Blogs from Bainbridge Island, Washington, United States, North America
The beginning
Published: September 6th 2011North America » United States » Washington » Bainbridge IslandTonight is my last night sleeping in my own bed. The next time I am in a bed, I will be almost exactly 5000 miles away. I have my bag packed, sitting on the floor ready to go. Three shirts, two t-shirts, two pairs of pants, one pair of shorts, and three pairs of socks and underwear. Tomorrow afternoon I will be sitting in the airport waiting for my flight to Osaka on Asiana Airlines. The first leg will get me to Incheon airport outside of Seoul, where I have a short layover before the second flight into Osaka. I was fortunate enough to get this flight with miles accrued from several years of flying back and forth from Cleveland and a trip to Tokyo a few summers ago. When I get into Osaka, it will ... read more
Kayak calamity on Bainbridge!
Published: September 14th 2010North America » United States » Washington » Bainbridge IslandLast Night in Vancouver Our last night in Vancouver was certainly an eventful one. After three days of Alexa surviving on only one coffee a day and me actually recognising soup as a legitimate food, we thought that we would push the boat out and treat ourselves to a meal at the revolving restuarant to say goodbye in style to a city that we had grown very attached to. We got up to the top of the tower and instantly we were taken aback by the incredible views. We had booked our table very deliberately for 7.30pm so that we could witness the sun setting over the majestic Grouse Mountain. All was going to plan, we had been given a lovely table and had been recommended a superb bottle of wine, when suddenly...the fire alarms started ... read more
Cameron Karsten Photography Exhibit
Published: November 8th 2009North America » United States » Washington » Bainbridge IslandThe Faces and Emotions of Peace BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, WA - November 12, 2009 Cameron Karsten Photography is a portrait of peace. On Thursday, Nov. 12th from 6 - 8:30PM, an Artist’s Reception at The Upstairs Gallery in The Pavilion commemorates a new display of photography. Captured from around the world, the Bainbridge Island exhibition kicks-off Cameron Karsten’s upcoming adventure to East Africa and is part of the One World Multicultural Festival; an all-day event celebrating world diversity with international foods, cultural music, exotic dance, conceptual art and independent film. Along with partner Lily Brewis, the islanders’ journey will begin in Ethiopia, volunteering at an orphanage and continue for five months traveling and working with non-profit organizations like island-based Global Team for Local Initiatives. Via photography, article writing and HD film... read more
Biographical Words of a Traveler
Published: November 3rd 2009North America » United States » Washington » Bainbridge IslandThe soul of the roving Cameron Juan Karsten is within photography and writing. He yearns for expansive adventure of the deepest value in order to express the tales of humanity.... read more
Pressing an Isle of Apples
Published: October 16th 2009North America » United States » Washington » Bainbridge IslandMonday Evening Surrounding me are large pines, oaks and birches. Their leaves dance with the breeze in rhythms of a Fall melody, rustling like sequin designs presenting kaleidoscopic colors of greens, yellows, oranges and reds. Draped along branches swaying in a swooned throng, the arbors tower into a deep cast of infinite blue. “Simone,” I shout. Opening the fence, I step inside his property line and stride across a patch of freshly mowed grass. No response. I call out again. “Simone!” A disturbance swells from the bushes. I direct my attention beyond the reaches of wild brambles and sorrel scrub. “Dude,” Simone shouts. My best friend emerges from the rear of his land garbed in thick work pants and heavy boots. “You’re late.” A couple of weeks ago, Simone and I decided to harvest apples to ... read more
Moving day
Published: September 27th 2009North America » United States » Washington » Bainbridge IslandWow too much stuff. I needed another truck to get everything loaded. Of course I realised this about 2:30 in the afternoon. Penske was able to get me another truck to load. I hired the slowest movers in the entire state to load the truck. Fortunatly they were cheap. Such is the reason they were so slow. I picked up the second truck about 4pm and talked my father into a free ride to Florida following me in another truck. I still can't believe I needed two trucks. The gas alone is gonna eat my savings. Both trucks were loaded by 10 pm on Monday night after I got bossy and took over the loading. Locking the truck and going to Mom's house to sleep.... read more
4 days to launch
Published: September 20th 2009North America » United States » Washington » Bainbridge IslandJust returned from a 7 day Alaskan cruise in the middle of this move. It was planned 10 months ago so it just made sense to work the move around it. It was quite fun we spent many hours in the card room playing Texas Holdem' and finding other ways to part with our money on the ship. On to the move... Home today to wash laundry and pack the remaining few items. It amazes me to think that I have packed everything in a room and I look behind a soda bottle in the kitchen and there is a trivet...not packed. So the BIGGER question is....do I put the trivet in a box with electronics that is still open in the family room, or how about a box with dog toys in the laundry room??? ... read more
and on the 7th day God rested, but not me....
Published: September 10th 2009North America » United States » Washington » Bainbridge IslandSo begins this blog with a push from my sister Laura and a nudge from my mother to "make it funny". What a daunting task. Funny is not something that can be bought when you run out or borrowed from a neighbor. Funny is something that happens when you least expect it. ... read more
I would answer the phone if I knew where I packed it.
Published: September 10th 2009North America » United States » Washington » Bainbridge IslandUggg.....I think there must be over 100 boxes in this house. My kitchen has become a labyrinth to the coffee pot. While that may be good for someone who wants to cut down on their coffee consumption it is frustrating to me as I stub my toes while making my way for that 6 am cup of java. I have no motivation and no energy left. Thank God my sister came to help me or I would just sit and stare at the massive amount of boxes there were to be packed. Packing is such a boring thankless job. I have a new respect for packers and the job they do. Packed my husbands leather and sheepskin coat. Actually it was the last item in that box of clothing in my room. Hummm...what to label the ... read more
Mochi Celebration
Published: January 21st 2008North America » United States » Washington » Bainbridge IslandJapanese New Year’s Mochi Celebration Have you ever celebrated the New Year with a Mochi Festival? Today was my first time. No, I am not in Japan, but on Bainbridge Island just across Puget Sound from of Seattle Washington. It’s a bright, cold winter’s day at Island Wood, an environmental education center, and the community is celebrating the coming New Year with the Japanese custom of making and eating mochi. . So what is mochi and how do you make it? After washing sweet rice, you soak it overnight. You then steam the rice in wooden boxes over an open fire until it’s sticky. You place the hot glutinous rice in a large usu or stone mortar. Now comes the exciting part. The tool used to pound the rice is huge, the size of an ... read more





















