West Tisbury

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It’s not often that I’m out driving around at 7 am, so it’s disconcerting when I am to see how much I enjoy it. The light is intensely different, changing the colors. A field that appears dark maroon in flat mid-morning light was instead a blazing pink. I was grateful to the friend I offered to drive to the boat for getting me up and out at this unaccustomed hour.

West Tisbury School students were invited to glean the fields at Morning Glory Farm last week. Thanks to the Athearns for kale, green beans, and Swiss chard that made a delicious lunch for the gleaners and their fellow students.

I was surprised to be skimming a recent Boston Globe listing of MCAS results to find that our 8th grade science students scored highest in the state. Congratulations.

Monday, Sept. 27, is Back to School Night at the West Tisbury School. A cookout with music, a book fair, and more will take place from 5:30 to 7 pm for students and parents. Young adult librarian Colleen Morris will talk about signing up for a library card, the Kids’ Book Club, fall programs and activities (this Saturday, kids can make apple crafts from 10 to 4, to celebrate Johnny Appleseed Day).

Also on Monday night, there will be a public forum at the library at 5:30 pm. Trustee Dan Waters will give a presentation and lead a discussion regarding the library’s future expansion. Please come and share your thoughts.

Adult & Community Education of Martha’s Vineyard is introducing their fall offerings and a walk-in registration Tuesday, September 28, from 5:30 to 7, at the high school. Register then or the next night, same time, in the high school lobby or online at acemv.org. Call 508-693-1033, ext. 240, for more information.

The Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard needs volunteers. A friend and I have been going on Wednesday afternoons to play with cats and help with some chores. We were enlisted by my mother-in-law, Bobby, to give special attention to Katie, the white and tortoise shell new mom she adopted and was waiting to bring home. Katie’s kitten, Alice, was adopted last week, and Katie is happily at home being loved and spoiled by Bobby. Please call Cynthia or Lisa at 508-627-8662.

Katie Mayhew will be performing at Cadogan Hall, home of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, at a big fundraiser and awards event on October 6. Katie and her mom, Deborah, will fly to London on October 2, all expenses paid, for the event.

Peggy Stone announces that Parks and Rec begins a fall season of their popular yoga group on Tuesday, October 5. Register early, as the class fills up quickly. Call Peggy at Town Hall 508-696-0147 or look at the town website.

The M.V. Cultural Council wants to help applicants for their November grant award rounds. They are holding an assistance program on September 29, 6 pm, in the Howes House dining room. There are information packets available in a pink box at Town Hall. The council has almost $30,000 available for projects in arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences. For more information, email Pia Webster, MVCC Administrator, at piapskov@yahoo.com.

West Tisbury musician and piano tuner Boaz Kirschenbaum will perform with Tauras Biskas and Eric Johnson in “An Evening of Contemporary Jazz,” Thursday, Sept. 30, 7:30 pm, at the Katharine Cornell Theater. The ensemble features electric and acoustic guitar, percussion, and fretless electric bass guitar. Tickets at the door are $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors over 60 (Yippee!) and free for children under 14.

Heather Gardens announces that spring bulbs have arrived and chrysanthemums are in full color. Check out their selection.

Anyone who has had dogs has had opportunities to observe the differences in males and females of the species. Girl dogs are mostly companionable and obedient, while boy dogs are into everything. Before anyone complains about the previous assessments being sexist, read on.

Sunday afternoon around lunchtime, Mike and I started into the house to see what was in the fridge and to hand out biscuits to the dogs. We had a visiting resident for the day, Isabella, a lovely Airedale. Izz’l was sitting nicely in the kitchen, as was Tallulah, my lab. Our golden retriever, Murphy, was nowhere to be found — unusual, as the sound of the lid of the biscuit jar or any mental vibration of such an intention, has him racing toward the kitchen. I called, “Murphy,” a few times before Mike went outside to look around the yard.

Mike finally located Murphy under our tool shed. He had tunneled under there after something and gotten wedged between the floor above and the pile of sand he dug underneath his belly. Mike dug a trench and not long after, Murphy appeared, mud-coated and pretty proud of himself. Hungry, of course, and ready to do it all over again. Which he did.