We have reached the final weekend of summer. It took a lot of long hours at work, days at the beach, nights spent watching fireworks, concerts, plays outside, movies and talks. Days at the Fair, visiting with summer friends, camp, family outings, babysitters, sleeping on the beach or on boats, family visits, sunsets, trips to the Cliffs, trips to Menemsha, playdates, rare moments of peace and quiet, and many near traffic mishaps but here we are: the end of the season.
For those of us who live here year-round, we know that the next month is the best time on the Island, still sunny and beautiful but without the edge of August. But for those who cannot stay here in September due to work and school, I know how precious the last few days of August are to you, and I hope you will get the most fun that you can out of them.
Today the Aquinnah Public Library Summer Speaker Series comes to a close with Rose Styron who will speak on her new book, “Selected Letters of William Styron” at 5 pm at the Old Town Hall. As always the talk is free and there will be refreshments.
If you have any coupons left from the Summer Reading program you must use them up by Labor Day so go get those ice cream cones before they expire!
All this week at the Aquinnah Cultural Center you can stop by for a tour of the museum and to see the exhibits on Gay Head clay and pottery, Aquinnah Wampanoag whaling, and a new oral history video, “Land and Life in Old Gay Head”. The museum is open 11 am to 4 pm Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. The Aquinnah Wampanoag Powwow is September 7 and 8 up at the Cliffs; the grand entry will be Saturday at noon. There will be singing, dancing, and great food. The Cultural Center will not be open during the Powwow but will have a booth there.
For more information on exhibits and programs, please call 508-645-7900 or email aquinnahcc@gmail.com.
Regular blood pressure clinics at the Town Hall will start again next month. They will be held the fourth Tuesday of every month, 3–4 pm, and the next one scheduled is on Tuesday, September 24. If you would like to schedule a private appointment call Laura Murphy, RN at 508-687-7132. The Visiting Nurses Association will be handling the Town Nurse contract from now on.
The library held a pizza party this past Saturday to celebrate the end of the summer reading program and everyone’s participation in it. There was regular and gluten-free pizza and oreos. It was delightful. Moms, dads, and kids gathered on the porch and got caught up over a slice, the kids played on the ramp and under the large tree in the driveway. It was so nice to get caught up with neighbors who I haven’t seen much of over the summer. Thank you ladies of the library who have planned and thrown so many great events over the summer and thank you to Joel Glickman of the Chilmark Store who supplied the pizza for the party.
Goodbye to the Trimmers and the Woods and Rachel and Mikey and everyone else who head back to their winter/spring homes after Labor Day. It was so much fun to see you all and I can’t wait to see everyone (hopefully at some point over the winter) and see how the kids have grown and hear all the stories of life off Island.
