It’s snowing!
Although we were expecting it, and had spent much of Saturday preparing for it, waking up to see snow falling was a wonderful surprise. I turned on an outside light to watch the snow as I filled up the woodstove and made coffee on Sunday morning. The trees in our yard and in the surrounding woods had a ghostly appearance, shrouded and highlighted as they were in pristine white. It made a perfect backdrop for the Christmas villages, little trees, wreaths, and electric candles decorating our windowsills.
Falling snow is a miracle of crystallized ice droplets that form perfect flakes, all supposedly unique. I still wonder at it. Even at my age, I feel like a kid remembering piles of snow along Main Street, Ridgefield, that seemed higher than my head.
The winter solstice comes next week, Dec. 21, the shortest day of the year, when gaining minutes will begin to add to the length of daylight. I imagine many of us remember the solstice parties that Tom Vogl and Katherine Long used to give on the Sunday closest to the actual day, an all-day affair, “noon to 9,” filled with long or newly made friendships, an amazing potluck, twinkling lights everywhere, and the most interesting conversations. The only thing missing was their cats, who were sent off to board with Steve Atwood, so they wouldn’t be disturbed seeing their peaceful home overrun by humans filling every square inch.
I miss those parties, even though I know how much effort went into making them happen. I have missed every one of this season’s holiday parties, being housebound with a painful knee. The wonderful town party last week. The Center for Living party. The library party.
Pam Glavin called, as she always does this time of year, to remind everyone that she will be putting lights on the tree at the Aquinnah cemetery that memorializes her late husband, Carl Widdiss. Everyone is invited to visit Carl’s tree, to bring an ornament, and to make a promise to do something kind for someone needing help. Pam said the tree will sparkle in the snow, a pretty image to carry in your mind.
Our library will be serving free soup and bread lunches beginning Monday, Dec. 22, through the end of the year. Lunch will be served from 11:30 am to 1 pm. Although the library will close early on Dec. 24, lunch will still be served at the appointed time.
Other library special events this week include a free family movie on Friday, Dec. 19, at 3 pm. The MV Community Seed Library group will meet for seed-sorting and tea on Saturday, Dec. 20, from noon to 2 pm. Kids ages 2 and up are invited to make sensory snow to mold, shape, and play with on Tuesday, Dec. 23, from 10:30 to 11 am.
There will be a Community Potluck Celebration hosted by the MV NAACP on Saturday, Dec. 27, held at the Howes House from 5 to 7 pm.
The First Congregational Church of West Tisbury will hold their Christmas pageant on Christmas Eve, 5 pm, at the Ag Hall. The traditional service of Lessons and Carols will begin at 10 pm at the church.
My column has an early deadline next week. The paper will come out on Wednesday, Christmas Eve. How it got to be almost Christmas Eve already, I don’t know.
