Every so often, you gotta dance before you go to work, maybe just a little. This is an easy one for that….

A fresh coat makes the place where Mi Casita was in business for 16 years shine in the autumn sun….

Let’s take a look around the island…

• Sarah Crosby asked me to let you know about this, today:

The League of Women Voters of the San Juans will hold its monthly membership meeting on Monday, September 17th at the San Juan Island Library Conference Room at 1010 Guard Street from 12:00n until 2:00pm.  The meeting will be devoted to the proposed changes to the County Charter which are on the November ballot.  Speaking against the changes will be Don Pollard, and speaking for the changes will be Ron Zee and Gordy Peterson.  Members of the public are welcome to attend and to ask questions of the speakers.

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• Whales around the island….have you seen Monika’s blog this morning?

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FHHS’ Emily Guard splits the defense Saturday as the Wolverines rolled to their third straight win, beating Evergreen Lutheran 1-0 on a beautiful sunny day.

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Eric & Laura

• You know Laura & Eric Concord have taken over running the Wharfside B&B, down in the marina, right? It’s the island’s only floating bed & breakfast….

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• Steve & JoAnn from the SJUU Fellowship asked if I’d let you know more about the meetings – you bet! The meetings are uplifting & informative (I like going, when I can)…here’s what’s on tap for the fall:

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship will begin the 2012-2013 year on Sept 16th.  The Fellowship is guided, in part, by principles of the inherent worth of all people: justice, equity and compassion in human relations.  We encourage spiritual growth from the wisdom of all the world’s religions, humanistic teachings as well as teachings of earth centered traditions.

Please join us at the Mullis Senior Center at 10am followed by social hour on the second, third and forth Sunday of each month.

This Fall we will present the following programs:

Sept 16th What it means to be a Unitarian Universalist? (Rev. Kurt Schwalbe)

Sept 23rd What am I Doing with my Wild and Precious Life as a Unitarian? (Steve and Joann Ashlock)

Sept 30th My Personal Journey to Spirituality (Rev. John Lindsay)

Oct 14th  Exploration of Mormonism (Rev. Kurt Schwalbe)

Oct 21st  Bible and Gay Marriage (Rev. John Lindsay)

Oct 28th  Gay Rights (Mary WillAllen)

Nov 11th  Celtic Spirituality (Kathryn Lindsay)

Nov 18th  Thanksgiving/Potluck followed by the SJUU Annual Meeting (Rev. Kurt Schwalbe)

Dec 9th   TBA

Dec 16th  Christmas (Rev. Kurt Schwalbe)

Dec 30th  “All Things must pass, my Sweet Lord” (Steve Ryan)

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This is both sad & thoughtful, and beautiful…you’ll remember…

Here’s the progress report from the airport about how the construction is going:

Unloading gravel at the barge landing….

Friday Harbor Airport’s taxiway reconstruction is nearly complete.  The work is expected to finish up near the end of September.  The north half of the taxiway opened recently, and work is underway on removing old asphalt and rebuilding and paving the south section.

This project includes improvements to the storm water system, including restoration of the retention pond near the Mullis Street Fire Station.  The Port is taking advantage of reconstruction to install energy saving LED taxiway lights in a move to save money over the coming years.

Trimaxx Construction of Sedro Wooley is the prime contractor on the job, but many local contractors have been involved as well.  More than twenty local dump trucks hauled gravel from the barge landing near Jackson Beach to the plant where the asphalt is being mixed.  Some of the rock and topsoil being placed on the airport came from local sources.  Port Director Marilyn O’Connor said “It’s great to see our local businesses benefit from a big project like this.  The contractor has worked hard to use island companies wherever possible.”

The Port of Friday Harbor obtained a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration to pay for 90% of the $3.4 million cost of this project.  About $90,700 came from Washington State Department of Transportation, and about $250,000 from the Port.

FHHS busted out of the chute Friday night, ready to rumble….

Friday Harbor put up the points in each quarter as they rolled over the Orcas Vikings 41-0 last night. The Wolverines (2-0) looked strong on offense & confident on defense after last week’s win over Lynden Christian, as they moved up & down the field in front of an overflow Island Cup crowd.

It’s time for the US to get on board…for our safety, and for our kids….

Have you wondered what all the fuss about GMO (genetically modified organisms) is? Doesn’t it get your interest that much of the developed world is on the other side of the discussion from where our coutry is?

It’s a really amazing thing that we get internationally known and well respected authors and speakers to visit the island on their tours, and this is one of them….Elaine Kendell  has more:

Jeffrey Smith

Jeffery Smith is coming to the San Juan Islands and will speak at Skagit Valley College, September 17th at 7pm. Smith, who is the author of Seeds of Deception and Genetic Roulette, will present the health risks of GMOs.

Smith travels the U.S. speaking on GMOs, including in the company of Canadian canola farmer Percy Schmeiser, who challenged Monsanto over the contamination of his crops with Round-Up Ready canola. Jeffrey Smith is founder of the Institute for Responsible Technology.

Join Jeffrey Smith to learn more about the issues surrounding GMOs.  Whether you are for or against a GMO-Free San Juan Islands, this is an opportunity for public discussion. All are welcome.

A thought for the morning….

Let’s see what we have happening around us, good friends…

• The girls’ soccer team has had a good week, beating Orcas 5-0 earlier in the week and Concrete 12-2 last night…meanwhile, FHHS hosts Orcas tonight in football – see you there!

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Emma

• It was fun to see Emma Foster‘s name in the article that Reuters published about the delay in menopause in killer whales earlier this week; there was a similar article spotlighting her observations in Discover magazine (with tons more detail) as well.

Emma’s a familiar face around here, doing research with the good folks at The Center for Whale Research; she’s a PhD candidate at the University of Exeter in the UK, presently.

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• What was it like when the last huge earthquake hit, here in the islands, in 1700? The folks at PNSN (the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network) have assembled Ruth Ludwin’s papers and research about First Nations’ response at the time…click here for more.

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Gary Smith

• It was sad yesterday to hear that Gary Smith passed away after contracting lung cancer…he was a familiar figure around the island & around town…Janet Thomas passed along her thoughts:

To my island friends: We lost our friend, Gary Smith, this afternoon at 4:10, from a long bout with lung cancer.

He kept my cars going for 20 years, fixed my electrical & plumbing mishaps, helped me move too many times, and was an all-round go-to guy.

Once, when I was ridiculously hysterical about my car, he said, “Janet, calm down. I have your back.” And he did. I will miss him.

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Saturday night!

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• Rob Simpson has been pulling together movies & speakers about the subjects that folks (and especially the media) seem to want to dodge…and next Monday’s is pretty important. Here’s the scoop, with an invitation to keep your mind open to find out more:

Another SKYPE interview at Monday’s Conscientious Projector
7:00 PM September 17.  Friday Harbor Library
There is a beautiful stone fireplace at the majestic old Yellowstone Lodge in Wyoming. All winter long they have a lovely large fire where an iron grate is immersed in hot coals from above and below 24/7.  How often does the iron grate turn to molten steel?   Never.  At about 1500-2000F the fire isn’t hot enough.

One fateful day in New York City, a 47-story skyscraper collapses in about 6 seconds, ..flat as a pancake almost as fast as a dropped bowling ball. The official cause we are told were several office fires (paper, rugs, & chairs).  We are told that these fires melted huge steel beams.

An office fire burns at about 1400F.  Yet molten steel was found beneath the building.  Its temperature was over 2700F.   Where’d all that heat come from?

The 47-story sky scraper that fell was World Trade Center #7.  It was the THIRD building to collapse on 9/11.  It was not hit by an airplane. Pictures taken just before the collapse show some earlier fires had mostly gone out.

Like the media, the 9/11 Commission ignored WTC #7….until publicly pressured to conduct a subsequent investigation.  That $20 million investigation released in 2008 was easily discredited by a high school physics teacher who publicly challenged some of their conclusions.  They had to revise and re-issue their report.

But, wait?  There’s more???  Steven Stills once wrote a song that starts:

”There’s something happening here
What it is ain’t exactly clear….”

On Sept. 17, at our public library THE CONSCIENTIOUS PROJECT presents ten years of scientific research.  It was conducted by the world’s top architects and engineers (including military) into the only day of instantaneous collapse of any skyscraper in history.

After the film, there will be a live Skype interview with one of the investigative engineers to answer any and all questions we can come up with.

No “conspiracy theories” will be discussed.   This will be a night to consider only scientific evidence.   Bring only your curiosity, your doubts, your patriotic thirst for truth…and your questions.

This brush fire off Hunt Street earlier this week was controlled by our fire guys…be careful this weekend around the island – it’s pretty dry on the island! Photo by Jane Buck (thanks, Jane!)

You already knew it’s dry here on the island, so take it easy & be safe. San Juan County Fire Marshall Steve Marler tells me burn permits won’t be available like usual…here’s the scoop:

AVAILABILITY OF BURN PERMITS DELAYED DUE TO HIGH FIRE DANGER

Due to unusually dry weather, San Juan County continues to experience a high level of fire danger.  The open burning season usually begins on October 1 of each year.  That’s normally when residential and commercial burn permits are made available.  This year, because the risk of fire remains very high, the start of the open burning season will be delayed until the fire danger is reduced to a more manageable level.

Until enough rain falls to significantly reduce the fire danger, burn permits will remain unavailable in San Juan County.  This is expected to be the case through at least most of October.

Updates will be issued as conditions change.

Kevin Ranker

The San Juan County Democrats have invited State Senator Kevin Ranker to drop by Democracy Corner (the Dems’ hq, just up from Marilyn’s Garden Café, on Second Street, kinda behind the drug store….he’ll be there at 4pm for anyone to drop by with questions & to check in. See you there!

Martin & Jovino

Chamber Music San Juans heads in a different direction this weekend….I’ve seen & heard Martin before & he’s a heckuva performer…here’s more from Jan Bollwinkel-Smith:

For the Soul:  Bossa Nova Meets Classical on September 15

Chamber Music San Juans’ 25^th anniversary season takes a turn into the soul, as two internationally-acclaimed musicians navigate between contemporary classical works and bossa nova masters.

For the Soul brings together bassoon virtuoso Martin Kuuskmann and master pianist, composer and arranger Jovino Santos Neto at San Juan Community Theatre on Saturday, September 15 at 7:30 p.m.  The two will present music from Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, as well as from bossa nova masters Antonio Carlos Jobim, Hermeto Pascoal and Jovino Santos Neto himself.  “There will also be a fair amount of improvisation,” said Kuuskmann.  “This will be for the souls of everyone between 10 and 110 years old!”

Born in Estonia, Kuuskmann has performed throughout the world, earning a reputation as one of the leading instrumentalists around.  The New York Times has praised Kuuskmann’s playing as “dynamic…amazing…gripping.”  In 2007, he received a Grammy nomination for his recording of Chesky’s bassoon concerto.

Jovino Santos Neto is a three-time Latin Grammy nominee who was recently inducted into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame.  Born in Rio de Janeiro, Neto is currently a Seattle resident, leads the award-winning Brazilian jazz group, Quinteto, and teaches piano and composition at Cornish College of the Arts.

The Business Partner for this performance is Coho Restaurant.  Tickets are $26 for adults and $13 for student reserved.  $5 Student RUSH will be available at the door.  A private donor has made provision for free tickets to anyone needing financial assistance to attend a Theatre event.

The SJCT Box Office is open Tuesdays-Fridays, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Saturdays 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and one hour before any performance.  Call 360-378-3210, or surf to www.sjctheatre.org.

Last year’s parade….photo by Anne Sheridan

Here’s the word from Sandy Strelou:

Tractors, Old Farm Trucks and Horses, Oh My!

The Fall Farm Parade has it all!  If this funky, homegrown production of island produce and producers doesn’t turn your head, we don’t know what will!”

This year’s event takes place on Saturday, October 6 at 2:30pm.

Grand Marshall of the parade is Al Sundstrom. This year’s parade is in memory of Lynette Guard who passed away last spring. The Sundstroms and Guards are long-time island farm families.

The parade will begin at the Fairgrounds, travel down Argyle, turn right on Spring Street, First Street and again on Nichols.

There will be a street party at the Brickworks afterwards with a chili cook-off by local chefs, music, local history and more. Sunshine Alley will be closed to traffic and parking during the event.

The San Juan Islands Agricultural Guild is sponsoring the parade and after-party as part of the Great Island Grown Festival October 1-31, 2012. Festival events are taking place on San Juan, Orcas and Lopez islands.

The public is invited to participate.

Anyone wishing to enter a vehicle or walking contingent in the parade is encouraged to sign up now. Tractors, farm trucks, local farms, farm and local food vendors, farm animals, horses, backyard chickens, children dressed as their favorite veggies and other farm-related participant themes are encouraged.

For information about the parade and party on October 6th contact: Candace Jagel (candace_jagel (at) wsu.edu)

For information about the Great Island Grown Festival, click here.

Another wonderful photo by Chris Teren – he reports: “Mt. Baker light by a nearly full moon, with star-trails and the glow of Tuesday night’s Northern Lights in the sky and reflecting on San Juan Channel. This photo was taken at approx. 12:35am and was a 15 minute exposure!” (Click for a larger pic….)

Let’s see what’s up:

• Sports update: The Wolverines won 21-14 in football while the soccer girls lost 5-1 to bigger-school Lynden this weekend….

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Check it out!

• Hey – have you seen the super job Val Curtis is doing with Bonbon Break, her online mag? It’s evolving into a really good read – check it here.

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• Here’s an update on Richard Bach’s condition (from his son) as he continues his recovery in Seattle.

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• Sure was nice to run into Rhiana Franklin & her mom & dad (Suzanne & Ken) as she headed out for the University this weekend…in Nashville. I was coming home from Chattanooga where Josie & I got to spend ten days with my parents, while Rhiana’s been recording & performing in Nashville, where we all ran into each other at the airport on the way home.

So proud of her – she’s doing great things!

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Nancy

• There’s a compassionate communication class coming up at XYZ Movement Studio later this month, but the time to sign up is now! Here’s the word from Nancy Soan, who is offering the class:

I’m teaching a five week class in Compassionate Communication and Empathic Listening starting Sept 29-Oct 27, to be held Saturdays from 1:00-3:30 pm.

The course is a study of Marshall B. Rosenberg’s NVC, wherein one learns practical tools to connect constructively and compassionately with one another with skill, confidence, respect and understanding.  Perhaps the most important part of this class is how one learns to connect with themselves compassionately; we cannot give to others what we do not have to give.  This class is good for individuals, couples, parents, organizations and anyone interested in learning practical tools that lead to win/win situations and mutual empowerment.  I will extend the discounted amount of $189 to September 15.

Thank you,
Nancy Soans
www.constructivecompassion.com
800 765-7608 x802

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The U11 girls won 2-1 this weekend…

• I checked with Travis & the soccer association to see how last weekend & the season are shaping up for island soccer – here’s his report (by the way, “U15” means “under 15 years old….):

Hi Ian;

We have about 265 kids registered for soccer this fall.  I wanted to share this picture of the U11 Girls team after their 2-1 victory in Stanwood on a balmy Saturday.  The popsicles were well deserved!  This is the first year we’ve fielded an all-girls team at this age and hope to be able to continue it.  On-island, we have U6, U8, and U10 coed teams.  Starting at U11, we form teams by gender, and these teams have a few games at home, and most on the mainland.  Starting around U15 or so, all of the games are on the mainland.  In fact, the ‘home’ field for the oldest teams is in Burlington!

Best regards,

Travis Ayers, President
San Juan Soccer

Susan D’Agostino

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• It’s great to hear that Susan D’Agostino is coming to town….I’ve done a couple of sessions with her with a process called The Journey, and it’s a wonderful healing modality.

She’ll offer a free presentation on Thursday night at 7pm at Lavendera Massage Center & will have appointments available on Friday there. Read more about her here; call Lavendera at 378-3637 to get your spot.

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• It’s been a good time: Jen & Dan DeShon celebrate their 15th anniversary this week – congrats, you guys!

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Barbara & Gus

Wednesday, Sept. 12  11:00-2:00  Skagit Valley College, Friday Harbor

Lunch will follow an informal service of joy and thanksgiving in acknowledgement of all Barbara Fry meant to each of us. Her family would love anyone who would like to share stories, humourous or touching, of how you met her, what impact she had in your life, or what you will miss most about her.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent in her name to the San Juan Historical Society, Friends of the San Juan Library, or the Animal Protection Society of Friday Harbor.

Island Arts League has two art classes coming up!

Learn to felt wool into a silk scarf for a beautiful, wearable textile art with Patti Barker at “Nuno Felt a Scarf”. Click on the attached class flyer for details. Class begins Sept 15. Get started on those Christmas gifts!

Enjoy learning special techniques at Caroline Buchanan’s “Watercolors” class. Click on the attached flyer for class dates, time and cost. Class begins Tuesday, Sept. 11.

Island Arts League promotes and provides art education on San Juan Island. Annual membership is $35 annually. Email IslandArtsLeague (at) gmail.com for more information.

This week!

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