LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Lament for a Grocery Store

[EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is a Letter to the Editor, written by a Reader. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Waterland Blog nor its staff:] Moving to Des Moines many years ago was a... [Read more]

Introducing a new column: ‘Gardening in Des Moines’

by Liz Sanborn Master Gardener My name is Liz Sanborn and I have been a King County Master Gardener for over 12 years and have been gardening in Des Moines for 23 years. I have been lucky enough lately... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Sunset.

by Dave Markwell The day began with a nice sunrise. It remained good day throughout, minus some expectedly unexpected violations. Overall, it was a good day. This may not seem remarkable, but in its lack... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: The Cold Swim.

by Dave Markwell The other night I drove my truck down to the marina in my hometown. As the bright orange sun lit the water, then fell behind the mountains, I cracked a twenty-four ounce “lemonade”... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Good Wins.

[In light of the circumstances in Boston, I felt that this repeat column was an appropriate reflection of my feelings on this sad day. Although the circumstances are different, unfortunate parallels can... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Fourteen.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to some technical difficulties (yeah...right), last week's Feel Good Friday is being posted on a Monday:] by Dave Markwell On April 3rd, 2013, my son, Aden turned fourteen years old.... [Read more]

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: ‘Let’s Save Corky Cellars!’

[EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is a Letter to the Editor, written by a Reader:] Let’s save Corky Cellars! Ric and Dianne have made the decision to retire. Corky Cellars has been a wonderful small... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: A Perfect Ten.

by Dave Markwell Ten years ago, my wife and I were married. Ten years is both a long and a short time. Some days, it feels like a blink and some days it feels like geologic time would better suit its measure.... [Read more]

City Seeking Residents to Write Pro & Con Statements for Proposition No. 1

The City of Des Moines is seeking residents to write both “Pro” and “Con” statements for the voter pamphlet on Proposition No. 1 – the City Utility Occupation Tax for paving improvements... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Dog Dish

by Dave Markwell “Why didn’t you clean out Diego’s bowl before you fed him?” my wife accusingly inquired. “What???” I responded with my usual mix of confusion and outrage. The reason I say... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Like An Ant…

by Dave Markwell Some days, the sun shines through the living room window and changes the world. Yesterday was one of those days. I sat in a chair by the window feeling like an ant under a ten-year old’s... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Fish Farts

by Dave Markwell “I have seen the fish fart underwater before…and watched the bubbles rise…” I have no idea what this means. My dad uttered this phrase countless times as I was growing up and I... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Busted Lawnmower

by Dave Markwell Yesterday, I took my lawnmower to a repair guy. Today, I picked it up. My lawn mower has been broken for quite a while. This has been a challenging time for me. While driving the 20 minutes... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Valentine’s Day!

by Dave Markwell I don’t like Valentine’s Day too much. Historically, a lot of pressure has been put on me by myself (and maybe some others) to perform inspiring romantic gestures on command, the “command”... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Road Trips

by Dave Markwell This week my eleven year old son, Aden, and I embark on our annual boy’s road trip around the Northwest. This event is not to be confused with “boy’s weekend”. Certainly, there... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Someday

by Dave Markwell Yesterday, I did something I rarely do. I completed all of the items on my “to-do” list. Granted, some of the items included: eating bacon, drinking water and sleeping. Nonetheless,... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: TMI…

by Dave Markwell While browsing the various mostly meaningless post updates on my Facebook “news” feed the other day, I raised my eyebrows a few times. It seems that as folks become more comfortable... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Dreamers

by Dave Markwell My daughter had a bad day. And when she has a bad day, our household has a bad day. She is a powerful nine-year old. Her moods are unpredictable and tempestuous. While my hope is that... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Ceiling Fans

by Dave Markwell I spoke with a buddy tonight who needs to remember this night. Once in a while, we all need to remember the great moments. They soften the hardness of life’s challenges. They remind... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Lives.

by Dave Markwell While taking an unexpected side trip up to Capitol Hill in Seattle the other night, I recognized many old landmarks that I hadn’t seen in several years. As a little kid, my earliest... [Read more]