Just another summer week, with a car tumbling over the guardrail and sinking next to the Coast Guard boathouse (relieved the passengers were unharmed), a Saturday morning BLM vigil with more than 150 attendees, farms and farm stands keeping us healthy, glorious beach weather, and some much-needed rain.
Congratulations to North Tabor Farm on the opening of their new farm stand, which even has a rocking-chair porch. If you like blueberries, they’ve been available daily. Also be sure to stop by Menemsha Crossing farm stand, offering a small assortment of vegetables and flowers. If you love Lucy Vincent Beach, and want to vote on the weekly town beachguards’ photo contest run on Martina Mastromonaco’s Facebook page, see facebook.com/martina.mastromonaco.
Need some floral cheering up? Tea Lane Flowers can be ordered online for Saturday pickups in their barn, or stop by their flower stand for $15 bouquets, plus make your own bouquets at their farmers market stand (on the left after you enter) Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Get your fingers in the dirt and be inspired when you volunteer at Native Earth Teaching Farm. Rebecca says, “Bring your own tools and gloves if you have them. Explore a kid’s bean house, a sensory garden, and crops that help bring the soil back into cultivation. Instructions at the gate. Thanks!” More info at nativeearthteachingfarm.org/2019/09/fall-schedule-2.htm.
Join the West Tisbury library on Thursday, August 6, at 5 pm for the virtual second annual Dionis Coffin Riggs Day of Poetry for a reading celebrating her work, read to you by members of the Cleaveland House Poets she founded, as well as family members author Cynthia Riggs and Dionis Montrowl. Contact wt_mail@clamsnet.org for the Zoom invitation.
It was great joining over 1,000 people tuned in to listen to Amor Towles interview Erik Larson about “The Splendid and the Vile.” The M.V. Book Festival closes online Sunday, August 9, at 7:30 pm with authors Adam Cohen, Richard Lazarus, and Ruth Marcus, who join Dahlia Lithwick to discuss their new books on the state of the Supreme Court. Many of you may know Richard Lazarus, who’s been summering in Chilmark for 60 years. Learn more and sign up at mvbookfestival.com/2020-authors. Please support this wonderful festival by making a donation of any size.
The Possible Dreams Auction of the MV1 license plate was so successful they’re offering MV2 through MV5 for sale online August 7 to 14. Learn more at mvlicenseplate.com.
The Chilmark library hosts Duncan Caldwell’s virtual talk, “Mind Prints: Arrowheads and Thoreau” on Saturday, August 8, at 4 pm, providing an examination of Thoreau’s relationship with prehistoric artifacts and a demonstration of the ways that collecting them affected his relationship with the natural world, time, and Native Americans. On Wednesday, August 12, at 5 pm, join Richard A. Shweder, cultural anthropologist at University of Chicago, for “Locking Down the World: Was it a Public Policy Disaster?” Email tthorpe@clamsnet.org to sign up and get the Zoom invitation. See Youth Summer Reading calendar event at chilmsrklibrary.beanstack.org. Tuesdays is Take and Make; pick up weekly craft kits from the front porch of the library from 11 am to 4 pm; visit the library’s Facebook page for more information. Chilmark library’s Weekly Read-Aloud Stories with Sarah is available through a video link. For info, see chilmarklibrary.org and sign up for the weekly newsletter on the Programs page.
Kaiut Yoga can be accessed online or outside at Peaked Hill Studio in Chilmark weather permitting. Learn more at peakedhillstudio.com.
The Yard offers virtual classes thru August 31. Check out dance, Pilates, and yoga at dancetheyard.org/classes.
The Chilmark Community Center offerings can be found at chilmarkcommunitycenter.org/events. Outdoor practice and yoga are offered through August.
New statewide COVID-19 regulations are in effect. Schedule a free COVID-19 test at 877-336-9855. If you need any help, Chilmark Neighbors offers volunteer assistance. You can find them and anything COVID- or town-related at chilmarkma.gov.
Be a poll worker. The next election is the state primary on Tuesday, Sept. 1, and in-person early voting will be held daily from August 22 to 28. If you are interested, contact the town clerk, Jennifer Christy, at 508-645-2107, or townclerk@chilmarkma.gov.
If you’re on Facebook, check It’s a Chilmark Thing for up-to-date information about our town and Island.
Have a good week.
If you have any Chilmark Town Column suggestions, email Valerie Sonnenthal, vsonnenthal@gmail.com.
