Photos are a great way to capture special moments and preserve memories for years to come. Throughout 2015, WhatcomTalk shared countless photos of Whatcom County on its Facebook pagethat illustrated what it’s like to live, work and play in Whatcom County.
As we look back on 2015, we’ve selected 15 of our favorite photos from the past year. These photos highlight some of the area’s most stunning natural landmarks and viewpoints, including a few of 2015’s most memorable sunsets. Scroll through the photo set below and enjoy taking a look back on the past 12 months.
WhatcomTalk welcomes photo submissions from our readers. Share your photos of Whatcom County with us by emailing your photos to submit@whatcomtalk.com.
Marilyn Flint (left) and actor, Jim Lortz, who plays Ellis French. Photo credit: Juliette Machado.
Pickford Film Center’s film showcase, Dances for the Camera, is meant to bring meaningful live movement performance to a film-going audience. This collection of locally-filmed and produced shorts highlights a range of collaborative efforts between Bellingham Reperatory Dance, Kuntz and Company, and JmWorks that, through creative dance, sheds light on living and dying with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. Both diseases are incurable, progressive disorders related to aging of the nervous system, with Parkinson’s affecting movement and Alzheimer’s causing the depletion of memory and mental function, giving way to the most common form of dementia. Still poorly understood, these diseases affect the lives of the diagnosed as well as their loved ones and caregivers.
World premiering in film format at the showcase is the short, “Ellis won’t be Dancing Today,” which was originally created as a live performance piece by Kuntz and Company for the Palliative Care Summer Institute Conference in July 2014. The work creatively portrays the experiences of one woman, Marilyn Flint, as she copes with the end of her husband, Ellis,’ life with Alzheimer’s.
Senior Instructor of Dance at Western Washington University’s Department of Theatre and Dance, Pam Kuntz (also of Kuntz and Company), specializes in bringing the life experiences of our community to the stage through collaborative movement and modern dance. Around 2012, she had been exploring the development of a piece focused on dementia but had not yet found the right community member to help shape and personalize the work.
That’s when she met Marilyn Flint and her husband, Ellis French.
Filmmaker Juliette Machado manipulates location and reality to adapt the theatre performance into experimental film. Photo credit: Juliette Machado.
The three first met in 2012 at a caregiving event hosted by PeaceHealth. “Marilyn talked about how physical she and Ellis were in their dancing, even though he was living with Alzheimer’s. I thought that if I ever do anything in the future with dementia or Alzheimer’s, I would call her,” Kuntz explains. “About a year later in the fall of 2013, Marilyn sent me an e-mail that Ellis had passed away, and it was only about a month after that when the Palliative Care Institute invited me to develop a piece about an end of life journey. So I called Marilyn and we began developing the live performance right away that would share her story.”
Ellis and Marilyn met when they were in their mid-50’s at a dance in California, drawn together by their mutual love of teaching through music. They moved to Bellingham in 2007. “After he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in about 2009, we connected with Northwest Regional Council (NRC), who gives you help if you have a partner with Alzheimer’s,” Marilyn explains. “Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s can be very difficult. I was on duty for 24 hours a day for several years.”
The council connected Marilyn with Silverado Dementia Care Home (now called Bellingham Memory Care Community) as an adult day care provider. “Ellis was invited to come and play piano and dance as part of the entertainment program for Memory Care’s residents,” Marilyn says. Dementia and the medicines used to manage the degenerative disorder can dampen a person’s personality. “But Ellis’ piano playing — and our dancing — would get people up moving and smiling again,” Marilyn adds. “Ellis would say, ‘Having Alzheimer’s isn’t so bad if you can use it to help people.’ That was the essence of who he was.”
Some of the dance performance by Flint and Lortz was filmed in a senior center appreciated by Ellis. Photo credit: Juliette Machado.
Ellis was able to live several years at home with Marilyn until it became too difficult for her to manage his care on her own. After moving to a care facility, he was placed on standard western Alzheimer’s medications and his health declined rapidly. Ellis passed away three weeks later at the age of 80.
“After seeing the live performance, many said that more people needed to see this piece,” Kuntz notes, “so we decided to make a different version for film that could go on and be shared more widely.” Kuntz had seen the film work of Juliette Machado of JmWorks while she was a student in one of Kuntz’ WWU classes. Impressed by Machado’s work, Kuntz invited her to help develop the film adaptation. Machado has filmed many weddings and theater and dance performances at WWU.
“Although the original performance was in a single location, for the film we chose to shoot in a number of different indoor and outdoor locations,” Machado explains. “We explored lapses in time and location and played with dialogue. We included new ideas that weren’t in the original piece that could only be done on film. It doesn’t fit into a typical film genre. It has a narrative arc, but I’ve been calling it a theater dance work for film. We consider it experimental, and it’s very unique,” she adds.
In the film adaptation, Marilyn plays herself and Jim Lortz, WWU’s professor of theatre, portrays Ellis. The phenomenally talented actor also happens to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Kuntz and Machado use symbolism to help movie goers see inside life with Alzheimer’s. Photo credit: Juliette Machado.
“Although this piece is about Marilyn’s life with Ellis’ Alzheimer’s, it’s really much bigger than that,” Kuntz says. “My work is rarely literal. This piece opens more possibilities for people to put themselves inside the story. We use symbols to show the shifting and changing experiences of life with Alzheimer’s, the loss of layers of memory, the hard work of caregiving, the change in vitality. It’s about aging and dying, caregiving, loss, and love.”
The future of “Ellis won’t be Dancing Today” is uncertain but hopeful. “We’re considering entering it the film festival circuit, possibly in the experimental category,” Machado says. “And it will definitely become available on YouTube to Alzheimer’s support groups, conferences, and to physicians and caregivers,” Kuntz adds.
Two other short films will share Pickford’s showcase. “Parkinson’s Dreams About Me” features an intermingling of dance and interview excerpts by community member Rick Hermann, who has lived with Parkinson’s for more than 20 years. Overlaid by an original cello score, this Kuntz and Company collaboration highlights the therapeutic benefits of dance for people suffering from neurological disorders. Kuntz had developed the piece as an off-shoot of the dance classes she’s been offering to people suffering from Parkinson’s, supported in part by generous fundraising by Pickford Film Center. It won Best Experimental Film at the Oregon Independent Film Festival in 2012.
Symbols were used to bring the film viewer inside life with Alzheimer’s. Photo credit: Juliette Machado.
The third dance film, “Pacing,” was produced by JmWorks in collaboration with Bellingham Repertory Dance. “The movement is very rhythmic and tied to the score, which is made up of sounds captured on set that I manipulated in edit,” Machado describes. This short film was screened at the 40 North Dance Film Festival in San Diego in July 2015, and at the New Jersey Outlet Dance Project Festival in October 2015.
“Dances for the Camera” will premiere at the Pickford Film Center on January 10. A pre-screening reception with the filmmakers and collaborators will begin at 1:30 p.m. followed by a 2:30 p.m. showing.
Friends of the South Whatcom Library receive the Outstanding Friends Service Award at the December WCLS Library Board of Trustees Meeting. Photo courtesy: Whatcom County Library System.
Each year Whatcom County Library System (WCLS) honors one of eleven Friends of the Library groups with an award for Outstanding Friends Service. This year the award was presented to the Friends of the South Whatcom Library (FOSWL) for their work to support the South Whatcom Library through the past year.
FOSWL members worked diligently for three years to obtain the funding for the South Whatcom Library, and many hundreds of volunteer hours went into constructing it. When evidence of powder-post beetle damage necessitated the building’s closure, the Friends rallied to work with the Sudden Valley Community Association to find an alternative location – first in the lobby of the adjacent YMCA, and later in the Sudden Valley Adult Center, which WCLS remodeled into a temporary library.
Brian Hulsey, manager at the South Whatcom Library, nominated the group for the award. “Since the move to the Adult Center building, the FOSWL have taken on a supporting role for the South Whatcom Library by providing funding for children’s, teen and adult programming, as well as the purchase of a MakerBot Replicator 3D printer to promote life-long learning and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) programming,” said Hulsey. “Some amazing projects have already been printed!”
The Friends also installed a Little Lending Library near the WTA bus stop to promote community engagement and to spread the word about South Whatcom Library programs and events. And the group is known for their Jazz concert fundraisers, which bring music and culture to the Sudden Valley community and beyond.
WCLS Executive Director Christine Perkins presented the Friends with the engraved “Traveling Plaque” to be displayed for the next year at the South Whatcom Library. “WCLS thanks the South Whatcom Friends for their unwavering passion for public libraries and for positivity in the face of setbacks,” said Perkins.
Marcia Morrison, South Whatcom Friends Vice President accepted the award for the group, and read a statement from the President, Clairene Almond. “We are beyond happy to receive this award, especially given everything that has happened since the opening of the South Whatcom Library,” said Morrison. “We didn’t really know how to do what we did, how to fundraise, or build…..we learned it at THE LIBRARY.”
Congratulations go to all the honorees for the Outstanding Friends Service Award: Deming Friend Virginia Naef, Ferndale Friend Judy Kelsey, Friends of the Point Roberts Library, and Friends of the Sumas Library.
Snowshoeing is the perfect activity to bring together all ages. Rick is pictured here with his grandson.
With all the snow that’s dumped on Mt. Baker recently, snowshoeing is going to be fabulous this year. It can be easy to forget about snowshoeing, what with all the talk of skiing, boarding, sledding, and so on. But snowshoeing is awesome in that it is for everyone. It’s affordable, accessible, appropriate for all ages, and you can snowshoe virtually anywhere. I’ve done only a little snowshoeing in Whatcom County — most of my snowshoeing experience has been around the Leavenworth area. So in order to put together a great local snowshoeing guide, I teamed up with my talented and very outdoorsy father-in-law, Rick Dubrow, co-owner of Bellingham’s own A-1 Builders.
Bear Paws, a powder snowshoe, adorn Rick Dubrow’s office at A-1 Builders.
When I sat down to talk to Rick about snowshoeing in his office, I immediately noticed the large, old-fashioned looking snowshoes nailed to his office wall. Well, at least I could be sure I was in the right place. Rick informed me that those were called “Bear Paws,” and that they are used for much lighter, fluffier snow than we get in Whatcom County. He picked them up in Colorado. When I asked if he liked snowshoeing the first time he tried it, Rick responded without a moment’s pause: “Oh, I fell in love with it instantly.”
Our county is thick with snow lovers of all types. But Rick has no shortage of reasons why he loves snowshoeing best. “It’s funny, but there’s kind of a firewall between people who like skiing and people who like snowshoeing,” he says. “I enjoy the latter because I appreciate how it really slows you down. It’s perfect for observing and reconnecting to nature. And anyone can do it. If you can walk, you can snowshoe.” Rick admits that falling in love with snowshoeing can lead to a sort of snow addiction. “The other thing about it is, many people don’t realize they love being out in the snow until they try snowshoeing. I’d say it’s the gateway drug to snow.”
Snowshoes: Rent or Buy
REI no longer offers rentals but has snowshoes for purchase, and the store is staffed by experienced and knowledgeable salespeople who can help you select the pair of snowshoes that are right for you.
Adults can rent snowshoes from Backcountry Essentials for $21/day (all-day and overnight rental). It’s okay to return rentals anytime the following day before closing. Also, Backcountry features graduated rental prices, so the longer your rent, the better deal you get: $31 for two days, $44 for 3 days, and so on.
Rick got his start with snowshoeing during a trip around the country in his twenties.
Adults and kids alike can enjoy snowshoe rentals fromYeager’s. With rentals running at just $15 for 48 hours (from pickup to return), snowshoeing is an affordable activity for the whole family.
Pick up a snowshoeing package at Glacier Ski Shop for $20/day, and rent a handy-dandy item called “shoe covers,” which are “giant warm and waterproof socks that enable you to use regular shoes with snowshoes,” while you’re there.
Guided Snowshoeing
The Bellingham REI has great snowshoeing classes, but they fill up fast, so don’t delay. Classes range from a free Snowshoeing Basics class to an Avalanche Transceiver course, both of which are offered on-site at the store. There are also getaway classes like REI’s Snowshoe and Brews trip (that ends at a brewery in Leavenworth) and an Intro to Snowshoeing at Lanham Lake, just to name a few.
Forest Service-led snowshoe hikes at Mt. Baker are another fabulous option. Snowshoe hikes are planned this year for February and March. No previous experience is necessary. Groups meet and depart from the Glacier Ranger Station at milepost 34 on the Mt. Baker Highway. Donations are requested ($15 for adults, $10 for kids). The interpretive hikes are two- to three-hours long and are ranger-led. Snowshoe hikes are a great way to learn about winter ecology while getting a little exercise, and the Forest Service even provides the snowshoes and poles. Call or email to make reservations.
Safety First
When you have a pair of snowshoes, you can go anywhere.
If you plan to go it alone (unguided), avalanche safety is essential. Rick says understanding avalanches and avalanche danger is a must for anyone who is interested in snowshoeing, as many local people have died in avalanches while trekking across the snow. One great resource for tons of avalanche info and links to classes is the Northwest Avalanche Center. Also, REI holds courses, and the Glacier Ranger station hosts an Avalanche Awareness Walk in March.
Another important note (as with any hike), is to remember to let somebody know where you’re going and what time you intend to be back.
Additional Gear
Rick recommends loading up on hand and foot warmers, gators, sturdy waterproof boots, a hat (he says “if your hands are cold, put your hat on!”), good sunglasses, snowshoes with poles, layers, and insulated clothing. Rick also carries wands with flagging at the top. Not everyone does this, but if its windy or snowing, you can lose the snowshoe path you came in on in minutes. Flagging ensures you’ll find your way back to your car.
Beginner Hikes
One nice snowshoe route to start with begins in the ski-area parking lot and continues on up to the Warming Hut (aka the Heather Meadows Visitor Center). It’s an easy hike and takes maybe an hour round-trip. The warming hut itself was built in the 1940s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. It’s closed during the winter months, but still offers a scenic turn-around point for your hike.
Snowshoeing is the perfect activity to bring together all ages. Rick is pictured here with his grandson.
Hannegan Pass Roadis a gentle, often groomed hike that is ideal for beginners and families. Hike as much or as little as you like. The trail is about 5 miles roundtrip. The highlight of this snowshoe for many are the views of the North Fork Nooksack River and even Mt. Shuksan on a clear day. This is one of the routes often taken by the Forest Service-led snowshoes. Park at the Shuksan Picnic Area, about 13 miles past Glacier on Mt. Baker Hwy.
White Salmon Road is another great beginner trek (it’s also called National Forest Rd 3075). This trail can be found to the left of one of the last hairpin turns on Mt. Baker Highway before you reach the ski area. More breathtaking views are to be had down this road. On a clear day, you’ll see Mt. Shuksan and the two Goat Mountain peaks looming large.
Intermediate Hike
Artist Point is a classic hike, well-known by locals, that begins in the ski-area parking lot. You will pass the Warming Hut and continue on to hike about 4 miles roundtrip and gain about 1,000-feet in elevation. The views from Artist Point on a clear day are unparalleled. Mt. Shuksan is the most photographed mountain of all time, or so it’s rumored. There’s a reason this is Whatcom County’s most popular hike.
Advanced Hike
The viewpoint at the end of White Salmon Road.
About 7 miles past Glacier begins the epically beautiful and rigorously steep snowshoe hike known as Excelsior. Unlike summertime, there’s no road to get you up to the Damfino Lakes for an easier starting point. Canyon Creek Road is closed in the winter. But, many people take off on snowshoes right from the highway. Rick says, “It’s a very good workout.”
Or, if you want an even easier way to learn how to snowshoe, wait until it snows in town!
Rick proclaims, “You know, all you need to snowshoe is snow.” And he’s right. We have plenty of awesome, gorgeous places to snowshoe right in our fair cities. Zuanich is lovely in the snow, or take a hike up Sehome Hill for some nice views and a little exercise. Most places where there’s snow, there’s an opportunity to snowshoe.
Johnson shares an equal passion for music and the environment. Photo credit: Fleur de lis Photography.
An accomplished musician and budding environmental scientist, Bellingham’s Chandra Johnson has overcome tremendous adversity. Her unwavering drive, supportive friends and family, and persistently positive attitude have pulled her through one of the most difficult years of her young life.
Growing up hiking, camping and backpacking with her family, Chandra Johnson garnered a love for nature and science at a young age. Photo courtesy: Chandra Johnson.
“We grew up hiking, camping and backpacking with my parents all over the West,” Johnson says. That upbringing made WWU’s Huxley College of the Environment a natural choice for when selecting her college path. In pursuit of her Bachelor’s degree, Johnson completed an internship with the American Climber Science Program, a Colorado-based organization that facilitates conservation-focused research in remote and mountain environments around the world.
Johnson’s internship took her to the world’s highest tropical mountain range in Huascarán National Park, Peru, where she monitored glacial lakes. “I spent two-and-a-half months in the Peruvian Andes,” Johnson explains. “Traveling alone in a country where I didn’t really speak the language was a life-changing experience. We went up to almost 20,000 feet of elevation to collect water quality data and study glacial melt. I climbed five or six summits above 17,000 feet and had some 20-hour days,” she adds. “My strength was tested, and I learned so much.” For scale, Mt. Baker’s summit is just under 11,000 feet.
Amidst her mountain climbing science adventures, Johnson also studied and explored a second, equal passion: music. Johnson has loved and played violin and fiddle since fourth grade. “My dad listened to a lot of rock that included fiddle, so I always wanted to be in a rock band,” she says. “In college I learned to improvise and that led to more opportunities.”
Johnson also performs as a freelance artist throughout the West. Photo credit: Fleur de lis Photography.
Johnson’s passion eventually became a profession. She met Seattle-based singer-songwriter Mary Lambert through mutual producer and sound engineering friends in Sequim. “We were in similar music circles, which are small on the Olympic Peninsula,” Johnson explains.
Johnson went on to play fiddle with Lambert for about three years while attending WWU. Lambert is best known as a featured vocal artist on the Grammy-nominated Song of the Year and gay rights single, “Same Love,” recorded with hip-hop duo, Maklemore and Ryan Lewis. Lambert later developed content from “Same Love” to create her 2013 hit single, “She Keeps Me Warm.” While touring and promoting that work in early 2014, Lambert and Johnson appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. “It was so exciting and glamorous to be a part of that, to play with my friends and my mentor, violinist Andrew Joslyn, on that stage,” Johnson notes.
After graduating from WWU with her Bachelor’s degree in 2014 — a double major in music and environmental science — Johnson faced a very difficult decision: Go on tour with Lambert or join her family on the trip of a lifetime traveling throughout Nepal.
Johnson chose family.
Johnson trekked across one of the most remote regions of Nepal for a month and then spent a couple of weeks in Katmandu. The trip proved to be both an incredible joy and challenge. “We had some scary moments with snow and ice,” she says. “We learned how to deal with different people and the unexpected. I came home much more confident.”
Chandra Johnson mountain climbing Pisco. Photo courtesy: Chandra Johnson.
“My decision in favor of family made a lot of different impacts on my life,” explains Johnson.
The trip taught her the value of perseverance, but it also marked the beginning a medical battle with parasites.
Upon her return, Johnson planned to join Lambert on tour, but Lambert’s budget required a smaller band, and Johnson was among the first to be cut. “At that point I was scrambling to find a job, living with my parents in Port Angeles. That’s when I found Patagonia.”
Johnson scored a research assistant position funded through outdoor clothing company, Patagonia, working alongside retired engineer, Jim Waddell, and Idaho Rivers United in a controversial effort to remove four dams from the Lower Snake River in southeastern Washington.
The dams block the path of salmon and steelhead on their trek from the ocean to their spawning grounds in Idaho’s high mountain streams. “Growing up, I watched so much positive change come from the removal of dams from the Elwa River in Olympic National Park. That made me very excited to work on the Snake,” Johnson says.
But that work was interrupted abruptly one morning this past January.
“I’d had a doctor’s appointment for my parasites and then was headed to work. A woman who was driving very fast under the influence of drugs crossed over the median and hit me head on. She spun me around and drove up and over the top of my car. I was hit with the roof and in the chest with the engine block,” describes Johnson. “I was inches from death.”
Johnson’s injuries were extensive. She suffered multiple lacerations, traumatic brain injury, broken ribs, a punctured lung that collapsed, and a shattered radius, wrist and knee — to name only a few. The driver that caused the accident was charged with vehicular assault and driving on a suspended license without insurance. “I still struggle now almost a year later with migraines three to four times a day, a blind spot in my right eye, and I have round number seven of surgeries coming up,” Johnson laments.
Chandra Johnson sustained devastating injuries after being hit by a driver who was under the influence of drugs. Photo courtesy: Chandra Johnson.
As a fiddler, the damage to Johnson’s radius, wrist and finger carried extra significance. The pinky finger of her bow hand was partially severed and amputation was considered. It is now numb and frozen in a bent position due to scar tissue. “It has affected my playing a lot,” Johnson says. “I still do physical therapy about three times a week. It’s been a long journey.”
For about three months, Johnson only left the house for doctor’s appointments. She is most thankful to her parents and brother for their support in her lengthy recovery. “Particularly because of the mountaineering I’ve done, I have much greater pain thresholds and greater patience thresholds than I ever would have without them,” Johnson says of her recovery. “I also have to thank Michael Rivers who gave me free voice lessons to keep me from going crazy when I couldn’t play the fiddle.”
Despite her existing pain and limitations, Johnson continues to fight to regain what she’s lost. “I have to be on high alert so I don’t reinjure myself,” she says. “[Doctors] told me I would never run again, so I’m training for a marathon,” Johnson says, laughing. “I also guided a back packing trip this summer. One of the best parts about all of this has been that everything I do since the accident is a first all over again — a sense of victory.”
Bellingham-based Hot Damn Scandal unleash at the Green Frog Acoustic Tavern. Photo credit: Kenneth Kearney.
At present, Johnson plays and tours with three different music groups: “tipsy American gypsy blues” band, Hot Damn Scandal; bluegrass Celtic rock performers, The Clumsy Lovers; and the 50-plus piece Seattle Rock Orchestra. “I also have some freelance recording work planned between now and March,” Johnson says. She currently divides her time between Bellingham, Port Angeles and touring.
Johnson continues to be optimistic about the future. She plans to apply in the spring to WWU’s Huxley College of the Environment in pursuit of her Master’s Degree in environmental restoration. “I will go to grad school. Whether or not it happens this year depends on what happens next — with my music and the Graduate Record Exam (GRE),” Johnson says. “But whatever happens, it’s nice to have come out of all of this stronger on the other side.”
The mantelpiece in Chuck and Dee's home was so large it had to be brought in over the roof of the neighboring Paper Dreams and through a set of patio doors.
Village Books owners, Chuck and Dee Robinson, always wanted to live above the store.
“It was actually part of our hopes when we first came to town,” says Chuck. “But there wasn’t a way to do that when we opened the store.”
A little over 10 years ago, Chuck and Dee Robinson turned their dream of living above their bookstore into reality.
“Not in Fairhaven,” adds Dee. “We actually looked at a place where we could have lived above the store.”
“But you never would have known us if that had happened!” Chuck interjects, and they both break out in laughter.
“We wouldn’t have lasted a year,” Dee agrees.
Ultimately, Chuck and Dee opened Village Books in 1980 (followed two years later by Paper Dreams) on 11th Street in Fairhaven, where the shops inarguably became the heart of the historic district.
As the couple began to plan for a new building — opening in 2004, just a couple doors down from their first spot — they returned to that dream of living atop all the books.
“We planned to do a condo above and design it the way we wanted, with help from our architect,” says Chuck.
Dave Christensen designed the entire building, which houses the bookstore, Book Fare Café, and another top-floor condominium.
Chuck and Dee chose the smaller of two condos atop Village Books. “We’re 1,600 square feet and they’re about 2,200,” says Chuck. “It’s just the right size for us.”
The 1,600-square-foot condo has been the ideal perch for Chuck and Dee, with its spacious entryway, open living room/dining room/kitchen, three bedrooms, two baths, laundry room, and wrap-around patio overlooking the Village Green.
Even on the gray day of my visit, when heavy cloud cover obscured vistas of the islands and mountains, the Friday Alaska ferry was visible at the Port Terminal. Chuck and Dee now have the water a stone’s throw from their door, as well as views of the charming Village Green and surrounding Fairhaven buildings.
“People often mentioned downsizing when we moved here, but really, our last house was 1,400 square feet, so we actually upsized a little,” says Dee.
The wall colors are a mix of neutral cream punctuated by an earthy red wall in the living room and a vibrant blue one in the master — chosen with the help of Scott Wallin, curator at the Whatcom Museum.
Craftsman-style cabinetry throughout and floor-to-ceiling built-in bookshelves in the living room and hallway add warmth, functionality and style.
Kitchen cabinets were built to the ceiling, offering tons of storage in a relatively small space.
John Blethen from New Whatcom Interiors built all the cabinetry, as well as the mantelpiece, which had to come up over the roof of Paper Dreams and through the patio doors because it was too large to fit up the stairwell or in the elevator.
The couple asked to have Blethen do oak cabinetry in the kitchen, baths, and entryway closet, but planned for typical white pressboard cabinets in the laundry room.
“John said, ‘Oh, please don’t do that,’” Chuck recounts with a smile. A quick peek in the diminutive laundry space shows the same gorgeous cabinetry and hardware found throughout the home.
The couple moved in a week before Thanksgiving in 2004, three weeks after the new bookstore’s unveiling. Chuck and Dee’s condo was still without kitchen counters and a sink.
“But that was okay, because we always go out to eat that time of year anyway,” Chuck says with a laugh.
“Sometimes if you have six people around the table in a noisy restaurant, you can’t hear one another. So we said, you know, for a really reasonable fee, Charles (Claassen, chef/owner of Book Fare Cafe) will do a dinner for us — and he does dinner better than many restaurants.”
In the run-up to construction being complete, the couple had begun to worry that reality might not live up to their longtime vision.
“It had been such a long time coming,” says Chuck. “As it got closer, we both hoped we hadn’t misimagined what it would be like.”
“What if we were disappointed?” Dee concurs.
It didn’t help that lots of people asked if they thought they’d be too close to work, unable to truly get away from the office.
The couple needn’t have worried. The condo has been a perfect fit from day one, and the separation of work and home has never been a problem.
“It was a dream come true, but it also made our lives so much easier because our condo’s office is connected with the store phones and computers,” says Dee. “But we can also mute and turn them off.”
The couple always joked that they have the best commute in the world. And when Dee retired in 2014, she had no trouble transitioning away from her work life.
“Nobody calls me or comes up and taps on the door to ask me anything,” she says. “And that’s been true the whole time. The staff really respects our privacy.”
Chuck and Dee Robinson live above their bookstore — which can sometimes mean the occasional visit from a meandering customer.
Employees have avoided surprise drop-ins, but that hasn’t always been true of a few stray shoppers.
“It’s unusual, but we have had people walk in the door looking for, say, the mystery section, which is on the second floor of the bookstore,” says Chuck. “We’ve had staff people on the lowest floor say, ‘Go to the third floor,’ meaning the second floor of the store, but if you’re in the elevator and push 3, it’s going to come up here.”
“Just last week I had someone walk in,” says Dee. She was sitting in the office and heard the door open. “I said, ‘Hello, who’s there?’ and a guy said, ‘I’m looking for the café.’”
Again the couple starts to laugh as they recount the story.
“Come right in!” Chuck says, motioning to their kitchen. “It’s right over here!”
“Can I make you an espresso?” Dee jokes.
Many of the books lining the living room shelves that surround the fireplace are signed by authors and, in some cases, by folks the couple now call friends. Titles by Tom Robbins, Jim Lynch, Ivan Doig, Steve Martini, Laura Kalpakian and many more have pride of place.
Paintings and works by Northwest artists including Susan Bennerstrom, John Cole, Lisa McShane, Mary Froderberg, and more adorn the condo’s walls — a luxury the couple didn’t have in their previous home. Thirty-five pieces of their collection are currently on loan to the Jansen Art Center in Lynden for an exhibit that runs through January 2016.
A vibrant blue wall in the master bedroom makes a wonderful backdrop for a few of the pieces by Northwest artists that Chuck and Dee have collected over the past 25 years.
“What little wall space we did have had bookshelves on it,” Dee explains. “When we designed this we said, we’re going to have bookshelves and we’re also going to have wall space. We had been hanging paintings in front of books!”
To that end, the condo’s hallway is extra wide to accommodate bookshelves on one side and art on the other. Guests will also find books in the den, office and master bedroom.
“Some people ask why, when we live above a bookstore, we have so many books,” says Chuck. “And, well, a big part of the reason we own a bookstore is that we love them!”
Scroll through the photo gallery below to take a virtual tour of Chuck and Dee’s home.
Chuck and Dee Robinson's Home
1 of 8
The mantelpiece in Chuck and Dee's home was so large it had to be brought in over the roof of the neighboring Paper Dreams and through a set of patio doors.
The Robinsons have been known to have fantastic dinner parties around their table, sometimes catered by Book Fare Cafe chef/owner Charles Claassen.
The Robinsons wanted oak cabinets in a Craftsman style, which were fashioned by John Blethen of New Whatcom Interiors.
Kitchen cabinets were built to the ceiling, offering tons of storage in a relatively small space.
Chuck and Dee chose the smaller of two condos atop Village Books. "We’re 1,600 square feet and they’re about 2,200," says Chuck. "It's just the right size for us."
"Sometimes if you have six people around the table in a noisy restaurant, you can’t hear one another. So we said, you know, for a really reasonable fee, Charles (Claassen, chef/owner of Book Fare Cafe) will do a dinner for us — and he does dinner better than many restaurants."
A vibrant blue wall in the master bedroom makes a wonderful backdrop for a few of the pieces by Northwest artists that Chuck and Dee have collected over the past 25 years.
The hallway was designed to be wide enough to accommodate bookshelves on one side and wall space for art on the other.
WTA’s most senior transit operator, Steve Sage, recently received the National Safety Council’s Million Mile Safe Driving Award. Sage earned this award by driving a WTA bus an average of 25,000 miles per year, for 40 years–without a preventable accident.
WTA General Manager Pete Stark said, “Imagine 40 years of endlessly entering and exiting traffic to pick up passengers, all while answering their questions and helping them make connections. All without causing a single traffic accident. While we are incredibly proud to recognize Steve’s safety record, his passengers and fellow employees recognize him for being a kind person and an extremely professional transit operator.”
So far in 2015, the National Safety Council has awarded 62 transit operators the Million Mile Award, throughout the United States.
Carol’s inclusive coaching style keeps her Fit School workouts fun and full of camaraderie. Photo credit: Melissa Marteny.
Carol Frazey, founder of Fit School, Inc., knows firsthand the importance of a good coach. During her middle school years in rural Pennsylvania, she struggled with making good choices. “I was hanging out with the wrong people, doing the wrong things,” she recalls. Then she discovered something she was good at — running. “Finding cross-country saved my life. I had a really good coach who guided me gently in the right direction.”
A passion for coaching
Carol started Fit School as a way to teach families how to practice healthy nutrition and exercise habits. Photo credit: Melissa Marteny.
As Carol’s abilities and self-confidence grew, she went on to run Division One cross-country and track and field at Penn State. She became a teacher and coached middle school track and cross-country. It didn’t take her long to realize that coaching was her life’s calling, so she pursued her M.S. in kinesiology (the scientific study of human movement) at the University of Colorado, focusing on the psychological aspects of competition.
Carol and her husband Paul moved to Bellingham in 2000, and their first child was born soon after. Looking for ways to pursue her passion and recalling the escalating rates of childhood obesity she had observed while teaching, Carol started a newsletter subscription for schools, teaching about nutrition and exercise and focusing on things that families could do together. With more than 100 schools across the country subscribing, the Fit School Newsletter is still going strong.
Her “aha” moment
As we warm up with a lap around the track, Coach Carol (far left) keeps our Fit School class moving and laughing. Photo credit: Melissa Marteny.
As Carol’s kids grew older, she started running regularly with a group of local women. “One day we were running, having a deep discussion, and I realized how easy it was to talk about things,” Carol recalls. “Sometimes it’s easier to talk when you’re not looking face to face, but doing something focused, like running on a trail.”
As Carol turned to her running friends and said, “More women need this!” she realized what her next mission would be.
Carol put out a call on Facebook, and in January 2011, her first Fit School class began with six students. Before long, Genevie Roguski at Fairhaven Runners & Walkers took notice and asked her to lead a class in conjunction with the store.
My Fit School experience
It was at a Fairhaven Runner’s introductory class that I first met Carol and got a taste for her Fit School coaching style. I’d taken a couple runners’ training classes before and felt a bit out of my league, so I was slightly apprehensive. I didn’t start running until my 40s, and my pace is on the slow side.
But Carol kept it fun and light, and by the time our one-hour track session was over, I was impressed with her running tips and with the easy camaraderie of the group. I signed up for the next Fit School session, a six-week, 12-workout commitment.
When I showed up at Civic Field for my first workout, we began by walking around the track, warming up and introducing ourselves. Coach Carol gathered us together and shared her three ground rules:
Don’t say anything negative about yourself. If you do, you have to say three awesome things about yourself in front of everyone.
Go your own pace. Don’t compare yourself to others.
Be selfish with your time. Give yourself an hour a day to do your thing.
Next was the one-mile time trial. My pace was faster than I anticipated, an instant boon to my confidence. We did a bit more track work, then hit the field for some drills, followed by a three-minute core workout and stretching. It was a good workout, but not a grueling, boot camp-style experience. I was hooked.
Your goals, your pace
A gentle approach is at the core of Carol’s coaching philosophy. “It’s not pushing you to an extreme, it’s gradually building you from where you began at your own pace,” she says. “The sense of community that the women bring makes for a really supportive environment. It’s not competitive at all.”
Carol’s inclusive coaching style keeps her Fit School workouts fun and full of camaraderie. Photo credit: Melissa Marteny.
Over the next few weeks, as I got to know Carol and my fellow Fit Schoolers, I was struck by the diversity of our group — from power-walking half marathoners to sub-eight-minute-milers, we embody a wide range of ages, abilities and intentions. But for two mornings every week, we come together to work on improving at our own paces — and to cheer each other on. Any event completed, be it a 5K or full marathon, is shared and celebrated by the group.
Fellow Fit Schooler Carole Foldenauer recently ran the local Turkey Trot 5K. Like me, she has run her share of half marathons, but her goals have changed over the years. “I exercise for increased functional strength and stress relief. I want fresh air, camaraderie, encouragement and the helpful instructions of a wise fitness coach,” she says. “The workout is challenging but not punishing. We work at our own pace while slowly but steadily getting stronger and fitter.”
Kate Adad began running less than two years ago but already has 13 races under her belt, including four half marathons. “Not only has my form and pace improved since taking Carol’s class, but she’s helped me to believe in my abilities as a runner and achieve whatever goals I set for myself,” Kate says. “I’m not sure I could have done all this without the support of Carol and her program.”
A community of runners and walkers
Carol has coached more than 600 local women since 2011. And as the Fit School community continues to grow, she cultivates it with a private Facebook group where members can share stories and and photos and find regular opportunities for running or volunteering at local events. I recently helped out at the Girls on the Run 5K and had a blast running with hundreds of local girls and their families.
Carol and her husband Paul attend the Whatcom Women In Business Professional Woman of the Year awards banquet. Paul is Fit School’s science advisor. Photo credit: Mary Walker.
Carol often encounters Fit School members running together on the local trails. “That’s the greatest thing for me to see,” she says. “Seeing women from my classes in a group, out and about. That brings me so much joy, and it’s what I wanted it to be about.”
Carol’s contributions to the local community were recently recognized when she was nominated for Professional Woman of the Year by Whatcom Women in Business. Accompanied by an entourage of Fit School followers, she thoroughly enjoyed the award ceremony.
When asked by the awards committee about her bucket list goals, Carol recounts, “My answer was to get one million women empowered through running. I don’t know how that’s going to happen, but I feel like it’s my calling.” When pressed about the lofty number, she holds firm. “If I hit it, I hit it. If I’m done, I won’t know.”
Spending time with your kids at the mountain is a great way to reconnect and get some exercise too
For snow lovers, Christmas came early this year. Our majestic Mount Baker is open for the ski and snowboard season, and with lots of fresh snow and fantastic conditions, you’ll hear rousing cheers all around. For parents of young children however, this news can evoke loud sighs and fond memories of when skiing was a regular part of their lives. But wait — did you know it’s now possible to take your young children skiing at Mount Baker (and get yourself a lift ticket, too) without breaking the bank?
Parents and kids can learn together in the 4-week course, Dads, Moms & Groms.
Yep, it’s a beautiful truth called the Powder Pups program. Active parents everywhere who’ve been looking for their long-lost freedom and frivolity can now score half price lift-tickets just for bringing their little ones along (ages 6 and under ski free!). And this isn’t the only brilliant offer for kids and families at Baker this year. It’s now easier than ever before for kids and parents to get up to the mountain and learn to ski or snowboard.
Powder Pups arose out of the conundrum parents face when they spend several hours of their ski day dressing, teaching and helping their child on the mountain. Afterward, maybe one parent can break free for some sweet adult-only runs, but by the time they’re able to hit the slopes on their own, most don’t want to buy a full-price ticket. Enter Powder Pups. If your child is between 4 and 6 years old, which also happens to be prime learn-to-ski years, you’re in luck. Up to four adults can be designated as the Powder Pups family and two adults (age 18+) can take advantage of the deal in a given day. Once registered for the program, a parent should bring their 4 to 6 year old to a ticket window after 11:00 a.m. to receive a half-price ticket.
Ready to sign up your little one, or as they say at Baker, “Bring a little ripper, leave a little richer”? Parent and child must go together to the Mount Baker business office, located at 1420 Iowa Street in Bellingham, with proper documentation for both to sign up. At the office, you will receive a Powder Pups card and be required to sign a release form. The card is good for 10 adult half-price tickets per child per year. Remember, children ages 6 and younger ski free. If a Powder Pup kid comes to the mountain seven times in a season, he or she can earn a $30 voucher toward a first child season pass.
The gentle, open slope outside Heather Meadows is the perfect place for kids to try their ski-legs for the first time.
As the mother of a 3 and 5 year old, Mount Baker’s Marketing Director, Amy Trowbridge, doesn’t just plan awesome programs at the mounting, but she knows firsthand how important it is to keep skiing and boarding accessible and affordable for families. “We’ve had an amazing start to the season,” Amy says. “We opened November 19, which is even earlier than our average. Conditions and visibility have been great, especially for those who are learning. For beginners, we have something for everyone — from the gentle sloping hill outside the Heather Meadows Lodge (where many kids take their first runs), to the free Handle Tow, to the beginning chair lift. For programs (just to name a few), there are Powder Pups, Dad’s Moms and Groms, Snow School, Best for Beginners, Komo Kids, and don’t forget that all fifth graders ski free this year.”
Dads, Moms & Groms
This class series for 5 and 6 year olds and their parents not only teaches kids essential ski and snowboard skills, but it teaches parents how to teach their children as well. “I am planning on doing the class this year because I actually have no idea how to teach my daughter to ski,” Amy says. Even seasoned skiers can feel lost when it comes to instruction. The class is a four-week session starting mid-January and meets every Saturday or Sunday. Kids are grouped by age and ability and meet with the same instructor each week, making the series both fun and welcoming.
Komo Kids
Young children enjoy lessons from expert instructors at Mount Baker.
Designed for young skiers and snowboarders ages 7 to 15, Komo Kids derives its name from the native name for Mount Baker, Komo Kulshan. This program is tried and true, as it’s been a Mount Baker staple for over 40 years. Komo Kids follows a similar format to Dads, Moms & Groms, but parents don’t come to class and classes and the entire series run a little bit longer. Sign up before January 1 and save $30 on the series.
Best for Beginners
Best for Beginners is an economical way for a newbie to spend a day at the mountain. For kids and adults ages 7 and up, Best for Beginners includes a group lesson, rental gear, and an all-day beginner lift ticket. All this for the low price of $49.
Regardless of which track you take, the beginner chair lift is a perfect place for kids to start learning how to ride the ski lifts. “I love how the beginner lift goes nice and slow and has a safety bar to lower down,” Amy says. “It offers my kids a break and a chance for a snack. It has also become somewhat of a tradition for my kids and I to look for various animal tracks while we’re up there.”
Gear Rental
For nearly everyone new to the sports of skiing and snowboarding, they need to rent gear. Luckily, Mount Baker has good prices on rentals and some great packages to go along with the various class series. The standard kids rental package comes with skis, bindings, ski boots and poles for $20 for kids under 6 years old, and $28 for kids ages 7 to 15. Add a ski helmet for another $9. Be sure to check the specific rental package deals under each class series description. For instance, if your little one is signed up for Dads, Moms & Groms, you can score kids rentals for $60 for the four-week program.
The beginner chairlift is intentionally slow, to give kids a break and make sure they get on and off safely.
Rental boots at Mount Baker begin at a children’s size 10.5. For children or toddlers with smaller feet, it’s possible to buy skis with stretchy bindings, where the child can wear their own snow boots. Yeager’s Sporting Goods in Bellingham also offers ski and snowboard rental gear. Yeager’s rental prices are comparable, and the rental length is always 48 hours, which allows the convenience of picking up the day before your trip to the mountain.
Introducing your children to skiing or snowboarding is a great way to spend time together outdoors during the winter months. However, it’s important to give your kids lots of breaks to warm up, which is why Amy stresses, “The most important feature of any trip to the mountain is the hot cocoa break.”
Sustainable Connections is seeking nominations and entries for the 14th annual Sustainability Champion Awards. Members of the public can nominate a Sustainable Connections business who is a pioneer in our local economy to receive a Sustainability Award.
Drawn from the four tenets of Sustainable Connections’ mission, the awards congratulate leaders in promoting a Strong Community, Healthy Environment, Meaningful Employment and Thinking Local First as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award for leaders making positive changes within their business and the greater community.
The Strong Community Award recognizes a Sustainable Connections business that actively engages our community, leads by example, and gives back. They are strong collaborators and openly share their knowledge with others.
The Healthy Environment Award goes to a Sustainable Connections business that measures their triple bottom line benefits (people, planet, profit) and inspires others to implement sustainable business practices in their own business.
The Meaningful Employment Award is given to a Sustainable Connections business that provides employment opportunities to engage employees, provide livable jobs and plan for the future.
The Buying Local First Award recognizes a Sustainable Connections business that promotes a strong and diverse local economy. They have also increased awareness about the personal, community and economic benefits of choosing local first.
The deadline for nominations is January 31, 2016. A directory of Sustainable Connections Businesses, previous year’s winners and a short online nomination form can be found on the organizations website at www.SustainableConnections.org. Nomination forms are also available at Sustainable Connections’ office at 1701 Ellis St, Ste 221 in Bellingham.
The awards will be presented at an annual awards ceremony held in February. The winning businesses will receive a custom engraved wood plaque, promotional photos taken at their place of business, media exposure and the hard earned recognition of their contribution to a local lively economy.
Submitted by First Fed
When homeowners need flexible financing, a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) stands out as a versatile and cost-effective option. Unlike lump-sum...
As we look back on 2015, we’ve selected 15 of our favorite photos from the past year. These photos highlight some of the area’s most stunning natural landmarks and viewpoints, including a few of 2015’s most memorable sunsets. Scroll through the photo set below and enjoy taking a look back on the past 12 months.
