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Vashon Island

© Jerri Brooker

One of the things I have always loved about Washington State is the change of scenery you can experience in just one day: oceanfront to wheatfield, river to mountain, city to country, sea level to 14,000-plus feet. We were in the wheatfields of Eastern Washington last week. This week we are boarding a ferry for Vashon Island in the great Pacific Northwest.

Maria Christensen, editor of Oriental History at Suite 101, was previously a resident of Vashon Island. She tells me, on occasion, how she misses it. So I'm on a trek today to give her some memories of her far-away home.

I intend to give you a mental picture of what a beautiful place it is along the journey. I don't have any personal photos, so you will have to do with the photos on the sites I lead you to today. Some are pretty awesome.

My mother-in-law, Marie Brooker, grew up on nearby Lopez Island. A different island than Maria's Vashon, and of an earlier time (my mother-in-law is 82-years-old), it is still an island uncluttered like the more popular Whidbey Island and a lot like Vashon. Marie tells of rowing a boat to school and living in a small cottage with five brothers and sisters on the Lopez waterfront. I watch the movie, Whales of August, and wonder if it was filmed on Lopez. In my eyes, it seems a lot like her stories of where they lived. (By the way, if you are not interested in nostalgia and old age and sadness, do not rent the movie featuring Bette Davis.) Back on track now, and back to Vashon!

I used to work for a food broker and had a candy bar route that took me to Vashon once a month. I miss those trips. (I miss the chocolate, too!) I always looked forward to my visits to the island; it seemed so far away from the busy mainland. I found happy folks eager to talk with you about their island. Don't we all get a bit possessive of where we fondly live?

Vashon is a favorite of bikers, because it is the flattest of the islands. You'll see lots of bikers boarding the ferry with bikes for a jaunt around the island. There's a lot more to take in at this beautiful place.

Drink coffee?

The All Merciful Savior Monastery established on Vashon Island in 1988 has some beautiful photos you'll want to catch on its website, to get you into the mood of what the island feels and looks like. I describe those two emotions, as they go hand-in-hand as you take in the beauty. Trees, beautiful water views, pristine unspoiled land in abundance. From their site they can see The Seattle Space Needle and Mount Rainier. Take a look, and read about the monastery and its establishment and coffee business, too. You may even want to order some coffee! (I'm sure having a time staying on track this week! Oh, well! What's a journey without all the experiences - coffee being one?)

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