All over Seattle there are patches of green. Parks, wetlands, greenways abound in just about every corner of the city. With an even more careful search, tinier spaces reveal themselves — maybe a vacant corner lot or a critical slope on one of many hillsides. These spaces are known as P-Patch community gardens, and they light up all summer, hosting everything from chard to … [Read more...] about Seattle P-Patch photos — community gift of color In unexpected corners
Pacific Northwest
All you need to navigate the Washington State ferries
Water is a way of life in the Pacific Northwest. From the vast Pacific Ocean to the resource-rich Salish Sea, our world is cleansed with the daily tides that bring in life and wash away the rest. In the early days, before roads dissected the lands around Washington State, hundreds of small boats known as “Mosquito Fleet” dotted the salty waterways, transporting people and goods … [Read more...] about All you need to navigate the Washington State ferries
Tokeland Hotel — spiritual oasis of the Washington Coast
In order to write a review of the Tokeland Hotel, a gem that hugs a tiny spit of sandy land surrounded by Shoalwater Bay on the Washington Coast, it is first important to point out that my filter for any lodging location is first and foremost about the heart. I look for a feeling of home that comes from the joy of carefully curated aesthetic, combined with thoughtful … [Read more...] about Tokeland Hotel — spiritual oasis of the Washington Coast
Emerging through the smoke towards renewal
I loved Smokey the Bear growing up — probably because his story of renewal was inspiring to me. Out of the charcoal of a tinderbox forest fire in New Mexico, he was rescued, made a “spokes-bear”, and inspired generations to come. I remember Smokey saying, “Only YOU can prevent forest fires.” So I wonder, as my beloved Pacific Northwest burns in so many different fires and the … [Read more...] about Emerging through the smoke towards renewal
Lumberjack road trip to timber rich Vernonia and rural environs
Columbia County is a quiet area of Oregon located north of popular Portland. The population is just over 50,000 people, who mostly live in small towns lining the mighty Columbia River. This includes my hometown of Scappoose -- now considered a bedroom community of Portland due to the convenient location on a beautifully scenic and easy highway only 15 miles away. This … [Read more...] about Lumberjack road trip to timber rich Vernonia and rural environs