Town Column : Aquinnah
By Molly Purves
Published: December 11, 2008
Early last week Lisa Vanderhoop called me and asked if I had looked at the night sky. I hadn't, and she told me that alongside a crescent moon were Jupiter and Venus. I looked and so it was and it was exquisite, the sky at that point clear and dark and the planets shining so distinctly it made me wonder where they were the rest of the time. I don't know much about planets, stars, and such, but I do appreciate a reminder to stop and look at what's around me. The night sky is one of the things I love best about living here, having spent years in New York City where you're lucky if you see six stars in six months, let alone a planet or two. The wealth of stars here is remarkable and the sight of Venus and Jupiter was such a treat.
Lisa has put together her 2009 Vineyard Sea Dogs calendar (vineyardseadogs.com), which contributes a portion of its proceeds to stopglobalwarming.org. You can see Lisa and her work at the Artisans Show this Saturday at the Grange Hall from 10 am to 4 pm. Nancy Benoit of Timeless Toys will also be there.
Our (temporary) library will be open again on Saturday, Dec. 13, at 10 am. Librarian Jen Christy hopes it will be a busy celebratory day. The temporary library is in the old town hall. There will be an open house staff/volunteer appreciation celebration on Thursday, Dec. 18, from 5 to 6:30 pm. I will certainly be there with all the appreciation I can muster. The library has become such a wonderful part of our community here that I haven't really known what to do with myself on Tuesdays and Thursdays and I have taken to haunting Jen, Michelle, and Natalie as they set up the new space, asking them "When?"
Glasses were raised on Sunday night for actor Paul Benedict at the Vineyard Playhouse's Tea and Spirits Celebration. Paul died in his Aquinnah home last Monday. Tom Eldridge spoke about Paul's early acting career in Boston where he worked with David Wheeler and Al Pacino, among others. Tom also mentioned Paul's marvelous sense of humor. He was "very kind and generous - a great guy," said MJ Bruder Munafo, who got the chance to work with him at the Playhouse. I feel like I have been watching him my whole life; I remember him as the Mad Painter on "Sesame Street" and from "The Jeffersons." Of course, most people will remember him as "not Guffman" in "Waiting For Guffman," or as that actor you just couldn't place that you saw around Martha's Vineyard buying gas, shopping at Alley's, eating at The ArtCliff, and driving around in a zippy red car. He will be missed.
The Plum Hill Preschool will hold an Elves' Faire as part of Christmas in Edgartown on Saturday, Dec. 13, from 10 am to 4 pm at the Federated Church's Parish House on Summer Street. There will be craft-making projects (gingerbread houses, candle decorating), a puppet show, and a silent auction. Plum Hill is part of the Island Waldorf Community.
I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season and is staying as warm as possible.
Please let me know if you have any Aquinnah intel you want printed.
