Oops! I did it again. Fell, that is. Is this one of the realities of getting older, or am I just a klutz? Well, I’ve actually already established my klutziness over the years, but it really seems so much worse these days, like I just can’t get out of my own way. I don’t know if it’s my age and a mistaken idea that I can still do things I could do when I was 20. But this time, I was just walking down some stairs. By all rights, something I do, and should be able to do, every day. And yet … not so much the other night. I toppled right on down those stairs, avoiding any major injuries except some bruised ribs and a scrape on my elbow. It’s getting so I’m afraid to leave my house.
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, began this past Sunday evening. It is a two-day celebration, which ended on Tuesday evening. I hope all my Jewish friends and family were able to enjoy this joyous time. Shanah tova.
Happy birthday wishes go out this week to Tara Sykes, Heidi McDonough, Mark Corwin on Sept. 23, Heather Majkowski, William Rigali, Brenda Brown, and Christopher Henry on Sep. 24, my fabulous niece, Evie Fleisher, on Sept. 27, Lucy Ulyatt and Todd Hollister on September 28, Samantha Hargy on September 29, and Abigail Chandler and Kim Craig Schwartz on October 1, and Erin Simmons, Sandy Joyce, and Tricia Willoughby on October 2.
The M.V. Poets’ Collective is celebrating its 12th year, and members M.V. poet laureate Jill Jupen, Ellie Bates, Christine Burke, Ann Lees, Steve Power, Tom Durawa, Don McLagan, and Amarylis Douglas will read in the Rose Styron Garden of the M.V. Museum on Friday, Sept. 30, from 5:30 to 6:30 pm.
The October Neighborhood Convention, “The M.V. Wildtype: Growing Nature in Your Garden” with Tim Boland of the Polly Hill Arboretum, will be held on Oct. 4 at the West Tisbury Congregational Church at 11 am. All are invited. Bring your own lunch.
The Martha’s Vineyard Cancer Support Group is having its fall fundraiser, “Brunch Under the Tent,” on Saturday, Oct. 22, from 10 am until 12:30 pm at Farm Neck. Join them for brunch, silent auction, and music by Mike Benjamin. Help support this all-volunteer group who provide both emotional support and financial assistance to Island cancer patients and their families. For more info, visit mvcancersupport.org.
Lee Fierro, longtime resident of Martha’s Vineyard and leader in Island Theatre Workshop and Children’s Theater, passed away on April 5, 2019, at the very beginning of the COVID pandemic. Her family has waited patiently to celebrate her life here on Martha’s Vineyard, Lee’s home for 50 years. Please feel welcome to bring photos and memories to share on Oct. 16 at 2 pm, at the Grange Hall in West Tisbury. Refreshments will be served. Any questions, please contact Lee’s daughter, Melanie, at 808-344-9677, or email mvstephens12@gmail.com.
The Martha’s Vineyard Museum is pleased to share information about its upcoming special exhibition, “Unfreedom.” The exhibition will be on display at the museum from Sept. 30 through Feb. 12, 2023, in the Grain Family Gallery. This exhibit is an exploration of three kinds of unfreedom in the history of the Island: enslavement, indentured servitude, and incarceration. It examines the interwoven stories of those who suffered unfreedom, and those who benefited from it, as well as its lasting impact on families and communities. Though centered on the Island’s past, it invites visitors to consider the nuanced ways in which unfreedom continues to affect and define our present.
That’s all I’ve got. Is there more? Share it with me at ggardnermv@gmail.com. Have a great week.
