Staff reporter
Tucked away on the west facing point of Neck Point Coves, with a waterline view of Yellow and San Juan Island, lies the home and studio of oil painter Eric Boyles. A nine-year resident of the San Juans, he is known to many on Shaw Island as their local gardener and landscape artist. But to those of you who have happened upon his work at the Lopez or Orcas Island Farmers markets, he is known for his three dimensional landscapes, inspired by the style and technique of the late Bob Ross.
Aries (March 21- April 19): Venus still retrograde in your sign isn’t doing you any favors…some of your efforts are frustrated but you can’t take that personally. As we move into April, Friday will be the day to watch as Venus squares up with transformative Pluto. This is in effect now but will be exact on Friday. Sometimes it’s difficult to maintain optimism when your head is bruised from running into walls. If you feel the need, just have a good tantrum and try not to wreck property or people.
Do something fun this spring break. Island Rec is offering a three day afternoon mini day camp for elementary age youth. Games, arts and crafts and trips around the island are planned to keep everyone entertained all afternoon. On Thursday we will be headed to Orcas Island to play at the fun house. Camp will run April 7-9th. Register before April 1st to guarantee space. For more information contact Abby at the Island Rec office 378-4953 or drop by 580 Guard St.
Join leading ethnobotanist Mac Smith, Fiona Norris from the San Juan Nature Institute, and Kathleen Foley from the San Juan Preservation Trust for an informative hike on an amazing parcel of SJPT-protected land on the west side of San Juan Island. After a brief introductory session at the San Juan Preservation Trust office in Friday Harbor, we will head out for our hike where Mr. Smith will be discussing the traditional uses of native plants. Laurie Paul from Friday Harbor’s Market Chef restaurant will finish out the day with some wild edibles for us to sample.
As the number of soccer players in the USA nears 20 million, the number one soccer company in the United States, Canada and Australia, Challenger Sports, has been invited to hold one of their nationwide program of British Soccer training camps right here in the growing soccer community of Orcas Island.
Judging from the feedback, the Lopez Lions trophy trout program at Hummel Lake is becoming increasingly popular with Lopez kids. The word is out. Kids as young as four have landed these special rainbows, which can approach 20-inch length and can exceed three pounds. Several larger fish have been caught as well.
Over the past two months, hundreds of rough-skinned newts (Taricha granulosa) tried to cross San Juan County roads on the way from summer breeding ponds to forested winter foraging areas. Far too many were squashed by careless motorists, leaving telltale ribbons of newt-shaped stains on the asphalt.
Emerging from a long tradition of gypsy circus troubadours come the solar- powered travelers: carriers of a new musical light; Taarka. This merry band is the culmination of the new millennia, sonic adventures of David Tiller (mandolin, tenor guitar, vocals), Enion Pelta-Tiller (five string violin, vocals), Daniel Plane (cello, vocals), and Troy Robey (bass, vocals) – a cadre of performers who have roamed the freeways and backroads of the new and old acoustic caravan trail in search of a revolutionary ancient sound for modern times. While the four musicians have individually been spreading song and tune over the aural superhighway since the last century, their collaborative intersection marks a new era of Taarkan tunesmithing. Taarka has released their 4th CD, Seed Gathering for a Winter Garden, in March 2009; a collection of beautifully written and arranged songs and original instrumentals running the gamut of indie-gypsy chamber folk.
Lopez Community Farm has begun registration for their 2009 CSA season! What is CSA? Community Supported Agriculture is a way in which community members become farm members. By “investing” at the beginning of the growing season, members provide the farm with the “seed” money (literally and figuratively) needed to keep the farm running for the rest of the year. At Lopez Community Farm, shares range from small, standard, and large ($400, $500, and $600 for the six month season from June through November). The intended return is a generally greater value of the freshest vegetables, herbs, and flowers cultivated and harvested specifically for you. Each week members drop by the farm on a designated day to pick up their produce. This year’s harvest will include upwards of 100 favorite, heirloom and new varieties of vegetables whose arrival will reflect the changing seasons. “What makes a CSA unique is that it allows the farm organism to live and breathe more naturally. We don’t force the soil to produce large amounts of particular crops that happen to make the most money in the market. Our work is to create balance on the farm,” said Julie Bottjen, one of the new managers of the farm.
What’s YOUR treasure? The Orcas Island Historical Museum is having an antiques “road show” on the Horseshoe Highway! Do you have heirlooms in your attic? Bucks in your basement? Come to the Orcas Grange Saturday April 11 from 11 a.m. to 4 a.m. to find out from the experts.
The Orcas Choral Society will present the “Requiem” by Gabriel Fauré on Saturday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, March 15 at 3 p.m. at the Orcas Island Community Church.
Several rare butterflies have been seen in the San Juan Islands. Only the Island Marble butterfly is found only in the islands and nowhere else!
