Creekside Village Stories

Image via vpnsrus The prospects of affordable, high-speed internet service from the City of Anacortes got me thinking about my options for television.  I grew up in a time when watching TV meant putting an antenna on the roof or using "rabbit ears" to receive the signal.  Eventually, we had six channels available, but nobody where I lived could get channel 7.   In the seventies, cable TV and satellite dishes were becoming common.  They solved the problem of poor signals, and were able to deliver a larger variety of content.  Unfortunately, these advantages could be offset by monopolistic pricing and corporate indifference to customer service.  As a movie fan, I've also noticed that offerings from cable TV have been declining steadily over the past five years or so.  A lot of the best films were ending up at streaming services.  After forty-one years of cable and satellite subscriptions, I found myself dissatisfied with all of it. Now it's possible to receive televisi

  Why is this important for Creekside?   For those of you who subscribe to posts and receive them in your email inbox, this service will stop delivering them in August.   Why is this happening? No explanation has been provided.  It's Google. Is there an alternative? If you don't use the Subscription service, there is nothing you need to do.  Otherwise, the simplest alternative is to set up a feed manually in your email client.  Here are the instructions for both Outlook-365 and the Windows 10 Mail app:   Under your address, look for a folder named RSS Feeds or RSS Subscriptions . Right-click on that folder to open a menu.  Select "Add a new feed." Copy and paste the following link into the text box of the dialog that opens: https://csvanacortes.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss Note:  Do not use the address creeksidenow.org here.  Copy it exactly as it appears. Click Save.   This is a straightforward process, so other email clients (gmail, etc.) should be simi

  Reprinted from Washington State Coronavirus Response (Covid-19) Just got your vaccine? Watch this video to learn what to expect over the next few days:   Every day, more of us across Washington are getting the COVID-19 vaccine. The really good news is that once you’re fully vaccinated, you can start doing some of the activities you had stopped doing because of the pandemic. However, we also need to be mindful that others are still at risk.   Think of it this way:  If you’re fully vaccinated, the vaccine protects you from severe COVID-19 symptoms. To protect others, you still need to wear a mask, stay 6 feet (2 meters) apart, and avoid crowds and indoor spaces without open windows. That’s because we don’t know enough yet about whether the vaccine prevents the spread of COVID-19 from one person to another. What does “fully vaccinated” mean? You are considered fully vaccinated for COVID-19 two weeks after you get your second shot if you had to get two doses (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna)

 

  Keep in mind, some businesses, offices and agencies may elect to continue indoor mask mandates in their premises.  Be sure to check ahead of time or take a mask with you.  Use good judgement and consideration for both your safety and that of others.  It may take some time for everyone to adapt to these new recommendations.

  And in case that's not awesome enough... Thank you Gretchen McIndoe for the photos. If you discover something special in your Creekside neighborhood, snap a picture of it,  Send it to me and I'll post it on the website.  You can find me in the Roster. -Dave

  Thank you Suzie for the photo. If you discover something special in your Creekside neighborhood, snap a picture of it,  Send it to me and I'll post it on the website.  You can find me in the Roster. -Dave ......

  If you discover something special in your Creekside neighborhood, snap a picture of it,  Send it to me and I'll post it on the website.  You can find me in the Roster. -Dave

  We Zoomed Into 2021 DATE & HOUR: Thursday, February 18, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. PLACE: Via Zoom – Residents were notified of the meeting. BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Kathy Anderson, President                            Marilyn Herst, Vice President                           Peggy Noethlich, Secretary                                 Norm Culbert, Treasurer                                 Lee Worthy, Member-at-Large    MINUTES:  Alice Dickey         CALL TO ORDER: President Anderson called the meeting to order at 10:05 a.m.   QUORUM: Alice Dickey stated there was a quorum, 27 in attendance plus 18 proxies for a total of 45.   PRIOR MEETING MINUTES:  Peggy Noethlich made a motion to approve the minutes of the 2020 Annual Meeting, Norm Culbert seconded, all approved, motion passed. PRESIDENT REPORT:  Kathy Anderson said a high priority this year and going forward is keeping everyone informed.  Thanks to Mary Robbins for taking the input from various sources and putting

  Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife , Apr 16, 2020 - Reprinted by Permission Keep Fawns in the Crib Every year we see people who want to “help” fawns left alone in the forest. But, just because baby animals are alone does not mean they need help. Fight the urge to pick up and rescue bedded fawns — you might save their life. Most fawns are not abandoned or orphaned; chances are their mothers are nearby. Fawns are born without scent, so if they remain still, they do not attract carnivores. A doe will often leave her fawn for long periods to feed and rest. She may only return at dawn and dusk to feed her fawn. In fact, fawns instinctively lie low while waiting for their mother to return. Deer may leave their young in odd places like porches or yards. In many cases, a doe may leave her fawn in the same spot for several days, until it is strong enough to move with her. If you encounter someone who has made the mistake of moving a resting fawn, you may still be able to salvage the s

  By Mary McClung We are now at our first Canadian port on the ”fall foliage cruise” I took from Boston to Quebec in October 2019.  Recent hurricane Dorian had hit Halifax, as evidenced by many downed trees.  Who knew that hurricanes extended this far north!  Halifax really deserves a 2-day visit but we are here for only one full day. The Acadian area north of Halifax is an interesting UNESCO World Heritage site. French settlers had prospered here but were kicked out by the fearful British based in Halifax (and many became the New Orleans "Cajuns" of today in the local dialect).  However, I chose a trip with four of my fellow ship mates on a private tour in the other direction because I wanted to learn about the history of the city and to visit the Peggy’s Cove lighthouse.  A number of tragedies have affected Halifax.  We passed by “The Narrows,” where in 1917 an explosion decimated the northern part of the city.  A French munitions ship loaded with explosives for WWI battlef

Reprinted from Fidalgo Island Crossings In a previous post , I spoke of the Red Rock Quarry next to the new John Tursi Trail as a source of stone for Causland Memorial Park.  This is Causland Memorial Park in Anacortes, Washington. Originally, the park was built as a memorial to World War I veterans from Anacortes.  Later memorials were added for World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.  The park is named for Harry Leon Causland, "one of the one hundred immortals D.S.C. 6795."  He received the Distinguished Service Cross for actions in France that resulted in his death.  Fourteen others from Fidalgo, Guemes, Decatur and Cypress Islands are also named in the memorial.  The park is listed in the National Register of Historic Places . On the day I visited, the flag was at half staff in recognition of the Orlando, Florida nightclub slayings. What makes Causland Park unique are the colored stone mosaics that decorate the bandstand and surrounding wall.  The source o

  By Mary McClung For those of you wishing this dratted virus would go away so you could get out of the house and have some fun, travel vicariously here.  Let’s make this an entertaining part of our Creekside blog.  I’ll start off with the first couple of stops on Norwegian Line’s “Fall Foliage Cruise” I took from Boston in October, 2019, before the virus struck. Boston is a history-lovers dream.  I arrived a day early so I could immerse myself in all things historical.  I stayed at the Comfort Inn in Revere, across the river from Boston but close to the airport.  The hotel has free transport from the airport and into Boston, plus a hearty free hot breakfast.  Bright and early the next morning after breakfast, I took the MTA into Boston to join the not-to-be-missed 4-hour “Revolutionary Story” walking tour with 11 others, hosted by energetic young historian Mike.  We walked along  the Freedom Trail, which includes 16 key spots associated with America’s fight for independence.  To the r