Greetings, friends. Here’s the second road trip story from Bajada Bill and Cactus Kate. This leg of the journey takes us into the High Sierra all the way to Abiquiu NM. We arrived at East Fork campground in Rock Creek Canyon above Tom’s Place off Hwy 395. Shoehorned Marion into site #35 right next to the luxurious flush toilet and running water sink bathrooms. The campground is remote: no wifi or cell service here. Also no electric hookups. We used our solar powered lanterns and a pair of rechargeable lanterns our friend Lady D Corwin once gifted us. One of…
Author: Kate Poss | With Photos by David Welton
Kate Poss | With Photos by David Welton
Kate Poss This Is Whidbey was founded by Kate Poss for readers who are interested in cultivating our island’s quality of life, including its land, sea, and air; its people, plants, and animals; and the bodies, minds, and spirits of its inhabitants. You may know Kate from her work in island libraries through May of 2016. Her background includes a career in newspaper reporting in Los Angeles for various weeklies and dailies, including The Los Angeles Times. She was a frequent contributor to the online Whidbey Life Magazine and still writes for the biannual print magazine. David Welton Stories are highlighted by David Welton’s excellent photography. David is a retired physician who was a staff photographer for Whidbey Life Magazine since its early days. His work has also appeared in museums, art galleries, newspapers, regional and national magazines, books, nonprofit publicity, and on the back of the Whidbey Sea-Tac Shuttle!
Kotyhoroshko and the Dragon Courage and Kindness in the Shadow of War This production of a Ukrainian Fairy Tale is a tribute to the Ukrainian people and their courageous commitment to ensuring the future of democracy in our world. All proceeds will go to support Waldorf Schools in Ukraine. Kotyhoroshko and the Dragon – is an ancient tale with contemporary significance. The name Kotyhoroshko is derived from “Horoh,” which means pea in Ukrainian, an important staple crop that symbolizes abundance, fertility, and prosperity. The young hero who rescues his siblings from the dragon speaks to the significance of family. His…
Physical therapist Connie Lloyd, an open-minded health practitioner, learned of and took courses in evidence-based modalities such as HeartMath® and Emotional Freedom Technique—or EFT—which expanded the tools used in her practice. Over the years she discovered her horses act as therapeutic agents validating these techniques. As a result, she became certified in Equine Assisted Learning—EAL. “It’s taken a while to put it all together,” said Lloyd, who, after retiring from the SoundView Center as a physical therapist in 2024, continues to run a private practice from her Greenbank clinic adjacent to the family’s horse arena. “I want to offer tools…
Fair Manager Nancy Thelen reports: The fair was nice and full, and people had a good time. Seemed like there were lots of people there enjoying themselves. We had fun. We had a Beautiful Baby contest. Got two pie eating contests and that was amazing. Everything just went smooth! Last year Eagle Building improved the concession stands. Morley and Sons Construction helped us with repairing the arena grandstand. They gave a lot of volunteer time helping with that. Thelen Construction (owned by Jim and Nancy Thelen) stripped it to the bare bones. Morley built it back up. We got a…
Author/entrepreneur/community weaver Judy Lynn recently celebrated the addition of 70 new stories to the hundred originally published in 2015 in her book, “Front Street, Coupeville: An Oral History.” “Corralling history has been a passion of mine,” said Lynn in a previous interview. Recently she noted: “I’m done. Happily done. I was on it for 20 years. Although the original interviews were by voice or video, they have been transferred to a readable version. It’s been an amazing journey, and I am grateful to the folks who agreed to have their memories stored with our Island County Historical Society, and to…
Generations Place celebrated completion of its innovative workforce housing complex in Langley with a ribbon-cutting ceremony June 9th. Cold, overcast and blustery that afternoon, the weather gods held off raining until the speeches finished about 5 PM. The event honored all who helped bring the attractive and spacious 14-unit multifamily building to its completion. Planning, design and construction on the project reflect the success of collaborations spearheaded by Island Roots. “For Island Roots Housing, this ribbon cutting marks more than a construction milestone. It marks the moment Generations Place begins fulfilling the purpose it was built for — welcoming people…
There’s a new ‘chapel’ in the western-themed town at M-Bar-C Ranch in Freeland. M-Bar-C Ranch, located on 50 acres in Freeland, was purchased in the 1970s by Seattle families who wished to provide a rural setting for their kids in which to thrive and ride horses. Some of the same Seattle families founded the Forgotten Children’s Fund in the 1970s. The Freeland ranch was later opened for underserved kids who could visit the ranch’s western town, ride horses and enjoy a day’s fun in the country. The ranch now serves nearly 2,000 visitors a year from May through September. The…
Imagine feeling good in our bodies as we age. Adam Fawcett, founder of Vibrant Fitness in Langley, will host a pair of free “Functional Strength Training After 60” classes next month: June 4th at 4 PM at the Freeland Library, and June 15th at 1:30 PM at the Coupeville Library. The exercises are designed to strengthen our bodies, and maintain balance as we age. Audie Black has trained with Vibrant Fitness since 2011. She was a recreational swimmer and competed in a Seattle-area half triathlon “with a goal to complete, not compete” in 2013. In his recent post, ‘Client Hero…
David Welton invited This is Whidbey to run his photos from the 32nd Annual South Whidbey Hearts & Hammers event the past weekend. His award-winning photos run in the South Whidbey Record. David’s photos framed my writing when This is Whidbey was first created in August of 2018. We occasionally collaborate still. Hearts & Hammers is the brain child of the late Lynn Willeford, who founded the non-profit during the 1990s. Her legacy continues on in a number of community-oriented non-profits. Hearts & Hammers began as a simple notion: noticing that some women of her church needed help with house…
Doe Stahr asked that I post a notice of this interesting event in August. For more information, please visit this webpage.