I’m sorry everyone. It was all my fault, really it was. I take full responsibility. I broke my hard and fast rule to never switch out my winter clothes for my summer clothes before Memorial Day. I know, I should have known better but I was seduced by the high temperatures and blinding sunshine, so rare in these parts prior to July. I couldn’t stop myself; I needed that cute summer top that I knew was packed away. I needed pants that were not made to wear with boots, I needed sandals. Besides, the weather had been nice for so long I believed that summer was truly here. I read those words and think: how could I have been so foolish? This is New England, land of April blizzards and mud season; why would I think that this year would be any different? Because of some 80-degree days and bright sun? Look what my cavalier attitude has wrought, the worst weather of any Memorial Day weekend in recent memory. I am truly sorry, it won’t happen again, I will keep my parka hanging by the door well into July just to be safe.
Thank you to Tom Murphy and Forrest Alley, they are the Aquinnah Veteran Services officers, and they placed flags on all veteran’s graves in honor of Memorial Day. They do the same service on Veterans Day as well.
Corinna and Ken Kaufman’s Seaweed Art Gallery is open at 2 Mariner’s View Lane from 11 am to 5 pm on weekends or by appointment. They just started a drop-in seaweed art workshop that will take place throughout June and July. Classes are an hour long, in which you can make a piece of art, Corinna will complete it by drying and pressing it, then will ship it to you. Classes are held on Tuesdays from 10 to 11 am, Thursdays from 3 to 4 pm, June 1 through July 15. Each class is $67, which includes the price of materials and shipping. Register at 415-887-8456, Ken and Corinna are also available for private classes for individuals or groups.
A reminder that the Chilmark Preschool is hosting a raffle for their spring fundraiser. The preschool is the only preschool serving Chilmark and Aquinnah. They stayed open at the height of the pandemic and expanded their programming this fall to help with increased demand. They have great items to raffle off including a Grey Barn Farm cheese tasting, Chilmark General Store “Fill a Tote,” Morrice Florist gift box, Katama lobster dinner for two and other wonderful treats. Go to chilmarkpreschool.com/spring-fundraiser to purchase tickets or to donate.
The League of Women Voters of Martha’s Vineyard, in conjunction with MVTV, is sponsoring a candidate forum in Aquinnah on Wednesday, June 16, at 7 pm. The forum will be held on Zoom and will be broadcast live on MVTV and will be available for streaming later. For more information you may contact beaphear2@gmail.com. Our annual town meeting will be held on June 19 at 3 pm in the Aquinnah Fire Station parking lot, and the election will be on June 24 from noon to 8 pm at the town hall.
The Yard has announced this summer’s artists in residence. From June 1 to August 31, 2021, The Yard will host six choreographers and their collaborators for creative residencies to develop new and in-process work. Included in the line-up are Company SBB/Stefanie Batten Bland in the final stages of developing “Embarqued: Stories of Our Soil,” a project inspired by the Martha’s Vineyard African American Heritage Trail and oral histories from the Martha’s Vineyard Museum; Danza Orgánica and Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribal Members in a continued collaboration to create “âs nupumukâunean (We Still Dance),” which honors stories of the Aquinnah Wampanoag people. I look forward to seeing the work that will result from these collaborations.
Boston-based concert pianist Miki Sawada performed at the Orange Peel Bakery last Tuesday evening as part of her Gather Hear Tour. The tour is taking her across the state with her piano, where she performs outdoor concerts for free. Miki performed for over an hour, at one point audience members were asked to write on slips of paper something they would like to do before they die. Some answers were shared with the audience. The music was beautiful as was the night and Juli and her crew made a delicious dinner, so everyone left sated.
Happy birthday to Emily Vanderhoop who celebrates on Friday, June 4.
If you have any Aquinnah Town Column suggestions, email Molly Purves, mlpurves@yahoo.com.
