May 3, 2009
Insights into Waldron Ways
book cover of Island Ebb and Flow
Island Ebb & Flow: a Pioneer’s Journal of Life on Waldron Island ©1985 Frances K. Lovering
© 2008 Beth Helstien
This memoir of life on a remote island spans the middle of the twentieth century–from the 1930s through the 1970s.
Brimming over with place names and the names of Waldron and other San Juan County residents of those times, the book is no history, but a very intimate view of one woman’s courageous life.
Nonetheless, for contemporary readers with no relation to Lovering or other Waldronites, vignettes of specific aspects of daily life on Waldron deepen our understanding of our islands’ history. Building cabins and barns, starting a commercial egg business, bearing children, and caring for family are some of the themes depicted in Lovering’s early years.
Stories about the difficulty of communication with the “outside world” and the necessity for much self-reliance in medical matters remind us, especially those of us living on ferry-served islands, of the meaning of “remote”.
She organizes her book chronologically, but certain themes repeat from year to year. The difficulties of transport to the islands for people, mail, supplies and lumber is one recurring theme. Especially on Waldron, with no state funded ferry service, transportation posed (and still poses) a big challenge.
Neither the economy nor government influence can be completely escaped by refuge on Waldron. Regular U.S. mail service provided a foundation for shipping concerns that also moved people and goods. The delivery of mail by air became commercially viable in the 1960s, and that change, along with many societal changes of the post-war years, affected the Waldron community deeply.
Another important theme is education. Operating the Waldron School provided a variety of challenges: insufficient number of pupils, difficulties in securing a teacher who wanted to teach in a one- or two-room school, the cost of a new roof, or improvements to the outhouses. Lovering served on the school board, finding solutions.
Her sense of humor is shared most clearly when she is laughing at herself, and is evident throughout. Profiles of locals bring to life some of the characters of an island known for its eccentrics. Reading these, I craved longer accounts with even more detail. Personally, I prefer more narrative structure to accounts of people, places and times.
The storytelling based on the annual cycle is somewhat repetitious, but pioneers who lived close to the land knew that seasons were an important aspect of history. More than twenty cycles around the sun after its publication, Lovering’s book is still worth reading.
Island Ebb & Flow: a Pioneer’s Journal of Life on Waldron Island, like all books reviewed here, may be found at the San Juan Island Library.
May 2, 2009
In which the adults grow up
book cover of Andrew Henry's Meadow
Andrew Henry’s Meadow
© 1965 by Doris Burn
book cover of Andrew Henry's Meadow
© 2008 Beth Helstien
Andrew Henry isn’t like all the other children. He likes to be alone, and he often gets into trouble. A charming illustrated story of a boy who leads all the children of town away to live in children’s village where he builds each a special house suited to their particular interests. When the children are reunited, their families learn to support Andrew Henry’s interests in inventing. Illustrated with detailed pen and ink drawings.
Andrew Henry’s Meadow, like all books reviewed here, may be found at the San Juan Island Library.
Reward a completed task with a trip outside
book cover of natural areas of the san juan islands
Natural Areas of the
San Juan Islands © 2007 by Terry Domico
book cover of natural areas of the san juan islands
© 2008 Beth Helstien
Having the assignment to write book review each month seems simple enough, especially for a person like me, who reads constantly. I am usually reading at least three different books.
But some book reviews are challenging. When one’s neighbor has written a terrible book, what does one say? How to write about a book about controversial issues without seeming to promote one side or another? How to write about subjects or genres with which I am completely unfamiliar without making a fool of myself? Not surprisingly, I have failed at all these assignments at one time or another.
Terry Domico succeeded beautifully last fall when he published Natural Areas of the San Juan Islands, completing an assignment he began more than twenty years ago. The book is a general field guide to sixty special locations owned by the public. The sites are mostly in San Juan County, but the book covers the bioregion of the Salish Sea, including areas near Anacortes, and a few sites in the Canadian gulf islands.
For each entry, there are directions on how to get to it, a map, and a description pointing out some of the key features. The sites are a diverse mix, including mountain lakes and shoreline sites, prairies and wetlands. Some locations are important because they provide habitat for wildlife. Other places are important for the views to which they provide access, or the solitude to be enjoyed.
I thought I knew a fair amount about native plants and animals in the San Juans, but I learned a lot about special life forms: flying squirrels on San Juan Island, the brittle cactus, and the rough-skinned newt, for instance. Domico doesn’t insult his readers, assuming we can all follow along in his explanations of how natural processes shape the landscape we live in. Yet the book remains accessible to all.
Most people won’t sit down and read through a guide like this, but it is a book well-worth perusing. Inside one can easily find some new place to visit. Careful readers are sure to learn something new about a plant, animal or natural process that contributes to making the islands special.
The book inspired me to take more advantage of the natural places that grace these islands. Speaking of inspiration—congratulations are due to Domico for actually completing the book, bringing to fruition a project he thought about for more than two decades! I am sure this will become one of those books found in many island homes for years to come. That should be inspiration to all of us with writing assignments.
Natural Areas of the San Juan Islands, like all books reviewed here, may be found at the San Juan Island Library.
