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.

First Friday- Art Walk on Vashon

I am not an artist. I don't have a degree in art. I just kinda like it.  There are several art galleries in the downtown alone.  There are "shows" in the hardware store and Snapdragon and other various places that rotate throughout the year.  There is art hanging all over the walls of Vashon Island.  Once a month, all months of the year there is "first friday" where resturants, banks, galleries and a various assundry of other businesses open their doors and share the weath of art from our Island.

Yes, this is quilt!

 The coolest thing is that places you wouldn't normally expect step up for this event.  Place like the PSCCU Credit union opens up, Cafe Luna often has music, or hallways between stores will have exhibits.  I'm not a quilter so I don't know much about the "art of quilting" but the quilting store has some really awesome quilt exhibits. They are seriously mind blowing.

When we lived in Columbia City in Seattle our neighborhood had a first fridays event- we went to it but we never really felt connected.  We didn't see people we knew and didn't know how to fit in.  A lot of things seemed to cost money and it was hard.   So when we started going to this periodically we were delighted that was NOT what first Fridays on Vashon feel like

Frankly it's a pretty great event.  The shops usually have little snacks like crackers and cheese, it's nice to wander and see folks (because it's Vashon we inevitably see someone we know!), and honestly,  If we didn't have young children it would be more fun, get a glass of wine at the Hardware Store and then able together listening to music.  But, even with children it is almost always more fun that I think it will be.

Wood-stove

It's chilly today.  We turned on our furnace on Monday after a chilly night and today a chimney sweep came and cleaned out the chimney (it was in the inspection report that we should get it done before we light it) so we are ready to have some cozy fires.    We have also really been enjoying our chimnea (outdoor fireplace kinda thing).   When we lived in Seattle we didn't have a fireplace, but something about the dampness here in the PNW makes a hot dry fire such a cozy luxury.  In my winters in Massachusetts I wanted a fireplace but here I feel like it is a different sort of need. Especially since the dampness is from September until June.

So anyway, we love our wood-stove and are excited to start using it.  And, even though I don't love the look of a woodstove as much as a fireplace I really like heating our home and getting a fire in one shot.

Last year we used the Vashon listserve (vashon all- yahoo group) to find someone to sell us cordwood. I am sure we will have to buy another cord of wood, but we also have friends who offered us a bunch of seasoned (not in the rain for over 1 year) wood from their place as they have only gas fireplaces.  Needless to say we are kind of excited about that (very cheap) prospect.

What about you? Do you love a woodstove? Fireplace? or Gas fireplace?
Or wait...where do you get your Island cord wood?

6 Reasons NOT to move to Vashon.

I love Vashon. Seriously I  do. I am thrilled we live here, but a lot of people I know have pondered moving to Vashon and more than a couple people we know are really considering a move.  The thing is, this place is not for everyone.  So even though I am all about you moving here there are some reasons to NOT move to Vashon.

1. I think the nature of Vashon is introverted.  Sure there are extroverts here- but communities have personalities and I think this community is an introverted one (PNW in general probably is). This is a place where people stay at home, do there own thing, enjoy families, leave parties early, linger in deep conversations etc.  The social scene here is also legit, don't get me wrong.  But the scene here is NOT socialite.

2.   If you are going to work off Island (and your partner is too), you need to be comfortable with your kids being on an island without you.  For us that means we have an emergency plan and such but for some people having Puget sound between them and their kids is too much.

3.  Ferry Life and Boat life are not everyone's cup of tea. You will spend some time missing ferries, changing last minute plans, reading books on the boat, and excercising while walking laps on the boat.  For Islanders, we learn to love this time- to read, clean our cars, sleep etc.  But this style is not for everyone.

4.  If you crave diversity of choices then the island is a bad place to live.  A handful of resturants, 2 hardware stores, 1 shoe store, 1 bookstore, is quaint and charming for vacation. But, if you are a consumer reports reading comparison shopper. You shouldn't come here.  Sure you COULD live here and comparison shop Seattle, Tacoma or Bremerton- but why?

5. If the rain already gets you down then stay away!  It isn't rainy-er here per se but it feels wetter somehow.  Because it is grassy and mossy and tree covered the Island feels wet even when it ISN'T raining.  When you are in an urban environment the asphalt and concrete dries faster.  So if the rain makes you enjoy being at home and get all cozy and warm then go for it- otherwise stick to your drier environment.

6. Just straight up, there are a lot more 50+ and young families on the island than in most other places.  So if you are 20 years old and looking for a vibrant hook up scene or clubbing culture or even partnership, I would not recommend Vashon as the best location to do that hunting.

7. The ethnic diversity here is...um...lacking. You will have to go off island for that (or import it).