I’ve been thinking about summer on Whidbey lately. I am beginning to see it glimmering in the green glow of late afternoon; I am catching a whiff of it in the softening air. We wait all year for it.
In the dead of winter, with its endless shades of gray (so many more than fifty), immersed in infinite purgatorial variations of whiter shades of pale in the palette of a dingy seagull’s wing––we wonder: will this ever end?
Spring brings her proverbial promises. That luscious pink confection of blossoms on the flowering plum trees makes a holy corridor of beauty on the road into Langley and leaves a rosy-tinted snowfall of petals behind when a sudden chill wind comes off the waters of Saratoga Passage and we button our coats back up. Soon, though, the opaque atmosphere cracks open, the sun shines, the sky turns poster-paint blue for the first time in months and, as the sun sets later and later, we know we are headed into the glory days—the Golden Days–– inspiring good times in paradise, soon to be infused with the scent of wild roses everywhere.
Summer on Whidbey Island is Paradise or, as we in our family sometimes refer to it, Brigadoon––that magical, mythical place that appears out of the mist and vanishes again when the weather changes. These lengthened days—I call “golden” because the quality of the light caught in the full bloom of Summer foliage is a deep, rich, yellow-gold, pooling in patches on the forest floor or encircling ferns in the grottos of hidden lakes. Our sky-colored liquid jewels buried in the woods call to us like sirens to thirsty sailors, whispering: Summer is coming…find a bathing suit that fits!
Looking out from Double Bluff Beach at sunset (photo by Judith Walcutt)
In the years the kids were growing up, when school let out, those beautiful Whidbey days were ours to own. We were never at a loss of things to do and we tried hard not to let that precious treasure slip away without some kind of adventure to mark its passing.
One favorite day’s outing was to Double Bluff Beach. We brought our small folding chairs and picnic baskets, inner tubes and buckets with shovels and followed the tide line all the way out to its lowest mark. Then, flopping upon the salt water as it warmed up coming in over the hot sand, we let the waves roll us back to shore. Puddles that the changing tides made were perfect kid-sized pools, good for lolling in and making castles by.
Years after that, the boys went skim boarding on Double Bluff, too, as it is perfect for that purpose with its thin layers of water coming in over hard-pan sand. I’ve also seen people parasail-surfing there. It is quite a sight! Humans turned kites fly up into the sky and careen over frothy waves crashing in rows. With its picnic tables and shore side parking lot, Double Bluff lends itself to such vicarious observational opportunities and can be enjoyed even with a simple brown-bag lunch in hand.
When the tide is low, you can walk a long way around the bluff of Double Bluff and catch a glimpse of Mt. Rainier gleaming to the south and—to the north—the transiting of large container ships bound for Alaska is an eyeful of slow amusement. Sometimes we stayed at the beach until sunset, watching the flourishing of carnelian reds and merlot purples in the sky then reflected on the surface of twilight-smooth waters, providing the ideal ambiance for the practice of calm abiding—unless the dogs start barking.
It is a leash-free dog beach, which makes it nice for the canine population and the people they like to take for walks, offering water-spigots for feet, shower heads for bodies and even bathrooms, built beside the parking lot—very convenient for families of all kinds, furry and human alike.
On a day when we had a Grandma with us, we stayed closer to the picnic tables and easy access to the beach from the parking lot. The kids gathered bits of driftwood and made boats that they then set sail to float away in the rising tide of waves, betting on which would last and which would be dashed.
It was so easy, so free and freeing; the memory of it reminds me of the very best part of summers past and summers ahead—the time we take to enjoy just those few things that require nothing extra, nothing costly, but offer the pleasure of building something out of nothing but sand and stones and flotsam with your hands, while the white noise of waves washes away the heaviness of winter, school years finished, and the expectation of what happens next. Let it go, with a small boat made of driftwood––embrace the coming summer on Whidbey, where days are made of gold and the trees and the sky and the water glitter with the buried treasure of simple beauty.
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In preparation for those golden days to come, join the volunteer brigade that is covering the island, beach by beach, doing post-winter pick-ups at Keystone Spit East State Park on Saturday, April 4; Ebey’s Landing National Reserve on Friday, April 10; and Windjammer Park on Saturday, April 18. Contact Stinger Anderson, Community Litter Cleanup Program Coordinator before the scheduled days, so he’ll have enough tools for everyone. Email singer.anderson@wsu.edu or phone 360-240-5558 or 360-941-3171.
Judith Walcutt has lived on Whidbey Island for 27 years and counting. A grateful alumna of Hedgebrook, she is an award-winning writer, producer and director for public radio, stage and TV.
WLM stories and blogs are copyrighted and all rights are reserved. Linking is permitted. To request permission to use or reprint content from this site, email info@whidbeylifemagazine.org.
BY KATY SHANER Whidbey Life Magazine Contributor April 1, 2015
It is the first weekend of the month and that means “Gallery Watch”!
Art abounds on Whidbey when galleries and studios stay open late to welcome visitors and islanders to their new monthly shows.
Meet the artists at the Opening Receptions.
“Gallery Watch” is a collaborative arts guide between the Visitor Information Kiosk and Whidbey Life Magazine and will be produced the first weekend of the month only.
ARTWORKS GALLERY features Artist Gaylen Whiteman during April. A First Friday reception will be held from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Light snacks and beverages will be served. Guitarist Quinn Fitzpatrick will provide live music. Other Artworks Gallery artists will be on hand to greet visitors during the reception.
Whiteman has been drawing and painting since childhood. Since retiring from corporate life in 2007, she has been enjoying her art full time and is the current President of the Artists of South Whidbey. Artworks Gallery is located on Greenbank Farm. http://www.artworkswhidbey.com (360) 222-3010 Gallery Hours Weekdays 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Weekends 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Tuesday.
ROB SCHOUTEN GALLERYpresents “The Department of Whimzy” with the art of David Ossman and Stephen Roxborough. 5 to 8 p.m. Collages, dioramas and photographs of David Ossman and Stephen Roxborough.
In recognition of April Poetry Month, Ossman, Roxborough and literary cohort John Burgess, poets all, will also hold a free poetry reading at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 16. Everyone is welcome to come hear these masters of the spoken word read selected poems, while enjoying an evening of whimsical fantasy. Fine art, good food, lively conversation and the exquisite natural beauty of this special place. April gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends. Tuesdays by appointment only. Rob Schouten Gallery 765 Wonn Road, #C-103 Greenbank (360) 222-3070 http://www.robschoutengallery.com.
RAVEN ROCKS GALLERY presents: Sheep & Shards: Hand Woven Tapestry & Stained Glass Mosaics April 1 through April 30. Opening Reception 5 – 8 p.m. on Friday, April 3. Weaving and mosaics are two ancient art forms, both constantly evolving, yet always maintaining elements of its origins. April at Raven Rocks Gallery brings contemporary interpretations of these forms, each piece expressing an emotion or experience of the artist. Windwalker Taibi is featuring his latest tapestries, “nonconformity” and “Soul’s Peace,” with accompanying statements explaining his motivation for creating the work. Sandy and Carl Bryant have quickly become two of the most acclaimed stained glass mosaic artists of the Pacific Northwest. Raven Rocks Gallery, Greenbank Farm 765 Wonn Road C-101, (360) 222-0102 www.ravenrocksgallery.com
SATURDAY, APRIL 4
“FIRST SATURDAY ARTWALK”
Langley
BRACKENWOOD GALLERY “Visions of Tibet” Artist Mingyang Li. Since 2005 Mingyang has taken pictures of different manifestations of Buddhist life and practices in Eastern Tibet. Color images of the high grasslands, vast expanses of sky and green rolling mountains capture the astounding beauty of eastern Tibet. Mingyang’s black and white photos of smiling children and indigenous people surviving on the edge of this challenging environment remind us that there are still places that remain somewhat untouched by modern forces. Artist reception from 5 to 7 p.m. during Langley’s “First Saturday Artwalk. The exhibit will be up until April 26. 302 First Street Langley. (360) 221-2978, brackenwoodgallery@whidbey.com, www.brackenwoodgallery.com, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Monday.
THE POPPYBANK GALLERY presents CONVERGENCE: Images from a Series by Harry von Stark. Show runs through May 1. The Whidbey Island Photographer’s seriesuses images with colours extracted from them for a total graphic design that is not totally photographically intrinsic, stretching both the image and the viewer’s imagination. 5 to 7 p.m. The gallery is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. 107-B First St. Langley, (360) 221-4878 info@poppybankgallery.com, http://www.poppybankgallery.com.
MUSEOpresents the annual GARDEN SHOW. Artists, inspired by gardens and Springtime, will exhibit new works. The show begins with an artists’ reception on Saturday, April 4. During the reception Spoiled Dog Winery will be pouring their boutique wines. “Extraordinary Wines from the Heart of Puget Sound” The exhibit will continue through April 26. 215 First Street, Langley, (360) 221-7737 www.museo.cc
STUDIO 106 The artists at Studio 106 are in full swing and have new works to show you. Barb Barry is continuing with her ever-popular Whidbey Animal Series. Faye Castle’s captivating works depict the light, the fog, the atmosphere. Phyllis Ray enjoys painting the bricks and mortar of Langley scenes, both exterior and interior. Come see where art is made. 106 McLeod Alley (between Whidbey Island Bank & Star Store), (206) 679-7843 www.phyllisray.blogspot.com/.
EDIT presents WORKS IN ENCAUSTIC by David Price Located next to Brackenwood Gallery in Langley 306 First Street, #101 (360) 221-7909 www.editwhidbey.com
WHIDBEY ART GALLERY The Gallery shows works of over 35 local artists. Join us in April for GARDEN DELIGHTS. This exhibit will run through the end of April. www.whidbeyartists.com. Whidbey Art Gallery, 220 Second St., Langley, (360) 221-7675.
Freeland
UUCWI GALLERY OF ART presents Viva Cuba Libre, a unique collection of photos recently taken in Cuba by Whidbey photographer Nancy Duncan, reflecting textures and flavors of the country that will likely disappear now that U.S sanctions are being lifted. Whidbey fiber artist Molly Petersons ignites an exciting exhibit with her complex, colorful knit & hand-woven scarves & shawls. UUCWI, 20103 State Route 525 (approximately one mile north of Freeland on the west side of the highway) www.uucwi.org/.
Bayview Corner
BLOOMS TASTE FOR WINES The annual Mother Earth Art Show has opened, with paintings by Sharon Tryon and Anna Davis, photography by Elizabeth Atly, and pottery and shell art by Carol Rhodes. The show runs to April 27. Blooms Winery’s tasting room is at the Bayview Corner Cash Store, 5603 Bayview Rd. Langley. Available for private parties too! Open Thursday noon-5 p.m., Friday noon to 8 p.m., Saturday 11am to 6 p.m., Sunday noon to 6 p.m. and Monday noon to 5 p.m. 360-321-0515 www.bloomswinery.com
SATURDAY, APRIL 4 and
SUNDAY, APRIL 5
Coupeville
WHIDBEY ALLIED ARTISTSART SHOW & SALE from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 4 and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 5 at the Recreational Hall in Coupeville located at Coveland and Alexander Street. Over twenty artists from Clinton to Oak Harbor will show a wide variety of two- and three-dimensional art. We will be displaying art from Whidbey artists from all over the island with a wide variety of mediums and price ranges to fit every budget. We are partnering with Gifts From The Heart, a Central Whidbey Organization that provides food & financial assistance to residents in need. We will have a collection box for nonperishable food donations or monetary contributions. While you are here, check out the opening day of the Coupeville Farmer’s Market! WhidbeyArtists@gmail.com FREE.
PENN COVE GALLERY Featured Artist in April is oil painter Rainy Lindell, a self-taught artist who loves painting landscapes. She finds that oils give her the rich warm dark colors that make a painting glow as well as the vibrant bright colors that add the zing. The flowers in a breeze, the warmth of the sunset or the yellow trees in autumn all move her to capture this moment in time. Penn Cove Gallery offers collectable, giftable and wearable art from 27 local artists. The gallery is located in the heart of the Coupeville Historic Waterfront. OPEN seven days a week 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and located at 9 NW Front Street, Coupeville, 360-678-1176, www.penncovegallery.com/.
PENN COVE POTTERY Located in the old “San de Fuca grocery store on Hwy. 20, Penn Cove Pottery is a working studio as well as a gallery. Potter and gallery owner Steve Eelkema creates “finely crafted pottery for everyday use.” In addition to Eelkema’s teapots, wide-mouth jars, and bowls, the gallery features the pottery, glass art and wall art from other Pacific Northwest artists. Lovely new fused glass pieces by glass artist Ebba Krarup on display. Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 26184 State Route 20, Coupeville, www.penncovepottery.com/wordPress/, 360-678-6464.
Oak Harbor
GARRY OAK GALLERYAn Artist-owned Gallery. Guest artists: Mary Alice Sterling, Woven Baskets and Larry Mason, Water color to June 30. With a dedicated group of more than 25 established and emerging artists, Garry Oak brings new and original works of art on display to the delight of both locals and visitors. As one of many Whidbey Island art galleries, Garry Oak Gallery provides a unique balance of both high-end fine art as well as a generous supply of easily affordable art work as well. Note cards that feature artists’ work are available. At least one of the member artists is always in the gallery. 830 SE Pioneer Way, Oak Harbor, (360) 240-0222. Open Daily 10:30 a.m.to 5:30 p.m. www.garryoakgallery.com/artists.html.
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THE VISITOR INFORMATION KIOSK ADVERTISERS HELP US WELCOME YOU TO WHIDBEY ISLAND. PLEASE VISIT THEM WHILE YOU VISIT OUR FAIR ISLE.
The Vistor Information Kiosk is funded by the Greater Freeland Area and Langley Chambers of Commerce and What’s Happening is prepared by Katy Shaner, Manager and Volunteer Coordinator, contact Katy at ktshaner@whidbey.com.
Since 2008, the Visitor Kiosk has welcomed over 22,000 visitors to Whidbey. The island offers a wealth of activities, places to stay, eateries, shopping and an abundance of the natural environment to enjoy and appreciate. Welcome and enjoy your visit. Do come back.
WLM stories and blogs are copyrighted and all rights are reserved. Linking is permitted. To request permission to use or reprint content from this site, email info@whidbeylifemagazine.org.
PHOTOS & ARTICLE BY MARTHA McCARTNEY Whidbey Life Magazine Contributor
March 11, 2015
On the morning of the last day of February, rain that had fallen during the night cleared, leaving a brilliant blue sky over Meerkerk Gardens. Mingled smells of pine, cedar and damp earth combined with sounds of trickling water and birdsong from the forest canopy, creating a haven from things man-made.
Ferns and moss were scattered with dropped blossoms as if a flower girl had walked just ahead. The sun beamed through hemlock and Douglas fir, spotlighting a vivid show of red, pink, salmon, lavender and white rhododendrons scattered through the forest—all abuzz with pollinators.
Meerkerk Gardens was created by Ann and Max Meerkerk in 1961 and was later bequeathed to the Seattle Rhododendron Society. Now it’s an independent not-for-profit garden maintained and improved by volunteers, Island County Master Gardeners and local garden club members. The Meerkerk endowment provides partial funding, but 90% of the operating funds must be raised each year. This is achieved through Friends of Meerkerk memberships, plant sales, admission donations, grants, fund-raisers and contributions.
There are 10 acres of display and educational gardens and an additional 43 acres of forest with walking trails. The garden trails are partially ADA accessible and arrangements can be made for drop-off and pick-up to facilitate closer trail access for anyone using a wheelchair. In addition, an ADA restroom is accessible from mid-March through the first week of October. Pets are welcome if they remain on a leash.
The flowering starts in late February and early March and reaches a peak in April and May. However, the garden is open year-round from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, and the woods are filled with wrens, thrushes, chickadees and woodpeckers—with an occasional fly-over by ospreys and a nesting bald eagle pair known as George and Martha Washington.
Chipmunks and Douglas squirrels, rabbits, deer and coyotes also inhabit the grounds. Benches are tucked away among the ferns and other native plants. The meditation garden pond reflects the trees and sky and buzzes with dragonflies.
I recognize the rhododendron as the state flower of West Virginia because I lived there, and when I moved to Whidbey I was both pleased and surprised to learn it’s also the Washington state flower. Seeing the plants is like greeting an old friend and strolling through Meerkerk Gardens feels a lot like home.
During my most recent visit I was fortunate to speak with Susie Reynolds, who has been the property manager for the past 19 years. I mentioned my experience of the garden, my feeling of being totally immersed in nature, and she agreed. “In the days following the destruction of September 11, 2001, the gardens were full of people seeking peace and respite from the chaos being shown on television. Many visitors expressed the feeling of stillness and the serene energy that being in the gardens and walking the paths brought to them.”
There are over six hundred species of rhododendrons in the garden, including tropicals and hybrids. Many different varieties are for sale in the nursery, which is open during the prime planting seasons. The spring sale period starts on March 21, goes through early summer and is then open again to coincide with the fall planting season.
Throughout the year Meerkerk hosts many special events for all ages—concerts, bird watching, wine events and the fabulous Fairy House Festival. Classes on planting and the care and propagation of rhododendrons are offered, in addition to guided tours. And, of course, there is always a need for more volunteers.
To get more information, visit the website at www.meerkerkgardens.org. Along with event listings, educational events and photos of the beautiful grounds, there are pages of helpful rhododendron growing instructions. Meerkerk Gardens is located two miles south of Greenbank on Whidbey Island, WA.
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Coming up in the next two weekends:
Saturday, March 14, 10 a.m. to Noon
Going Native:
Identifying and Using Native Plants in the Landscape
Learn the why, what and how of using native plants in the landscape. Plant samples and photos of landscapes using native and domestic plants will be shown.
Don Lee (ICMG), president of Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens, co-chairs the Island County Water Resources Advisory Committee and was the 2009 WSU Master Gardener of the Year. He is recognized as a local expert in native plants. Fee is $10; reservations are requested.
Saturday and Sunday, March 21 and 22
9 a.m. to 4 p.m
Nursery Spring Opening Sale
Meerkerk opens its nursery for the season offering a wide variety of hybrid, species and heritage rhodies from Fujioka, Watson, Barlup & Lem collections. One gallon to mature six foot plants available. Knowledgable staff will be on hand to assist you in picking out the perfect plant for your location. Shop early for best selection. Entrance to the Gardens is free during these special sales.
Martha McCartney is a poet, mixed media artist, photographer, persistent gardener and candle maker living the Whidbey life under the blue hole in the sky. She currently owns no goats.
WLM stories and blogs are copyrighted and all rights are reserved. Linking is permitted. To request permission to use or reprint content from this site, email info@whidbeylifemagazine.org.
BY KATY SHANER Whidbey Life Magazine Contributor March 18, 2015
Welcome to the weekend on Whidbey. Many weekend events start on Thursday night so this “What’s Happening” covers Thursday through Sunday. “What’s Happening” is a collaborative information guide project between the The Visitor Information Kiosk and Whidbey Life Magazine.
THURSDAY, MARCH 19
OUTCAST PRODUCTIONS “Nickel and Dimed” at 7:30 p.m. (Also Friday and Saturday, March 20 and March 21).
Can a middle-aged, middle-class woman survive, when she suddenly has to make beds all day in a hotel and live on $7 an hour? Maybe. Acclaimed author Barbara Ehrenreich set out to research low-wage life firsthand. Barbara’s best-seller about her odyssey is vivid and witty, yet always deeply sobering. Joan Holden’s stage adaptation is a focused comic epic shadowed with tragedy.
WHALE WATCHING Gray whale migration is anticipated to be the largest in local history. Whale-watching excursions aboard the 100′ M/V Mystic Sea will depart from Langley three days per week, increasing to five weekly tours in April through May 10! Approximately 250 Gray whales will find their way into our inland Salish Sea.
The Mystic Sea has a 98% whale-sighting success rate, and each three-hour excursion offers plenty of additional wildlife-spotting opportunities. Excellent inside and outside viewing, heated cabins and complimentary hot coffee and tea. Limited to 60 passengers. Departure time: Friday-Sunday, March 20-31 at 11 a.m., Thursday-Monday, April 1-May 10 at 11 a.m. Additional cruise on Saturday & Sunday at 3 p.m.
CELEBRATE SPRING EQUINOX At the Beach! Spring Equinox! (Saturday, March 21 is Public Beach Access Day and Sunday, March 22 is World Water Day.) Make either or all of these. Don’t forget: Pack it in and Pack it out. Leave No Trace. Look, but do not disturb, beach creatures. Turn the rocks back over after you look at the crabs. Do not Trespass on Private Tidelands. To learn more about Island Beach Access, check out www.islandbeachaccess.org.
HARE-RAISING! A LITERARY CABARET at Ott & Murphy Wine in Langley. Celebrating the Spring Equinox and “les lapins de Langley.” Hosted by David Ossman with special guests and friends Beverly Graham, Max Cole-Takanikos, Robert Marsanyi and a few surprise hop-ins, in an irreverent program centering on multiple Rabbits, Hares and Bunnies, with stories by Beatrix Potter, A. A. Milne and Lewis Carroll, Native American tales, a poem by Wallace Stevens, a song by Jefferson Airplane and more!
Two shows, 7:30 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. $10 cover charge. Call for reservations 360-221-713. Ott & Murphy Tasting Room is located at 204 First Street, Langley, www.ottmurphywines.com.
LAND OF THE HEADHUNTERS Returns to the big screen! 1:30 p.m. at the Clyde Theater, Langley. The Island County Historical Society will be screening the recently re-released silent film classic “In the Land of the Headhunters.” This rare film, produced by photographer Edward S. Curtis was shot in and around the Prince Rupert area of British Columbia and debuted in 1914.
Filming in the Land of the Head Hunters
The film portrays a simple love story, but is renowned for the Kwakwaka’wakw actors, who Curtis had dress in their aboriginal cedar bark and animal skin clothing. A single damaged, incomplete print of the film was salvaged from a dumpster by film collector Hugo Zeiter of Danville, Illinois, and donated to Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History in 1947.
George Quimby re-edited this print in 1974, added a soundtrack by Kwakwaka’wakw musicians, and released the result as “In the Land of the War Canoes.” The film also accurately portrays Kwakwaka’wakw rituals that were, at the time, prohibited by Canada’s potlatch prohibition, enacted in 1884 and not rescinded until 1951.
Admission is $7, with proceeds to benefit the Island County Museum. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the museum, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily or by calling (360) 678-3310. Tickets will also be available at the door, based on availability. The film is suitable for all ages, though some convincing severed heads do make a cameo appearance! wp.islandhistory.org/. The Clyde Theater, 217 First Street, Langley. For movies showing at the Clyde, go to theclyde.net or call (360)221-5525.
OUTCAST PRODUCTIONS “Nickel and Dimed” at 7:30 p.m. (See Thursday, March 19 for details.)
SATURDAY MARCH 21
CARMINA BURANA Comes to Oak Harbor! Saratoga Orchestra of Whidbey Island—2014-2015 Season “Soaring to New Adventures” at 7 p.m. Oak Harbor High School in the gymnasium. Anna Edwards, Music Director.
Also Sunday, March 22 at 2:30 pm at the South Whidbey High School Gymnasium in Langley.
PROGRAM: Humperdinck ~ Suite from Hänsel and Gretel. Selected Choral Pieces performed by OHHS Harbor Singers. Carmina Burana featuring the Massed Choir of Whidbey, Soloists: Karl Olsen, Lisa Berritella, Voltaire Verzosa. The sheer size of the orchestra and choir necessitates holding this concert in the school’s gymnasium.
Collected funds will go to Help House in Oak Harbor. General Admission tickets are $25 Adult and $20 Senior/Military. Students under 18 are admitted free (under 14 must be accompanied by a paying adult). Tickets available for the Langley concert at Moonraker Books in Langley and Vino Amore in Freeland. Tickets for the Oak Harbor concert are available at bayleaf in Coupeville and Click Music in Oak Harbor. For on-line tickets and information, please visit our website http://www.sowhidbey.com or call 360-929-3045.
EOSTAR, The Spring Equinox. From 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Before we plunge forward into the light half of the year, this is a moment of balance to think about what we are symbolically planting in our lives, a time to open ourselves to inspiration and growth. This will be a family-friendly event with childcare available for wee ones.
You are invited to bring a food item and stay for a potluck luncheon following the ritual. Questions? Contact Janella at earthspirit@uucwi.org. Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Whidbey Island, 20103 SR 525 north of Freeland, www.uucwi.org/.
WINTER SKY Star Party from 8 to 10 p.m. at Ebey’s Reserve Lookout. Open spaces mean big skies! Join the Whidbey Camano Land Trust in partnership with the Island County Astronomical Society as open spaces and big skies are celebrated at a Winter Sky Star Party at Ebey’s Reserve lookout next to the cemetery. Basic instruction and telescopes will be provided by the astronomical society, although you’re welcome to bring your own telescope. Several planets and galaxies will be within view, including Saturn, Venus, Jupiter, the Orion Nebula and double stars.
JILL JOHNSON, MASTER STORYTELLER Whidbey Children’s Theater from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Jill has traveled the globe telling and collecting stories and perfecting her craft. She has been a resident storyteller for preschools, senior and assisted living centers and historical and creative writing programs on Whidbey and off-island. She has also been a featured storyteller at the Forest Storytelling Festival in Port Angeles and the Bay Area Storytelling Festival near San Francisco. Jill is a past president of the Seattle Storytelling Guild and is a published author of storytelling essays and articles.
LAUGH OUT LOUD With Comedy Island Improv Troupe in Langley! At 7 p.m. with special guests Keith Mack, Gabe Harshman, Matt Bell, Max Cole-Takanikos and more! All-ages show with comedy, music and more! Suggested donation of $10 or more. A benefit fundraiser for Whidbey Children’s Theater! At WCT, 723 Camano Avenue, Langley (360) 221-8707.
“ORIGINAL JIM” LIVE: Beatbox Soul:From 7:30 to 9:15 p.m at WICA. Tickets are $15. Whidbey Island Center for the Arts chooses four local artists every year to perform free of any production expenses while taking in the profit from ticket sales for the evening. This spring concert by local songwriting vocal percussionist, Original Jim, will feature songs from his debut solo album “Beatbox Soul.” (360) 221-8268, www.wicaonline.com.
OUTCAST PRODUCTIONS “Nickel and Dimed” at 7:30 p.m. (See Thursday, March 19 for details.)
CELEBRATE PUBLIC BEACH ACCESS DAY On our Island Beaches! (Sunday, March 22 is World Water Day.) Meet at 11:30 a.m. (low tide) at Robinson’s Beach. Directions: 1.7 mi: From the stoplight in Freeland, follow Fish Road to Mutiny Bay Road. Turn Left onto Mutiny Bay Road and Right at Robinson Road. Robinson Beach is straight ahead!
Don’t forget: Pack it in and Pack it out. Leave No Trace. Look, but do not disturb, beach creatures. Turn the rocks back over after you look at the crabs. Do not Trespass on Private Tidelands. To learn more about Island Beach Access, check out www.islandbeachaccess.org.
SUNDAY MARCH 22
CARMINA BURANA Comes to South Whidbey! Saratoga Orchestra of Whidbey Island—2014-2015 Season “Soaring to New Adventures” at 2:30 p.m. at the South Whidbey High School in the gymnasium. Anna Edwards, Music Director.
PROGRAM: Humperdinck ~ Suite from Hänsel and Gretel. Selected Choral Pieces performed by OHHS Harbor Singers. Carmina Burana featuring the Massed Choir of Whidbey, Soloists: Karl Olsen, Lisa Berritella, Voltaire Verzosa. The sheer size of the orchestra and choir necessitates holding this concert in the school’s gymnasium.
General Admission tickets are $25 Adult and $20 Senior/Military. Students under 18 are admitted free (under 14 must be accompanied by a paying adult). Tickets available for the Langley concert at Moonraker Books in Langley and Vino Amore in Freeland. For on-line tickets and information, please visit our website http://www.sowhidbey.com or call 360-929-3045.
Collected funds will go to Good Cheer Food Bank in Langley. TICKETS: $25 Adult / $20 Senior-Military / Students FREE. Tickets at Vino Amore in Freeland and Moonraker Books in Langley. Cash/check/credit card at the door. www.sowhidbey.comorchestra@whidbey.com, (360) 929-3045.
BOOK READING & SIGNING with author Don Stuartfrom 2:30 to 4 p.m. in the Historic 1904 Barn at Greenbank Farm. No admission fee and prior event registration is not required.
Don Stuart, former Northwest Regional Director of the American Farmland Trust and author of the bestselling book, “Barnyard and Birkenstocks: Why Farmers and Environmentalists Need Each Other,” sees two dangerous and connected trends—the loss of farms and damage to ecosystems. Farmers are concerned about losing farmland and environmentalists worry about damage to ecosystems. His book artfully and practically outlines strategies for both parties to collaborate for win-win solutions. Join Greenbank Farm and the Whidbey Camano Land Trust as Stuart visits Whidbey Island for this special presentation and book signing.
A special Welcome Reception for the eight new students who will be beginning training at Greenbank Farm’s Organic Farm School will follow the program. Complimentary snacks and refreshments will be available. Information: greenbankfarm.org.
Istanbul, Turkey
TREASURES OF TURKEY at NWLA Cultural Center from 4 to 6 p.m. in Langley. Prior to the Language of Food event (“Welcome to Türkiye” on March 28), NWLA invites you to a special presentation by Graham Umit Dogan, including a travel slideshow and panel discussion of contemporary Turkey. Admission is by donation at the door. Onsite lodging accommodation is available! NWLA info@nwlanguageacademy.com. NWLA Cultural Center, 5023 Langley Road, Langley, (360)321-2101, www.nwlanguageacademy.com.
SUNDAY MUSIC AT BLOOMS WINERY Taste for Wine & ArtEnjoy Sunday Afternoons with Live Music. Sunday Music Series. Erik Christensen & Friends from 3 to 5 p.m.
Join Erik Christensen on guitar and vocals, Che Edoga on violin and Mark Strohchein on bass for a great afternoon of live music! No cover, no minimums. The annual Mother Earth Art Show has opened, with paintings by Sharon Tryon and Anna Davis, photography by Elizabeth Atly and pottery and shell art by Carol Rhodes. Bayview Corner Cash Store, 5603 Bayview Rd., Langley. (360) 321-0515, www.bloomswinery.com or www.tasteforwinewhidbey.com.
CELEBRATEWORLD WATER DAY at the Beach! Don’t forget: Pack it in and Pack it out. Leave No Trace. Look, but do not disturb, beach creatures. Turn the rocks back over after you look at the crabs. Do not Trespass on Private Tidelands. To learn more about Island Beach Access, check out www.islandbeachaccess.org.
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The Visitor Information Kiosk is funded by the Greater Freeland Area and Langley Chambers of Commerce and What’s Happening is prepared by Katy Shaner, Manager and Volunteer Coordinator, contact Katy at ktshaner@whidbey.com.
Got an event you’d like to see on What’s Happening? Make sure to put it on the Whidbey Life Magazine Calendar.
Since 2008, the Visitor Kiosk has welcomed over 22,000 visitors to Whidbey. The island offers a wealth of activities, places to stay, eateries, shopping and an abundance of the natural environment to enjoy and appreciate. Welcome and enjoy your visit. Do come back.
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BY DAVID WELTON Whidbey Life Magazine Contributor March 4, 2015
Residents along Saratoga Passage were startled when they began to see 1,000-foot long container ships anchoring at Holmes Harbor in mid-February. Calls were actually made to the Coast Guard from locals concerned that ships “had lost their way.”
A cormorant air dries its wings, ignoring the container ship in the distance in Holmes Harbor. (photo by David Welton)
Protracted labor negotiations between the Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore Warehouse Association had resulted in delayed off-loading and turnaround at the dock, with backed-up ship traffic having no place to go. The Coast Guard, therefore, routed the vessels toward seldom used anchorages such as Holmes Harbor, with a maximum depth of about 250 feet, to park the ships until space became available in Seattle, Everett or Tacoma.
Two ships anchored near the opening to Holmes Harbor near Wonn Road at Greenbank Farm (photo by David Welton)
Modern container ships are big; those docking in Seattle are about 900-1,150 feet long with forty-foot drafts. Capacity is expressed as TEU (Twenty Foot Equivalent Units). Thus, a 10,000 TEU vessel will carry 5,000 40 foot-long containers and contents. If all containers were unloaded to waiting tractor-trucks and then proceeded to the highway, with appropriate spacing there would be a convoy of semi-trailer trucks stretching from Seattle to the Canadian border.
The size of these ships is hard to believe until you see them in the harbor. (photo by David Welton)
It takes a lot of horsepower to move these ships. Engines are 85 feet long and three stories high. The crankshaft alone weighs over 300,000 pounds. You can’t order these engines at Home Depot for delivery; they are built on site as the ship is constructed in the yard. The pistons of the 90,000 HP in-line twelve cylinder engines are almost 40 inches in diameter. The engine rooms are six stories high. Although mileage can be measured in feet per gallon, efficiency is maximized by the bulk of the load.
The demanding skill required to safely navigate the waters without collision, grounding or environmental disaster requires extensive experience, training and familiarity with local conditions, and is personified by Whidbey area resident Blair Bouma. Descendant of a Dutch sea-captain and son of a long-time Santa Barbara waterfront director, he raced eight-foot Sabot-class sailboats in the harbor at the age of eight and, a decade later, studied naval architecture at the University of California. A summer job on an offshore oil supply ship led to a permanent position with Arco. He worked his way up through the ranks and his last command was the Polar Tanker, Endeavor.
It’s a big journey from sailing a Sabot in the harbor of Santa Barbara to handling massive container ships. (photo by David Welton)
After many months-long voyages he yearned for a job closer to home, so he studied to become a Puget Sound Pilot. His apprenticeship included 267 trips on a variety of vessels to different harbors and moorings in Puget Sound. He was also required to draw, from memory, 25 detailed charts of the area.
Now Captain Bouma is one of about fifty Puget Sound Pilot Association members who greets ships on a pilot boat at the mouth of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, climbs a rope ladder 40 feet or more to the deck and guides the behemoths to their final destinations.
Holmes Harbor is home at this time to three container ships, seen here in the tranquil early morning light. (photo by David Welton)
“As the first American to step aboard an inbound vessel,” he said, “I enjoy interacting with crews from all over the world and using my skills to safely bring the vessels into port. The icing on the cake is the opportunity to spend time on the water and to see Puget Sound in all its beauty.”
Once in sight of land, sailors are eager for shore leave. Unfortunately, they are confined to the ship at Holmes Harbor and cannot enjoy the vibrant nightlife of Freeland—so enticingly close by. They relieve the boredom with deferred maintenance and shipboard ping-pong tournaments. The refrigerated containers require generator power and attention so there is still plenty of work to do.
When called to depart Holmes Harbor, the ship will sail—under the guidance of a Puget Sound Pilot—to its port to deliver cargo. It will be nudged toward the pier by a tugboat, quite possibly one born at Nichols Brothers Shipyard at the foot of Holmes Harbor!
There is still a long line of ships to unload and hundreds of containers are still on the docks awaiting transport to regional markets. It will take weeks to months to clear the backlog, so the sight of container ships in Saratoga Passage will remain part of Whidbey life for some time to come.
(photo by David Welton)
David Welton is a retired physician and staff photographer for Whidbey Life magazine. He thinks and processes information visually and, therefore, is a man of few words with (he says) limited verbal communication skills. The awesome spectacle of a huge machine dwarfing Homes Harbor prompted him to overcome his disability. This is his first article for the mass-media.
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PHOTO ESSAY BY DAVID WELTON AND BETTY FREEMAN
Whidbey Life Magazine Contributor
February 25, 2015
A record number of sleuths participated in the 31st annual Mystery Weekend in Langley Feb. 21-22. The Chamber of Commerce sold just over 1000 tickets for the popular event, as sunny skies beckoned amateur sleuths from all over, including some from out of state and some who have attended Mystery Weekend since it began 31 years ago.
The mystery, written by Loretta Martin, was entitled “It’s No Laughing Murder.” Twenty-six local actors were involved in the production, and 35 Langley businesses handed out numbered clues.
Phyllis Curr Thriller was found dead by her cousin Winnie Burl on the side deck at the Dog House Tavern, which she had recently inherited from her uncle Dog Curr. Winnie Burl, and niece Josephine Curr and nephew Joe Curr, were not mentioned in the will.
Thriller had planned to reopen the Dog House as a comedy club with ties to a reality TV show, news which was exciting to the townspeople, city officials and a number of local comedians and clowns who wanted a shot at fame.
Coroner Gus Gruesome reported that Thriller had puncture wounds to her hand and that the contents of her purse were strewn about near her body. Missing from the purse was a check for $5000, a gift of startup money for the Comedy Club from clown Donald McConald.
(Spoiler alert) At the “reveal” on Sunday afternoon at Langley Middle School, veteran detective I.B. Fuzz explained her deductions and pointed the finger of blame at Thriller’s jealous cousin Winnie Burl, who was then “arrested” by Langley Police and carted off to jail.
After the reveal, a drawing was held for prizes donated by local merchants and innkeepers.
Joe McDougald as Donald McConald snaps a selfie with Rachel McDougald as Claira Bella and Charlie Clapman (J. Scott Williams).
Volunteer Marilyn Esterly keeps up with the crowd at the Langley Chamber of Commerce office.
Annie Horton plays Joan Shivers and gets some smiles.
Joan Shivers shows off her bright Island Girl Nails.
J. Scott Williams, playing the part of Charlie Clapman, stands in front of the historic Dog House Tavern with a pocket full of clues.
Shayne Thomas is Ferd Degree, the “Talent Scout for the Stars” provides some clues throughout the weekend.
Ferd takes a moment to appreciate the view with the Boy and a Dog sculpture by local sculptor Georgia Gerber.
Daryl B. Mortacome, aka David Holte, plays a 49er with a sense of humor.
Daryl B. Mortacome, played by David Holte, and Fred O’Neal (left) get the visitors involved. You never know when you’re going to need a good knot on Mystery Weekend!
Hannah Davis of Mill Creek learns some rope tying tricks from David, err, Daryl.
The clowns share their story.
Frank Lloyd Site, Tim Simon with his colorful puppet, discusses the local monkey business with the clown Rusty Simpson, played by Riley Pomeroy.
Frank and Daryl relax.
Vistors and locals line up for clues at the Dog House Tavern.
W.C. Shields with his white gloves is played by Wayne Furber.
Entertainer meets sleuth.
All smiles and no raincoats for Mystery Weekend 2015.
Coroner Gus Gruesome, played by George Gutohrlein, reads the coroners results to the curious crowd.
Ben Stafford, Kirt Herrman with the pith helmet, Baylor Blair, and Leif Jorgensen came from Snohomish dressed and ready to solve the mystery.
Attendees soaked up the February sunshine and the clues as they get closer to solving the crime.
(Photo by Betty Freeman)
The Langley Police cart Winnie Burl (Trevor Arnold), who killed her cousin, off to jail.
Find out more about what goes on during Mystery Weekend by reading this Feature from last week by Betty Freeman.
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BY BETTY FREEMAN
PHOTOS BY SHARON LUNDAHL Whidbey Life Magazine Contributors February 18, 2015
Just like clockwork, every February there’s a murder in Langley.
Townspeople, merchants and amateur sleuths welcome the event like a sunny day in winter. Why? Because it’s Mystery Weekend!
The 2015 murder is already carefully planned for the weekend of Feb. 21-22 by experienced Mystery Weekend writer Loretta Martin. The plot and characters change every year, but the setting is always Langley.
Martin emails the cast members in the fall to determine who will be returning. Then she pens the storyline and fleshes out the characters with descriptions so the actors know who they are and how they should behave.
“The group of actors are like a little repertory company,” said Martin. “In January, they find out who they are this time, and they throw themselves into their parts and into assembling their costumes. Some of them have been part of Mystery Weekend for 31 years!”
This year, Martin explained, “It’s No Laughing Murder,” and the victim is Phyllis Curr Thriller, whose cold, dead body is found on the side deck of the Dog House Tavern on the morning of Friday, Feb. 20.
Martin described Thriller as “caustic, competitive, bossy, entitled and opinionated.” Thriller left Whidbey Island after high school and traveled to LA, where she married multimillionaire stunt coordinator Max Thriller. Until she inherited the Dog House from her uncle “Dog” Curr, Thriller hadn’t been seen in Langley in 50 years.
A stand-up comedian herself, Thriller planned to open a comedy club in the historic tavern and promised to pair it with a reality TV show based in Langley. Merchants and town leaders were overjoyed at the news.
“The comedy club would put Langley on the map, especially with a reality TV show attached,” said Martin.
Judges for the Comedy Club TV show include clockwise from left: W.C. Shields (Wayne Furber), Simon Degree (John Ball), Polly Anna Sucrose (Josh Hauser) and Ferd Degree (Shane Thomas)
Meanwhile Thriller’s cousin, Winnie Burl, is bewildered that her beloved Uncle Dog left all his money to Phyllis and left Winnie only his home, furnishings, and storage locker. Dog didn’t even mention his grandnephew Joe or grandniece Josephine in his will. But Winnie is an optimist, and when she learned of the plans for a comedy club she was enthusiastic.
Some folks around town still had questions about the inheritance but now that the estate is closed everyone in town was following Winnie’s example and backing Phyllis (at least on the surface).
Of course Phyllis was not the most likable person but, with the future of the town and so many other people in her hands, who would want to see her dead?
That’s the question that amateur sleuths will have to answer during Mystery Weekend.
Joanna and Jerry Lechner, owners of Eagles Nest Inn, have been participating as cast members for several years. This year they play Millie Zomlin and Rob Trueheart.
Milly Zomlin aka Joanna Lechner
“It’s a challenge to try to figure out how to play the character,” said Joanne Lechner. “Not to mention the challenge of finding the right costume.”
Lechner and other cast members haunt local thrift stores to find costumes to help them get in character.
Jerry Lechner said, “We’re all closet comedians. Mystery Weekend is a chance to play and say anything you like.”
John Ball plays Simon Degree this year, complete with a Snidely Whiplash mustache and black cape. His young friend, eight-year-old Shane Thomas, plays a mini version of Simon, “Ferd Degree.”
Others play a variety of clowns, comics, townspeople and authorities, and all are viable suspects.
Some characters have been known to accept bribes, and all of them can be counted on to lie and try to confuse the amateur sleuths who question them relentlessly throughout the weekend.
None of the characters know if they will be fingered as the murderer until everybody learns the truth at the Mystery Weekend finale Sunday afternoon.
Last year, actor J. Scott Williams of Bellingham, who played birdwatcher Rufus Hawks, was named as the killer and carted off to jail by Langley police.
In spite of his humiliating “arrest,” Williams looks forward to Mystery Weekend each year. He got involved because his parents gave him a weekend stay at the Inn at Langley and it happened to fall on Mystery Weekend 2002.
“I saw all these people in costume all over town and I was hooked,” said Williams. He played Mystery Weekend for several years, then signed on as an actor. This year he plays washed-up comedian Charlie Clapman.
Rob Trueheart aka Jerry Lechner
Here’s how Mystery Weekend works. Sleuths come to Langley and line up outside the Visitor and Information Center on Anthes Street starting at 10 a.m. Saturday morning. There they buy a clue map for $10 (or $8 for seniors, youth and military) and are given a copy of the LangleyGazette with details of the murder.
From there, detectives fan out all over town, visiting the crime scene, picking up clues from participating merchants and interacting with the suspects, who will be in costume and whose photographs will be displayed in the windows of the Dog House.
When you think you know “who done it,” enter your solution on the official contest entry form and bring it back to Mystery Weekend headquarters at the Langley Visitor and Information Center at 208 Anthes Street. Correct solutions will be placed in a drawing for grand prizes, provided by local innkeepers and merchants. Incorrect solutions are still eligible for other prizes.
The prize drawing will take place after the solution is announced at Langley Middle School auditorium at 5:15 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 22. If prize winners are not present, they will be notified after the finale.
Be prepared for crowds of people in Langley that weekend, as well as a cast of crazy characters and general mayhem.
“I refer to Mystery Weekend as a creativity riot,” said Williams “I smile perpetually when I think of the funny, clever situations Loretta Martin invents every year.”
Image at top: Clown School staff Claira Bella (Rachel McDougald), Donald McConald (Joe McDougald), mime teacher Charlie Clapman (J. Scott Williams) and in front, student Rusty Simpson (Riley Pomeroy). Portion of Mystery Weekend Poster is courtesy of Langley Chamber of Commerce
Betty Freeman likes writing about creative people and events, and really enjoys a good mystery.
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BY NATALIE OLSEN Whidbey Life Magazine contributor
February 11, 2015
Gloria Ferry-Brennan wearing gown by Brenda Lovie at “Gloria!” concert Feb. 6, 2015 (sketch by Sue Van Etten)
Whidbey Island residents have seen Brenda Lovie’s creations worn by violinist Gloria Ferry-Brennan, both at last year’s launch party for the first print edition of “Whidbey Life Magazine” and last weekend’s sold-out “Gloria!” concerts. On Saturday morning, Feb. 14, Lovie will see her latest custom gown make an appearance on Seattle’s Benaroya stage when Ferry-Brennan performs with the Seattle Symphony.
Lovie began sewing at the age of four and iceskating at nine. She moved to Colorado at 16 to train as a skater, competing in national skating competitions before an injury ended her Olympic dreams. However, she stayed involved with the sport as a costume designer and coach. After studying at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology, Lovie took over her mother’s iceskating apparel business.
After starting her first company, Lovie worked with the non-profit group “Figure Skating in Harlem”, outfitting the 75-member team. Since then she has designed and sewn several thousand custom costumes for synchronized iceskating teams and competitive dance and figure skaters.
Brenda working on dress for Seattle Symphony concert (photo by David Welton)
At one time, Lovie Couture was outfitting some 50 teams per season. Now that Lovie is making costumes on her own, she figures she’ll do ‘only’ five teams per year. (Each team has 15-20 members.) To assist her, her husband John—the other half of Lovie Couture—put into place a software program capable of pattern design, grading and marking. After taking 15 or so measurements from each team member, Brenda Lovie can print out perfect custom-fitted patterns.
Brenda with posters of Lovie Couture costumes created for “Precisely Right,” a New Jersey synchronized ice skating team (photo by David Welton)
“I love the process of working with my customers to design the best custom costumes for them,” Lovie said. Her own performing experience combined with her designing/sewing skills allows her to achieve maximum comfort and perfect fit. In each costume she makes, she aims for a combination of softness against the skin and freedom of movement.
Violinist Gloria Ferry-Brennan described Lovie as, “incredible to make designs so flattering, and I feel good in them. I don’t have to worry while I’m playing.”
Lovie’s next projects include designing for ballroom dancers and high-end custom couture, sewing a bridal gown designed by her newly engaged daughter, Isabelle, and traveling to Dover, England to study Tambour embroidery, a complicated beading technique originating in Luneville, France during the 19th century.
Beading the top of the dress for this weekend’s Seattle Symphony performance (photo by David Welton)
In addition to a packed schedule, Lovie manages to find time to mentor a South Whidbey High School student in fashion design three days a week. She’s also beginning a two-year term as co-chair of the Whidbey Island Surface Design Group and continues serving as a board member of the Washington Clay Association. She has been working with clay for ten years and has studied with Whidbey’s Robbie Lobell of Cook on Clay.
Where would she like to see her designs make an appearance in the future?
“Carnegie Hall,” she said with a smile.
Brenda Lovie can be reached at brenda.lovie@loviecouture.com while her website is under construction. Check out Lovie Couture on Facebook.
Brenda at one of the nine machines in her atelier (photo by David Welton)
Photo at the top: Brenda Lovie in her Clinton atelier (photo by DavidWelton)
Natalie Olsen, a fiber artist and writer, performed with her college choir in Carnegie Hall. She wore a loose, black choir robe.
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BY KATIE WOODZICK Whidbey Life Magazine contributor
February 11, 2015
Andrew Grenier never thought he’d be directing and acting in a play written by a promising student he taught over thirty years ago. But that’s just what he’s doing in Whidbey Island Center for the Arts’ upcoming production of “Other Desert Cities.”
The cast of “Other Desert Cities”: Left to Right, Heather Ogilvy, Andrew Grenier, Deana Duncan, Shelley Hartle and David Mayer. (photo courtesy of WICA)
His voice exudes an infectious warmth and wisdom that comes from years of teaching in classrooms. His mellow baritone makes it easy to believe that he spent some of his early twenties in a radio booth.
Born in Hanover, Pennsylvania, Grenier’s earliest performance memory comes from junior high school, where he played a cat in the operetta “The White Gypsy.” He was supposed to stand on his head and say his lines backwards. Unable to execute that acrobatic maneuver, he delivered his lines standing upright, head hung between his legs.
In high school, Grenier was cast in the role of Moondoggie in “Gidget.” Overcome by stage fright and terrified by the prospect of performing in a bathing suit in front of an audience, he bowed out of the production two weeks before opening night. Encouraged by a teacher, he returned to theatre as an associate director later in his high school career.
Grenier studied history and political science in college and taught these subjects before moving to New York in his mid-twenties. As an aspiring actor, he sometimes wandered through the furniture department at Bloomingdales to decide what pieces he would buy once he was a star.
After a stint as Gower the dog (costumed in a rubber dog suit) for Hanna-Barbera, he met his wife-to-be in an acting class. A month later, he traveled to California as a newlywed. His first job in California was selling records across the street from The Whisky on Sunset Boulevard. It didn’t take long for him to find a position in educational theatre at a local middle school.
Street dancer at solstice celebration, (photo by Andrew Grenier)
“Teaching, exploring,” Grenier reflected, “that’s what appeals the most to me and why I love directing.”
He taught literature, public speaking and theatre classes, expanding enrollment before being recruited to teach at Beverly Hills High School. His new school had a 2,000 seat proscenium stage, an additional 240-seat theatre space and a three-camera television studio. General Hospital actor John Ingle mentored Grenier in his teaching.
At Beverly Hills High School, Grenier taught David Schwimmer, Nicholas Cage, Gina Gershon and other now familiar faces. Among his students was Jon Robin Baitz, whom he referred to as “Robbie.” Baitz went on to become a prolific, award-winning playwright and screenwriter, eventually penning “Other Desert Cities.” Grenier remembers reading a review of one of Baitz’s plays in The New York Times: “If Noel Coward and Arthur Miller were to have a baby, it would be Jon Robin Baitz.”
When Grenier wrote Baitz a congratulatory note to celebrate the opening of his play, “Substance of Fire,” Baitz replied with a short note signed “Robbie.” The two met in New York in the spring of 2014 to catch up, 35 years after their shared experience at Beverly Hills High School.
Grenier credits Richard Schechner, Jerry Gratowski and primarily Uta Haugen as the acting philosophies that have influenced him the most as a theatre artist. He observed Haugen teach and was compelled by the no-nonsense framework in which she worked. He recalls a particularly memorable class where a student urinated into an upstage trash basket. Haugen whispered to her teaching assistant and shortly after, two policemen escorted the student out of the acting studio. After reigniting her cigarette, Haugen looked at the rest of the class and calmly asked “Next?”
Grenier moved to Whidbey Island in 2010 and quickly formed an artistic relationship with Whidbey Island Center for the Arts (WICA). His directorial debut was “God of Carnage” followed by “Doubt” and “The Norman Conquests.”
In casting his productions, Grenier is attracted to the dedication of actors: “I look for that personal discipline, personal courage and an openness.”
“Other Desert Cities,” written by his former student Baitz, opens at WICA on Friday, February 13. The cast includes Deana Duncan, Shelly Hartle, David Mayer and Heather Ogilvy.
“Andy’s greatest goal is to create an environment that allows each audience member to experience her/his own play,” said Mayer. “He’s passionate about finding the simple truths with which we all can identify, grounding ourselves in the specifics of character and allowing the conversation to create powerful relationships to person, place and time. The process drives him even more than the result, allowing us to collaborate and continue growing throughout the entire run of the play.”
Grenier has directed the production with the assistance of Associate Director Lucy Pearce. This marks the first time he has worked with an associate director. Pearce’s artistic support has helped to realize the vision of the play, as Grenier also performs the part of Lyman Wyeth.
“Working with Andy is like receiving a masterclass in generosity,” Pearce said. “He effortlessly balances confident leadership with encouragement of each individual’s creative input. He inspires each actor and crew member to expand into the best that they can be.”
Grenier has warmly embraced Whidbey Island in the third act of his life.
“I really enjoy learning to live on Whidbey,” Grenier reflected, “I’m learning how to be my age.”
Grenier officiates Kathryn Lynn Morgen and Michael Morgen’s wedding, Summer, 2014, (photo credit Jim Carroll)
Outside of theatre, Grenier enjoys practicing the art of photography. His images often feature his dog, Bokie, and his travels back to New York. Grenier has also officiated two weddings and will also officiate the wedding of former South Whidbey Commons AmeriCorps volunteer Tracie Fowler.
He extends an invitation to the Whidbey community to come and see Other Desert Cities: “I’m hoping that people emerge from the play energized in discussion, really looking at what we do and what we hold up as our identity.”
Get tickets and find out more about “Other Desert Cities” here.
Photo at the top: Andrew Grenier’s headshot, (photo credit Jim Carroll)
Katie Woodzick works at Hedgebrook as an External Relations Manager. She is also an actor and director who can be seen on local stages. Learn more at katiewoodzick.squarespace.com.
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In a few days Cupid’s arrows will shoot through the air and countless hopeful/hopeless romantics will have their day. I love Valentine’s Day. I don’t know if it stems from my extreme fondness of all things pink and red, or my love of everything shiny, glittery or lacy, or that I just love that people have “an excuse” to express their adoration.
Whatever the reason, I love it— and that I, too, am one of those romantics doesn’t hurt, either.
Valentine’s Day card
It is the time of year when gloom seems to reign and a bit of glittery pink and red is welcome amidst whatever winter might be bringing.
Who doesn’t like Valentine’s Day?
I remember, as a child in school, the excitement of decorating our tissue boxes for the Big Day. I couldn’t wait for all those sweet and cheesy love notes! Apparently, the apple didn’t fall far from my family tree. My grandmother, born in 1903, saved her Valentines from year to year and then stuffed the whole lot into her decorated box leaving her classmates imagining that she was the most popular kid amongst them! Perhaps not the most popular, but surely the most cunning!
When I was little, an elderly neighbor dropped off a Valentine for me…it was one of those cards (in the early ‘60s) that was a cut-out of an animal with fuzzy “fur” on it. Inside was a little cellophane bag of red hot candies. It was probably my first Valentine from someone other than family and I felt so very special. I owe old Mrs. Wisniewski for the early pitter-pattering of my heart.
Lilies for Valentine’s Day
A few years later, I entered a contest for the best homemade Valentine at our local grocery store. I used a shirt box, gold and red doilies, a ream of construction paper, and a vat of glue and glitter. I won first place and an inflatable plastic bull! Whatever that had to do with Valentine’s Day I have yet to figure out, but hey—I won! With that win my creative and inner artist came ever more alive and Valentine’s Day, for me, was never the same ever again.
I love Valentine’s Day because you get to be a child again—you have reason to get out the glitter and glue, you can write an entire love letter using only candy conversation hearts—and then your intended can eat it, and because everyone has the opportunity to profess their adoration, via simple or grand gestures and indulgences that on any other day might seem nonsensical or overly extravagant.
Or maybe I’m just a sentimental soul for all things LOVE.
Tolstoy said, “Love is life. All, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love. Everything is, everything exists, only because I love.”
NECCO said, “I C U R A Q T.”
Some people think that Valentine’s Day is one of those “Hallmark” holidays manufactured by the greedy business owners of flower and candy shops portraying love by dollars spent and fueling consumerism and commercialism, striking guilt into the heart of people who forget, causing arguments amongst those who don’t buy into the whole “holiday” and heartache for the forgotten or unattached.
I’ve seen my share of jewelry store ads this week; I know commercialism and consumerism revolve around this holiday. And yet, I don’t seem to mind. I say, “Bring it on!” I am tickled with the thought of a holiday that honors all that is love and romance and matters of the heart whether man-made, natural or store-bought.
Hearts in a Nest
I have no problem whatsoever with heart-shaped boxes of candy, red ribbon-tied boxes of lingerie, or anything homemade. If it comes from the heart, how can you not love that?
But how, you may ask, did Valentine’s Day come about? Read on.
Saint Valentine’s Day (according to my online sources and a very fragile 1910 encyclopedia) is a holiday observed on February 14th honoring one or more of the Christian martyrs named (yep)…Saint Valentine.
There are three renditions of how this all started. In the first story, Saint Valentine was persecuted as a Christian, and after Roman Emperor Claudius II failed to convert him to paganism and Saint Valentine failed to convert the Emperor to Christianity, he was executed. However, before his demise he performed a miracle and restored the sight of the jailor’s blind daughter. That story isn’t exactly romantic nor does it make me want to get out my construction paper and doilies and start making hearts.
The second rendition comes closer to providing a connection with romantic love. Here we have Roman Emperor (Claudius II again) ruling the lands. Seeking to expand his army, he allegedly ordered that all young men remain single, believing that married men did not make good soldiers. In steps good old Saint Valentine—herald of conversation-heart candies and singing telegrams (not really)—who in defiance of the edict and in the name of love, married the young men to their betrothed. When the Emperor found this out he was not pleased and threw Saint Valentine into jail…and soon thereafter had him beheaded. This also does not make me want to get out the glitter and glue and red, shiny heart stickers or eat chocolate covered cherries.
Version three has Saint Valentine, for whatever reason, in jail. On the eve of his execution he (got out the glitter, glue, red and shiny heart stickers, construction paper and doilies) and made the first ever “Valentine” card. He sent it to the jailor’s lovely daughter, signing it “From Your Valentine,” leaving her with his heart for all eternity and (apparently) opening up the gates for the modern-day greeting card industry!
Oh, I just love a good story!
So, whatever version you like, we owe it to Saint Valentine’s devotion to love for this lovely little holiday and the excuse to eat an entire box of Turtles by oneself. Share the versions of the stories; if you really want to impress your love, recite the real poem stating that roses are red and violets are blue. It dates back to 1784 and was found in a collection of English nursery rhymes in Gammer Gurton’s Garland:
The rose is red, the violet’s blue. The honey’s sweet, and so are you.
Thou art my love and I am thine: I drew thee to my Valentine.
The lot was cast and then I drew, and Fortune said it shou’d be you.
Any holiday that promotes showing your love to someone else and eating candy all day long is a good day! Those that truly balk at this holiday, I figure, just need more chocolate!
So, make it special. Give a kid a Valentine, stuff your neighbor’s mailbox full of hearts and candies, smile at a stranger, give yourself flowers, write a poem, hold hands with someone you love, go eat some mussels or pop some champagne!
You still have a few days to come up with something extra special for your someone special and this island and all its offerings (trails and beaches to walk or picnic, floral, chocolate and jewelry shops, galleries, wineries, restaurants, tour and class offerings, concerts) is the perfect place to figure out exactly that! Go ahead, on this one day, unleash your inner Cupid!
And if nothing else comes to mind…you can always get out the glitter and glue.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
(All photos by Les McCarthy)
Les McCarthy is an author, entrepreneur and IPPY bronze medalist for her yearly “Healthy Living ~ Healthy Life: 365 Days of Nutrition & Health for the Family” calendars. She is still somewhat new to the island and the NW and loves every raindrop that isn’t a snowflake. She joyfully tends to her geriatric fur factory, neighborhood deer, squirrels and slugs.
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