Stuart Island, in the San Juan Islands, Washington State. I spent a lot of time here, when I was growing up. I've got a Little Wolf bracelet I 've been wearing since I was about 12. This is a view from the point, out in front of our cabin which is nestled in the woods. There is no electricity on the island, nor paved roads. We don't have a generator and our water is gravity fed.
Whenever I visit, I never want to leave. I'd like to take a year off and spend all the seasons here, as subtle as they are. It seems we may have a "reason" now, the cabin needs a new roof. After our summer wildness, we may lure a team of friends to work on the roof and do other repairs. Catch rock cod in the evenings, get a crab pot and a shrimp pot...I've heard a rumor, if you can see the radio tower on Pender Island Canada, seen in the distance, internet service is available! We'll need a generator to recharge the batteries, but we need that for the power tools anyway. Sounds like a plan.
13 comments:
Sounds like a great plan. I would love to spend at least some of my year living on an island like that.
It sounds like heaven. What a way to get away from it all.
I'm there already! What a beautiful place to be.
Great plan!
I was mentally packing my bags as I read...
Yes! And you're all invited. We'll figure out a boat and either pick you up in Victoria BC or Bellingham WA. K? lots of nature crafting, eating good food and lolling around. Oh and cabin repair of course!
but....but....you can't leave Maine! What about me? What about my needs?
It sounds really fabulous there. I suppose I'd understand - as long as it was just for one year AND you promised to return home to host the cassoulet cook-off (and who wouldn't want to return to Maine in the middle of February?).
Okay, I'll come pound some nails. Well, I'll try a few and if I'm really, really bad with the hammer, you can take it away from me, and I'll do something else--something useful, I promise!
Ok, so when we go, I'll let you all know and we'll work it all out!
I know this is an old post, but I was doing a Little Wolf search and found this. I've since lost my original Little Wolf bracelet, but have made another one. Good to see someone who knew Little Wolf.
Bo, that is so cool. I'd love to hear what else you've found on your Little Wolf search. D'you remember his dog Buddy? and the letter from Betty Ford? I still never take off my bracelet, It has only been spotted once while I've lived in the East.
Hi Mary Jane,
I don't remember his dog, but it's been years. The last time we were up there was in 1982; just a couple years before he died.
I did find out that the Lummi tribe had a big presence in the northern San Juan's some years ago. I suspect he was a Lummi, whom stayed out on Stuart.
I do recall his house being quite austere, but dry and warm.
Here's a link to a picture I found on another blog:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3037/2828554950_f7678a8301_o.jpg
And here's a pic of John Wayne's Little Wolf bracelet:
http://johnkowalik.files.wordpress.com/2007/02/john-wayne.jpeg
Ha! He had a crazy house! He used to give us coffee with a "nip" in it! He told us he was Chippewa. He used to have a necklace with a wolf image on it, but one party-filled evening he gave it away, traded it I guess, for a seed bead necklace. I must have seen him last in the late '70's. I visit his grave whenever I visit Stuart.
And John Wayne! I knew he gave one to Betty Ford.
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