Good Life Northwest Holiday Gift Guide

The rainwater gurgles through the downspouts outside my window here in Tacoma on this dark night of Dec. 9, 2010. But here in my cozy office, what do I care? If you read my previous post, you know I'm happily home in the Northwest again and working on my promised list of gift ideas. You won't see these items in any newspaper insert or TV ad.

Here they are, in no particular order.

1. A RAIN BARREL   No joke. Check this one out. It's the gift that keeps on giving year 'round. I wrote a blog post about Dan Borba's rain barrels in 2009. Note: GUYS-- I wouldn't recommend this one for your wife or girl friend unless she has specifically requested one. It could definitely land you in "the doghouse." (However, maybe I should ask Dan himself how this gift goes over with the ladies. I've noticed that he's always smiling. Hmmmm...)AND THEY'RE ON SALE THROUGH THE END OF DECEMBER.
REG. $85, NOW ONLY $70 PLUS TAX WITH FREE DELIVERY IN TACOMA!

2. THE FYDDEYE GUIDE TO AMERICA'S MARITIME HISTORY by Joe Follansbee is  NOW AVAILABLE ON KINDLE for only $6.99. Here's a great gift for anyone, anywhere, with an interest in old ships, lighthouses, maritime museums, etc. across the nation. Perfect for people who like to explore the nation or for arm chair travelers. Read some online reviews, including mine, here.

3. A HAND-CRAFTED GIFT FROM "BEYOND THE BEACH"  Barry Crust, of University Place, Washington, makes one-of-a-kind walking sticks, canes, sculptures and birdhouses from Northwest woods, including driftwood. Here's my profile of him on University Place Patch. His original wood-burned designs accent his creations.

4. Anything, absolutely anything, from the PACIFIC NORTHWEST SHOP I love the way the owner, Bill Evans, supports Northwest artists, artisans, food producers, authors, musicians, and more by seeking out and choosing to carry the things they create. Delight everyone on your list. His mail order business is booming, even in our current economy, so order soon.

5. A TIBBE-LINE or two, or three. For those who want to live "green," here's a way to dry clothes, indoors or out, using hangers instead of a conventional clothesline and clothespins. It's perfect for RV owners, college kids, traveling by car, small apartments, and VERY reasonably priced. Here's my blog post about inventor Rose Marie Pacheco.

6. I don't want to say I've saved "the best for last" because these are all great ideas that I personally recommend, but if you know people who love birds (and that is most of us) be sure to see the exciting offerings in the CORNELL UNIVERSITY LAB OF ORNITHOLOGY "Gift Guide for Bird Lovers."  How about the world's only mobile application for locating birds? Or maybe you'll choose birding guides with digital birds songs built in, or an illustrated weekly planner.

There you have it, dear readers. I hope you have fun looking at these links and considering buying something different as you shop for gifts this year. Don't delay!

Thanks for reading. Please come back soon.

"Fyddeye Guide to America's Maritime History"-- new book should matter to all of us

      One day in 1999, Joe Follansbee stepped aboard the decaying, three-masted 1897 schooner Wawona and fell in love, too late. Time was already running out for the old ship, but Follansbee, a Seattle journalist and author, joined the effort to save Wawona. He put his substantial writing talents to work in the attempt to convince people that this important piece of Northwest maritime history should be preserved.
       Follansbee wrote a fascinating book, Shipbuilders, Sea Captains, and Fishermen: The Story of the Schooner Wawona, plus a number of articles. But if you have never seen Wawona, you never will. In spite of the efforts of many people, this piece of history was demolished.
      The sad fate of Wawona affected Follansbee deeply and caused him to adjust the rudder on his writing career. Before discovering his fascination with the doomed schooner, he probably never expected to write even one book on maritime history, and now, in addition to the story of Wawona, he has edited and published a second book: "The Fyddeye Guide to America's Maritime History- 2000 + Tall Ships, Lighthouses, Historic Ships, Maritime Museums, & More." 
        One motivation Follansbee cites in the preface, is the fact that he became "aware of the fragility of our maritime past." That was also one of the reasons he created his website called Fyddeye, an online source of information about all things related to America's maritime history. It's also a gathering place for enthusiasts to share comments, updates on preservation issues, and photos. The site drew such a strong response that the book was a natural next step.
       Between its glossy covers, this impressive work contains everything a person could want in the way of information about our country's historic maritime treasures, as well as some interesting articles. Whether you are doing research of a scholarly nature, or simply planning a vacation, the well-organized format (indexed by city) makes it easy to find not only heritage vessels and sites, but also organizations, educational resources, and more. In the "Museums" chapter, I was happy to see a large entry on the Foss Waterway Seaport here in Tacoma, but the book also contains the most obscure listings imaginable. Follansbee recognizes the importance of every single one.
        I can't even imagine how much time it took to put all of this together. At $24.95, I would call it a bargain. Chapter headings include:

• Ships
• Shipwrecks
• Museums
• Research Libraries
• Lighthouses & Lightships
• Lifesaving Stations
• Education
• Districts
• Structures and Sites
• Markers and Monuments
• Organizations
• and "Other"            

      "Perhaps if people understand the breadth and scope of our heritage by presenting it in one place,"  he wrote in the book's introduction, "they might recognize that keeping our history is part of what keeps our country whole."

Sometimes the efforts of one individual add significantly to that history. This is one of those times, and I am among those who appreciate what Joe Follansbee has done. You will too.





       

          

Catch Local History Fever - Western Washington Authors Featured in Article

I live in Tacoma in the year 2010, but lately I've been obsessed with a particular day here, from over a century ago. It was May 22, 1903, the day President Theodore Roosevelt's private train pulled into the station and the sound of a 21 gun salute thundered over the waters of Commencement Bay, just as he stepped down from his rail car. Shortly after that moment, Roosevelt's lavishly decorated carriage rolled through town toward Wright Park and it seemed everyone was determined to get a glimpse of the president. A reporter for The Daily Ledger, described in exactly these words, the sight of "spanking northwesterners above the housetops, or dipping from every window." Back then you would only have to spend a nickel on the newspaper, in order to read about the event if you missed it.

I'm aware of the details of this day in history because I'm editing a book written by local author Michele Bryant. This gorgeous volume filled with photos, including many rare ones, will be published soon to benefit the Theodore Roosevelt Association. It documents Roosevelt's several visits to Washington State beginning with his first in 1903. Bryant is one of many Puget Sound writers we'll be especially grateful for in the future, because they are preserving our local history.

Did you ever feel the urge to do the same, to write down what you know, or the stories told by your parents and grandparents? Maybe your family is lucky enough to own artifacts with great stories behind them, like this modest example of Northwest Native American basket weaving from the Makah tribe. My grandfather bought it at the Pike Place Market in the 1920s, from the Makah woman who made it, and I grew up with this basket in our home.

Do you have your own special family stories, or want to record the events and life experiences that took place in your community long ago, before they're lost forever? If so, please read on. It's easier than you think to preserve and share your local history, and you don't even need to write a book. There are other, less time-consuming ways to publish and disseminate this information.


I interviewed writers from Everett to Olympia for an article published just this week, on a website called Neighborhood Life, the second of two I've had published there, on the topic of local history. The first featured Pierce County historian Andy Anderson, and his book "In the Shadow of the Mountain." This second article focuses on other ways to see your writing in print, through museums, historical societies, brochures and newsletters, on the web, and places you've never thought of. It contains useful insights and advice offered by authorities such as,

Drew Crooks, historian and author from Thurston County,

David Dilgard Everett Public Library, who is the author of books, articles, and more,

Priscilla Long, widely published writer, teacher, and Senior Editor of HistoryLink.org, and

Joe Follansbee, local journalist and Senior Editor of Fyddeye, a website about maritime history. He's also the author of "Ship Builders, Sea Captains, and Fishermen: The Story of the Schooner Wawona."

If you do decide to do this kind of writing, please do so responsibly. Carefully check and document what you represent as fact. Be exact with the details, dates, the spelling of names. It matters. There is nothing more upsetting than seeing published material concerning your own family or community that you know to be incorrect. Remember your obligation to future generations, and especially to the truth.

Now go call your Grandma and ask her to tell those stories again. Better yet, ask her about things she's never discussed before.

Watch out though. If you catch "local history fever" it can last a lifetime.

To read the article "Writing Local History - Options for Publication and Dissemination" please click here.


Makah basket photos courtesy of Robert Dickhoff.