It was an island wedding, with guests from afar and just down the road. A home-grown island girl and the guy she met at college were getting the royal send-off. But first, the energetic band was going to play the music that seemed to suit all the generations present: Rock and Roll. Little girls in pretty dresses flounced around in their filmy skirts and boys in cowboy hats jumped up and down to the beat on the wood floor that had been put together for the day.

It felt like the old island, when people came together and knew just about everyone because there were so few people residing here. The Gigantic Garry Oak trees that the first farmer had left in this field stood over it all. This family farm had been owned by several generations of the same family The beautiful bride in her ivory satin gown had been married there under the trees in the exact same spot as her parents were wed. I thought how proud her grandparents would have been of her on this day. Everything seemed to have come full circle.

Once a favorite of emperors and kings, synonymous with decadence and excess, oysters, for some, are considered to be in a class apart along with caviar and foie gras, the piece de resistance in the menus of inspired chefs and the ultimate at posh parties given by the most discriminating hostesses. Additionally, knowledge of oysters and their cultural sources has become a bit of a status symbol, akin to an understanding of fine cognac or Cuban cigars. Unique in a group of foods that includes truffles, lobster, artichokes, mangoes, passion fruit, and a score of other “love” foods, oysters seem to be fare for the initiated few. There is a mystery, a subtlety, a quality that defies explanation.

More than 90% of all West Coast oysters are grown in Washington State. San Juan Island is fortunate to have its very own exceptional shellfish aquaculture farm – Westcott Bay Sea Farms. Located on the shore of Westcott Bay with adjoining Garrison Bay forming a unique estuary system enriched by the clean, cold waters of the Straits, this extraordinary sea farm sells primarily to restaurants. However, oysters are also available for sale on site or, for a real treat, indulge yourself in their scheduled U-Pick Specials – personally pluck these little gems from their beaches for a very reasonable price. Affordable splendor!

We here in the Pacific Northwest know that one of the very best ways to eat oysters is to throw them on the grill. If not, then served freshly opened and kept cold on a bed of ice with lemon juice and freshly ground pepper.

They can select a home in an independent living community, an active adult community with or without age restrictions or communities that offer continuing care options – as well as all the traditional options available to buyers of all ages. Some may choose to migrate downtown to enjoy the city life for their golden years, while others will want to settle in the suburbs near their families.

While downsizing might immediately come to mind, the truth is some actually desire more space. Another survey conducted by VibrantNation.com found that nearly two-thirds of the female boomers surveyed had one or more of their adult children return home to live, and nearly half of those adult children have brought one or more of their own children with them as well. In addition, 13 percent of boomer women surveyed are living with their parents or in-laws, indicating that downsizing may not be on their agenda. These aren’t the empty nesters of the past, meaning the opportunities to tap into their market have increased tenfold.

There are still plenty looking for smaller homes, and on the whole, homes are generally getting smaller. The U.S. Census recently found the average square footage of a single-family home dropped from 2,541 square feet in 2007 to 2,343 square feet at the end of 2008. A January survey by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) found 88 percent of its members plan to build smaller homes this year. Experts report that what’s on the mind of boomers is well thought-out floor plans that maximize space and are low-maintenance.

Boomers are more active today than in the past, but the preferred activities might not include cleaning a large house or doing yard work. Findings from the 2010 Baby Boomer Survey by Del Webb indicate that many are seeking new activities, and 40 percent of both younger and older boomers have taken up a new hobby or activity in the last few years.

New homeowners focus on finding a place that will fit a growing family or other changing needs; this is no different than working with seniors. “You get involved in peoples’ lives on a different level,” says Lisa A. Thompson with Century 21 S.G.R. Depending on your client’s age, Thompson notes it is important to find a place that caters to a client’s changing health care needs. Many of her senior clients list proximity to health care – particularly their preferred hospital or other health care provider – as an important factor in the decision-making process.

Fifty-five percent of respondents to a 2009 survey by NAHB and the MetLife Mature Market Institute say a home’s proximity to a hospital or doctor’s office is somewhat to very important. In response, builders have considered these needs when building their senior communities.

But those obvious reasons are not what I think is the true gift of the tourist. The true gift from the tourist is seeing our island in a fresh way through their eyes. You can catch a glimmer of their excitement as they jump around at the ferry terminal, hardly able to contain themselves at the trip on a ferry. On the boat they may bring cameras, binoculars, or simply stand on deck for the entire trip. It takes the boredom right out of you if you are a frequent rider.

When tourists arrive by walking off the ferry, they appear to be in a state of surprised shock. They are finally here! They cannot believe it! They are looking about deciding where to go first. They are asking silly questions like “When do the whales go by?” They want to know where to get the very best hamburger. They ask you if you live here “full-time” and gasp when you say yes. Where ever they are from it is not here, and their joy in our island lets us appreciate anew how truly lucky we are to reside here. Seriously, let’s face it islanders, we were nearly all tourists here before we became residents. The tourist is a gift to remind us of what brought us here and what made us decide to stay.

A versatile delicacy, succulent Dungeness crab has a distinctive, yet delicate and faintly sweet, buttery flavor with a very tender, flaky white meat. This hardshell crab has gained international approval and an uncontested reputation. Dungeness crab is generally available year round, but to Northwest sport crabbers, Summer offers the most abundance simply because commercial vessels are not monopolizing the waterways!

Should you be inclined to dabble in this sport, my friend Mark Philbrook has designed a pretty remarkable crab trap. Marketed as Flex-Fold Traps, they are built of corrosion resistant stainless steel with three entrances so the crabs have no trouble finding their way in. Assembled, it measures 31” in diameter and 13” high, but it folds down to a manageable 17×2.5” for ease of stowage. These gems are presently available at King’s Marine in Friday Harbor. Remember that any crabs less than 6.25” across go back, as do all females (males = V-shaped belly flap, females = round belly flap).

Dungeness crab takes well to a wide range of seasonings and other ingredients and, in the shell, combines beautifully with other foods in seafood stews or soups, sautés, salads and appetizers. The meat is marvelous in bisques, creamed dishes, salads, casseroles and other dishes. However, there is truly nothing quite like fresh cracked Dungeness crab right out of the shell.

•There are 130,112,000 residential housing units in the US; 86% are occupied and
median age of the American home is 36 years.

•Newer constructed homes generally are larger, more expensive, have more bedrooms
and baths with amenities such as central air conditioning.

•68% of US homes are owner-occupied, 51% outside metropolitan areas and 37% in
central cities.

•The median size occupied home is 1,800sqft compared to 1,610 in 1985.

•The median lot size for single- family homes including mobile homes is 0.27acres
compared to .36 acres in 1973.

•53% of homes have 6 or more rooms with owner-occupied units generally having more
than renter-occupied. In 1973, only 39% of homes had six or more rooms.

•Most homes (64%) have 3 or more bedrooms compared to 48% in 1973. And 51% of
homes now have 2 or more bathrooms compared to 19% in 1973.

•Most commonly used cooking fuel is electricity (60%) followed by piped gas (35%).
The most commonly used heating fuel is piped gas (51%) followed by electricity at 34%.
Newer units are more likely to use electricity. Most commonly used fuel of heating water
is piped gas followed by electricity. About 35% homes have a fireplace.

•88% receive water from a public system or private company with the remaining units
receiving their water from wells. More than 9 in 10 households rated their water as safe.

•Eight in ten units use the public sewage disposal system and 20% use a septic tank,
cesspool or chemical toilet.

•66% of homes have a dishwasher, 51% have disposals in the kitchen sink and 3% have
trash compactors.

•More than 8 in 10 homes (84%) have a washing machine and clothes dryer at 81%.

•Most homes have a phone (98%), porch, deck, balcony or patio 85% and 66% garage or
carport.

A used thing takes on a sort of persona. To the second hand buyer, it has a sense of mystery. It often is something from far away or long ago. In many cases it is not something that you could buy at the mall, even if you wanted to get it new. But this column is not about buying, it is about releasing. When you decide to give away, sell at a garage sale or charity event, or go online or classified with your treasures, you will be pleasantly surprised at how happy it makes other people to get your things. They may hold up your tourist souvenir of a Native American doll which was made in China and purchased 30 years ago at a Canadian tourist trap and reverently say, “Where did you find this?” They always want to know. It’s called Provenance, or at least it is called that on PBS’s “Antique Road show.” Stay tuned to that series and you might discover some real treasures you own that you should even insure.

I scaled down about ten years ago. We owned a four bedroom farmhouse on twenty acres with plenty of storage spaces and we wanted to move into a much smaller home. In choosing things for the garage sale I was surprised to see how many items of the same use or purpose I had somehow ended up with. You know how things accumulate if you are a mother. Little gifts for many occasions that you don’t really need, an attempt by someone to start you on collecting things you never admired in the first place, and just that weird concept that when people see you they think you probably would like a certain kind of present. For me, it was ceramic candy dishes and purses.

What a pleasure it was to pick my favorites from many similar things and let the rest of them go to others. How many candy dishes does a Diabetic need, after all? Having found and sorted through all my things, I sort of felt like I had passed away and come back again. But looking at it from that standpoint, I am happy that it was me that did the sorting, not my bereaved children. The good thing was that I didn’t have to mourn myself! It was fun to open up the barn to young islanders who were needing feathers for their nests. Their enthusiasm for my leftovers was making us all happy.

The real prize was when I moved into my scaled down house. I could put my mind and even my finger on where everything was! I got to thinking about how much of our lives are spent in searching for things. Sometimes, things we never find until we decide to scale down. The final reward, then: looking less and therefore living lives full of more important things. And, feeling knowledgeable and in good mental state when someone says to you, “Honey, where is the candy dish?”

I had occasion shortly thereafter to be out at Roche and made a point to be at the intersection of Roche Harbor Road and Westcott Bay Road fifteen minutes prior to feeding time on a stunning early Summer afternoon. As I parked by the side of Westcott Bay Road, I suddenly became aware that I was enveloped by the deafening sound of birds. Like the crowing of a chanticleer, the eagle’s scream dominated – perhaps a signal, as well as a challenge, with a note of defiance. I got out of my car and looked up. There were eagles and crows and ravens in trees all around me as well as circling overhead. Feeding time was not for ten minutes.

A few minutes later, a red car drove slowly past me to park across the street at the side of Roche Harbor Road. At this point, the birds were in a total frenzy, scuffling for a perch while awaiting handouts from their benefactor. It was glaringly apparent they knew his car. Nothing could have prepared me for this exhilarating event. Nothing.

Full grown, the Bald Eagle weighs 9-12 pounds; they are 35-40” long with a wingspan of up to 8’. Eagles can fly at speeds up to 30 mph with the ability to dive at up to 100 mph! So, you need to imagine these massive and majestic birds with their mighty wingspan and every primary splayed out, as they reconnoitered, like flying fortress, zooming in to snatch their evening snack in their talons and then carry it off to enjoy in peace. Their aerial evolutions while seeking and pursuing these scraps were both spectacular and imposing.

Not so long ago, due to decades of persecution and pesticides, eagles were on the decline, but remarkable protective measures launched an amazing comeback. Ruling the skies with pride and grace, the primary cause of death for these supreme creatures is starvation.

1. A second home should be a different setting for you that will refresh your attitude and leaves you pleased to return to your first home. It also gives you a place to dream about and escape to when things at your first home or job get stressed. You can create this different atmosphere in many ways. If you live in a setting that is urban, you can look for a second home in a more rural place, for example. You can search for a climate that varies from the one where you reside. You can buy a small cottage if you live in a big main house; you can go where there are no neighbors if you live in a development or condo.
2. Getting to your second home should be affordable and achievable. You may have to fly or drive or boat for the trip, but it should not be an expense in time or money that prevents you from going or at least feeling like you could go, frequently.
3. It should be a place where relaxation is the key. That means no lawns to mow, very little upkeep, simple amenities and working appliances. If it is a place you can “lock and walk” then you can come with you book, sit by the window, and read. The whole idea of a getaway is that you are getting away from everyday work and obligations.
4. It should be fun to personalize. Here is your opportunity to have a space for your hobby and leave the project out when you are gone. You can fill the room with the comfort and appeal of just what you like: family photos, finds from your travels, your favorite books, recipes, and shabby furniture. We had fun outfitting our second home with garage sale items. Going to garage sales became a weekend hobby for us that still survives. Some of the things you purchase are repeats of the things you already have that you know you will need in both places. Other sale items can take you in brand new exciting and eclectic decorating journeys that can enliven your sense of humor.

You may find, as I have, that a second home becomes a mental escape as well as a real physical place to go. You will end up checking the weather in this other place, reading the online news about events, history, controversies. You will find new friends who know you as a different person than those in your hometown who grew up with you or those who do business with you.

The San Juan Islands make a perfect escape for people from Seattle and other parts of Washington State. It rains half as much, so the climate is different. With no freeways, malls, or stoplights; the traffic is a two lane situation. The two national parks and other smaller parks make hiking and beachcombing available to everyone. And, like most islands, there is a low-key attitude and casual dress. Friendly people, good food, interesting entertainment and peace and quiet abound. If I didn’t live here, I’d buy a second home here for sure! In my opinion, we all need some kind of escape and some of us are lucky enough to have one that is not just imaginary.

When one receives an Eagle feather, that person is being acknowledged with gratitude, love, and ultimate respect. The holder of the feather must ensure that anything that changes one’s state of mind (alcohol and drugs) must never come in contact with a sacred Eagle feather. Eagle feathers are never to be abused, shown disrespect, dropped, or contaminated, but kept safely, hung within the home. Eagle feathers were awarded to Indian braves, warriors, and Chieftains for extreme acts of valor or bravery. The feathers were earned one at a time.

At this writing, only individuals of certifiable Native American ancestry enrolled in a federally recognized tribe are legally authorized to obtain eagle feathers. Unauthorized persons found with an eagle feather in their possession run the risk of a fine up to $25,000.