Category Archives: Reflections

Halibut are actually large flounder, harvested on this Coast from Oregon to the Bering Sea.  The Pacific halibut, Hippoglossus stenolepis (hippos of the sea), grow to 500 pounds, but usually are caught at weights up to 10 pounds.  The halibut is a peculiar two-toned flat diamond-shaped spectacle with an underside of pearly white.  The upper side is a dark grey with patches of lighter grey and black.  It’s face – well, shall we say, it is not a handsome fish by any stretch of the imagination… A young halibut begins life in an upright position with eyes on both sides of their head.  When they are about an inch long, the left eye migrates over the snout to the right side of the head, and the color of the left side fades.  In the process, the mouth takes on a bizarre twist.  When approximately six months old, they settle to … Continue reading →

We here in the Pacific Northwest are getting antsy for true Spring weather on a consistent basis.  Mother Nature teases, tempts, and taunts with a pleasant sunny day here and there but we want more!  We want to barbeque.  Whenever we feel like it! Few can resist the intoxicating and seductive aroma of grilling food.  An effortless way to entertain, involving minimal clean-up, the barbeque becomes the center of attention, making the meal more of an event.  In my mind, there is simply nothing more satisfying than enjoying a pre-meal libation with friends at sunset with the evening meal sizzling on the grill.  This meal is even better if some thought went into it… Marinades make it possible for you to treat yourself to a fabulous feast that celebrates, at the very least, the intention of living life in balance.  Someday, surely.  Actually, tomorrow or – even later today!  That … Continue reading →

A widely celebrated Spring rite is the official opening day of the boating season.  Typically held the first weekend in May, yacht clubs everywhere participate in this annual event.  Here in the San Juan Islands, San Juan Island Yacht Club, Orcas Island Yacht Club, and Lopez Island Yacht Club sponsor parades, picnics, dock parties, boat tours, and sometimes even sailboat races. When I was growing up, the only truly organized Opening Day festivities here in the Pacific Northwest were held in Seattle.  I have vivid recall of the year 1963 when my Father was Commodore of Tacoma Yacht Club.  We took our sparkling clean and polished boat to Seattle the week before, fully stocked with anything and everything we could possibly ever need for spontaneous entertaining.  My sisters and I had our navy blue blazers, perfectly pressed white skirts (NOT Winter white), white shoes, black belts and ties – the … Continue reading →

Recently, a very handsome seagull has adopted me. He shows up at regular times starting at first light. He sits patiently in the water in front of my house staring at me until I give in and feed him some stale bread. I have named him Sam. Several weeks after meeting my new friend, his brother Steve showed up. They have such a comical routine. Sam does his sitting/staring routine and then the minute I approach the shoreline, seemingly out of nowhere, Steve swoops in. I know this may sound silly to anyone who did not grow up on the water in the Pacific Northwest, but these two gulls really do give me such joy. Gulls typically show considerable variation in color, and some seasonal changes in plumage which causes confusion in identifying species, but I am not hung up on that. All are web-footed and swim readily; they show … Continue reading →

When I say this simple phrase to my dog, Romeo, he goes nuts. He nudges his leash stashed by the front door and dances around the living room, pawing at me. Dogs really are so easily pleased. When I lived on Bainbridge, I regularly walked three miles with my dog every single morning. Within the past couple years here on San Juan Island, I have taken this up again and honestly don’t have a clue why I stopped for a while there. I don’t approach walking as exercise, but rather for my soul and my body tags along. On my walks, I solve problems. It is a form of meditation. I shift from overdrive into soft time. I quiet the chatter in my head, taking long strides, and concentrate on the slow, steady rhythm of my breath, comforted by interior silence. I look and I listen. I let go of … Continue reading →

One of the most beautiful of all vegetables, the artichoke is actually a perennial in the thistle group of the sunflower family. If left longer on the stem, they would blossom into gorgeous violet-blue flowers measuring seven inches in diameter. What we eat is actually the plant’s flower bud! While the artichoke seems almost armored against intrusion, protected by their own version of barbed wire, behind their spiky leaves and inedible fuzzy choke – beyond this barricade — is the ultimate tasty prize; the sweet and tender heart. Artichokes are available year-round, but are at their best and most plentiful in April and May. Select only globes that are deep green in color, unblemished, and with a tight leaf formation. They should feel heavy for their size. A good test of freshness is to press the leaves against each other which should produce a squeaking sound. Browning of tips can … Continue reading →

When I was a little girl, it seemed that my entire fashion world revolved around Easter Sunday – the dress, the patent leather shoes (shined to perfection with Vaseline), the purse, the white gloves – and, the hat! I still have the Immanuel Presbyterian Sunday School group photo as a reminder. Our family went to church and we sometimes had Easter egg hunts, but we always woke up to Easter baskets chock full of brightly decorated eggs. The Easter bunny never missed our house. Easter is the great Spring rite of family and tradition and it seems to bring out the child in all of us. Of all the symbols associated with Easter it is the egg, the very symbol of fertility and new life, that is the most identifiable. The customs and traditions of using eggs have been associated with Easter for centuries. Originally Easter eggs were painted with … Continue reading →

The other morning, I was driving back from the south end of the island after staging a home that I brought on the market last week. While I do love the staging process, it can be somewhat exhausting. Thoughts were swirling in my head as I drove. My mind was definitely elsewhere, thinking of what I needed to put on my list and/or cross off my list. A mile or so out of American Camp, I was pleasantly surprised to see a rainbow in the distance over Orcas Island. A bit further down the road, suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, a bluebird flew right in front of my car! I viewed it as a good omen and, oddly, it made me deliriously happy. I actually stopped to watch it make its way to the nesting box out in the field. This delightful series of events reminded me of a song … Continue reading →

Just when you thought the unpredictable weather would never end and the mere thought of dressing in layer upon layer was enough to make you scream for mercy. Just when you thought the sky was a permanent shade of grey. Just when you were about to give up, threatening to Winter in the tropics next year. Yes, folks – just then. We open our eyes one morning to bright skies, a heavenly fresh breeze, screeching gulls, and the very feel of Spring! The air is charged with energy and contagious enthusiasm. It feels like a celebration! Spring is a new beginning – a fresh start. A new chapter in life waiting to be written! Indeed, resurrection is this season’s signature and our spirits fairly start to soar! The season of darkness diminishes as the season of light increases. The enchantments of Springtime in the San Juans are many, to include … Continue reading →

This week brings us St. Patrick’s Day. Not being of Irish descent, this is not a holiday that I typically celebrate, although I must confess in college I scored a fabulous Ralph Lauren Kelly green corduroy blazer on sale at an amazing price and for many years, that was my costume for this holiday. It was my defense against getting pinched… While the Ralph Lauren blazer is long gone, there is something about St. Patrick’s Day that piques my curiosity. I relate this day to the role that luck actually plays in our lives – for better or for worse. Sometimes it is difficult to differentiate between bad luck and good luck. Sometimes, it can take years before we realize that what we considered to be bad luck, should actually have been a celebration of our good fortune! Hindsight is a remarkable thing. I am of the school that everything … Continue reading →