I have loved driving down Old County Road and seeing goats clearing brush near the school, eating away at everything within their enclosures. They sometimes look up with curiosity, but mostly they remain heads bent downward, focusing on their task. What a wonderful idea to use goats and sheep for this natural purpose.

Another sight I have enjoyed is watching MaryAnn Dolezsar and Mary Lou Perry in their hard hats and day-glo vests, working at the former Veterans’ Memorial triangle at the end of Edgartown Road. I watched the digging one day, plants going in, shovelsful of mulch being applied. So I stopped to ask.

MaryAnn reminded me she had begun this project last winter and called me earlier in the spring to tell me about its inception. She is president of the Martha’s Vineyard Garden Club. The project was inspired by our town meeting vote to appropriate Community Preservation funds to reshingle and restore the Old Mill building, as a “thank you” gift to the town. It will be one for all of us to enjoy.

Since the triangle is on state land, the Garden Club had to apply to be allowed to “adopt” this piece of land. They had to watch a video and follow state safety regulations, hence the hard hats, etc. Mary Lou designed the garden and chose the plants. Then she and her committee began rototilling, edging the bed, planting for year-round interest a collection of skimmias, azaleas, heath, and daffodils. I enjoyed reading up on skimmia, which will produce red buds, white flowers that are fragrant on the male plant (skimmias are dioecious, meaning they need a male plant to fertilize the females) and bright red berries, all on a three to four foot plant with shiny evergreen leaves. The azalea Mary Lou chose is Encore “Autumn Royalty” that will also grow into a four foot high and wide mound of foliage. You can see its gorgeous magenta flowers now; it is a variety that blooms both spring and fall. I don’t know what variety of heath was chosen, or the daffodils, but all are pretty and daffodils, especially, are welcome come spring. The bed surrounds the huge Kwanzaan cherry that has bloomed there every spring that I can remember.

This was the West Tisbury members beautification project, although garden club members from other towns participated. They are: MaryAnn Dolezsar, Mary Lou Perry, Charlie Lopresti, Angela and Bob Egerton, Tracie Clark, and DiAnn Ray. Thanks to all of them. I look forward to observing the new garden throughout the year.

Congratulations to Dan Waters, our new town moderator. Having served with Dan on the library board, I know he can be a showman, so our town meetings will be entertaining as well as well-run.

Congratulations, also, to everyone who ran and was elected or re-elected to a town or regional position.

Planning Board Administrator Jane Rossi is looking for new members for the West Tisbury Byways Committee. The group’s mandate is to protect the town’s ancient pathways. Interested volunteers may call Jane at 508-696-0149, email at planningboard@westtisbury-ma.gov, or send a letter to PO Box 278, West Tisbury 02575.

West Tisbury Selectmen invite everyone to a public hearing next Wednesday, November 19, 5 pm, in their meeting room in Town Hall, 2nd floor. They are looking for public comment on a “Community Development Strategy” document. A draft is on the town website:westtisbury-ma.gov. Open space, economic development, affordable housing, and transportation are the subjects to be discussed. Approval of this document will allow the town to participate in state housing subsidy and child care subsidy programs if they are funded for FY2015.

The Chilmark Women’s Symposium is this Saturday, November 15, 9 am to 12 noon, at the Chilmark Community Center. The topic is “AHA! Moments.” The event is free, although donations are graciously accepted.

The newly-formed Lego Club of the West Tisbury Library will hold its first meeting Saturday afternoon, November 15, from 2:30 to 4:30. Legos of various sizes will be provided to accommodate various age groups.

The Saturday day-long family craft project for that day is curlicue birds. Materials will be set out in the Children’s Room.

Ed Schulman is artist-of-the-month at the library. His work will be on display in the Program Room through November 30.

When I ran into Bob Day recently, he told me that Barbara has been in the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital for the past three weeks. She remains there a while longer and would love to have visits from her friends. Bob said the ambiance is lovely; she has a view of the roof garden. Her care has been excellent, just long. So drop in to say “hi” and share with her the news around town.

Our weather lately has typified New England’s reputation for changeability. One day I’m looking for my winter coat and the next day I’m wearing shorts and a tee-shirt. It certainly keeps us aware of our surroundings. That’s a good thing. I can’t imagine living in a place where the weather remains temperate all year, the trees always look the same, where things don’t change. Here, the winter sea doesn’t look like the summer sea. Light moves. Colors go through their yearly progression. We live in a world made for minute observation. As an artist, I am never bored. Just going for a walk with Talley in the morning provides me with a whole day of images and inspiration. Good exercise, too.