Town Column : Tisbury
By Kay Mayhew
Published: February 12, 2009
The warm sunshine had all the little birds atwitter. They live in the ivy climbing the walls outside the post office. In the brief warm respite from winter, these birds were announcing their delight and fluttering to and fro in amongst the ivy leaves. I agreed. It was a simply beautiful warm sunny day. If this is global warming, I am all for it.
What are we doing on Martha's Vineyard to face issues of food and global warming? A study group reading Menu for the Future at the library begins discussion next Wednesday at 7 pm. For five weeks they will discuss choices for change. On the February 25, Elizabeth Germain will introduce Martha's Vineyard's Slow Food Movement. In March, Ali Berlow will talk about the benefits of the Island Grown Imitative. Learn that "you are what you eat" and sign up at the library or call 508-696-4211.
Last April in The Martha's Vineyard Times, Marshall Segall wrote an article about the illusion of race. The former professor of political psychology at Syracuse University quoted the children's question, "Why do we call brown people black and pink people white?" He pointed out that the human race originated in only one place and at a single point in time, approximately 150,000 years ago in Africa. Professor Segall will speak at the Unitarian Universalist Society on Sunday. His topic is Race to the Finish.
On display will be a photo essay exhibit that challenges the theory of race as a justification for racism. The exhibit attempts to show through scientific analysis that race has no foundation in human genetics. While genetically transmitted, the color of one's skin, for example, cannot be attributed to race. School children will be visiting the display today and tomorrow morning.
It takes a village to raise a child, that's true. But I can tell you that it sometimes also takes a village to bring a man home from the hospital. Many Islanders were involved in making the trip easier. My husband and his new hip could not ride home in a car, but the Lift worked beautifully. He is new to using a walker, but was successful in maneuvering over rugs laid down on the icy surface. There was a small group of neighbors there for support if he slipped. We can never thank all the people who helped to make a very stressful and hazardous time go smoothly. You do know who you are, and we are very grateful.
Today is the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln. While many Americans have photos and pictures of presidents in their homes, I don't know many with a portrait of Lincoln. I have one, hand painted on a photograph around 1870 by my grandmother. When I was a little girl, this portrait hung in the upstairs hallway. My father always referred to it as Uncle Abe. I was grown before I realized that the man was Abraham Lincoln. To me, he was just Uncle Abe. He now resides in a place of honor in our living room.
Big bunches of birthday balloon wishes also go out today to Eli Thomas Hanschka and Nat Benjamin. Tomorrow may be Friday the 13th, but this one belongs to Fiona Mayhew who will be two years old. Valentine's Day is extra special for Chris Morse and Gayle Stiller. Wish the best on Sunday to Rita Goulart, Grace Burton-Sundman, and Trina Kingsbury. Birthday greetings on Monday go to Tom Lowe, Izzy Wajda, and Mary Gillette. Happy birthday to Colin Kennedy who parties on Tuesday. Carrie Tankard will celebrate on Wednesday.
Heard on Main Street: Canada geese may soar, but chipmunks don't get sucked into jet engines.
