Local artist and naturalist Heather Griffin will facilitate a series of interactive Children’s Workshops at Bainbridge Island’s Bloedel Reserve on July 9th, 10th, and 11th.  The workshops, on Papermaking, Bookbinding, and Nature Mandalas, will be divided into two classes each day: one for children 6-8 and the other for children 9-12. 

Prentice Bloedel has said that the stated purpose of  the Bloedel Reserve is to provide “a place to experience the bond between people and nature.”   In this podcast Heather Griffin explains how the children’s workshops reflect Bloedel’s philosophy to BCB host Lyssa Danehy deHart.  

Griffin also describes the specific activities and how each will help children connect art and nature.  Youthful participants in the Bloedel workshops will learn creative ways to respond to the natural world while at the same time having fun exploring the Reserve’s amazing environment.

The Workshops are fully explained and easily registered for on the Bloedel Reserve website: www.bloedelreserve.org/event-calendar/workshops/childrens-workshops

Credits: Host and Audio Editor: Lyssa Danehy deHart; BCB ferry music by Dogfish Bay Studios; What’s Up music splash: Dave Bristow.

BCB host Lyssa Danehy deHart talks with Rex Oliver and Mickey Molnaire of the Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce about plans for this year’s Grand Old 4th of July Parade and Celebration.

Now in its 47th Year, the Grand Old 4th includes an all-day street fair, foot races (benefiting Bainbridge Youth Services), a classic car show, and a baseball game. The day's amusements also include music, food, entertainment, a Beer and Wine Garden, and a Kid Zone, with ponies, puppets, bouncy houses and more.

Fuel up for the Fourth with a Pancake breakfast starting at 7am in the Town & Country Parking area. Then, if you are so inclined, put on your running shoes and join the Bainbridge Youth Services Family Fun Run. Registration starts at 7:30 am at Winslow Green or you can register in advance at  http://www.bifunrun.com/register/ .

The Classic Car Show runs from 9 to 1, the mile-long “Best Small Town Parade in America begins at 1 sharp, and you can end your day watching fabulous fireworks over Eagle Harbor.

Visit www.GrandOld4th.com for more information on the day.

Credits: BCB Host and Audio Editor Lyssa Danehy deHart; BCB ferry music: Dogfish Bay Studios; music splash: Dave Bristow.

On June 29 Eagle Harbor Books will host Tina Gilbertson, author of Constructive Wallowing: How to Beat Bad Feelings By Letting Yourself Have Them.  The event will begin at 3pm in the back room of the book store, which is located at 157 Winslow Way,  Bainbridge Island.

Gilbertson, whose book offers helpful guidelines on how to practice loving kindness and self compassion, is a former actress and now a practicing psychotherapist in Portland, Oregon. In this interview with Victoria Irwin, the bookstore events coordinator, we learn that Gilbertson’s book is very reader-friendly, with work sheets and quotes by notable personalities. Victoria also reads from one of the book’s essays, a memorable piece by author/anthropologist, Zora Neale Hurston.  Ms. Hurston, like Gilbertson, urges readers to embrace every aspect of ourselves, even including questionable behaviors. 

According to Gilbertson, most people heal and grow in the presence of compassion, caring and understanding. Those who are familiar with Buddhism and/or other meditation practices may already be aware of this principle.  But even if you’re not inclined to embrace Eastern philosophies Victoria  believes listening to Gilbertson can help reduce destructive self-criticism.

The well informed staff at Eagle Harbor Books can also help you identify other books in this genre.  Call 206-842-5332 or visit their website at http://www.eagleharborbooks.com. For more information about Tina Gilbertson go to http://www.goodtherapy.org/tina-gilbertson-therapist.php .

Credits: BCB Host: Barbara Golden; Audio Editor Tim Bird; BCB ferry music: Dogfish Bay Studios; music splash: Dave Bristow.

In this episode of What’s Up Bainbridge, BCB host Sonia Scaer interviews Kerrie Sanson, Kitchen Manager of Heyday Farm, about the upcoming “Share Our Table” events.

Since 2011, Heyday Farm has offered subscriptions for eggs, vegetables, chicken, and meat products. They’ve expanded to include honey, yogurt, cheeses, cooked and baked items. Their farm-fresh foods are also available at the storefront in Lynnwood Center on the south end of Bainbridge Island and at a stall in the Bainbridge Island Farmer’s Market in Winslow.

Heyday Farm is now branching into additional farmhouse and kitchen activities.

This podcast focuses on the Farm's "Share Our Table" events, which are now starting. On June 23rd the farm is hosting an instructional class “Learn How To Make Authentic Paella” and on July 10th a participatory class “Sauces, Condiments and Relishes”.  The events are held from 6–9pm at the Farmhouse and Kitchen on Old Mill Road.

In this interview Kerrie describes the 3 ways that the farm offers community participation in the kitchen, and describes the upcoming classes and how they include fresh produce and meats from the farm.

Learn more about the “Share Our Table” events and classes at heydayfarm.com.

Credits:  BCB Host: Sonia Scaer; Studio Tech and Editor: Barry Peters; BCB ferry music by Dogfish Bay Studios; music splash: Dave Bristow.

Island Theatre at the Bainbridge Library will present "Circle Mirror Transformation" by playwright Annie Baker, on June 21 and 22 at 7:30 pm.  There is no charge for the event.

The dramatic reading is directed by Rozzella Kolbegger, who is interviewed in this podcast by BCB's Lyssa Danehy deHart.

Island Theatre at the Library is a performance series held bi-monthly on the third Saturday and Sunday of the performance months of February, April, June, October and December.

These performances are presented in a stripped down staging with script in hand and a minimum of production (i.e., costumes, sets, props) to concentrate on the literature of the dramatic canon, both modern and classic. The contained space and immediacy of the drama has an intensity that rivals fully produced presentations.

In this podcast, Rozella Kolbeggar explains that Circle Mirror Transformation takes place in an artsy small town. There, an unlikely collection of four strangers sign up for Marty's "Adult Creative Drama" class -- a recently divorced carpenter, a high school junior, a former actress, and Marty's husband. Unfolding like a charmingly funny indie film, the group plays Marty's imaginative (and sometimes awkward) theatre games. But as their relationships develop over the course of the summer, the seemingly silly games generate some real-life drama.

This delightful play from new playwright Annie Baker landed on Top Ten lists of The New York Times and The New Yorker for 2010.

Credits: Host: Lyssa Danehy deHart; Studio Tech: Kayla Black; Editor: Lyssa Danehy deHart; BCB ferry music by Dogfish Bay Studios; Music splash: Dave Bristow.

The Bainbridge Island Arts & Humanities Council is celebrating creativity at the 2014 Bainbridge in Bloom garden tour.  From 9am to 5pm on Friday and Saturday, July 11^th and 12^th, this highly anticipated event will feature five exquisite gardens and live music throughout the tour. Visitors may journey to the gardens by bike or car or ride a bus arranged through Agate Pass Transportation.

In this episode of “What’s Up Bainbridge,” BCB host Lyssa Danehy deHart interviews Bainbridge Island Arts & Humanities Council Executive Director Barbara Sacerdote to learn about the plans and traditions surrounding this 26^th year of the celebrated garden tour, which brings in attendees from around the globe.

Garden aficionados may choose Preview Day, Friday, July 11^th, for a quieter opportunity to view the beautiful gardens of several Bainbridge Island homes. One of the homes on the tour is that of artist Gayle Bard, who, on Friday, will open her studio for the occasion. Or come on General Admission Day, Saturday, for the more lively and widely attended event.  This year, for a special additional fee, there will also be a Bloom Garden Party hosted by Debbi and Paul Brainerd at their beautiful Bainbridge Island waterfront home starting Sunday at noon.

Ticket Sales

Tickets for Bainbridge in Bloom events are available on the Arts & Humanities website: www.BainbridgeArtsHumanities.org or at their office at 221 Winslow Way West, as well as at Bainbridge Gardens and Bay Hay & Feed. Tickets will also be available at the Tour Hub (the Filipino American Community Center on High School Road) during the event. Preview Day tickets are good for both Friday and Saturday admission. Bike the Bloom tickets are also good for both days.

Call the Bainbridge Island Arts and Humanities Council with any questions at: 206.842.9982

Credits: BCB Host and Audio Editor Lyssa Danehy deHart; BCB ferry music: Dogfish Bay Studios; music splash: Dave Bristow.

In this podcast, Rotary member Tom McCloskey, who is the Chair of this year's Rotary Auction and Rummage Sale, recounts the history, scale and scope of this remarkable annual event, now in its 54th year.

Tom points out that -- while the event is managed and maintained by the Rotary Club - it has become a true community-wide event.

During the upcoming 11-day period, 116 Rotarians and about 1,100 other volunteers will prepare, physically work, manage, clean up and follow up. 

Five to ten thousand customers are expected at the six-hour event from 8am to 2pm on Saturday June 28th.  Purchased goods may be picked up that day by vehicle between 10am and 3pm.

To plan your Saturday shopping, attend the open preview night on Friday the 27th from 5-8pm.

Meanwhile, starting on Friday, June 20th, you can drop off your donated goods at the Woodward Middle School.  Use the south entrance on Sportsmen Club Road between 8am and 8pm during the six days through Wednesday June 25th.

Approximately 150,000 items -- some as small as toothpicks and others as large as donated cars and boats -- are expected.

Proceeds of the event will fund the Rotary's annual community grants to nonprofits, plus large-scale community grants (like the Waypoint project that transformed the corner of Winslow Way and route 305).

In addition, the proceeds will fund scholarships to High School students, donations to international humanitarian projects, and other worthy causes.

Our BCB radio project itself was a benefactor of a $7,000 portion of last year's nearly $445,000 in Rotary proceeds in the form of a grant to our local nonprofit parent, Sustainable Bainbridge.

The cumulative proceeds from 54 years of Rotary Auctions is likely to pass the $6 million level this year.  Tom points out that the first of those auctions generated dollars that helped acquire land for the Bainbridge Library.

In this podcast, Tom McCloskey points out that many Bainbridge Islanders consider the Rotary Auction to be a way of taking care of their household "Spring Cleaning" while truly benefiting their community.

Credits:  BCB host and editor: Barry Peters.  BCB ferry music: Dogfish Bay Studios. Music splash: Dave Bristow.

Do you have an idea for a must-have product or service, but need help with what comes next?

On four Tuesdays in July, OfficeXpats at the Pavilion in Winslow is offering a lunchtime course to take your business or nonprofit idea to the next step.

Michael “Luni” Libes, author of The Next Step, provides a simple, understandable path through the stages of business planning. Each stage includes a set of key questions which, when answered, provide you with the materials needed for your formal business plan and pitch.

For four Tuesdays in July, Luni will take participants through the essential steps:

July 8: Sharing your idea.  Problem/Solution/Customer

July 15: Market research, Opportunity size, and Competitive analysis

July 22: Financial planning and fundraising

July 29: How to create and deliver a great pitch

Note: Kitsap Bank is currently running a contest called the Edg3 Fund, and offering a $20,000 prize to the business with the best pitch, so Luni will be discussing this opportunity as part of the class!

Get the most from the class by reading the book first.  “The Next Step: Guiding you from idea to startup.” See http://lunarmobiscuit.com/the-next-step.

Luni is a serial entrepreneur, mentor, advisor, and educator. Over the past two decades, he has helped build six start-ups, five of which he founded: Ground Truth (mobile analytics), Medio Systems (mobile search), Mforma (mobile gaming and applications), 2WAY (enterprise collaboration), and Nimble (pen computing).

Luni is an Entrepreneur in Residence and Instructor at Pinchot (pinchot.edu), a University for the Common Good.

Most recently, Luni is the founder of Fledge LLC, the “conscious company” accelerator, at http://fledge.co, and creator of Kick, “our” incubator, at http://kickincubator.com.

Luni says: “If you are going to take the crazy step of starting a company, make it one that matters.”

Credits:  BCB Host: Barry Peters.  BCB audio editor: Jeffrey Powel. Ferry/music: Dogfish Bay Studios. Synthetic music splash: Dave Bristow.

Back by popular demand, the Virginia V – the last of the Mosquito Fleet steamships – will cruise around Bainbridge Island on July 20th from 3 to 6pm. 

Fully-restored, pipes and whistles prepped and shined and her engine ready to roll, the Virginia V will leave from City Dock in Winslow, directly south of Waterfront Park. Take a gentle cruise around the island as the steamer passes by more than 30 former ferry landings that served Bainbridge at different times in the community’s development. Suquamish Historic Preservation Officer Dennis Lewarch will be on board to highlight the shoreline areas frequented by indigenous people and discuss the geology and archaeology of Bainbridge.

In this episode of “What’s Up Bainbridge,” BCB host Annie Osburn interviews Karen Beierle, board member and volunteer of the Bainbridge Island Historical Museum. Listen to Beierle highlight fun facts about the 125-foot Virginia V (a National Historical Landmark Steamship built in 1922) and the famed Mosquito Fleet, a predecessor to the Washington State Ferries system.  

This event is a fundraiser for Bainbridge Island Historical Museum and includes a box dinner, ferry landing map and cruise program, bottled water and no host bar (operated by the Virginia V Foundation – www.virginiav.org).

Learn about the Virginia V Cruise around Bainbridge Island at www.bainbridgehistory.org.

Credits:  BCB Host Annie Osburn; BCB Audio Editor Tim Bird; BCB Ferry Music: Dogfish Bay Studios; music splash: Dave Bristow.

Margaret Chang of Field’s End returns to the BCB studio for an interview with Channie Peters about an event featuring award-winning writer, Suzanne Fisher Staples. Her event will be an illustrated talk about how she has used the power of story to inform her readers of the Islamic culture, especially the lives of women and girls.

As a former journalist and USAID representative in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Staples immersed herself in the culture of those countries.  She has been a tireless advocate for literacy for women and girls in the region.  Her first three novels are set in the Cholistan Desert between Pakistan and India, and give us a realistic view of the life of women and girls in Islamic culture.

Her talk will be on Thursday, June 19, from 7 to 8 PM at the auditorium of the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art at the corner of Winslow Way West and Hwy 305. It will be followed by a reception next door at the Bainbridge Bakers cafe.  Eagle Harbor Books will have available for sale several of her books, including Shabanu, her first novel, which won a Newberry Honor.

Credits: BCB Host: Channie Peters; Audio Editor: Tim Bird.  Ferry/music intro: Dogfish Bay Studios. Music splash: Dave Bristow.

The Bainbridge Island Police Department is celebrating Welcome to the Water on National Marina Day on Saturday, June 14 from 11 am to 4 pm. The event is free and will include fun activities for water and boating enthusiasts of all ages.

In this podcast, BCB’s Barry Peters interviews Tami Allen of the Bainbridge Island Police Department about the Marina Day and Boater’s Fair celebrations on June 14. Tami is the City’s Harbormaster.

Matthew Hamner, Chief of Police, says: “I encourage families to participate in this fun outdoor activity and give boating a try.” He adds, “We hope you will visit Waterfront Park to learn about boating, and enjoy the events we have planned.”

The City of Bainbridge Island’s Welcome to the Water on National Marina Day activities include:

• Free demonstrations of Current Design Kayaks and Wenonah Canoes 
• Tours on a 45-foot US Coast Guard Cutter,
• Tours of a Bainbridge Island Police Boat and a research vessel
• Flare demonstration
• Meet local boating clubs and aquatic program leaders
• Learn about underwater repair for docks and moorings
• Race a remote controlled sailboat
• Bring your own boat and get your annual vessel safety inspection
• Bring your own boat and “anchor with a local” (by appointment)
• Learn about docking, cruise planning, navigation, fueling, pumping-out, knot tying taught by the USCG Auxiliary volunteers
• “Water N’ Kids” activities
• Meet your Harbormaster and Marine Officer
• Come for a free boat ride and BBQ hot dog (while supplies last)

National Marina Day is presented on Bainbridge in cooperation with the Association of Marina Industries, and Discover Boating. For more information visit www.nationalmarinaday.org, or call Tami Allen, Harbormaster at 206.780.3733.

Credits: BCB Host and Audio Editor: Barry Peters.  Ferry/music intro: Dogfish Bay Studios. Music splash: Dave Bristow.

In this episode of What’s Up Bainbridge, BCB host Sonia Scaer interviews Ann Strickland, Art & Music Director of Grace Episcopal Church, about the monthly musical event “First Thursday Kirtan”.

The public is welcome to join Ann and the Island Kirtan group on the 1st Thursday of each month at 7:00pm. This is a musical event where participants sing with a call and response chant. This music is said to be good for settling the mind and also to focus on healing and wellness.

Here is some interesting background about Kirtan:

•   It began in India centuries ago as a spiritual practice, and was known as the layman’s way to connect with the divine.

•   In the last ten years, Kirtan has been introduced in the United States, and has transformed musically to appeal to the ears of American audiences.

•   Kirtan is a new kind of concert experience in the West.  It’s not so much a performance as a journey into the self through the practice of listening and singing.  The leaders at a Kirtan concert are called wallahs, and all participants become part of the music.

In this episode, Ann Strickland came to the BCB studio to explain several elements of Kirtan, and to perform a short example of Kirtan chanting accompanied by her harmonium. The harmonium is a table-top reed organ with a keyboard and hand-activated bellows.

For more information on Island Kirtan, visit their Facebook page at https://facebook.com/pages/Island-Kirtan/149408395149453

For this and other events at Grace Church visit their website at http://gracehere.org/index.php

Credits:  BCB Host: Sonia Scaer; BCB Studio Techs: Jenn Round and Barry Peters; BCB Audio Editor: Jeffrey Powel; ferry music by Dogfish Bay Studios; music splash: Dave Bristow.

BCB host Channie Peters interviews Margaret Chang, the coordinator of the Field’s End Speakers Series. Fields End is an organization within the Bainbridge Public Library that focuses on the art and craft of writing.

This episode of What's Up Bainbridge discusses the upcoming June 17th talk by Suzanne Fisher Staples, a former journalist in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and now an award winning writer of seven novels. Most of her novels are set in the Cholistan Desert between Pakistan and India. Her first novel, Shabanu, published in 1989, won a Newberry Honor.

Suzanne Staples is an advocate for fiction as a way to understand foreign cultures, in this case, Afghanistan and Pakistan, especially the role of women and girls in this culture.

At this Library event, an offering of the Speakers Series, Ms. Staples will lecture on the craft of writing – “Writing Your Way: Take a Voyage of Literary Self-Discovery.” Afterwards, guests are invited to stay for refreshments and conversation.

This Speakers Series event will be at the Bainbridge Public Library (corner of Madison Ave and High School Rd) on Tuesday, June 17, from 7- 8:30 pm.  It is free and open to all writers, would-be writers, and anyone interested in the craft of writing.

Credits:  BCB Host: Channie Peters; BCB Audio Editor: Tim Bird.  Synthetic music splash: Dave Bristow. BCB ferry music: Dogfish Bay Studios.