Today it’s the Holiday Marketplace from 10am until 5pm at Friday Harbor Elementary School, and tomorrow from 10am until 4pm. There are more than 60 booths featuring lovely fabric work, fine oils and watercolors – all kinds of beautiful work from our Island Artists. The re is no admission fee, so stop by and see  Continue Reading

Barbara & Matt always have cool things going on at Gallery San Juan – here’s another, from Barbara: “Winter Fantasy”: Calling all artists from 4 years old to 14 years old! Gallery San Juan hosts the 11th annual “Kid’s Art Show” Every year the Gallery hosts an art show for the Holidays for Kids. All  Continue Reading

Barb Jensen wanted you to know the Count is coming up – the first one was in 1900, so let’s keep the tradition alive…here’s more: Christmas Bird Count – 110 Years of Audubon Counts Saturday, December 19th! When we start to see swans it’s time to think Christmas Bird Count! Set this date aside –  Continue Reading

I wish you an open heart on this day of thanks, and open hands. I hope you are with island friends and longtime family, and I hope you get way more than twelve hugs today (since twelve a day is what ya need to be emotionally healthy). Give thanks. Let tears fill your eyes &  Continue Reading

Minnie says there’s gonna be a crowd – here’s more: What are you doing on Thanksgiving Day this year? If you’re looking for a special way to celebrate and give thanks, go to the Grange for a good old-fashioned community Thanksgiving dinner.  You can show up any time between noon and 4:00pm to enjoy a  Continue Reading

Little notes here & there, the day before Thanksgiving: • Some days ya just gotta start the day with a poem, from Robert Frost: Nature’s first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf’s a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So  Continue Reading

Yep, it was Sarah’s birthday yesterday, as you could tell by all the balloons & smiles down at Haley’s last night.

That’s my friend & occasional office dog Tucker getting a treat from Liz at the post office yesterday…he’s good at licking stamps, too. Part of why so many folks leave the p.o. with a smile….

Well, it’s been twelve years ago today that the San Juan Update got underway in 1997, and as with most pre-teens, it’s kinda fun to look back on when things were young & innocent & cute. As my little birthday present to you, I thought I’d offer you a look at the whole thing since  Continue Reading

I really like how Mark Gardner’s portrait work turns out! Check out more of his work at Rainshadow Photographics.

What have folks been up to? Let’s check around the island: • Homecoming: Sure was nice to run into Kate Longley with her mom Allison last night at the store…she’s working at a library in San Diego these days, and playing club soccer. Kate was a part of the first FHHS girls’ soccer team back  Continue Reading

I sure like Sandy Buckley’s pictures, don’t you? Here are a couple she took last summer out at Roche Harbor’s mausoleum  – I like what she does with the light & the shadows….check out more of her stuff at http://www.zazzle.com/sandybuckley*

There are some things you’ll want to check out in the next few weeks: • Aaron at the Palace Theatre says he’ll be going to the winter schedule next week, with only one showing on weekdays & two on weekends. meanwhile, the new movies this week (starting today) are Blind Side (with Sandy Bullock, who  Continue Reading

The memorial service is this weekend for our friend, who passed away way too young… Amanda Cartmill Cruz September 7, 1976 – November 12, 2009 Amanda Cartmill Cruz passed into her heavenly father’s hands unexpectedly on November 12 at her home. She was 33. Born at Harrison Memorial Hospital in Bremerton, Washington, on September 7,  Continue Reading

I heard yesterday that Dan Fleming, our postmaster, has been re-assigned to Oak Harbor, starting this weekend. I asked him what the process is for filling his position, and he says the position has to be posted, so it could be a while before we get a new person in that spot. Dan did a  Continue Reading