I see by an early online peek at the Chinook Observer that my article about this coming Sunday’s Music Vesper service made the deadline. Not only that, but it is illustrated with both of the photographs I submitted – one of “The Bays Family Band” and one of Willie and Owen Bays (ages 11 and 8 respectively) busking at a Farmer’s Market in the Seattle Area. Whoo Hoo! I’m glad there was space.
Had I known a little earlier, I’d have mentioned that Willie has just received a prestigious award: a full scholarship to the Cascadia Irish Music Week, but the announcement came by email just yesterday. It says the award was made to an exceptionally talented and dedicated young flute player, Willie Bays of Seattle. Willie is eleven years old and has played in many concerts and sessions with his family. Besides learning music from his fiddler parents, Willie studied flute with Marcus Hernon, Sean Moloney and other great musicians at the Friday Harbor Irish Music camp.
Pretty impressive! However, having known Willie and Owen and their amazing parents for years, we are not surprised. Just somewhat intimidated, at least in the musical realm of things. According to the Cork Examiner. Ireland’s second largest newspaper, Randal is “a rare beast, a master of both the fiddle and the guitar” and Fiddler Magazine claims he is “among the best Irish style fiddlers of his generation.”
Both Randal and the boys’ mom (Susan Waters) credit much of their sons’ accomplishments, musical and otherwise, to the fact that there is not (and has never been) television in their home. Each year at Vespers, Randal mentions their “no TV” philosophy and those of us listening to the family’s music can’t help but consider the possibilities and wonder “what if…”
We never know who we might see when we glance out our windows toward the Oysterville Church. The other day it was a street full of Prowlers. Not the bad kind. These were Chrysler products, about 30 of them parked in front of the church and about as far north and south as the eye could see. Their owners were exploring Oysterville by foot, walking tour brochures in hand,
Now that we are rolling on toward the 300,000-mile mark, we’re thinking a new car is in order. We’d buy a new Cruiser in a heartbeat, but… Chrysler no longer makes them. It seems to be a habit with Chrysler and is definitely one more discouragement to our desire to “buy American” if we can.
In Oysterville, signs of summer are everywhere. Mother Nature has decked herself out in full regalia – leafy green, colorful blossoms, apples beginning to set on the trees. In addition, we residents have added a few signs of our own.
Meanwhile, at the northwest end of town, a subtle, whispering sort of sign promises the opening of the Oysterville Store. On the window of the door, in white window paint, is written “Open July 5th.” Somehow, those enticing almost see-through letters on the glass are the sign-equivalent to a promise whispered in my ear. Each time I see it – which is every day when I collect my mail from the post office next door – I feel the same thrill of anticipation that I remember feeling as a kid.
The summer Music Vesper Schedule is all set –God willin’ an’ the creek don’t rise. It’s going to be a fabulous season at the historic Oysterville Church!
With its replica shutters all in place and its sparkling new exterior paint, the Oysterville Church has never looked better! Everyone says so. And just this past week, the daisies in the garden beds around the building and in front of the picket fence have burst into flower. The lovely old building looks ready for another summer season.
As I backed the car out of the garage and turned south yesterday, we noticed a lot of activity in the church yard. Two little girls, maybe in the seven or eight-year-old range were racing around the flower beds yanking up daffodils. A boy, perhaps a year younger, galloped along beside them. All were laughing and screaming in maniacal delight.
When I asked Cuzzin Ralph to do a little research about Josiah Crouch, I had no idea that I would be presented with the seeds of another book… maybe. It all came about because of an ongoing discussion I’ve been having with singer/songwriter Larry Murante.
For 38 years, Oysterville had reigned supreme as Pacific County’s seat of government. Scarcely a year after the town’s founding in 1854, the county seat had been moved from Chinookville to this bustling boomtown on the banks of Shoalwater Bay. Since that time, Oysterville had become the political center of the county, as well as the social and economic hub.
On Saturday, February 4, 1893, there was no hint that tomorrow would forever change the future. Julia Jefferson Espy and some of the other Baptist ladies of the village hurried over to their newly built church and made sure it was ready for the next day’s service. Across the street in the parsonage, Reverend Josiah Crouch put the finishing touches on his sermon. Little did the women or the preacher know that the next day, while they were attending their worship service, two steamers, carrying upwards of fifty men, would converge on Oysterville and take courthouse matters into their own hands. This is what Commisioner John Morehead later wrote about the incident:
I don’t know how the Columbia Heritage Museum fared financially at last night’s 6 x 6 auction, but on a scale of one-to-ten in the Fun Department, the event scored a twenty. Bruce Peterson is the quintessential auctioneer for an art event here at the beach; the crowd was enthusiastic and just the right mix between zany and artistically knowledgeable; the paintings were even more delectable than usual. It was the perfect formula for Fun with a capital ‘F.’
Gordon Schoewe and Peggy Christianson saved seats for us so we had an up-close-and-personal view of the ‘artiste’ himself when Gordon’s “6 x 6 x the C” came up for bids. It featured his iconic rabbit and was an instant favorite with the crowd. The bidding was hot and heavy and I’m here to tell you that even though Gordon’s only remark was “So silly!” and he kept ‘chastity of the face,’ I know he was pleased.
The traditional sock monkey painting by Leslie Hall Lipe was, as usual, kept for last and, this year featured the monkey with a bag of razor clams in hand, and was appropriately titled “Limit.” And, as usual, Karla Nelson won the bid but not before the price had run up to the highest of the evening — $500!
Even the announcement, when it came in the mail this week, made me smile. The Columbia Heritage Museum’s annual fundraising auction, “6×6 by the Sea,” is scheduled for Saturday, November 17th, and we’ve been looking forward to it ever since the last one.