Updated: June 2, 2:10 pm
Beth will be subbing for Hermine Hull while she is away.
Hello again. Beth here covering for Hermine the next few weeks while Hermine spends time with her brother Michael in Connecticut.
Everything has really sprung to life this past week — the gardens are beautiful, the sun is out, and the air is warm. Dare I put away my bogs and get out my Crocs? Speaking of beautiful gardens, there will be a garden dedication on June 24 at 3 pm at the library. Pathways will be performing, and there will be music and food. This event is open to everyone. Please come and celebrate the beauty and functionality of these gardens.
Last weekend was the Friends of Family Planning Art Show. What a terrific event — there is so much talent on our Island. And such generosity. Even though the event is over, please consider supporting this important Island nonprofit.
This upcoming weekend is a big one for the Charter School. On Saturday, June 4, at 5 pm, there will be a celebration of their 20th anniversary. The Charter School graduation will be the following day, Sunday, June 5, at 1:30. The graduating seniors are David Canham, Hannah Gonsalves, Cyrus Kennedy, Zale Narkiewicz, Chris Cartier, Cassius Paquet-Huff, and Astrid Tilton. Congratulations, all!
Also on June 5 from 1 to 3 pm will be the celebration of life for David Douglas at the Agricultural Hall. David’s daughter Mim asks that you “come as you are, bring a dish, and share some memories!” Right in the middle of hay season, of course.
On Tuesday, June 7, at 11 am, the last meeting of the season of the Neighborhood Convention will be held. The Neighborhood Convention is the oldest interdenominational gathering of laity and clergy on the Island. This meeting will be at the Yard in Chilmark, where the group will meet Yard choreographers and dancers. After that, over to the Chilmark Church, for a brief spiritual message and meeting. And then lunch (brown bag) with dessert and coffee or tea provided. All are welcome to this free program. I know that this will be a great event because anything that involves the Yard is always fabulous. I love that the Yard has been taking it on the road — sharing free dance classes with the community, performing at various cultural events, and just opening up the world of dance for all of us.
And speaking of the world of dance, when I was at Omega last week listening to Pema Chodron teaching the “37 Practices of a Bodhisattva” (sounds esoteric, but it really is just about learning to respond to difficult situations in a constructive way), I found myself sitting next to Meredith Monk, the amazing choreographer from New York. The last time I saw her was in the ’60s, when she was first beginning in the city. She was (and still is) friends with Micki Wesson (my dance instructor), and came to dance at my mom’s house as part of the creative arts group my mom had helped form. (I guess my mom is really cool!) Meredith explained that Micki has Alzheimer’s now, but the two still get together to hug and smile and look out Micki’s window at the city.
And continuing on the dance theme, the lovely Rhonda Backus has just returned from her trip to Morocco to study belly dancing and cooking. Have you ever seen her belly dance? She is out of this world.
I am off this weekend to visit my stepbrother in Orlando. As I got on the boat in O.B., I saw all of the beachgoers enjoying this early summer-like day, and it reminded me that I need to get my beach bod on! And what better way than to take a free four-week Pilates class with Judy Kranz at the library? This class begins on Friday, June 3, from 4 to 5 pm, and is open to all. Space is limited. Give a call to the library to sign up. Be sure to bring your Pilates or yoga mat with you if you have one.
On Friday, June 3, from 7 to 8 pm, the Martha’s Vineyard Peace Council will hold its Concert in the Cause of Peace, hosted by the West Tisbury library. This concert will honor the Reverend Alden Besse, and features pianist Lisa Weiss and violinist Cesar Atzic Marquez-Abadiano performing works by Mozart, Chopin, Franck, and Massenet. The Martha’s Vineyard Peace Council has been active in the cause of peace since the Vietnam War, and is devoted to fostering nonviolence, justice, and peace in our Island community, in our nation, and throughout the world. This event is free and open to the public.
And the music continues with the Annual “Remembering the Rosenthals” concert on Saturday, June 4, at 4 pm at the library. Performing this year is collaborative pianist Diane Katzenberg Braun, clarinetist Amy Advocat, violinist Daniel Koo, and violist Steven Laraia. The title of the concert is “A Journey into Inspiration,” and it will include pieces by Mozart, Vieuxtemps, Shostakovich, Finzi, John Williams and Gershwin/Heifetz. This concert is made possible by the generous support of Sara Rosenthal, M.D., and Julie Prazich, M.D. Tickets are free and available to the public, but must be reserved in advance. Please call the library at 508-693-3366 or stop by the library desk.
Welcome to all of our summer visitors who are beginning to return for the season. It is so lovely to get a hug and an update from friends we have not seen for months. Welcome to Ralph Franklin, who is here for a bit before returning for the summer. I guess our temperatures have finally begun to rival Sarasota’s.
My heart goes out to the family and friends of Amy Edwards, the pastor of the Federated Church, who died earlier this month. My sympathy to the congregation on their great loss. A memorial service for the Rev. Edwards will be held on June 11 at 11 am.
Please consider coming to listen to Lama Tsering when he comes again to the library on Friday, June 5 (7-8:30 pm) to discuss death and dying from a Buddhist perspective. Tsering Ngodup Yodsampa is a hospice chaplain at Beth Israel Hospital and a Tibetan Buddhist teacher. This event is a collaboration between the Bodhi Path and the West Tisbury library.
Chas DiCapua of Island Insight Meditation Community will be speaking about; Climate change, Engaged practice and Social action: The Dharma and Climate Change. Saturday June 4th, 9:30 am to 12:30 pm at the Unitarian Church on Main St. in VH. All are welcome. Chas is the Resident Teacher at Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, Mass. and comes to the Vineyard once a month to offer teaching and meditation.
We will all have a chance to learn about the parallels of the current political situation with that of 1912, when Theodore Roosevelt seized on the idea of presidential primaries telling bosses everywhere to “let the people rule.” Noted author, professor, playwright, and Emmy Awardwinning producer Geoffrey Cowan will speak on June 28 at the Grange. This event is brought to us by the West Tisbury Library Foundation, and tickets are on sale at the library and at TicketsMV.com. Premium tickets will give holders a chance to speak with Mr. Cowan over pie and prosecco.
If you are in the neighborhood, please do come in and admire Ruth Kirchmeier’s art, now hanging at the library. Ruth is a very talented printmaker, and her works are detailed pieces of exceptional quality and design. She will have a reception at the library on June 11.
Please hold on to those books! The book sheds at the West Tisbury School are completely full. The Friends cannot accept any books at this time. Books may be brought to the school gym as soon as school lets out for the year, sometime in late June. After that, books may be brought to the school gym between 9 and noon, Monday to Friday. Thank you for supporting the Friends of the West Tisbury Library and all of their hard work bringing you the best book sale on the planet!
