My goal was not only to see into the distance but to take photos. This turned me onto an idea called digiscoping, which combines phone photography with telescopes and spotting scopes.
Category Archive: Photos
A Train in the Sky 🛰 🛰 🛰
Last week, we were watching TV, and Sachi jumped from her seat and opened the doors to go outside and peer into the night sky. We both looked up to see what looked like an alien invasion. Small bright dots were moving across the sky in a line. There were a dozen or more in view and they seemed to fade out of view, one after the other, until they were gone.
I snapped a bunch of photos, including this one:
Witches on the Water 🧙♀️🌊
On an uncharacteristically sunny fall day, about 40 witches boarded their vessels and paddled out across the cold waters of the Salish Sea.
Boat Creep 🛥 🔭
The post below was sent as an issue of my newsletter, Ready for Rain. A few weeks back, I shared a story called Lee Night that was, in part, about spending an evening watching boats go by our house. I wrote: As boats float by the house, I can’t help but feel like...
A Thud, Then a Gasp
There comes a time in every vehicle owner’s life when they are forced to test just how far a tank of gas will go. We see the gauge point to the upper case “E” and say it’s arbitrary; just a label. What matters is what’s inside the tank. We can push it a little...
Big Enough Socks and Stickers
I'm so thankful for the people who pre-ordered BIG ENOUGH. The book made a splash on launch day and was the #1 New Release in the category of home based-businesses. I ran a pre-order campaign for the book to generate early interest and sales. And it worked. We sold...
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.
Before Drywall -Did We Get It Right?
The race is on. A couple of weeks ago, Drew, our contractor, set a date for our house to be insulated. We’re using spray foam insulation, which creates a hardened shell in the spaces in the walls. It also locks into place years of decisions and the work of...
Rolling Out the Roof
You've probably seen metal roofs on houses. They usually have "standing seams" like this: The roof on our house will be no different. In fact, it's one of our only options because the slope of the roof is so flat. For us, it's exactly what we need. A metal roof can...
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.
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.
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...
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”.
The Surprising Origin of the Name “Orcas” Island 🐋⛵️
Orcas Island is known for whale watching and specifically killer whales. Yet, the name Orcas Island has nothing to do with the whales. Here’s the history…
The View from the Yurt on Orcas Island 🏝🌊🐋⛵️
One of biggest reasons we chose the property we did was the view and the ability to feel like we’re a part of the Salish Sea and its wildlife.
The Day the Kingdome Came Down in Seattle 💣
In 2000, I found myself on the same roof as Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell as the Kingdome imploded. This event and the days that followed changed my life.