Town Column : West Tisbury
By Hermine Hull
Published: November 5, 2009
Julie Kimball used to describe this time of year as shooting along like a roller coaster. First it's Halloween, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas and New Year's before you know it. That's how I feel this morning, anticipating the rush to year's end. Not anticipating in an excited "yippee" kind of way, just that it happens so quickly and I can already feel it taking over my free will.
The library Halloween party was, as it always is, totally charming. Parents and little children appear in the most imaginative costumes. Three little boys made up a bright green truck. There were butterflies and princesses, skunks, rabbits, ladybugs, and dragons, and everything in between. Two of my brothers came from Connecticut. Andy was Marley's Ghost, complete with rattling chains. Mike was a fisherman whose seagull, perched artfully on his shoulder, drew attention and questions from fascinated children and a lady wearing a stuffed owl named Rodney. Mike, Andy, and I were all wishing we had AnnaBelle Brothers's ruby slippers, so we could click our heels and visit each other any time we wanted.
I heard about Pond View Farm's Halloween party from Michelle Jasny. The kids dress up themselves and their horses, so she was heading home Friday night to make an anatomically perfect skeleton of a horse to drape over her daughter Sydney's horse. Handy to have a veterinarian for a mom.
Jon Kelly and Michael Cocolla spent the week at their home in Vineyard Meadow Farms, a respite from their busy lives in Washington, D.C. They seemed to be pretty busy here, too, though. They invited Mike and me over for a wonderful evening and the most delicious chicken dinner, very tender with mushroom stuffing and crispy skin. Otherwise, they seemed to be out enjoying the last good weather, beach walks with their dogs, Duncan and Buddy, being with friends here.
Belated happy birthday wishes to Jim French. His birthday was November 1.
Upcoming birthdays to note are Lyn Hinds on November 9, and my brother, Mark, and brother-in-law, Edward Wypychoski, who share November 11. May you all feel featured on your special days.
Mike and I took Mike and Andy and our dogs out to Quansoo for a beach walk on Sunday. The opening has been newly cut and was running quite fast through. There was a steep bank, both at the opening and along the beach. We ran into Lanny MacDowell, who was birding with his dog, Stella. There were several fishermen in the distance on both sides of the cut.
Julia Mitchell is exhibiting some of her latest tapestries at our library throughout the month of November. I can't wait to see them. Her work is truly amazing.
This Saturday, Nov. 7, the West Tisbury Library will host the first meeting of the Fibromyalgia and Lyme Support Group of Martha's Vineyard. The group will meet on the first Saturday of every month from 10:30 to 11:30 am. Vineyard Nursing Association and local health care providers will provide occasional informational presentations. Call Ronnie Murry at 508-560-5601.
Also this Saturday, the Women's Symposium is holding their 24th meeting. It will take place at the Chilmark Community Center from 9 am to 12 noon.
Students and parents interested in attending Falmouth Academy are invited to a reception at the home of Jonathan, Jill, and Jenna Bernstein this Sunday, Nov. 8, from 2 to 4 pm. The Bernsteins live on Capawock Road in West Tisbury. There is no need to RSVP; just come. Falmouth Academy accepts students in grades 7 through 12. For more information, call Mike Earley, Director of Admissions, at 508-457-9696, or look at the school's website, falmouthacademy.org. Currently 18 Island students attend the school.
When Mike walked up our driveway Sunday morning, our neighbor Bob Fischer stopped by with the very sad news that his beautiful golden retriever, Cody, had died the day before. Cody was Bob's love and constant companion. He and our Murphy looked so much alike that it was like seeing mirror images through the woods as the dogs barked and cavorted with their masters. Our condolences to Bob and Maureen.
There is something so evocative about this time of year. I love the dusty smell of leaves, their crunchiness underfoot, their lightness as I kick up puffs as I walk along. Big piles await me, ready to be fallen backwards into. I feel six years old again instead of 60.u
