Here are just a few photos from the Fair today. Click on any one to see it larger.

Elisa Howard at the OPALCO booth counts the light bulbs lit up by a young, energetic, stationary bike rider

In the Ag Tent, cooking up some delicious sliders, was Bill Messick of Coho Restaurant, and assisting him was Hannah Daly

Over at the SJI Prevention Coalition booth, a budding artist decorates her T-shirt

Kids playing like hamsters in the giant, water-ball things

Riding English Style in the horse arena

Flying Frisbee Dog at the Flying Frisbee Dogs Show

And finally, a couple who came all the way here from New Orleans, and even planned their trip to coincide with Fair, Frank and Pam Patrick, dine on some once-a-year delicious Fair cuisine

Stella & Lucy Tarte show off the ribbons they got a few years ago with their sheep Night & Day… photo by Cere Demuth.

For those of you who may not be aware, there is a County Fair going on, and it’s opening TODAY! At 10:00 AM! This event only happens for 4 days once a year, so don’t delay – NOW is the time to get over to the Fairgrounds and experience this popular island event.

You can check out the schedules for all these different departments:

• Main Stage
• 4H
• Horses
• Ag Tent
• Food Court Stage
• Green Village
• Master Gardeners
• Fiber Arts  Courtyard
• Nightly BBQ’s
• Everyday Events
• Arts & Crafts

… on the SJC Fair website at this link.

Or if you’re interested in Schedules, Maps, Facilities, Posters or other general information, it is easy to find from the SJC Fair Website Homepage.

The Master Gardener’s want you to know that they have a brand new area at the Fair this year. It’s at the main building, right outside the Flower Hall by the Main Gate. They will be having lots of free programs – check their schedule to make sure you don’t miss the one that’s right for you. You can view their schedule at this link. (PDF)

TetraBrazil brings the flair and passion of Brazilian soccer to Friday Harbor. TetraBrazil Soccer Camps provide players with the opportunity to experience first-hand the kind of soccer training that has made Brazil the most successful soccer nation in the world. The TetraBrazil system of coaching teaches Brazilian techniques, footwork and moves in a fun and challenging environment!

Each TetraBrazil camp will feature high quality soccer training from expert Brazilian Soccer Coaches. Each camper will receive a free TetraBrazil soccer ball and t-shirt. Ages 8-13, 9am – Noon, Ages 14-18, 1pm – 4pm. $148. August 19-23. Host families needed for coaches. For more information please e-mail [email protected]

Here’s Merri Ann Simonson with the San Juan Island Real Estate Market Summary for the first half of 2013:

Even though the dollar volume was discouraging we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Per the NWMLS we currently have 44 pending transactions that are in escrow for San Juan Island. Since July 1st, there has been slightly more than $14 million in volume plus future closings of the 44 pending transactions will go a long ways to catching up. The uncertainty will be whether the recovery is strong enough for our volume to surpass 2012.

Click here to see the entire report. (PDF)

The San Juan Island Community Foundation invites all Fairgoers to visit its Fair booth in the main hall this week to learn about eight critical community projects. This is far more than information sharing – it’s an opportunity for every dollar raised during the four days of the Fair to be matched 50% by the Community Foundation.

The eight community projects to be featured at this year’s Fair are:

• Friday Harbor Animal Protection Society’s medical support for shelter animals
• Women’s Fund membership drive – goal of 180 new members
• Friends of Lime Kiln Society’s volunteer training
• Islands Museum of Art’s K-12 art education program
• SJICF General Scholarship Fund benefitting local students seeking advanced education
• Hospice of San Juan volunteer training
• SJICF Career Training Fund benefitting islanders seeking new careers or job skills
• San Juan Agricultural Guild’s Brickworks project

Each gift will be matched at the rate of fifty cents on the dollar up to a preset cap per project. The booth will be set up to receive contributions by cash, check, or credit card. Non-profit representatives and Community Foundation staff and Board members will be on hand to answer your questions on each project.

BONUS !! On the last day of the Fair a drawing from all Fair donors will allow the winner to designate an additional $1,001 (the last four digits of the Foundation’s phone number) to be awarded to any of the eight featured projects.

The San Juan Island Community Foundation serves as a non-profit philanthropic umbrella organization helping donors, non-profits and public organizations to achieve their goals through direct grants, organizational assistance and philanthropic resource management. For further information about the Community Foundation, call 378-1001, write to PO Box 1352, Friday Harbor, WA 98250 or, visit the office located at 640 Mullis St., Suite 104, Friday Harbor, WA.

Here’s the schedule in Calendar form for the Agricultural Guild’s Tent presentations for this year’s Fair.

Go ahead – Click on the calendar to see it larger.

Meet Leo, this week’s Pet of the Week

Don’t let Leo’s breed fool you! Yes, he’s a Pitt Bull Terrier, but he is quite a gentleman. Leo is very personable and friendly, and gets along well with other dogs, when proper introductions have been made. He has lived in a home with cats, horses and other dogs but we aren’t sure how he is with children. He is not quite 2 years old and would certainly benefit from some formal dog training, as he likes to pull on his leash a bit during walks, and could stand to learn some “doggy etiquette”. If you are dog-knowledgable and willing to help this sweet boy become a part of your family, please stop by the shelter soon to meet him – 111 Shelter Road. (360) 378-2158.

Gallery 9 is pleased to announce the opening of “Textured Collage Paintings”, a show by San Juan Island artist Barbara Dollahite. Barbara starts with rice paper collage for texture and adds paint to color landscapes and flowers in soft muted tones of the islands.

Please join us for her opening reception this Saturday, Aug. 17, from 4:00 – 7:00 pm at pm at Gallery 9 (60 First Street) on your way to or from the FAIR!

The Fair is right around the corner – photo by Rebecca Leff, last year.

The Fair starts on Wednesday….you ready?

Ready for the rides! Photo by Bob Stavers, last year.

Here are some things to check off your list:

• Have you signed up for the 8.8K (that’s 5.5 miles!) Loop Run for Saturday? Here’s the scoop with Island Rec – sign up today!

++++++++

• The Trashion Fashion Show is Wednesday night at 8pm….when you signed up (the deadline was last Friday), they reminded you the walk-through was on Tuesday at 6pm. This is me reminding you! Here’s the rules.

+++++++

• Last week on the eighth (Thursday) was National Zucchini Day. If that didn’t fire you up to get ready for the Zuke Races, nothing will….

++++++++

• Kevin McCullough tells me the PTA needs more volunteers in the PTA Pie Booth. you know, and I know, that you can live for 20 years on the island before you can be called an islander, but it doesn’t count till you do at least one shift, one year in the pie booth. Just sayin’….

++++++++++++

• Remember last year you could give money to the Community Foundation & it would match the donations? Worked great – here’s the story.

They’re doing that again this year – I know because the Friends of Lime Kiln (FOLKS) told me (they’re one of the cool beneficiaries!) Stop by & give a hand!

+++++++++++

• Did you hear? The Fair reports:

The San Juan County Fair is pleased to announce that through a generous donation we are able to offer Youth Exhibitors free entrance into the 2013 County Fair. The Youth Exhibitor fee (ages 5-16), which is normally $5.00 for entrance all four days, will be waived this year.

++++++++++

• Besides the Food Court, here’s the food lineup at the Barbecue Pit:

Join us for one of our nightly BBQ’s:
Wednesday – Paideia Classical School will be serving Paella
Thursday – Dollars for Scholars will be serving BBQ Ribs
Friday – Lions Club will be serving Salmon
Saturday- Purple and Gold will be serving a steak dinner

+++++++++

Dizzy yet? Photo by Kevin Holmes.

As you may have read last week, there was a parking lot sale at the Mullis Center this past Saturday. They had a good turnout, with many people selling their second hand items and a lot of people there finding good deals on stuff.

The proceeds help the Center keep going – thanks for helping!

It’s a common sight – folks feeding the ducks & geese & occasionally gulls at Beacon Hill Park, in the middle of Victoria.

It’s so close, isn’t it –  as the crow flies, it’s only 10-11 miles from Friday Harbor to Victoria, and almost as easy, taking the ferry. When you get on the 9:45am ferry from here, you’re in Sidney, BC less than a hour & half later. From there it’s an easy bus ride or car (if you take it) ride to Victoria, a city of over 400,000 folks.

And there are a lot of things to like – let’s look around.

++++++++++++

That’s Caroline from the Good Lovelies, playing in Victoria last week….

Last spring, one of the highlights of the year was the appearance at the San Juan Community Theatre of Canada’s Juno-award-winning folk group, The Good Lovelies. When I visited with them after the show, the most common question I hear folks ask them was, “When are you coming back?”

The Lovelies have a new album out, and are on a Canadian tour that brought them to Victoria last week for a sold-out show that left people smiling & laughing…you can check out their site & hear their tight three-part harmonies on their site and on YouTube….Sue, Caroline & Kerri do an awesome job!

++++++++++

It’s always good to see friends from San Juan on the ferry on the way to Victoria – last month we ran into Ian & Laura Bolton (left) then watched Shelly & Clark Gilbert shoot selfies on the way to a day on Vancouver Island.

The gulls get excited when the fishing boats come back to the Inner Harbour, and the crew cleans the catch….

It was a month ago (on July first), but Canada Day in Victoria is a great thing for you to put on the calendar for next year, with tens of thousands of red-clad revelers in the street, music on the legislature’s lawn, and fireworks to end the day.

How cool is that? Josie & ran into island bead artist Darleen Nixon coming back from a trip to Vancouver Island with her college buddies Debbie (left) and Lolly (right) – they all got together for a little college reunion, as they all went to Texas Christian University….

+++++++++

How cool is that? We caught up with Wendy & Carl on the way to camping on Vancouver Island…..

There was a little Canadian kid, maybe six or seven years old, on the ferry to Friday Harbor yesterday…I was watching him studying a guy who was stretched out & napping on the boat, who then reported to his mom: “They get to sleep on their ferries. Why can’t we?”

I liked it when the ferry folks made an announcement that we were landing in Friday Harbor, and he said, “Hey, Mom! Who’s Freddy Harper?”

+++++++

One of the things you’ll want to do is take your evening walk down by the Inner Harbour & watch the sun go down, and the colours of the day soften…beautiful way to bring the day to a close…

++++++

Kinda like Canada Day, BC Day (which was a three day weekend, last week) includes lots of music downtown, including the Victoria Symphony playing on a barge (yellow arrow) in the harbour for people on the Empress’ lawn & the grass in front of Parliament…the fireworks at the end shook our windows, a mile away from the water.

++++++

My six month study of this is complete: research shows it to be true.

++++++++

“The Taming of the Shrew” plays tonight & finishes its run next weekend.

It’s always fun to see people smiling at the end of a show as they’re walking out, and there was a lot to smile about with this summer’s production of Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew” by Island Stage Left.

The story is set in Italy in the first place, but director Helen Machin-Smith kicks it forward to 1955, with more up-to-date lutes & dress & James Dean hair & glasses. The setting complements the story, adding a romantic air (Jonathan Shue’s song in the middle of the show gets people dancing – nice touch) with a splash of modern stylishness…and it works.

The cast takes it from there, creating distinct people who work hard to get what they want: Petruchio (David Foubert) is looking for a wealthy bride, and is okay with looking past occasional (well, frequent) shrewishness; Bianca (Kimberly Wood) & Lucentio (Jonathan Shue) wend their way through deceit & swapped identities to find love, together; father Baptista (Daniel Mayes) gets himself the two sons-in-law that he was seeking; and Katherine (Kathyrn Metzger) discovers ….well, just wait till the end. She’ll tell you.

One of the challenges of this script is to make Petruchio somehow sympathetic, beginning with his big, brash entrance – David does a good job presenting himself to his future father-in-law with a nice mix of bold earnestness & humor, and shows he’s Kate’s match as he first meets her & quickly, head-spinningly marries her right away.

It’s fun to watch David appear to soften as he turns away from his clashes with Katherine to address the audience, with a resolute grin as he outlines how he hopes to tame the shrewish part of her:

This is a way to kill a wife with kindness,
And thus I’ll curb her mad and headstrong humor.
He that knows better how to tame a shrew,
Now let him speak; ’tis charity to show.

Similarly, Kathryn’s Kate undergoes an evolution from bad-tempered (even her dad is betting against her) to someone you can imagine wanting around. David & Kathryn create a compelling, entertaining dance between their characters, and it’s great theater. It was fun (from where I sat) to hear people laughing through the whole show, except for the parts where they were just chuckling.

The rest of the cast is strong, with Helen’s pacing keeping the show energetic & well-paced, without sacrificing clarity. The subplot with three suitors after Kate’s younger sister Bianca keeps surfacing, as everyone involved pretends they are something they are not (in marked contrast to Petruchio & Katherine, who are straightforward & direct, what-you-see is what-you-get folks).

Each of the “minor” characters plays a major role in holding the story together.

Of special note: ISL regular Alan Geddes’s Grumio is a perfect foil for his master Petruchio, both as the butt & object of his master’s anger and as the person who explains his master to the world; his reactions to the craziness around him are spot on, in one of Alan’s strongest performances to date. Dan’s Baptista is a super mix of respectful elder, slightly dotty parent, and determined dad – he might be a little confused, but he knows what he wants.

Kimberly’s Bianca is delightful, so you can see why the guys like her, and bratty enough for us to see that it’s a two-way street with her sister Kate. I liked the way servants Graham Crawbuck (Biondello) & Jason Marr (Tranio) cheerfully create the confusion that unravels at the end – they are totally likable characters, in a totally likable show.

The play runs tonight at 8 at the Wold Road stage, then next weekend on Friday-Sunday, at 8pm for its last weekend.

This is one you don’t want to miss. I’m going again tonight, and I hope to see you there!

Bob Stavers saw this beautiful scene from the ferry yesterday and he shares it with you. Thanks Bob!

Sailboats in San Juan Channel participating in the annual Shaw Island Classic. Click to see it larger – Bob Stavers photo

Come enjoy the fair and volunteer at the Fine Arts Exhibit – we are looking for Art Lovers and Artists to host our exhibit for 2 hour blocks of time. Wednesday August 14th – Saturday August 17th, 10:00 am – 9:00 pm each day.  It’s an easy and fun thing to do.

If you would like to participate, please contact Patricia Bolding, cell phone (208) 578-1541 or e-mail Organizeitsv [@] me [.] com to sign up.

OPALCO Energy Services Specialist Elisa Howard presents a check for $10,000 to Teresa Chocano and Tina Whitman of the Orcas Montessori School

The Orcas Montessori School is creating a hands-on opportunity for renewable energy education in their classroom and for the benefit of the community. This summer, parent and community volunteers are re-roofing the school on North Beach Road and preparing to install a 9kW photovoltaic system that will generate much of the electricity needed to power the school, interconnected to OPALCO’s electrical grid for storage and back-up power.

The system is being funded by a $50,000 grant from Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) that requires a $15,000 cash match. OPALCO has stepped up with a grant for $10,000 and the Orcas Montessori School is fundraising to bring another $10,000 to the project to complete the match and fund other much needed energy efficiency upgrades.

Montessori parent and board member Tina Whitman is leading the effort. “We see this as an excellent opportunity to educate our children and greatly improve the efficiency of our school, as well as provide specific teacher training in renewable energy for all of our island teachers,” said Whitman. “This will be a community demonstration project: our energy production will be shared online and our school curriculum will be enhanced with educational tools that BPA brings to the table. We greatly appreciate the support of OPALCO, Community Energy Challenge and private donors who have helped us make our solar energy and education project possible.” Continue Reading