Community gardens – click for larger image – Contributed photo

Are you interested in how people garden without having the space or owning the land? Here’s your opportunity – Marty Ahart will describe the San Juan Island Community Gardens and Alice Deane will discuss the Master Gardener of San Juan County Demonstration Garden. Learn more about these shared efforts to garden in our community.

The Grange begins its 2014 Spring Lecture Series with a program on Community Gardening on Wednesday March 26, 2014 at the Grange Hall. The program begins at 7pm, preceded by a potluck at 6pm—all are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014
San Juan Island Grange Hall #966
Potluck at 6:00 pm
Program begins at 7:00 pm

Join Us for delicious “yappetizers” and your favorite libations and help your friends at the Animal Shelter at the same time!

Wednesday, March 26 – 5:00 to 6:30

Bring an item from the shelter wish list and get a free raffle ticket for each item!

Items needed: Paper towels, canned pet food, bleach, laundry detergent, dog and cat treats

Click for larger poster

The Spring Street Middle School and High School performers invite you to seek refuge from Winter’s elements and enjoy Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, The Tempest, in an intimate setting at Brickworks.

The Tempest is thought to be the last play that Shakespeare authored alone.

Show times are March 27, 28, and 29 at 7:00pm. Play is directed by Grace Castle. Tickets are available at the door for $5.00.

Jan Murphy of Wild at Heart Studios wants to let you know about these upcoming workshops, and this special deal for Islanders – $100.00 for Both Days! Call Jan to register at this special rate, 298-2195…

Your Artistic Muse Called… She thinks you deserve a weekend of fun and creativity!

It’s going to be tough to choose – Two Beloved Instructors, two great workshops… If you’ve been lucky enough to take a workshop from either Christi Friesen or Beryl Taylor, you know what a great experience it is. Both of these amazing artsists will be here in Friday Harbor the weekend of April 5 & 6, offering you your choice of art workshops.

Christi has two great days planned – blending two great projects for a polymer clay/mixed media extravaganza!

Beryl’s workshop, “The Lady Book” will be two glorious days of book-making, fabric art fun and mixed media exploration.

Register early and save money! Bring some friends and make a fun weekend escape! Contact Jan for help with lodging and transportation.

(360) 298-2195
SanJuanJan [@] gmail [.] com
WildAtHeartStudios.com

Annual Hazardous Waste Round-Ups Scheduled for Orcas, San Juan and Lopez Islands

This year, San Juan County’s Hazardous Waste Round-up will give local residents a no-cost opportunity to dispose of up to 25 gallons of surplus or waste materials that are poisonous, flammable or otherwise unsafe or illegal to dispose of normally.

The 2014 HOUSEHOLD Hazardous Waste Round-ups are scheduled at the solid waste facilities on:

• Orcas Island – Saturday, April 12 – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• San Juan Island – Saturday, April 26 – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Lopez Island – Saturday, June 21 – 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This year, disposal costs for the first 25 gallons of waste per household are being paid by the San Juan County Solid Waste Division and Washington Department of Ecology.
Businesses must pre-register by sending in a list of the materials two weeks before the collection date. Call 370-0534 for a copy of the business registration materials.

• Orcas and Lopez businesses should come on the same Saturday as residents with household waste, but may come an hour early.
• San Juan Island only – Businesses should come on FRIDAY, APRIL 25 – 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Materials that will be accepted are: Pesticides and other poisons; gasoline and other waste fuels; wood preservatives, oil-based paints and stains; resins, solvents and thinners; pool and photo chemicals; polishes, degreasers, cleaning products and mothballs; fluorescent light tubes and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs- used as light bulbs).

Please do not bring:

• Flares, explosives, ammunition, or radioactive materials – contact the Sheriff’s Office.
• Used antifreeze, motor oil, and vehicle batteries – recycle at your island’s solid waste facility during regular business hours – unless the motor fluids are contaminated. Then they should be disposed as hazardous waste.
• Latex paint – Dry it out or mix with something like sawdust so that it is solid  and dispose with regular solid waste.
• On Orcas and San Juan Islands, unbroken Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) can also be delivered to your OPALCO office for free recycling.
• Children or pets. We want to keep them safe!

For more information and answers to Frequently Asked Questions, please refer to San Juan County Public Works Solid Waste Division website, or contact Elizabeth Anderson, Solid Waste HHW Program Coordinator at 370-0534 or email:
elizabetha [@] sjcpublicworks [.] org

2011 Cast of War Horse – click for larger image – Contributed photo

National Theatre’s Original WAR HORSE in HD March 22 & April 6

The National Theatre’s original stage production of War Horse will be broadcast live from London’s West End and then shown in HD to audiences around the world—including at San Juan Community Theatre on Saturday, March 22 at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, April 6 at 2:00 p.m.

Since its first performance at the National Theatre in 2007, War Horse has become an international smash hit, capturing the imagination of four million people around the world.
Based on Michael Morpurgo’s novel and adapted for the stage by Nick Stafford, War Horse is filled with stirring music and songs, taking audience on an extraordinary journey from the fields of rural Devon to the trenches of First World War France.

Islander Lori Stokes was one of those millions who got to see the production in London. She says the play is very different from the movie and was one of the most “imaginative, moving” theatrical productions she’s ever seen. “I can’t wait to see it again here,” said Stokes. “What makes it so special are the horses – amazing life-size puppets that seem so real you have to keep reminding yourself that they’re only puppets.” Indeed, at the play’s heart are the astonishing life-size puppets by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company, that bring breathing, galloping, charging horses to thrilling life on stage.

In addition to National Theatre Live presentations, San Juan Community Theatre also presents operas via The Met: Live in HD. The HD programs were made possible through a generous bequest from the late Dodie Gann. A complete schedule of the HD-live events is available at www.sjctheatre.org.

Tickets for War Horse are $20 for adults, $18 for SJCT members and $10 for student reserved. The SJCT box office (378-3210) is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tickets are also available on-line at www.sjctheatre.org

Erin Bezakein of Floret Flowers will be the keynote speaker at the WSU Master Gardeners’ Spring Gardening Workshop – Michele Waite photo

The San Juan County WSU Master Gardeners present the 2014 Spring Gardening Workshop: Sustainable Gardening in Your Own Backyard with keynote speaker, Erin Bezakein, founder of Floret Flower Farm in Mount Vernon. Erin is an Organic Farmer, Floral Designer, Writer and Popular Blogger, and will talk about her adventures in the organic flower growing industry.

There will also be 15 workshops on sustainable practices for your garden, from Cottage Gardens to Bees to Preserving your Garden’s Bounty. Read all about those and more at the Brown Paper Tickets or the WSU Master Gardeners links below.

This workshop happens at the Friday Harbor Middle School, 85 Blair Ave on Saturday, April 26th from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm.
Cost is $35 if pre-registered or $40 at the door.

Registration is available online through Brown Paper Tickets, starting March 15th, 2014. For more information and a registration form call WSU Extension at 360-378-4414.

San Juan County WSU Master Gardeners
Email: kbayas [@] wsu [.] edu
Phone: 360-378-4414

This Saturday from 11:00am to 7:30pm, the Friday Harbor Athletic Association will be holding a Basketball Tournament for 6th and 7th Grade.

Come to Friday Harbor High School, Turnbull and Hall Gyms will be hosting a Youth Basketball Round Robin.

Watch 4 of Friday Harbor’s youth basketball teams take on:

• Anacortes 6th Grade
• Anacortes Pirates
• Anacortes Seahawks
• Granite Falls
• La Conner
• Orcas
• Stanwood

There will be shirts for sale, and a concessions stand with snacks and pop. We will be grilling burgers and hot dogs!

Friday Harbor Tiger Basketball rarely plays at home so don’t miss this opportunity to come cheer for our Middle School Basketball Players.

BioBlitz participants can get an early start on honing their observation and identification skills during a Citizen Science Workshop scheduled 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, April 19 in Room C at the Skagit Valley College San Juan Center.

The workshop is free. Contact the college at 378-3265 or the park at 378-2240, ext. 2222 for accessibility information.

The BioBlitz is scheduled over a 24-hour period, Saturday and Sunday, May 3-4 starting and finishing at noon at American Camp. Conducted in parks throughout the nation, the BioBlitz is a unique combination of taxonomic inventory, public outreach and science education. Teams of volunteers, each lead by an expert scientist, find, identify, and photograph as many species as possible within a 24-hour period.

Conducted in partnership with Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, the workshop will open with Shona Aitken discussing identification techniques for spotting flora and fauna in the field. Anticipated inventory items include: algae, bats, beetles, birds, macro invertebrates, mammals, marine invertebrates, owls, plants, reptiles & amphibians, and trees.

The afternoon session, led by park eduation specialist Raena Parsons, includes recording scientific observations with smart phones and other devices.

“The success of a BioBlitz depends greatly on the knowledge and enthusiasm of the participants,” said Raena Parsons, park education specialist. “Come join us and share your knowledge!”

For information contact Parsons at the park number above or e-mail her at:
raena [_] parsons [@] nps [.] gov

This notice came in from San Juan County Health and Human Services…

Annual Survey Finds 65 County Residents with No Stable Place to Sleep

This year’s “Point-In-Time” (PIT) count of persons without housing in San Juan County identified 65 people. 44 of those people, including children and disabled persons, who were living out of doors, in vehicles, or in abandoned buildings. The remaining 21 people were staying in temporary, unstable living arrangements, often with friends or family. The state mandated count was conducted on Thursday, January 23rd. Agencies not open on the day of the count were authorized to conduct the survey on their business day closest to January 23.

Count organizers and volunteers worked with local family resource centers, food banks, churches, healthcare providers, senior centers, libraries, the sheriff’s office, and many other community support service providers to conduct the count. The count was initiated by the State of Washington in 2005 (RCW43. 185C).

Results of previous counts can be viewed at this link.

Address questions regarding the count to:
Melanie Rollins
San Juan County Affordable Housing Coordinator
melanier [@] sanjuanco [.] com
(360) 370-7526

Thrift Store storage and parking coming soon – Update photo

Have you seen all the groundwork happening over there by the Thrift Store? I knew you would want to know what was going on, so I asked Kathy Kane what was up and she said it is going to be a new storage building for them, AND…. some new parking! They are very excited as I’m sure many Thrift Store shoppers will be as well. Not sure exactly when it will all be completed, but keep checking back here and we’ll keep you updated.

Victoria Compton with the Economic Development Council mentions that the USDA is offering workshops for businesses on the new REAP grants. Check it out…

Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Grants Workshop in Mt. Vernon March 27th

Renewal Energy Projects such as solar panels and Energy Efficiency projects such as energy efficient coolers, weatherization, etc. may be eligible for a grant from USDA. Grants can be up to 25% of the project costs. Farmers and small rural businesses are eligible. The Notice of Funding Availability will be out soon and this is a good opportunity to get a ‘jump’ on the application process.

March 27, 2014, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
USDA Service Center, 2021 E. College Way, Mt. Vernon, WA
RSVP: [email protected]
(360) 704-7724

PDF documents with more info on the specifics as follows:

Renewable Energy REAP Grants 10-25-13
Energy Efficiency REAP Grants 10-25-13
REAP Guaranteed Loans 10-25-13

Questions about the program should be directed to Carlotta Donisi at (360) 704-7724 or [email protected].

Dot with the SJ Garden Club invites you on a tour of Whidbey Island’s Meerkerk Gardens. Here she is with more…

We have a wonderful tour to Meerkerk Woodland Gardens on Whidbey Island scheduled for April 12. It is a one-day trip leaving SJI as walk-ons at 8:00 a.m., meeting the Bell Air bus in Anacortes to the beautiful Woodland Gardens on the Meerkerk Estate. We will enjoy the bus trip, a box lunch in the Meerkerk home, and a 1-1/2 hour guided tour of the glorious blooms of the rhododendrons and accompanying plants on this grand estate.

Please join us for this trip. We are going at the height of the rhododendron bloom season. It is a sure thing for photographers who love woodland shots.

The cost is $65 per person. That includes bus travel, entrance into the Gardens, a box lunch in the Meerkerk residence and great fun. Please contact Dot Vandaveer at 378-8306 or Yvonne Harold @ 378-6205 to make immediate reservations. We need to know no later than March 22 if you plan to attend.

More information is available on the SJI Garden Club web site:
sjigardenclub.weebly.com/tours.html

Here’s a notice from WSF about David Moseley’s retirement…

Secretary of Transportation Lynn Peterson’s statement regarding David Moseley

WSF Assistant Secretary David Moseley – WSF photo

After six years of service, Assistant Secretary for Washington State Ferries David Moseley has announced his plans to resign on April 15. David can be proud of his distinguished service at WSF and the many accomplishments he has made while at the helm of the ferry system. I thank him for his contributions and leadership in a position that has tremendous challenges and issues.

During his tenure, WSF began replacing the many aging boats in the fleet. Six new ferries, including three 64-car Kwa-Di-Tabil class ferries in operation, and now three new 144-car Olympic class are funded and being built, and will soon join the fleet. The new Tokitae ferry will be christened on March 20, and is scheduled to begin serving the Mukilteo/Clinton route in June.

Under David’s watch, WSF has reached out to its customers with more than 450 meetings in ferry communities, provided weekly ferry activities emails, and implemented new online tools such as “Fleet Watch” and “Terminal Conditions” to help customers better plan their travel. With a successful implementation of a vehicle reservation system on three routes, WSF will expand the reservation system to the San Juan Island routes.

These are just a few of the many improvements that David can take pride in.

The Washington State Department of Transportation will begin a national search for a candidate to keep up the good work that David started.

We wish him the best in his future endeavors.

Read David Moseley’s full statement. (PDF)

Just got this note from Cynthia about a workshop coming up this Saturday…

Happy Spring! The days are longer, birds are singing by day and frogs are croaking by night, new growth, new flowers – Spring is definitely here.

Now is the time to move and dance a bit and be joyful for all that you have in your life or are bringing into your life.
Please join me at XYZ for a unique workshop in manifesting more JOY in your life –

Sommer will be coming from Clinton, WA to head a workshop based in story telling, dance and movement to bring more joy into your life – even for just a moment!

Saturday March 29th – 2:00 to 4:30 – Cost is $45.00 – Scholarships are available so please inquire!
For pre registration, testimonials and more info, go to www.islandjoywellness.com or email Sommer at:
Sommer [@] islandjoywellness [.] com
425-891-7264
or download the workshop flyer.

Licensed Blue Belt Nia Teacher & Life Brilliance Coach

Wildlife on Spieden Island – Click for much better view – Chris Teren photo

Here’s a photo by Chris Teren of a juvenile bald eagle the other day swooping down at some Mouflon (wild sheep), on Spieden Island. Apparently when he got closer he realized they were much bigger than he thought they were and he flew away. Thanks for sharing Chris!