Orcas Island

Beach Walk the Beach! Many approach walking as exercise, however there are still many who walk for their souls and their body tags along. It is a form of meditation, shifting from overdrive into soft time, quieting the chatter in the head, solving problems – taking long strides, concentrating on the slow, steady rhythm of breathing, comforted by interior […]
Gardening Secret Gardens in the San Juan Islands As you drive around the island, you may not think many islanders are into gardening. To the contrary, due to the abundance of wildlife, gardens here tend to be hidden from plain sight. Many take advantage of the topography, views, and trees or simply have an abundance of potted plants on the deck. A visit […]
Boating Opening Day of Boating Season! May brings us Opening Day of the Boating Season, but actually boating is pretty much a year round thing in the islands. The many moods and embracing presence of the all-encircling sea is seductive, to put it mildly. Boating is a way of life in the islands. The San Juan Islands are truly the consummate […]
History Orcas Island Orcas is the largest of the 172 islands in San Juan County with shimmering emerald hills embraced by 125 miles of rocky, tree-lined shoreline. Orcas is the diverse island. Its three long inlets thrust deep into the interior of the island, giving it more shoreline and protected waters than any of the neighboring islands. Once […]
Island Spring! As much as we may yearn for it, Spring can take us by surprise.  We wait and we wait.  And then, finally we open our eyes one morning to a coppery dawn, a stretch of sky burning with color and drenched with glory making magic with the sea, a heavenly fresh breeze, glowing greens, colorful […]
Island Beyond the Border – Visit Sidney, B.C. As you venture around the islands, you will often see Canada looming in the distance. The end of March brings the return of the ferry from Friday Harbor to Sidney, British Columbia which can be interpreted to mean a great opportunity for a fun getaway! Sidney is located on the shore of the southern tip […]
Home Love your home! The world seems to brace itself for February; the burnished silver skies seem to nearly sigh with stoic beauty, this quiet time.  But, February is, without a doubt, all about love. Knowing what you love should be fairly straightforward, but it seldom really is.  After decades of allowing other people to influence us – the […]
Birding Winter Birds in the Islands To many who live in the Northwest, Winter is synonymous with hibernation and dormancy.  Those who live in the islands tend to let Winter weave her wondrous spell.  The stunning ordinary in the simply overlooked. The San Juan Islands are fortunate to be blessed with a spectacular array of birds that only visit between Fall […]
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Lopez Island Barometric Pressure Barometric pressure is the measure of the weight of the atmosphere above us.  Barometric pressure varies with altitude; a higher elevation will have less atmosphere above it which exerts less pressure.  To keep readings standard across the world, barometric pressure is to be indicated at sea level. The barometric pressure changes as the weather systems […]
Home Dead of Winter? – Listing your Home   January – the month of new beginnings and cherished memories.  It is a fresh start, a new chapter.  A time for reflection and resolution. The first month of our calendar year was named by the Romans after Janus, the god of change, transitions, and beginnings.  Janus had two faces – one looking forward, the […]
Community Holiday Memories The holidays are upon us and you can feel it in the air in the San Juan Islands. Slowing, surely, the season’s magical spell has taken hold with the remarkable sense of community. Actively emerging in early December, a spirited and creative time of year, it is a precious time when memory and other strands […]
Home A Place in the Islands Sacred partnerships arrive in our lives in many forms; sometimes consisting of wood and stone, rather than flesh and bone.  There is a deep peace and contentment to be found in the intimate connections with places as well as people. Every relationship we have – with other people, with our work – reflects in some […]
Lifestyle Our Commute – Island Life Living Given that our team works all the islands in the San Juan archipelago, we are often on the inter-island ferry.  Sometimes when showing property on one of the outer islands, we pause to ponder just how extraordinary this commute really is, yet how very typical of island life.  We view this commute as a mini […]
Home Island Life The secret weapon for living life on an island is a well organized pantry.  A planned reserve of foodstuffs and sundries for everyday life, a pantry saves time, money, and stress.  Tap the pantry for unexpected meals and reduce trips to the mainland or even the grocery store. Stock it with frugal finds to lower […]
Holidays Are you ready? With the holidays fast approaching, you may be expecting guests in your home perhaps just for a meal or a party or – maybe for a lengthy stay.  We all know our homes are never cleaner than when we are expecting guests, but you might want to consider taking it to the next level, preparing […]
Orcas Island Round the County Race As we ease into November, October and the true Winter months descend, many opt to tackle indoor project with a cozy fire in the fireplace or gear up for some serious skiing in the snow-covered  mountains.  This is definitely not the case for many Pacific Northwest sailors who have rallied to the islands for over […]