Town Column : West Tisbury
By Hermine Hull
Published: March 18, 2010
Despite the roaring wind and heavy rain at the end of last week, it still is beginning to feel more like spring every day. The official date of the vernal equinox is March 20, this Saturday. Granville and Lynne White discovered five perfect crocuses open by their back door and called to tell me about it. Witch hazels are making a brilliant spectacle; just drive by Middletown Nursery or Brookside Farm to see perfectly shaped bushes ablaze with yellow flowers. There is lots of activity at Middletown, Vineyard Gardens, and Heather Gardens as shrubs and bags of compost have appeared and gardeners are raking out the winter's debris in their display gardens. Only two more weeks till greenhouses open on Palm Sunday, the official opening day of gardening season on the Island.
Besides garden cleanup, it's also time to open your windows and start spring cleaning inside. It's a perfect opportunity to get rid of clean salable "stuff" you no longer need and do some good at the same time. The West Tisbury School second grade is holding a giant indoor yard and bake sale in the school auditorium this Saturday, March 20, from 10 am to 3 pm. Donations may be dropped off on Friday between 4 and 7 pm. The funds raised will help pay for school trips and educational opportunities for second-grade students.
The J.C. Trio will perform at the West Tisbury Library Friday afternoon, March 19, at 4 pm. Saturday afternoon at 4, Joanne Scott will speak about "Container Compost and the Eco-friendly Yard for Spring." Nicole Barlett will speak about "Shingles" on Tuesday, March 23, at noon.
At our last library trustees meeting we set the dates for a series of monthly public forums to take place beginning on April 29 at 7 pm at the library. We have begun planning for an addition to our library and want to keep everyone informed as we proceed. Please plan to come and plan to participate. If you are interested in serving on the Library Building Committee, please send a letter to Executive Secretary Jen Rand at Town Hall by March 31 at 4:30 pm.
I received a newsy letter from Tony Friedman, former West Tisbury resident and owner of the Red Cat Restaurant, now State Road. Tony's book, "Dead Season on Martha's Vineyard," will come out later this month. He plans to be here on the Vineyard for a book-signing party sometime this summer. "Watch for the REDCAT coming down the road this summer (W. Va. vanity plates on my caravan.)" He sends his regards to all his old friends. Tony has been living in Lewisburg, W.Va., running the local Holiday Inn and being involved in his new community, as he was here.
Joanne Scott spent the day off-island on Monday visiting her uncle, Leonard Farr, of Rockland. March 15 was his 92nd birthday. He and Joanne enjoyed their quiet time together, his second birthday celebration following a big party at his nursing home on Sunday.
Happy Birthday wishes to my youngest brother, Andy, and Marisa D'Antonio on Friday, March 19.
Kate Feiffer and Nicole Galland want to invite writers to a weekly open mic night at the Bunch of Grapes. It will be held on Tuesday nights through March. Please call Kate at 508-693-9240 or Nicole at 774-563-9205 for more information.
This has been a magical week for two friends of mine who became new grandmothers. Emily Wetherall noted that her granddaughter, Aislinn, was born on International Women's Day, Monday, March 8, "a grand day to be born." Aislinn is the daughter of Emily's daughter, Willow Wetherall, and her husband, Mark Dehmloe, of South Bend, Indiana. She has two siblings, Emilia and Sylvan.
Helene Barr was in attendance when her daughter, Jen Slossberg, gave birth to her first baby. Gabriel David Slossberg was born on Thursday, March 11. Gabriel, his mom, and his grandmother are all doing fine at home.
I had hoped to include the winner of the library's first Vineyard Limerick Challenge. A lively group participated in the event on Sunday afternoon. The winning entry hasn't been chosen yet, so stay tuned.
