Issue 23
In this issue
The Art of Expanding the Story
Story by Hailey Way • Photos by Michael Stadler
Picture this—you’re walking through a pasture where a large circus tent beckons you inside, offering shade from the summer sun. A group of visitors mingle with ease, anticipating the performance ahead. You grab a savory snack and peruse your program, which includes a thoughtful survey inviting you to reflect on the work you’re about to see. And, just when you think Island Shakespeare Festival (ISF) has anticipated every detail of the outdoor theatre experience, there are blankets, seat cushions, and umbrellas at the ready. more
Finding HOPE on Horseback
By Kate Poss • Photos by Dave Meyer
Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis early in her life and extremely immunocompromised, seven-year-old Anna Baumgart rarely spoke to others outside of her family until she met Griffin, a horse in Langley’s HOPE Therapeutic Riding Program. For a second-grade school project, Anna submitted a drawing of herself with Griffin. Titled “Being with Griffin,” she described how her relationship with the horse helped her find a place of belonging. “Griffin always listened to me and let me be me,” she wrote. “He helped me in my… more
Blending an Artful Life Together
Story & Photos by Nia Martin
Tucked behind Clinton Foodmart is a world of creative expression. There you’ll find Rochon Fine Art, a gallery and working studio which has housed the work of husband and wife artists, Louie Rochon and Sandy Rubini-Rochon, since 2016. more
The Land’s Bounty
By Lea Cramer • Photos by Anne Abernathy
On Whidbey Island, preservation is not a theory. It is a roof that must be replaced before the rains return, a hinge welded back into obedience, a hayloft stacked against winter. At Eckholm Farm, nestled inside Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve, history isn’t just scenery—it’s woven into the daily workload. more
The Perfect Pair
Story & Photography by Bijan Mitchell
What sets a shop apart is not what it carries, how it looks, or even its location. What truly sets it apart from all the rest is how it makes you feel. Biercuterie isn’t just a cheese shop, it’s a place where you walk through the door and are greeted with smiles and a warm welcome. It’s a place where they remember your name and your likes and dislikes. Have a “usual”? They’ll remember it. They love what they do and who they serve. Community has always been a key word for Sarah and Brian Bystrom, owners of Biercuterie, an artisan cheese shop and… more
Musical Craftsmanship
By Mary Reddy • Photos by Dennis Browne
In earlier centuries, people would not travel far from the village where they lived. Local merchants provided the necessities. Each town had its baker, cobbler, dry goods store, and blacksmith. Now we have opportunities to travel abroad; we can purchase products online and have them shipped to us from afar. But local artisans bring us back to the neighborhood, where personal engagement is the reward. more
A Whidbey Original
By Ted Mulcahey • Photos by Jamie Conners
I pass the sign just outside Langley’s western city limits on Saratoga Road at least ten times a week and have wondered, what is a Chocolate Flower Farm? I finally got the answer. more
Editor’s Notebook
Wandering In Nature
by Allyson Meyer
There’s something unique about a community that prioritizes its outdoor, open space. Coming to Washington from Southern California, I’ve always enjoyed being in nature. But even then, I wasn’t expecting the commitment Whidbey Island has made to ensure there are spaces among the forested landscape that invite you in—to engage, reflect, and enjoy all that nature has to offer. more
Drinking in the Whidbey Experience
By Karen Meyer
In January 2024, Experience Whidbey was launched to connect tourists and island locals to the one-of-a-kind craft beverage producers in the community. A map brochure, online presence, and social media hub, Experience Whidbey is as much a resource for visitors as it is a promotion of the island’s craft beverage entrepreneurship. more
Community Connection Through the Gift of Music
By Russell Clepper • Photos by Kevin Foy
We’re celebrating 15 years,” said Cynthia Mason. “Can you believe it?” For the President of the Board for the Oak Harbor Music Festival (OHMF), this Labor Day weekend tradition is “all about connection.” It’s the connection between the musicians and the audience, between audience members themselves, and between all the volunteers who collectively give more than 3,500 hours of their time each year to make it all happen. For Board Member Larry Mason, Cynthia’s husband and director of music for the festival, there is a good reason why… more
Captain Larson’s Career in Service
On Familiar Waters
By Allyson Meyer • Photos by Dave Meyer
Waiting at the Clinton Ferry Terminal, you can see the snowcapped Cascade mountain range glow in the distance and, closer to home, a resident seal bobs up and down in the teal waters of Possession Sound. It’s a brilliant, sunny day—perfect for being out on a boat. Today’s vessel of choice, the Washington State ferry Tokitae. It’s a fitting name for a ferry that has served Whidbey Island for over a decade. Named for the Southern Resident orca Tokitae that was captured during the 1970 orca capture in Penn Cove, the ferry has been in service… more
an island in bloom
New Places to Pause at Meerkerk Gardens
By Sharon Heiber • Photos by Jamie Conners
With new gathering spaces and a refreshed nursery, Whidbey Island’s woodland garden invites visitors to linger. If you want to experience the beauty of nature, Meerkerk Gardens has it in spades: The largest collection of rhododendrons on Whidbey Island, a second-growth forest with two miles of trails, and stunning views of Holmes Harbor. But now there’s even more to discover. In 2026, Meerkerk is adding new gathering spaces where visitors can enjoy their surroundings a little longer. If you’ve never been to Meerkerk—or haven’t… more
an island in bloom
Whidbey Island Garden Tour Celebrates 30 Years
By Sharon Heiber • Photos by David Welton
With new gathering spaces and a refreshed nursery, Whidbey Island’s woodland garden invites visitors to linger. If you want to experience the beauty of nature, Meerkerk Gardens has it in spades: The largest collection of rhododendrons on Whidbey Island, a second-growth forest with two miles of trails, and stunning views of Holmes Harbor. But now there’s even more to discover. In 2026, Meerkerk is adding new gathering spaces where visitors can enjoy their surroundings a little longer. If you’ve never been to Meerkerk—or haven’t… more
Whidbey’s Delicious Bounty
by CHARLOTTE ROSE BEAR, MS, CN
In every city and every town there is an underground local food network. It’s just a matter of knowing where to look for the interconnected web of farmers, vendors, producers, makers, and managers. Local food does not exist in a vacuum. It thrives and depends upon community. more