Town Column : West Tisbury
By Hermine Hull
Published: August 28, 2008
All the "Fair Ladies" were happy. One after another, they smiled and repeated some variation of "It was a great Fair!" The weather couldn't have been more perfect, even leading up to it, as Kathy Lobb commented on the pleasure of grass underfoot instead of dust. It's hard to believe it all went so quickly.
Sitting together in the hall after judging last Wednesday night, Kathy and I were talking about all the "Fair Kids" who still return for this special week every August. Many of them bring their own children now.
Mike and I took our dogs down to the pond for a swim last Saturday evening after work. We rarely go in the evenings, so I was enchanted by the quality of light as the sun neared setting. Diane Jetmund came down with her two labs, Annie and Katie. The four dogs had a grand time together, splashing around and chasing sticks. We came home with our two wet, sandy, and tired dogs, happy dogs as dogs should be. Driving home, the sun backlit the treetops of the hedgerow behind Doane's field, picking out their edges with a golden-green color. It was so beautiful.
Beth Kramer just called with the most wonderful news. She and Douglas spent the weekend with Douglas's son, McCaull Reid, at Spaulding Rehab. McCaull is out of his coma. He is sitting up and speaking, trying to stand. The joy in Beth's voice was good to hear. I will keep you all posted with updates on McCaull's condition.
Ann Leggett stopped by last week. She is in town for a couple of weeks, painting and visiting with family and friends. She entered a fabulous portrait of Trip Barnes in the Fair. She will return to Long Island City in September, then will prepare for a trip to Japan.
Tom Hodgson's birthday was August 8, but he got a second chance to celebrate when his whole family arrived, including his new grandson on his first visit to the Island. Christine was looking for a big enough cake pan for the celebratory treat. She found one, and the chocolate cake was pronounced to be excellent.
I heard Cindy Kane interviewed on WCAI radio this morning, talking about a project she has recently completed and will be showing at Carol Craven's gallery. It sounded very interesting, a series of helmets, drawn on and formed from maps and writers' manuscripts. I hope I have heard this description right.
Holly Bario and her children were leaving the Ag Hall this morning with the remains of their exhibits and lots of blue ribbons. They have been here from California staying with Holly's parents, Joan and Pat Jenkinson.
Sue Hruby enjoyed a nice visit with a long-time New York and West Tisbury friend, Freddie Pomerance. Freddie and her daughter Janice, Janice's husband Yoji Nimura, and their children Claire and David, were here for the week, staying in Makoniky.
Mike's cousin, Dan Hull, was here with his daughter, Sunday. Sunday had recently returned from a trip to China, where she and her mother, Xiaoshi, spent three weeks in Beijing with Xiaoshi's family. Sunday told me all about the preparations for the upcoming Olympics, which started the week after they left. She said the "bird's nest" building really didn't look like a bird's nest. Too bad. It certainly appeared to be an interesting structure in photographs and on television. After her city vacation in Beijing, Sunday seemed to spend most of her time here at Quansoo, swimming or kayaking late into the evening. She also treated me to my favorite thing to do when she is here, have breakfast at their house. Sunday and Dan collaborate on the best waffles in the world.
Maxwell Nunes is back from his trip to New Hampshire, where he spent time working on coordinated campaigns for President/Governor/Senator. I look forward to a long conversation with him, which I will report on after it happens. Conversations with Max are always interesting, insightful, and stimulating.
Muriel Bye is preparing for our up-coming elections: the state primary on Sept. 16, and the presidential election in November.
Reserve the date of Sept. 21. Eric Turkington, our retiring State Representative after 20 years, will be at the Ag Hall. It will be an opportunity to thank him for his years of service. I'll mention this again.
The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) wants to remind anyone considering an application for funding for a project, that applications for eligibility are due Sept. 26. Forms and information are on their website: westtisbury-gov/cpc. You may also attend their monthly meetings the fourth Wednesday of the month, at 4:30 pm at the Howes House.
Now the summer turns bittersweet. Friends are packing up, returning to their off-Island lives, just as we would have more time to spend with them. Of course, we have our year-round friends to reconnect with. Best of all, the most perfect time of year is approaching, the warm water and warm colors of autumn and the solitude of winter, the quiet time. I should probably say "quieter time" since it never seems as quiet as it used to, but I'm grateful for it, nonetheless.
