Celebrate May Day with a Musical Tea on Saturday from 2 to 4 pm at the First Baptist Church Parish House on Williams Street. Martha Child and Friends will present familiar music of the Twenties, Thirties, and Forties. Adults tickets are $10 and children under 12 are $5.
I understand the church will also present one more special barbecue dinner during the month of May. The congregation will be saying farewell to the Rev. Roger Spinney at the end of May. I hope he will cook one more special barbecue dinner before he leaves.
On Saturday evening you can prepare for summer by viewing the National Geographic’s “Shark Eden” at 8 pm at the Cornell Theatre. This will be the first showing in the US. It is an amazing water film that changes much of the knowledge and theory about the hierarchy of our ocean’s food chain. Produced, written, and shot by Adam Geiger and Colette Beaudry of Sealight Pictures, which is located in Chilmark.
Our library director Amy Ryan noted that Cronig’s Market has announced that shoppers will be charged five cents for paper grocery bags starting on May 1. She reminds you to support the Friends of the Vineyard Haven Public Library by purchasing their reusable shopping bags for only $1. They are certainly big enough and the proceeds go to a good cause.
The library is offering two unusual speakers. Next Tuesday at 7 pm Alan Brigish will talk about his new book, “Breathing in the Buddha: A Photographic Exploration of Buddhist Life in Indochina.” Alan is a documentary photographer and a writer known for his well-researched stories. This book has breathtaking photographs with extended captions about the people and places he visited. It is an exploration of the daily life of people in this region as well as the philosophy and religion of the Buddha: An exploration of the Buddha’s Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. Enjoy the photography and stories Alan will share on Tuesday.
On Friday, May 7, at the library at 5:30 pm you are invited to meet Connor Gifford. His book about the history of the United States covers “400 years of our nation trying to get it right.” He talks about civil rights, women’s rights, religious freedom, and why wars begin. In his book “America According to Connor Gifford,” he tells his own story of our history. His book has the gift of hope and is composed by an amazing young man who has Down’s syndrome. He was on The Today Show with Katie Couric. Meet the Press’s Tim Russert called this book “A distinctive American perspective from a unique young man.” Come for a reading by Connor. He will be on hand for a question and answer period, followed by a reception.
Youngsters will be pleased to know that the library offers a free movie and popcorn next Wednesday at 3 pm for ages 8 and up. [Hint: Some planets have a number.]
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Martha’s Vineyard has called Jill Cowie to be its settled part-time minister. She will begin September 1. The congregation is delighted to have her and look forward to many years of engaging services for the church and the community. Jill has two sets of twins all in their teens. She and her husband and family spent the weekend at the home of Margie Havens-Hale and fell in love with the view of Lambert’s Cove. This good news comes from Johanna Kobran who is President of the Congregation.
Author Susan Klein has alerted us to another new book on the Island. Mike Shepard has published his memoirs for his family. He was in the first of Susan’s Spice of Life workshops at the Tisbury Senior Center and continued to write through later workshops. Susan says the compilation of travels, events, and relationships with family, friends, and colleagues is a beauty. Those of us who heard Mike read aloud from his work in progress during the past few years were always delighted. Congratulations, Mike. If you haven’t started recording your memories yet, the next workshop will begin on May 6.
Joan Druett tells me that her latest Wiki Coffin short story “Kidnapped” is featured on the cover of the June issue of “Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine.” She has written a number of short stories that they have published. She says it is one of her favorite Wiki Coffin stories. “He finally makes it home to the Bay of Islands and jumps from the whaleship that carried him there — but is hardly reunited with his folks when he is kidnapped onto a humble potato-freighting brig, bound for Jackson Harbour.” I can’t stand that there is really a Wiki Coffin story I haven’t read.
Happy anniversary to Craig and Laura Mayhew on Wednesday when they enjoy their very own ‘Cinco de Mayhew.’
Big bunches of birthday balloon wishes go out today to John McCarthy. Tomorrow wish the best to Doug Hewson and Andrew Williamson. May Day belongs to Ellie Williamson.
Heard on Main Street: Bring your life to life: Stop planning and start doing.
