Pat (left) and Phyllis get ready for the weekend....

Soroptimist Heather Spaulding just wrote to remind us:

Great Island Giveaway and Social

Remember our wonderful community recycling/swap meet last January?  Well, get your unused treasures out, dusted off and ready for exchange for this Saturday, November 7, 2009.

Since the Great Island Give Away held last January was so popular, Soroptimist International of Friday Harbor are sponsoring a second one. For those who did not attend, this event was thought up as a way to encourage both recycling and helping those in need.  It was well attended and we expect a good crowd for this event too.

What does it entail? Well, first take a few items Continue Reading

That's San Juan Vineyards, from up the hill....

It’s great to look at the island from different angles, and that’s what good photographers like Sandy Buckley do… that’s San Juan Vineyards, looking down to the valley.

Take a peek at her website – see what you think.

Jimmy's back...

Everybody’s favourite bartender Jimmy Farrell is back from three weeks in his native Ireland…he tells me when he wore his Naked Bean sweatshirt there, people were askin’ where they could get one.

So if you see a mob of Irish friends mobbing the Bean soon, you’ll know what happened.

There goes the sun, doot 'n doo doo....

This video is mostly audio with pictures added…

Paul Simon added his voice to George Harrison’s “Here Comes the Sun” when Paul was host on Saturday Night Live in 1976. Give it a listen & see what you think.

And that’s my 20-year-old son Shay at the age of eight on the west side of an island we all love….

My good friend Larry Wight tells me Steve & Jami are back to visit this weekend with their friend Anthony from Kenya – sounds like a chance to meet someone who is closer to the earth than many of us….here’s more:

“Rural Kenyan Villager to Speak on Conditions in Kenya”

Anthony Yama, a resident of Mnyenzeni, Kenya, and aid worker Jami Quesenberry (formerly of Friday Harbor) will speak at the Mullis Center at 7:00 pm on Saturday, November 7, 2009.

Anthony’s story of how education changed his life of poverty and need is inspiring, and he and Jami will show present a view of life in modern Kenya (with recent pictures and video) that is both horrific and hopeful. The people of rural Kenya struggle with no electricity, no water, no health care, and often no food, yet are amazingly happy and content when compared with Americans who seem to have everything.

Anthony Yama still lives in a mud structure in the village where he was born, and works in education and improving infrastructure in his district.  Mr. Yama is at the end of an 8 week stay in the United States and has spoken all over the Western United states. It is only through Jami Quesenberry’s connections to the San Juan Islands that we have been able to set up this event and bring Mr. Yama to Friday Harbor for this one evening.

Those who are able to attend this evening will learn, in graphic detail, the daily struggles of millions of people in third-word countries, and see how one area is trying to overcome seemingly insurmountable problems of drought, ignorance, and corruption.

It's time to leave the island....

Rachel at the ferry landing (right) said someone dropped their leaves at the top of the ferry landing last week.

Serendipity is located in the 1904-era Presbyterian manse...

Giving someone a book for the season is one of the coolest things you can give someone, especially when you add that nice note that says, “Hey, I loved this book – let me know what you think about it.”

And here’s the part I would add – if you’re gonna buy a book, get it here on the island. Laura’s Griffin Bay Bookstore & Keith’s Harbor Bookstore are two of the best independent bookstores around, anywhere; and you know, it’s OK to give a used book for a gift, too! And for that, you can drop by Carol & Dilys’ Serendipity Books, right above the ferry landing.

And…all the stores can order whatever you need.

See ya in the stacks.

Strolling in the backyard...hopping along. Kinda wondered if he was hurt, since he couldn't fly more than a few feet. He escaped into the bushes....

There was this pileated woodpecker in the yard walking around in my yard, so I snuck up on him and took a picture of him. Here’s more about them – looks like this one is probably a male….

Note to self: The worst day fishing is better than the best day at the office....

In the kids’ parade on Friday, there were a number of adults, too (I think we have more volunteers per square inch at our elementary school than any place I’ve ever seen)…including Krispi Staude, dressed as a ready-to-go fisherwoman. I asked her where she got the gear:

I am using my husband’s fly fishing equipment (that’s Craig), and my dad’s creel. He got the creel as a birthday gift on his 11th birthday in 1929.

That's Colleen & Kevin, ready to take care of Gotham City....

It may be the island’s second favorite holiday, especially if you measure by how many people get dressed up & get out for the evening. It was nice to have it on a Saturday night, and especially nice to have it on a Saturday night with an extra hour in in it. (You did turn you clock back for DST, right? If not, that’s why there’s nobody at work yet except you, rookie.)

So, Josie & I got into our costumes (she was a lumber jill, and I was a bandito, kinda), and took pictures over in the Greenway neighborhood, at Haley’s, The Blue Water, Pazzo Vivo, and Herb’s, and it was great fun.

Click here to see our gallery of some pretty crazy people!

Teresa (left) and Chelsea got together at Haley's on Saturday night....

Muddy but happy Junior Tigers celebrate Saturday's playoff win.

Wahoo! The Junior Tigers & The Senior Tigers both won in their playoff games on Saturday – here’s more from Tiger Reporter Kris Brown:

Seniors win in final seconds: 12-6

A yellow flag lay on the Friday Harbor Tigers’  three yard line. Down 6-0 late in the fourth quarter, the Senior Tigers were being called for pass interference in a hard fought, first round playoff game against Arlington White at Oak Harbor’s Nugent Field.

The Eagles’  first series produced a 60-yard touchdown run (with a missed point after). For three quarters, an unrelenting Tiger defense thwarted the Eagles scoring attempts. Offensively the Tigers turned over the ball five times. Defensive coach Fred Woods, confident the Tigers could prevail, repeated more than once during half-time “just do your job.”

Then the Tiger’s luck changed. Continue Reading

There were plenty of smiles on Friday afternoon....

One of the things that brings the island together (and keeps us all from working for an a hour or so, after lunch) is the kids’ costume parade each Halloween. This year’s came a day early, and came during the part of the day Friday that it didn’t rain, which was cool.

Here’s Josie’s & my 94-photo gallery we took for you – see who you know!

The costumes were creative this year....

Everybody likes to dress up....photo by Joyce Sobel

Joyce from the Family Resource Center sent this cool photo over to share with you & me… last year, I posted photos from Christine around the same time – check here to see last year’s kids! (Be sure & scroll down a bit – you’ll see ’em!)

There were costumes a'plenty at the annual Teen Halloween Party Saturday night.

It was fun to see all the stuff going on when Josie & I dropped by the party on Saturday night – there was food, games, music (dj’d by Zack Reitan) and an awful lot of costumes. Island Rec‘s Sally & Rebecca did a super job rounding up volunteers & putting  this on – way to go! And – thanks to the kids for making it fun!

Here are some photos of the night!

There were costumes a'plenty at the annual Teen Halloween Party Saturday night.

It was fun to see all the stuff going on when Josie & I dropped by the party on Saturday night – there was food, games, music (dj’d by Zack Reitan) and an awful lot of costumes. Island Rec‘s Sally & Rebecca did a super job rounding up volunteers & putting  this on – way to go! And – thanks to the kids for making it fun!

Here are some photos of the night!

Avon, the owner of the Thai Kitchen, with Maria, who cooks there....

I checked in at the Golden Triangle last week & found that they have some cool things happening now that we’re headed into November…here’s more from Avon (the owner) and Amy (who is a server there, and could e-mail this to us):

Hi Ian:
Just wanted to pass along some information about the Golden Triangle. Starting this Monday (11/2), the restaurant is now going to be open for lunch Monday through Friday from 11:00 – 2:30 (no longer open on Saturdays).

Dinner will be served Monday through Saturday from 5:00 – 8:00.

In the months of November and December we’re going to be offering special dinners featuring traditional Vietnamese dishes on Tuesdays and Laotian dishes on Wednesdays (in additional to our regular menu, of course!).  These specials are all $12.95.  Should be fun and we hope to see a lot of locals join us!