Click for a bigger appetite

Here’s Hobbes with a new recipe you gotta try…

A wonderful warm bacon salad with a poached egg. This is one of my favorite salads, it’s so comforting, the soft poached egg brings all the flavors together. Very European and very wonderful…

To make this easy salad, first tear up some sourdough bread into rustic chunks and place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle on a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Pop them in a 350* oven and cook until golden brown.

Cut the bacon into medium size pieces and fry them up in a heavy pan. When done place the bacon on some paper towels. Transfer the bacon drippings (about 3 tablespoons) to a large stainless steel bowl.

Poach an egg for 3 minutes, while that’s happening place the stainless steel bowl on a burner with medium low heat. Toss in a handful spinach and a handful of baby greens such as frisee’, season with some fresh ground black pepper and a pinch of chili flakes. Pour in a teaspoon of sherry vinegar and toss the greens, when the greens start to wilt remove them from the heat and place onto warm plates. Add the bacon and croutons, then place the egg on top.

Bon Appetit!  Chef Hobbes

Victoria from the SJC Economic Development Council sends over this announcement for you from the Orcas Chamber…

Today, December 19, 2013 at 11:00 am, the Orcas Island Chamber of Commerce invites you to take part in this webinar. If you can’t attend, the Chamber will send out recap highlights.

Here’s more info from the Small Business Admistration:
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Affordable Care Act or ACA) enacted comprehensive health insurance reforms designed to ensure Americans have access to quality, affordable health insurance. Learn what the law means for small businesses.

SBA and Small Business Majority have teamed up for a free webinar where small business owners can learn the basics of the Affordable Care Act and what it means for their business and employees.
Thursday, December 19 @ 11 am (Click to register)

Key Provisions of the Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act includes a variety of measures specifically for small businesses that help lower premium cost growth and increase access to quality, affordable health insurance. Depending on whether you are self-employed, an employer with fewer than 25 employees, an employer with fewer than 50 employees, or an employer with 50 or more employees, different provisions of the Affordable Care Act may apply to you. Learn about the key provisions of the Affordable Care Act based on the size of your business below.

Articles of Interest

• Self-employed – Find out which Affordable Care Act provisions may impact self-employed individuals. Link to article.
• Employers with fewer than 25 employees – Find out which key Affordable Care Act provisions may impact small businesses with fewer than 25 employees. Link to article.
• Employers with up to 50 employees – Find out which Affordable Care Act provisions may impact small businesses with up to 50 employees. Link to article.

You can find great health care information for small business on the SBA.gov website.

OPALCO Turns the Dial Up on Energy Efficiency and Conservation:
$100,000 Matchin Grant Funds for Elibible Nonprofits

As uncertainty in pricing and power supply dominate the energy landscape, OPALCO is building on its strong foundation of energy efficiency and conservation programs to activate the Co-op community towards greater action and reward. The 2014 budget has allocated $100,000 in matching grant funds which will be awarded to local nonprofit organizations that can expand our education and outreach efforts – and funding potential – in the areas of energy efficiency and conservation and to incentivize energy saving building retrofits.

Energy efficiency and conservation activities and gains are the key to managing our co-op energy load and mitigating the rising cost of power. Northwest Power and Conservation Council states “Nearly 60% of the region’s new demand for electricity over the next five years, and 85% over the next 20 years, could be met with energy efficiency.”

“During the last rate period (FY 2012-13), OPALCO’s energy efficiency and conservation programs, funded by BPA, achieved more than 2.7 million kWh in energy savings—which far outpaced our growth in energy demand,” reported General Manager Randy J. Cornelius. “Members received a record-setting $685,000 in rebates. That is a significant impact and I’m proud of our staff and members–but we can and should do more.” Continue Reading

Come ring in the New Year with friends, family, music, food, and FUN at Island Rec’s annual Community New Year’s Eve Celebration!

This year the festivities have relocated to the beautiful new Brickworks Building, but we’re bringing along some of our favorite NYE party activities, including the ever-popular hat-decorating station and photo booth.

Adults and kids alike can enter games and contests for a chance to win one of many fabulous door prizes donated by local businesses. Partygoers can also look forward to special presentations by the Island Chordsmen and Spring Street International School’s “Rock Solid” youth group.

Doors open at 7pm. We’ll count down the New Year on Eastern Standard Time, watching the ball drop in Times Square at 9:00pm. All-ages are welcome, but children under 13 need to be accompanied by an adult. Please bring a sweet or savory snack to share in potluck style!

This family-friendly, alcohol-free event is co-sponsored by Island Rec and the San Juan Island Prevention Coalition.

“What if Charles Dickens’ Mrs. Cratchit wasn’t so goody-goody?” That’s the premise of the holiday comedy presented in San Juan Community Theatre’s On Book! Readers Theatre series on Thursday and Friday, December 19 and 20 at 7:30 p.m.

Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge (Christopher Durang’s parody of the classic A Christmas Carol) centers on the hard-drinking, suicidal Gladys Cratchit, whose harshness to her family surpasses Mommy Dearest by a mile. Many of the familiar characters, including The Ghost, Ebenezer Scrooge and Tiny Tim are all included.

The reading is directed by John Davis and features 13 islanders: Else Arndt, Tim Bair, Fionnoula Bourne, Floyd Bourne, Grace Castle, Daniel Finn, Therese Finn, Carolyn Haugen, Shannon Kelley, Joely Loucks, Dorian Oliver, Bo Turnage and Joy Van Camp.

Doors open at 7:00 p.m. with festival seating. Admission is free.

For more information on the series and other Theatre events, visit www.sjctheatre.org

The Community Service-Learning Projects class at Friday Harbor High School is a chance for juniors to explore their passions and strengths by designing a project with a community partner that addresses a need in the community. By designing and completing a meaningful project it is hoped that students will leave a lasting legacy for the school, community and themselves.

The semester is soon coming to an end and students have been working diligently all semester to complete their projects. On Wednesday January 15th, 2014 (5:30 – 7:00 P.M.), students will be giving presentations demonstrating all that they have accomplished and learned this term. We need community members to come and give valuable feedback to our students about their projects. It will truly be an exciting evening to learn about so many great projects such as: painting a mural at a church, giving craft lessons at the Life Care Center, sending a care package to an orphanage in Mexico, raising awareness and funding for our local animal organizations, designing and building a beautiful “rocking whale” for the Whale Museum children’s playroom, running a weekly writer’s workshop at the Middle School….. just to name a few!

For those of you who have assisted us before, I think you will be impressed with how far we continue to progress as a school in our efforts to make community connections and do real world work. For those of you who have not attended these presentations, it’s an opportunity to see the accomplishments of students in our school. We are proud of the passion students have for their service projects.

We need approximately 15 evaluators.

• For What: Community Service-Learning Presentations
• Where: Friday Harbor High School
• When: Wednesday, January 15th
• Time: 5:30 – 7:00
• Why: Give feedback to students about their projects

Please respond by email at:
jennywilson [@] sjisd [.] wednet [.] edu if you can evaluate.
Thank you for all you do on behalf of the students and their learning!

Jenny Wilson
Community Service Projects Teacher
Friday Harbor High School

The folks at the animal shelter are making life a bit easier for island folks during the busy holiday season by being on hand at Marketplace this Friday, December 20 from 3:00 to 6:00 selling dog licenses and dog license renewals for 2014.

Save yourself an extra trip and get your dog’s license renewed before the end of the year to avoid the late charge! The 2014 Animal Shelter Calendar will also be available at a greatly discounted price with the purchase of your dog licenses.

Just got this announcement from the SJI Ag Guild – they are hosting FREE cookies and cider at this Saturday’s Farmer’s Market at Brickworks. Don’t miss it!

Peace & season’s greetings from Government Street in downtown Victoria. Photo by Ian Byington.

This is part of a continuing series by Update reporter Ian Byington to explain the ways of Canadians to my brother & sister San Juan Islanders, so that you think it’s a good idea to get on the ferry, ride for an hour & ten minutes, and wahoo! you’re in a cool new place that’s all of eight miles from San Juan Island.

It was fun to see Dan Millman’s book at Dark Horse Books, with art by San Juan Island artist Taylor Bruce (I love her stuff!)…photo by Ian Byington

Here are some things you’ll like, and differences to watch for – reporting from Victoria:

• Drivers are more considerate than any place I’ve ever driven. If anyone is in a rear-end fender bender, it’s because they slowed up to let someone go ahead, in front of them. This is very easy to get used to….

• There are math things.

A kilometer is about .6 of a mile. All the signs are in kilometers for distance & speed, so just check your speedometer for the other numbers.

Meanwhile, it’s exciting for San Juan people to see the gas price – at $1.15 presently, that looks like a deal. Problem is, even compared to Friday Harbor pump prices, sharpen your pencil on this one: Vancouver Islanders actually come to Friday Harbor for cheaper gas. That’s because it’s $1.15 per liter (there are nearly four in a gallon – it’s about a quart), so it’s nearly $4.60/gallon here right now.

And yes, Canada is the largest oil supplier to the US. Just don’t keep enough for themselves.

Coffee should be measured metrically, but it’s not – you’ll see the usual ounces, with 12, 16 & 20 being the regular sizes. But not so with stuff in the produce department – fruit, veggies & meat are usually either offered in 100 gram (that’s a quarter pound) portions, or in pounds & ounces…far as I can figure, they use whatever sounds cheaper.

Canadians are bi-lingual & bi-metric, so this causes no fuss, particularly.

++++++++++

Canadian space hero & rock star Chris Hadfield came by the other day to sign his new book for over 1500 folks at a local bookstore, so we dropped by to wave at him. Woman next to me fainted – thought he was waving at her, but he was saying hey to me. I just know it. Photo by paparazzi photographer Ian Byington.

++++++++++

• It’s great to see folks from San Juan Island around the Inner Harbour, looking at the boats. It’s fun to watch the locals here say, “Wanna buy a boat f’ya’self?” to the sage reply, “Got one. ‘S enough. Cheers.”

• OK, you didn’t believe me when I told you Commander Hadfield was a rock star.

Here’s proof, singing with the Barenaked Ladies & The Wexford Gleeks.

++++++++++

In Victoria, we’ve gotten to know some of the coolest people in the streets – we’d seen his chalk sidewalk drawings for the past few years, and now have finally met Ian, the guy who creates such amazing work…photo by Ian Byington.

 ++++++++++

One of our favourite stores, with one our favourite attitudes. Photo by Ian Byington.

•  There are lots of things to do in Victoria, starting with shopping.

This time of year leads naturally up to the Greatest Shopping Day of the Year: Boxing Day, the day after Christmas. Much like Black Friday in the US – crowds, pushing & shoving, early lines, and ridiculous penalties for misconduct. Like hockey.

• Canada tried to have Black Friday this year, by the way. Forgot everybody’s at work that day. Sometimes imitation is the sincerest form of flattery; sometimes it’s just silly.

• The way things happen: Josie & I went into five places that were too crowded for breakfast on Saturday, and all five took the time to tell us 2-3 other places to go that we would like. Cheerfully.

That was cool.

• I hope you get a chance to come along from San Juan Island to Victoria & see it all decked out for the season…it’s bright & sweet & warm, even with the cold. Hurry – the WSF ferry to Sidney quits running for three months (early January to the first week of April), so this is your big chance.

And…walk on! Don’t drive! You can catch the city bus (be sure & get the express one) to Victoria (it’s 16 miles, or 1600 kilometers, or half the distance to the moon.) Only $2.50, and cheaper if you’re a senior. Or a kid.

+++++++

Looking at The Empress across the Legislature’s Lawn, during the Great Blizzard of 2013 two weeks ago. You almost certainly have more frost in your freezer. Photo at dusk by Update weather reporter Ian Byington.

 +++++++++

Travel correspondent Ian Byington’s special reports to the Update are posted whenever the prose is clear, the photos crisp, and the weather nice enough to go out & play in. He & Josie currently live in Victoria, BC after nearly two decades on San Juan Island. You can visit his new blog at The World According To Brother Ian.

Sandy Strehlou would like you to know about the “Writing Our History” project. Here’s a brief introduction from her and there’s a link at the bottom to the full press release…

The Writing our History project was launched last May. Recently we have had three articles published on HistoryLink.org, the on-line encyclopedia of Washington State History. We are working on eight more to be completed and published by the end of 2014.

The goal of the project is to bring writers and researchers from the San Juan islands together to document the largely untold stories of the San Juans. There are thirty-three writer/researchers involved with the project to date; they come from San Juan, Orcas, Lopez and Shaw islands. Several of the project’s volunteers live on the mainland.

Producing well written and well documented essays on local history is important. It will make our history available to new, as well as long-time island residents, young and old, – and the world at large – thanks to our partnership with HistoryLink.org. Working with History Link will help to ensure that the history being documented is accurate, and that access to these stories will never be diminished in the manner of books and newspapers articles long after printing.

Our history is worth telling. It intertwined with the settling of the American West and the future of this wonderful part of the world. The story of the San Juans is worthy of writing, sharing and preserving.

Check out the full Press Release at this link.

Meet Andrea Berlatsky of Altier Salon. She moved here 17 years ago from Los Angeles, California and has been doing hair on the island ever since. She has built a client base that has kept her very busy (and kept them very happy). She says “I love to build relationships with my clients and it has served me well as many of them have been with me from the start.”

She graduated from Charles Ross school of Hair Design in Beverly Hills California, and since then has studied at Vidal Sassoon and Toni&Guy academies in Los Angeles.

Click here to read more.

ThisIsOurTown.com is a glimpse of the people and businesses that shape the personality of Friday Harbor & San Juan Island. It is a project of Dustrude Photography.

Here’s a year’s end newsletter from K.O.P.L. and a beautiful Chris Teren photo of the group for you…

Patos Lighthouse, Patos Island – Chris Teren photo – Click for larger view

Hello All,

Here’s our year-end Keepers of the Patos Light newsletter. We’ve had a busy year and there are several new projects coming up in 2014.

Wishing you all a happy and contented New Year!

Linda and the Gang

Just got this note and photo in from Frank out at Community Treasures (formerly Consignment Treasures)…

Can you name that reindeer?

Amazing!  Even Santa’s reindeer love Community Treasures.  Community Treasures had 4 of Santa’s reindeer visit and entertain the customers for about 4 hours today.

The Ag Guild invites you to celebrate the season at Brickworks with homemade sugar cookies and mulled cider at the holiday farmers market Saturday, Dec. 21, 10am thru 1pm.

Enter Brickworks through the enchanted forest on the plaza, and join us inside to decorate your own cookie (frosting and sprinkles provided) and sip cider!

Amy Wynn posted the following in the Facebook group SJI Mamas & Papas and I thought it would be good to share with those of you who are not on Facebook. She agreed, so here it is… Thanks Amy!

Hello Mamas and Papas. It is time for my annual holiday pep talk.

Breathe. You do not need to do every event or go to every Santa sitting. Eat good food to balance out the treats, Snuggle and read to [your kids], listen to Christmas music, make stuff together, but keep it simple, whatever you got them will be enough if given in love and if you spend time with them enjoying the gift.

You can give kids a pair of rubber boots. Blah. Give them rubber boots and then go outside looking for mud puddles to jump in. Magic! It is ok to play with the boxes as much as the toys.

Your kids will grow up so fast, in the blink of an eye, trust me on this one. Take the time to listen to their fears – holidays can really throw kids for a loop and emotions can run high.

Be gentle with them, and yourselves. You are doing a great job if you can still laugh, speak softly, gather them in for a hug, and let go of the hallmark picture-perfect Christmas expectations of holidays and key in to what their little souls need… To know they are seen and loved and capable of being kind to others…

That and a good old fashioned romp at the park or the beach.

Bundle up! Merry Christmas!

Click for the full poster!

Got this nice & whimsical & somewhat tongue-in-cheek note from Spring Street Middle School Humanities teacher Kate Small, who cordially invites you & me to what promises to be a wonderful event. Here’s the scoop, according to Kate:

Please join Spring Street’s “gripping, nuanced and startlingly incisive” fifth, sixth and seventh graders in celebrating the North American publication of their book, So Much Between Us, on December 17th, at Friday Harbor Presbyterian Church, right after school, at 3:30 p.m.

The authors will read selections from the book, and they will be dressed up and freshly washed.

Admission is free.

An extremely limited first edition of So Much Between Us will be available for purchase at the event, for ten dollars, check or cash only. Small attractive authors will silver pens will provide autographs at no cost. If they ask you for money, please notify Head of School.

Excerpt from So Much Between Us, by Ronan Rankin, Grade 6:

I watch my grandma’s hand as she bends to pet their terrier named Rose, her hand caressing the lush coat, groomed and strained by fingers, and all the dust removed. Her hand tells of a long history of touching millions of textures and shapes, smooth and rough, and of all the round and square things that make our world. The puppy and her hair complete the story of the hands, of the newborn and of the deep-rooted.

When I think of my grandparents I see redwood, oaks, pines and firs. I see a pond filled with frogs and lilies, fed by a spring tumbling and singing its song back to the peaks of the mountains. I see a small dash of grass with an old fountain in the middle that used to make the water murmur and flow. I see a weeping willow dropping its long spindly branches and leaves. I often think of how my grandfather hands me an ivory chess piece. I see the loving care with which he handles it, and the great trust in me, in placing it in my palm.

Advance praise for the North American First Edition of So Much Between Us:

“Herman Melville meets Shel Silverstein, with a soupcon of Tupac — this tour do force is impossibly inventive and will leave you electrocuted.”

Mt. Vernon Times Magazine

“One is tempted to say of this sweeping, visionary tome, representing as it does the collective voice of a generation, that it brilliantly defies categorization at the same time that it continues in the proud tradition of last year’s book. One would have thought this impossible, but this one too is butt kickingly awesome.”

Bellingham Post Intelligencer

“Brimming with artisanal sentences, toothsome and chocolaty…”

New York Gazette Newsletter Courier