Les & Betsy bring home the hardware....

Ruth Fleming wrote to tell me that Betsy & Les Gunther just got an award for The Best Restoration in Show at the Victoria Wooden Boat festival, which is a pretty prestigious deal. The boats were the best in the area, and they had the best of those. Way to go!

Dilys & Kathy in the sun....

It’s always cool to see the kids – Dilys Goodman (she of Serendipity fame) had her stepdaughter Kathy come along a week ago. I love her smile – it reminds me of her dad Lee… just a reminder that our kids carry our spirit forward, I thought. I caught up with them at the K-9 Carnival in the sun, and asked Dilys what was going on. She filled me in:

Kathy was here for a week enjoying all her favorite places on SJI.  We went to Seattle last Friday – had a great day being tourists.  Then she flew back to Iowa on Saturday.  I wish she could have stayed longer but she had to get back to work.  We were so lucky with the weather – it was perfect the whole time she was here. She loves dogs and was thrilled to be able to go to the K9 Festival!

She also enjoyed visiting the Dog Park with a dog-owning friend. ( I think she was taking notes as there are plans to open a dog park in the city she lives in.) I enjoyed the dog show too.  It was a great place to meet friends and admire their canine companions.

All the best, Dilys

Load up, today!

It’s your last chance to get fresh veggies & more in mid-week from 3pm-6pm (the Saturday Market continues into October)…here’s the note from Steve Bensel:

Hey Ian
This will be the last week (Sept. 30, Wednesday) for the mid-week farmers’ market.  We would like to thank all of the loyal customers who made it as successful as it has been.  When the mid-week market starts up again next summer is not known at this time – but I’ll let you know!
Warm regards,
Steve

Leroy Bell and his Only Friends

At the Community Theatre this weekend it’s gonna rock – here’s more from Jan:

THIS Saturday, October 3 we get the cool rhythms of jazz, funk and rock with LeRoy Bell & His Only Friends on the Whittier stage at 7:30 pm. LeRoy has had an extensive songwriting career,  including as half of the youthful team of  Bell and James,  who authored Elton John’s Grammy-nominated 1979 Top Ten hit, “Mama Can’t Buy You Love.

His smooth vocals bring together his soul and R&B styles to create a sound that crosses many demographics.  Check him out at www.leroybell.com

Michele wanted to thank folks for helping with Islanders Bank’s Gear Up program – here’s more:

THANK YOU! for making the Islanders Bank 2009-2010 “GEAR UP FOR OUR SCHOOLS CAMPAIGN” A HUGE SUCCESS!!! Thank you to everyone who donated supplies and monetary donations for our schools during our First Annual Gear Up For Our Schools campaign.  Your support makes a difference not only for our students, but for our teachers too!

Thank you to Market Place, Friday Harbor Drug, The Office Supply Store, Island Market and The Office Cupboard for their support in having Islanders Bank collection bins in their businesses. Each of Us Depends on All of Us!

Bob Coleman from Islanders Bank says they were picked out as the best – here’s the scoop:

Islanders Bank #1 Commercial Bank in Washington State!

Bob Coleman, President and CEO announced that Islanders Bank, the sole bank headquartered in San Juan County, achieved a #1 Performance Ranking among all commercial banks and a #2 Performance Ranking among all banks in Washington State for quarters ending March 31, 2009 and June 30, 2009 consecutively.

CEO Coleman states, “Islanders Bank continues to be a strong community supporter with money to lend within the island communities we serve. We offer a variety of deposit, loan, electronic and internet banking products and services, including: 30 year fixed rate loans. The benefits of having local knowledge, control and decision making at the board level combined with the experience, commitment and dedication of local management and staff, provides Islanders Bank with distinct advantages in today’s banking environment.”

Islanders Bank has been providing full service banking products and services to the island communities since 1981 and continues to be a well capitalized, profitable financial institution operating well within established regulatory guidelines.

Mine on the left: Chocolate & caramel with bananas; Josie's on the right with peaches & brown sugar, baby.... there's oatmeal in there somewhere too. It rocks.

When was the last time you had a good bowl of oatmeal? Ever since Billy & Cassie started offering steel cut oats at the Naked Bean, it’s become kind of a sensation.

When Josie & I went in yesterday, we got the bowls above, and it was great. It’s cool that some thing that good is also good for you….

Kate (left) and Tom & Tami, raisin' it at the Place

It was great to hear the two & three part harmonies as Kate Schuman and Tom & Tami Doenges sang last Friday at the Place Bar & Grill…super job of filling the place with beautiful music. Thanks, you guys!

This Friday: It’s Uncle Otto!

Goes to low on the first....

Fire Marshal Bob Low says the fire danger will drop to “low” on the first, officially. Yesterday’s rain is helping with keeping it low, after an incredibly dry summer….

Emily & Chris at what she describes as one of the best schools in the Middle East....

Just heard from Emily Wolf that the school she’s teaching at is closed this week because of the H1N1 flu…in spite of that, she says she & Chris are loving it teaching there, and the kids like it too.

And…she says she misses the island and the autumn colors!

Al wearing the purple & gold from 1942....

It was great to hear how the collection of stories is going with the Historical Museum & the Library… on Friday night director Laura Tretter gave an update about how the digitalizing is going, and showed everyone how to look up stuff online. Then museum director Kevin Loftus introduced folks with their stories, including FHHS grad Al Nash (’42) who showed his letter sweater from his two years of playing basketball, which was the only sport we had then. You’ll remember he came back from WWII & got the drug store going – but that’s another story.

Also on display – Whale Museum director Jenny Atkinson & the Visitors’ Bureau’s Robin Jacobson (she used to work at the WM) showed off a banner they found at the Museum from an Oddfellows group that must have left it there – it was in great shape!

Jenny shows off the IOOF banner....

Al wearing the purple & gold from 1942....

It was great to hear how the collection of stories is going with the Historical Museum & the Library… on Friday night director Laura Tretter gave an update about how the digitalizing is going, and showed everyone how to look up stuff online. Then museum director Kevin Loftus introduced folks with their stories, including FHHS grad Al Nash (’42) who showed his letter sweater from his two years of playing basketball, which was the only sport we had then. You’ll remember he came back from WWII & got the drug store going – but that’s another story.

Also on display – Whale Museum director Jenny Atkinson & the Visitors’ Bureau’s Robin Jacobson (she used to work at the WM) showed off a banner they found at the Museum from an Oddfellows group that must have left it there – it was in great shape!

Jenny shows off the IOOF banner....

It’s pretty important to stay in tune with your culture….since over 3 million people have seen this baby dance with & to Beyonce, you might want to see what the fuss is about….

Ron Zee of the Madrona Institute sent this poster over:

Food sustainability hits home - the story on Vancouver Island....

Mary Keith

Torrey from the Presbyterian Church just wrote in to let me know that our longtime friend Mary Keith passed away on Saturday.

Memorial Services are planned for Tuesday September 29th at 6:00pm at Friday Harbor Presbyterian Church. Reception to follow in the fellowship hall.

FHHS junior quarterback Tanner Buck (7) looks downfield for a receiver in the first quarter...

* With a strong La Conner team on the horizon (we play them Thursday this week, at their place), the girls soccer team expected a tough time at Meridian last Saturday, and got it – and won 2-0 for their sixth straight win. Carried by goals from Emma Ytander and Mandy Turnbull, keeper Hannah Snow & her defense registered their sixth shutout in eight games while the Wolverines outscored opponents 30-0 during the streak.

* Wolverine football played their biggest opponent of the year as Nooksack Valley came to visit Friday night. The Pioneers scored on the opening kickoff, and rolled to a 49-7 victory. The guys play at Seattle Lutheran this Saturday.

* The volleyball team took Mount Vernon Christian to five games Thursday in one of their best games of the year (although it was a loss)….they’re in action with Darrington (Tuesday) and La Conner (there) this week.

* Meanwhile, Tuesday is a chance to catch the tennis guys, as they play at home against Cavelero Mid High School. Looking for sun….