Earth Day...every day.

When Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency didn’t exist, kids thought “recycling” was a new kind of bike, and the US energy policy was centered on finding more oil. Things have changed within what we are aware of, and much still remains to change.

It’s about action…and I hope that today is a day in which you celebrate each little thing you do to make the world a place our kids & grandkids will find to be as beautiful as we do today.

The Catalyst off the coast of Alaska (inset: Bill & Shannon Bailey)

Another little bit of history in an historical year – the Catalyst was built & launched in 1932 for use by the Friday Harbor Labs… in its present incarnation, Bill and Shannon Bailey of Pacific Catalyst II, Inc. operate her as a key part of the small boat excursions they operate between here, the Inside Passage of British Columbia, and southeast Alaska.

They have invited the public to come view the MV Catalyst at the Friday Harbor Marina this weekend, before she goes north on May 1, 2009. Drop by & check it out – the ‘Open Boat’ is from 2pm-5pm on Sunday.

The Catalyst docked at the Labs in the 1930s, with the little village of Friday Harbor in the background.

The Catalyst off the coast of Alaska (inset: Bill & Shannon Bailey)

Another little bit of history in an historical year – the Catalyst was built & launched in 1932 for use by the Friday Harbor Labs… in its present incarnation, Bill and Shannon Bailey of Pacific Catalyst II, Inc. operate her as a key part of the small boat excursions they operate between here, the Inside Passage of British Columbia, and southeast Alaska.

They have invited the public to come view the MV Catalyst at the Friday Harbor Marina this weekend, before she goes north on May 1, 2009. Drop by & check it out – the ‘Open Boat’ is from 2pm-5pm on Sunday.

The Catalyst docked at the Labs in the 1930s, with the little village of Friday Harbor in the background.

The FHHS baseball guys 10-runned Concrete yesterday 11-0, while the softball girls won 14-9 over the Lions.

Meanwhile, the soccer boys tied Calavero Mid-High 2-2 on two second half goals by Cameron Byington…they play their last home game this Saturday at 11:30am against Lynden Christian.

By reading the scriptures I am so renewed that all nature seems renewed around me and with me. The sky seems to be a pure, a cooler blue, the trees a deeper green. The whole world is charged with the glory of God and I feel fire and music under my feet.
Thomas Merton

Jane calls this collection: "Beach Glass & Stone with Heart Art"

Ciely at Lavendera Day Spa asked me to invite you to Jane’s reception on Friday, from 6:30 – 8 p.m at 440 Spring Street Friday Harbor…you can call 378-3637 for more info!

Pate

Have you ever know anyone who appeared in a Super Bowl commercial? Have you ever known a goose who did?

Last Friday, Colleen from San Juan Safaris told me that her (and Bill’s) pet goose Pate died at the age of 20 (not sure what that is, in goose years.) She sent a short list of things she remembers about Pate:

A list of her accomplishments:

Matron goose of 2 farms
Warded off a golden eagle (which ate her pal Gretta)
Out smarted fox, skunks, raccoons, bald eagles and dogs
The only goose who was in love with a 500 lb white llama . . . for 15 years
Appeared in a prime time commercial for Virginia Mason Hospital on Super Bowl Sunday
Learned the intricacies of motion activated lights
Out lived every goose we have ever known . . . ever

Enjoyed:

Evenings in the yard on the swing
Rides to Dr Michelle in the traveling basket
Corn, Corn and more Corn
Fresh new tender grass
Swimming in the pond
Answering to her name being called
Talking while others tried to speak over her
Being kissed and told how pretty she was
Attention from Uncle Larry
Bread being tossed off the balcony.

Loved by all who met her. We miss her so much.

Do you know the difference between education and experience? Education is when you read the fine print; experience is what you get when you don’t.
Pete Seeger

Time to check out the fresh veggies, outside...

You know, it was cozy & warm & friendly having the Market at the high school in the dining hall/commons there, but the weather’s good enough to get out now…market manager Rosa Blair tells me the outdoor markets for Saturdays (10am-1pm) begin this weekend and run till October. They’re also planning to get the Wednesday market going again sometime in May, probably – I’ll let you know when that’s set.

See you Saturday at the Courthouse parking lot!

Time to check out the fresh veggies, outside...

You know, it was cozy & warm & friendly having the Market at the high school in the dining hall/commons there, but the weather’s good enough to get out now…market manager Rosa Blair tells me the outdoor markets for Saturdays (10am-1pm) begin this weekend and run till October. They’re also planning to get the Wednesday market going again sometime in May, probably – I’ll let you know when that’s set.

See you Saturday at the Courthouse parking lot!

Teri at work....

Teri Gentry moved her studio to the back part of that remodeled green house on Argyle Street (it’s the Carter House part of the Argyle Suites) – you can learn more about the skin care services she offers at her nice, wonderful new website at http://terigentryaesthetics.com/ (designed by the multi-talented Anne Francis). Here’s a bit more from Teri:

I was hoping you could pass along that I have moved my skin care studio to 470 Argyle Ave Suite C, still in the same house (the Carter House) in the Argyle Suites.  I just needed a little more space and this one became available so I jumped at the opportunity.  If you could mention that I would really appreciate it.

Bullock Brothers Permaculture Homestead on Orcas received the Farmland Stewardship Award

The second Sustainable San Juans day was held this past weekend, and by all accounts it went pretty well. Part of the event was the naming of winners of the eight Good Stewardship Awards to folks in the county who are making a difference in keeping the way we do things sustainable…real heroes making sure we have beautiful & bountiful islands today, and tomorrow for the generations to come. Liz Illg sends more about the winners:

Stewardship Award Winners Announced: Eight Good Stewardship awards were presented at “Sustainable San Juans: Greening Your Home, Business and Food”, an Earthday event held Saturday in Friday Harbor. The awards were part of a three day celebration of environmental stewardship sponsored by the San Juan Stewardship Network and the San Juan Island Community Foundation.

Julian Glasser

The Youth Stewardship Award was given to Julian Glasser, a senior at Orcas High School.  Julian has been a vanguard of promoting bicycle commuting in his community by cycling the 16-mile round trip commute from his home in Olga to Orcas High School.  When he first began doing this, he was the only student to arrive at the high school by bike…now there are numerous students who commute to school that way. He is currently building bike racks for the community to use, and has created a community BikeShare program, rebuilding several bikes for that effort.  Julian was a member of the high school Farm Education and Sustainability for Teens (FEAST) class.  He also pioneered the recycling program at Orcas High School four years ago, single-handedly taking responsibility for recycling every Friday until the program got off the ground.  Last year, he converted a diesel-powered Mercedes into one which ran on vegetable oil he obtained from The Thai Sisters restaurant in Eastsound, and he is currently serving as the President of the Ecology Club.

Dr. Eugene Kazloff

The Educator Stewardship was presented in absentia to Dr. Eugene Kozloff, Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington Department of Biology, and former associate director and continuing researcher at the UW’s Friday Harbor Labs. Dr. Kozloff is the author of seven books including Seashore Life of the Northern Pacific Coast, Plants and Animals of the Pacific Northwest, and Plants of Western Oregon, Washington & British Columbia; his most recent title was published at the age of 84. Dr. Kozloff is respected and beloved for his keen wit, warm charm, and encyclopedic knowledge of our regional environments. Students of all ages flock to his courses and lectures, coming away with an understanding grounded in clearly interpreted science.  His passion for introducing others to the wonders of Northwest plant and animal life by teaching classes on the land (or in the lab) has made him dear to the hearts of many.

Jack Giard

The Business Stewardship Award went to Lopez 4-Way Reefnet and Jack and Joan Giard, owners for over 40 years.  Reefnet fishing is the most selective of the commercial fishing techniques and allows salmon stocks of conservation concern as well as other bycatch to be returned with zero mortality. Lopez 4-Way Reefnet was selected for this award as they have shown reverence not only for the salmon that they are catching, but for the greater marine environment as well.  They have demonstrated to us all that sometimes the best way of doing things… is the old way of doing things. Jack serves on the Marine Resources Committee and is a quintessential resource on all things salmon.

Peter Fisher

The Individual Stewardship Award was given to Peter Fisher of Orcas Island. For many years, Peter has worked tirelessly on stewardship projects throughout San Juan County.  He is a man of many accomplishments and has demonstrated his exceptional leadership qualities in a variety of projects. He served as one of the leaders in the effort to preserve Madrona Point on Orcas.  Developing an idea from research in other areas of the country, Peter played in instrumental role in the formation of the San Juan County Land Bank.  He was also one of the founders of the OPAL Community Land Trust, which he still supports actively. More recently, Peter founded Island Stewards, which he hopes will be, among other things, and umbrella organization for smaller nonprofits and projects.

Pat & Bob Jester

The Woodland Stewardship Award was given to Bob and Pat Jester property owners on Orcas Island. They have been quietly conserving a large swath of forestland along the Western slope of Entrance Mountain, near Rosario on Orcas Island, for many years.  The Jesters started implementing their conservation vision by donating two conservation easements to the San Juan Preservation Trust, protecting over 40 acres of woodlands through restriction of development rights. When they discovered that the land adjoining them, and bordering Sunrise Mountain and Cascade Lake was in peril of development, they purchased these lands and then subsequently turned them over to Moran State Park.  Because of their actions, the 5,252-acre Moran Park is now connected to an additional 300 acres of protected woodlands on Entrance Mountain.

Dr. Mike Kaill

The Shoreline Stewardship Award was given to Dr. Mike Kaill of San Juan Island. Mike, through his own efforts, started testing stormwater outfalls in Friday Harbor and, as manager of the Spring Street Aquarium, has used it  as his “canary in the coal mine” to gauge the health of the harbor.  After noticing a significant die-off in the animals within the aquarium (who live in water pulled straight from the Harbor), Mike used his own money to purchase an EPA-approved water testing kit to determine the cause of the problem.  After determining that the cause of the die-offs were high concentrations of soaps and detergents (surfactants), Mike began a tireless campaign to bring attention to the issue. He has encouraged the Town of Friday Harbor to look at their stormwater controls, and has encouraged businesses to not use storm-water drains for water loaded with soaps and detergents.

The Farmland Stewardship Award was presented to the Bullock Brothers Permaculture Homestead, on Orcas Island. Douglas, Joseph, and Sam Bullock founded the Permaculture Homestead, near Deer Harbor on Orcas Island, back in the early 80’s.  Pursuing the three ethics that are central to permaculture design: care for the earth, care for the people and fair share for all, the brothers have created a veritable paradise on their land; growing vegetables, flowers, and livestock in a manner that is completely in harmony with their surrounding environment.  The have been conducting classes, workshops and camps to teach people the concepts of permaculture design so that their new-found knowledge travels back to many other communities around the world.   They also foster the permaculture concept through landscaping and design services.

Lynn Danaher

The Village Stewardship Award was presented to Lynn Danaher of San Juan Island, the owner of Archipelago Properties. She was the driving force behind the recycling and refurbishment of the Churchill House and the Carter House, two historically significant homes located in Friday Harbor.  In keeping with the original character of the homes, and of the Town of Friday Harbor itself, she remodeled these aging structures using many recycled materials. The homes, now used as office suites, are surrounded by a limited hardscape.  This low impact development allows for natural drainage and prevents unnecessary storm water run-off. It also earned Lynn a discount on her stormwater fees from the Town of Friday Harbor, setting precedence for all future developments.

Award recipients were presented with large pottery “Finny’s”, fish-shaped creations handcrafted by Crow Valley Pottery, and enjoyed a luncheon provided by Tom French and the Experience Food Project. More information on the Summit and the awards can be found on the Stewardship Network website:
http://www.stewardshipsjc.org/summit.html

Drop by Mari's restaurant!

You probably noticed the sign change earlier this month – on the first of this month, Mari Lariviere took over the space where Bella Luna has been for ten and a half years (historians, take note: The San Juan Update in November 1998 noted that Bella Luna was the new incarnation of the old Electric Company restaurant, which was, by the way, named after the kids’ tv show). She’s pretty familiar with the spot – she’s worked there for the last 11 years.

She is calling her new venture Pazzo Vivo (which means “Crazy Life”) and she tells me she has a whole new menu with better quality & better prices for folks.

Mari still has music: Blues Night (Wednesday night), Jazz Night (Fridays), and music on Saturdays as well (she had Be Careful last weekend.) Drop in & say hey!

Since I volunteer at the Library at times, I got to go to yesterday’s Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon sponsored by the Friends of the Library at the Peppermill.

Edie receives her 20-year service pin from Library director Laura.

It was great…the food was good, the company was good, and it gave me an appreciation for all the work that gets done at our library. Volunteer coordinator Diana Warner told me there are over 100 folks who donate their time & talent & love to make the place run so smoothly.

One volunteer received a 20-year service pin – Edie deChadenedes has been coming by since 1989, and she’s one of the reasons our older books look so good…she mends them and gets them back on the shelves (she even gives workshops on this!) That’s her with Library Director Laura Tretter after the ceremony…other received their 10 & 5-year pins, as well.

I know, I know….this makes you think, “Hey, I could do that!” I know how you are, always wanting to help. So call Diana at 378-2798 and see what she may be needing this week.

And to all the vols…thanks!

Zack Reitan (left), Parker Satin, Jimmy Chaffee, and Ryan Cole get ready for the show.

Scott the hypnotist held 400 people in his hand with his performance Friday night…if you get a chance to ask anyone who was there, they’ll tell you it was pretty cool.

That’s (from left) Zack Reitan, Parker Satin, Jimmy Chaffee, and Ryan Cole (front) before the show got going, in a shot by Jim Cole, with me in the back taking a picture of them (his turned out better.)

Sean Chevalier and Jillian Urbach show off the quilt....

Jill Urbach says this quilt is going to be given to some lucky winner:

I wanted to show off this beautiful quilt made by Steve Brumsickle’s 3rd and 4th grade class at Paideia Classical School.  It is being raffled off at their Spring Social on April 25 at the Presbyterian Church.  (You do not need to be present to win.)  The students made the quilt at school under the guidance of international quilt teacher and fabulous local quilter Kitty Sorgen (she’s my mom too!)

Raffle tickets cost $5 per each or 5 tickets for $20.  (Such a deal!)  The quilt will be on display and tickets can be bought this afternoon at MarketPlace, Sunday from 10-2 at Kings, and next Wednesday the 22nd at MarketPlace from 3-6.  You can also get tickets by calling the school at 378-8322.  Make sure to check out the back of the quilt; it’s got an especially soft and cozy backing!