Oak Bluffs: Dead trees

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The buzz in my neighborhood isn’t from bees, but from the sound of chainsaws removing numerous dead oak trees that have been killed by disease. The tall, skeletal remains of once mighty oaks tower over our roads and surrounding houses. Between my house and the next road down, Barnes Road, I counted more than 35 dead trees. We will have to replant many trees to take their place, or we will soon have no forests left here.

Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers who make our world a better place. Biological, adoptive, foster dad, or anyone whom a child looks to as their dad, bless you all.

On Friday, June 23, from 12 noon to 7 pm, Featherstone Center for the Arts in Oak Bluffs is having an art sale of work by more than 70 Island artists. The sale will be at the Featherstone office and gallery. All funds will be used for the new Art Barn, which will be the first and largest purpose-built gallery ever on the Island. All work is available for a minimum $200 or $100 donation, and will be refreshed continually. Call 508-693-1850 for details.

The annual Father’s Day weekend Chicken and Ribs Barbeque will be held by the First Baptist Church in Vineyard Haven on Saturday, June 17, at 5:30 pm. A complete meal with chicken, ribs, potato salad, coleslaw, baked beans, beverage, and dessert will be served. Tickets are $15 in advance or at the door, and takeout is available. Treat yourself or your father to this delicious meal. Call 508-693-1539 for reservations or more information.

Our Martha’s Vineyard Museum is welcoming the summer season with its annual opening party and “Local Immigrants” exhibits. The opening party will be held at the Edgartown campus on Friday, June 16, from 5 to 6 pm, offering free admission, food, and drinks to celebrate the season. And of great interest will be the immigrant exhibit, telling the stories of past and present Island immigrants. Local photographer Mila Lowe has partnered with the museum to tell their stories via words and photographs, and there are also short oral histories recorded by WMVY Radio’s Laurel Redington. Islanders will recognize many of the older photographs and enjoy the retelling of familiar stories.

Just because summer has officially started does not mean our Oak Bluffs library is on vacation. This Saturday, June 17, Valerie Sonnenthal is leading a MELT Method Hand and Foot intro workshop at 10:30 am.

On Wednesday, June 21, at 6 pm, far-out NYC folk/jazz/rock singer-songwriter Larkin Grimm performs outdoors in the library Gazebo, weather permitting. Her new album, “Chasing an Illusion,” features David Bowie’s longtime producer Tony Visconti on bass.

The monthly meeting of the Cookbook Book Club will take place on June 24 at 1 pm. Each month attendees read a cookbook of a certain theme, prepare food from it, and bring it to share and discuss. This month’s theme is “Vineyard Picnic.” Choose your favorite MV cookbook, and meet with the club and enjoy.

The library’s children’s room will be also be busy, as on Saturday, June 17, from 10 to 11:30 am, they will enjoy some sweets and make a craft with dad for Dapper Dad Day.

Reminder to you all to come and support your Oak Bluffs Council on Aging by attending the ham and bean supper on Friday, June 23.

And on Tuesday, June 27, at 1 pm, there will be a presentation of the letters of Abbey Kelley Foster, the abolitionist who was married to Stephen Foster. Lynn McKinney Lydick and her husband Thomas will be dressed in period costume and read these letters, presenting history in an informative and interesting manner. There is no charge for this program, which is made possible by the COA and the M.V. Cultural Council.

Always a popular event is the council’s Foxwood Trip. The next one is Thursday, June 29. The trip departs on the 7 am boat from Vineyard Haven, and returns to the same port on the 7 pm boat. The $35 fee will cover the bus ticket and the buffet at Foxwoods. Everybody is responsible for the cost of their own boat ticket, and of course bring spending money. Call Rose at the center to reserve your space, as this is always a popular trip.

We send birthday smiles to David Debettencourt on the 16th, Tony Lima, Sharon Mello, and Ann Merritt on the 19th, Pam Swan and John O’Donnell on the 20th, grandson Jeremy Alley-Tarter, and Teddy and Robby Pacheco, on the 21st, and Paula O’Connor on the 22nd.

Enjoy your week. Peace.