Town Column : West Tisbury
By Hermine Hull
Published: October 23, 2008
October is the best month and the worst month, all at the same time. With two weeks of playoff games, two or three a day, it is total baseball immersion, followed by the World Series. Sadly, that is followed by no baseball at all till spring training. So as I'm watching the best baseball of the season, I know it won't last much longer.
Arnie Fischer, one of West Tisbury's premier fans (raised by Arnie Sr. and Priscilla, who both loved the Red Sox) was at one of last week's playoff games in Boston. I'm sorry he didn't get to see the Sox win. After the full seven games, the Tampa Bay Rays will represent the American League against the National League's Philadelphia Phillies. This weekend, we will be watching the last games of the season.
Meanwhile, I took a little time off from baseball Saturday night to return to the 1960s. Mike and I had dinner with Dick Barbieri and Christine Savini at the very good Saltwater Restaurant in Vineyard Haven. After dinner, Christine and I went to the Katharine Cornell Theatre to hear Jim Kweskin and Geoff Muldaur. I could shut my eyes and be 17 again, shimmying and clapping in Greenwich Village clubs to the music of the Jim Kweskin Jug Band. They were just fabulous. Lots of familiar up-Island faces were in the audience; we were all teenage hippies back then. It was a great evening. Many of the songs were familiar (I still remembered the words) and many were a history of blues and folk, explained by the singers. Someone in the audience kept us informed of the baseball score (2-1, Boston) and I returned home in time to see the Sox beat the Rays, 4-2.
Phyllis and Richard Kugler were off Island this past weekend, attending the wedding of Phyllis's daughter, Pia Cohen, to Andrew Newlin on October 18. Many Vineyard friends also attended. The wedding took place at Gedny Farm in New Marlboro. Phyllis described it as "a grand affair." Congratulations and best wishes to the happy couple.
Alexis, Paul, and Noah Garcia are hosts to Alexis's mother, Barbara, her brother, Mark Holden, with his wife, Ann, and their daughter, Olivia, all here from Frilsham, Berkshire in England. They have a busy time planned. Olivia will ride "western style" at Pond View Farm and visit the West Tisbury School with Noah. There will be lots of sightseeing and family time together. Have a great time.
For those who have seen Julia Humphreys driving around with her new camper mounted on the back of her Toyota pickup truck, she and Xochi took their first overnight trip to the Golden Retriever National in Rhode Island. They were joined the last few days by Karen Ogden and Orion. Both dogs competed in Rally, qualified with high scores, earning the first legs toward AKC Rally titles. Orion also showed as a Senior in Traditional Conformation.
Julia described the event as a weeklong eight-ring circus in which all the performers were golden retrievers. They competed in the following categories: Traditional Confirmation, Agility, Obedience, Rally, Tracking, Field Trials, and Hunting Tests.
Julia continued her travels, visiting friends in New Hampshire and on the Cape. She pronounced the camper quite satisfactory and comfortable.
The library has begun opening Sunday afternoons, 1 to 5 pm. Emily Smith is back at the circulation desk, which is a treat to see. Paula Black asked anyone with paper bags to spare to please drop them off at the library.
It's somewhat disconcerting to see a big hole where Deon's Restaurant used to be (before the fire) and to be able to look straight through our Town Hall through a huge hole in its side. Happily, it's all progress.
Leslie Baker brought me a huge bouquet of pink dahlias from her garden last week. Sadly, the next night there was a frost along Elias Lane and mine was the last bouquet of dahlias for this summer. I have noticed that the last tomatoes taste different. They have lost their hot summer sweetness and, while still better than anything from the stores, they seem somehow cold already and tasteless. I am surprised to still be picking delicious Romano beans - not very many, but still.... There should be lettuce, but I forgot to put it in. Everything seems so poignant this time of year, the lasts of this summer season, the firsts of the new season: fires in the woodstove, a long-simmered stew or soup, wearing a favorite turtleneck sweater, time to read a book on the sofa as the nights grow longer. All seasons have their pleasures.
