Edgartown: Pollen Season

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The weather could not have been more perfect this past weekend. Despite foreboding forecasts for a late weekend storm — at one point Sunday morning, the radar showed cloud cover everywhere but Martha’s Vineyard and ready to engulf us at any moment — that sun certainly put up a fight, providing ample opportunity for outside enjoyment, and by the looks of it, many were happy to take advantage.

We are so lucky to have the beach to escape to with all of this pollen constantly coating every surface. On Saturday, we cleaned off all of our outdoor furniture, and upon the arrival of dinner guests mere hours later, it was all once again covered. A comic moment came from all this dust when I failed to recognize a friend’s car Sunday morning. “I thought her car was black,” I said to Dave. “It is,” he assured me. “But it’s covered in pollen.” Aha, that’s why it suddenly looked gray instead.

We took a boat cruise Friday night with Lee and Cheryl Welch along the east side of the Island, up into Oak Bluffs Harbor. With not the slightest hint of wind, the water was glassy calm. We pulled into a slip in Oak Bluffs alongside Louis Paciello and his crew, soon to be joined on the other side by the Bettencourts and company in the other adjacent slip. Next thing you know, it was a good old Edgartown block party on the waters of Oak Bluffs.

From the mats at the Evolve Saturday-morning Pilates session, we spied a group in military duds marching past, and upon further investigation, I discovered what we were seeing was a 26.2 mile Carry the Fallen march. These marches take place all over the country to raise awareness of the ongoing issue of veteran suicide. Teams march for three, six, 12, or 22 hours while carrying weight that symbolizes the burden that many veterans carry postwar or post-trauma. The ultimate purpose of Carry the Fallen is to reduce veteran suicides and assist military families. For more information, visit activeheroes.org/carry-the-fallen/. Hats off to those who organized and participated in this event, and to all those who continue to advocate for our veterans.

On a lighter note, I caught the most uplifting and adorable video on Facebook, documenting Luiza DeOliveira’s first steps. Luiza toddled for several feet before settling down on the floor to give herself a rousing round of applause. She seemed so astonished and pleased by her own accomplishment, her excitement could not be contained. So, so cute and exciting. Congrats, little stepper!

Hey you Lego-heads: The Edgartown library will host a Super Lego Maker event Saturday, June 6, from 2 to 4 pm. Children 4 and up are invited to join. For more info, call 508-627-4221.

And for you grownups out there who want to have your own arts and crafts fun, check out “Spinning Wool,” Saturday, June 6, from 2 to 4 pm at Felix Neck. In this adult program, you will create beautiful artwork inspired by the natural world. Try your hand at the simple hand spindle, which has been used since ancient times around the world, and still provides craftspeople with the ability to control the making of twisted fiber from thread to rope. Learn to make yarn from sheep’s wool and twine from plant fibers, and learn about Island wool with Rebecca Gilbert of Native Earth Teaching Farm. Call 508-627-4850 to register.

Birthday wishes go out this week to Neil Flynn and Kate Conde, who celebrate June 4; to Denise Searle, June 6; to Courtney Berwind, June 7; and to Brooke Leahy, June 9.