Madison Park
WITNESS
Nate Gowdy captures big moments through his lens
By Laura Marie Rivera | Contributing Writer
Nate Gowdy is a photographer whose work explores the intersection of social movements, cultural identity, and political spectacle. For the past 15 years, he has called Seattle home, earning recognition for his compelling visual storytelling rooted in these themes. While his career took off in the Pacific Northwest, he has recently gained international acclaim for his documentary fine art photography examining American politics. His latest exhibition at Spectrum Fine Art in Madrona, however, narrows its focus to a single pivotal day: January 6, 2021.
Gowdy grew up in Elkhart, Indiana, and earned a journalism degree from Indiana University. He began his career as a copy editor at a small-town newspaper but soon found himself seeking a new, more exciting adventure. When his childhood best friend invited him to move to Seattle in 2009 to be his roommate on Capitol Hill, Gowdy jumped at the chance. Though he had never visited the city, he was already familiar with The Stranger and KEXP, which convinced him that Seattle must be “the hub of cool.”
GOWDY, 5
“What a
is how
ONE SEATTLE PLAN
By Friends of Madison Park
In 2023, the Washington State Legislature adopted House Bill 1110, often referred to as the “middle housing” bill. HB1110 requires many cities in the state to allow a broader range of housing types in areas that have allowed predominantly detached homes.
In October 2024, Seattle Mayor Harrell proposed a growth strategy now called the One Seattle Plan. That plan is made to comply with the state-mandated increased housing density requirements from HB1110. The City Council will vote on the plan in May 2025.
night!”
photographer Nate Gowdy summed up the euphoric experience of documenting the 2024 the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last August.
PHOTO BY CARRIE SCHRECK
Green wings, aflutter on tree trunks
It’s one of the subtle joys of Winter in the Pacific Northwest that turn our gray drizzle from seasonal ennui into rhapsody. Licorice Fern, Polypodium glycyrrhiza. You’ll notice them most often as they cling to the trunks or major limbs of trees, looking like colonies of lace-winged moths that have come to rest on the bark. Contrary to the popular belief that these epiphytes grow only on Bigleaf Maples, you’ll see them on Sycamores, Vine Maples, crawling atop rocks or concrete walls, settled into the aged wood of gates and fences, or on the ground.
Steve Lorton Tree Talk
The common name, Licorice Fern, comes from the taste of the reddish, scaly rhizome, which has a strong, sweet licorice flavor when nibbled raw. The plant has proven to have medicinal and culinary value. Herbalists laud its ability to reduce inflammation and skin hypersensitivity. Some restaurants have discovered it as a flavoring and base of tea.
In maturity, the long-stemmed fronds can reach 1 1/2 feet from base to tip. The leaves are lanceolate (like the blade of a spear) very similar to our native Sword Fern. They stretch out gracefully from the host branch. The survival skills of these delicate plants can be reckoned by their genus name, Polypodium (Poly = many, podium = foot). As the plant grows, its rhizomes creep along anchoring the plant as it spreads in size. In rare cases, (a cool moist Summer and a plant growing in complete shade), the fern may be green all year around. In most cases, the plant goes dormant in the heat of Summer, opening its fronds as Fall begins its annual leaf drop. In the book The Plant Lover’s Guide to Ferns by Richie Steffen and Sue Olsen (Timber Press, 2015) the authors say, poetically, “The Autumn combination of freshly emerging brilliant fronds with platters of butter yellow Maple leaves is a magnificent sight.” In conversation with Steffen (Curator of the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden), he shared how he establishes the plant in the ground, a lacy ground cover to embellish the base of larger plants like rhododendrons. “It’s quite easy, really. I lay the rhizomes down on the soil and cover them with an inch or two layer of medium fine bark mulch. Once established they require no maintenance.”
I have a very personal relationship with this fern. About a decade ago, hiking in the Cascades one November, I pulled a 6-inch stretch of rhizomes and fronds off a tree trunk. Once back in my Madison Park garden, I made an inch-thick pad of moss, put the rhizomes atop that and used hemp twine to tie it into the juncture where two major limbs of a Vine Maple stretched up. The fronds died back, but I left rhizomes where I’d placed them. Hope and patience were rewarded. When temperatures dropped and rain began around Thanksgiving the next year, fronds emerged. I’ve had that parent clump since and it’s a frisky critter. In that 10-year period, spores from that fern have landed in three other places on my Vine Maple grove and from there, found their way to a vertical concrete riser, sheltered under the brick pavers forming the step above. You’ll see these ferns in the photograph.
Leafed rhizomes can be collected this month, well into March, and mounted in trees or even grown in containers or the ground. Harvested carefully and kept well watered and in a shady location, the fronds may stay erect through Spring. It’s worth a hike to find them. Once you start seeing them you’ll be amazed at how abundant this plant is and how varied its habitats.
Licorice Fern is a subtle but ethereal addition to any garden and once established, it will find its way into other shady and protected spots. Every Northwest garden deserves to have wings.
PHOTOS COURTESY MARY HENRY
AMcGilvra Elementary Christmas activity was to exchange handmade cards after drawing names. We usually had a play to perform in the southeast corner of the school, and the day before Christmas, a movie was shown via the oversized 16 mm projector, which had subtitles due to the lack of sound. At home, the radio featured Christmas shows, and we crowded around to listen to the greats, like Bing Crosby. We listened to Jerry Colonna, Jack Kirkwood, Fred Allen, and Jack Benny for comedy.
When I lost my dad in the war, as did so many others, Christmas changed significantly for all families. In those days, kids would play games as if in a dream, setting up toy soldiers made of compressed cardboard, mimicking the adult war around us. It somehow soothed the distress of our world. In WWII, it was impossible to find many toys, let alone afford any. Some kids were lucky enough to have cap guns, but caps were scarce since it was still the Depression.
An event was held in the park to determine who had the best-decorated house. One family had a display of a lighted Santa, sleigh, and reindeer that covered the entire length of their home. Of course, during the war years, this was done at dusk because of the blackouts.
Despite all that was happening in the world around us, we tried our best to make the war invisible, although losing loved ones was not easy. If there is a time of year when one misses a loved one the most, it’s Christmas. Our community showed admirable resilience and determination in keeping the war at bay.
Our childhood games in the woods were a source of pure joy. Word spread that the dime store (now Cookin’) had some caps. So, with cash in hand, we bought a box of Red Dot caps, five rolls in all, for 5 cents: One Box Per Customer. We used to climb fir trees and slide down the yielding branches to the ground. The kid covered with the most pitch had the best time. The woods were great for games of all kinds.
We played games to busy the mind and body, sometimes even in winter. The best activity by far was the anticipation of Santa arriving in Madison Park. Yes, as busy as he was, he found time for us in our little community. He sat on a big, decorated chair on the tennis courts where a long line of kids waited with lists in hand, somehow knowing Santa would be hard-pressed to find most of the toys he hoped for. The Madison Park merchants handed out candy canes and other treats, fostering community and togetherness.
In the 50s, especially around the holidays, we would have a few beers at the local bars in Madison Park. It seemed appropriate to hit the Wai Mai afterward, then, around 3 a.m., the Black and Tan, then the 605, followed by the Ebony Club. As the sun rose and we headed east, we sometimes found ourselves at Bird Land at 22nd and Madison, where I once sat right in front of Ray Charles as he played some old favorites.
The Attic opened around 9 a.m. and beckoned us to enjoy a pan-fried steak and a yellow onion. Mac McCart, the owner at the time, would cook this combo for us after we purchased the ingredients from the Village Foods next door. It was proper to have a couple of cold beers then because it was still part of the night before. There was no hangover with this procedure, only a 24-hour sleep marathon.
I remember one particular New Year’s Day in the 60s, waking to loud purring in my ear from Killer, my cat. It was her way of telling me, “Time for breakfast .”Due to the previous night’s cocktail over-ingestion, it took all my strength to open one eyeball. The continuous kneading of my head persuaded me to sit upright and face the music. To make matters worse, it was a bright sunny day: the curse of the hangover victim.
HOLIDAYS
Richard Carl Lehman Revisiting the Park
My head throbbed as I slithered toward the bathroom. Killer wove herself between my legs, aiming me toward the kitchen, but I needed to stop to find a cure. Through red, squinty eyes, I scanned the medicine cabinet and found a plethora of Rx’s that would cure many an ailment but none that would solve, once and for all, the age-old dilemma of over-imbibing.
Persistent in her quest for food, Killer steered me toward the kitchen. Sliding one foot in front of the other, my head throbbing, I steadied myself on the counter. My fingers touched a small sample sent in the mail the day before. There it was, like a message from a higher power: a product called “Fizzaren,” a little bigger than aspirin and smaller than an Alka Seltzer. Without reading the directions, I poured a big glass of water and popped two medium-sized tablets into my mouth. I stood looking out the back door and noticed a strange foaming action on the back of my tongue. I quickly gulped the big glass of water only to find those little tablets exploding into a massive foam that refused to swallow. Oh, and one more little thing: I couldn’t breathe!
I fell on my back with arms and legs flailing and slid across the living room floor toward the front door. Killer sat staring, her eyes as wide as Alka Seltzer tablets, watching my weird rug dance come to an abrupt stop. I belched so loud she jumped a foot. I lay there in a cold sweat, my heart pounding and my body shaking, and I started to laugh; I was relieved it was all over. I felt better, but I would not recommend this crude remedy. Later, I discovered that the trick was to dissolve the tablets in water, but then I would have missed the unique experience in my quest for an overindulgence cure.
One hangover remedy we roommates discovered was to rim a flower vase-sized beer schooner with lemon, roll it in sugar, fill it with crushed ice, and pop it in the freezer. After a night of overtime drinking, it was a real treat around 4 a.m. to wake up dry-mouthed to a cold glass of half apple juice, half club soda, and the juice of half a lemon. That first gulp usually left the glass empty and ready for a refill, followed by licking the sugar and lemon from the rim. This at least replenished the liquid loss our depleted bodies suffered.
A cure introduced in the 1970s was a coinoperated machine at the Red Onion Tavern for people suffering from the previous night’s overindulgences. One had to wear a cone-shaped cup over a nozzle to inhale pure oxygen. The effect lasted only 10 to 20 minutes, so several visits were required.
The days of drinking are over. Can you imagine driving home in the early morning from hitting all those popular spots and being barely able to drive because of the lack of sleep? Yeah, that’s it—the lack of sleep. These days, it is best to spend time at home with a good glass of wine or two and reminisce about how we managed to party so heartily. Those were some mighty fine times.
Of course, the old standby, “the hair of the dog that bit you,” worked for my wife once. It was our first date 45 years ago in February. We were introduced at the Red Onion the week before, and I wanted to invite her for dinner. She said she may have crossed the good wine line because of the previous night’s malfunction and didn’t feel perky enough to accept a date. I mentioned they called me “The Doctor” and would cure her with a little White Russian, a lovely drink of Kahlua, vodka, and milk. Well, she was healed, all right. The White Russian, new friends, a game called Six Penny, and dinner at Elliott Bay Fish and Oyster resulted in a beautiful romance that has lasted till this day.
Since the early 2000s, I have avoided participating in the downtown Christmas shopping experience. I imagine heaving masses of people on the streets and in the stores,
the piped music playing way too loud, coffee barristers selling magic “keep-shopping” potions, the fantastic, rather unbelievable sale prices, the way too many perfume or candle samples wafting in stores, the drums beating frenziedly on the street, the sidewalk doomsday foreseers exclaiming their beliefs, and the stress to get the shopping and decorating completed before the relatives arrive along with attending countless gussy-up parties every weekend night pretty much puts one over the edge.
These days, de-stressing during the holidays means sleeping in, perhaps watching a recorded episode of Judge Judy, never turning on the news, and by January 5, when one hopes everything is back to normal. My well-meaning wife, great family, and good friends help
me to “un-Scrooge” and get into the holiday spirit every year. The one thing that genuinely jumpstarts me is venturing into an electronic store! Every imaginable toy can be had. Seeing how far TV and sound equipment have come is mind-boggling. I have become kid-like with eyes aglow, and I would like to know if Santa might reward me with a bright, shiny electronic object.
I sit down to write this month’s column, fully prepared to take on the New Year with good intentions. It has been a challenge to muster enthusiasm for the holiday season. As the saying goes, anything worth doing is worth doing to excess; consequently, for some, Amazon bills and hangovers can sometimes run amok at the beginning of the year.
Paying it forward: Consider kindness this season
The column this month was inspired by the holiday spirit: that bubbling-up feeling we get when we ponder family and friends, good cooking, warm hearths (and hearts), and beloved traditions. That holiday spirit is like no other—often a mix of hope, anxiety, and excitement, all at once.
Sometimes our December interactions with other people (watching a tree lighting, browsing lastminute sales, shoveling our sidewalks, wishing strangers “Happy Holidays”) remind us that we’re all in this world together. Helping friends, neighbors, and strangers can further promote the feeling of closeness the winter brings. For example, Margie, my fellow Emergency Hub columnist, offered to help with this month’s column, knowing I was busy. I gladly took her up on it!
I told Margie the seed of my idea for an article: I’d recently had generous neighbors— strangers to me—assist me out in an emergency in a way that touched me, and so I was thinking about how we can, and should, “pay forward” others’ acts of kindness. Margie, unexpectedly, had just had a similar
Dana Armstrong and Margie Carter Madison Park Emergency Hub
encounter to mine—now it’s story time!
Dana’s story: My car had an unfortunate encounter with some fresh cement when I was about 10 minutes from home. I wasn’t hurt, thank goodness, but my poor VW Golf spilled a lot of oil on the road. During my ordeal, a neighbor couple who had heard the commotion came out to see what had happened. They were kind and understanding and one of them, unprompted, brought out a carton of kitty litter and started containing the spill. The couple, unprompted, also helped secure the area and stayed with me while I made needed phone calls. Their presence kept me from becoming a blubbering wreck, and I am still very grateful to them for their freely offered support (and the cat litter!) while I waited for the cavalry to arrive.
Margie’s story: I was about a block from my home where I was headed after a stressful few hours
navigating Seattle traffic trying to get to appointments on time. As I was turning the corner, I noticed two people hovering over a third person on the ground, who was clearly injured from a fall. I rolled down my window and asked if I could be of help—and from the “deer in the headlights” look on their faces, decided the answer was yes. We all worked together to assess if it was safe to get the injured older woman up and to find out if she lived nearby or if she could tell us who to call. Another driver stopped and offered some information about the woman, and we eventually got this very bloody, muddy woman into my van and drove the few blocks to where she lived with her adult daughter— who was very appreciative that they hadn’t called 911 and turned her over to that unsettling experience. Our initial exchange of phone numbers began to include aspects of emotional relief and tenderness, acknowledging the importance of
kindness and neighbors helping neighbors, especially in these times of such fear, uncertainty, and a political climate of polarized divisiveness.
Won’t you be my neighbor?
Herein lies the foundation of mutual aid, an age-old practice that long preceded crowdsourcing, GoFundMe, and social media: making time to connect with your neighbors. While easier to do if you are out walking with a dog or a child, it’s not all that challenging to achieve if you pay attention to neighbors outside in a driveway or yard, or getting out of a car. A smile, wave, or hello over time might eventually lead to exchanging of names and addresses, maybe a request to bring in a garbage can or package delivery, perhaps an offer of a ladder or tool to help with a home project—or even an offer to jump-start a car. Inspiring stories of human cooperation occur daily during climate disasters like hurricanes, tornados, floods, and fires. During the initial frightening months of the pandemic, most of us experienced unusual kindness, generosity, and mutual aid. When thinking of ways to
pay this abundance forward, it’s easiest and most practical to start locally. (And perhaps soon, while the holiday spirit still possesses us.)
Different ways to help
What would it take for generosity and mutual aid to flow beyond a disaster or holiday season and take up residence in our daily lives with neighbors? One option is to look for small opportunities to help. A few tiny, easy things to consider right on your own street: standing up toppled trash cans, clearing clogged gutters, clearing the sidewalk of fallen branches (and electric scooters), and directing perplexed delivery drivers to hard-to-find addresses.
Another way to harness the holiday giving spirit is by volunteering in your community as a whole, in whichever way makes sense to you. We see evidence of this inclination to give back all around Madison Park and Madison Valley, particularly in the outstanding civic engagement and activities offered by Friends of Madison Park (FOMP), who’ve breathed a new spirit into the idea of a neighborhood community council. And we witness this in our own
Madison Park Emergency Hub, a group of rotating volunteers who quietly work behind the scenes focusing on how we’ll try to supply mutual aid during a disaster. An Emergency Hub acts as a form of “stand-up bulletin board” that helps people make connections (offering and receiving assistance and supplies) after a disaster. We Hubsters know that during an emergency, people naturally gravitate toward each other—and we want to be ready for that!
However you interact with your neighbors this season, we hope you’ll consider paying forward any recent generosity you’ve received and getting more involved with your neighbors, neighborhood, and community!
As always, this column is part of Madison Park Emergency Hub’s outreach effort. We’re an all-volunteer org focused on neighbors helping neighbors in an emergency. If you’d like to get involved with a group of neighbors who want to help people and contemplate disasters, it’s a light lift AND a lot of fun. Mail us at madparkhub@gmail.com with questions or to get on our mailing list.
Post-holiday bowls
By Lynda Balslev
Following the season of rich holiday dinners, it’s refreshing to launch into the new year with bright and steamy Asian soups. Curries, pho and ramen are examples of comforting Asian bowl foods. Swirling with slurpy noodles and heady spices, they provide crave-able dinners that jolt the senses and wake the palate from any lingering food comas.
Ramen is a noodle soup that originated in China and was imported to Japan, where it is a popular dish. This homemade
version brims with wilted greens and mushrooms on a slick of noodles, swimming in a gingery, garlicinfused broth. It’s not precisely authentic, but that is the point. With a few key staples, such as soy sauce, ginger and mirin, you can create a satisfying rendition in your kitchen that will hit all the right notes to satisfy a winter craving -- without putting on your snow boots.
Use this recipe as a template. Other vegetables, such as carrots, kale and bok choy, can be added.
Chicken or tofu can be substituted for the pork: Simply follow the recipe for the marinade and switch out the protein. Then roast or pan-fry the chicken or tofu before adding to the soup.
PORK RAMEN
Active time: 45 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes, plus marinating time
Yield: Serves 4
Marinade: ■ 2 tablespoons soy
FOOD, 6
COURTESY
FRIENDS
From page 1
And the State Legislation will have a final vote in June 2025.
PROPOSAL
Madison Park is one of 30 proposed new “Neighborhood Centers”. They are deemed suitable for residential and mixed-use buildings up to 6 stories in the core. In Madison Park, it would mean the commercial 3 blocks could be built taller-up to 65 feet. Blocks surrounding the business core could go to 4 stories-40 feet (Lowrise 2) with multifamily development on the west side and 5 stories-5O feet (Lowrise 3) with multifamily on the east.
The height restriction is presently 30 feet on most lots. There are approximately 6 more blocks of the
GOWDY
From page 1
5-story zoning proposed around the commercial area and the park.
Growth will come to Madison Park- how it is managed will hopefully not sneak up on our community but proceed in tandem with our community planning. Please volunteer with our One Seattle Plan committee- the issues are complicated, the impact and regulations even more complex and Madison Park needs to be sure we understand the impact on multiple levels. Our Feb. 4 Neighborhood meeting will address the One Seattle Plan in more depth. Please mark your calendars to attend. Learn more about the One Seattle Plan’s impact in Madison Park at https:// one-seattle-plan-zoning-implementation-seattlecitygis. hub.arcgis.com and https:// www.seattle.gov/documents/
Gowdy’s path into photography began after a brief stint as a preschool caregiver, when his parents gave him his first DSLR for Christmas 2010. A month later, George Bakan, publisher of Seattle Gay News, hired him as the staff photographer, where an editor gave him advice that shaped his career: “Don’t be a fly on the wall — immerse yourself and engage people.” From then on, Gowdy’s life was drag shows, nightlife, and as Seattle Pride’s official photographer, too, a parade of Pride personalities eager to step in front of his lens.
In his first year, he photographed over 200 events, mastering his craft on the fly and developing a bold, intimate, celebratory style — just as the marriage equality fight in Washington state reached its peak. By 2012, his schedule ramped up to 360 events, capturing a community rallying for change. “The end of 2012 and all of 2013 saw me photographing friends realizing their dreams of equality — so many weddings!” he says. Throughout his career, Gowdy has prioritized mentoring new and emerging photographers, particularly students, BIPOC artists, and those aspiring to build careers in the field. He has guided interns, taught homeschooled youth, and regularly guest lectures
Departments/OPCD/SeattlePlan/OneSeattlePlanZoningUpdateProposedCentersAndZoningD3.pdf.
Send comment to your city council rep Joy.Hollingsworth@seattle.gov as the proposals are now in the hands of the City Council for Review.
Holiday Activities Brighten
Madison Park
Dec. 14 was a day of blustery weather and bustle in the neighborhood. An Artisan Market was busy with shoppers, Pioneer Hall was busy with a wreath making class and Madison Park Coop Preschool hosted its winter wonderland activities for children. The highlight of the day was the Tree Lighting in the Park and students form McGilvra Elementary School singing holiday songs- followed by roaming
at universities. “I enjoy mentoring and paying it forward. I’ll always make time for a coffee to talk shop,” he says.
Gowdy’s skill behind the lens and knack for connection led to opportunities in Seattle working alongside President Obama and Vice President Biden during their visits. In the summer of 2015, he was drawn to the spectacle of the 2016 presidential campaign, following Hillary, Bernie, and Trump, and culminating in TIME magazine’s cover featuring his iconic shot of Bernie Sanders.
“I thought the story I was capturing would end with the swearing-in of America’s first female President.” With a frontrow seat to the biggest story in the world, he had not yet imagined being hassled by the Right, the Left, and the police — or that photojournalism would one day feel safer without credentials.
Over the past eight years, he’s photographed more than 50 official Trump events and another 30 pro-Trump demonstrations across 27 states. Denied press credentials since the start of Trump’s re-election campaign in March 2023, he’s adapted by wearing what he calls “MAGA camo”—patriotic red, white, and blue attire. “Hey, it’s my flag, too!” he says. He describes waiting in line to see Trump as “punishing,” enduring hours without access
carolers in the neighborhood. Christmas Ships on December 21 arrived following deadline but the annual event and bonfire is always a huge hit in Madison Park.
New Schedule for Neighborhood Meetings
Mark your 2025 schedule for Neighborhood Meetings. We are switching up the dates to meet- now the first Tuesday of the month. Our first meeting will be Tuesday, Feb. 4 from 6:30-8 at the Bathhouse.
Farmer’s Market Survey is Completed
Thanks to the over 700 people and businesses who completed the Farmer’s Market Survey. We will keep you posted on the process to come
McGilvra Elementary School
Tours
Tours will be held Jan. 10 and Jan. 24, beginning at 8:30 at the school. Go to www.mcglvrapta.org/visit for more information. Preregistration is appreciated.
Ruth Dalton Memorial
In December, a memorial bench for Ruth Dalton and Prince was finally approved by the Parks Department. Thanks to Council member Joy Hollingsworth for shepherding this process. More details will follow shortly on location of the bench and bronze statue of Prince.
Little Beats Concerts Series
Friends of Madison Park kids concert series continues through March. January’s concert is Saturday January 4th from 11-12 at Pioneer
Hall, with Esjay the Dragon Dreamer and then Saturday February 1 with Alleyoop. Thanks so much to Parkshore Residential Council for sponsoring the series and The Washington Pioneer Association for the perfect venue. $5 recommended at the door or register online at www.friendsofmadisonpark. com/kids-concert-series.
Stay Informed and Get Involved
Friends of Madison Park is growing its subscriber base. Keep up with local events and news by subscribing to our newsletter; get involved by volunteering for one of our many projects and events; support your neighborhood with a monthly automatic donation or one time gift. Go to www.friendsofmadisonpark.com.
This iconic image from January 6th captures “the fault line where democracy meets fascism,” Gowdy said. Having spent the day on the ground with protesters and agitators, and even being sprayed with tear gas, Gowdy uses his signature black and white style to intensify the drama of these moments. This image appears in his book INSURRECTION available at www.nategowdy.com and Elliott Bay Book Company.
to food, water, or facilities. That persistence ultimately led him to Washington, D.C., for the infamous events of January 6, 2021.
“At first, I was trying to help bridge the gap between Democrats and Republicans,” Gowdy says, “by humanizing everyday Americans participating in the democratic process.” However, he found that,
regardless of his intentions, people viewed his work through their own lens. His photographs of January 6th capture the day with startling intimacy, as he was embedded within the mob during their attack on the U.S. Capitol. Gowdy’s latest exhibit, WITNESS: Nate Gowdy’s Lens on January 6th, 2021, at Spectrum Fine Art in Madrona,
opens January 9, 2025, and runs through February 15. The show includes 21 documentary fine art prints from his awardwinning photojournalism book, INSURRECTION. An artist reception will be held on Thursday, Jan. 16, from 6 to 9 p.m. More information at www. spectrumfineart.com
PHOTO BY NATE GOWDY
The best things in life are free! Ayurveda, the holistic system of medicine originating in India over 3,000 years ago, professes a variety of simple lifestyle routines that are particularly powerful (and free!) for optimizing digestion and improving overall health. Three of these include: an awakened appetite, regular meal times, and post-meal walks. These practices are corroborated by Western science as health enhancements. Let’s explore awakening the appetite first.
AN AWAKENED APPETITE:
Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of priming the appetite prior to meals for optimal digestion. If meal times have been erratic or scattered for decades, digestion may be subpar and hunger cues may be muted. Our appetite, which alerts us to our body’s readiness to eat and digest, may be sluggish.
One of the best ways to ensure our enzymes are optimally released to break down our meals is to eat at the same time each day. Our digestive system learns our meal rhythm and triggers our enzymes accordingly.
Another excellent digestive support is cooking our own meals. As the culinary aroma wafts through the kitchen and into our nostrils it prompts neurological signals that rev our digestion. Zapping meals in the microwave, or buying and tossing pre-cooked foods into our mouths, are common practices that preempt the body’s release of adequate
Annie Lindberg
digestive juices.
We can also awaken our appetite, and thus digestion, with a homemade and delicious appetite kindler. One of my favorite traditional Ayurvedic appetite kindlers is a tea with equal parts cumin seed, coriander seed, and fennel seed, enjoyed 15 minutes before meals to prime the enzymes. Over time with meal time consistency and home cooking, the digestive kindler may no longer be needed as our body prepares for the process intrinsically.
REGULAR MEAL TIMES:
For optimal digestion, one meal must be fully digested before beginning the next. Food generally churns in the stomach for 40 minutes (for a light snack) up to four hours (for a heavier meal) as digestive acids and enzymes break it down. If you snack before your stomach fully digests your prior meal, your nearly digested first meal and your undigested second meal commingle in your stomach. When the pyloric sphincter opens to allow food to transit from the stomach to the small intestine, your second meal can move though under-digested. This compromises digestion and leads to bloating and fatigue. Accordingly, meals are best kept at least four hours apart.
Daylight is likewise important to consider when planning meal times. Our digestive fire (termed agni in Ayurveda) is at its zenith at noon, when the sun is at its peak. This is the best time to eat our largest and most complex meal. Our digestive efficiency ebbs early and late in the day when the sun is low, such that breakfast and dinner are best kept a bit lighter. Though contrary to common practice in our culture, lunch is ideally the heaviest meal of the day.
A third consideration in mealtime planning is bedtime. Because the stomach works valiantly to process food for up to four hours, it is best to finish dinner (with the exception of herbal teas and water) three to four hours before settling in for the night. If you plan to sleep at 11pm, 6 or 7pm would be an excellent time to finish up dinner. Eating closer to bedtime could result in acid reflux or heartburn with concomitant sleep disruption, reduced nutrient absorption, and waking feeling groggy and under-rested.
Eating all meals between sunrise and sunset, takes full advantage of our circadian rhythm which primes digestion. Accordingly, in Seattle’s dark winter months, compressing three meals into precious few daylight hours can be challenging. A healthy winter meal schedule could be: breakfast at 8am, lunch at noon, and dinner at 5pm. This nine hour eating window provides for an ample fifteen hours of fasting during the night allowing the body to carry out its non-digestive tasks including
NEIGHBORHOOD MARKETPLACE
cellular repair and maintenance. Clearly, at our Northern latitude, the number of daylight hours differs substantially from summer to winter. As such our eating window can be expanded in the summer without compromising digestion, as long as we offer the body ample hours between meals and before bed for digestion.
With consistent meal times, our body learns to prepare its digestive system for the upcoming feast, secreting digestive enzymes, awakening our hunger, and igniting salivary juices before our first bite. The more consistent our meal times, the more effectively our body can hone its preparations. Accordingly, it is generally best to avoid random snacking; though of course there are exceptions, such as among children, pregnant moms, during diabetic blood sugar challenges and during intense fitness training.
WALKS AFTER MEALS:
Ayurveda has historically recommended a walk after each meal for ideal digestion. In fact, in Ayurvedic school, my professor and the entire class walked together after lunch each day to help integrate the routine and observe first hand its benefits.
A brief postprandial walk can enhance ability to focus throughout the afternoon without the dreaded blood sugar crash. Recently western medicine studies evidencing the sugar stabilizing benefits of postmeal walking have corroborated this Ayurvedic practice. In fact, a
FOOD
From page 4
sauce
■ 1 large garlic clove, grated
■ 1 tablespoon mirin or sake
■ 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
■ 2 teaspoons brown sugar
■ 1 pork tenderloin, about 1 pound
Soup:
■ 1 tablespoon oil
■ 4 cloves garlic, minced or pushed through a press
■ 1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
■ 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
■ 6 cups chicken stock
■ 3 scallions, white and green parts divided, white parts cut into matchsticks, green parts chopped and set aside for garnish
■ 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
■ 2 tablespoons mirin
■ 1 teaspoon Asian hot sauce, such as Sriracha
■ 6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, ends trimmed, sliced 1/4inch thick
■ 4 cups packed baby spinach leaves, about 4 ounces
■ 4 portions dried or fresh ramen noodles
■ 4 eggs, cooked to a jammy consistency, peeled and halved (optional)
■ Sesame seeds for garnish
■ Chili sauce
Whisk the marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Place the pork in a baking dish, pour the marinade over and turn to coat thoroughly.
Marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight, turning occasionally. Remove from the refrigerator 15
2022 meta-analysis in the Journal of Sports Medicine found significant blood sugar stabilization among those who walked for a mere two to five minutes after each meal. These ideally brief and gentle post-meal walks enable the necessary bodily resources to focus on digestion. More moderate or vigorous daily exercise is of course key to optimal health as well, but best planned before meals when we aren’t actively digesting. This way our blood supply can prioritize digestive organs during digestion, and skeletal and respiratory muscles during exercise.
Clearly many additional ingredients (the foods we eat, the company we keep, our mindset and regular exercise routine) play key roles in the vitality and steadiness of mind and body, but a primed appetite and regular meal times followed by short walks, with the last meal wrapping up three to four hours before bedtime, are particularly simple, yet powerful and free self care modalities. I challenge you to try it for a week and see how you feel. Wishing you a 2025 of improved digestion and revitalized energy and health!
Annie Lindberg is a licensed acupuncturist, Chinese Medicine practitioner, and Ayurvedic practitioner. She also holds a Masters of Environmental Studies. She owns and practices at The Point Acupuncture & Ayurveda, located in Madison Park and is a regular Madison Park Times health columnist.
minutes before roasting.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Roast the tenderloin until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 145 degrees, about 20 minutes, depending on the thickness. Let rest for about 10 minutes, then cut into 1/4-inch slices. While the pork is roasting, prepare the soup.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger and crushed red pepper and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chicken stock, white scallions, soy sauce, mirin and hot sauce.
Bring to a boil and simmer, partially covered, over mediumlow heat for about 20 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to simmer until soft, 6 to 8 minutes more.
While the soup is simmering, steam the spinach until wilted. Squeeze any excess liquid from the spinach and set aside. In a separate pot, cook the ramen noodles according to the package instructions. Drain, then divide the noodles among four serving bowls. Ladle the soup into the bowls, just covering the noodles. Arrange the pork and spinach over the noodles. Drizzle with any collected juices from the meat. Top with more broth as desired. Add eggs around dish, if using. Garnish with the green scallions and sesame seeds. Serve with chili sauce.
Lynda Balslev is an awardwinning writer, cookbook author, and recipe developer based in northern California. Visit TasteFood at TasteFoodblog.com.
There are rookeries amidst us that are hardly a secret.
But I’m not going to say where this one is. I like to imagine there are still hidden places made of twigs and moss and leaves where birds can nest without our interference.
It’s amazing how many people have never heard of a rookery or don’t know the meaning of the word. I didn’t know before I moved to Seattle. And my sister thought I was talking about a kitchen appliance. But once I stood beneath one, it was like giving myself up to an otherworldliness far beyond what I thought I was entitled to see — that sense of breathtaking privilege that is such an incredible feeling.
So when I heard that a particular heron rookery is for sale, I felt nothing but fear for the herons. My god, I thought, can’t we leave anything alone. I also thought about all the promises that could be made between the owners and
buyers to allay the conservationists, only to be broken later.
I wondered. I asked around. I waited.
I took a long walk from my place to the rookery, trying not to think of what could happen. But I was worried. Because I know, of course I know, construction could win out. This war on nature is harsher and harsher as the years pass. Just thinking of what could become of the rookery, I feel weary, worn-out, like my wool rug fading over time so that you can’t even tell the dull gray was once a vivid blue.
I also know that I am such a hypocrite.
Because I live in a condo development — a controversial one at that — that rose to command acres and
acres where people used to walk so that the field could nurture them though long wet winters and lend shade under the horse chestnut tree in summer.
Even now, when I tell certain people where I live, I can see it in their eyes: that my home is in the first housing project that changed the character of my neighborhood for good. Never mind the new condos everywhere since, the leaf-blowers clearing away any possible shelter for the wrens, and the new round-abouts that made my friend Grace say, “we all need something to roll our eyes at.” I don’t remember how the subject of my address came up in the grocery store one day, but a woman with gorgeous grey hair and gorgeous clothes waved a hand at me and turned away leaving me dejected among the bulk food bins.
A few months passed and on a warm September evening, I walked again to the rookery. In the open, the day was still hot, but where I stood the sun was
blocked by tall maples, and the entire street was cool.
I stood under the rookery, taking in the sound of wingbeats and loud squawks and the elaborate nests built to shelter against windstorms and eagles and ospreys and rodent predators. To see a heron lift its long, sleek neck and flap its wings is enough to make me gasp. More than once I’ve had a creak in my neck for days after.
A couple walked by and before I could tell them what I was staring at, they told me they’d been watching the rookery for years. Another man walked up from behind and passed by without ever looking up at the herons. Or from his phone. But that did not keep me from greeting him (I can’t believe my own childishness sometimes). “Hello,” I shouted. No response. The couple laughed. I laughed. I told them how I can feel totally out of sync with the present state of public behavior, just to be able to say the words aloud, I guess. They smiled and walked on.
I bit my lower lip and thought about how sick I am of talking about it, of bringing it up, of not being able to accept the constant site of people being present but elsewhere, of cell phones viewed at every restaurant table, of suffering some sort of cultural embarrassment for what wallet-sized computers have done to the face of the world, for believing their addictive intension has made the world a far less human place, and no one is meant to be less human. And the worst part is that I know that when I talk about it, I sound just as boring to others as I do to myself, and that is the surest sign that it’s time to let it go. And move on.
Sometimes you just have to move on.
When I finally find the nerve, I call the real estate agent who listed the rookery property. Even before I know what she’ll say, I know what she’ll say: It’s private land with a view of the harbor. It’s worth a lot. It will eventually sell. If not this year, then next.
I can’t bear to think what the herons will do if their trees are felled to make room for another luxury home. And if I do let myself think about it, I see stunned versions of themselves frantically searching for a new stand of trees. And sure, undeniably, YES, I know I must also accept this as what the world is now, like it or not, and get over it, move on; not take it as something personal, even if I just don’t know if I can.
It’s useless to sit here waiting for my phone to ring. All I can think to say is that maybe there is something good about this terrible feeling — that it’s never bad to remember what really matters.
Mary Lou Sanelli’s newest title is In So Many Words: Three Years, Two Months, One Me, nominated for a 2025 Washington State Book Award. She works as a speaker and a master dance teacher. For more information visit www. marylousanelli.com.
Northern giant hornets officially eradicated from Washington state
It’s official: the invasive northern giant hornet has been declared eradicated from Washington state.
“I am absolutely honored to announce that the last trap was removed on Dec. 5th, with no additional findings since 2021, reaching the threshold threeyear mark,” Sven-Erik Spichiger, pest program manager with the Washington State Department of Agriculture, said at a Wednesday morning news conference. “And now we can officially say that eradication has been achieved. And it’s a significant victory for everybody who’s involved.”
According to the WSDA, Washington must go three years without detection to meet the regulatory definition of eradication.
There have been no confirmed sightings of the northern giant hornet, previously known as the Asian giant hornet or the more colorful “murder hornet,” since late summer 2021 when four nests were found and destroyed in Whatcom County in northern Washington along the Canadian border.
Native to temperate and tropical regions of East and Southeast Asia, including parts of China, India, Japan and Sri Lanka, Vespa mandarinia was first detected in the Pacific Northwest in late 2019, coinciding with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Washington turned out to be well prepared for the arrival of the northern giant hornet.
Owing to a spate of attacks by northern giant hornets in China in 2013 – including many fatalities – Spichiger said several states in America, including Washington,
developed a framework to respond to the possible introduction of the insect in the United States.
“And this is something we had kind of in our back pocket since the year 2016, and in 2019, we decided to add invasive hornets to our state’s invasive species handbook,” Spichiger continued. “So, we were asking people to be on the lookout for it, and lo and behold that fall, our neighbors to the north [Canada] … actually found and destroyed a nest of northern giant hornets.”
Officials said making sure the hornets were gotten rid of in Washington was the result of a multi-year collaboration between
the state and the federal government, as well as significant support from community members and groups – especially in Whatcom County – that involved trapping, tracking and killing the insects.
“It is truly amazing what we can do when we unite towards a common goal,” Nicole Russo, associate deputy administrator with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said.
She lauded the cooperation between the two Washingtons – state and D.C.
“We do not always experience this magnitude of support when an invasive or exotic pest
is discovered, and we never take it for granted,” Russo said. “The close collaboration we enjoyed with our partners at WSDA is what made today possible and without them, we would not be here. So thank you and congratulations on eradicating the northern giant hornet from the United States.”
The invasive insect is the largest hornet in the world, with a 2-inch long body, a 3-inch wingspan, and a quarter-inch stinger capable of punching through normal clothing and even beekeeper suits.
In addition to the threat it poses to human safety – the hornet is responsible for as many as 50 deaths
a year in Japan – the insect has caused sleepless nights for state officials worried about its predilection for killing honeybees that pollinate many crops in Washington’s multi-billion agriculture sector.
According to Spichiger, Washington dodged a bullet in preventing the northern giant hornet from establishing a foothold.
“The fact of the matter is if the entire community hadn’t stood up and taken action, there is a real good chance that we would just be living with northern giant hornets, even for years to come,” he said. “It is a very difficult task to eradicate an insect once it has become well established.”
By Brett Davis The Center Square
Mary Lou Sanelli Falling Awake
Chris Sudore
Over the past four years, the real estate market, locally and nationally, has defied all norms and expectations. The pandemic, the rise of remote work, and fluctuations in the interest rate all affected where we are now. In 2025, the data indicates a return to normalcy. Last year was anything but normal. By the middle of December, we’d seen 1,124 residential sales in our neighborhoods in 2024. That was up 6.64 percent from 2023’s 1,054. Seems like a solid year. However, we had 1,524 transactions in 2022, so the overall market is down a whopping 26.25 percent.
SUDORE, 6
What My Clients Are Saying...
“Thank
Listed by Mary Snyder & Bob Bennion with COMPASS.
Listed by Wilcynski Partners with Windermere Midtown
Listed by Frances Costigan with COMPASS
by Laura Lynn with COMPASS
Be wary of winter heart attacks
DEAR SAVVY SENIOR,
I’ve heard that people with heart problems need to be extra careful during the winter months because heart attacks are much more common. What can you tell me about this?
AFib Alan
DEAR ALAN,
Everyone knows winter is cold and flu season, but many don’t know that it’s also the prime season for heart attacks too, especially if you already have a heart condition or have suffered a previous heart attack. Here’s what you should know, along with some tips to help you protect yourself.
In the U.S., the risk of having a heart attack during the winter months is twice as high as it is during the summertime. Why? There are a number of factors, and they’re not all linked to cold
weather. Even people who live in warm climates have an increased risk. Here are the areas you need to pay extra attention to this winter.
Cold temperatures: When a person gets cold, the body responds by constricting the blood vessels to help the body maintain heat. This causes blood pressure to go up and makes the heart work harder. Cold temperatures can also increase levels of certain proteins that can thicken the blood and increase the risk for blood clots. So, stay warm this winter and when you do have to go outside, make sure you bundle up in layers with gloves and a hat, and place a scarf over your mouth and nose to warm up the air before you breathe it in.
Snow shoveling: Studies have shown that heart attack rates jump dramatically in the first few days after a major snowstorm, usually a
result of snow shoveling. Shoveling snow is a very strenuous activity that raises blood pressure and stresses the heart. Combine those factors with cold temperatures and the risks for heart attack surges. If your sidewalk or driveway needs shoveling this winter, hire a kid from the neighborhood to do it for you, or use a snow blower. Or, if you must shovel, push rather than lift the snow as much as possible, stay warm, and take frequent breaks.
New Year’s resolutions: Every Jan. 1, millions of people join gyms or start exercise programs as part of their New Year’s resolution to get in shape, and many overexert themselves too soon. If you’re starting a new exercise program this winter, take the time to talk to your doctor about what types and how much exercise may be appropriate for you.
Winter weight gain: People tend to eat and drink more and gain more weight during the holiday season and winter months, all of which are hard on the heart and risky for someone with heart disease. So, keep a watchful eye on your diet this winter and avoid binging on fatty foods and alcohol.
Shorter days: Less daylight in the winter months can cause many people to develop “seasonal affective disorder” or SAD, a wintertime depression that can stress the heart. Studies have also looked at heart attack patients and found they usually have lower levels of vitamin D (which comes from sunlight) than people with healthy hearts. To boost your vitamin D this winter, consider taking a supplement that contains between 1,000 and 2,000 international units (IU) per day. Flu season: Studies show that
people who get flu shots have a lower heart attack risk. It’s known that the inflammatory reaction set off by a flu infection can increase blood clotting which can lead to heart attacks in vulnerable people. So, if you haven’t already done so this year, get a flu shot and Covid-19 booster for protection. And, if you’ve never been vaccinated for RSV or pneumococcal pneumonia, you should consider getting these vaccines too.
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.
Top 5 tips to keep your family photo albums safe for generations
By Jennifer Loomis Contributing Writer
I recently came across an album my father made for me years ago. On the front page, he had rubbed the gold letters off to spell:
To | Jennifer M. Loomis Trips I Took
From | Tom = Dad
The photos inside were dated 1978 and captured me and my sister visiting his place in South Dakota. As I sit here with tears in my eyes, I feel the weight of this discovery. My father passed away two years ago, and in the later years of his life, we weren’t as close as I wished. Politics, distance, and life’s challenges drew us apart. Yet, this album — a simple, handmade collection — reminds me how deeply he loved me, even when it didn’t always feel that way.
Seeing his handwriting, rubbed smooth by time, brought back a flood of memories and a bittersweet longing. It’s a reminder of how powerful these physical artifacts can be. They aren’t just objects; they are bridges to people we’ve lost and moments we hold dear.
If you have family photo albums, here are five tips to preserve them for generations, ensuring they continue to tell your family’s stories and evoke love, just as my father’s album has for me.
1. STORE ALBUMS IN A COOL, DRY PLACE AWAY FROM SUNLIGHT
Direct sunlight and extreme temperatures can fade colors and weaken paper over time. Keep albums in a temperature-controlled area of your home, like a closet or bookshelf that is not on an outer wall in your home, rather than attics or basements, which are prone to moisture and temperature fluctuations.
SUDORE
From page 1
In January of 2022, the rate was 3.4 percent.
By May, they’d climbed to around five percent and kept going, peaking at seven percent that October and settling at about 6.4 percent by the end of that year.
There were hopes that mortgage rates would follow when the Federal Reserve cut interest rates in 2024, but that didn’t happen.
That’s a lot of numbers, and
here’s one more. The absorption rate – or the average time homes for sale stay on the market – was 5.1% in the middle of December 2024.
That means there were five months of available inventory. Real estate analysts define a neutral market as four to six months of active supply, putting us directly in the middle.
A neutral market levels the playing field for buyers and sellers, creating more normal conditions for both. You won’t see the crazy bidding wars, price escalations, and contingencies waived. We saw low inventory as well in 2024. Fewer homes were on the market, but fewer buyers were ready to buy.
WHAT’S NEXT
In 2025, the market is heading in the right direction. The election is over, so that uncertainty is gone. However you feel about the result, there’s heavy speculation that the new administration will chip away at the higher mortgage rates. Creating momentum in the real estate market creates movement in other areas of the economy.
With uncertainty gone, consumer confidence rebounds. People have also gotten used to the idea that they won’t see two to three percent rates any time soon, making them more comfortable with a home purchase.
Analysts are predicting a robust 2025 in real estate. So do I. Going past the speculation and the data, my team and I spent the end of last year meeting with prospective sellers and buyers who are ready to go.
We’ve been busy with home evaluations for sellers and planning meetings with buyers, with more scheduled. These are great signs heading into the year.
The traditional strong spring market kicks off in March.
This year, though, we may see a busy January and February. That, of course, could get tamped down by snow or other unforeseen events. But all indications are that people are ready to re-enter the market.
WHAT TO DO NOW
If you haven’t already, now’s the time to get your plan
together. You’ll have an advantage when it comes time to act. If you’re selling, you have to put the work in to sell it. Look at your home from a buyer’s perspective, inside and out. Look carefully at your landscaping, the condition of the home exterior, and even your roof. Inside, there may be things you’ve overlooked while living there but now see – the sagging cabinet door under the kitchen sink, the worn carpet in a spare room.
Get your house in the best possible condition well before it’s on the market. Good photos can make or break whether you get showings — it’s the first impression for buyers. According to the data, the more showings your property gets, the better your offer will be.
While prices are still at historical highs, don’t get greedy. You also have to price it right, for the market we’re in now. In a neutral market, you likely won’t see the frenzy of escalating offers and waived contingencies. Appraisals and inspections are back on the table.
The best way to be prepared is to have an experienced broker come in with fresh eyes to do an evaluation and create a plan to go to market.
Choose someone with experience and a broad network of professionals who can get your home in turnkey condition. I have valued, longtime partnerships with contractors, stagers, and photographers who can
2. USE ACID-FREE STORAGE MATERIALS
Many older albums are made with materials that can deteriorate photos over time. Replace old adhesives, plastic coverings, or pages with acid-free, archival-quality materials. These prevent yellowing, brittleness, and chemical damage, helping your albums stand the test of time.
3. AVOID STACKING HEAVY ITEMS ON ALBUMS
Weight can compress and warp albums, damaging their binding and pages. Store them upright on a sturdy shelf or lay them flat with minimal weight on top to preserve their structure.
4. HANDLE WITH CLEAN, DRY HANDS OR COTTON GLOVES
The oils on our hands can smudge or degrade photographs and delicate pages. Always handle albums with clean, dry hands. For especially fragile albums, consider using cotton gloves to add a layer of protection.
5. DIGITIZE FRAGILE ALBUMS FOR ADDED SECURITY
Digitizing your albums ensures their content is preserved, even if the physical copies
polish and present your home in top condition. My team and I know how to market a home for the best results, so your return on that investment will come.
Buyers also need a solid, actionable plan. Get your financing and approvals in place. With a neutral market, you’re in a good position. You’ll have time. When you’re making this kind of decision and investment in your future, time is an advantage. With the right plan and a broker with experience and established relationships, you’ll be ready to hit the ground running when the market takes off.
The past four years have been a rollercoaster ride in real estate. You may have questions about how it affects you, your investment in your home, and your and your family’s future. My team is one of the top real estate teams in the state. We’re experienced with all the changing market conditions, and base decisions on the data. Madison Park is my neighborhood — my home, office, and team are right here. If you have any questions or concerns, my door is always open to you.
Wishing you all a happy new year!
Chris Sudore is a Madison Park resident and Managing Broker at Coldwell Banker Bain | Global Luxury.Reach him at KingCountyEstates.com or a t Chris@KingCountyEstates.com
deteriorate or are lost. Use a flatbed scanner or hire a professional to create highresolution digital versions, and store them securely on a cloud service or external hard drive taking care to have a backup.
Photo albums are far more than collections of pictures; they are living pieces of our family history. Preserving them ensures that future generations can connect with these cherished moments.
Whether it’s a handmade
album like my father’s or one you’ve created yourself, these simple steps can protect your memories for years to come. Take the time to care for your albums — they might hold the love, stories, and reminders you didn’t even know you needed until, like me, you stumble upon them in a move and realize the person who made it for you is now gone and that he loved you so much.
PHOTOS
Chris Sudore |
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