Author Archives: Whittoons

My wife will not let me scare the children arriving at our door (or at the end of our candy shoot) on Halloween. The number count of Trick or Treaters is very important to her, and my shenanigans would certainly … Continue reading →

Caravaggio had a way with blood, and severed heads made for glorious gore. His reds just pop…just like the heads. His work got me to thinking about the art we have seen on our trips and how some works are … Continue reading →

We love all our neighbors, yet living in close proximity (the five cottages on our block were built in the early 20th century on 40 x 100 ft lots) still requires some facsimile of privacy – a sense that the … Continue reading →

Not all is still around Lake Quinault. The Quinault Tribe controls the Lake, and the National Park borders the lake edge on the north. Some property owners, disgruntled with the measures the tribe enacted to protect the lake and salmon … Continue reading →

The islands of Puget Sound offer sublime retreats to those who can afford the opportunity to slow down the tempo of their lives…and/or temporarily suspend their hyper-vigilance in the fight against COVID. Yet challenges arise when islands become treasured spots … Continue reading →

Before the Heat Dome, Before the Capitol Hill insurrection, Before COVID, we went into the desert to commune with boulders and shrubs. Truth be told, we had gone so that I might participate in a NUSA (Neighborhoods USA) conference…but we … Continue reading →

We traveled East for family – to pay our respects to a cousin whose big heart gave out on him and to get acquainted with a new generation of family members. We honored family past and future. Bookings were a … Continue reading →

For a Seattle urbanist, wide open spaces can be intimidating. Yet I was drawn to the Palouse with its sensuous undulating hills of golden wheat cut by jagged ravines that reveal eons of history. Farmers thrive here in spite of … Continue reading →

Sleeping Lady had beckoned for years yet the timing never was perfect…and getting reservations is a challenge. We lucked out with a chance inquiry recently and managed to land an Alcove room – not one of the bigger spaces but … Continue reading →