Town Column : Tisbury
By Kay Mayhew
Published: August 13, 2009
I was delighted to have a message this week from Special Agent Jason Canha, United States Air Force. He is currently deployed to Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. He asked to thank the Dukes County Veterans Services, Tisbury Police and Fire Departments, the Black Dog and everyone else who provided care packages for our troops at EDet 2405. He also expressed thanks to Mom and Dad (Domingo and Brenda Canha) for all their support.
I spoke with Jo Ann Murphy who is the director of veteran's services. She mentioned that Martha's Vineyard Screenprinting Company gave some beautiful tee-shirts for our service men and women. If you'd also like to contribute in any way, call Jo Ann at 508-693-6887. A little bit of home means a lot when you are far away.
Now that it's mid-August, the ocean has finally warmed enough so that you do want to swim for a while. Unfortunately, the pink jellyfish think so, too. The little ones are especially annoying because before you see them you feel their nipping stings.
It is amazing what you can learn from the tourists. One visitor informed me that on his bus tour to Aquinnah, the bus driver pointed out the home of Doris Day and said she is now 95 years old. Wow, Doris Day. I bet I saw all 39 of the movies she made. I know the age is wrong because she was born in 1922. But I thought it was her son who had a house here.
I can tell you that Doris Day is a co-owner of the Cypress Inn at Carmel by the Sea in California. They advertise that dogs and cats are welcome guests. Well, of course. We are talking about the founder of the Doris Day Animal Foundation. (For more, see DDAF.org and read an August letter from Doris Day).
We no longer elect a hog reeve. For many years each town in New England assigned certain jobs at town meeting. I know we still elect a fish committee. The hog reeve was also called a field driver or a hayward. His job was rounding up any stray livestock in the town. If you lost an animal, it was generally taken to the pound. You had to pay for the costs of catching and feeding the animal. Now we call that person an animal control officer. I wonder if Laurie Clements knows she is a hog reeve?
I did not have time to call her this week. Before a number of houses were built out in the neighborhood, we used to see a lot of deer on our road. I don't remember seeing any for the past five years. But early one morning this week, a large buck with a full head of antlers regally pranced his way down past all the houses towards Lake Tashmoo, ignoring the stares of all his admirers.
You are invited to a very special organ recital at the First Baptist Church on Friday evening at 7:30 pm. This concert offers a rare treat with organists Martha Child, Nancy Rogers, Phil Dietterich, David Rhoderick, and also Ed Rodgers on trumpet. They will join soprano Mara Carlyle and baritone Dorian Lopes to give you a social evening of music in the air-conditioned sanctuary. There will be a free will offering. Refreshments follow the recital.
Need a book for the beach? Stop by the book sale at the Vineyard Haven Library from 1 to 3 pm on Saturday.
This Sunday is the last time that the Vineyard Haven Band will play at Owen Park this summer. The music starts at 8 pm, just as the glow of sunset begins to appear on the boats in the harbor. Your picnic can start at any time.
Congratulations to Skip and Carol Bailey who celebrate 15 years of wedded bliss tomorrow. They were married at Icehouse Pond in West Tisbury by John Alley.
Big bunches of birthday balloon wishes go out on Saturday to musician Ray V. Frazio and Braden Kuehne. Wish the best to Gus Daniels on Monday. Larry Levine and Kathy Welch party on Tuesday. Lots of musical wishes go to Jeff Damon Pratt on Wednesday - try not to need the ambulance that day.
Heard on Main Street: When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
