South Again

I admit it, I’m fascinated by the South Salish Sea. It’s not just that it’s closer than any other salt water site to my home. There’s something about its intimacy, its understated beauty, and its less developed shoreline that draws me back year after year. 

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Details Matter

My long-time friend Thomas is a great creative mind. He draws and creates things prolifically and with a greater degree of detail, skill, and depth than anything that I can do. Still, I don’t feel any sense of competition with him; just inspiration. His drawings can be seen over at Mission Azul, and while sometimes less based in reality than mine, they still move me to want to improve my drawing skills.  

Rocking Out

Crab claws, lichens, shells, and stones from all over the world have taken up residence in my home. They’re in bowls, on windowsills, and shelves in ever larger numbers, and it’s my fault. 

Messing About with Merry

It can be hard to get a teenager out of the house at times, but when you do, the results can be quite good. Case in point: When the Columbia was roaring along during the spring freshet I convinced Merry to come mess about in the backwaters of Smith and Bybee Wetlands.  

Remain Calm

When I see them, I’m supposed to freak out. Yell. Curse. Smash them. Spray insecticide.

Don’t tell my wife, but when I notice ants crawling across our counter, I admire them. 

Why I (Still) Love RowBird

I got the chance to take the helm of a 30 foot keelboat last weekend. It had soft cushions, a head, a bimini, and a nice big electronic chart above the wheel. Music drifted out of two speakers strategically placed in the back of the cockpit. When we got tired of fighting the current, we cranked on the diesel engine and motored back to the dock. There was good company on the boat, but I didn’t enjoy the sailing as much as I do on RowBird. To be fair to the keelboat, it could have been a Herreshoff, but because I’m in love with RowBird, it wouldn’t have mattered.