Harold Taw is an accomplished attorney, screenwriter, and, most importantly for us, author! He and his new book, Adventures of the Karaoke King, will be at the Griffin Bay Bookstore at 7pm on Saturday the 30th. Want to find out more about the book? Here’s the scoop from Nancy Larsen:

Harold Taw

Adventures of the Karaoke King is about the lives of transplanted people from around the globe who keep falling just short of their dreams. In Harold Taw’s entertaining, sometimes bawdy, and often moving novel, readers are quickly pulled into the vortex of the extremes of human emotions: passion, fear, hope, despair, and the longing for redemption and clarity.

Guy Watanabe is a thirty-something man who is marginally in touch with his Asian heritage and completely out of touch with his own needs and desires.

Recovering from a divorce, Watanabe is unsure of himself and his future. When he wins a local karaoke contest, he discovers not only a newfound confidence, but also the courage to take risks. With the victor’s medallion in hand, he seizes the moment—his life changes dramatically, albeit not as he might have hoped.

The presentation is Monday night!

Thus begins a wild ride for the karaoke king: a weekend romp with Megumi, a former hooker, a beating, and the loss of his beloved medallion. Stung by this humiliation, he musters courage long dormant, and his quest begins. From the western states and on to Asia, then a return trip home in a shipping container, readers follow his encounters with other global drifters, all desperate to attain their dreams, all seeking the light.

Will a Korean barmaid be his downfall or his redemption? Will Billy, a closeted gay man, or Milt, a heavily armed dwarf, help Guy on his journey? And what about the patricidal Chinese businessman who will stop at nothing to create a global karaoke empire? At the heart of this story is Guy Watanabe’s quest for truth, hope, and self-discovery.

I usually think of ferry rides as a vortex of time between one reality and another. But who says there can’t be music in limbo? The Island Chordsmen Plus are having their free annual barbershop ferry sing for your listening pleasure. Here’s more from long time member (and my dear ol’ Dad) Don Leff:

Angel Michaels leads the Chordsmen in song just off of Shaw Island in the ferry sing last year…

The Island Chordsmen Plus, along with a ferryload of islanders and visitors, will sing their way from Friday Harbor to all the islands, and then sing their way back to Friday Harbor. They’ll all be on the 5:40pm inter-island ferry and return to Friday Harbor at 8:25pm on Thursday, June 28th.  

Audience participation is welcome but not required, as director Angel Michaels will have the group perform widely recognized tunes for those who want to sing along with the melody and some less familiar treats to showcase the voices of the group members.

A captivated audience from last year shows that barbershop singing can appeal to all ages…

“The most fun is when other riders stand with us and sing,” says fellow tenor Roz Casad. “That’s the reason we do it, to enjoy ourselves and share the harmony with other people.”

“The whole thing is very low stress,” says Don Leff. “We sit aboard the ferry, bring our own picnic dinner to eat, and enjoy the great view.”

Unscripted, and somewhat unrehearsed, this harmonious San Juan Islands moveable musical fest guarantees an evening of enjoyment, fun, and relaxation on the water.

It was a sunny day on Wednesday at the lighthouse….

Let’s take a quick look…

• This weekend, the Jesus Chords are playing in town, and are asking for a hand….good music AND you can help out – Juniper sent this over, from them:

On the night of May 7 our practice space in Seattle burned to the ground, taking with it $7000 worth of gear, including amps, PA, and Erik’s drumset of 22 years. Please join us this weekend as we try to recoup some of our losses. Friday: The FH Grange. Family fun, guest musicians. Potluck. 6:30-11:30. $10, kids free. Saturday: Herbs Tavern. No cover. Wild dancing and debauchery. 10-2. Please spread the word. Hopefully this weekend will get us close to getting Erik a new kit, which is our first priority. Many hands make light work, right? Btw, we love you. Xoxo

+++++++

It’s nearly 300 years old & it’s over 90% dead, so it’s been slated to be cut down this week…

• Island kids have played for centuries in the bigleaf maple next to the barracks at English Camp, but it’s dead now & needs to come down. The picture above was shot earlier this week….here’s more from Mike Vouri, including a picture of the kids in the Crook family playing in the tree.++++

+++

Cynthia’s got a new place at Lime Kiln State Park – drop by!

• Right behind the interpretive center at Lime Kiln State Park there’s a new place to eat – here’s what Cynthia Burke tells me she has going (I went out to check it out this week – looks good!) Here’s more:

Announcing the Grand Opening of Red Checkered Picnics located at Limekiln State Park.  Cynthia Burke has spent many hours planning and creating a new business  for locals and tourists visiting Limekiln State Park.

Red Checkered Picnics is a food kiosk located in the lower parking lot right behind the interpretive center.  Please come and visit Cynthia and her crew and gather a picnic from the many items available.  Cynthia creates many of the items at her catering kitchen – Cynthia’s, of Course.  At Red Checkered Picnics you will find a deli case filled with an array of picnic items such as sandwiches, salads, spring rolls, sushi & herb baked chicken, cheeses, smoked salmon & more.  Other coolers hold ice cream, juices & sodas.

Fresh coffee, pastries and assorted snack items from chips to protein bars are there for your picnic.  And don’t forget the Ice Cream – Haagen Daz or old fashioned Ice Cream Sandwich to name a few of the choices.  So – grab a friend and head to Limekiln for a picnic from Red Checkered Picnics  – sit on the rocks or the many available picnic tables and watch the whales go by.  Open everyday – 10:00 to Sunset!  Phone number – 370-5810.  Come and say hi!

++++

Michele & Scott – coming to the island!

• Island native son Joe Bongiorno tells me a couple of his solo piano playing friends are playing a house concert this weekend –  here’s the scoop about Michele McLaughlin & Scott Davis‘ show this Sunday:

Scott D. Davis is from San Diego & is known world-wide for his intimate original music & passionate solo piano renditions of popular heavy metal songs. Here is a video of him playing “My Immortal” which has over 4 million views! Michele McLaughlin is from Salt lake City & composes, haunting, memorable melodies with a celtic influence. She has twice charted #1 on iTunes in the New Age genre & her hit song Irish Rain (video HERE) was the #1 song at Whisperings Solo Piano Radio for 2011.

+++++++++++

This week it’s the Cask & Schooner’s first anniversary! Photo by Tamara Weaver.

Two for one, with the coupon…

We love visitors to the island, but it’s even better when people leave their cars on the mainland & walk on! That’s where San Juan Transit comes in.

San Juan Transit is letting us have the best of both worlds, with regular shuttles running frequently (see schedule here). Due to a Scenic Byway “Alternative Transportation” Grant, SJT will be servicing Orcas Island beginning this Friday, June 22 through September 3 (Fridays through Mondays for 10 weeks), as well as adding another shuttle route on San Juan Island.

They have also been busy promoting “free companion shuttle fare” on the KPLU, KUOW, and Total Traffic radio stations, in addition to a few Seattle/NW WA magazines.

Last but not least, they have a position available for a driver on Orcas Island. Qualifications would be a 7-year clean driving record, ability to pass a drug test, enjoyment of people, and ability to drive a 20 foot passenger bus (CDL not required). Pay is $13/hour and driver would need to be able to work from 9am-5pm Fri-Mon. If interested, please contact Dan Ward at 378-8887.

This week’s Road Scholar group comes from all over the US, and goes to each of the larger islands…yesterday Sue got a good look at Mount Baker from the top of Mount Constitution on Orcas. The program is sponsored by Skagit Valley College & headquartered at the San Juan Center in Friday Harbor.

The longer days are here – hope you have a good warm week set for yourself & those around you (remember the real warmth comes from you when you give it to others) – let’s look around the island:

• Take a hike with Mike this Saturday from 1-4pm…here’s more from Eileen & the Trails Committee:

Meet Mike Vouri, Historian and Chief of Interpretation, San Juan Island National Historical Park, to walk at English Camp, learning about life in the camp, where the officers lived and about its historical and cultural history.

Meet and park at English Camp parking lot, off West Valley Road.  Length is 1.5 mi RT.  Terrain is wooded trail and grass.  Rating is moderate.  Dogs on leashes are welcome. More information here.

+++++++

That’s Joe (left) at the Art Market last week and Oliver at The Bean last Friday night – here’s the word from Debbie Pigman about today’s Friday Harbor Art Market: “Just want to let you folks know that our music for the Friday Harbor Art Market, 5-8pm at Brickworks, Thursday night is provided by jazz guitarist Oliver Strasser who will play from 5-6:30pm, and classical guitarist Joe Miller who will play from 6:30-8:00pm.”

+++++

• • I hear from Boo Boo that there will be a celebration of life at the Fairgrounds for Gary Pugh‘s life at the Marie Boe Building from 12-4pm on Saturday the 23rd…bring stories and food and drink.

++++++

This Saturday!

• Speaking of music, the Chamber Music San Juans concert for Saturday looks pretty awesome – here’s more from Jan Bollwinkel-Smith:

25^th Anniversary Season for Chamber Music San Juans

It was 1987 when renowned violinist Andor Toth brought together a group of accomplished classical musicians and produced a series of concerts on San Juan Island.  His “Fiddlestix” productions soon transformed into “Chamber Music San Juans,” which opens its 25^th season on Saturday, June 23 at San Juan Community Theatre.

Toth—whose illustrious career spanned well over 60 years, from his student days at Juilliard School at the age of 18 to his performances with many of the nation’s major symphony orchestras—shaped and mentored Chamber Music San Juans until his death in 2006.  University of Victoria’s Patricia Kostek has been the artistic director since then.  “Andor possessed an innate ability to inspire us to stretch beyond just a good performance to a much higher level of expression and communication,” said Kostek.

Longtime islanders Nancy and Charles Lindenberg have been attending CMSJ concerts for the past 23 years and say the island was blessed to have Toth’s phenomenal talent and connections to the classical music world.  “Andor brought a wealth of rich music to this community”, said Nancy.  Charles adds that Kostek’s contributions in the past seven years have kept Toth’s dream alive of bringing world-class musicians to the island for concerts in an intimate setting.

Kostek, who is an acclaimed clarinetist and active studio musician has brought together CMSJ regulars and one newcomer to honor the anniversary and celebrate summer.

They include bassoonist Martin Kuuskmann; violinists Ron Patterson and Eugene Bazhanov; violist Roxanna Patterson; cellist Rowena Hammill; and pianist Bruce Vogt, who marveled a Whittier stage audience last September with his Portrait of Lizst concert.

Saturday’s concert, “Music for a Summer’s Eve,” showcases music by pantheon composers Mozart, Prokofiev and Brahms and introduces Franz Krommer.

The Business Partner for this performance is Managed Reliability.  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.

++++++

The Bean Café was the spot for the opening of Phil Tate & Robin Meyer-Tate’s art show last Friday…there was wine & food & good company to celebrate their creativity…drop by to see their work in the next month or so – really brightens up the place!

+++++

+++++

• One of the great programs that helps high school students here on San Juan Island is Dollars for Scholars, and they had a good year this past year – here’s a note of appreciation from president June Arnold:

With graduation ceremonies behind us, we close the books on another great year for the Dollars for Scholars program.  The program is designed to inspire young men and women to become active volunteers and give back to our community. This year we awarded seven, $1,000 scholarships to graduating San Juan Island seniors, and since our inception over $160,000 has been awarded.  I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of these seven individuals for sticking with it and completing the program requirements of community service: Amanda Brast, Stewart Bell, Marga Eshelman, Julie Hagn, Melissa Hickenbottom, Audrey Olshefskey and Amanda Turnbull.

In addition to congratulating the scholarship recipients, I would be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to share my appreciation and sincere thanks to all the people and organizations who make our program successful: Continue Reading

The San Juans can an extremely expensive place to live. For people who are struggling, one of the greatest resources on the island is the Food Bank, across from Marketplace.

Long time volunteer Stacy hands packaged Mac ‘N Cheese to a recipient…

With the exception of being closed for Wednesday, July 4th and open Tuesday the 3rd instead, the Food Bank’s regular schedule is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 12-2pm. The Food Bank offers healthy, nutritious food to any county resident who needs it. Not only do they offer staples of beans, milk, and eggs; they also have fresh greens that are generously donated by the Master Gardeners, ranging from lettuce to bok choy. If you need a hand with your food budget (or know someone who does), drop by!

According to volunteer Bill Cumming, the Food Bank serves approximately 140 families per week. The numbers can and do fluctuate based on time of year, but recently have remained stable. Four highly dedicated volunteers coordinate funding, purchasing, and distribution. They work very hard to protect the privacy of their customers and keep the Food Bank running smoothly.

Interested in helping? The best way to do so is not by cleaning out your pantry, but by making a monetary donation. They buy in large quantities and know which items run out sooner.  If you’re feeling especially generous, regular donations are most helpful for budgetary purposes.

The Food Bank is a registered nonprofit and runs solely on donations, which are tax deductible. Want to help but don’t have the funds to do so? Frozen contributions are always preferable, and meat and poultry are especially appreciated.

Dr. Jason Hall-Spencer, this year’s Annual Illg Distinguished Lecturer…

• University of Washington’s Friday Harbor Laboratories is pleased to announce the Annual Illg Distinguished Lecturer will be Dr. Jason Hall-Spencer.  The free lecture will be on Sunday, July 1 at 7:00 pm at the San Juan Community Theater.  Dr. Hall-Spencer’s talk is entitled, “Deep Sea Coral Reefs” and more information about him can be found here.

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

• Here’s the deal: The Community Foundation is matching your donation to help keep Soundwatch going – up to $5K to complete the project. Find out more from the Whale Museum’s site (here), and see if you can help out.

++++++

Filling the island for a quarter of a century full of beautiful music…

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

Bobbe Needham’s memoir dedicated to her daughter Liz, who passed away in 1999.

• Well loved and dearly missed island resident Bobbe Needham passed away on Wednesday, June 6th. Very involved in the singing community, Bobbe will be remembered for her beautiful voice and vivacious personality.

After learning of her diagnosis with cancer, she finished the memoir she had been working on for many years. Her book “Love/Liz” is available through Amazon.com and select island retailers. We miss you, Bobbe.

++++++++++

• I hear from Boo Boo that there will be a celebration of life at the Fairgrounds for Gary Pugh‘s life at the Marie Boe Building from 12-4pm on Saturday the 23rd…bring stories and food and drink.

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

• Look out for wild strawberries, they are just starting to ripen up! They won’t look anything like these beauties that are grown on my deck (pictured below) but they make a lovely snack if you’re hiking around the island.

Home grown, freshly picked strawberries. Thank you mama for letting me raid your patch!

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

Parade preparations…

Want to help contribute to getting kids involved in the arts? Want to do it without spending a single dollar? Here’s how, according to Peg Gerlock:

As part of a collaborative effort to enhance arts education, the San Juan Island School District and the Islands Museum of Art & Sculpture Park (IMA) are conducting a survey and inviting the SJI community to participate.

The collected information will be used for planning and acquiring funding for future programs and arts instruction in the district. Anyone who has an interest in arts education is encouraged to participate. Parents, especially – we’d like to hear from you! A link to the online survey can be found on the district website here under “Announcements” on the left navigation bar. It will take about 15 minutes to complete. There are some challenging questions and you may not have knowledge about all the areas covered.

That’s OK! Just mark those questions with “don’t know.” From this we will learn where better communication is needed.

You might have gotten the mailing sent out last Saturday by a group of dedicated young volunteers, but here it is on your beautiful, (albeit slightly dusty) computer screen.

Taylor Turnbull and Zoey Kromer work hard to send mailings to the entire island. Great job ladies!

Here’s the story about a new support group on the island – here’s more from Jan Bollwinkel-Smith:

FANS, or Families and Neighbors Support Island Rec, is a newly organized nonprofit committed to helping fund the San Juan Island Park and Recreation District. As public funding and community needs are not always equal, FANS is there to help even out the difference.

Along with asking for members and donations, FANS will be hosting some great fundraisers in the future, including a carnival at the Elementary School in September. All contributions are tax deductible.

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

FANS and Challenger Sports are proud to announce a FREE drop in soccer camp for youth aged 3-12 on Saturday, June 23rd. No pre-registration necessary, but please allow time to sign the participation waivers as you drop off your soccer star (about 15 minutes before start of session).

Camps will be led by British Soccer Camp coaches from 9am-10am for ages 3-5, 10am-11am for ages 6-8, and 12pm-1:30pm for ages 9-12. The extended version of this activity is the popular British Soccer Camp, which will be happening this July, and Tetra Brazil Camp, which happens in August. Both of these programs are currently open for registration through Island Rec.

Cleaning up our island doesn’t just pertain to beaches, forests, and roadsides. Our waters need our attention too, and hopefully with the help of the DVRP, they can stay safe, beautiful, and clean. Joanruth Baumann has more:

San Juan County and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are beginning an expanded effort under our local Derelict Vessel Removal Program (DVRP) to identify and deal with problem vessels before they sink and pollute the area’s waters.  Our county program has been proactive, but the statutes that define the program make it difficult to address vessels that have a high potential for becoming a risk, but may not be clearly ready to sink.

The need for this new effort at responsible vessel ownership was made clear recently in Penn Cove on Whidbey Island, where a vessel owner ignored state laws and repeated calls for the vessel’s compliance or removal.  With no enforcement process in place, the vessel remained in the water until it burned and sank, releasing hundreds of gallons of fuel into delicate shellfish waters.  Many of the coves in our islands have vessels that have been stored out on buoys for years, some in rough shape and clearly abandoned.  A few local owners have been responsible for multiple derelicts.  This winter, one local owner let three stored derelicts sink in Friday Harbor in less than two months, costing the public over $21,000 and dropping debris, fuel and chemicals into the harbor.

Under Washington State marine laws, the County and DNR will work with area volunteers and the County Sheriff’s Department to document vessels Continue Reading

Debbie Dardanelli, the master of the event!

• Everybody loves a good fashion show, especially one from Girlfriend’s Consignment! 

Debbie Dardanelli of Girlfriends Consignment is throwing a fashion show next Friday the 22nd at Vinny’s! Grab a friend, dress up, and enjoy hors d’oeuvres and ambiance. It all starts at noon and please R.S.V.P. at 378-1934. Cost is $15 for this fabulous event.

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

• Look out ladies, Modern and Fabulous is here!

Announcing the opening of a brand new women’s clothing and accessories store by the island’s own Jennifer Payne! 

Modern and Fabulous  is located at 818 Mullis St. Suite #4 and will be open from Monday through Friday from noon to six (closed Wednesdays). Saturdays she’s open from noon to five.

Jennifer has sold clothes online in the past but saw a local need for women’s clothing at reasonable prices. She gets brand new shipments in every week, so stop in and see all the great pieces for yourself!

Proud owner Jennifer poses by the bright and cheerful storefront window…

Capt. Jim Maya got a glimpse of nature’s lighter side today and decided to share. Here’s the scoop, straight from the photographer himself:

Every now and then I’m able to capture an image that touches my heart. Below was a brief look into the lives of our orca friends. Here are a couple of huggers, a couple of brothers, sharing a tender moment. They are families and are very loving to each other. It’s their essence! Blackberry, J 27, and younger brother, Mako, J 39, in Active Pass, BC. last week.

Brotherly love…photo by Jim Maya

Maybe nature has a humorous side after all:

Eagle squared…photo by Jim Maya

Steller’s Sea Lion Mojo, who was rescued by Wolf Hollow and rehabilitated for three and a half months, is being released. 170lbs heavier, much healthier, and ready to provide for himself, he ventures out to the Salish Sea! Here’s more from Wolf Hollow Education Coordinator, Shona Aitken:

Before and after…Left picture taken in February by Ross Lockwood, right picture taken May 22nd by Shona Aitken

Mojo, the young Steller’s Sea Lion that had been in care at Wolf Hollow for 3 ½ months, has been released back into the wild.

Mojo was found alone, thin and weak near Moclips on the outer coast of the Olympic peninsula in mid February and transported to Wolf Hollow by Dyanna Lambourn, a marine mammal biologist with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). He was estimated to be about six months old, should still have been with his mother and was emaciated, dehydrated and very weak.
After a couple of weeks of  intensive care, Mojo had gained enough strength to be moved out into an enclosure with a pool, where he enjoyed swimming, lying in the sun and eating lots of fish. When Mojo arrived he weighed only ~ 80 pounds, but was soon eating more than 15 pounds of high quality herring each day, and by late May weighed over 250 pounds. By this time, he had proved that he could chase and catch live fish, was big, fat and healthy, and ready to be released.

Dr Joe Gaydos with the SeaDoc Society and Dyanna Lambourn with WDFW examined Mojo and attached a satellite transmitter to the short fur on the back of Mojo’s head so his movements could be tracked over the next few weeks. He was then transported back down to the outer coast and released.

If you would like to follow Mojo’s travels, read here.

Mojo Fish Fund

During his care at Wolf Hollow Mojo ate a lot of the fish we had stored ready for the Harbor Seal pups we will care for this summer, so now we need to buy more.  This will be expensive, so we would really welcome your donation to the Mojo Fish Fund! Thank you!

Sometimes with our adult worries and problems, we don’t sit back and enjoy ourselves nearly enough. That’s what kids are for – keeping us laughing at the funny moments life gives us. So here’s some news for the kid in you, sent over by Marc Islam:

Here’s a quick picture of the senior class of Spring Street International School’s prank:

Creativity at its best

Imagine a kid without a bike. Sad, right? Well don’t fret, the Children’s Festival had an entire booth devoted to fun activities for kids on bikes, called Bike Paths. Sponsored by the San Juan Trails Committee and Island Rec, with bikes made available by Island Bicycles and Travel Light Cycles, the booth was very popular and brought lots of smiles to young faces.  One huge grin was even caught on camera when Brendon Reiff won a raffle for a reconditioned bike from Travel Light Cycles.

The lucky winner…

Marc Islam brought his kids to Fort Casey for a camping trip last weekend. Who doesn’t love laser tag with friends?

Danica, Eden, Ulla, and Marieke strike a classic “Charlie’s Angels” pose

Blue In Profile…photo by Ernest H. Brooks II

World Renowned Pioneer Underwater Photographer Brings His Vision to the San Juan Islands  

Pioneer underwater photographer, educator, diver, and ambassador to the marine environment, Ernest H. Brooks II, will bring his vision of the world beneath the sea to life in both a multi-media presentation and a photography exhibit.   Thursday, June 21: Multi-media presentation, “SILVER SEAS: Ernest H. Brooks II, A Photographer’s View of Marine Stewardship” – The San Juan Island Community Theatre,  7 p.m. – 9 p.m. Co-sponsored by the San Juan County Marine Resources Committee and the San Juan Islands Museum of Art & Sculpture Park Friday, June 22 – September 8: Photography exhibit “SILVER SEAS” Ernest H. Brooks II, A Retrospective” – The San Juan Islands Museum of Art. 235 A Street, Friday Harbor. Opening reception with the artist 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.  Co-sponsored by Friday Harbor Marine.

Ernest H. Brooks II served as the head of the renowned Brooks Institute of Photography. He has descended into the treacherous waters beneath the polar ice caps and into the depths of every ocean on earth. Brook’s photographs have been widely exhibited and honored worldwide; he is often referred to as the Ansel Adams of underwater photography, and the best black and white underwater photographer in the world.

“I truly believe the best way we can impress upon the world that the sea is worth saving is by presenting the beauty within it. Only then can people grasp how important the ocean is to everything on this planet,” Brooks stated.

For tickets to the multi-media presentation: The San Juan Community Theatre box office: http://www.sjctheatre.org or 360-378-3210 – $15 for adults, $8 for students., $5 student rush.

A question and answer period, raffles for one of Ernie’s signed photographs, and other local items, a dessert reception with the artist will follow the presentation.  For more information on Brooks and the events: www.sjima.org, 360-370-0035 email: [email protected]

Drops…photo by Lynn Schooler

A little reminder about how beautiful it is, especially when it rains. Thanks to Lynn Schooler for his picture.