Chilmark

0

Sweet, sweet Menemsha scallops. Sunday was a little chilly, but the pond looked like glass so Marshall and Bradley chose a project to tackle together — throwing out the dredge and collecting a family limit of scallops for our dinner table. We all did a little bit of shucking, and I mastered the cooking. For those of you who don’t know me as well as some, cooking something is a relatively noteworthy accomplishment.

Farewell to Anne and Hal Noyes who had an extended visit with grandkids Adelaide, Thea, Ella, and Lathrop Keene along with their parents Hillary and John. What fun the kids have while they are here. It is always exciting to have your grandmother pick you up at school because you never quite know where you might trot off to before you head home.

Do you recall Kristi Kinsman Maynard’s fundraiser this past summer held to benefit Mapendo International? Well, the story of the Kabashi family that our friend and neighbor Kristi helped relocate from the war-ridden land of Darfur has aired on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer. After losing a daughter in a village massacre, a son to starvation, and a year-long imprisonment, the family trekked their way across Sudan to Kenya and has now made their home in Missouri. We are so proud of Kristi and the work she continues to do with Mapendo.

Tuesday, November 30, is a big night for the Chilmark Church. A celebration is in order since the church will have occupied its current site for 100 years. The building was moved in 1910 from its previous location on Middle Road near Meeting House. At 5:30 pm there will be a warm and inviting spaghetti supper to which all are invited. Supper will be followed by music and a brief history lesson. As always, Bananagrams will hit the table for the diehards. Please get in touch with Pam Goff if you need further information or, perhaps, are willing to lend a hand.

Wendy Weldon’s exquisite paintings are adorning the walls of Featherstone’s Holiday Show. She is one of 62 artists who have contributed their works. The hours are 12 noon to 4 pm daily until December 19. This might be a really cool place to start your Christmas shopping. The clock has started ticking, and if you are anything like my seven-year-old and his posse of believers, you know exactly how many days are left until Santa plops down that chimney.

Speaking of Santa, mark Tuesday, December 21, on your calendar as the day that Santa will visit Chilmark kiddos at the Center. He comes bearing gifts for children residing in town through the age of fifth grade with the dedicated assistance of the Chilmark Firefighter’s Association. Please let me know if you have a child that is new to town. Whether you have just moved here or you have a new addition to your family, the elves need to know for whom they are making gifts.

Maggie Nixon has proud parents today. She was given the opportunity to choose one horse show to travel to this fall. She decided Raleigh, N. C. was the place she wanted to travel to from her winter home in Washington, D.C. Maggie placed in every event except one while competing over three days. In the grand finale, this past Sunday, she and pony Media won all three classes. There were almost 20 people in the classes from all over, so, needless to say, competition was tough. Sarah Doyle, friend, trainer, and the go-to gal when it comes to riding, was on the phone before and after every class offering words of encouragement and praise.

I can smell the pies baking — warm cinnamon and apples, pumpkin with a little nutmeg, and the sweetness of gooey pecan. I close my eyes and envision turkeys being basted in a warm oven by a sweet grandmother in the wee hours of the morning before everyone else rolls out of bed. The water is bubbling over on the stove because the pot is filled to the top with potatoes ready for mashing. Rolls are coming out of the oven just golden on top after being created from great, great auntie’s recipe. Pre-meal walks are being coordinated with friends and family in preparation for later in the day when the belt might need to be loosened by a hole. The door opens and closes as relatives appear, having driven from across town or flown in from across the country. It is the time of year we gather and give thanks for what we are blessed to have.

Thanks to all of you who pay me compliments at the post office or at the grocery store or by way of a kind note dropped in the mail — be it snail or E. I appreciate you for sharing of yourselves. We have a community to be thankful for.