Orchard, Aquatint etching, 8 x 5 image, Edition 250

Ruth at waterworks welcomes Stephen McMillian:

“Throughout his life, Stephen has been inspired and sustained by the natural world and has spent much of his time outside. Stephen is renewed and invigorated by being in and moving through the landscape. It is this sense of renewal that he seeks to share with others.”

Stephen’s aquatint etching on view beginning Saturday,September 18.

Melina Lagios has been the acting director at the Library since Laura Tretter left back in July, and she’s been acting like a really good one (AND doing her assistant/children’s librarian job, too!)…but now she tells me a decision has been made & a new director is on the way:

The Board of Trustees of the San Juan Island Library is pleased to announce that Marjorie Harrison of Scottsbluff, NE has been hired as the new Library Director. Ms. Harrison comes to the Island with a broad background in public library service in rural communities.

She is currently serving as Panhandle Library System Coordinator, working with many types of libraries in Western Nebraska, and brings experience in public service, administration, collection development, library technology, and youth services.

“I look forward to working with everyone at the library and settling in to my new job and life on San Juan Island,” Ms. Harrison said. “I sense that the Island just might be our ideal ‘home.’”  Ms. Harrison will be at the Library by November 1.

The new Director was chosen after a nationwide search and extensive review.  Both the Trustees and Library staff are confident that the new Director will advance the Library’s efforts to provide the highest quality of service to Island residents and visitors. “I think that she will be a good fit for the community,” noted Melina Lagios, Assistant Director and Youth Services Librarian.

Last week, Michael Horn and his family & crew at Friday Harbor Dentistry put on their annual barbecue, which fed hundreds - way to go! That's Michael with Jen and Lila and her new bro Kaden, who may be the happiest baby on the island.

Let’s see what we see….

• Just heard from Aaron D’Errico that he’s in a contest, and we can help – here’s more:

I’m really excited!  I’ve just completed my logo for the Stan Lee Foundation create a logo contest through talenthouse.com. I’m asking all my friends to please register and vote for my logo submission at this webpage (click to see the logo, too!).

After people click the “support” button on my page they can vote for my logo.  Voting takes place September 17th through September 20th 2010.

The project is to promote literacy, education and the arts. (Here’s more about the contest, and the Foundation.) Thanks!

Sonja will join Hanna for the show - see you there!

• Before she goes back to school next month, Hanna Burke’s going to show you what she’s been doing with her singing. I heard her last year & this summer, and I think she’s pretty amazing.

Here’s more,  for next Monday:

A Bit of Broadway and All That Jazz
Date: Monday, September 20, 2010
Time: 6:00 to 7:30 pm
Location: The Gubelman Theatre at The San Juan Community Theatre

Free entry but donations are welcome!
Please join us for an evening of music. Hanna Burke will be featured in her second solo performance and fundraising event. Performing Musical Theatre and Jazz pieces accompanied by pianist Sonja Zarek – come and enjoy! Light Appetizers provided.
For more info: Contact – Cynthia Burke – 360-317-717

The Sliders are this weekend, which is their last scheduled show for a couple of months....

• Jean at Island Time Travel has an end-of-year deal for you – here’s more:

Island Time Travel is offering an end of the year reservations and itinerary special!!
Reduced rates for travel during the months of November and December, 2010.
$75.00 for one trip itinerary.
$35.00 for air only reservations for 1 to 3 persons.
$45.00 for air only reservations for  4 or more persons.

Take advantage of these special prices and plan your end of the year trip now!  Follow the ‘start here’ directions on our website or email us with your questions.  We will return your inquiry immediately!
Jean, 378-5553

It's a trip through island history...most of the past 60 years of Friday Harbor High School graduates are on the walls at the high school (drop by & see who you know!), but the years before that are on the wall at Jeri's Mall (between the Hot Shop & San Juan Jewelers).

• Want to help? Island Rec needs a new board member:

The San Juan Island Park and Recreation Commission is soliciting letters of interest from persons who may wish to serve on the Commission.
Interested applicants are asked to submit a letter of interest to Island Rec Board of Commissioners and to attend an interview at the October 7th Commission meeting at 5pm, at Island Rec’s office.

Selection of a candidate is planned to take place that same evening.

The appointment to the Board will run until the November 2011 election, and will fill the vacancy to be created by the upcoming resignation of Commissioner Jim Ricks.

The Commission meets on the first Thursday of every month at 5:00 pm. In addition to participation in Board meetings, Commissioners act as a liaison on special assignments and with other community organizations and volunteer at special events and projects.

• The Internet was created to help the Department of Defense stay in touch, to allow e-mail between academics, to help create a new center for commerce, and to allow people an easy way to show cat pictures.

I can’t do much about all that, except the last – here’s a piano-playing cat…you’ll see why this YouTube vid has 18 million visits:

• Stephanie at Tucker House/Harrison House Suites has a pretty sweet deal coming up in October – here’s the scoop:

“There’s more to the San Juans than whales!  Discover San Juan Island’s wild food scene with a Fall Foraging Fiesta, hosted by Harrison House Suites and Tucker House Inn.  This will be an action-packed, fun-filled weekend learning about the Islands, and the sustainably-farmed products available.  The fun starts on Friday, October 8th when guests will enjoy a presentation from one of the Island’s most passionate foragers.  She forages on a macro level, looking for new producers of sustainable ingredients for the Island’s co-op and area restaurants. Continue Reading

The soccer association could use a little help with putting on games – here’s more from Travis Ayers:

Calling All Referees

San Juan Soccer needs more referees. Please contact Kevin Porter at [email protected] to sign up.

The pay range is as follows:

U8 and U10: $10/game
U12 and U13: $15/game
And if you are a licensed ref, you get paid an extra $10 per game! We could use Assistant Ref’s (AR’s) to run the touchlines for the U13 games, which would pay $10/game with the same $10/game bonus if you are licensed.

Dollars for Scholars are also available for qualified students.

Scared? Don’t be. Kevin will put on a 1-2 hour basic clinic if there is enough interest.

Field Marking

We are looking for help in prepping the fields each week. This essentially entails outlining perimeter of the U6, U8 and the U10/U12 fields, and all interior markings with paint. The large soccer field used by the traveling teams will be marked out by them. No line set-up will be necessary as fields will be mowed every Thursday for duration of season, leaving a trace of previous markings from which to go over. Once field markings complete corner flags should be set up on the U8 & U10/U12 fields and nets checked to ensure all areas tied off.

Paint for markings, wheeled marking tool, corner flags and net ties will be kept in equipment shed next to soccer fields (you will be given combination to lock)

For the uninitiated, a demonstration will be given of procedure involved this coming Thursday evening at 5:45 pm, ideal time to mark fields being Thursday evenings after 5:30pm or any time Friday before 3:00 pm or after 5:30pm. For the early risers any time before 8:30am on Saturday mornings would also work. (it only takes one hand to operate the marking tool, thus freeing up the other hand to hold a coffee cup)

We have 7 weeks of Saturday play left till completion of season, and if no one person is willing to mark fields every week (beginning this week for Saturday 18th readiness) the task could be shared by numerous individuals.

It works best if you sign up as an interested party, and can be available to mark fields on short notice once called upon.

Time commitment is around an hour 15 minutes to an hour 30 minutes to mark all 3 fields.

We could really use the help! Please reply to Declan Place at [email protected].

Air borne...photo by Kevin Holmes

Around the island….

• Tonight at the Community Theatre – John Hammond! Besides writing the music for Little Big Man, he’s got a pretty long & distinguished career…and sounds good, too! Here’s more from Jan at the SJCT:

Blues Guitar/Harmonica Master at SJCT

Tom Waits calls him a “great force of nature.”  T. Bone Burnett says he’s “a master…a virtuoso.”

And on Wednesday, September 15 at 7:30 p.m., Friday Harbor gets the chance to experience that talent live when John Hammond makes his first appearance at San Juan Community Theatre.

Hammond - tonight!

With a career that spans several decades, Hammond is one of a handful of white blues musicians who was on the scenes at the beginning of the first blues renaissance of the mid-‘60s.  In 1966, while living in New York, he met a young Jimi Hendrix and offered to put a band together for the guitarist (while playing in his band, Hendrix was discovered by Chas Chandler, who took him to England to record).  Hammond continued his work with electric blues ensembles, recording with people like Robbie Robertson, Duane Allman and Dr. John.  In the meantime, he crafted a niche for himself: the solo guitar man, harmonica slung in a rack around his neck, reinterpreting classic blues songs.

Hammond has recorded 33 albums.  His latest, Rough & Tough, was a 2010 Grammy nominee for Best Traditional Blues Album.

Finding Joe Friday.....

• Rebecca from Island Rec is currently looking for a few good volunteers to help put this on – step up! you’ll be glad you did! Here’s more:

FIND “JOE FRIDAY”- TOWN SCAVENGER HUNT

How well do you know your town?

Join Island Rec on Sunday, October 3rd for a day of fun and suspense. This town-wide scavenger hunt will focus on the sights, smells, and sounds of Friday Harbor. Teams will have to work together to solve riddles and complete a variety of challenges in order to be the first to find “Joe Friday” and win the grand prize.

Get your family, friends, neighbors, or co-workers together and form a team of 2-4 people. All ages are welcome. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Sign up your team by September 23rd and receive a $5 discount! Cost per team is $15 thereafter. Volunteers are needed to help run activities and clue stations, please call if interested in helping out. Call Island Rec at 378-4953 for more information.

• A little swinging goes a long way – that’s Jodi & her girl Lilly on Sunday at the family playground at the Fairgrounds:

• What can YOU do in the next four years to make the planet a better place to live? Check this out, and sign up (and thanks to BJ for sharing):

Bro & sis in action...

The Chalk-It-Up shown in the pictures happened two months ago, and Rebecca Clarke at Island Rec sent them then, but hey, I was busy that week, or something…. so I saved them until NOW to show you! It was fun – here’s more from Rebecca:

Here are some pictures of Island Rec’s 2010 Chalk-It-Up event that took place during the Arts Festival this past Saturday.  It turned out to be a huge hit with 85 people participating (that’s a lot of people in 4 hours).

There were people of all ages creating chalky masterpieces all over the Courthouse sidewalk.  I noticed a lot more adults participating this year – some very talented ones at that – that was great to see.  I hope you can post some of these pictures on your site.  There are some really cute ones in the bunch.

Thanks! Rebecca

Getting diverse...

For some, the whole family was involved!

More people next year, and we might run out of sidewalk!

That's Brian's work....

Carla, remembering her trip...

…to tell someone you love them, today.

I love this little bit from the movie Love, Actually, as this guy tells her –  the woman he can never be with – the truth, as part of his moving on….and here’s hoping your day is full of love.

Cheers,
Your itinerant webdude

That's Nourdine and Albert in 1946....

If you had to name the oldest family-owned business on the island, you’d get it right if you said Jensen Shipyard – here’s more from Alisa:

Jensen Shipyard Invites You to Celebrate 100 Years

Albert Jensen & Sons, Inc. (aka Jensen Shipyard) has been in business at 1293 Turn Point Road, Friday Harbor since 1910.  To celebrate their maritime business longevity they are hosting an Anniversary Party on Saturday, September 18, 2010 from 12:00 pm- 4:00 pm. Everyone is welcome to come enjoy fresh fish and barbeque beef while it lasts.  There will be historical photos to see as well as a handful of Jensen built boats to visit.  Additional parking is available across the street in the old gravel pit.

“To the best of our knowledge, we are the oldest family owned business operating at the same location, open for consecutive years of business, in the County,” says Jeri Lynn Ahrenius, the granddaughter of founder Albert Jensen.  Prior to 1910, Albert, his father and his brothers built boats on Griffin Bay near the end of what is now known as Jensen Bay Road.

Since establishing the Shipyard in 1910, Albert and his son Nourdine Jensen built over 150 boats at the current location.  The Wynsum was the last boat built in 1983 and is currently still moored at Jensen Shipyard docks.  In the late 1980’s, Nourdine’s daughter Jeri and son-in-law, Mike Ahrenius moved to the island and began working for the family business.

Nourdine was often asked through the years when he was going to retire?  His response was always, “Why would I want to do that?”  He worked to the very end, passing away just after his 95th birthday in 2009. Today Nord’s granddaughter Alisa Schoultz is currently employed at the yard along with three other employees: Duane Davis, Richard Mathews and John Thomas.

For more information about the celebration on September 18^th or if you have contact information for locally owned Jensen built boats, please call the shipyard at: 360-378-4343.  www.jensenshipyard.com

Youth soccer got underway this past weekend, with some 200 kids at the elementary school...the youth football games were played away last weekend as they started their seasons, too!

Coach Scheffer fires up the troops before the game....

• FHHS football kept the game within striking distance last Saturday, allowing a first half Orcas score to only trail 7-0 at the half (with a couple of key Don Galt picks in the end zone to keep the Vikings out), but Orcas ground it out in the second half, adding a couple of scores to win 21-6. Micah Powell’s fake punt run for a score gave the Wolverines a chance, but Orcas scored late to put it out of reach. Next up: at Meridian, this Friday.

• It was a tough one – the Wolverine girls lost 1-0 at Port Townsend in soccer on Saturday. They’re back in action at 5 today at Orcas.

The Wolverine cheerleaders kept the crowd going during the game...

Let’s check out the scene….

Erin Corra shows off the cool ring that Emma Foster made for her, the other night...

Martha & Reyes welcome Danielle last week....

• Babies, babies….

I checked in at San Juan Holistic Healthcare – they told me Laura and Jason Holden delivered Theron Ellis last week, and everybody’s healthy (naturally!)

And…on the eight last week, Jessie Danielle Valencia was born to Martha & Reyes – everybody’s doing well!

• This week you can catch David Bayley on the piano at the Rumor Mill – here’s the deal:

Hi Ian  – Well, my August dates at the Rumor Mill went so well that I’m back for two more appearances this month. Two Thursday evenings, the 16th and the 23rd, both nights from 7-9. I’ll be performing my usual piano rags, blues, boogies and tangos.

Chris Teren's dad Ted came to Chris' 40th birthday party on Sunday at the bowling alley...and a good time was had by all!

• Teddy Deane won’t be playing his usual gig at the Rumor Mill tonight because it got switched to last night, but he’ll be back on schedule with his usual Tuesdays next week….

There's coffee & then there's art...this was a mocha prepared by Hannah at the Bean on Sunday...wow!

• There was a good turnout at the Brickworks Rising fundraiser last weekend, and it appears they have secured a loan for $300K for the project. Here’s more from the Ag Guild’s website.

• There was a well-attended fundraiser for Phil McKee at the golf club on Saturday, which I understand came close to helping close out his medical bills…I love the writeup that Jessica Oldwyn composed yesterday morning about the event.

She’s right…islanders are like family.

Drop by...it's going to be great!

Sea lions, yesterday, photographed from 200 yards away from the Western Prince...photo by Katie Jones

Every so often you get a special chance to do something…

That's Hobbes with Katie (left) and Kathy

This weekend, Josie & I got to go out on the Western Prince for the afternoon, and it was pretty special. Our good friend Hobbes was driving the boat, and it was cool to see how he’s thinking all the time – about the depths, about the passengers, about the marine mammals, about the amazing wildlife. Considerate, sensitive, and incredibly knowledgeable… he does a super job.

Similarly, naturalists Katie & Kathy did a super job of filling folks in with the details & little stories of what they’re seeing & experiencing – you may have seen Katie’s photos around (she’s got a good eye, and beautiful pictures) or seen/read her blog.

A gull at the end of supper yesterday...photo by Katie Jones.

Hope you get a chance to get out on the water before the summer’s over – Ivan has a super operation with Western Prince. If you go out with Western Prince, I know you’ll be glad you did.

We were down near Hein Bank, where this minke whale came along...photo by Katie Jones.

Well, the week has come for the Islands Village Faire this coming weekend…here’s the poster, and a bit more about it below, that, including a chance for you to sign up to help out & an invitation for you to come – here’s more (I love it that it’s an all-ages event that families can come to!):

See you there, at the Faire!

Hello, Dear Friends and Family!

It is once again that time of year as we roll into the September fog banks, and begin to leave the summer behind.

Harvest season is within our reach, clear cold nights soon to come…it is the Islands Village Faire’s time!

We are very pleased to announce that we shall move ever towards the goal of an all inclusive community experience by providing a cohesive and sustainable model, that has only been realized in importance, by all of your wonderful support and participation!

Hosted this year at Rivendell, on San Juan Island, WA, by Earthen Culture and One Tree Records, this unique event is not to be missed. Come and spend the weekend in an environment that has been created to instill peace in our hearts, put wondrous ideas in our heads, place a smile on our faces, keep delightful food on our plates, and bring sweet music to our ears….ok, you get the picture!

For those of you who are thinking of attending, we welcome you wholeheartedly, to those who would like to volunteer in any shape or form, we adore you and have many fun tasks to complete before the event is underway…don’t hesitate to inquire!

With utmost respect,

-the IVF crew
Tel: 360.378.0956
Email: [email protected]

(btw, feel free to forward this on…the more the merrier!)

If you woke up this morning smiling, and you want to smile just a little more – a little wider, a little longer – then listen to this little vid and try not to dance.

And hey, I love you –

Smith

Redaction
by Carmen Giménez Smith

We make dogma out of letter writing: the apocryphal story
of Lincoln who wrote angry letters he never sent. We wait for letters
for days and days. Someone tells me I’ll write you a letter
and I feel he’s saying you’re different than anyone else.
Distance’s buzz gets louder and louder. It gets to be a blackest hole.
I want the letter about the time we cross the avenue, and you reach
for my hand without looking—I am afraid I’m not what you want.
We float down the street as if in the curve of a pod
and the starry black is like the inside of a secret. We’re drunk.
The streetlight exposes us which becomes the deepest
horror. Yes. End the letter like that, so it becomes authorless.
Then the letter might give off secrets: acid imbalances that detonate.

Wendy Smith asked me to let you know:

If you haven’t made it into IMA’s ‘Green: on the edge’ exhibit at the art museum, now is the time to do it!

This delightful & thought provoking show closes this Sunday the 12th.  Islanders and visitors from all around the world have come through IMA’s doors this summer and have been raving about Green: on the edge!  This juried, multi-media, visual arts competition, asks the question “What does green mean to you?  Take it to the edge!”  Artists from Oregon & Washington, including 15 artists from the San Juan Islands, answered this question with an incredible, diverse & profound show. It’s a must see!  Don’t miss it!

The San Juan Islands Museum of Art (IMA) is located at 28 First St North, right next to the Whale Museum. Open this Friday, Saturday & Sunday, 12-5pm  360-370-5050