Thursday breaks through all the rain….

Just a week ago, the full moon rose over a darkened Community Theatre, as I was driving by....

Whew! Did you get out in the rain last night? I did, and it just kept coming, through the evening…let’s see what else is going on:

Ready for freedom! Photo by Nan Simpson

• This weekend at The Rumor Mill it’s the DuoTones on Friday night & The Henry James Band on Saturday, with Jazz from 6-8 on Sunday.

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• Remember the story about the release of the two baby seals a week or two ago? Naturalist & awesome photographer Nan Simpson has more background on the story in her blog…check it out!

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• It’s Harper Poesy‘s first anniversary! Tea opened the shop a year ago! Need a haircut – get in there!

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Yeah, it was cold a couple of mornings ago, when Tracy Roberson was walking Dylan to the bus stop...frost on the fence....photo by Tracy Roberson.

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• Time to get out with the horses! Here’s more from Courtney Oldwyn:

Dirt Stompers Kid’s Horse Camp – Winter Edition!
Dec. 19, 20 & 21
Ages 4-6yrs 9am-noon
Ages 7yrs and older 1-4pm
$99
Limit of five campers per session so call today to sign up your horse crazy kid!
378-1364
blazingtreeranch (at) gmail.com

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• You may remember Tom & Stephanie Gonser, who lived here for a good while down Cape San Juan way, and now live in Oregon…. they’re both excellent writers, and have a journal of their trip to French Polynesia/Taihiti… check it out!

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• Nancy Larsen tells me this is one the schedule this weekend at Griffin Bay Bookstore – I sure enjoyed Susan’s book, and I bet you will, too:

Author and Artist Event at Griffin Bay Bookstore
Saturday, November 19^th from 2:00—4:00 p.m.

RAINSHADOW WORLD
by Susan Vernon, illustrations by Nancy McDonnell Spaulding

Trumpeter swans in the wetlands, red-breasted sapsuckers in the woods, Anna’s hummingbirds at our feeders, and wild winds coursing through the conifers: these are some of the sights and sounds of our island winter.  Join author Susan Vernon and artist Nancy Spaulding at a book signing for Rainshadow World – A Naturalist’s Year in the San Juan Islands to be held at Griffin Bay Bookstore on Saturday, November 19th from 2-4 p.m.

Rainshadow World has been hailed as an island classic:  an inspiring and heart-felt journey through our island year.  It has been noted: “The book is like reading a song.” Throughout, artist Nancy Spaulding’s field drawings add the perfect gentle touch depicting plants and animals leading fascinating lives in this wondrous place where the land meets the inland sea.

Susan and Nancy encourage islanders to join them at Griffin Bay Bookstore to chat and share their stories about the wildlife that is such an important part of our island lives. This is an opportunity to get copies of Rainshadow World signed by both the author and the artist.

Susan Vernon is a co-founder of the San Juan Nature Institute, creator of numerous guides and interpretive exhibits, author of the long-running column San Juan Nature Notebook, and surveyor of island wildlife. She was the first person to develop a captive rearing program for the rare island marble butterfly found only in the San Juan Islands.

The illustrations for Rainshadow World come from Nancy McDonnell Spaulding’s 30-year archive of field drawings that are impressions of plants, animals, and landscapes in and around the San Juan Islands. Nancy and Lewis Spaulding, well-known Northwest artists, own Spaulding Studios on San Juan Island. For more information about the book signing, call Griffin Bay Books at 378-5511.

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• Ashley Paull tells me here’s a way you can help – here’s the flyer for Islanders Physical Therapy and Rehab:

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• Yep, Island Rec is planning the Children’s Festival for May right now & they need you to help! Here’s more from Sally:

Children’s Festival Organizers Needed

Plans are just beginning for the 22nd San Juan Island Children’s Festival scheduled for May 5, 2012 and committee members are needed to help with planning, organizing and coordination of this festival.

No special skills are necessary, other than the willingness and time to work as a team committed to creating a fun filled festival dedicated to celebrating children.   With the exception of the festival day itself, committee members volunteer roughly 6-8 hours per months beginning in January.

Contact Sally Thomsen, Recreation Director at Island Rec at 378-4953 or [email protected] to learn more about this volunteer opportunity!

The Children’s Festival is an annual island wide event where over 30 community groups gather to celebrate children by providing entertaining, creative, interactive, educational and playful activities for them.  It is supported by numerous businesses and organizations and is coordinated by Island Rec.  “The Children’s Festival is an entire community effort and is second only to the county fair in its scope of community participation and the number of people who attend”, stated Thomsen, “and it is the commitment of the dedicated volunteers on the Children’s Festival Committee who bring the festival to life every year.”

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