Dan Whitmarsh

Those Easter mornings, my mother made hot cross buns. I remember them well, their butter-basted crowns glistening in the light with cross-shaped frosting dripping down the sides. I can smell their … more

I woke early on those cold winter mornings, the jangling alarm clock wrestling me from blissful Christmas dreams. As the rest of the family slept, I pulled on my wool socks and long underwear, topped … more

We sat on our back porch as evening nibbled at the remaining daylight. Across the pond, a full moon rose above a proud line of aged fir trees, its face a milky dime amidst a sky … more

Spring is upon us and summer is fast approaching. The glowing faces of daffodils greet me on these longer days, while our pond is alive with the cacophony of a family of geese who have made a new … more

The Christmas season is upon us once again. Even in this second winter of Covid, it is a time for celebration, family, and feasting. Dancing lights twinkle merrily while carolers serenade our streets … more

“Look here,” my wife said, pulling back the thick vines growing in our backyard garden. I saw a flash of red deep in the shadows. Reaching in, I gave a gentle tug and pulled out our first … more

On Sundays I rise early, enjoying a warm cup of coffee with my wife before heading out into the day. Driving toward Lakebay I experience little traffic; I tell myself that the few I pass are either … more

The Lakebay Church is a mess. The church building is a mess, I mean. Not the people. The people are, all things considered, doing well. However, as I write this, the building is pretty torn … more

It’s the early 1990s and we’ve gathered for dinner at Grandma’s house. Adults are talking in the kitchen while the teenagers lounge in the back room, debating whether there’s a Walkman amongst the presents under the tree. Somewhere, there’s a record player spinning carols by Andy Williams. more

Just outside my office sits the Lakebay cemetery, a peaceful little plot of land tucked away behind a thick hedge and madrona trees. Bordered by the Lakebay Church, on a hill that backs into Mayo … more

The Key Peninsula, like the rest of the world, is beset by turbulent times. COVID-19, financial upheaval and social reorganization are … more

“Do not be afraid.” It’s a command heard throughout the Bible. From the mouths of angels, prophets and Jesus himself, … more

The darkness always surprises me. Our languid days of summer too quickly give way to winter’s darkness and, here on the peninsula, the … more

In July I spent a week in the North Cascades, in the shadow of Mount Baker. It reminded me that we are blessed to live amid some of the most … more