Bits...Bites...Barbeque!

One of the things people often ask is how do we get everything over here to be able to live on the Island. Well, the ferry is key. However, much of it comes in our car/truck, on the ferry...like these sunflowers.

A very wise woman once told me that the car wasn't really full unless some thing was sitting in the passenger's lap next to the driver. These flowers were.
Lew thought I was going to plant the seeds...maybe I will...sunflowers just fit this time of year. Another good thing that came by ferry this past weekend was barbeque. That is, 28 teams who created competition-level barbeque. They came from all over the Midwest.The Second Annual Death's Door BBQ was great ... the people were wonderful, the weather cooperated and the food I sampled - pork - delicious! Friday started out quietly with the competent "pit crew" setting up. The competing teams were welcomed with an Island Style fish boil produced by Kenny Koyen.This weekend is turning into a happening time on the Island!Amazing to watch the empty space around the Airport mushroom into a (not so little) village in just a few hours.It takes time to get these rigs up and running. Soon things started smoking. This Kansas City Barbeque Society sanctioned event utilized 35+ trained and certified judges (plus table captains). A blind judging process is used so there is no favoritism. Turn-in times are strictly monitored and if one time is missed, the team is out of the competition...teams must submit in all four categories - Chicken, Pork, Ribs, and Brisket - to be in the running. Dessert was an added - albeit optional - category this year. Grand Champion? The Barbeque Superstore (Sorry, could not find a photo so if someone has one of BBQ Superstore, please send it along.) The Reserve Champion: Chef's Gone Grillin'. The winner takes home a cash prize and the chance to compete at the American Royal, an invitational competition in Kansas City, KSChair Lisa Gibson, wishes to send her heartfelt thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make these days go so smoothly. Presented by the Washington Island Chamber of Commerce and the Washington Island Ferry Line, this event would not be possible without the aid/help of many.The sponsors...there is a $20,000 budget and the sponsors are a big part of being able to produce the Barbeque...along with all of you who bought raffle tickets. Special thanks to the Town Crew and the Washington Island Electric Coop Crew! This event is staffed totally by volunteers and it certainly showcases how well Islanders step up to make a big event like this such a success!Profits? All profits go to the Washington Island Food Pantry.So, the ferry brings over the goods which lets us live here...our vehicles help with this process. Many interesting "rigs" were on board last week as well. Lots of travelers came too. Estimates as high as 4,500 attended DDBBQ, an increase from last year...good times!

Take Note:

Tuesday -

Fritz Damler & Tom Noonan - TPAC on the Green - 5:00pm

Friday -

Matthew Burress & Friends - Closing Show for the 41st season - Red Barn - 7:30pm

Saturday -

Rummage Sale - Fundraiser for the 7th/8th Grade Washington DC trip - Community Center - 9 to 1 - call Sue Cornell to donate items (2507) or drop off in CC entryway Wednesday to Friday

Other Sales? Possibly...Probably...Do check the Bulletin Board at Mann's Store!

Fish Boil - American Legion Hall - Main Road - 4:30 - 7pm (I think!)

Tuesday, 9/3 -

School starts on the Island!

Have a great week!

One Year: Summer Thoughts & Thank You's

 Summer Time... and the living may or may not be easy...I am here to say it is possible to enjoy the Summer Season. (West Harbor @ the Resort  Anna Gibson Photo)Take a drive...never know what might be along the way. The other day, I found baby Lavendar plants available at a roadside stand ... on Michigan Road.Don't forget Baseball Games at the Field on Main Road.
Check out what Mother Nature has to offer... the Columbine is/are lovely.

Susan Ulm has captured a Poppy for your gazing pleasure...take a look...take a breath.

One Year!

Part of the reason I started this blog "adventure" was to keep the synapses firing and I am pleased to say that is happening! A great way to improve the Blog has been to hear from readers...thanks for all the kind words, encouragement, and constructive criticism.*I also like to help  folks keep up with Island happenings... or merely enjoy a bit of contemplation. Years ago, I found the Island held restorative powers for me...since then, I have read studies on how being out in Nature truly does refresh individuals. Hmmm...

Pace yourself...I write that phrase as much for me as it may be for you. As Summer starts to heat up, I plan to utilize an "express" version similar to last year at this time...  the announcements will help people plan ahead to save a date, purchase a ticket, or plan a quick trip! 

This Week:

Market @ the Historic Island Dairy - Thursday 6/27 AND Saturday 6/29! - 11 to 4

Planning Ahead

The Ferry will be changing to its Summer runs this Saturday, June 29 with ferries arriving every 30 minutes for the most part. For further info on times see their website.

*Special Night Ferry Trips scheduled for July 3:

 To Island: 7:45 PM, 8:15 PM, 9:15 PM, 10:30 PM
From Island: 7 PM, 7:30 PM, 8:30 PM, 9:45 PM
(same as full Friday Night Trip schedule)

 

The Mirror Brass Quartet will perform Tuesday, July 2nd at 7 PM for the free TPAC “On the Green” Concert. “Music with Friends” will include rousing hunting horn fanfares, lyrical songs, and toe tapping marches. The program is appropriate for families, including children of all ages. All this plus Island resident/former CSO hornist Norm Schweikert (!) will be joining as a guest artist for the evening!

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And of course...the Fireworks @ the Baseball Field on the 4th of July! (Love those late ferry runs!)

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Have a great week!

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*Ginni Glass Photos

Graduation: endings? beginnings!

The end of the school year means a graduation is coming.Here they are ... all ten of them. There are three events that I can think of in their honor this week.
Baccalaureate on Wednesday at Bethel Church, Awards and Scholarship Program on Thursday at the TPAC, and Graduation on Friday at the Community Center... Everyone is invited.

Excelsior*... "Island Fireworks 2012"... Seems to fit here.

I like this quote...  it also works with "she" and "her". Congratulations to all of you!

Thanks to Nathaniel Perry for allowing me to share these Senior Class photos.

 Returning:

Yoga with Mari Anderson will continue at the Historic Island Dairy beginning this Wednesday...various levels so contact her for further info at 2579...a truly wonderful experience!More flowers - now available at Hansen's ......lilacs are out.So are lily of the valley.

 Dandelions may not exactly be flowers but I do like the way they looked this week at Lyonsisle.

To the Class of 2013:

Have a great week!

* Onward and upward!

Preparations ....tis the Season!

Aaahhh....
 

...a warm up has been noted this past week here on the Island. This green I am seeing is so special...brighter...it's a happy color. The earthy smells aren't bad either. Listen to the telephone ring...It's been fun... things are becoming more active...weeks at the Cottage are starting to fill...nature is starting to wake up too.

Trillium seem to populate the Island even more this year. Other flowers are starting to make themselves known.The Cottage Spring Cleaning took up most of this past week....tis the Season!A few new things are in place as well...have listened to suggestions and added a blender - okay, it's not a juicer but smoothies are a definite possibility. A couple of new outlets have been added to the Cottage guest room as well. In this age of personal electronic devices, the outlet to the left of the mirror is our way of providing a "charging station" albeit Island style! Nice to have a new lamp too!

Anticipation is starting to build... my long term memory is kicking in. This quote goes out to all Teachers (yes, with a capital "T"!) as they buckle down...for the final days of the school year.Summer is coming!

Coming Up...Auditions for the Summer Island Players presentation are Monday & Tuesday of this week - 7:00 pm at the School Commons - Questions? Call Howard Scott at 2453.

Looking like Memorial Day Weekend means Rummage Sales ... Great places to drop off your unwanted things...then see what treasures you can find!

From the Art & Nature Center!It’s time to sort media collections.  Bring cast offs to The Art and Nature Center on Friday afternoon, May 24, from 1:00 to 4:00 PM. Then stay and shop, or come back on Saturday morning, May 25, from 9:00 until noon and shop our total collection of donated items... a great fund-raiser for the ANC! Questions? Need help to get items to the ANC? call Barb O’Connell, 847-2436 or Laura Waldron, 847-2657.

The "Washington DC Kids" have a rummage sale set from 9 to 2, Saturday the 25th at the Community Center Gym AND their second car wash. (They made over $500 at the first one! Not bad but the goal, given the numbers of students is $10,000 for the 2014 trip.) ...the high schoolers may be running a Brat Sale there as well. It sounds like one-stop shopping!

The Island Memorial Tribute to honor those who have died while in military service will be held Monday morning the 27th. It is a wonderful tradition.

Have a great week!

It must be May!

It must be May!  Some bright, sunshiny weather has arrived...Love what I am seeing...this blue is so refreshing...when I found that this flower is called Siberian Squill (Scilla siberica), couldn't resist using it...must be hardy. Siberia fits for this Spring. I like to use this space to help folks be aware of what is happening here and what events are on the horizon, but I should have moved faster on the Door County Lighthouse Festival, June 7 to 9. To tease and tempt, here's a "vintage view" from Rock Island. As I double checked with the Door County Maritime Museum, I found that several events are already filled...however, there are at least 14 tours happening around Door County.This weekend gives visitors access to places that aren’t typically open to the public, including Chambers Island, Plum Island, Sherwood Point and the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Lighthouses. (I took the photo above at the Life Saving Station on Plum Island.)

Re the Plum Island Tour... once again one event - 4 trips - includes an exclusive stop-over and guided tour of Plum Island hosted by the Friends of Plum & Pilot Islands.  The 9 am Saturday 6/8 trip is sold out and as I write this, only 1 ticket remains on the Saturday 12 Noon tour... On Sunday, 4 places remain on the 9 am run and 5 places remain on the 12 Noon trip! These Plum Island Tours will leave from the Shoreline Charter Dock in Gills Rock. Contact Door County Maritime Museum for tickets!Pottawatomie Lighthouse on Rock Island - Wisconsin’s oldest - will be available through passage on the Karfi at the State Dock ie Rock Island Ferry Landing here on the Island - four round trips are on the Schedule. The Shoreline Cruise w/ Rock Island stopover on Friday the 7th is sold out although their Death's Door Cruises are available for water views throughout the weekend. In addition, on Saturday there is a six hour cruise out of Gill's Rock on the Island Clipper available traveling across Death’s Door and into Michigan waters.  The tour will pass Poverty and St. Martin islands with a stop at Rock Island for a mile-long hike to the Lighthouse and will cruise past the Plum Island lights and the Pilot Island Lighthouse.  For further information on the events and tours for the Lighthouse Festival go to Door County Maritime Museum!

More Flowers...

More Color! Jerry's Flowers has opened for the season in Sister Bay...I know it is off Island but the color is so revitalizing! Joy has a Frequent Buyer Program. Ask about it if you stop in as she has established the program as a "thank you" to her customers.Besides, I couldn't resist these little guys!A final thought..."If we had no Winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; If we did not sometimes taste the adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome." Anne Bradstreet, poet

Coming Up

Our Community Band will be performing for the School student body - Wednesday, May 15 @ 2:30pm.

The band members have opened the Concert to the public. This multi-generational group  is having a lot of fun.

From Director Donna Briesemeister, "We began the second week of January, 2012. We met in the school commons.  There were about 15 people for the first session.  We have around 18 regulars now….."

Come and hear them!

Have a great week!