The sky was magenta at 6 am Tuesday, blazing patches of color through the trees in our woods. Wolf Kahn, one of my favorite painters, paints skies that intense color and makes it work. So does Leslie Baker. It always seems so beautiful in the landscape and can be so unbelievable in a painting. I love to try it anyway.
Mike’s California relatives are all here, staying with West Tisbury cousin, Hannah Beecher, in the Slocum House. Aunt Rose (Terrell,) her son and daughter-in-law, Dana and Kimberly, and Hannah have just returned from a weekend in Thomaston, Conn., visiting John and Dolly Beecher. We are all planning a big family dinner Friday night.
Beth Kramer has had her mom, Joan Hopkins, here for the week. Douglas and the ladies have enjoyed the good weather and their time together.
There will be a memorial service this Saturday afternoon, Oct. 15, 3 pm, to remember, honor, and celebrate the life of Bruce Keep. Please join Mary Lu and their family at the West Tisbury Church.
Linda Hearn sent me an email message, answering the question,” What were you and a bunch of ladies doing up on Brandy Brow last week?” The answer, “Planting daffodils.” Three hundred bulbs, to be exact. It’s part of the Martha’s Vineyard Garden Club’s beautification project for each town. We will be the recipients of their efforts come spring, when all 300 bulbs, along with those planted by Tony Friedman many years ago, will bloom for the pleasure of everyone who walks or drives by. Thanks, ladies.
Welcome to two new circulation assistants at the library. Emma Young and Alicia Wolff have joined the staff.
Monday Night Movies are back and the Thursday Writers’ Groups continue through October at our library. Ed Shulman is October’s Artist of the Month.
The West Tisbury School is asking for your help. Stop and Shop has designed an A+ School Rewards Program that will donate a percentage of your purchases to our school. You can register your Stop and Shop card number at the store, online, or at the school office. The West Tisbury School’s ID number is 06820.
Besides reducing the amount of garbage in our landfill, composting vegetable waste is incredibly satisfying, seeing stuff you threw away turn into beautiful, rich soil for your garden. Black gold, some have called it. Polly Hill Arboretum and Felix Neck will bring Ann McGovern from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to the Island for two workshops to teach you how to make the best compost. Come to the Arboretum on Friday, Oct. 14, 4-5:30 pm, or to Felix Neck on Saturday, Oct 15, 10-11:30 am. There is a $5 fee for the workshop.
Paul Karasik always sends the best emails and this was no exception. “Dust off your blue suede shoes,” reads the invitation to support the Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School and return to the glorious 1950s at a dinner and dance party this Saturday evening at Nectar’s. Paul will be wearing a foot-high Elvis wig (in case you don’t recognize him under there) when he and Laura Sargent Hall take to the stage as auctioneers at 8 pm. Dinner and the silent auction begin at 6 pm. Tickets are $25. For a full list of auction items, all 250 of them, visit mvpcs.org.
The 21st Annual Martha’s Vineyard CROP Walk will be held this Sunday, Oct. 16, 2 pm, at St. Augustine’s Church in Vineyard Haven. Participants are asked to register by 1:40 pm.
For those who may not know, there has been a wonderful local effort to help fight hunger and to educate children about the value of locally grown food. It is the Island Grown Gleaning Project. Morning Glory and several other Island farms open their fields on Tuesday mornings. The project needs more volunteers. If you are interested in helping out, please look online at facebook.com/Islandgrowngleaning or contact jamie@islandgrown.org. Volunteers are needed to harvest, process, and deliver food through October and into November. Food is distributed to Island schools, senior centers, and the needy. Please help if you can.
Peggy Stone wants to let everyone know that the Parks and Rec Fall Yoga Class will begin Tuesday, Oct. 18, 5:30 pm, at the West Tisbury Church. Call Peggy at 508-696-0147 to register.
Joanne Scott’s Tai Chi classes are also held at the church at 12:30 pm, Tuesdays.
I wish I knew more about birds, as the past week has been filled with interesting sightings. I should have called Soo Whiting to ask questions. Maybe I will. Everyone driving past Whiting’s should stop to look at the resident blue heron who now oversees the marsh. I had never seen one before. On Saturday afternoon, I drove up to Lobsterville with Martha Fleishman. We saw four birds I thought were snowy egrets. We watched them for at least half an hour, as they stood still, disappearing into blue shadows, then flew over the marsh grasses, bright white in the sunlight, dipping down again and standing straight still.
