wonderland trail around Mount Rainier.  She was incredibly gracious and seemed happy to talk to anyone and everyone who approached her. Nothing says “Pacific Northwest runner” like plaid flannel race swag That evening, while carbo-loading in our Doe Bay cabin, our group voiced two main concerns about the day ahead: 1)  The course.  The previous week, race director James had inexplicably re-routed the already challenging course to add another 1,000ft of elevation gain, bringing the total elevation gain/loss to 4,450ft.  Kathie had been the first to notice James’ announcement posted on the race website: “It seems like every year I’m making some kind of change to the race course… This year’s route is totally different than any of the previous 25k courses and is HARDER THAN EVER!”  Julie, Charlotte and Kathie expressed unease over this arbitrary change; I chose to drown my apprehension in a third plate of spaghetti. 2)  The weather.  Two days before the race, the forecast called for rain at lower elevations, with temperatures ranging from 38-45°F and winds at 11-13 mph; and for snowfall at higher elevations (above 2,000ft), with temps in the mid-30s, winds around 11 mph and new snow accumulation of 1-2 inches.  This would be the second time in less than a month I’d be running trails in rain and snow , although admittedly this time I’d be better prepared.  And as Washington residents, the other three members of our party were well-accustomed to running in nasty conditions (plus, Charlotte hails from Sweden and Kathie from Canada).  Still, none of this seemed to ease our collective mind, until finally we each sought refuge in the time-tested panacea for all pre-race ills: sleep. That’s the Powerline Climb starting at mile 6 SATURDAY morning was a lesson in the predictive power of meteorology, as we awoke to light rain, gusty winds and temps in the low 40s.  At least we’d had the chance to set our expectations accordingly.  We arrived at Camp Moran at 8:00am (for a 9:00am start) and, despite very limited parking, were able to park next door to the main cabin. As already-soggy runners continued to fill the room and nervous energy mounted, James stepped to the front for his pre-race announcements.  Like everything else about his race, James himself was low-key.  He reminded us (in case we’d forgotten?) about the dreaded “Powerline Climb” he’d added to this year’s course, assuring us it would make the course more “fun” and more scenic.  When asked about cut-off times he replied that he didn’t actually know, then thought for a moment and suggested we “just be back here by 3:30.”  Finally, with a cold steady rain now falling, he led us from the comfortably warm cabin outside to start the eighth annual Orcas Island 25K. From there things moved quickly.  Scrambling up the steep embankment to the start, I bid the others good luck and positioned myself among the front 20% of the pack.  As James’ countdown reached zero, the line of eager runners shot forward and down the paved road for ~1/4 mile before turning onto the Cascade Lake Trail, where the real race began. My plan was to treat the day as a training run, rather than an all-out race.  Stay strong on the ascents and aggressive on the descents, but don’t do anything reckless.  My strategy was based on the tricky conditions as well as the unusual distance: I’d run only one other 25K, so it’s not as though a 25K PR would be a life-changing accomplishment. Me, Julie, Charlotte and Kathie flash our “warm and dry” smiles one last time Because we’d all gathered indoors until the last minute, I’d neglected to give my Garmin the extra time it needed to find the GPS satellites and figure out where it was.  Apparently the impenetrable cloud canopy confused its California sensibilities, because it kept searching for satellites and asking me “Are you indoors now?” as raindrops bounced off its display.  Not the brightest gadget, so after about half a mile I gave up and – for the first time since I’d unwrapped it on Christmas Day 2008 – resigned myself to racing without my Garmin.  So this is how our forefathers did it. Aside from short stretches on paved roads, the first 5.6 miles were exactly what I had envisioned for a trail run in the Pacific Northwest: muddy, leaf-strewn singletrack snaking through rainforest-like surroundings, past now-torrential Cascade Falls, around pristine Cascade Lake, as well as over and under moss-covered branches.  One key difference between road and trail races is the mental fatigue caused by running on rugged, uneven terrain: I couldn’t let my guard down even momentarily for fear I’d slip on a patch of mud, twist my ankle on a slippery rock or trip over a partially exposed tree root.  This constant vigilance in harsh conditions would take its toll by race end, and in the aftermath I’d encounter several runners with sprained ankles and scraped-up knees.  Such are the casualties of trail racing. I first saw Katie with camera poised at Cascade Falls (near mile 3), then again at the Camp Moran North Arch (mile 5.6), just after the first of two aid stations.  I tossed her my gloves and turned my attention to the first major challenge of the day, the much-anticipated Powerline Trail. Rather than having us run the more gradual switchback route, James routed this year’s course straight up the Powerline Trail, which is primarily used during dry months by mountain bikers coming down the trail.  After the race I asked Julie, Charlotte and Kathie to describe the Powerline Trail in one word; several dazed seconds later, each just shook her head as if trying to clear it of the horror. Cascade Falls “Abomination” was the word that came to mind as I struggled to ascend the steep, muddy slope.  The slick mud immediately reclaimed any forward progress I made until eventually, by pulling myself up on exposed tree roots and stepping in the recessed footprints of other runners, I was able to ascend the first and steepest pitch of the trail.  From there the trail turned just grassy enough to enable forward progress, but only by walking sideways uphill.  That was a racing first for me.  As I doggedly passed several runners-turned-hikers, one woman remarked, “This is an Achilles injury waiting to happen.”  By focusing five feet ahead of me, I was able to maintain a slow jogging pace up most of the Powerline Trail, while my quads and lower back protested the strain of laboring up a muddy hill at a 45° angle. As both the Powerline Trail and the ache in my quads began to level off (mile 7.3, I heard someone announce), I realized the steady rain had transitioned to steady snow.  The next 6+ miles would be my first time racing in a winter wonderland, with much of the trail at least partially covered in snow.  Fortunately icy patches on the trail were minimal; however, footing was slowed by the accumulated snow, which made momentum and rhythm elusive prey. Our second major climb of the day began at ~mile 9.6 and ascended a switchback route to the summit of Mount Constitution.  After jogging the first couple of switchbacks and speed-hiking the next, I fell into a jog behind two strong uphillers whose steady pace carried me to the summit.  Here the snow accumulation topped a foot, though I was generating enough body heat that cold wasn’t an issue.  Relieved as I was to have reached the zenith of the course, I was disappointed to find that road closures had prevented Katie from accessing the summit.  And the snow-spitting sky ensured there would be no panoramic vistas today.  No Mount Baker to the east, no Mount Rainier or Mount St. Helens to the south. Following the trail of pink ribbons and the footprints of previous runners through the packed snow, I passed the second/final aid station at mile 12, where I thanked the shivering volunteers without breaking stride.  Based on my memory of the course elevation profile, I was hoping the final 3.5 miles would amount to a super-squishy downhill victory lap. At mile 5.6, the Moran State Park Arch (left) doubles as the gateway to the Powerline Trail (right) The highlight of the course, and hands-down one of the (literally) coolest things I’ve ever seen while racing, was snowed-over Summit Lake between miles 12 and 13.  If I’d had my camera – or even my camera phone – I would have stopped to snap a few pictures of the tranquil, picturesque landscape.  I’m surprised I didn’t launch myself headlong over a tree root while admiring the expanse of frozen white. For a 250-person race, I spent a surprising amount of time running by myself.  Much of miles 2-6 (up to the start of the Powerline Trail), miles 7.5-9.5 (between major ascents) and mile 12 to the finish were spent in solitude, and I was able to enjoy the natural beauty of Orcas Island without having to worry about passing or being passed on sodden singletrack. By the time the snow and ice transitioned back to rain and mud, I was eager to stretch my legs and make up for lost time.  Emboldened by more reliable footing with fewer large rocks and tree roots, my stride became more fluid, and I barely blinked as overhanging fern fronds swatted me wetly in the face.  Despite my faster pace, I was shocked that only a single runner passed me on the ~4-mile descent to the finish.  I expected that a caravan of reckless, eager-to-finish runners would overtake me, but then again that’s what prolonged steep ascents will do to you… the will may be there at the end, but the stamina is gone. With neither my Garmin nor a single mile marker to gauge distance, the last four miles were peaceful yet seemingly endless.  Refusing to let my tired mind think ahead to the finish line, I arbitrarily repeated “1-1/2 miles to go” to myself while trying to maintain an aggressive pace.  With about a mile to go my victory lap was rudely interrupted by a nasty uphill jag, which although unwelcome would hopefully reinforce my lead over any unseen pursuers. Surging toward my hard-earned high five from James (hidden from view, with umbrella) As I re-emerged onto paved Olga Rd, black arrows on yellow signage pointed the way home past rows of parked cars.  A final uphill surge brought me to the precipice of Camp Moran, where turning left I dropped down the muddy slope, crossed the grassy field and – with Katie’s cheers penetrating my mud-brain barrier – high-fived James to finish with an official time of 3:12:06. Mentally more than physically exhausted, I reunited with Katie (who’d wisely sought out the relatively dry comfort of the cabin porch) and stood watching the action while slowly regaining my wits.  Then I hurried inside to towel off and don dry clothes, before returning outside to await the others.  Exactly an hour later the three of them emerged as a group into Camp Moran, finishing within 30 seconds of each other and looking as dazed as I’d felt an hour earlier. The consensus among Julie, Charlotte and Kathie was overall displeasure with James’ new-&-improved course design.  Another of Julie’s Seattle running buddies, who’d run this race last year, finished more than 38 minutes behind her 2012 time.  And I overheard another runner voice the sentiment that had crossed my own mind late in the race: “Most of the marathons I’ve run were easier than this.”  Kathie (though not Julie) agreed.  At any rate, this had been a whale of a course. You go, girls! Charlotte, Kathie and Julie in a photo(genic) finish On the other hand I did run a 25K PR on Orcas Island… though in the interest of full disclosure, I’d gotten lost (along with the leader at the time) during my only other 25K and ended up extending that race by 3 or so miles. The winner finished with a mind-blowing time of 2:17:12; I’d love to watch the video of his ascent up the Powerline Trail.  And Andrew Fast did his surname proud with a second-place finish in 2:22:59. In the main cabin I stabilized my blood glucose levels at the post-race spread while waiting for the others to shed their wet gear in favor of dry clothes.  Then, with the double whammy of stifling heat and dank musty runner threatening to overpower us, we made our exit. We compared race notes over a life-affirming lunch at Tee-Jays, a hole-in-the-wall Mexican eatery in chilly, seagull-rich Eastsound.  Apparently Charlotte had tripped at one point and managed to twist in midair to avoid landing on her previously broken (and still-healing) wrist and elbow; she’d escaped with a bloodied knee and bruised hip.  Julie recalled another runner whom she alleged had been “endorphin goggling,” based on supposedly flattering comments he’d made while running behind the three of them (I’m guessing her cheetah skort inspired him). Eastsound was swathed in fifty decidedly unerotic shades of grey We killed a leisurely afternoon in Eastsound before making our way to the docks in time to catch the evening ferry back to Anacortes.  From there, as a collective exhaustion settled over the car, Julie navigated the 80-mile return trip to Redmond through darkness and driving rain.  In Redmond we said our goodbyes and cheerfully parted ways with Kathie and Charlotte, who had been terrific travel companions.  That night I barely remember my head hitting the pillow on the pull-out sofa bed in Julie and David’s guest room.  Even the sound of her son, from his room next door, urgently calling for his mom in the wee hours of the morning barely registered through the haze of my Powerline-induced stupor. In retrospect, Orcas Island was one of the most memorable and surreal races I’ve run.  In just two days we covered a lot of ground – by car, by ferry and by foot – in a variety of weather conditions – first sun, then rain, then snow.  Thanks to Julie’s persistence in luring us to Washington and her hospitality once we arrived, I spent quality time with her family, met new and interesting people, immersed myself in the Pacific Northwest trail running culture… and returned to the Bay Area with a rattling cough that has slowly succumbed to sunshine and 60° temperatures. Hey, that’s what friends are for. ******* PRODUCTION:  Unlike my travel companions, I appreciated the difficulty of the new course.  I figure if I’m flying to Seattle, driving 80 miles north, hopping a ferry to Orcas Island and then driving another 15 miles to the race site, I want a legitimate challenge and not a flat out-and-back on paved streets.  What I don’t want is Rock ‘n’ Roll Orcas Island. James and his crew did a nice job of marking the course… wherever the possibility existed for a wrong turn, pink ribbons and arrow signs pointed the way.  But although I stayed on course throughout, there were lengthy stretches of solitary running where a “reassurance ribbon” would have eased my mind.  Just a thought for next year’s race. Race registration itself cost only $45, plus a $3.25 processing fee; however, this price of admission didn’t include the ferry ($85 for our five-person vehicle), the Washington State Discovery Pass required to enter Moran State Park ($10 for one day or $30 for an annual pass), or lodging.  So depending on how many people travel together and where they stay, Orcas Island could end up being a less-than-frugal outing. The race volunteers can never be thanked enough; they were tremendously helpful, friendly and wet.  And the post-race spread was to my liking: plenty of fruit (bananas, oranges and pineapple) and sugary drinks, plus local microbrews, soup and a well-stocked sandwich counter. The Pine Hearts  provided post-race music… Katie guessed “Indigo Girls” on every song As for race swag: unless INKnBURN is involved I’m not a huge t-shirt guy, so I appreciated the “reuse and recycle” ethic practiced by James and his crew.  My biggest disappointment wasn’t the lack of a conventional race t-shirt, nor the quad-busting course, nor even my failure despite my best efforts to give myself pneumonia.  No, ’twas the lack of finisher’s bling that most conspicuously cast its cruel shadow across this otherwise radiant heart. The medal doesn’t have to be fancy – it can be something old, new, borrowed or blue.  It just has to be SOMETHING.  A reminder of Orcas Island that years from now still triggers instant memories of the Powerline Trail and Summit Lake.  I know that “real” trail runners – those who claim to run out of a sheer love of nature and their fellow man – typically reject the notion of medals (and other material possessions).  And granted, if there were no medals I’d still run, and run hard.  But at the same time, seeing the number of runners last weekend happily sporting “Orcas Island 25K” argyle pullovers or Hawaiian aloha shirts, I’d be surprised if most of them weren’t also medal-grubbing types like me. If and when I make it back to the Pacific Northwest, I’d definitely race with James and his Rainshadow Running crew again.  Especially if next time they have medals. GEAR:  Faced with slick mud, slippery rocks, ankle-deep snow and patchy ice, my Merrell Mix Master 2s again outperformed the rest of me.  Orcas Island was their toughest test to date, yet the shoes remained grip-tastic and provided reliable footing over the entire 25+K.  Now if only Merrell would make a trail shoe that lifted itself over rocks and tree roots when its owner got tired… BOTTOM LINE:  If you’re new to trail running and looking for a first-timer’s race to ease yourself into the sport, keep looking because this one’s not for you.  But if you’re a trail racing aficionado seeking a low-key yet challenging race in a picturesque setting, I’d recommend Orcas Island in an (elevated) heartbeat.  And admittedly I’m now intrigued by the 50K , which will be held this Saturday and which includes 8,400ft of elevation change. CHECK OUT CHARLOTTE’S RACE REPORT FOR ANOTHER (MORE CONCISE) PERSPECTIVE. FINAL STATS: (thanks to Charlotte for distance and elevation change data) 16.34 miles (26.3 km) on Orcas Island in Olga, WA Finish time & pace: 3:12:06 (first time running Orcas Island), 11:45/mile Finish place: 32/241 overall Race weather: windy, rainy, snowy and cold (temps ranging from low 30s to low 40s) Elevation change (Garmin Connect software): 4,505ft total gain/loss

Somewhere on Orcas Island…    Click on the photo above… Three Months Ago…

Last year I was in Orcas, an island off the coast of Washington state.  There is a beautiful trail through Moran State Park , which holds the highest point in the San Juan Islands.  The views are breath-taking.  My friend Barry and I went for a long hike accompanied by a beautiful conversation on “the meaning of life” kind of dialogue. Lo and behold, someone had left a beautiful message on the trail. And it made us feel loved too, being in nature, engaged in a profound conversation and breathing in the beauty of Orcas. So, why do I post this under Unique?  Because it was truly a unique experience , the combination of the hike, the conversation, Nature and this beautiful message left by an unknown person for fellow hikers to experience feeling loved themselves amidst the spirit of the mountain. Weekly Photo Challenge: Unique

MAKING HISTORY WITH LOVE Wedding Date: 7/21/1 Guest Count: 135 People Venue: Rosario Resort & Spa Katie and Ian found each other, they found Orcas Island and Rosario and they knew they had found the place they wanted to get married. They knew who they were, what they loved, with whom they wanted to share this incredible day. They went in search of help to figure out how to visually express what was deep in their hearts so their family and friends could share in their joy. Rich in history and wrapped in physical beauty, Rosario Resort became the backdrop for their timeless style. The Beach House reception space, though situated perfectly right on the water, offered up a worthy challenge; bringing into this 70′s meeting space a sense of timelessness, a sense of heritage. Katie went in search of examples of what she was trying to visually communicate. When Katie’s ideas were assembled we had a great basis from which to begin our creative conversations. The talk flowed  easily and fast like two musicians jamming together, feeding off of each other’s ideas, questions, experiences.  It was a fun rewarding collaboration. The result – a perfect expression of the couple, natural and elegant, youthful with a view towards history.   The end effect held Katie and Ian just like a vintage framed photo from the first moment to the very last. It was a joy to behold. It was an incredible joy for us to build. We thank them for that privilege. Cheers, Leslie Katie and Ian Summer of 2012 Katie’s mom Kitty is famous for here Almond Rocha and everyone got to have some at their place setting…   This is Katie’s visual reference board put together so we had a place to start. She did a phenomenal job with all of them. some ideas for the ceremony some thoughts about the reception the family bible, well over a hundred years old and an ongoing part of this family’s history     Why Did You Pick Orcas Island For Your Wedding? We selected Orcas because it is so beautiful and so unique to the north-west.  We liked the idea of a destination wedding that embodied what we love about this part of the country. It was great to share that with all our friends and family. Did You Face Any Challenges Planning Your Wedding From A Distance? It was not difficult at all with your help.  It was easy because we trusted you.  You understood our vision of our special day. Thinking Back What Was Your Favorite Moment? I have many but here are my top two… sorry I can’t narrow it down to one. The first:  On our way to the rehearsal It was a little wet and a little chilly, it felt nice and we drove with the windows down.  The trees were very green and the water and sky a stoney grey.  When we had almost arrived at our destination number of deer stopped in front of our car for some time.  The air was so crisp, the deer were so lovely, sitting next to my future husband I just felt so perfect.  The second was just after we got married we were so relaxed and so happy.  The wedding and reception were so beautiful just like we had imagined them.  Perfect!  Katie’s Dress: a second-hand dress from Blue Sky Bridal, it had not been worn before so it had not been altered, Matthew Christopher is the designer. Hair and Makeup: Katie Ian’s Suit: Vera Wang Men’s Warehouse Photography: the amazingly, the wonderful, the talented http://www.jaquilynshumate.com Flowers, Planning, Props: Patina Design and Planning

First glimpse of the lighthouse #gallery-1770-2 { margin: auto; } #gallery-1770-2 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 33%; } #gallery-1770-2 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-1770-2 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */ Mardrona Tree near Minnie’s Beach Erin and Christina tidepooling Mt Consititution/Orcas in the distance, Sucia Island near distance Lunch with the crew Erin, Christina and Linda at the lighthouse door Erin, Christina and Steve (State Parks Ranger) The lighthouse interior Mount Baker Campsite #7 (The most beautiful in the world) On the State Parks boat, going into Active Cove First glimpse of the lighthouse We have received funding (from the BLM) to “hire” an intern to help us plan our first real Museum in the Lighthouse on Patos Island. Our advisor and wonderful fan of all things Patos, Erin Corra, has come up with the wonderful idea of recruiting a student at Bellingham’s Huxley College of the Environment. We took our first intern candidate, Christine, out to Patos Island for a look-see last Thursday and we had a wonderful day! This was the first time I had been out to the island in the winter, but we had no problem with the wintry wild waves which I have seen in some of the historical pictures. The day was sunny but cold, and the water smooth. After we landed on the island, we all headed up to the lighthouse to discuss our ideas with our potential intern, Christina. Right now the displays in the lighthouse consist of poster boards propped on easels and lots of note books with historical photos and documents. We are dreaming of incorporating all the information we have into real museum/interpretive center displays. The lighthouse interior Ideas were discussed, views were appreciated and then we headed down to a campsite to share lunch with the state park workers on the island who are installing the new composting toilets . Yes, by spring we will have new efficient and environmentally correct toilets to replace the rumoured-to-be 40-year-old pit/outhouses.! Lunch with the crew As we headed back to Orcas Island with Steve, our ever wonderful state parks ranger, we all agreed that it was a terrific day with much accomplished towards presenting a future learning experience for visitors to the  island.

I am so glad I stumbled on this novel! Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down. This very well may be the best independently published novel I read this year! Elizebeth “Lizette” Karlson is an artist like her deceased mother was at one time. The origins of Lizette’s recluse lifestyle and fragile mental state unfold in a story that takes place during the early 1970s, a period when the United States was ripped apart by a distant war in Vietnam and a fractured society. The setting is the San Juan Islands in the Puget Sound, a place where peaceful nature abounds and native people cling to spirits of their ancestry. “Adrift in the Sound” is a story of reconciliation and coming to grips with both the past as well as the here and now. Flawlessly written in a flowing style of descriptive prose, Kate Campbell introduces each character at a pace allowing the reader to come to know them. The lifestyle of the young, seemingly lost generation that Lizette gravitates toward is raw and gritty. Her friend Sandy is a stripper who courts a boa constrictor as part of her act. Hard drugs are at the center of everything in the lives of the young men living next door. Lizette’s relationship with her father and the role her mother played in her life are sprinkled in along with the rest of the story. Campbell uses symbolism and metaphor by tying the lives of the native people living on Orcas Island to the land and the creatures of the sea, in particular a large Orca, dubbed “Looney,” that hunts in the sound. Though dark at times, this story has a warm glow to it that comes in the form of Lizette’s family friends, Native Americans with roots to Lummi and Salish peoples of the Pacific Northwest. “Adrift in the Sound” is ideally suited to readers participating in book clubs. Campbell includes some discussion questions at the end of this wonderfully written, thought provoking story.

For years I’ve been wanting to go and check out the skatepark on the mystical Orcas Island. My desire to go to the island only increased when I heard there was a rad hill too. Thanks to Landyachtz, this trip happened last summer. Here is the video from that trip and a few images below.

Somewhere between the races, slide jams and promo tours of the 2012 season we found some time to get back to the basics. Unlike the rest of the year, this time there was no plan, no event, no meet-up, no...

After two days of hikes, ferries and driving up mountains here in Washington, it was time for some refreshments. This afternoon, my friend Jane and I stopped at Island Hoppin , a six-month-old microbrewery on the island of Orcas (an appropriate name as Orca whales swarm its waters). The owner, an excitable man named Nate, pulled us the Taster Flight – any four of his beers for a ridiculous $6. We picked the Belgian pale ale, the Old Madrona, the White Cap American Wit and the Bomb Blonde while Nate listed the ingredients he had used to create each taste. Four half pints seemed far too generous for a tasting session, but we tried our best, particularly enjoying the light pale ale and the fruity White Cap, which contained orange and coriander. The others were super hoppy, and the Madrona (8%!) was so rich that there were hints of chocolate. (While at the bar, we had the added treat of meeting Scotty, a bearded 60-something who revealed the size of the island by looking at us and saying: ‘I don’t know you.’ Scotty, I learned, came to Orcas from Scotland via Los Angeles and was soon over-sharing about his troubled childhood and romantic history. This featured a brief tryst with Michael Flatley’s sister in Los Angeles, which ended swiftly when one of her girlfriends warned him ‘she would never be the type of woman you want’.) No doubt the delicious beers loosened the conversation a bit – and they were deserved after two days of looking around the beautiful islands of San Juan and Orcas:

The snow is falling outside my window in thick flakes but alas not staying. Mesmerized my mind floats to a  remembered winter. A downy white silence befell the island. Each tree was dressed as if to go to a ball. The newly budding crocuses were their amethysts jewels on the ground. I thought no place could ever be as pretty, no moment as perfect. Sealing it in my heart,  I thought out loud, ‘would that I could  get married again in this place’, frolic in the powdered down, drink champagne in a fantastic dress, listen as friends tell stories of love while snow flakes fall to the ground I would know that I had died and found that I had evolved into song. Awake now I know that though this winter is all rain and requires the boots that Ani showed you making the grey fun, there are moments here on Orcas Island that defy the winter blues through the offering of something incredibly magical. Maybe tomorrow? Fingers crossed. Cheers, Leslie  

My husband and I rang in the New Year and our 10th wedding anniversary here at Cascade Bay on Orcas Island. The first rays of sun that we’d seen in the last three days and I was ready to get outside and capture what I could. The ground was icy an frost covered, a chilly 30 degrees down by the water. We had the docks and hotel grounds to ourselves at 8:00AM. There was this adorable sea otter twirling around in the water going from boat to boat. The birds were enjoying a peaceful morning until we came along and scared them off, I guess they’re camera shy. We tried to go up this walkway here to the right but it was solid ice and we barely made it 5 feet up the trail before sliding carefully back down. The solitary tree really stood out all by its lonesome. Madrona trees have always fascinated me, they’re red and bright standing up, reaching around the other evergreens that surround it. They are just simply beautiful. Here you see the birds taking off as quickly as they can into that gorgeous sunrise. I see this photo and I just take a deep breath and remember the tranquility of that morning. Quietness surrounded us except for the backdrop of the Falls about a hundred feet behind us. What I wouldn’t give for a cabin to escape to every weekend with this view. It was a beautiful way to wake up as this was the view off our hotel room deck. The views off our deck were stunning as you can see here, I have at least a hundred different shots off this deck for each time of day. I believe seeing that sunrise on the first day of the new year was a sign that this would be a good year for us. Welcome to the New Year!  

New Years Eve and New Years Day are very special to me as that is always the celebration of my marriage. My husband and I were married on New Years day 10 years ago. For our tenth anniversary we decided to head over to Orcas Island and stay at the Rosario Resort for two nights. The weather wasn’t the best but it was very relaxing. We left the munchkins with the in-laws and made the drive and ferry ride in peace. I have to say it’s one of the few times I’ve had a relaxing vacation! Usually my time away is spent harnessing our three rambunctious children into our SUV for 12-25 hours of road time. I’ve always loved riding the ferries and imagined that if we had a cabin over on one of the islands what it’d be like traveling a few days a week on such a huge vessel. I know I’d like the chance to just sit back and relax and enjoy the view. Our ride over on Sunday gave us the opportunity to see the ferry without many passengers. I could still feel the essence of all those passengers however. It was very chilly out front of the Elwha Ferry but I managed to grab a few shots. In a later post I’ll share more but for now this one is probably my favorite- We spent our two days enjoying the scenery around the island making our way from bay to bay. Doe Bay really captured my eye with the beautiful mountain lion sculpture and some really cool teepee huts for camping. We will definitely be returning with the kids for some fun times this summer. Capturing photos was a bit tricky around the island as it decided to rain, sleet, snow and blow us around the whole time. At Doe Bay looking NorthEast at the clouds and surrounding islands, the clouds were moving very fast as the storm system made its way though the islands. A small harbor off Doe Bay featured one lonely water craft for me to capture. We had planned on taking one of the island cruises to look for wildlife but the weather was so unpredictable we were unable to go. Something to look forward to in the Spring. After making our way to as many bays as we could we finally made our way up on top of Mt. Constitution with plans of checking out the amazing tower. Our plans were thwarted by some bad weather and closed roads so we only made it up to the park at Twin Lakes near the top of the mountain at 2400 feet above sea level. It was snowing, misty, cloudy and chilly. Not much incentive for me to hike up further as it was also getting dark. Another excursion for a warmer day! We made our way back to Cascade Bay where the Rosario Resort was located in search of hot chocolate and warmth. We rang in the New Year at the Resort festivities all amazing food I promise!! The Rosario Resort was beautiful, they’ve obviously done some great upgrades and improvements to their rooms in the last few years and I was impressed. The view off our room was amazing that’s where I took several shots of the mansion at different times of the day. If only it wasn’t 40 degrees and raining we would’ve sat out on our deck and enjoyed the peacefulness of the bay. We will definitely be returning! I’ll have another blog post with many photos of the resort coming soon! You can find their blog here http://www.rosario-resort.blogspot.com/

If you read the last post, you will know that a mystery man from Tacoma was mentioned. Well he is none other than our very own “Patos Bill”! Here are Bill’s recollections from those days…. “Well, yes I was that guy named Bill and I remember romping on the North beach with a cute gal that was at the North Beach inn. Oh the water was cold. But the gal was cute so who cared…Not me. We always came ashore there when we came over to get our mail and groceries.We shopped for our food at Buzz and Esters meat and groceries shop at the ferry dock on Orcas. I visited Chief and Arline when they lived on Whidbie Island. I lost track of chief after Arline passed away. My time on Patos was living the life of an island person. The weather directed your day. Great memories. Patos Bill” Always fun to reeceive these flashes from the past on Patos Island.    

Cascade Lake, Moran State Park, Orcas Island WA 1-1-13 Polar bear plunge. Three very descriptive words. I see a white polar bear in full throttle sinking into an exposed patch of the ice. It is an adrenaline rush that has yet to seduce me. Granted, it rarely gets THAT cold here, but never the less. It’s cold. See the boy in blue? Breath clouds his face as he listens on to why the plunge is happening seven minutes later than normal. This tradition happens in many places such as  Seattle , and across the country, and possibly the world. Our own little Orcas Island polar bear plunge , a fundraiser for the Orcas Rowing Club is scheduled each year at 11:00am. Realistically, it begins New Year’s day about 10.58am and ends around 11:01am. It’s about the only thing that doesn’t fall under “island time”, except on this sunny, inspiring first day of 2013. This year the plunge happened at the top of the lake due to the newly found presence of salmon eggs. More info  here  if your curious selves are sitting at the edge of your seats. The crowd gathered to see Otis…(and no jokes about his tail, thank you very much). I mean the Polar Bear Plunge…. They waited either in patience or numbness as the last of the attendees found their way to the relocated plunge zone. Ready set…. Charge! Don’t blink or you might miss it… They are out quicker than they are in. Except for those couple at the end who just seem to love the lack of feeling in the top quarter inch of their epidermis We ourselves, me and O, in a close relationship with our long underwear and the layers that garnished a dough boy like figure, found enough adrenaline in a little walk. In Hobbit Land. In minutes we are transported to a mossy land covered in ferns, lacy green shoots off of trees as tall as the sky. My wonderment never ceases. He likes the gentleness of the moss on his belly. This was how we spent our new year’s morning. For New Year’s or any day, I’d like to pass on this tasty breakfast/brunch item found at my blogging maybe someday real time friend’s place… Karista’s Kitchen , Here’s my take on her eggs in a basket. Go to Karista’s page for the details I used Hempler’s uncured bacon and cheddar cheese. I cooked up the bacon a little, laid it in the muffin tin followed by a raw egg. I baked at 450° for about 8-10 min. The bacon went all crispy in a good way. I ran outside and the hot little guy shriveled up yelling to me don’t I know any better. I explained the picnic table out back is my source of natural light. We went back in to top up with the forgotten cheddar and warm up… only to be yanked back outside for another shot. Poor bacon and egg cup. Trust me though, it’s a lot of reward for little work. And one last Happy New Year! How long can we say that anyway? Tschüß  xo

From time to time. we receive emails from people who either used to live on  or visit Patos Island in the past. This is our latest Flash From the Past email: (Thanks Lisa and Nancy!) Hello, My name is Lisa Jacobs and I am a member of a 4-H Natural Resources group that periodically takes kayak trips to Sucia and Patos Islands. This past summer when we were on Patos, the lighthouse was open and we spent some time inside reading the materials. I used my camera to take pictures of some of the stories and pictures to send to my mother, who grew up in Bellingham and spent time in the San Juan’s in her late teens. In case you are interested, here is some history from her regarding Patos: I met the chief and his wife from Patos when I worked at North Beach Inn directly south on Orcas Island, about 1951 or 1952. They kept their vehicle garaged at the resort and would come in when one of the guys went on leave or when they wanted groceries. Chief was A.C. Schultz (Alvah), aka “Speed”, and wife, Arline . We became friends and I was invited over to spend a night or two on Patos. Which I did a couple of times. Sometimes the crossing was made in extremely rough weather and it was a bit scary. We became fast friends for life.  The large house is where the ‘sailors” stayed and the small house was where the chief and his wife lived and where I was their guest. One of the sailors was Bill from Tacoma, don’t remember his last name. Might have been Blake. He was cute. They had the cutest little parakeet on Patos which said, “Let’s eat, Arline!” and, “Let’s go fishing!” He had the freedom of the house. There was no road, just a path up from the dock. When Speed retired, they bought a home on Orcas on the west side of Eastsound looking toward Rosario. Not on the beach, tho. They had an old model A (or  T) which I loved to drive. I believe Speed retired rather than face another assignment going to Alaska on the Ice Breaker Northwind out of Seattle. Later, Speed and Arline moved to Whidbey Island just south of Coupleville in Ledgewood Beach area. Arline died and Speed eventually remarried. I imagine he has since passed away. We didn’t correspond after Arline died but he took me dancing once. He was a terrific dancer. I loved the salt water, the sound, sights and smells.  I used to sit on the beach and watch for their boat to approach Orcas. A family by the name of Jukes was headed home on a sailboat one stormy evening, I saw the boat . . . it was never seen again. They had a photography studio in Bellingham. A nice time in my younger years, good memories. Nancy Goodliffe (Barnett) Patos Island in the early 1950s

The Bard himself joins the Orcas Community in the 2nd Annual Festival. Restaurants, Shops & Schools Will Join in the Fun on March 22 & 23, 2013 Renowned Shakespeare actors and enthusiastic small-town performers are coming together on Orcas Island for two days of entertainment. The Second Annual Shakespeare Festival will feature a production by the Seattle Shakespeare Company, parades and impromptu acting by Orcas musicians and performers both young and old, and a variety of offerings from island restaurants, hotels and shops for visitors and locals alike. William Shakespeare himself will kick off the festival, taking place on Friday, March 22 and Saturday, March 23. “The Chamber of Commerce is working with our business community to take part in the fun,” said Orcas Island Chamber Board President Michell Marshall. “Restaurants and shops will feature ‘Shakespearean Specials’ that weekend, transforming the island into a Salish Sea version of Stratford-upon-Avon.” On Friday, March 22, Seattle Shakespeare Company will present a production of Julius Caesar for the Orcas Island schools. The school performance will be followed by an acting workshop presented by the company, aimed at students and adults. The Stage on the Green, located in the heart of the island, will be home to numerous festival activities all day Seattle Shakespeare Company Saturday, March 23, including stage performances and music of the period. That evening, a performance of Julius Caesar will be presented at the island’s version of “The Globe” – the 200-seat Orcas Center, the community’s performing arts facility. Tickets for the March 23 performance of Julius Caesar will go on sale in January, and will be available through the Orcas Center Box Office (360-376-2281) or its website http://www.OrcasCenter.org . Tickets will also be available at Brown Paper Tickets ( http://www.brownpapertickets.com/ ) Orcas Island, one of the San Juan Islands, is famous for its natural beauty, and is often referred to as the “Gem of the San Juans.” “With an amazing variety of talented local artists, Orcas has earned the reputation as an ‘Island for the Arts,’ and this year’s Shakespeare Festival will only add to that reputation. And it doesn’t hurt we have our own William Shakespeare for the event,” Marshall said.

View from Sucia Island What is your week looking like?  Everyone ‘In-The-Know’ on Orcas Island keeps a copy of the Orcas Island Itinerary in their back pocket.  “Hey, what’s going on right now?”  Your answer lies in the Itinerary.  A week’s worth of good stuff in one sheet .

Rainer Maria Rilke I bought a collection by Rilke at Darvill’s bookstore on Orcas Island, hoping it would free me from a year without writing. The store is small, warm, and jam-packed with books. A chime goes off when the door opens, and it feels like another world, inside. In one of my writing classes in college, a student asked, Has anyone ever lost their mind from writing? The professor said she didn’t think so, but there are probably cases of writers who have lost their mind from not writing. When I was young and had a fever, sometimes I imagined I could see with my eyes closed, as if I was inside a dark cave. It was a feeling of terror and disconnectedness, as though I was moving through space, in my mind. It’s been a reopening of the senses, these past couple of weeks, traveling. Now I need to go back to the cave and see what’s there.

Posted by Sandi And I’m not talking about Seahawks fans – although there are plenty of those too. Or