Friday 30
Mosquito Fleet history
Island author Jean Findlay and Robin Paterson will sign their new book, “Mosquito Fleet of South Puget Sound,” a history of the heyday of steamboats in Western Washington, at Vashon Bookshop, at 7 p.m. Friday, May 30.
The book examines the history of more than 100 boats in the Mosquito Fleet, from construction. to, in some cases, tragic ends. The authors hope their book will inspire people to collect their own memories or histories, no matter what the topic.
Call the bookshop at 463-2616 for more information.
Building green
People who have wanted to redesign or build their own house using environmentally smart, “green” resources without breaking the budget are invited to Books by the Way at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 30, for a reading, discussion and book signing by Kathleen O’Brien, co-author with Kathleen Smith, of “The Northwest Green Home Primer.”
The book gives real-world strategies to make a house energy efficient, healthy and eco-friendly. Smith is an architectural designer and sustainability consultant, and O’Brien is an award-winning sustainable design and building consultant. Both women live on Bainbridge Island.
For more information, call Books by the Way at 463-2696.
saturday 31
Master gardener clinic
The master gardener clinic will meet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 31, outside of True Value.
Master gardeners of Vashon will be available to help answer gardening questions, including getting your garden off to a good start.
Stop by for gardening advice, available resource material, plant identification and more.
Farmers market
The Vashon Farmers Market will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Village Green Saturday, May 31.
At 10:30 a.m. Jenni Wilke from Books by the Way will tell a nature story and do an activity for children.
At 11 a.m. the market welcomes back gifted Seattle-based singer-songwriter Larry Murante.
Island farmers will sell locally grown or produced salad mix, spinach, bok choi, milk, eggs, cheese, meats, wine, culinary herbs and rhubarb as well as handmade chocolates and Island- roasted coffee beans. There will also be a wide variety of annual vegetable starts such as tomatoes, peppers and basil, as well as flower starts, cut flower bouquets, trees, native plants, perennial shrubs and flowers and Island-raised koi fish for ponds.
Paul Motoyoshi will serve miso soup, hum bows and other lunch foods, and a wide range of artisans will sell Island-produced art and crafts.
For more information, go to the Vashon Island Growers Association (VIGA) Web site at www.vigavashon.org, or call market manager Joanne Jewell at 267-8146.
Sock hop benefit
Quake, Rattle and Roll, a benefit sock hop harkening back to the 1950s and ’60s, will be from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, May 31, at the K2 Commons.
The evening is a benefit for the third transmission tower for Voice of Vashon so that the station can transmit information to the entire Island in an emergency.
The evening will include DJ Prince Voltaire, door prizes, food, drinks, fun, games, a mini-auction and a monster tower building contest.
Tickets are $10 per person at the door, Vashon Bookshop and Books by the Way.
Monday 2
Kids book club meets
Vashon Bookshop’s Kids’ Book Club will meet from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, June 2, to talk about favorite reads of this year and to find out what books the kids will be reading over the summer. Newcomers are always welcome.
Call the bookshop at 463-2616 for more information.
upcoming
Great Books meets
The Great Books discussion group has been meeting at the Vashon Library for 30 years and will meet from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, June 2. The group meets on the first Monday of each month and discussions include all types of great literature, from ancient to modern times.
Everyone is welcome. June’s selection is a short story by Raymond Carver, “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love.”
No registration is required; call the library at 463-2609.
‘Now Hear This…’
“Now Hear This…,” a performance by Truth Be Told Theater group, will be Thursday, June 5, at the Vashon High School library. A barbecue will meet at 6 p.m., with opening remarks by Stephen Bogan at 7:15 p.m. and the show at 7:30 p.m. The show is directed by Harris Levinson. A community discussion will follow the performance, which is a documentary theater presentation based on the findings of Vashon’s Healthy Youth Survey. The evening, including a T-shirt, is all free.
For more information, e-mail Levinson at hlevinson@vashonsd.org.
Low tide celebration
The third annual Low Tide Celebration will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 7, at Point Robinson with many free activities.
• 8 a.m. Birding Trip led by Dan Willsie. Meet in upper lot at Point Robinson
• 10 a.m. Shoreline geology talk led by Tom DeVries, followed by a walk.
• 10 a.m. to noon — Nature journaling workshop led by Darsie Beck in the booth south of the barn.
• 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Lighthouse tours led by Captain Joe and Keepers of Point Robinson (with a break between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.).
• 10:30 a.m. Native plants talk led by Helen Meeker, followed by a walk. Vicki Browne will also answer questions.
• 11 a.m. Puget Sound water quality talk led by Chris Wilke, Puget Soundkeeper Alliance; and a Birding Trip — meeting at Audubon booth in lower lot.
• 11:30 a.m. Blue Heron canoe arrival, with welcome ceremony and song in Lushootseed and English.
• 12:30 p.m. Native tales by Leslie Creed and Mike Evans on the beach.
• 1:30 p.m. Beach life talk led by Bob Fuerstenberg.
• 2 to 3:30 p.m. Beach walks led by Sandra Noel, Kathy Sider, Bob Fuerstenberg, Beth Lolley, Pam Wise and others.
• 2:15 p.m. -2.6 Low tide.
Cindy Sheehan visits
Islanders are invited to an afternoon with Cindy Sheehan from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday, June 8, at the Vashon High School theater.
She will speak on “A Revolution of Values: Moving from a War Economy to a Peace Economy.”
Sheehan, an anti-war leader, is challenging Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi for Congress.
Tickets are $10 to $25 on a sliding scale and can be purchased at the Vashon Bookshop or Books by the Way.
For more information, contact Maryrose Asher at 567-0593 or dmasher@comcast.net.
The ticket purchase constitutes a contribution to the “Cindy for Congress ’08” campaign and thus is being used in connection with a federal election.
