Vashon Trash Pick up during Thanksgiving week 2013

In case this blog comes up in a search you are doing- apparently trash pick up the week of Thanksgiving -is this-

If you usually have pick up on Thursday it is Friday.
If you usually have pick up on Friday it is Saturday.

Follow the link below:

http://www.murreysdisposal.com/announcements.aspx

Apparently Murrey's disposal does Vashon trash.

Vashon Beach- winter explorations

We are having a cold snap here in the Pacific Northwest.  That means our highs are in the 30's and 40's rather than 40's and 50's.  In some of the low spots in our yard the frost is staying throughout the day.  (I know you who live in actually cold place scoff at this!)  Here in the PNW cold weather often is accompanied with clear weather- and lately that is the case.

Here on Vashon the mountains are out! The water looks blue, and it is all so lovely!  Today, we wanted to go down to the beach! We also wanted to enjoy a bit of the sun!  Except cold weather and the beach can sometimes just chill a person to the bone.

So here's what we did, and here is my suggestion for fun winter beach visit with kids.  We packed up a thermos of cocoa, a jar of mini-marshmallows, 2 apples, and a bag of crackers and 4 mugs in a nice little basket and did some slurping cocoa, beach combing, rock throwing, and duck watching.

I'll admit we weren't there for too long and it wasn't the time of our life, but the sunset was BEAUTIFUL, the cocoa was yummy, and we had some beach time!

Vashon/Seattle Commute- The dynamics of commuting with exactly the same people every day

I was at a meeting in September and a professor of cultural studies (or something like that) was telling a story and she said, "...in the Pacific Northwest People show respect by giving you privacy..."

I have often thought of this since then.  It is so true.   The life of someone who commutes on Vashon is that you commute with the same 200 people every day.  I suppose there might be tad more people than that, but generally it's  true. There are many many many faces of Vashon Island people that I recognize because I see them on the bus, boat, ferry, etc. but for the most part I don't talk to them.

When you commute on/off of Vashon to Seattle you have some choices.  Where you sit on the boat, what you do, if you talk etc are all part of the choices you make daily.  There are people on the boat who play cribbage, who talk politics, who discuss their bikes, etc.  There are others who will chat only with a selective friend or so.  And then, there is the large majority of people who are quiet.  Reading, sleeping, playing games on your phone are all acceptable.

Sean and I are the quiet commuters.  We talk to each other and once in a great while we will talk to a friend (but seriously not much).  It is our alone time or our couple time.  I always have a book or magazine in my bag and move on.

Now that we know the faces of those we commute with there is an unspoken recognition that you are a reader or a quite rider.  There are some random people we talk with for a minute...Joke about the weather, or comment about an overheard something or other...that is life with people you see every day. But in general I like the privacy as a way of respect thing.  It works for me.  It works for my commute.

Vashon Island Blessings

Blessed Be, ground that almost never freezes.
Blessed Be, my lungs for fresh air every day.

Blessed be, rain.
Blessed be dampness. and mildew
Blessed be, grey and green.

Blessed be a place for warm fires.
Blessed be, abundant seasoned wood.
Blessed be dens life filled forests

Blessed be the quiet and the darkness.
Blessed be the quiet steps of deer, the awkward bark of coyotes.
Blessed be short days and misty mornings.

Blessed be peeking mountains.
Blessed be ferry boats and cargo ships.

Blessed be.
Blessed be.