On the Road for Good

09/28/2023

One more day to bid on artwork made by kids from the Glacier Peak Institute! Help support a great organization!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/324972363376967

09/26/2023

Untitled
Artist: Dresden
Age: 13
Go to the On the Road for Good auction page & bid on Dresden’s original artwork. Let’s raise money for ! https://www.facebook.com/groups/324972363376967

09/26/2023

Faint of Heart
Artist: Tempe
Age: 10
Go to the On the Road for Good auction page & bid on Tempe’s original artwork. Let’s raise money for ! https://www.facebook.com/groups/324972363376967

09/26/2023

The Leaf
Artist: Zaidan
Age: 11
Go to the On the Road for Good auction page & bid on Zaidan’s original artwork. Let’s raise money for ! https://www.facebook.com/groups/324972363376967

09/26/2023

“Ghosts of Plants Past”
Artist: Tempe
Age 10.
Go to the On the Road for Good auction page & bid on her original artwork. Let’s raise money for !
https://www.facebook.com/groups/324972363376967

09/13/2023

On March 22nd, 2014, a massive landslide swept through the town of Oso, WA. It was the deadliest in U.S. history, taking 43 lives, burying dozens of homes, and devastating the heart of a community.

Five months later, in direct response to the landslide, the Glacier Peak Institute was formed. GPI is a non-profit organization empowering youth to play an active role in revitalizing their communities and eco-systems. They encourage kids to get outdoors and to connect with their surroundings. They learn about science, ecology, and how to work together to solve problems.

A few weeks ago I tagged along on an art walk, an opportunity for kids to slow down, be present in nature, and think creatively about their place in it. Inspired by their walk, they created cyanotype prints. Later this week I will auction off their artwork to help raise money for the Glacier Peak Institute. Stay tuned!

09/12/2023

08/17/2023

What an incredible rescue effort by the volunteers at Washington State Animal Response Team (WASART).

08/02/2023

Mentoring and inspiring our future scientists. Thank you,Seattle Children’s Science Education Department!

02/22/2023

I spent decades hiding it around the house - under the bed, on the highest shelf in the linen closet, behind boxes of old photos and Christmas decorations. I even sent it to my mom's house for a while, so I wouldn't accidentally "find" it.

It’s more than just a dress.

When I look at it, I think of sunflowers, bare feet, and the smell of ocean air. I hear laughter, steel drums, and my dad whispering, "Honey, I've never danced a day in my life." I remember the smile on his face as I took his hand and we stepped onto the dance floor.

When I look at my wedding dress, I feel overpowering love and a deep sense of loss.

Marriage isn’t easy, and neither is divorce. Five years after getting married my husband and I were living separate lives. I no longer had the man, but I still had the dress. I tried to get rid of it — consignment stores, online resellers, Facebook Marketplace. I even tried to donate it to a local non-profit. Nobody wanted it.

As a last-ditch effort, I turned to Google. I found The Angel Gowns Project. They shared the story of a young man in Ghana, rushing to the hospital to welcome his new baby girl into the world, only to learn that she didn’t make it. He and his wife left with their baby in a cardboard box. The Angel Gowns Project turns old wedding dresses into beautiful burial gowns. The gowns help families cope with the loss of a child — giving them the gift of comfort and dignity.

That’s when I knew.

My dress wasn’t meant for someone being married. It was meant for someone being buried.

I packed up my wedding dress and sent it off. Angel Gowns sent it to Guatemala, where a seamstress named Dianira created nine beautiful burial gowns for nine grieving families. Dianira is one of the many women who work for Angel Gowns around the world, empowered through education and employment. She sent me a picture and a video thanking me for the dress.

It’s me who should be thankful. My dress is exactly where it should be, not hidden in a closet behind candles and washcloths but part of a new memory. As is mine, one of overpowering love and a deep sense of loss.

And maybe, just maybe, it can be part of the healing.