Yep, I could hear OPA clear across the way at Wells Fargo as they rehearsed from the steps of Isle Be Jammin’ last week…music in the streets, at its best….

Let’s take a peek at the last few days, and the next few….

• Mitzi tells me the brown bag luncheon at the Presbyterian Church for the Daughters of the American Revolution is tomorrow (Tuesday) from 11:30am – 2pm, with guests welcome (rsvp to Mitzi at 378-5442). This month’s San Juan Islands Chapter of the D.A.R. offers a program called “Prisoners of War in the American Revolution” by Melanie Correll.

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• When I posted this before, I somehow left the time & cost off – here’s the complete poster for Wednesday night (with my apologies for the omissions!):

Wednesday night!

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• Anna Lisa tells me that Duck Soup Inn is now open Wednesday till Sunday each week for the summer – drop in!

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Serene waters, grey skies this past weekend…photo by Kevin Holmes (thanks, Kevin!)

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• Lori Stokes is pretty fired up for this year’s Trashion Fashion show & should be – it was awesome last year! Here’s more:

Francie Hansen, creator of the renowned Trashion Fashion show that has been featured for many years on opening night of the County Fair, can’t help herself (despite her resignation last year) and plans to take the helm yet again this summer. “People are stopping me in the street, telling me they have great ideas and are already working on their outfits!” says Francie. “So get out your creative thinking caps, and look around for all the wonderful things that might form the basis of an outfit made from recycled/reused materials. Remember the wedding gown made from King’s white plastic shopping bags? The dress made from ferry schedules? The poodle outfit concocted from dog hair?”

If you’re interested in being a part of the show, and/or just want to brainstorm with Francie about a possible costume, you can phone her at 378-2731. And if not, mark your calendars for Wednesday evening, August 15, and plan to come watch the show!

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• You’re planning for the Fourth already, right? Here’s the lineup in Friday Harbor, from Rebecca Parks at the Chamber of Commerce:

4th of July:

Parade begins at 10:30 a.m. Theme: Thank you, Friday Harbor Merchants 1872 – 2012 (contact Petro San Juan or the Chamber of Commerce for entry information)

Pig War Barbecue sponsored by Kiwanis starts at 11:30 at the Historical Museum

Rock the Docks sponsored by Rotary: dancing at the port starts at 6 p.m.

Fireworks Spectacular in the harbor at dusk. Parade and Fireworks sponsored by San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce.

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A fox kit, on the westside. Tamara Weaver reminds folks to watch for them as they skitter around near the roads this spring, and be careful….she took this photo over near Mitchell Bay late last week….thanks for the photo, Tamara!

The Fairgrounds building becomes Monte Carlo for a night to raise a little money for the Animal Shelter…joining the fun were Charles & Shelly and Chance & Frank.

Wow.

Rebecca shoots the party…check out the slideshow! It’s a scrapbook of a magical evening….see who you know!

The transformation of the Fairgrounds into a casino was actually stunning…with lights to the ceiling & drapes & tables & music, our old familiar place was a new & different place. This year’s Wags To Riches was inside this year (good guess, with the rainy weather this weekend), and a good time was had by all.

I’ll get the story about how much the Animal Shelter’s annual fundraiser pulled in later this week, but in the meantime, check out what everyone looked like dressed up & ready to play & smile & dance in this video slideshow put together by Update reporter & photographer Rebecca Leff:

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Lay your money down….

The graduating class of 2012 (in red, from left: Pat, Lydia, Geneva, and David), surrounded by the faculty & staff of Skagit Valley College/San Juan Center. Photo by Rebecca Leff.

The Skagit Valley College/San Juan Center Class of 2012 may be small, but they are mighty. Here’s more:

There should be a few recognizable faces or names out there: Patrick Moll-Nevins (used to run Zip San Juan), Geneva Mottet, David Ralston, and Lydia Ware. Each graduate was awarded an AAUCT Degree, and a few plan to continue their education even further, such as Lydia and David – David plans on attending The Evergreen College and Lydia is thinking about either veterinary school or a school of natural horsemanship. Meanwhile, Pat hopes to head for Western Washington, and Geneva is taking a year to plan her next step.

The student choice for faculty speaker was Dr. Roger deRoos, a biology professor who talked about the importance of public education, especially in these challenging economic times. After a beautiful musical interlude performed by Amanda Brast, student class speaker Patrick shared not only his personal experience of completing his degree, but special qualities that he would miss about each of his classmates that brought both laughter and a feeling of nostalgia.

The island will look forward to hearing of all the great things to come from these talented graduates!

Congratulations graduates and their families! From top: The grads march in; David is congratulated by his grandfather; Amanda plays for the ceremony; the graduates share a laugh during Pat’s address; faculty speaker Dr. Roger deRoos warns against the effects of “education on the cheap” in an uncertain future; Lydia Ware is joined by her parents Judy & Dwight; presidential medal winner Geneva visits with SVC president Thomas Keagan; and class speaker Pat is congratulated by his wife Stella after the ceremony.

Come out and see Dana Lyons perform at the Library on Thursday the 28th at 7:30pm! Library Outreach Coordinator Beth Helstien has more:

Dana Lyons is the singer/songwriter best known for his dynamic performances and outrageous hit songs “Cows with Guns,” “RV” and “Ride the Lawn.”

A global and web hit, “Cows with Guns” was #1 for the year on Dr. Demento, #2 on the Australian Country charts & spent 10 months on Seattle’s Top 40. For more information, visit www.cowswithguns.com  

James’ beautiful table…

Accomplished woodworker and loving husband James Dunlap wanted to make his wife a beautiful wooden table as a Christmas present. Eight months and a lot of hard work later, it’s happily sitting in his dining room. Here’s James with the details: 

The table is made of black limba, with accents of ironwood, cocobolo, and purple heart. There is no metal, fasteners or other hardware, in the table at all. I started the table in November, but soon realized that I needed more practice to do the dovetail keys and other joinery involved to produce what I had in mind.

The dowels for the table top, for example, are made out of cocobolo, which I couldn’t source and had to make in the shop. There was also much hemming and hawing as to what finish to put on it. At last it is where it belongs; in the dining room, covered with my daughter’s tofu lasagna.

I plan on building more furniture in the future and aspire to one day do it for a living. You will probably see more of my future projects on my business Facebook page.

One of the things this community prides itself on is its undying support for its members. Thousands of dollars were awarded in scholarships to many deserving young adults at Friday Harbor High School, and the efforts of recipients, donors, and everyone else involved in this tremendous process deserve recognition and thanks for helping make higher education education possible. 

“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.” Beverly Sills, Class Quote (partially pictured above)

Waiting to receive those coveted diplomas…

Jill Urbach and all that jazz…tonight!

Rachel Anderson tells me there are actually (for once) a few tickets left – hope you get a chance to come for good food, good music, and to help support the kids:

Friday Harbor Laboratories’ Jazz at the Labs
on June 16, 2012
Supporting SJI’s K-12 Programs through its Science Outreach Program

On Saturday night, June 16, 2012, Friday Harbor Laboratories will hold its 12th annual Jazz at the Labs, an evening of food, mini-auctions (silent and live) and GREAT MUSIC at the Friday Harbor Labs.  All proceeds from Jazz at the Labs will benefit the Friday Harbor Laboratories K-12 Science Outreach Program in the San Juan Island Elementary, Middle and High Schools and the Spring Street School.

Jazz Coalescence…tonight!

Doors open at 5:30 for previewing the auction items.  Dinner will begin at 6 pm and will be accompanied by the San Juan Jazz Quintet, with vocals by Jill Urbach. SJJQ has entertained audiences in the PNW since 1990, playing standards, swing, bebop, originals and Latin jazz.

Following SJJQ, once again, you’ll be delighted by the fabulous Jazz Coalescence from Seattle. Chris Amemiya, scientist and musician extraordinaire, gathers some of the finest jazz musicians in the northwest for this special night.

Emcee for the evening is KPLU Jazz host, Dick Stein.  Farhad Ghatan will be our dazzling auctioneer.

The live auction will take place between sets and will be a fun addition to the evening.
Tickets are $40 for music and dinner.  Please make reservations by calling 360-378-2165 (ext. 0).

Wednesday was the day to get to the beach, as school winds down…the sixth graders went to Jackson’s Beach while the third graders played games and made sand sculptures at South Beach. Photos by Angie Atwell.

 Let’s take a look:

• Who says Christmas only comes once a year?

Check out the semi-annual garage sale hosted by Surina Business Park! Happening at Star Storage, 50 Malcolm Street, Saturday the 16th from 9am to 4pm (no early birds please). Happy shopping!

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• Music this weekend: The Shotgun Messengers at Herb’s Tavern on Friday & Saturday, while the Rumor Mill offers Live Band Karaoke with Tony tonight & The Rhythmatics on Saturday night!

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• Got a place for rent here on the island? Call Brian at 378-2617…he’s looking for a spot for his family (him & his wife & four kids). Reliable folks…you’ll like ’em!

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The San Juan County Fair is set for August 15-18th this year….photo from last year’s Fair by Ted Strutz

• The Fair wants YOU! One of the biggest events of the year needs your help! 

San Juan County Fair & Events Manager Rev Shannon is requesting Superintendents for two important departments, Island Writers and Junior Arts and Crafts. This is a wonderful opportunity to contribute to the Fair and keep these departments alive, as without a Superintendent they will be canceled. Submissions are due in mid July for Island Writers so they need volunteers as quickly as possible. Give Rev a call at 378-4310 if you’re interested in helping out!

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Leah Altman (left) shows off her new creations for her business Pin Pin Apparel (www.pinpinapparel.com/) at yesterday’s opening of the Thursday night Friday Harbor Art Market at Brickworks…she’s joined by FHAM manager & part-time model Debbie Pigman.

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• What a deal! Leslie at the Animal Shelter has more…

Instead of charging $125 for a door ticket, Wags to Riches will only be charging $85. Tickets are still available now and at the door. Come show support for our beloved Animal Shelter this weekend at the fundraiser! It’s going to be a blast.

Here’s the video from a couple of years ago…great fun!

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• Passing: Just heard that David Champlin passed away this week, at the age of 101…and that Felicity’s mom Joyce Milne passed away at 93….condolences to the family….

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Beach Day was great – that’s the way Stella (left), Rachel & Fallon see it, in the sun….Photos by Angie Atwell.

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•  I want to hold them like they do in Texas please…Amber Garcia has more:

It’s summertime, that means hello, Relay for Life! The Relay’s Poker Tournament Team, Hakuna Matata, will be hosting a fundraiser this Saturday at the China Pearl. Prizes will include: 4 Mariners Tickets, 36 Holes of Golf Plus Golf Cart at San Juan Golf & Country Club, Sunset Kayak Tour with Discovery Seas Kayak, Fishing Reel and Rod, Gift Basket from The Hot Shop, Gift Certificates for Bowling and Pizza, The Place, The Bean, and Hailey’s Bait Shop. See the flier for more details, and good luck!

Don’t miss it…

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The beautiful piece entitled “Hiking to the Edge”…

• Morning, Art, and People…here’s more from Ruth at Waterworks Gallery:

Check out the Artist Talk happening 11am this Saturday the 16th at Waterworks Gallery by featured painter Dominik Modlinski!

Janet Ludwig (right) got to see her friend Beth from California off on Wednesday on the ferry, on a bright & sunny morning.

Reception to follow from 2-5pm where you can chat with renowned landscape painters Dominik and Tim Schumm about their beautiful artwork and many outdoor adventures around the Northwest.

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• Talk about generosity…Charlie from the Community Foundation has more:

The San Juan Community Foundation awarded a whopping $130,000 in scholarships for the 2012/2013 academic year!

Of that $130,000, $47,000 is going straight to this year’s graduates and $85,000 is going to 2011 grads who reapplied. There were two types of scholarships awarded: the John Volk Memorial Scholarship, which is a program of the San Juan Pilots Association, and the Inskeep Scholarship, which is a one year renewable award based on exceptional need and promise to succeed.

Students from both Spring Street International School and Friday Harbor High School received Inskeep Scholarships this year. Next time you see Amanda Brast, Julie Hagn, Jenny MacDonald, Larissa Nash, Audrey Olshefsky, Connar Smith, Mandy Turnbull, or Malcolm Wynn, give them a hug and a hearty, “Congrats!” as you know they will make the Community Foundation and all the people who know them very proud.

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Beach art, by the elementary school kids….photo by Angie Atwell.

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• Cynthia Burke invites all to a relaxing night at XYZ Studio Arts. Shantala practices kirtan, a celebration of spirit that includes chanting sacred names and is internationally recognized, performing and recording worldwide.  Participation is optional, come check it out! Benjy & Heather are friends of Tyler Ryan, who graduated from FHHS eleven years ago…here’s more:

XYZ Movement Arts Studio will be hosting a special musical evening of sacred chanting (kirtan) on June 22, at 7:00 pm.  This unique concert features the masterful musicianship of Benjy and Heather Werthemeir as well as Sean Frenette on bass and three string guitar. Together Heather and Benjy lead kirtan worldwide as the duo, Shantala.  The weaving of Benjy’s Indian classical singing and instrumentation with Heather’s soaring vocals is freshly original and profoundly moving. Shantala has performed and recorded internationally with such sacred music luminaries as Krishna Das, Deva Premal & Miten, and Jai Uttal. In summer 2008, they were named as one of the top “Wallahs to Watch” by Yoga + Joyful Living.

Kirtan is a celebration of spirit through the chanting of sacred names. This is open to people of all religious backgrounds–to those who have chanted before as well as to those who haven’t.  Participation is welcome but purely optional.  Come and share in this journey of  ecstatic percussion and singing.

Tickets are available at XYZ studio for $15.00 (check their schedule for purchase just prior to classes), online for $17 at shantalamusic.com, or at the door (if available for $20).

Questions? Call Mary Karen Ryan 378-2524.

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Jessica Hagy, Indexed.
Used with permission!

Time for a unique island twist to a traditional graduation.

Here’s a hint: it involves paint, laughter, and spelling….and it’s in the high school parking lot!

Way to go Class of 2012!

One of Cinda Sue's creations....

I wanted you to know that Cinda Sue Dow is offering these classes coming up – here’s more:

CLASS 1: PASTEL WORKSHOP
June 23rd, 2012
9:30-4:00
Learn about different pastels and pastel papers.  We will work together in this all day class to get the feel of pastel.  Students will do 2 paintings using different materials and different techniques.  Bring a lunch, and let’s get to it!  $85.00

This workshop will be held at Butterfly Farm Creations Studio (my home) 545 Alder Ct. Friday Harbor, WA
378-6625  [email protected]

Materials:  Rembrandt 1/2 stick Pastel Set (15 colors, Canson Pad, 12 x 16:  If you have other pastels, a drawing board, and easel, feel free to bring them.  Limit to 6 students. Questions about the supplies?  Give me a call. Cost: $85

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CLASS 2: ABSTRACT TO REALISM AND BACK AGAIN! – TWO DAY FREE WORKSHOP WITH LOCAL ARTIST-CINDA SUE DOW- at the SAN JUAN PUBLIC LIBRARY
JULY 7th, 11:00-5:00 & JULY 14th, 11:00-5:00.

Two intensive, fun days of experimental drawing:  exploring the pure design of a realistic painting through the lens of abstract art.  Learn to see the “abstraction” in a realistic painting, and the “realism” in an abstract painting.

The San Juan Transit buses are sporting the new look for the Scenic Byway - looking good!

Let’s take a look at what’s going on around the rock:

• Looking for a place to eat on Saturday? You can add The Market Chef to your list – here’s more from Laurie & Tim:

Hi there Ian!
I was hoping you could let our friends and neighbors know that The Market Chef will begin our summer hours this weekend! Now that all of our COLLEGE GRADUATES (Congratulations Cameron Byington and Rene Beachem!) have returned for the summer, we will be open on Saturdays starting this Saturday (10-4) and be open until 6 P.M. Monday through Friday starting this coming week. Thanks for helping us get the word out!
Best,
Laurie

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• The Art Market gets underway tonight, with live music! Here’s the deal, from Debbie Pigman:

Hey, Ian – We are excited about our FHAM! kick-off this evening (5-8pm at Brickworks Plaza) and want to let you know a little about our musical line-up…..Teddy Deane will be playing some sweet jazz on his saxophone from 5-6:30 and Joe Miller comes in from 6:30-8:00 with some great classical guitar.

Hope you can drop by!
Debbie

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• Drop by Janet Chamberlain’s this weekend – one man’s trash is another man’s treasure:

Keep that in mind as you check out the garage salehappening Saturday June 16th from 8am to 2pm at 325 Franck & Geneste St.  Items will include: bookcases, tables, piano, baby stuff, swing, bouncer, toys, clothes, books, fabric, CD’s, a weed eater, and lots more!

The Three City Tour group of Road Scholars dropped by Pelindaba Lavender Farm this week for some lavender tea & to explore the farm....

As of Wednesday, June 13, the Save-A-Spot vehicle reservation system will expand to include business and commercial customers for the Anacortes/San Juan Islands ferry runs.  

Hugely successful when it was test driven on June 4th on the Anacortes/Sidney B.C. run, the Save-A-Spot system is spreading quickly throughout other ferry routes such as Port Townsend/Coupeville, which will soon take reservations for all vehicles. Continue Reading

JD Bister and Jason Davis

As summertime approaches, it’s normal to see zillions of tourists taking in the beauty of our islands. But here are two new faces that you would do well to remember! Here’s more from Recreation Director Sally Thomsen: 

Island Rec is excited to announce the addition of two new Recreation Specialists, JD Bister and Jason Davis.  With the resignation of Rebecca Clarke Island Rec increased the one full time position to two three quarter time positions. JD will be working with most of Island Rec’s Sports, Outdoor, Adult, and Fitness programs while Jason will be focusing on Youth and Family programs.

JD received his degree in Recreation Management from Central Washington University in 2006.  He has worked for Parks and Recreation Departments in the City of Federal Way, the City of Burien, and Metro Parks Tacoma. JD brings a wealth of sports knowledge to the Island Rec and is looking forward to life on the Island.

Originally from Alaska, Jason has been in Friday Harbor for a dozen years or so, excluding time spent away for travel and schooling.  He completed a BA in Youth Services at WWU/Fairhaven College in 2011.  While in Bellingham, Jason worked as a Site-Director for Whatcom YMCA’s school-age programs and volunteered at Lummi Nation School and Brigid Collins Family Support Center.  In 2009, Jason was awarded an international study grant and spent 16 months working with children’s organizations in India and Nepal.  Jason brings vast experience and enthusiasm for working with children and families.   He’s thrilled to join the Island Rec team!

You will soon see Jason and JD out and about at one of the over 60 programs Island Rec is offering this summer.  Go to www.islandrec.org for more information or stop by Island Rec M-F at 580 Guard Street.

Catch Marshall Catch tonight...

Four great Montana musicians are back on the island, but that’s not all! Marshall Catch will be playing at the Rumor Mill, starting at 7:30pm, this Wednesday and Thursday. Check out their indie-rock sound on Youtube for a preview: http://youtu.be/uKys9_8r5pc