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by Ken Sikes

18. November 2009, 14:58 ~ 3 Comments

After much searching, it appears that Neko Case may have lost her unofficial position as the poet laureate of South Tacoma.

In a previous post I quoted author Wallace Stegner who said that “No place is a place until it has had a poet …” and then went on to say, “If what Stegner says is true … then discovering the Way of [South Tacoma] means discovering the poets. Where are the people who give visual, oral or written expression to the streams of people who inhabit the houses, keep the shops and walk the streets of this community? Where are the creators whose material consists of the cheers, tears and jeers of people in this borough? Where are the artists who look upon this place and are able to gather what is scattered and scatter what has been poorly gathered, since, if Stegner is right, we will not be a place until these poets are discovered.” I can now gladly tell you that one such person has been found and her name is Amelia Haller.

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by Ken Sikes

16. September 2009, 10:32 ~ 7 Comments

Our neighbors, Joe and Carrie, have a large tree in their backyard, so close to the edge of their property that it overhangs not only the sidewalk, but the parking strip and street, as well. I rarely notice this tree except in the summer when it produces literally thousands, maybe even millions, of little black berries. From late June until mid-July walking down the sidewalk underneath this tree feels like walking across a bed of slugs—a slight resistance, then an utter sploosh. Unlike the slugs, these berries leave a stain. When the tree is dropping fruit, I do everything I can to avoid it. We have lived two houses down from this tree for almost six years and in all that time I’ve failed to see this large berried tree as anything more than a nuisance or an oddity … until last week when this tree became a delight.

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by Ken Sikes

27. July 2009, 16:22 ~ 7 Comments

Today’s installment of the South Tacoma Way series was co-authored by Ken Sikes and his wife Erin.

When I became a minister, I fully expected to be a part of many funerals, especially when I accepted the call to an aging congregation. What I didn’t expect was to be involved in the death and dying process for things other than people. In a little less than six years, South Tacoma has bid farewell not only to its share of beloved people, but also to some of its beloved places. Among these are places of gathering, places of commerce, and places of worship. What they share in common is an ending that came too soon.

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by Ken Sikes

22. June 2009, 14:39 ~ 6 Comments

I have heard it isn’t much to look at; just big rocks piled upon one another to form a wall. Though impressive in size, this wall doesn’t hold anything up, keep anything out or hold anything in. Technically, as far as walls go, it is useless. Yet, if one were to try to clear these stones away perhaps to make way for something practical like a hospital or shopping center they would receive the wrath of millions of people. If someone was to propose dislodging these stones and cutting them into smaller pieces so they might adorn a fireplace or create a beautiful path, they would most likely receive death threats. You see, what is rubble in the eyes of one person is sacred in the eyes of another. And to discover what is sacred, it almost always takes a closer look.

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by Ken Sikes

1. May 2009, 12:42 ~ 13 Comments

Winter’s resistance to Spring’s arrival made me think about this reflection I wrote two years ago.

It was a day in which winter resisted the arrival of spring; gray, chilly and windy. My body was no different. Some latten flu lingered in my bones; tired, chilled and achy. Had there just been one body to account for, undoubtedly I would have stayed in the house. As it was my spring child grabbed my hand and led me outside with his eyes. “Okay,’ I said to my 19 month old son, “we’ll go for a walk but only a short one.” Words are whispers to a toddler, while lacing up shoes act like shouts. Will began to dance like Pavlov’s dog while I laced and wrapped us up.

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by Ken Sikes

3. April 2009, 14:45 ~ 0 Comments

I may be taller and have less hair on my feet, but nonetheless, like Frodo Baggins, I am on a quest. Frodo’s quest, you may remember, was one of destruction. He was selected by an old wizard to carry the all powerful ring to the one place it could be destroyed. While certainly less grandiose and absent the orcs and elves, I feel that I have been given a quest. Unlike Frodo’s quest to carry and destroy, my quest is to search and discover. As I mentioned in my initial article, there came a day when I found myself staring up at the street sign just two blocks from my house and wondering, just what is the South Tacoma Way?

To this point in my quest, I must admit that other than transportation and rocks, I have yet to arrive at my destination. In fact, I feel as if I’m just leaving the shire. A recent tour of the six square miles that comprise the neighborhood reminded me of how daunting this quest may be …

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by Ken Sikes

13. March 2009, 11:30 ~ 8 Comments

On February 5th I officiated the funeral of Dick Hopkins, a long-time member of our congregation and native of South Tacoma. Dick grew up just a couple blocks from Edison Elementary and later became an educator in the Clover Park school district. His combination of local roots and passion for teaching made visiting his house a little like returning to history class … a good history class. I learned from Dick that an Air Force plane crashed just south of 84th street on its landing approach (not a comforting story for a person whose house sits in that flight path). As we talked about gardening during another of my visits, he made the comment that I probably had found a number of rocks in my garden. “Yes,” I responded. Then I inquired how he knew …

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by Ken Sikes

20. February 2009, 11:54 ~ 7 Comments

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