Island life: Finding community

Rural living is for me! I love my semi-reclusive lifestyle here on Lummi Island. The longer I live here, the more I love it!

Neighbors helping neighbors!

After the summer ends and the vacations are over, we are a small community of around 800 full time residents. Although I don't know everyone, I recognize most when we cross paths at the beach, the ferry line, or our local store, The Islander.

Waiting on the ferry can turn into a visit with a friend

Everyone waves hello when passing by and a quick trip to the Post Office can easily turn into a 20 minute visit with a friend or neighbor. I imagine this is what life in early America was like when towns were smaller and neighbors weren't just the strangers that live nearby.

Here neighbors become friends easily. Here if you have your hands full, someone will offer to assist. Here if you're walking from the ferry, someone will offer a ride. Here there is a small town feel with open hearts and minds.  Here neighbors pitch in to recycle aluminum through the Grange and raise money for programs like the Dolly Parton Imagination Library which provides island children a hard cover book each month.

I remember living in the city.  I used to enjoy the hustle and bustle and the annonimity of it.  But then again, there were those times when I would look around me and see sooooooooooooo many people and realize how odd it was that I didn't know a single one!  I even lived in my suburban Seattle neighborhood for more than 5 years and only knew 2 of my neighbors.  How strange and lonely that seems to me now.

Traffic! What traffic?

Even a passby on the road can become a quick visit with a friend and neighbor.

I've lived in a lot of different towns and cities over the years, but always had a yearning to live on this island where I'd spent my childhood summers. Now that I'm here and living the dream, I'm even happier than I could have imagined.  I've found community. I've found home.

Did I mention its also BEAUTIFUL here?

Here's the Willows Inn's page for live sunset cam for more beautiful views from the Island.