And two free kittens....

Lots of shops in Friday Harbor have signs at the door saying welcoming things like “You have a kid – leash ’em” and “If your kid breaks our stuff, we charge double” and so on. This is my favorite sign from off-island.

Drop on by....

Here on the island, we’re surrounded by water…either the ocean, or when it rains, by all those puddles & the drizzle & all that. In spite of that, do we really see what the water drops look like, and how they behave? After seeing this, you’ll see water drops in a whole ‘nother way….

Sheila shot pictures of the pictures in the library, and on walls in the halls...

Last night it was cool to hear how good the band is sounding these days, how beautiful & compelling our artists are, and how good school food can be. The Community Dinner & Art Walk (with music by the band) made for a good evening, and provided the backdrop for the community service presentations by juniors & seniors around the school, telling what they’d been up to.

Way to go, Wolverines!

Director Janet Olsen & the band were awesome....photo by Jake Taylor.

The dining hall was full for the two hours I was there....photo by Jake Taylor.

Kitchen boss Liz & her chefs (Gage, Cole, Rowan & Diante) smile for a sec before cooking more chow for the mob that came last night.

Ryan & Brandon give a thumbs up for the dinner, made with locally grown food.

Sheila shot pictures of the pictures in the library, and on walls in the halls...

Last night it was cool to hear how good the band is sounding these days, how beautiful & compelling our artists are, and how good school food can be. The Community Dinner & Art Walk (with music by the band) made for a good evening, and provided the backdrop for the community service presentations by juniors & seniors around the school, telling what they’d been up to.

Way to go, Wolverines!

Director Janet Olsen & the band were awesome....photo by Jake Taylor.

The dining hall was full for the two hours I was there....photo by Jake Taylor.

Kitchen boss Liz & her chefs (Gage, Cole, Rowan & Diante) smile for a sec before cooking more chow for the mob that came last night.

Ryan & Brandon give a thumbs up for the dinner, made with locally grown food.

Sam & mom Laurie & papa Tim join in the singing for Tallulah's fourth birthday.

There are all kinds of stuff happening around here…here’s a start:

• It was Tallulah’s fourth birthday last night, so everyone at the Community Dinner & the band sang happy birthday for her – she was beaming throughout. Here’s a picture of her & Laurie when she was seven weeks old (click here, and scroll about halfway down).

• Kelly Carlisle wrote up his experience with the local EMTs when he was here last April before the Tour D’ Lopez (he & his buddy stayed here on San Juan Island before the race)… check it out.

John Koster

• Republican John Koster is coming up from Snohomish County to visit on Friday (tomorrow). You can meet the candidate at a no-host lunch at China Pearl noon…he’ll be challenging Democratic Congressman Rick Larsen in this fall’s election.

• Nature’s wisdom, passed by again: Local professor Mike Cohen thinks that the movie Avatar had a chance to connect with one of humans’ problems – our dis-connect with nature – but missed. Here’s more.

• Besides the School District’s M&O levy on the ballot which will be mailed to you today, the local Emergency Medical Services (EMS) levy needs your vote, too. I gotta say I think we have just about as fine an EMS setup & response as anyone in a remote place could ask for, and I hope you’ll vote “yes” on that one as well as the school levy.

Here’s more from the Island’s Hospital Board:

We will all soon be receiving our ballots for a special election scheduled for February 9, 2010.  On that ballot our local Emergency Medical Service (EMS) is asking for a RENEWAL of its tax levy. Continue Reading

The show is Saturday & Sunday....

The show is this weekend…here’s more from Jan at the Theatre & Linda from Dance Workshop II – first, from Jan:

The Whittier stage will be overflowing with professional and island talents this Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2:00 pm during the 2010 Winter Song & Dance Festival.

Dance Workshop II’s Linda Downes has gathered a stellar group to wow us!  She’s especially excited about a rare performance by baritone Erich Parce on Saturday night…he sang for the New York Metropolitan Opera for 18 years and directed last fall’s Carmen here at the Theatre. Erich’s wife, Jenny Knapp of Opera Pacifica, will also be singing on Saturday.

Here’s more of the lineup, full of island stars and off-island professional guests (in no particular order and there might even be some last minute surprise additions):

Jenny & Erich are singing on Saturday (that's them when they were here for Carmen in October).

Dance Gallery of Bellingham (professional modern dance company)
Devorah (singing in Hebrew)
Tenor Robert Corl of Opera Pacifica (Sunday only)
Artist Cynthia Church
Singer Roberta Leed (Saturday only)
Opa! Gypsy Band
Island musician Rhianna Franklin
Violinist Robin Lohrey
Enpointe ballet dancer Julie Hagn
Performance artist Catherine Dietzman
Dance Workshop II Ballet Dancers (Vivaldi’s Four Seasons)
Professional Tango dancer Montero
Pianist Stella Joh
Young island singer Mark Mazzarella (Sunday only)

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Here’s more from Linda, with background on the performers:

For an affordable and exciting entertainment event, bring your date and your family to the fourth annual Winter Song and Dance Festival Continue Reading

The show is Saturday & Sunday....

The show is this weekend…here’s more from Jan at the Theatre & Linda from Dance Workshop II – first, from Jan:

The Whittier stage will be overflowing with professional and island talents this Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2:00 pm during the 2010 Winter Song & Dance Festival.

Dance Workshop II’s Linda Downes has gathered a stellar group to wow us!  She’s especially excited about a rare performance by baritone Erich Parce on Saturday night…he sang for the New York Metropolitan Opera for 18 years and directed last fall’s Carmen here at the Theatre. Erich’s wife, Jenny Knapp of Opera Pacifica, will also be singing on Saturday.

Here’s more of the lineup, full of island stars and off-island professional guests (in no particular order and there might even be some last minute surprise additions):

Jenny & Erich are singing on Saturday (that's them when they were here for Carmen in October).

Dance Gallery of Bellingham (professional modern dance company)
Devorah (singing in Hebrew)
Tenor Robert Corl of Opera Pacifica (Sunday only)
Artist Cynthia Church
Singer Roberta Leed (Saturday only)
Opa! Gypsy Band
Island musician Rhianna Franklin
Violinist Robin Lohrey
Enpointe ballet dancer Julie Hagn
Performance artist Catherine Dietzman
Dance Workshop II Ballet Dancers (Vivaldi’s Four Seasons)
Professional Tango dancer Montero
Pianist Stella Joh
Young island singer Mark Mazzarella (Sunday only)

+++++++++

Here’s more from Linda, with background on the performers:

For an affordable and exciting entertainment event, bring your date and your family to the fourth annual Winter Song and Dance Festival Continue Reading

Light to start the day....

The sun was golden as it rose over Griffin Bay this morning….this is the view from the end of Pelican Way.

Ann Pullman

Ran into Wayne Pullman yesterday and he told me about his wife Ann’s passing last week on Saturday. He spent her last ten days in the hospital room with her, holding her hand & being with her…they were married 36 years, and she is survived by him & their kids, Michael & Shelley.  Her funeral mass will be this Saturday at 10am at St. Francis.

Joy (left) and Bonnie

When Bonnie Gilmore mentioned last autumn she was stepping down as the County’s United Way executive director, it was hard to image who could replace her AND do such a great job.

Looks like we did OK, as Joy Goldberg has stepped into Bonnie’s spot & brings a wealth of enthusiasm & experience to the post…she lives on Lopez & moved to the islands back in July last year – good to have you aboard, and thanks, Bonnie for a job well done!

Showing Friday & Tuesday....you won't look at food the same way again...

First of all, you need to know: This is a life-changing & lifestyle-changing movie. I believe it ought to be required for anybody in this country who thinks we have protections in place for food production.

Here’s more about Food, Inc., including the trailer.

There are a couple of special showing coming up in the next week – here’s more from Land & Sea/Slow Food’s Linda Cobos:

Hi Ian, I’m just writing  just in case you missed our Land & Sea Slow Food note about the movie this Friday. We’re showing “Food, Inc.” in the activities room at Seanene Kenneday’s lovely Village At the Harbour, Deanna Osborne has made it possible for us to do this for 2 different nights, Fri. 1/22, and Tues 1/25, both evenings at 6:30.

We’ll have free air popped popcorn with organic butter or virgin olive oil, and the movie’s also free. People can donate if they like to if they want to help with popcorn for next time, but mostly we just want you to bring yourself, a friend, and have a great time.
Best wishes,
Linda and Maureen
Land & Sea

Showing Friday & Tuesday....you won't look at food the same way again...

First of all, you need to know: This is a life-changing & lifestyle-changing movie. I believe it ought to be required for anybody in this country who thinks we have protections in place for food production.

Here’s more about Food, Inc., including the trailer.

There are a couple of special showing coming up in the next week – here’s more from Land & Sea/Slow Food’s Linda Cobos:

Hi Ian, I’m just writing  just in case you missed our Land & Sea Slow Food note about the movie this Friday. We’re showing “Food, Inc.” in the activities room at Seanene Kenneday’s lovely Village At the Harbour, Deanna Osborne has made it possible for us to do this for 2 different nights, Fri. 1/22, and Tues 1/25, both evenings at 6:30.

We’ll have free air popped popcorn with organic butter or virgin olive oil, and the movie’s also free. People can donate if they like to if they want to help with popcorn for next time, but mostly we just want you to bring yourself, a friend, and have a great time.
Best wishes,
Linda and Maureen
Land & Sea

By Design's executive suites move to the home office, as does the editorial nerve center for the San Juan Update.

Hey! This is a one-day posting for ya – as you know, I’m closing up the office at the Guard Building on Mullis Street this weekend where I’ve run By Design for the past few years, as part of my downsizing the biz this year. I’m not going out of business – in fact, business is good! But as part of the deal moving the office to the house, I have some office stuff you may be able to find use for, so I thought I’d let you know.

Call me at 378-7275 if you’re interested over the next two days; after that, gotta move. (By the way, if you want a GREAT office, consider this now-vacant place at Guard Electric for $550/month- it’s awesome!)

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Items for sale, priced to move!
• A Recessed Desk (the computer goes under the glass of the desk’s top, see A in picture) originally $600, now only $75
• Rubber flooring for a shop or office (see B) – $50 to cover 600 sq. ft (originally $550)
• Macintosh G4 and monitor – 1meg RAM, 800mhz processor with a 40GB & 80GB HD. – (See C in photo). Only $75. Comes from a happy home. (Got a 20-inch iMac, too – let’s talk!)
• Desk with six drawers & return – in good shape! $75 (see D in photo)
• Couch! Only $50! (See E in photo).

Other stuff: A huge cork bulletin board, an attachment for your camera to make virtual tours online, satellite maps of the San Juans, and a 10′ x 14′ area carpet. Give Ian a call at 378-7275 & let’s make a deal!

Check it out! Two days only!

Linda & friend....

There are a lot of folks who do amazing things on the island – one of them is Linda O’Neill, who offers life coaching for executives, which she calls Transformative Executive Coaching…it’s pretty cool what she doing. Check out her site at oneillcoaching.com. You’ll be glad you did!

Love makes you & me go 'round....

Valentine stories: OK, get ’em in! Looking for love stories for Valentine’s Day – just mail ’em to the address below (or ian (at) byd2.com) & send pix if you like!

I’ll post ’em that week…I’d love to hear your story about how you met, how it’s going, and the proof you offer that love is real – send it in by February 10th!

You & I last did this in 2007 – remember? Here were the stories we got that year!

Love makes you & me go 'round....

Valentine stories: OK, get ’em in! Looking for love stories for Valentine’s Day – just mail ’em to the address below (or ian (at) byd2.com) & send pix if you like!

I’ll post ’em that week…I’d love to hear your story about how you met, how it’s going, and the proof you offer that love is real – send it in by February 10th!

You & I last did this in 2007 – remember? Here were the stories we got that year!