If the town meetings didn’t tell you that spring is here, the glorious trees blossoming and pretty flowers appearing all over town should make it clear. The birds are clearly singing their delight in the warmer weather and sunshine. And the crack of a bat soundly hitting a baseball in Fenway Park adds to the thrill.
Jane Slater’s talk on Capt. Ivory had to be moved to next Wednesday, April 20, at 7 pm. Fortunately the Vineyard Haven Library owns 12 of his paintings. These will be on display. Jane is a member of the Captain Ivory Society and will talk about the artist’s views of Island history painted on canvas, even on boards, plywood, masonite, and sea shells.
Buy your beach books now and support the children’s programs at our library. This Saturday from 1 to 3 pm you get more than you pay for. You can get bargain bags and free items. And if you have books or movies that are overdue, you are in luck. Next week the Vineyard Haven Library will forgive fines for overdue materials if you bring in a non-perishable food donation for the Island Food Pantry.
Joan Walsh has acrylic paintings on exhibit at the library this month. You’ll recognize Joan’s work from her illustrations for many Island children’s books, including “The Secret,” “Just About The Right Size,” as well as Billie Hancock’s “Lobstering With My Papa.” And local artists should note that the Friends of the Library are now accepting submissions for the annual art show in June.
April is National Poetry Month. The V.H. Library will host discussions of poetry next Tuesday and a week from Wednesday at 7 pm. A national program called Common Threads encourages you to read seven poems this month. Seven specific poems can be found on display in the library and on masspoetry.org/commonthreads.
One of my favorite poets is an Islander. Barbara Peckham has just published “A Jar of Summer” with several of her delightful poems. The illustrations, and the cover, are all photos by her talented husband Doug Peckham. Her book is available at Bunch of Grapes, Edgartown Books, and Phillips Hardware. Trust me. You will love her poems. In her beautiful words she captures magic views on our island, memories of our childhoods, and the wonders of our dreams.
Ruth Cronig Stiller entertained a large crowd enjoying lunch last Saturday. She told stories of her own growing up on the island and the growth of the Jewish community here. She wasn’t critical of the unthinking third grade teacher who told the children in her class to list their gifts received at Christmas. At first it made Ruth feel uncomfortable because she had nothing to list. But, as she told us, neither did anyone else, because this was during the Depression.
The program was to benefit the MV Center4Living, formerly known as the Island Council on Aging. According to the last census, there are 3,000 residents now living here who are over 55. This year many more Baby Boomers will join the crowd, so move over.
Children have such faith that mom can do anything. This was especially apparent with the young boy delighted at the whale that seemed to come right up to him during a whale watch. He yelled, “Mom. Make him do it again.”
The Methodists will gather at the old whaling church in Edgartown for a Christian seder supper at 6 pm a week from today. Reservations are required 508-693-1608. Island Methodist churches will be open for prayer on Good Friday. They will also hold an Easter sunrise service on the beach near Ocean Park at 5:30 am.
Congratulations to the Reverend Jill Cowie. She will be formally installed as the new minister of the Unitarian Universalist Society on Sunday, May 1, at 4 pm. The ceremony will be followed by a reception at Grace Episcopal Church.
You can nominate a young person aged 15 to 18 to serve as a delegate from Martha’s Vineyard to the Cape and Islands Youth conference in late June. Find the application at www.mvyli.org.
ACE MV continues to offer professional development courses. Introduction to Children’s Literature through Cape Cod Community College, ServSafe Food Sanitation Training and Recertification, and a Food Safety Mini-course begin in May. More details and online registration at www.acemv.org.
Tomorrow Clement and Johnnie Packish will mark 33 happy years together.
Happy birthday to Ann Lee and Mike McLaughlin. They party on Friday. Big bunches of birthday balloon wishes go out on Saturday to Jack Rizza and Fran Griffin Gould. Sunday belongs to Ann Maley. Wish the best on Monday to Donna Herczeg and Rozetta Hughes. Celebrations on Tuesday will be held for Thomas Green and Bob Tankard.
Heard on Main Street: It’s always darkest before dawn. So if you’re going to steal your neighbor’s newspaper, that’s the time to do it.
