Winter has finally arrived. A bit of snow, a day of wind and rain with temperatures leveling into the 40s and below — amen. This week the Grey Barn and Farm is mourning the loss of their “oldest and most beloved sow,” Fat Sally, who arrived at 8-weeks old. Also, we send our thoughts out to Jane Slater, whose rescue dog, Lucy, passed away last week. A number of friends have lost their dearest animal companions in recent weeks. These loving spirits make such a difference in our daily lives. When I lost my first dog, Roscoe, a Brittany, my children and I spent a lot of time visiting with puppies to aid our healing process before bringing a new dog into our lives.
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up for Jackie Flynn Morgan, who remains in MGH. Sending healing thoughts out to her family. If you want to donate, go to gofundme.com/hwdd5s5w.
Thanks to Alex Karalekas for pulling together another amazing Chilmark Potluck Jam, and to all the musicians who came out to share their songs with the community. Though I could not make it, this time, I heard everyone had an amazing night!
Congratulations to Chilmark Coffee, whose red VW van served up fresh brew in the VIP parking lot at the 2016 USA Cycling Cyclo-Cross National Championships, held in Ashville, N.C.
Friday, Jan. 15, head over to Pathways Projects Institute for a musical evening featuring the Pickpocket All-Star String Band with Dana Edelman and Chas Giordano, plus Mike Kerr, a Brazilian-born instrumental rock guitarist, and composer. Doors open at 6:30, and show starts at 7 pm.
Join the Trustees of the Reservation Winter Walk at the Brickyard in Chilmark on Sunday, Jan. 17, “an amazing opportunity to explore the brickwork ruins and hear the stories of a once-prosperous industry.” Members free; nonmember adults $10 and children $3. Preregistration is required. Please contact Rebecca at ruva@thetrustees.org or at 339-927-8778. Meet at the Menemsha Hills parking lot.
Niki Patton will host the Tuesday Writing and Poetry Series at Pathways on Jan. 19. All writers are welcome to bring new work in progress to share, from poetry to fiction, nonfiction to essays, prose, songwriting, theater/film scripts to spoken word, from manifestos to performance writing. Doors open at 6:30 pm and the evening runs until 9 pm.
Tuesday, Jan. 19, from 7 to 10 pm, is a big night for short films at the Vineyard Haven library, including six episodes of Liz Witham and Ken Wentworth’s Sustainable Vineyard series, as well as a highlight reel of alternative environmental movements at the recent Paris climate change conference.
Rebecca Miller of North Tabor Farm is one of the instructors for “Girl Power” (grades 6-8 and 9-12), being offered along with “Kids Who Love Horses” (grades 1-5), pilot programs beginning Jan. 24 at the Martha’s Vineyard Community Horse Center at Misty Meadows. For information, go to mvhorsecenter.com, and to request an application email contactinfo@mvhorsecenter.com; space is limited.
The new winter season at Sassafras starts on Saturday, Jan. 16. This is the Saturday program for kids that runs from 11 am to 4 pm, for five Saturdays. There will be a musical Winter Party on Sunday, Jan. 17, at 8 pm with live jazz and hip-hop. Please bring a dish to share. On Friday, Jan. 22, there will be a kindergarteners’ program, and Sunday, Jan. 24, will be the start of a bird language series. Go to Sassafrasmvy.org for more information, or call Saskia Vanderhoop at 508-645-2008.