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!

It's Earth Day...Thinking About the Three R's

Happy Earth Day!We are so lucky to live on the Island...thinking green is in some ways is a "no brainer". Wisconsin has a place in this event. Gaylord Nelson, former Governor and Senator, helped to organize the very first Earth Day in April of 1970. The sign above takes on new meaning when one lives on an Island. Meaning ... disposing of "things" in general can be a challenge. It's not easy to find a place...thought and sometimes creativity is needed. 

Stressing the positive, in some ways, "recycling" can become memorable. A lovely teacup is a nice way to enjoy some green and raise a few cuttings. I remember when I found this paper towel holder at Marilyn Domer's estate sale. We were building a home on the Island at that time and I needed one. Talk about a good fit.The tea towel and tiny glass were hers as well. Feels good to have a bit of this wonderful woman as a part of my home. Marilyn was special.

While on this "green" train of thought... A couple of weeks ago I was rummaging around the garage and came upon a pot hastily brought in at the end of the season. I thought it was cleaned out but I guess it wasn't. Nearly translucent spikes were struggling upward, so ugly I didn't think to take a photo...merely dropped the pot off on the porch. When I checked a day or two later, I was surprised how a few hostas could seem so refreshing!Saving and using again was a way of life growing up. I remember a cupboard which held a growing collection of empty Mason jars. My Mother and Grandmothers would reuse them every year to can vegetables or make preserves.There is nothing like a bit of bright fruit flavor to bring back Summertime thoughts, especially when there is a layer of snow on the ground!  Lots of folks here use and reuse glass jars etc. to hold wonderful maple syrup, home relishes... yes, jams & jellies too! Some very talented people continue to keep these traditions alive.

Had a thought of another group that helps find places for good things...sort of... more along the lines of adopt rather than buy... am thinking of the Door County Humane Society. Located in Sturgeon Bay, they help cuddly critters as well as those who love pets all the way to Washington Island. Meet Hanna, a truly wonderful 5 year old chocolate lab mix. She is bright, likes children, frisbees and car rides. 
Hanna's former owner travels on Great Lakes freighters. He wrote a beautiful ode to his girl, describing how careful she is around household items, how she will touch your hand when she needs to go out, and how beautiful his life has been with her as of part of it. Well, on Saturday Hanna found her forever home when she was placed with a loving family on the Island...She and her folks were on the afternoon ferry. Welcome to the Island, Hanna! * 

So here's a last look at those lustrous green hostas...a week later. These little things do renew my patience for Spring's arrival... Happy Earth Day!

This week: Another sign of the season changing ... Danish Mill reopens this week - Thursday, April 25 @ 7:00 am. Regular schedule - Monday thru Saturday 7 to 3 ...yum, yum, yum!

Saturday - April 27 - Washington DC Benefit Car Wash - @ the School and the 60th Annual Island Party @ Karly's.

From the TPAC - Another Saturday Option...

Have a great week!

* Thanks to the Door County Humane Society for use of the photo and background info.