“World’s Oldest European Hedgehog Found by Citizen Scientists,” trumpeted a recent Smithsonian Magazine headline. A 16-year-old male hedgehog dubbed Thorvald had outlived the lifespan of his species by 14 years, surviving habitat loss, pesticides and the No. 1 cause of hedgehog deaths — road crossings. That Europe’s smallest mammal could outwit modern-day encroachment was cause […]
Ann Randall
A well-traveled international election observer and independent traveler, Ann Randall spends at least two months annually venturing to out-of-the-way locales, from Azerbaijan to Zimbabwe. She has recently taken up travel sketching as a way to savor the journey in an attempt to see if pictures really do speak a thousand words. A former educator, she observes international elections and does NGO volunteer work in India. Her articles have appeared in online and print publications and she maintains two blogs. PeregrineWoman.com is about her adventures as she travels the world from festivals in Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Mexico to German Christmas markets in Canada and Easter in New Orleans. ExplorationKitsap.com covers her wanderings and wonderings about her home turf, the beautiful Kitsap Peninsula.
Posted inPeople & Places
Poulsbo’s Historical Museums: The Past in the Present
Painted in traditional Scandinavian colors of red, white and blue, the two-story, craftsman building on Poulsbo’s main street is known by longtime residents as the Nilsen-Sonju house. Norwegian settler Einar Nilsen built the house in 1908, renting the upper rooms as apartments before selling to the Sonju family in 1919. Subsequently, the building had multiple […]
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Cultural Arts Foundation NW — Advocate for the Arts
Cultural Arts Foundation NW (CAFNW) has a lofty organizational mission statement: “supporting the arts, advancing creative potential and involving the community in the enjoyment and appreciation of the arts in Kitsap County.” Since its inception 37 years ago, the Poulsbo-based nonprofit has been doing just that. Run entirely by a small group of volunteers, CAFNW […]
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Author Inspired by Personal, Professional Experiences
Jan Walker’s writing studio reflects the eclectic body of her work — literary magazines, professional journal short stories, articles and educational curriculum, as well as the occasional penning of a newspaper editorial about prison reform. Her equally eclectic life could fill a book. And it does — she’s also the author of 12 fiction and […]
Posted inPeople & Places
A Visit to Vashon Island
A road trip through artsy, progressive Vashon-Maury Island feels a bit like tumbling down Alice’s Wonderland rabbit hole. At 40 square miles, the island is home to an eclectic mix of farmers, artists and ferry commuters who prefer both its rural lifestyle and the isolation of its ferry-only accessibility. History Vashon-Maury is the largest island […]
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Bainbridge Arts & Crafts — An Island Tradition
It all began as an inconspicuous announcement appearing in the Jan. 8, 1948, Bainbridge Island Review article with the headline “Adults Invited to Arts, Crafts Formation Meeting.” “Persons interested in forming an Island arts and crafts organization for adults have been extended an invitation to meet at the home of Mr. and Mrs. James Hodges, […]
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A Day Trip to Harstine Island
“Suri is the Bengal tiger. Tabbi is the Bengal/Siberian hybrid,” a felid-savvy guide introduces the two wild cats. “Your smells and movements are new so you’re part of today’s enrichment. It’s good for them.” Suri (at nearly 300 pounds) studies visitors through the fencing. “In the wild, they eat primarily deer and wild pigs,” the […]
Posted inFood & Entertainment
West Sound’s Food Truck Nation
Calvin Grant always dreamed of owning a food truck. He told his wife, Toalva, about his postservice ambition while both were in the military. He announced it at his Navy retirement function. So, it came as no surprise when he opened Bremerton’s popular Off the Chain Southern BBQ food truck in 2016. The sleek, burgundy […]
Posted inHome
Art in Pandemic Times
Event cancelled. It was a familiar refrain for local artists as galleries, First Friday Art Walks and studio tours shuttered last March to accommodate COVID-19 regulations. Ironically, while the pandemic quiet provided area artists more time for painting, photography and kiln firing, it resulted in fewer outlets to showcase and sell their art. It’s a […]