Charley and I have a big porch that wraps around two sides of our house. One side faces the northeast, the other faces southwest. For much of winter, Charley did his writing bundled up, sitting outside on the southwest side, where he was sheltered from the wind but comforted by the rather feeble warmth of the sun. Now, however, as the world has turned, it became obvious that it was time to bring out the furnishings for the northeast-facing porch. Last Friday we spent a few hours out there basking in the sun, albeit still wrapped in sweaters, and enjoying seeing the cheerful chairs and pillows again after their long winter of storage. It was a delicious taste of what is to come as we spend many hours out there all summer long.
I was grateful for that resting and warming space again on Saturday. Saturday was the day when the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) hosted planting of seagrass along the dunes at Lobsterville. At 9 that morning, I put on sweats, grabbed a trowel and my gardening gloves, and headed out to take part. I was greeted by smiling faces and a table filled with delicious breakfast offerings from Quitsa Cuisine. After signing in, I walked down to the beach, grabbed a bundle of seagrass, found a section waiting for its seagrass, got onto my knees and got to work, one of the many working hard all along the beach. I found the work a form of spiritual meditation. Poke a deep hole, grab three plugs of beachgrass, put them in, and gently pat the sand firmly around them. The patting felt like comforting Mother Earth herself, an act of love and care for this place that gives us so much joy. If you weren’t among those who were there that day, get there next year, when it will surely happen again. Your knees may hurt the next day like mine did, but your heart and soul will be happy.
April 20–27 is Earth Week. The Aquinnah library is taking part by hosting three events. The first takes place on Tuesday, April 21, at 1 pm. Come to the library for an all-ages program with Sydney Pigott, Felix Neck education coordinator, who will teach us about the shorebirds that nest on our beaches. The second event is a Climate Resilience Symposium at Aquinnah Town Hall on Thursday, April 23, from 3 to 5 pm. Speakers from the M.V. Commission and local emergency management officials will speak about emergency planning and response, and Biodiversity Works Program Director Rich Couse will speak about planting for climate resilience. The third event will take place next week, on April 25, but I’ll write more about that in next weeks’ column.
Saturday, April 18, is the 34th annual Earth Day Beach Cleanup and Conservation Festival. Here in Aquinnah, the target beach is Philbin. Check in with hosts at Philbin at 10 am, and they will give you bags and gloves (or BYO), along with your lunch token. Then go to the M.V. Museum for lunch and the Earth Day Conservation Festival. There will be games, live music, activities, live animals, and fun for the whole family there. Parking is limited at the museum, so they ask that you carpool, take the VTA, or park nearby at Veterans Field.
Construction up on the Cliffs continues. Along with the new stairs and walkway, we will be graced with a new VTA bus shelter. The shelter was designed and is being built by the talented Tim Laursen, who designed and built the sun shelter behind the shops. I’m so glad that the many visitors who come to our town on the bus, and the school kids who board buses there in the early mornings, will now have a lovely, sheltered place to sit as they wait. That beautiful spot has long been worthy of this addition. Thanks to Jay MacLeod, Aquinnah representative to the VTA, who tells me that they expect it to be ready in early May. Stay posted.
Happy birthday wishes to Vernon Powell, who celebrates on April 18.
Dear Kay. Oh how we will miss you.