We finally had a few cold days last week — relatively cold, anyway; we haven’t had a hard frost yet. Mike had taken Abby out Tuesday morning, and came back in to get a coat. He mentioned seeing snowflakes. That was exciting, even if nothing came of it.
The Farmer’s Almanac is predicting a milder and drier winter this year. Still, it has been cold enough to want a little fire to take the chill off. I like to have the house feel cozy when Mike comes downstairs in the morning, and when he comes home at the end of the day.
As I was starting my fire this morning, I thought about our different fire-making techniques. Mike lays a perfectly engineered structure of newspaper, kindling, and logs tight together, filling the stove completely. My fires begin as a more haphazard composition of the same materials, more loosely arranged. I believe that a good fire needs air, room to breathe. I suppose it hardly matters. Each of us achieves the desired result. It just amuses me how we go about everything so differently.
Linda Alley called to tell me that Island-Made Holidays will open this Friday at Gayle Gardens. Twenty artisans are participating this year, offering wreaths, books, ornaments, jewelry, ceramics, felted and woven items, floorcloths, soaps, lotions, jams, honey, sea salt, and more. The pop-up will be open from 10 am to 4:30 pm every day through Christmas Eve, except for Thanksgiving Day.
Another special pop-up in town is a Holiday Book Sale by the Friends of the West Tisbury Library that will open on Saturday, Nov. 22. Books, jigsaw puzzles, and DVDs ranging alphabetically in subjects from Art to Vineyard will be arranged in the library’s Community Room. Hours are 10 am to 4 pm on Saturdays and Sundays, and weekdays from 10 am to 6 pm. Cash, credit cards, and checks will be accepted on weekends; cash and checks only during the week. They will be closed on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 27 and 28, when the library is closed for Thanksgiving. The book sale will also close early this Saturday at 3 pm, in time for Dave Kish’s jazz program, “MPS: Jazzin’ the Black Forest.”
While you are at the library, make sure to look at the November art exhibition arranged along the walls in the Community Room. It’s a fabulous collection of paintings called “Art from the Art Kitchen,” created by members of Vineyard Independent Partnership, VIP, who meet on Sundays in the former kitchen at Chilmark Chocolates. I guarantee that seeing this show will make you feel happy.
Parks and rec department’s Peggy Stone announced the start of the winter recreation program, which will begin on Saturday, Dec. 6, 9 am to 1 pm, at the West Tisbury School. Students through grade 5 will be offered arts and sports activities, and there’s a gym class for toddlers. There are registration forms online or in school newspapers. Peggy is still looking for an art instructor, so contact her if you are interested; 50- 696-0147 or parkrec@westtisbury-ma.gov.
Peggy also said that the town holiday party will be Thursday, Dec. 11, 5:30 to 7:30 pm, at the Grange. It will be a potluck. West Tisbury potlucks are the absolute best.