The show opens this weekend -that's Julie (Mrs. Drudge) in The Real Inspector Hound

If you know Tom Stoppard, you know good script writing…and this will be a fun one. It’s opening Friday at the Community Theatre – here’s more from Jan Bollwinkel-Smith:

Expect the Unexpected in SJCT Summer Play

A play within a play…a mystery…a farce…a satire: Tom Stoppard’s The Real Inspector Hound is all that and much more.  The one-act play opens THIS Friday and Saturday at 8 pm at San Juan Community Theatre.

Stoppard, a British playwright who has earned four Tony Awards and an Academy Award for the screenplay for the 1998 film, Shakespeare in Love, wrote Inspector Hound in the early 1960s, as an intriguing parody of the stereotypical parlor mystery (think Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes).  The Friday Harbor audience will enter the Whittier Theatre to indeed see a play within a play, as the main stage is set as Muldoon Manor where murder, intrigue and romance unfold, while two “theater critics” watch from their own audience and soon literally become entangled in the funny and mysterious plot unleashing in the Manor.

Director Jane Maxwell Campbell says she has been enamored with the one-act play and its playwright and is thrilled to get the “not your typical farce” to the Whittier.

“This is an intellectually and very sophisticated play written by one of the foremost contemporary writers of the past century,” said Maxwell Campbell.   She adds she finds the play within the play very fun for the real island audience, who discover they too get to become part of the story.

Inspector continues next Friday and Saturday, August  5 and 6 at 8 pm; Sunday, August 7 at 5 pm; and finally, Thursday through Saturday, August 11-13 at 8 pm.

Each show features after-play live music with island musicians and the cast in the lobby.  Opening night features Susan Williams and Keith Busha.  Saturday it’s young island violinist Robin Lohrey.

The Business Partner for the play is Islanders Bank.  Tickets are $17 for adults, $9 for student reserved and $5 student RUSH at the door.   The Box Office (378-3210) is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. or tickets may be purchased on-line at www.sjctheatre.org.

This'll be a funny one....

Who’s in the show?

Cast of The Real Inspector Hound

Moon – Bo Turnage
Birdboot – Doug Schirmer
Mrs. Drudge – Julie Laidlaw
Simon –  Stephen Moore
Felicity –  Amanda Lee Smith
Cynthia – Bristol Whalen
Major Magnus – Michael Herber
Inspector Hound – Ed Wilson
The Dead Body – Pete Dawson
The Audience: Dick Coffey, Duvie Dow, Greg Swinford

The author & her writing shack...

Just got word from Nancy at Griffin Bay Bookstore about this author event this Sunday:

Author Event – The Year We Were Famous” by Carol Estby Dagg
Co-Sponsored by Griffin Bay Bookstore and the San Juan Island Library

Program and Reading from the award-winning book, The Year We Were Famous, by local author Carole Estby Dagg

Sunday, July 31, 2011 at 7 p.m.
San Juan Island Library, 1010 Guard Street, Friday Harbor

The Year We Were Famous is based on the true story of Clara Estby and her suffragist mother Helga, who walked from their farm in Mica Creek, Washington, to New York City back in 1896 in a heroic attempt to win $10,000 which would save the family’s farm and prove women could do it. Walking an average of twenty-five miles a day for 232 days, they survive blizzards and days without food and water, escape drowning in a flash flood, and meet the whole spectrum of 1890’s society: homesteaders, bandits, hobos, Native Americans, and president-elect William McKinley.

In costume and carrying a satchel full of realia, Carole Estby Dagg will share newspaper clippings, a map of the 4,000-mile route, and photo of her Great-aunt Clara and Great-grandmother Helga.

The book won the Sue Alexander Award for most promising new manuscript, and as the Publishers Weekly wrote in a starred review, “The journey in itself is amazing, but Dagg’s tender portrayal of a mother and daughter who learn to appreciate and forgive each other makes it unforgettable.”

Carole Estby Dagg is a former librarian who writes in Everett and a converted woodshed on San Juan Island.

Note from the author:

For nearly thirty years my family has spent part of the year at our cabin on Garrison Bay. We started out with a derelict cabin and an outhouse and have gradually worked our way up to a real house with indoor plumbing. More important to my writing, the woodshed—all 7’X8’ of it—has been converted to my writer’s shed where I exile myself for weeks at a time for major revisions of my work.

After over fifteen years of writing and revising, my first book was published this April by Clarion, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Although Great-aunt Clara and Great-grandmother Helga Estby’s own notes for a book about their 4,000-mile trek were destroyed, I tell their story 115 years later in The Year We Were Famous.

Griffin Bay Bookstore and the San Juan Island Library are co-sponsoring a program for all ages for The Year We Were Famous on Sunday, July 31, 7:00 pm at the San Juan Island Library. In more than just a reading, I will appear in costume with my traveling satchel full of realia and displays of news clippings, route map, family photo, and period postcards that inspired scenes. Griffin Bay Bookstore will have copies of the book available for sale and autographing.

You’ll find more information on my website and the trailer.

On the ferry: Proud papa Bill Percich is glad to have Erica home for a bit before she moves to Australia to practice massage (which the 2004 FHHS grad learned in Hawaii)...she takes off in August. Good to see our kids doing good things, and making the world an easier place to live...

Keeping cool…do you have people from around the country telling you how hot it is, there? One more nice reason to live here… 🙂 Let’s see what’s going on…

Listen to Anna, y'all.

• I hear Anna from D+A Studio is headed to Texas to talk about windpower…here’s a bit about one way a local company suggests you do it.

+++++++++++

• Don’t click this link.

Told you.

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

• Hey – this year’s Relay for Life is this weekend on Saturday (starting at noon) & Sunday at Friday Harbor High School. You can drop by any time & support the folks who are doing Relay this year…and remember the ones who have survived cancer, and remember our friends who have passed.

Here’s a video I made from last year’s Relay:

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

Gently used...could be yours!

• Libby Smith has her “gently used moped” for sale – here’s more info on Facebook marketplace.

• Music all around!

I asked David Bayley what he was up to, tonight – he reports:

The Cask & Schooner (the former Front St. Ale House)has started scheduling local performers a few nights a week, currently Tuesday and Thursday. Happily, I’ll be returning for my second appearance there this Thursday, the 28th from 8-10pm. In addition to the various roots music styles I perform, I’m adding more vocals to the mix with some classic blues favorites.

The restaurant is off to a great start, drawing large crowds of tourists and locals alike. See you there!

Also tonight: Over at the Rumor Mill, Tony has live band karaoke with his band T:FLO at 8pm. It’s your chance to be a rock star!

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

Father Hung Nguyen (left) is welcomed to the island & St. Francis Catholic Church yesterday by Father Raymond Heffernan. Father Nguyen told me at Ernie's that he came to the island earlier this month from Seattle. Welcome!

• Speaking of St. Francis, here’s my version of Brother Sun, Sister Moon, which I’m singing just for you!

The Whale Museum’s Lecture Series:
First You Saw ‘Em, Then You Didn’t and Now You Do Again:
The Return of Harbor Porpoises to San Francisco Bay

Dr. Stern

The Whale Museum continues its Research Lecture Series on Wednesday, July 27 at 7:00pm with Dr. Jonathan Stern of the Golden Gate Cetacean Research Group. Stern will discuss current photo identification studies with Harbor Porpoises, which are being seen frequently in San Francisco Bay for the first time in six decades.

Jonathan Stern, Ph.D. is a biology professor at San Francisco State University and a member of the Golden Gate Cetacean Research group. The GGCR studies the activities of Harbor porpoises in the San Francisco Bay by photographing them from boats and the Golden Gate Bridge.  Stern also studies minke whales in the Northeast Pacific Ocean, and has conducted research on killer, pilot, fin, humpback and gray whales, as well as bottlenose dolphins.

The July 27th lecture is free and open to the public, although donations are encouraged.

Patty Ann (Patt) Leake

Born in Mt. Vernon, WA November 11, 1951 to Vernon and Freida Stoney Leake, Patt died suddenly March 20, 2011.  She was the great grand daughter of Island Pioneers James and Adeline King and was raised in Friday Harbor.  She graduated from Friday Harbor High School in 1969.  After attending Western Washington State College, she graduated from McDonald’s School of Beauty.

Patt worked as a hairdresser in the Seattle area for twenty-five years, returning to the Island in 1996 where she held various jobs.  Patt loved her dogs, NASCAR, music, writing poetry and studying genealogy.

She was preceded in death by her sister Sally Jo Leake, her parents, aunts and uncles Hollis and Marjorie Hassell, Howard and Marie Dean and Selma Stoney.  Patt is survived by Wendy, Dave and Marc Picinich of Friday Harbor and Jill Picinich Whitfield of Las Vegas.

Remembrances may be made to the Animal Protection Society of Friday Harbor, PO Box 1355 Friday Harbor, WA 98250.

A graveside service will be held July 30 at 1:00 pm at the San Juan Valley Cemetery.  A reception will follow at the home of Dave & Wendy Picinich, 780 Harbor Street.

Katie (left) joins Autumn and Amy this fall at Lighthouse....

Just got this update from Lighthouse from Val Curtis:

Lighthouse Preschool: Increase to teaching staff, employment opportunity and enrollment openings

Classes at Lighthouse Preschool begin Tuesday, September 6, 2011.   The Lighthouse Preschool Board is happy to announce that Teacher Amy Pauls will be returning for her 3rd year at Lighthouse Preschool and Teacher Autumn Hallock will be serving for her 2nd year; both are working with the 3 and 4 year old classes.

We are pleased to announce that Katie Chevalier is the newest addition to the teaching staff and will be working with the Toddler Group.  Katie comes to Lighthouse with Early Education studies under her belt, experience with early education programs during her time in Idaho and a tangible passion for working with young children.  In addition, she is a talented artist who will share her love and knowledge in this discipline with her students. Continue Reading

Proud grandma Nancy DeVaux says, "A baby girl was born Sunday to Joni (Cameron) and Alex Wenger - both FHHS 1996 grads. Brothers Owen and Elijah welcome sister Claire, at home in Blaine."

What’s happening….

• This year’s Wags to Riches fundraiser for the Animal Shelter is this Saturday…and they still have a few tickets left. This one is fun – I’ve gone the last few years & I know you’ll have a good time…help make it a sellout! Here’s the details.

• Passing: So sad to hear that Wilma Munsey passed away last week…our hearts are with you, Tom. She’s much missed….

Last day of camp at Blazing Tree Ranch....

• Courtney Oldwyn sent along a photo of the kids at their last day of horse camp – they had a great time! She says she’d like to send a big thank you shout out to all the local kids that came to camp this summer! She also mentioned: “We do have a couple of spots open the week of Aug 1-5 and the 8-12. Our last week is going to be the 15-19th and then we’ll start up again next summer.”

• Last weekend’s Encampment at British Camp was fun, and you’ll get a pretty good idea from Cyndi Brast’s portfolio of photos from the weekend.

It was a reminder of day-to-day life in the 1800s at British Camp last weekend....photo by Cyndi Brast.

• If last week’s Republican get-together at the Red Barn was a hit, does that mean the Dems need to find a Blue Barn for theirs?

It was nice to have all the elected folks here, for that (the GOP hosted candidate for governor Rob McKenna, who is presently attorney general) and for the hospital ground breaking, which included Maria Cantwell & Rick Larsen. We’re a small place, and it’s nice when we’re on their radar as a place to check in….

Sometimes you wake up to an impressionistic painting - sunrise over the harbor this morning on the island at 5:45am...photo by Russell Sadler (thanks, Russell!)

Hope your week is off to great start – let’s see what’s going on ’round the island:

• The Community Theatre‘s farce The Real Inspector Hound begins its three week run this Friday – funny & fast paced & you’ll love it, especially if you already like Tom Stoppard – here’s more.

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

Grisha, Chris & Colin are playing at their album release show on Wednesday!

• They’re back!

This week!

We hadn’t heard from them because they were busy making their first full-length album, but Enso is playing this week (here’s the Facebook details) – here’s the scoop from Grisha:

Hey, Ian! Enso is playing at the Knoll (234 Beaverton Valley Rd.) this Wednesday.  It’s a release party for our first full-length album Stop Fighting, which we’d love for you to hear.  Music starts at 6:30 PM.  The Sonic Vandals and Kels Boreen will join us.

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

Visiting with former islander Teresa, who is now in Boulder...

• It was fun to check in with our friend Teresa Smith in Boulder last week – can you believe it? You remember the girls from when they all lived on San Juan Island – well, Michelle & Erica are grown up now, and Emma’s 13 & in eighth grade…yep, time passes!

Teresa’s on the last lap of her academic work (in art, naturally!) at Naropa University, and she’s says life’s great. Check out her work here…and get ready to say “Wow!”

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

• Mary-Brooke at Mirabella Skincare & Massage tells me she has a new neighbor down the hall, and wants to tell you about her – here’s more about Rachael, from Mary-Brooke:

Rachael

Rachael Netherton has been practicing massage for over eight years as a certified LMP. She has studied Deep Tissue, Swedish and Hot Stone massage styles, a variety of body treatments, and Reiki energy work.

Growing up in the San Juan Islands has given Rachael a natural desire to create peaceful, healing and inspiring settings for clients to receive therapeutic treatments. Rachael’s work focuses on therapeutic massage, a wonderful technique that enhances mobility and decreases pain. In all of her treatments, she works to create a space and time that is focused on decreasing stress, allowing ones natural life energy to recover and aid in the healing process. She also incorporates high quality massage oils and essential oils to enhance each treatment.

Working on San Juan Island for the past six years has given Rachael peace, and a strong desire to continue expanding her practice here in the Islands. Rachael is now practicing at Harbor Village in Suite E (just down the hall from Mirabella).

It’s always fun to see the island in the videos, movies & pictures people make with their time here…and it’s easy to see Monika LaPlante had a good time while she was here, with the video above, as well as her marine-themed eHarmony parody SeaHarmony (click here to see, or sea), and the Love Letter below, which will look familiar since it was filmed at the Labs as well.

I asked Monika a little about what her time here consisted of, and what she’s up to these days, and she responded:

Q: Hey, Monika! Thanks for checking in! First – where is your work located, if someone wanted to see a portfolio? I love the nature pictures…

A: Thanks for asking! My YouTube page is here and my personal website is here (with some Friday Harbor photography if you hit the “Land” tab – it is the first bunch.)

Q: What were you up to, here at the Marine Labs?

A: This past school year I was a part of a program out of Northeastern University called Three Seas. We studied and experienced applied marine biology in three different marine environments.

Our last stop was in Friday Harbor, Washington, where we took courses in Environmental Conservation, Marine Birds and Mammals, and Physiological and Molecular Marine Biology. As an aspiring film maker, I was made aware that the group ScienceFilm was going to be teaching a class in science and film at the labs while I was there.

I believe that everything happens for a reason, so I signed up and charged my camera, anxiously awaiting what I knew was going to be an incredible opportunity. I had always believed that film was an aspect of society that was not properly utilized by all parties, especially scientists.

Video is such an incredible way to convey a message that may not be done justice by the written word. The ScienceFilm course made me believe that to be even more true. We were taught by film gurus who encouraged us in all the right directions, regardless of our skill level, and I know I am a much better videographer as a result of it.

Q: What kinds of things did you learn in these projects?

A: We made a short film every day using the new techniques we had learned in the daily lesson. The day I made “The Love Letter,” we had learned about sound. I decided that dialogue was something I was familiar with, but sound effects were not. Every noise in a film is created after the shooting and is commonly overlooked by an audience. I chose to make a silent film so I could focus on sound effects. Also, without dialogue, expression and body language become the most important vector of communication. “seaHarmony” was my final project for the class. It was a fun short to make and I had the opportunity to dabble in lighting.

Q: The “Bye Bye Bye Wetsuit” vid looked like you & your friends were having a great time…where did you get the idea?

A: A few days prior to the film class, I had thought of a funny idea for a music video and rounded up my friends. We learned some choreography and then suited up and made a “Wetsuit Edition” of N’Sync’s “Bye Bye Bye.” I love how it turned out. We played up the fact that wetsuits are the antonym of sexy, as anyone who dives would understand.

Monika is currently working as a steward with the Lake George Association in New York, inspectinng boats for invasive species, removing suspicious plants and animals, and educating boaters about the threats of invasive species to Lake George.

When we were filming, they were all wearing 7mm suits with hoods and gloves, and the sun was beating down on them. We had to shoot the choreography a few times and at the end they all almost vomited from heat exhaustion! I felt so bad for them, but they jumped in the water and the filming commenced.

Q: So, what are you up to these days, and where are you located?

A: I am currently working in upstate New York in the Adirondack Mountains for the Lake George Association as the Assistant Coordinator for our stewardship program. In addition to my main duties, I am also producing videos for the LGA, but more along the lines of video blogs rather than shorts – although I do hope to make a few!

Islander, house painter, artist, father, son, husband, & friend Terry Ogle needs some help - I ran into him at a presentation of his woodworking last fall...amazing work.

Turns out that Terry Ogle is pretty sick…he has been diagnosed with stage 4 leukemia, and has begun chemo. A bunch of his friends & family are pulling together a benefit fundraiser on August 26 which I’ll tell you more about as the plans come together, but check out the Facebook writeup in the meantime to see what you can do to help….and good luck, friend.

Betty Nash is an island elder who was on hand to greet the canoes...from left, that's Bill James, James Hillaire, Betty Nash, Lutie Hillaire and Fran James. Photo provided by Lee Brooks (thanks, Lee!)

Rounding the corner past the Friday Harbor Marine Labs into Friday Harbor, the bright canoes light up the water....photo by Alan Cairns.

They’ve come a long way, the old way…paddling across the strait from island to island. Over 200 tribes & bands are represented in this annual event (here’s the complete backstory from last week).

It was a well-attended & fun event last year – so now it’s time for the Second Annual Fly-in & Open House – here’s more from Fred Schumacher:

Release Your Inner Child at the Friday Harbor Fly-In and Open House

Visualize a child’s fingers wrapped around a chain-link fence at the local airport, wide eyes watching every airplane take off and land, wondering what it would be like to be on the other side to experience the touch and smell of a real airplane.  Was that ever you?  If so, you can pass that feeling of wonderment to your own kids, on July 23 at the Friday Harbor Airport.  Only this time, you’ll be inside the fence up close and personal with all kinds of airplanes.  Antiques, classics, experimental, warbirds and more.  There’s a simulator to fly, face painting and balsa wood gliders for the kids.

The second ever Fly-In and Open House is planned to be very family and budget friendly.

Whether you drive in or fly in, the event is free, including parking, shuttle, admission, and exhibits.  There will even be drawings for free airplane rides, including a party of 8 aboard Kenmore Air.  The show starts at 10 with the opening ceremony and fly-by.  Several more fly-bys are scheduled through the day, until the show ends at 4pm.

Displays in the hangars include Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, Westwind Aviation, San Juan Air Maintenance, Island Air, Kenmore Air, Island Sky Ferries, Customs and Border Patrol, and more.

Extras for a charge are the Pancake Breakfast from 8-10, lunch from three vendors, hats and t-shirts, biplane and helicopter rides, and a Big Band Hangar Dance for the grown-ups from 7-10pm.

At 1:30 you can walk across the street to see the ground breaking of the Peace Health Peace Island Medical Center.

Friday Harbor is the kind of place where you can still be part of small town aviation, the way it once was across America.  And, since you can only get to San Juan Island by air or water, airplanes are very important.  In fact in 2009, 24,000 people got on or off a commercial flight at Friday Harbor Airport.  That’s three-times the population of the island. Add to that the large number of private aircraft and you can see the airport’s vitality is obvious.

If you have ever appreciated the quality time spent hanging around old airplanes at the home-town airport, this is the event for you.

For more information, see the Port of Friday Harbor’s site.

Kayaking on the west side this week...photo by Kevin Holmes.

Let’s see what’s up:

• The Tease are playing at Herb’s tonight & Saturday starting at 9:30pm – I got to hear these guys over the weekend of the Fourth when they played at Roche Harbor, and they make a room of people get on their feet & dance…check them out -you’ll be glad you did!

• Speaking of music & fun: T:FLO’s live karaoke is at the Rumor Mill tonight…try it, you’ll like it!

• Val Curtis says this is gonna be fun:

I wanted to let you all know about a wonderful program coming up next week called Dinosaur Soup Preschool. Preschoolers and their parents will get a chance to discover the world of dinosaurs through fun games, hands-on activities, and art projects! If you are looking for something fun to do with your preschooler join us for an afternoon of excitement. Come dressed to get messy!

Date: Thursday, July 28th 1-3pm
Cost: $6.00
Ages: 2-6
Location: Family Park adjacent to Fair Grounds.
Register: Online or call 378-4953

Hope you can join the summer fun!

This weekend: The Winter's Tale!

• It’s this weekend – Brenda Beckett went to The Winter’s Tale last weekend & says it’s awesome -here’s the deal for this weekend:

Rather than disappoint the stalwart souls who turned up in the rain to see “The Winter’s Tale” last weekend, Helen and Dan and company presented the entire play in their living room, complete with props and costumes!  It’s a fantastic show, and Helen says it plays even better on the  Stage!  Friday, Saturday and Sunday are the last chance to see the show on Wold Road, before they move out to Roche Harbor.

Here are some interesting things – see what you think:

Bill’s new book

• Here’s the note that came with this amazing story from the Seattle Times:

“Two weeks ago, we looked out our window to see a catamaran lowering something into the water.  The Captain called out that they were taking hi def underwater video……….to check their blog in a few days.  Attached is the link to their result.  These are the creatures living in the water in front of our Home.  Beautiful and fascinating!  Enjoy!” (Thanks to Kevin Holmes for sharing!)

• This reviewer calls island writer Bill Carli‘s new book Carribean Punch a “fun read” and more – here’s the story.

• Talented guides at Outdoor Odysseys Kayaking – we’re talking American Idol & photo awards! Here’s more.

• New book from the islands: It’s called Far From The War, by Jeffrey David Payne, and is set on Orcas. Looking at a September release by an outfit called Roche Harbor Books.

The Islands Museum of Art (IMA) sculpture park out near Roche Harbor has several new pieces this season - have you seen them yet? Photo by Ruth Offen.

InHave you seen Waterworks Gallery’s Ruth‘s new blog? In it she discusses different aspects of the art scene between here and the rest of the Northwest, as well as what life is like in other ways.

In her latest posting, she goes out for the day and explores our island home and takes a moment to enjoy and remember why we live here. Click here and you’ll get the idea. an

The entrance to the sculpture park...photo by Ruth Offen.

Amazing photos this time of year of the amazing wildlife here on the island…here’s some highlights:

That's a barred owl that David Grove saw about a week ago....

Yep, deer swim between Snug Harbor & Mitchell Bay...that's from a couple of weeks ago - photo by Jim Maya.

John Miller calls this "In One Failed Swoop" because the eagle couldn't hold onto his fish....

Jim Maya caught J34 people-watching with some folks out with Sea Quest Kayaking Expeditions a couple of days ago off the southern tip of Henry Island...

Majestic...that's a great blue heron. Photo by Jim Maya.