We have a lot to be thankful for this year, taking a large leap and fulfilling a dream. Some of it was well-orchestrated, some just pure, blind good fortune. All of it leaving us with a feeling of satisfaction, contentment, and joy that we are here in this beautiful place. There is a past and […]
I’ve been told I first “met” her when I was a baby and she gently tossed me around a bit. I of course don’t remember that meeting, but I do distinctly remember subsequent visits and phone calls. My great Aunt Marge, Marjorie Eleanor Nunan Dyer, was my grandma’s sister. She was a strong, stoic, and […]
Happy birthday Dad. I’m here! It took a while, but life got in the way. It’s been a very good life with a loving family. The dream of coming here began to form years ago when you would tell me about your childhood and the beauty and peacefulness of this place. I knew if it […]
We live on an island. One connected to the mainland by two ferry routes towards the southern and middle part of the island and a large, iconic bridge located to the north. Getting “off island” requires preparation, whether that’s budgeting time to travel the approximately 30 miles of state route roads to Deception Pass Bridge […]
Coming to Whidbey Island, I knew there was a small-town appeal. Neighbors greeting each other on walks, locals enjoying coffee at their morning hangout, and a general sense of connection and support. That’s why, when we learned about the Welcome the Whales parade, there was no question about it, we were going to the annual […]
Sunny skies greeted us our first week in Whidbey. Coming from Southern California, we’d been warned about drizzly Washington weather. Fully prepared for gloom, we were pleasantly surprised to experience back-to-back days of warmth and piercing blue skies filled with puffy, cotton ball clouds. As we continued to acquaint ourselves with the island, we decided […]
After many days spent moving into our new house and figuring out a routine, we needed a vacation. Living out of a suitcase and traveling from hotel to hotel over the course of the past month had taken a toll and we figured we’d earned a day of play. We had also been introduced to […]
“I always get where I’m going by walking away from where I’ve been.” — Winnie the Pooh They say to take the road less traveled. I’m not sure Interstate 5 qualifies, but that’s where we found ourselves in spring 2022, beginning a multi-day, three-state drive to Whidbey Island, Washington. Months of epic planning had brought […]
It approached dusk and the daylight started to fade. With the recent memory of a delicious, warm meal of shrimp and clams on my mind and the melodic sound of the car wheels on the road, I sensed myself being softly lulled to sleep. Staring out the window, listening to Bruce Springsteen’s ballad to the […]
My ancestors immigrated to Whidbey Island in the late 1850s. Taking circuitous routes from their native Ireland, through the Australian continent, to the shores of North America, they came from modest backgrounds with the little they brought with them. These were gritty, resolute people, determined to make a go of it in a new land. […]
My breath fogged up in front of me as I left the warmth of the car. The heavy raincoat I was wearing was no match for the morning and did little to stop my shivering. Traipsing through the wet grass, I made my way past the leaves and pinecones, acutely aware of my shoes absorbing […]
