A free public talk with Buddhist Monk Kelsang Norbu, “The Secret Lives of Happy People,” will take place Saturday, May 17, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Orcas Island Public Library.
The May meeting of the Orcas Island Garden Club will be held Wednesday, May 21, at 10 a.m. at the Orcas Center in Eastsound. Guest speaker will be Dr. Craig Cogger, Ph.D., a research soil scientist at Washington State University in Puyallup. Cogger encourages attendees to bring a soil sample from their garden sites – two handfuls – for texture analysis.
Fleischer Art Photography will be exhibiting at Washington Federal Savings Bank for the month of May. John and Susan Fleischer, who are primarily wedding and portrait photographers, will exhibit various pieces from weddings as well as a few of astrophotography images and their barn.
Orcas Island Prevention Partnership (OIPP) invites the Orcas Island community to a magical evening with Swil Kanim, violinist and story teller extraordinaire. Swil will perform at the Partnership’s Annual Membership meeting Monday, May 19 at 7 p.m. at the Orcas Senor Center. OIPP Director Moriah Armstrong said, “Through his music and stories Swil Kanim speaks from the heart about honoring self and community. He encourages all to connect to their own sense of honor and integrity, especially when it comes to caring well for self and others. Orcas has been extremely fortunate to have Swil perform at the Orcas Island Schools last fall and most recently at the Odd Fellows, so if you missed him or want to hear more, here is your chance!”
The AM String Band, a Helena, Montana-based, unconventional string band trio, will be performing across the San Juan Islands May 16 through 20.
Salmon in the San Juan Islands? In San Juan County, as in almost every corner of Washington State, citizens are guiding salmon recovery though one of the local groups called Lead Entities. Local governments and citizens work through Lead Entities to plan salmon recovery efforts and guide high priority habitat restoration projects. They develop strategies, rank projects and apply for grants together.
Given the setting of Ireland by English/drama teacher Richard Carter and a few traditional Irish tunes by music teacher Ann-Marie Fischer, the Lopez middle and high school drama class was charged with writing, directing and staging a musical production from scratch.
An island icon has gotten a makeover, and on Mothers’ Day Eve, May 10, a block party will be held at Doty’s Marketplace.
Ama means mother in colloquial Indian language. Tara is a Hindu goddess, the Mother Creator, who represents the eternal life force that fuels all life. Ama Tara Healing and Meditation Center is devoted to helping island residents improve the quality of their lives.
Helen Sanders has practiced martial arts since she was a 20-year-old student at Florida State University, attaining a black belt in Cuong Nhu at age 28. She holds a Master’s degree in Creative Writing/English. To expand her knowledge about the martial arts, she turned her interest toward Traditional Chinese Medicine.
“Father, don’t be so severe! If I can’t drink my bowl of coffee three times daily, then in my torment I will shrivel up like a piece of roast goat.”
Saturday, April 12 many of the yoga teachers on Orcas Island met at the library to introduce themselves to one another and share their different styles of yoga. The popularity of yoga has grown in the United States in the last 10 years. Many types are now offered for strengthening, rehabilitation after injuries and stress management.
The Artworks Building (The Old Strawberry Barreling Plant) in Olga has a new face. The Olga Strawberry Council, along with volunteers from Orcas’s Eastside Community, have started a restoration of the historic building’s façade. The south face of the building has been restored to new board and battens and is the same as it was when first built in 1939.
