The pile of boxes we have stacked in the guesthouse represent a lot of decisions about the house project.
Category Archive: Orcas Island
A Little Smoke, A Little Fog
Morning on the water in Deer Harbor. The smoke from wildfires on California has drifted up to Orcas Island.
Being One with the Dirt on Orcas Island
Being one with the dirt is part of the transition and how you become part of the island itself.
Podcast Interview: Mixergy with Andrew Warner
I was interviewed by Andrew Warner at Mixergy. It was my third appearance on the show and, like the others, ended up going in directions I didn’t expect.
A Story On Big Enough Launch Day
On the day Big Enough launched I sat down in front of the camera to share a story from the book about making a video for Google.
What is Big Enough About?
On the day before BIG ENOUGH launched, I recorded this video to explain what the book is about, who it's for and what I think readers will take from it. https://youtu.be/CSPXW40g-Mc Learn More About BIG ENOUGH
Making The Trailer Video for Big Enough
To create the trailer for my book, Big Enough, I wanted to take advantage of the natural scenery where I live. So I packed up my drone and dogs and went on a hike. If only it were so easy.
The Story Behind the BIG ENOUGH Trailer
Making the live-action trailer for Big Enough was a challenge, and I loved every second of it. This is the story of how it happened.
What is a Rain Screen for a House
Before siding was applied, our house was striped with wooden supports. These are there to create a rain screen that’s designed not to trap moisture.
Where is the Salish Sea?
Since moving to Orcas Island, I've become fascinated by the geography of the area, which is quite complicated. The island is part of an archipelago in an inland sea stretching across two countries and hundreds of islands. To describe the region doesn't do it justice,...
The Smell of Crabbing in the Salish Sea
One of the challenges of crabbing in the Salish Sea is dealing with the bait, which can sometimes get very ripe. In this case, the bait attracted our dogs, who shared the love.
Big Dungeness Crab from the Salish Sea
Sometimes a crab comes along that seems to have evaded traps for a long time. It won’t go to waste. That’s enough meat (claws and body) for dinner for two.
Cedar, Big Enough, and Boats
A snapshot of summer 2020 when we were staining cedar for the house, preparing to publish a book, and spending a lot of time on the Salish Sea.
Solo Stove for Backyard Fires
Since then, the Solo Stove has become one of my favorite products because it makes backyard fires easy, safe, and clean. I often tell people that it’s an awesome piece of engineering, for what is essentially a fire pit.
The Search for Smart House Siding
If you picture a Japanese village in your mind, you’re likely to imagine buildings with a dark brown or black appearance, with a lot of character. This appearance, comes, in part, from an ancient Japanese method of charring wood to make it more resilient. The final product is called “yakisugi” or “shou sugi ban”. The Japanese found that charring the wood gave a unique character made it last longer.
Hummingbird
Female Rufous Hummingbird (I Think) Since moving to Orcas, hummingbirds have become part of everyday life. Our neighbors all have flowers and feeders, so they buzz around like they own the place. I've never seen them so curious. They will come right up to your face...
Powering a Smart Home with Batteries
When we started planning our house on Orcas Island, people often asked about our plans for a generator assuming we’d need one. For a while, we had the same assumption.
The House Project: Flattop on Orcas Island
In the spring of 2017, Sachi and I became consumed with an idea. On a camping trip to Orcas Island, which is off the NW coast of Washington State, we started to ask serious questions about the future. While drinking wine from a box by a campfire, we first started to...
A Walk on Orcas Island
From the moment the word “walk” is mentioned, both dogs scurry about as whines become barks. For this reason, we have come to spell the word and ask one another if it’s time for a “w-a-l-k”.
City Life Versus Island Life
Moving from Seattle to an island was a shock for a lot of reasons. One of the most interesting was learning to be more self-sufficient than we ever have.