It’s been a few weeks of outstanding examples of why I love this community. First, there was the saga of the dog. Sue Collins’ dog, Finley, is a 14-pound toy goldendoodle. At two o’clock one afternoon, as Sue was working in the garden, with Finley attached to a 20-foot wire lead that kept him nearby, Finley spied a rabbit hopping through his garden. Like many a rascally dog, he didn’t hesitate, tugged the wire lead loose from its tether, and took off in hot pursuit. By the time Sue turned around, Finley was nowhere to be seen. Sue didn’t hesitate, but quickly rounded up neighbors and friends to start searching, fearing that he had gotten the lead tangled up somewhere in the woods, or worse. As time went by, word was spread via a community email sent out by the town hall, and through the never-failing Vineyard grapevine. After several hours of searching by many people, someone heard a whine coming from somewhere in the woods. That’s all it took; two of our finest Aquinnah Police ignored the danger of ticks, and plunged in to search. Thanks to them, by 6:30, Finley was safely home, not a bit perturbed. Meanwhile, the dozens of humans involved in the search, or cheering from the sidelines, were all breathing sighs of relief and joy. A happy ending.
Then came the fair, filled with the results of hard work by hundreds of people over many months. In the Exhibit Hall, the hordes of people who attended the fair were treated to painstakingly crafted quilts and woodwork, paintings and photography, and handicrafts of all sorts created over the past year. We were delighted to discover a beautiful model of a three-masted sailing vessel handcrafted by Aquinnah’s own Bill Lake, and a magical fairy house and a ceramic candle holder, both made by young Robin Decker. We then moved on to the plants and vegetables. There were tomatoes and squash, garlic and onions, cucumbers and beans, floral displays, and more. I know that we missed the names of many others from Aquinnah in that crowded hall, and ask for your understanding. It was an experience of overwhelming delight.
Moving on to the other exhibition areas, including the animal barn, brought more treats and more things to learn and do. I must say that best of all were the smiling faces of hundreds and hundreds of people of all ages and styles who were simply strolling about, enjoying the fun of it all. The animals stayed clean and content because an army of mostly young people cared for them. The Fairgrounds stayed clean because a small volunteer army of young and old collected and sorted recyclables from compostables, and food from trash. It was a lot. Last year they diverted 8,200 pounds of compostable materials and 10,200 pounds of recyclables from the landfill, and this year the numbers are even bigger. It took a whole Island to make this fair happen, and I salute all who again gave us this gift. And let’s hear it for the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society, which coordinated it all.
The Martha’s Vineyard Museum is opening a new exhibition featuring the beautiful handworks of three generations of the Widdiss family: pottery by Gladys Widdiss made from clay sourced from the Gay Head Cliffs, an extraordinary new wampum belt created by her son Donald Widdis, and works by Donald’s sons, Jason and Heath. The exhibition will also feature a new short documentary by Indaia Whitcombe featuring Donald’s work, and his reflections on tribal identity, connection to place, and the cultural significance of the belt. There’s an opening reception on August 30 from 5:30 to 7 pm, and all are invited. The exhibit runs through February.
The monthly luncheon for seniors sponsored by the Up-Island Council on Aging will be held on Wednesday, August 28, at the Aquinnah Town Hall. Sign up in advance by calling 508-693-2896. This is such a great addition to their long list of services. It’s fun and it’s free.
On the birthday front, make sure to send big birthday huzzahs to Ron Slate on August 22 and to my own daughter, Noli Taylor, on August 23.
If you have any Aquinnah Town Column suggestions, email Kathie Olson, aquinnahcolumn@gmail.com.
