Town Column : Tisbury
By Kay Mayhew
Published: June 26, 2008
The Mansion House Masters did it again. The Island swim team competed over several days last weekend at the 2008 New England Long Course Masters Championships held at Middlebury College in Vermont. They each brought home handfuls of blue and red ribbons and as a team placed third over all. Congratulations to Alex Goethals, Leslie Craven, Rainy Goodale, and Les Cutler. You do us all proud.
I hope all of you enjoyed the front-page article in last week's Times about the demise of the wild turkey of Chilmark. While the hordes of turkeys in my neighborhood seem to be usually docile, this incident should put our protectors on guard.
The turkeys always object when I have the audacity to enter my driveway. Most of their attacks are nocturnal sneak attacks on the car from overhead branches. If the Chilmark man who loves turkeys wants some more, I have a few dozen to spare.
How about live music by Dillon Bustin, who wrote "Thirty Dirty Sailors?" Susan Convery Foltz illustrated the book about Laura Jernegan, a.k.a "The Little Girl Who Went a-Whaling." Susan will host a showing of her pictures on Saturday from 5-7:30 pm, at MM Stone Gallery, at 671 State Road, North Tisbury. Vineyard Stories published the book about the six-year-old Edgartown girl, who lived for three years with her family aboard her captain/father's whaling ship in the 1860s. The child recorded her adventures in a diary, now in the collection of the Martha's Vineyard Museum. This diary is one of only two in the country written about whaling by a child. We understand that children are invited and welcomed to this event.
Children's story time returns in July at the Vineyard Haven Public Library on Tuesdays at 10 am for ages 2 and under, and at 11 am for 3-5 year olds. July 1 features a sing-a-long with Jeremy Berlin. The Chess Club meets from 6 to 7 pm for ages 6 through high school. Crafts are offered for ages 5-10 on Thursdays from 3 to 5 pm. Ages 12 and up meet for Wii Games on Thursdays from 6 to 7:30 pm. Note that adults must stay in the building with children 8 years old and younger.
Several years ago the library began to feature paperback "beach books." You can return that paperback or replace it with a new one. If these paperback books are damaged by sand or water, they can be easily and more cheaply replaced.
The Tisbury Senior Center is making some changes. Note that the Tuesday movies will be shown on Thursdays beginning in July. These Thursday movies, still at 1 pm, are a great opportunity this summer to enjoy air-conditioning. Popcorn and cold drinks are also available.
Mark your calendar. The 2nd annual Tastes of Tashmoo will not be held until July 17. Watch this space for more.
Also, on the first Wednesday in July our selectman Denys Wortman plans to hold open office hours at the Senior Center from 5 to 7 pm. This is your chance to ask questions, give opinions, or just thank Mr. Wortman for the opportunity. That date is July 2.
Maybe you could ask Mr. Wortman about the funny taste in the water. People are talking about Tisbury water. There is a definite fishy smell to it. Is the water department adding codfish oil to benefit our health? Whatever it is, it is spoiling the taste of the water.
My son has Lyme disease, and I am happy to report that he is recovering well. But he was bitten by a tick in Northern Virginia. They say there now is a higher incidence of Lyme disease there than in Massachusetts.
Praise is due to Judy Swan. She has been nominated for the position of Governor General of the Mayflower Society. Her name will be familiar if you ever look at the documents on Chris Baer's webpage about our town's history. She has compiled a lot of Island material, especially on the Cleveland family.
Big bunches of birthday balloon wishes go out today to Barbara Barstow. She will mark 90 years today. Also balloon wishes go out today to Nancy Cryer. Wish the best on Friday to Helen Issokson and Leslie Grimm. Happy birthday on Saturday to Emma Kristal and Barbara Harnen. Lynne Benson parties on Monday for her special day.
Heard on Main Street: I often say something before I think of it.
