Tisbury Family Shellfish Day is this Saturday at the Lagoon Pond boat landing, beginning at 9 am. Sign up now. This is a family event: It is free, but you must register. Call Danielle Ewart at 508-684-8304 and leave your name and phone number. The Tisbury Shellfish Department will introduce kids, parents, and grandparents to the joys of shellfishing. Rain date is Sunday. Learn about shellfish, and how to harvest, handle, and prepare them.
The annual Bread Sale of the Vineyard Committee on Hunger is also Saturday, from 10 to 2 in front of the Bunch of Grapes Bookstore. Pastries, cookies, breads, and muffins are made by local bakers. Can you make some cookies, scones, or bread? Donations, food or cash, will be happily accepted after 9 am. All proceeds go to feed those who are hungry on our Island. Just ask if you want to know more about the Vineyard Committee on Hunger and what they do.
Tonight begins the Filmusic Festival of the Martha’s Vineyard Film Society. Each movie is accompanied or preceded by live music. The program often has a mini concert before the film, nicely complementing the subject.
Last week I was sorry to say farewell to Allen Janger. For over four years he was active in the Oak Bluffs Writing Group. He read chapters from a book that he was writing about West Berlin in the years before the Wall, featuring a young Army lieutenant from the Midwest. Last year Allen began rewriting and sharing these chapters not only with us but also with Cynthia Riggs’ group. His sons gave loving eulogies last week. I hope one of his sons will prepare Allen’s story for publication.
I like the open freight area on the new freight boat. No odd pillars to dodge, and more space, as well as Wi-Fi. I guess it would be a shame to enjoy the ride instead of connecting online.
This month, see an exhibit of paintings by Susan Johnson on the lower level of the Vineyard Haven library. This is an exploration of everyday experience over the past 20 years. Island artists are invited to call the library to arrange to show their work.
Thanks to Lee Hayman for her letter in last week’s Times about artificial turf. I don’t have the knowledge or the experience that she does, so I am grateful for her explanation. She certainly changed my opinion.
I enjoyed listening to a small selection of Island writers, including our own Bow VanRiper, last week. The event was called a tea talk, sponsored by acupofkarma.com. The speakers were asked to name a person who inspired them. Bow selected his father, the late Tony VanRiper, and read one of his father’s poems, as well as a brief selection of his own work from The Dukes County Intelligencer. The next tea talk will be at the end of July.
The annual Watercolor Art Show and sale at the Howes House in West Tisbury is tomorrow afternoon from noon to 4 and Saturday from 9 to 2. The works are by the Friday painting group.
On Tuesday hear Geoffrey Cowan in a conversation with Tweed Roosevelt at the West Tisbury library at 7 pm. Mr. Cowan will speak about his book “Let the People Rule: Theodore Roosevelt and the Birth of the Presidential Primary.” He will speak with Tweed Roosevelt, president of the Theodore Roosevelt Association and great-grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt.
Big bunches of birthday balloon wishes go out today to Sumner Grover, and to Carly Simon, Jack O’Callaghan, and the Margo Ortiz party on Saturday. This Sunday wish the best to Nancy Cryer. Happy birthday on Monday to Leslie Craven and Jean Cargill. Tuesday belongs to Emma Kristal and Barbara Harnen. Mary Jacobson celebrates on Wednesday.
Heard on Main Street: In a world full of people who couldn’t care less, be someone who cares more.