Ed Williams shows off the stack of thank-you notes he received from Ellensburg Middle School

Once a year for the past several years, Ellensburg Middle School has visited San Juan Island on their annual field trip. You have probably seen them – all over town with chaperones, out at the beach, at Whale Watch Park, Roche Harbor… you can’t miss ’em – kids with backpacks on, checking all the cool stuff out. Well, a tradition of theirs is to go to the San Juan Hot Shop and sample the hottest hot sauce available. Ed says it’s almost like a Rite of Passage – “These kids come into the shop to taste the hottest sauces we have… some of them end up red faced, some end up in tears, but they all have a great time, and they come back year after year”.

This week, Ed came back from the post office with a large envelope and was surprised to open it and find it full of thank you notes. All of the kids from the last field trip wrote notes saying how much they enjoyed the hot shop. “It almost put ME in tears” he said. “Very touching, and I wasn’t expecting that”. 

Go try some of Ed’s samples for yourself and see if you can hold back the tears…

Trail to English Camp, pastel by Leslie Cain, 39 x 48

Leslie Cain interprets the Northwest landscape in an exciting new way–using pastels on gessoed board.

This fresh approach, not requiring glass, allows the viewer to experience a new pastel technique that approximates an oil painting.

This clean, fresh method combined with striking imagery has earned Leslie Cain the reputation as a top pastel artist in the Northwest. The show’s new work is testament to her roots as a farm girl who loves the land.

From the land and waters of the San Juans to the fertile valleys of the Eastern Washington, Leslie’s pastels encompass the iconic Northwest landscapes we long to experience.

Artist talk with tour of the show, Saturday May 18 2:00 pm, Artist reception 4:00 – 7:00 pm. The show runs until June 3

Support & Celebrate John’s Recovery!  January of this year John had surgery to remove 2 aneurysms from his brain ~ during the surgery he suffered a stroke. Good news is he is expected to make a full recovery in time ~ so during this down time of healing we are celebrating with a Fun-Raiser to help aid in his recovery!

Saturday June 15th
5 pm-10 pm
1555 Bailer Hill Rd.
Friday Harbor, WA

$100 per plate

Pre-sale tickets are available now:
Roche Harbor Market 378-5562 ~ Debbie Sandwith 317-1665
Becky Nash: 472-1198
Nancy Vejvoda: 378-7272

Enjoy:
Salmon ~ Pig ~ Tri-Tip BBQ
Beer & Wine Garden

5-6pm Appetizers
6-7pm Dinner
7-10 pm Live Music by The Tease

Medical Account has been set up at:
Whidbey Island Bank
535 Market Street
Friday Harbor, WA 98250

Islands a Cappella Sopranos sing in Rosario Resort’s Music Room. Top row, from left: Pam Loew, Margie Doyle, Caroline Scott. Lower row, from left: Catherine Ellis, Ginger Lowell, Patty Johnson

Islands A Cappella presents a “Sentimental Journey” through a world of love songs May 17-19. From a hymn by Thomas Tallis to the sweet strains of “Till There Was You” from The Music Man, love in all its many guises will be sung and celebrated.

The singers begin their spring “tour” on San Juan Island, performing at Friday Harbor Presbyterian, 6 pm, Friday, May 17. Saturday evening’s concert is at Lopez Community Center for the Arts, 7 pm. Sunday evening, May 19, the concert begins at 6:30 pm in the Music Room of Rosario Resort’s Moran Mansion. A guest performance by the Orcas Boy Choir will be included in the Orcas Island concert.

The ensemble, founded 11 years ago by Dennis Bonner as Orcas A Cappella, now includes singers from San Juan, Orcas, and Lopez Islands. Angel Michaels, from San Juan, now directs.

In addition to the songs already mentioned, the program includes settings of texts by Emily Dickinson, Robert Burns, the Persian mystic, Rumi, and the Spanish poet, Pablo Neruda. On the lighter side, a pop tune by Billy Joel and the ever-popular classic, “Sentimental Journey” add an up-beat to the show. Taking a break from their usual “a cappella only” program, pianist Patty Johnson accompanies several of the songs.

Tickets are $10 at the door at all concerts. Also available at Darvill’s on Orcas Island. Please join Islands A Cappella for a spring evening of heart-filling and memorable music.

Left to right, Steve Ulvi, Cinda Pierce, Mark Pierce, Ron Prichard, Jan Sameshima, Jody Vogel, and Carol Wright were among the 12 volunteers working on the trail Saturday.

Members of the Trails Committee and the PeaceHealth staff got to work on Saturday, May 10, creating a new walking trail on the hospital property, under the guidance of trail builder Steve Ulvi. Work will continue on May 25 and several Saturdays in June, and anyone who would like to help should contact Cinda Pierce at cpiemna [@] rockisland.com. The gravel trail will go near the southern boundary of the hospital property, about 2400 feet in all, with two loops, and there will be benches at several locations.

Caring for Islanders: Our Medical History 1860-2012 by Annie Howell Adams

Visitors to Peace Island Medical Center in Friday Harbor expect to find a state-of-the-art place for healing.  They may not expect to find such a superb art collection housed within its walls and on its grounds.  To highlight this facet of PIMC, Peace Island Volunteers invite the community to come enjoy (and learn more about) the spectacular art on display at “Art in the Afternoon” – a special event to be held on Saturday, May 18, 2013 at 4:00pm.

Great Blue Heron by Barbara Duzan

Kicking off this celebration will be blessings of the extraordinary welcoming sun above the fireplace in the entry (the “Hawk Sun Mask”) by Kwagiulth artist Tom Hunt (Walawidi) at 4:15pm.  These blessings are gifts from the “Chief George Hunt Dance Group” (Tom is the son of Chief George Hunt).   At 5:00pm, there will be tours and conversations with many of the artists whose pieces are now a part of PIMC’s permanent collection.  A silent auction of art donated by a number of these artists will close at 5:45 pm. Proceeds from the silent auction will go toward the purchase of a self-use blood pressure kiosk to be installed at PIMC.

Admission for “Art in the Afternoon,” including wine and hors d’oeuvres, is $45 per person.  Because space is limited, those who wish to attend are asked to respond by May 10 by mailing a check to Peace Island Volunteers at P.O. Box 2101 in Friday Harbor.  Members of Peace Island Volunteers will have priority for admission; if you are not yet a member, you may join either in advance or at the door on May 18th, for just $25 in annual dues.  Membership forms and more information can be found at: www.peaceislandvolunteers.org.

Coastal Marsh, Carmel River by Ann Walbert

Peace Island Volunteers is hosting this event as part of its mission to support and promote healthcare services in San Juan County, especially at Peace Island Medical Center.  This support comes in many forms, including volunteer work at PIMC; holiday decorating; outdoor trail development on the property; providing magazines and children’s books, articles of clothing for accident or trauma patients, mammography capes, and knitted items for cancer patients; and more.  Membership is open to all.

It’s time once again for the 3rd Saturday ContraDance

3rd Saturday Grange ContraDance, Contra – 7:00 -9:00 pm at the SJI Grange Hall. Laura Mé Smith from Seattle calling with Up in the Air, a band from Bellingham (Robin Brown on fiddle, Eileen Stern on piano, Paul Englesberg on flute and concertina and Marcia Robey doing the percussion). No partners needed. All dances taught. No experience necessary. $10/person donation (students half price). Information: 378-3836.

Join us in a celebration of wildflowers for a trip to Yellow Island, on Sunday, May 19. Yellow Island, managed by the Nature Conservancy since 1979, is covered with more than fifty species of wildflowers. Many of these plants can be seen on other San Juan Islands; however, with Yellow Island’s open fescue meadows and the absence of resident grazing animals, there are more dense and diverse populations of these plants.  For detailed information about the island, see www.nature.org and search for “Yellow Island”.

The tour will depart Shipyard Cove on The Pintail at 10:00 am, and will return at approximately 3:00 pm.  To purchase tickets, please call the Historical Museum at 378-3949, or online at www.sjmuseum.org/events.  Will call tickets can be picked up at the dock on the day of the event.  Tickets are $20 per person, and will be limited by boat capacity.

For more information please call the museum at 378-3949 or visit www.sjmuseum.org/events

Proceeds for this trip will benefit the San Juan Historical Museum.

On Saturday, May 18, 2013, the University of Washington’s Friday Harbor Laboratories will hold its annual Open House.  This event offers a splendid opportunity to meet scientists and students at the Labs and check out the research and teaching facilities.  From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Labs will be open for self-guided tours.  Scientists and students will showcase their marine science research, answer questions and provide demonstrations.  There will be posters, marine plants and animals, microscopes, plankton sampling and observations, and activities for visitors of all ages.  Families are particularly encouraged to attend.

The public is invited to learn more about marine zoology, botany, fisheries, oceanography and the equipment used by scientists in these fields.  People can step aboard and tour our 58’ research vessel, the R/V Centennial, and check out its remotely operated vehicle (ROV), oceanographic tools, and sonar systems.  There will also be underwater SCUBA demonstrations from the FHL dock at 12:30, 1:30 and 2:30 pm.

There will be three scientific lectures presented in the FHL Lecture Hall.

• 1 pm- “Ocean Acidification at Friday Harbor Labs” – Dr. Jim Murray
• 2 pm- “Picture this! The changing face of intertidal systems”- Dr. Terrie Klinger
• 3 pm- “Ecology of the Rocky Subtidal Zone” – Dr. Ken Sebens

Sturdy shoes are recommended because the tour route includes rough dock planks, gravel paths and trails.

In keeping with FHL Open House tradition, there will be free popcorn.  Hot dogs and other snacks will also be available for purchase on the Dining Hall deck.

FHL’s website http://depts.washington.edu/fhl/ provides a detailed overview of FHL’s research, service and educational activities.

An evening of history presented by architectural historian Boyd Pratt

Join local historian Boyd Pratt for a talk about the people, disasters and building trends that shaped the look of Friday Harbor’s past and present. From territorial-era sawn-wood to decorative cast concrete, Friday Harbor’s architecture has mirrored regional building trends, influenced as much by innovation as by natural disaster.

Wednesday, May 15th — 7:00 pm, at the San Juan Island Library
1010 Guard Street, Friday Harbor
For more info call (360) 378-2810 or email sstrehlou [@] fridayharbor.org

Sponsored by the Town of Friday Harbor and the San Juan Island Library 

Meet Sadie – this week’s Pet of the Week

If you are looking for an affectionate, loyal companion, look no further!   Sweet little Sadie came to us recently from Bakersfield with two other small dogs.  She is energetic and loves to play but has a soft, snuggly side too.  She loves lap time and is a very good kisser.  She gets along well with both dogs and cats, but prefers to be top dog among her canine friends. She is fine with children, but would probably be best in a home with older kids or adults only. She is about a year old and appears to be a Chihuahua mix, weighing in at about twelve pounds. This trusting little girl would love to be your next lap dog! Stop by the shelter to meet her – 111 Shelter Drive.

The Barbed Crown
by William Dietrich

Pulitzer-prize winning writer William (Bill) Dietrich will be appearing with his latest Ethan Gage novel at Griffin Bay Bookstore on Friday evening, May 17, 7:00 pm. A prolific author with a long and distinguished career as both a journalist and novelist, he is a New York Times bestselling author with fifteen books to his credit, including historical thrillers that have been translated into thirty-one languages and prize-winning science and environmental works.

Fans of his historical fiction are surely delighted to see Ethan Gage back in action again in The Barbed Crown, the sixth novel in his internationally acclaimed series. Filled with the romanticism and glitter of the period, such as Napoleon’s coronation, which packed 20,000 people into Notre Dame and cost twenty million francs, The Barbed Crown is a splendid tale that sees Ethan once again embroiled in European history and the fate of the modern world. This is the first Ethan Gage novel to rest heavily in Europe, and the scenes of Napoleon’s court and the grandeur of the time will also appeal to fans. Continue Reading

The National Park Service has developed an experimental plan to exclude deer from habitat occupied by rare Island Marble butterflies at American Camp, according to Jerald Weaver, park Integrated Resources manager.

The park the week of May 13 will install six-foot electric fence around core habitats in three locations around South Beach to protect island marble host plants from deer browse (or nibbling deer).

The low voltage, battery-operated fencing gives of only a mild shock to dissuade animals.

“However, for safety’s sake, visitors should avoid touching the fence,” Weaver said. “As the name suggests, electric fencing carries electric current.”  All areas of electric fence will be boldly signed, he said.

“Deer browse (herbivory) is one of the leading causes of egg and larva mortality. By placing the electric fence in butterfly habitat, we hope to reduce this threat and ensure the continued existence of Island Marbles on the American Camp prairie,” Weaver said. “We plan to fence approximately five acres of prairie at three locations.” 

The electric fence will be placed in three areas: 1) Old Town Lagoon, 2) north of Alaska Packers Rock at the end of the Salmon Banks Road at South Beach and 3) south of the parking areas at South Beach.  If fencing proves effective, the park will expand its use to additional areas in 2014.

Contact: Jerald Weaver 360-378-2240, ext. 2224 or Lee Taylor 360-378-2240, ext. 2223

Island Rec is delighted to welcome back last year’s Camp Eagle Rock Director, Diana Feinson as their new ¾ time employee.  Diana will be responsible for the operations of Island Rec’s School Out Programs that include, Camp Eagle Rock, during the summer, Study Time and Afternoon Recreation, STAR, during the school year and School’ Out Camps happening during school vacations.

Diana has worked in residential and summer day camps since 2006, as both a counselor and program leader.  Since graduating with a degree in English from Boston University in 2008, she has spent the winter months as a children’s ski instructor in Vail, Colorado.  It was in 2010 that Diana discovered her passion for community recreation while working for the Vail Recreation District at both their day camp and after school programs.

The STAR program began in the fall of 2012 after the school discontinued ASK, its After School Kids program.  The need for an after school program is apparent with applications from  nearly 60 different children. “With the success of STAR it made sense on all levels to have one employee manage our year round schools out programs”, reported Island Rec Director, Sally Thomsen.  “I am looking forward to bringing consistent programming and staff to STAR, Camp Eagle Rock, and School’s Out Camps while providing year-round recreation opportunities for the youth of our community and their busy families” stated Feinson.  Winter, spring, summer or fall it will be Diana’s smiling face greeting these children every day.

When Diana is not working with local kids, you will find her out on her bike or hiking and running her favorite trails.

For more information about Island Rec go to www.islandrec.org , call 378-4953 or pay them a visit at 580 Guard Street, M-F 1-5pm.

Famed playwright Jean Claude Van Itallie’s poetic adaptation of traditional Tibetan passages used to aid and comfort at the time of death will keep islanders thinking long after the next On Book! Readers Theatre at San Juan Community Theatre.

Seven island actresses will present The Tibetan Book of the Dead or (How Not To Do it Again) in the Gubelman Theatre on Monday and Tuesday, May 13 and 14 at 7:30 p.m.  Envisioned as taking place within a human skull, the drama depicts the soul re-experiencing the life cycle as, momentarily, it floats free from the trials of earthly existence while striving to overcome the ambitions, wants, jealousies and fears that can obscure the crucial turning.

Directed by Gretchen Gubelman, the cast features Claire Glasgow, Rosa Blair, Yvonne Mancuso, Tori Zehner, Roberta Leed, Therese Finn, CenYing Miles and Maureen See.

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

Overturned school bus gives emergency responders good practice for their drill on Saturday morning at the Mullis Street Fire Station

The good news is, it was only a drill. The bad news is there were 19 people involved, 2 in the car, 17 on the bus, one fatality, 4 critically injured… but it’s really not bad news because it was just a drill. EMS was there, the fire department was there. Community volunteers and high school students… quite a big deal. If the photo above piqued your interest, click here for a slideshow of 186 more. See how they cut the bus open like a tin can and pull victims from the wreckage. Then see EMT’s and paramedics triage on the grass and tend to all the injuries. Good to know we have these great people here looking out for us.