Welcoming summer includes reaching for kindness while dusting off communication and decisionmaking skills. I appreciate group gatherings that are pulled together via text, because it fosters connection and gives me examples of how to say I can’t and wish I could.
Lately I’ve been squeezing things into the space between commitments by ducking in at the beginning for a few moments because I want to see folks in person, and leaving when seats start to become scarce. But this only works when there is enough time, and this time of year includes factoring in turtle crossings, wind and rain cleanup, traffic, and ferry and plane schedules.
While it is fabulous to make an earlier ferry, picking up visiting family or friends might be an unexpected challenge, and I don’t want you to be greeted after a long journey by my discomfort that I was counting on that extra time. The only thing that matters is I am excited to see you. Anything that isn’t done we can do together.
Sometimes we get a second chance to attend an event, and this Wednesday, June 25, 4 to 5:30 pm at the Chilmark Library, Nancy Slonim Aronie and Kate Feiffer, Phebe Grandison, Judith Hannan, Julia Kidd, Terry McGuire, Peter Meyer, Barbara Phillips, Beverly Pincus, and Judith Hannah Weiss will read from their essays in Nancy’s new book, “Seven Secrets to the Perfect Personal Essay: Crafting the Story Only You Can Write.” Each of these writers knows how to captivate an audience with words, and Nancy brings us together.
Writing is just one of Nancy’s talents. On June 27, 4 to 6 pm, her multimedia sculptures will be featured at Granary Gallery in West Tisbury.
Last Friday, Liz Walker spoke at Bunch of Grapes about her new book, “No One Left Alone: A Story of How a Community Helps Us Heal,” and her journey from Emmy awardwinning TV journalist to ministry and founding the Can We Talk program to heal communities who are emotionally and psychologically harmed by violence, substance abuse, neglect, and systemic and historical racism, along with many other traumatic experiences. Created in 2014 at the Roxbury Presbyterian Church in honor of Cory Johnson, a young, murdered church member whose murder remains unsolved, the program is now in many states. Perhaps we can bring it here.
Congratulations to the Chilmark School’s fifth graders on their graduation last Friday.
Final exams at the high school are complete, and the Chilmark, Charter, and West Tisbury schools are out for summer.
Marshall Carroll announced the Menemsha Texaco’s touching tank is back on the dock. The bottom is lined with sand and some rocks. The saltwater is circulated, and all occupants are released by the end of the day, if not sooner. Children bring creatures in nets, cups, or buckets.
Native Earth Teaching Farm is open Wednesday and Sundays, 10 am to 6 pm.
North Tabor Farm’s “order and pick up a pizza” on Mondays continues. I just noticed its wonderful T shirts have the logo on the front and the phrase “buy local seed community” on the back. Yay.
Chilmark Community Church lobster rolls are available Tuesdays, from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. You’ll find the wonderful group of volunteers stuffing, packaging, and selling dinner. Grab them to go, or linger on the church lawn.
The church’s Chilmark Flea Market, off North Road, is open Wednesdays and Saturdays, 9 am to 2 pm.
The Bike Ferry that crosses the channel where Menemsha Pond meets Menemsha Creek connecting Aquinnah and Menemsha suffered mechanical issues, and Hugh and Captain Sean will be working on it this week. Fingers crossed it is running next weekend.
Kara Taylor is back, and her studio is open on weekends; the first opening, titled “Lucid Dreamer,” will be July 13, from 5 to 8 pm.
If you have any Chilmark Town Column suggestions, email Claire Ganz, cganz@live.com.
