Spring in the San Juan Islands, WA

The path to the Garden Cafe.

Virginia has tucked little surprise pots of flowers throughout the Inn.

20 Plastic Things You Didn’t Know You Can Recycle

Bottle and jar caps: Weisenbach Recycled Products accepts clean plastic bottle caps, plastic jar caps, flip-top caps from personal care products and flexible snap-on lids (e.g. butter tub lids) to turn into funnels and other items. CapsCando.com

Brita pitcher filters: Preserve’s Gimme 5 program accepts Brita-brand pitcher filters for recycling. Visit preserveproducts.com/recycling to find a location or learn how to mail them in. Visit PreserveProducts.com/recycling/gimme5.html to find a location or learn how to mail them in.

Compostable bioplastics: Find a municipal composter at FindaComposter.com

Computers and other electronics: Find the most responsible recyclers near you at e-steward.org/find-a-recycler. Your local Best Buy store will also accept many types of electronics, large and small – from television and gaming systems to fans and alarm clocks. Beat Buy partners with responsible recyclers that do not ship items overseas, including Green Business Network™ member Electronic Recycles International. You can bring three small items per day to Best Buy for free. The comp[an charges a fee to recycle large electronics. BestBuy.com/recycling.

Eyeglasses: Your local Lions Club collects them for people in need.

Fishing line: Mail to Berkley Recycling, which turns it into fish habitat structures: 1900 18^th Street; Spirit Lake IA 51360.

Gift cards and customer loyalty cards: Fill out the form at www.earthworkssystem.com/Consumers/to recycle them. (Accepts conventional cards only, not bioplastic/compostable cards.)

Ink Cartridges: www.RecyclePlace.com pas $1 each and will recycle them (Also see #12 Technotrach.)

Pantyhose/tights: No Nonsense collects all brands of hose, tights, and knee-highs to be recycled into other products. NoNonsense.com/PantyhoseRecycling.aspx.

Plastic Packaging: Many pack-and-ship stores will take packing peanuts and bubble wrap. For drop-off locations for foam blocks, contact ht eAlliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers.

Polypropylene (#5) plastics (all types): Preserve’s Gimme 5 program accepts all types of clean #5 plastic, which iare turned into Preserve personal care and kitchen products. Drop them off in the “Gimme 5” container available at select Whole Foods and food co-ops. Visit PreserveProducts.com/recycling/gimme5.html to find a location or learn how to mail them in.

“Technotrach”: Organizations and schools can earn money for recycling ink cartridges and small electronics like cell phones and I-pods through ProjectKOPEG.com. Recycle a large box of CDs, DVDs, jewel cases, audio and video tapes, small electronics and ink cartridges for $30 (includes postage) through Green Disk, 800.305.3475, GreenDisk.com

Telephones: Call to Protect (donateaphone.com/calltoprotect) refurbishes cell phones for domestic violence victims. Take corded and cordless phones to a local Best Buy for recycling.

Sports Equipment: Resell or trade it at your local Play It Again Sports outlet, playitagainsports.com

Tennis balls: reBounces restores old tennis balls that have lost their bound. ReBounces.com/recycle.

Tennis shoes: NikeReuseAShoe.com turns them into athletic flooring. Soles4Souls.org and OneWorldRunning.com sends still-wearable shoes to runners in need in developing countries.

Toys: Domestic Metals and Plastics accepts plastic toys of all types for recycling. Dmpgreen.com.

Trophies: LambAwards will break your trophies down and remake them into new ones. Email internet@lambawards.com, and put “recycling” in the subject line.

Tyvek envelopes: Quantities less than 25: send to Tyvek Recycle, Attn. Shirley B Wright, 8401 Fort Darling Road, Richmond, VA 23237. More than 25: call 866/33-TYVEK.

Yoga Mats: RecycleYourMat.com accepts yoga mats for recycling.

Source: “20 Plastic Things You Didn’t Know You Could Recycle,” Green American, November/December, 2011, p.17.

Joy House History

Jerry Hemphills Grandparents on the Front Lawn of the Joy House (Now Upper Tucker House) circa July 1928

We were thrilled to hear from Mr. M. J. (Jerry) Hemphill, who sent us photos and his personal history of what’s known in Friday Harbor as the Joy House. To us, it’s the Upper Tucker House, our main check-in and guest pubic area.

Jerry’s father (Melville B.) inherited the Joy House from grandfather William in the dividing of the family estate in the early 1940’s. Jerry visited the house often as a child in the late 20′s and early 30′s when his grandfather still lived there, and later when occupied by his aunt Edna and uncle John Nash. It was his understanding that the house was built by one of the Jensen’s, a local shipbuilding family.

Rock in the way of completing the basement was his most significant memory of the house itself. At the time Jerry’s relatives owned the home, among the families living nearby are those we recognize from Friday Harbor street names today including Tucker and Geneste.

Loading their belonging into Blair King’s produce truck, Jerry’s family moved to Port Orchard Jan 1, 1941 when he was 13 years old. He didn’t really want to leave his young friends and neighbor Harry Wilkes, behind, but he was looking forward to the adventure of it all, little realizing how it would shape his life. The relative isolation of the Island in that era was its own security blanket, something that keeps memories of the island intact today.

After working 47 years for the Federal Government, Jerry retired with his wife to Buckley WA, to be near his children. We’re waiting for him to come back to the island and revisit the house of his youth.

A Day At The Inns – Wet Feet!

This is the time of year that we focus our attention to our physical plant by giving guest rooms and suites a bit of a face lift in preparation for the summer season. On January 4^th, on-site innkeeper Erin Dannelly rolled out of bed and padded barefoot into her kitchen. Still fuzzy headed from sleep, it took her a moment to register that her feet were sloshing in water – her apartment had flooded! Just like last year, the island was deluged with another intense week of heavy rains and winds, and many locals found themselves with “waterfront property,” dealing with flooded homes and impassable driveways and roads. It was almost a year to the day that we finally licked the water problems in our nautically-themes Shaw Suite; but nature and old homes have a way of asserting their will! It gives us a whole new perspective on how Spring Street got its name. Living on a huge rock, it seems water will always find a way in when it wants to. After some repairs and trenching, and cleaning up the mess, Erin was relieved to be back to a dry apartment again and get back to her winter project list.

One of our recent guests told us that red and yellow, the colors Erin just painted our Goose In The Pond cottage, are the hues of “good luck” in the Chinese culture. Here’s hoping some of that good luck will stay with us through out the next year of winter weather.

Also sporting new wall tones: Roche Harbor Cottage and the Garden Room Café, lightening up the rooms to go with our brighter mood for the coming year.

Island Artists’ Works Adorn Tucker House Walls

Kathy Gjesme

The Upper Tucker House walls and Garden Room Café are now adorned with art works by a number of noted island artists, all featuring scenes from the San Juan Islands. Island Studios owner Claudia Fullerton selected pieces from her gallery to display in our main guest public areas, matching each painting and print to the wall colors. We are amazed at how beautiful the pieces look on our walls!

Stroll through the sunroom, the living room, the upstairs hallway to view these lovely pieces. Don’t miss the back hallway – turn up the dimmer if the light is low – where you’ll find a intense watercolor landscape by Kristy Gjesme and what Stephanie, our Guest Services Coordinator, has dubbed “the Whale Wall,” featuring photos by Whale Watch Captain Jim Maya.

Since the art is for sale, in these colorful scenes, you’ll find valuable souvenirs from your island stay; reading the artists’ stories will give you inspiration to get back to nature in the beautiful San Juan Islands:

Terry Domico is an internationally known professional naturalist and photographer who lives on San Juan Island. Terry’s photographs present beautiful images of landscapes of the San Juan Islands.

Claudia Fullerton started working with glass in the early 1980s. Over the years she has created many original stained glass windows, and began adding fused glass to her palate in the mid 1990s. She lives on San Juan Island and is the owner of Island Studios in Friday Harbor, the largest gallery collection of local artisans in the San Juan Islands.

Teresa Smith Original

Kristy Gjesme finds inspiration for her watercolor originals and reproductions in the beauty and solitude of her home, the San Juan Islands. Gjesme expresses this spirit in her paintings by exploring the brilliant colors she finds unique to the Pacific Northwest. She is a well-known and much respected watercolor artist and teacher in Friday Harbor.

Lanny Little’s goal as a painter is to create images where light, color, and paint interact to produce a unique and moving visual experience. His painting process is not a spontaneous activity but is instead a thorough and meticulous process that involves capturing the subtlety and intensity of light and color. His paintings capture a variety of landscapes and images from the San Juan Islands.

Teresa Smith creates beautiful paintings in watercolor and acrylic. Teresa is inspired by nature and she intuitively creates and paint personal impression of the environment that surrounds her. Many of her paintings reflect the landscape and images of the San Juan Islands.

Nancy Spaulding works in pastels to capture particular moments and places in such a way that their essence is instilled in my mind and the memories can be shared with others. She feels that the more deeply we explore our surroundings, the more we are sensitive to what goes on there. Art is her way of sharing her feelings of place. Nancy’s hand-made books are also in the guest rooms and suites for visitor’s comments.

Jim Maya

Jim Maya is a retired teacher and life long naturalist who found his passion in the magnificent orca whales off the coast of San Juan Island. He is a whale/wildlife charter captain who never misses an opportunity to visit our beloved orcas, and has captured some of the most amazing photos of Southern Resident pods and transients.

More works by these artists and others can be seen at Island Studios, 270 Spring Street. For a full array of whale and wild life photos, contact Jim Maya at captjim@interisland.net or http://www.mayaswhalewatch.biz.

Lanny Little Giclee of Acrylic

Sunny Skies Herald Spring

The last few days of sunny skies have everyone cheering for Spring’s arrival. And have you noticed the amazing sunsets we’ve been having lately? Yes, it’s true, we live in a post card!

New Orca Calf – Just in Time For Christmas!

J16 Slick with her new baby calf J48 and her 2007 daughter J42. Photo by Candice Emmons, NWFSC, December 17, 2011. Taken under NOAA permit #781182400.

Exciting News! It’s been kept quiet to make sure all parties confirmed, but NOAA’s NW Fisheries Science Center and the Center for Whale Research have confirmed that on December 17, 39-year old J16 (Slick) gave birth to a new baby calf in Puget Sound, probably only a few hours judging from the fresh fetal folds, before being seen and photographed by veteran field researcher Candice Emmons of NWSFC.

Tucker House Named One of 10 Best

The Tucker House was just named one of 10 Great B&B Escapes for Fall on Smarter Travel.com.  They particularly loved our Dine and Dream Package, offering special room rates for guests joining us at Coho Restaurant for our San Juan Vineyards Winemaker Dinner on Friday, October 21 and the Westcott Bay Cider/San Juan Distillery Dinner on Friday, October 28.  View details on the website.

Smarter Travel.com is the largest online travel resource for unbiased travel news, deals, and timely expert advice. We are honored to be included in their selection of Trip Advisor 5-star rated inns.

Fall is the perfect time to travel – the weather is gorgeous, the crowds are gone, the savings are starting, and the beauty of the islands is bathed in the golden light of autumn.  As they say on Smarter Travel, “Why stay home when you can spend the weekend away enjoying all these seasonal spoils?”

A Day At The Inn: Puppy Love!

From the keyboard of Stephanie Prima-Sarantopulos: Being a pet-friendly inn, we have lots of four-legged guests.  But June 22 was a special day for us dog-loving innkeepers.

Staff and volunteers from our local Animal Protection Society had made a trip that day to the Yakima Valley Pet Rescue to bring back two litters of puppies.  Innkeeper Erin happened to be on the same ferry, and volunteered to take two of the pups in her vehicle.  Once on island, she stopped at the inns to brighten our day by plopping a puppy in my lap, and one on Anna Maria’s shoulder.

Emma, a three-month old tri-color Aussie mix snuggled right up to me, giving me a few sweet puppy kisses and resting contentedly.  I was struck immediately with Puppy Love!  Claire Bear, Anna Maria’s red and white Aussie mix couldn’t contain her curiosity, and started exploring Anna Maria’s desktop.

These were the females of a litter of four; Leo is another tri-color with those crazy blue and brown eyeballs; Nanook, so light blond he’s almost white, has that gorgeous look that will turn heads.  All of these puppies are very friendly and quite mellow – which is impressive for puppies!

The second litter of two pups is a mix of Dachshund and possibly Chihuahua.  They are seven-month-old sisters with curly tails and lots of energy.

San Juan Island is such a dog-loving community! They rarely surrender their dogs; the longest the shelter has had a dog is three months now – a 13-year old sweet girl whose owner recently passed away.  So there are never enough dogs to go around; hence, the trip off island to obtain more.  Yakima Valley Pet Rescue is a no-kill shelter that rescues animals from other kill facilities.

You can check out more photos on the Animal Protection Society Facebook page; for information on how to take one home with you, visit their website.

Additional Ferry Sailings Authorized for July 4th Holdiay

Visitors to the San Juan Islands this coming holiday weekend may have a little relief from the ferry traffic congestion in Anacortes this year.

Photo Courtesy of Melanie Rollins

The WA State Ferries’ Anacortes and Islands Terminals have permission to add ferry service, at their discretion based on need, during the following dates and times over the July 4th holiday:

Mike Bertrand Captures the Beauty of San Juan Island

We just LOVE how Mike Bertrand captures the beauty of San Juan Island.  Every one of his photos makes you “wish you were there!”  One of Mike’s photos is probably the next best thing to being there; you can view purchase his work online at MichaelBetrandPhotography.com.

Remember to Mark Your Calendar for Encampment

Mark your calendar for the annual Encampment on July 23 & 24 at English Camp.  It’s always a kick to see how folks who look so quirky in this day and age look GREAT in mid-19th century garb and setting.  There’s always something cooking in the big cast iron pots, interesting artifacts and lost crafts to view, and chatting with these history buffs really invokes a sense of gratitude and wonder.

New Photographer for Inns

With our inns being in business so long and the rooms getting lots of use, we are constantly revamping the facilities, room by room. With the launch of our new Tucker House website coming up next month, we thought it was time for updated photos of our rooms, suites, and cottages as well.

Enter Mike Bertrand, a local photographer who has a keen eye for detail, and a creative way of looking at things. Mike is actually the Fire Marshall for the Town of Friday Harbor, but photography is his passion, and that definitely shows in his work. He spent several days shooting the accommodations in Tucker House, and we’re thrilled with the results. You’ll be able to check them out at www.tuckerhouse.com once our new site is up.

We have a few favorites posted here, but you can see the full spectrum of Mike’s work at his website, www.michaelbertrandphotography.com. One thing you’ll love is how he captures images of the island spots we’ve all seen, but could never shoot them as beautifully. His photos are bound to be favorite reminders of favorite places!

Great Island Clean-Up Picks Up in a BIG Way

Poster Announcing the Event Was Designed by Girl Scout Jersie Angel

The Great Island Clean-Up, held Saturday, April 9th on San Juan Island, was by all measures a huge success! A joint project sponsored by Soroptimists of Friday Harbor,Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, the Chamber of Commerce, Friends of the San Juans, Girls and Boy Scouts, the event drew over 200 volunteers who picked up over 5,000 pounds of trash from local beaches, county roads, and the town streets. Though the island appears relatively clean compared to most American cities, those of us who see it every day were feeling the weight of this staggering amount of roadside litter.

After spending the day at South Beach, Jana Marks, with Friends of the San Juans, wrote, “I had a beautiful day down at the south end. And, I was full of good feelings as I drove back into town; everything really did look nice. It was so noticeable NOT seeing all those little bits of flotsam and jetsam. I could practically feel the island shake her hair out and give a sign of gratitude – she felt so good.”

Soroptimists Barbara Sharp and Stephanie Prima-Sarantopulos Pause While Cleaning San Juan Valley Road

Participants felt good too as it was so rewarding to see the results of our labor. In addition to the individuals who signed up to pick up on the roads in front of their homes, numerous groups volunteered to tackle the main roads and beaches, including Ace Hardware, Bureau of Land Management, Cutthroats, Friday Harbor Labs, Legion Auxiliary, Leos, Lutheran Church, National Park Service, Ravenhill Construction, Spring Street International School, San Juan County Land Bank, Trash Masters, and Washington State Ferries employees.

Inn Guests Frank & Marie Morley Turn Their Visit Into an Eco-Vacation By Cleaning Up on South Beach

Business support came from Ace Hardware, Browne’s Home Center, Coho Restaurant, Harrison House Suites, King’s Market, Market Place, and Tucker House Inn, with equipment loans from Centurylink, OPALCO, Town of Friday Harbor, and San Juan County.

Even some of our inn guests helped out, picking up those minute pieces of plastic on South Beach that can be so devastating to marine life. Clearly the value of our precious eco system is recognized by visitors as well as residents.

Now flush with the feel-good vibes of giving back to the community, organizers are hankering to keep that pristine look, and are already talking about “the next time.”

Mona In the Snow

Last week the main topic on every islander’s lips was the snow – how lovely, how cold, how unusual, how etc.  People carried their cameras with them, because around every turn there was another beautiful sight.  Janine Wells captured this endearing image of Mona, our local camel – a petting zoo rescue who now lives in a spacious pasture on Roche Harbor Road with her llama buddy, Lisa.

Mona in the Snow (photo courtesy of Janine Wells)

Snow Blankets San Juan Island

From the Keyboard of Stephanie Prima-Sarantopulos: “It’s Snowing!”  Yesterday morning I looked up from my desk and these beautiful, fluffy flakes were blowing across the sky.  The “storm” lasted most of the morning, dropping a soothing stillness and quiet on the town.

Snow-Covered Pastures Offer Little for Grazing, But Are Pretty on the Eye

Those of you who live in snow country would laugh at our measly 3 inches of white ground cover.  But here on the island we’re just not accustomed to this type of weather.  In fact, we don’t even have snow plows here, so when we get this rare snowfall, many people are stranded at home, not being able to drive out on hilly, icy driveways.  During the short snowfall last month, even the junior college was closed because people couldn’t drive up the hill to the campus.  Adding to the “fun” yesterday was a power outage on the entire island – only for an hour and a half, but it was right at lunch time, and everyone was stymied.   

Friday Harbor Threatened with Fast Food Franchise

An editorial from the keyboard of Stephanie Prima-Sarantopulos

The Journal of the San Juans reported on October 7th in an on-line story that Pat and Stephanie O’Day were considering opening a Subway franchise at the upper end of Spring Street, in the historic yellow house once occupied by Ositos, and then, Crème Brulee.

Local residents were immediately up in arms, writing letters to the editor in protest and began a “Say No to Subway” petition.   Comments and letters to the editor expressed concerns about how the purchasing power of a franchise restaurant can undercut the local restaurants; it also cuts out the local food producers for cheap foods from subsidized  industrial farms and factories; it creates a few jobs, but only minimum wage positions, possibly not even full time – can’t pay rent on that.  Others mentioned how fast food chains seem to bring an enormous amount of litter – those sandwich wrappers don’t all quite make it in the garbage cans.

One particular incendiary comment was Stephanie O’Day’s quote in The Journal that she doesn’t see any difference between a food franchise and other franchises in town. “It’s just a sandwich shop. I think it would be a great addition to the community. People know what the product is — it’s good, healthy food. Some people may grumble for a while, but ultimately they’re going to come and eat here.”

I found her comment extremely arrogant.  Their breads contain high fructose corn syrup, corn maltodextrin, or hydrogenated vegetable oil.  Their meats have all kinds of additives – even the chicken is not just a piece of freshly-roasted chicken.  How is this “healthy?” The vegetables are tasteless – I know because I HAVE eaten at a Subway, and I won’t again – in Friday Harbor or anywhere else.  I don’t even like the SMELL that wafts out the doors of every Subway franchise.  No matter how much money you spend on advertising, there is just no way this type of mass-produced food can compare with locally-grown tomatoes, greens, meats and freshly-baked bread for nutritional content.

More than that, the absence of fast food franchises, big box stores and stop lights are among the very qualities that make Friday Harbor so charming.  If we want a dose of reality, we take the ferry across to “America,” but most of us prefer this eclectic little town – that’s why we moved here.  The addition of a fast food franchise becomes very emotional – where will it end?  Can you picture McDonald’s, Taco Bell, and Kentucky Fried Chicken in these historic wooden homes in Friday Harbor?  As an island visitor, do you really feel the need to eat at a fast food franchise when there are so many other unique restaurants to choose from?

So far, there’s no definitive word on whether the O’Days have actually purchased the franchise, and the original location under consideration has already been rented out.  The Friday Harbor Town Council was scheduled to discuss possible restrictions on fast-food franchise restaurants on December 2^nd, but ended up referring the matter to the Planning Commission, with instructions to draw up recommendations for the council to review.  As of now, there is no permit pending for a “formula business.”  I hope the O’Days have found something else to sink their money into, and that the rest of the fast food franchises just leave us be.

Friday Harbor Tree Lighting Festival

This is one of those events that even when the thermometer dips at its lowest point, islanders still come out in force.  This year it will be held on Friday, Dec. 3^rd, from 5:00 to 6:45pm.

Island Rec will have tables set up for kids (and kids at heart) to make holiday ornaments.  Santa and Elf Mark Garner (who works as a professional photographer by day) will be set up inside the clock tower for photos.  The cost for a photo is just two cans of food for the Food Bank.  Soroptimists International will be serving their Caffe Femenino coffee and home-baked goodies – donations gratefully accepted; Kiwanis will sell hot dogs and other snacks from their K-Boose.

A local choir group will be singing carols, and of course the Snowman, Gingerbread man, and Rudolph will be circulating with treats for everyone to add to the holiday atmosphere.  We’ll even have a roasted chestnut vendor!  And let’s not forget the splendor of the tree when the lights are turned on at 6:30 – a reminder of all the beauty we have to celebrate in our lives on San Juan Island.

Tucker House Photos

Upper and Lower Tucker Houses, Around 1999

When local photographer Mark Gardner sent us his recent shots of Tucker House and her new coat of  paint, we had the

opportunity to compare with the one we’ve been using, that was taken at least a decade ago.  We were amazed at how much the trees around the houses have grown!

In order to get both the Upper and Lower Tucker Houses in the shot, he had to set up his tripod in an upper floor room of the office suites on A Street, a block away.  He also took the photo a little later in the day so the lights in the homes were on, making them look particularly inviting.  I think our new photo makes the house almost looks like something from a children’s  fairy tale book, something magical!

Upper and Lower Tucker Houses, 2010

The new color combination of dark green with trim accents in red and pumpkin really show off the gingerbread details

Tucker House Fully Restored!

The original 1898 Tucker House, which we refer to as “the Lower Tucker House,” on the corner of Nichols and B Streets, is now sporting her pretty new paint job.  Designed to complement the colors of the Upper Tucker House on Nichols and C Streets, she wears a lovely dark-green coat, trimmed with deep red and pumpkin colors.  The trim colors undeniably show off the intricate craftsman details in the façade.  Local photographer Mark Gardner has taken her portrait, which will be featured on our future brochures and business cards.

Thank you to all the guests who graciously stayed with us throughout the painting process.  Unfortunately a paint job cannot be done in the off-season because of rain and winds; summer is the only time we can paint.   Our crew tried exceptionally hard not to inconvenience anyone, and overall we feel they did a pretty good job.  Like a pretty lady in a new dress, we’re excited to show her off.  Next time you visit, please be sure to stroll down the street and admire our grand old dame.