Halleck Street Ramblers

The rich sound of traditional New Orleans jazz filled the Rotunda Room at the Whatcom Museum of History & Art this afternoon as the Halleck Street Ramblers performed in concert.

We had a wonderful balcony like view from the chairs placed around the railing on the third floor, and could easily look down onto the performance set up on the floor below.

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Here is Fred at today's performance at the museum - more cultured now . . .

Strong leads from their clarinet, trumpet and trombone players were backed by a rhythm section of drums, guitar and piano. Indicating to the audience that they enjoyed playing in three-part harmony, they played very well together and appeared to be very well practiced. Today's playlist included such favorites as, You Always Hurt the One You Love, Pennies from Heaven, Bedelia, Black and Blue, South, Baby Won't You Please Come Home, When You and I were Young Maggy, Trog's Blues, Midnight in Moscow, Old Rugged Cross, Indiana, and Home.

The Halleck Street Ramblers, formed in 2005 by local musicians interested in insuring the presence of traditional New Orleans jazz on the Bellingham music scene, have also played at the Wild Buffalo House of Music, for the Swing Kids at WWU, and at other music venues locally. Upcoming Performances by the Halleck Street Ramblers include:

• June 21 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. - The Halleck Street Ramblers will be playing for the Bellingham Traditional Jazz Society at the VFW Post 1585, 625 North State Street on Saturday, June 21 . There will be dancing, snacks and beverages. Admission for members is $8.00, and non-members, $10.00.
• July 19 from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. - the Halleck Street Ramblers will be playing at the Raspberry Festival in downtown Lynden.

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Information about upcoming events at the Whatcom Museum of History & Art can be found in their "Calendar" section on their website at - http://www.whatcommuseum.org/.

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Thanks for the berry smoothie after the concert, Fred!~~~~~

Ferry Boat Contra Dance Party

What do you get when you combine Seattle's best Contra Dance band, sunny skies, a ferry boat, the San Juan Islands and a whole bunch of very friendly people?

Absolutely the most fun party you could ever imagine!
And that is exactly where Kriss, Sally and I were, along with all the other party goers. We gathered together at the Anacortes ferry dock and boarded the 2:45 p.m. ferry to Friday Harbor.
Once the ferry had docked and the passengers and cars were all on board, the chairs were quickly pushed to the sides and the band set up. By the time the ferry had pulled away from the dock, the music had started and the party was underway. We danced and enjoyed the mesmerizing tunes of the KGB Band.

The ferry passed island after island along its route and we danced to song after song. We danced until we reached Friday Harbor, where some of us went ashore for a short walking tour. Then we boarded the ferry again for more dancing as the ferry boat made its way between the islands during its sailing back to Anacortes.
I danced and danced - and twirled and twirled - and was spun around and around and around.
Then I danced some more - and twirled some more - and was spun round and round.
We passed island after island, and as if hypnotized by the music, the dancing and twirling and spinning continued - song after song after hypnotic song.
Sally danced and danced - and twirled and twirled - and was spun around and around and around.
Then she danced some more - and twirled some more - and was spun round and around.

The ferry stopped at Lopez Island where more passengers loaded, and still we danced and danced and danced. Kriss danced and danced - and twirled and twirled - and was spun around and around and around.
Then she danced some more - and twirled some more - and was spun round and round.
After dancing our way through the beautiful San Juan Islands - from Anacortes to Friday Harbor and then back again - upon our return to the Anacortes dock, the group quickly put all the chairs back into the center of the cabin and gathered up the musical equipment.

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We left the ferry with those tunes still dancing through our heads, already we were looking forward to next year's Ferry Boat Contra Dance Party.

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More photos from the Ferry Boat Contra Dance Party.

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Information about the Bellingham Country Dance Society is available on their website at - http://nas.com/~mschway/bcds/index.html - and includes a schedule of local, upcoming events.

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Additional information about area folk dancing is available at the Seattle Folk Dancing website - http://seattledance.org/ - with links for a multitude of folk dance resources, including Contra, Irish, English, Scandinavian, Scottish, local festivals and workshops, dance bands and much, much more.

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Sally had shared with us as we drove from Bellingham to Anacortes to meet with our group at the ferry terminal that we should join our partners by locking our eyes and smiling as we were spun around and around and around. She said, "When you lock eyes with your dance partner, have just a little smile on your lips and you will share a special little vicarious moment with them," and we would not become quite so dizzy on the dance floor as we were spun around and around.

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Gorgonzola Omelet with Grilled Vegetables

While helping Sally with her move a few weeks ago, as we were unpacking her kitchen, she shared with me how much she enjoyed her lean, mean, fat-reducing machine - the George Foreman Grill. I have a smaller version of that grill, the George Foreman Contact Grill, and have been creating some great new recipes lately in my own kitchen using my grill and the abundance of fresh vegetables available at our local markets.

My recipe today has a wonderful combination of fresh flavors from the grilled vegetables and the gorgonzola cheese crumbles, giving a new flavor to an old favorite - the omelet.

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Gorgonzola Omelet with Grilled Vegetables

2 Large Eggs
1/4 Sweet Red Bell Pepper
6 Fresh Green Beans
6 Spears Fresh Asparagus (5" in length)
1 Slice Fresh Onion
1 Clove Garlic
1 Tsp. Gorgonzola Cheese Crumbles
1 Tsp. Shredded 2% Mexican Cheese Blend
1 T Medium Salsa
1 Tsp. Extra Light Olive Oil

Wash and chop the fresh vegetables. Peel and crush the garlic clove. Place in a bowl and add the olive oil, stirring to coat the vegetables. Add the coated vegetables to a preheated George Foreman grill.

Close the lid and grill for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the vegetables reach the desired tenderness and color.
Meanwhile, whip the eggs in a bowl and pour into a preheated, non-stick fry pan. Spreading the eggs over the bottom of the pan, lift the edges gently with a spatula to allow the eggs to cook evenly. After the eggs have cooked, sprinkle the surface of the omelet with the cheeses. Once the cheeses have melted onto the omelet, remove pan from heat.
Add the grilled vegetables on top of the melted cheese and fold the filled omelet in half.
Slide onto a serving plate, and add the salsa to the top. Serve while hot. Makes 2 servings.

Nutritional info per serving:

Calories: 151.6
Total Fat: 9.8 g
Saturated Fat: 3.6 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.1 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 3.4 g
Cholesterol: 220.5 mg
Sodium: 214.8 mg
Potassium: 249.7 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 6.1 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.9 g
Sugars: 0.0 g
Protein: 10.3 g

Vitamin A: 32.3 %
Vitamin B-12: 8.3 %
Vitamin B-6: 10.0 %
Vitamin C: 62.6 %
Vitamin D: 6.5 %
Vitamin E: 7.3 %
Calcium: 12.6 %
Copper: 6.2 %
Folate: 20.3 %
Iron: 7.7 %
Magnesium: 4.7 %
Manganese: 9.9 %
Niacin: 3.7 %
Pantothenic Acid: 7.4 %
Phosphorus: 12.4 %
Riboflavin: 19.2 %
Selenium: 23.8 %
Thiamin: 7.5 %
Zinc: 5.5 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet and calculated by the Spark Recipe Builder available with your free membership at SparkPeople. Daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Lily Point Marine Reserve

With the lowest daytime tide of 2008 at -4.4' today, it was the perfect day to celebrate the conservation of Lily Point, a marine reserve located on Boundary Bay at Point Roberts, Washington. Beginning by boarding a chartered bus at the Lincoln Street Park-n-Ride in Bellingham, stopping at the Ferndale Park-n-Ride, then again in Blaine to pick up more passengers, we stopped just long enough to show our passports at the Peace Arch border crossing in order to enter into Canada and again at the Point Roberts border crossing in order to enter back into the United States and proceeded on to Lily Point.

Arriving at the Lily Point Marine Reserve mid-morning, we were greated by members of the Whatcom Land Trust, Lummi Nation officials and staff from the Whatcom County Parks Department. Walks were led through the trails from the end of APA Road and on down to the beach, allowing us several hours of free time to thoroughly explore the forested area on top of the bluff and the tide flats far below. With dozens of bald eagles soaring overhead, once down on the beach, we could walk out onto the rocky reef exposed by the extreme low tide and observe the magnificant variety of marine life thriving along the shores of Lily Point.

There were purple sea stars (pisaster ochraeus).

The beach floor seemed absolutely littered with an abundance of sea life - purples, greens, browns, whites, animals, plants, grasses, shells, rocks, sea stars, crabs, clams and barnacles - such a colorful display.

Reminding us of early industry on Lily Point, a few old pilings, remnants from the old Alaska Packers Cannery that must have absolutely bustled with activity on Lily Point from 1884 until 1917, still remain on the beach to this day.

This historical photo shows the original Alaska Packers Cannery at Lily Point as it appeared in 1910.

Once the tide flats had been thoroughly explored, we hiked the near mile back up the steep trail to reach the top of the bluff where we feasted on a splended catered luncheon set up under pop-up tents for all to enjoy.

After lunch, there was a program celebrating the Lily Point conservation, sponsored by the Lummi Nation and the Whatcom Land Trust, that included drummers, singers, story tellers and leaders from the Lummi Nation sharing their family heritage at Lily Point and giving thanks to the Whatcom Land Trust and the other organizations for their efforts in preserving the future of this land and surrounding shores.

Lummi Nation drummers performing. ~~~~~
My photo highlights from today's celebration.

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The conservation of Lily Point and more thanks were also shared during the celebration by many of the Lily Point preservation partners - Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife Coastal Program, Whatcom County Conservation District Futures Fund, Washington State Department of Ecology, private donors from the U.S. and Canada, Whatcom County Parks and Recreation and the Whatcom Land Trust. The program included special messages from Governor Gregoire and other local politicians and campaigners.

After closing with a song by a local singer/songwriter and her acoustic guitar, we boarded our chartered bus again, crossed the border back into Canada, crossed the border back into the United States and returned to Bellingham.

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Getting there from here.

• Take I-5 North for 22.9 miles, entering British Columbia, Canada at the Peace Arch border crossing.
• Continue north on Highway 99 for 12.4 miles.
• Take Exit 20 toward Ladner, Tsawwassen and Point Roberts, following for 0.2 miles.
• Turn left at Ladner Trunk and follow for 4.6 miles.
• Turn left at Highway 17 and follow for 3.5 miles.
• Turn left at 56 Street.
• After 2.8 miles, cross back into Washington at the Point Roberts border crossing.
• Continue on Tyee Drive for 1.4 miles.
• Turn left onto the APA Road and drive 1.2 miles until you reach the end of the road.
• You have reached the Lily Point Marine Reserve.
• Parking is allowed along the sides of the road.

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From the Whatcom County Executive News.

Whatcom Land Trust Purchases, Deeds Lily Point to Whatcom County for Park

Supported by a remarkable coalition, Whatcom Land Trust has purchased Lily Point from Welsh Developments, Inc. for $3,500,000. Appraised at $4,350,000, this extraordinary 90-acre marine shoreline property, with 40 acres of tidelands, sits at the southeast corner of Point Roberts between Boundary Bay and the Straits of Georgia.

Whatcom Land Trust has deeded Lily Point to Whatcom County for use as a marine reserve and public park, retaining a conservation easement “to protect the ecological functions, environmental attributes and wildlife habitat of the Property.”

Land Trust president Chris Moench noted that Lily Point is likely the most culturally and ecologically endowed, privately owned, undeveloped property on the greater Puget Sound shoreline. “For centuries people have come to Lily Point because of its biological richness. Whatcom Land Trust hopes to
make sure that public access and biological richness will be maintained for centuries to come.”

With enthusiastic support from Whatcom County Executive Pete Kremen, the Whatcom County Council voted unanimously to appropriate $600,000 from the Conservation Futures Fund to support the purchase.

“This is a very important acquisition for our natural heritage and parks plans. It’s so rich in natural resources as well as historical and cultural aspects,” said County Executive Pete Kremen, “Lily Point is one of the most beautiful spots in the area. It’s one of those places that make Whatcom County so special.”

Whatcom County now owns the four corners of Point Roberts – Monument Park, Lighthouse Park Maple Beach (a gift from Whatcom Land Trust), and finally, Lily Point, by far the most ecologically important of the four corners.

A celebration of the acquisition and protection of Lily Point is planned for June 4, 2008, when a minus 4.4 mid-day tide will reveal the full splendors of Lily Point.

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The Lummi Nation shared today that their families had taken care of that property for 10,000 years, and now the people of Washington State have that responsibility. What an honor we have been allowed!

Little Squalicum Beach

Letting the dogs run was the goal tonight as my cousin Dan stopped to pick us up on his way to the beach behind the old Plywood Mill.

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Torrie and Cousin Tina on Squalicum Beach

The old tracks running into the bay.

Cousin Dan on the beach.
Appreciating the beauty of the beached logs, we thought this a real driftwood find!
Driftwood graffiti.
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More pictures from tonight's beach walk.

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