Storms wreaking havoc two weeks in a row is enough, or let’s hope so. It’s dark when I’m driving home at 7 pm after teaching, dark, no more hint of gold along the marine blue horizon. I’m adjusting to diminishing light daily. It’s fun to see the L’il Tabor House bus shelter dressed for fall, spruced up by a small gang of large elves. I see pumpkins balance on stone posts, some lean on fences, and others adorn front steps. Yes, we’re heading toward Halloween. Leaves, acorns, storm’s loose limbs littered by constant wind and rain, a repeat of the week before, but worse. After 24 hours with no power, we learned a fuse blew at the transformer at the end of our dirt road, and are thankful.
Jim and Donna Bozzuto, Chilmark summer residents, extend a warm welcome to their nephew Robin Hackett, manager of the new Beetlebung Farm, and his wife. Living there full-time, he will oversee renovations at the farm, which has been dormant for a year. Robin and his wife are grads of Williams College, and he has been involved in other farming activities. They will be importing a barn from Maine, and we can look forward to their presence at next year’s West Tisbury Farmers Market.
Congratulations to Grey Barn Farm on being awarded a silver medal at the World Cheese Awards, hosted by the Guild of Fine Food, held in Bergamo, Italy, a first for an event that has been going on for 30 years. Just to give you the scope of this one-day judging event, nearly 3,500 entries from 41 countries entered in 2018, and there are lots of winners in a myriad of categories. Grey Barn Farm continues to offer Cheese Talk and Tasting on Saturday, Oct. 26 from 3:30 to 5 pm, where you can learn about the cheesemaking process from udder to table. Enjoy watching their cows being milked, and hear about what it takes to turn that milk into cheese. Then taste your way through a selection of all of their cheeses. BYOB if you like. It’s $25 per person, call 508-645-1151.
Menemsha Texaco is now carrying fishing lures made on-Island by Marlow Minnow, and according to Derby participants, they’re a good catch.
It’s time for the Women’s Symposium on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 9 am to noon at the CCC; the theme is “Denial.” Feel free to bring treats to share, and come enjoy the speakers, small group discussions, and refreshments. The event is free and open to all women; donations are welcome to help cover expenses.
The special town meeting will be Monday, Oct. 28 at 7:30 pm at the CCC. Here’s the link to what’s on the warrants: bit.ly/ChilmarkSTM.
Chilmark Community Church welcomes everyone to Pizza Nights on Tuesdays at 6 pm for some welcome food and fun. Tuesday mornings, join Nan Doty at 8 am for Qigong/Tai Chi. Thursday Strings from 10 to 11 am is a drop-in, bring your guitar, fiddle, bass, banjo, mandolin, or whatever you like to play.
Head to the West Tisbury library on Friday, Oct. 25, from 1 to 2:30 pm for a Team Mola information and training session with marine biologist “Krill” Carson sponsored by Felix Neck. Come learn about a community group working to better understand ocean sunfish through rescue and research activities on the shores of Cape Cod and the Islands, and how you can assist New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance with strandings, both live and dead, that occur annually in the fall and early winter.
The Chilmark library’s Contemporary Poetry Club meets Saturday, Oct. 26, at 3 pm to discuss “Joie De Vivre: Selected Poems 1992-2012,” by Lisa Jarnot. Come celebrate the night before Halloween on Wednesday, Oct. 30, at 5 pm with a spooky family film. (Hint: Don’t say his name three times, or he’ll appear and cause mayhem.) Popcorn and candy provided, costumes encouraged. All adults are welcome. Stories and Songs with Rizwan continues on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 10:30 am. Afterschool crafts with Irene are on Wednesdays at 3 pm. Food for Fines is on at our library, or just bring your unexpired donations to the purple Food Pantry collection bin opposite the circulation desk.
Hurray! The Chilmark Volunteer Firefighters Association Halloween Party at the CCC invites everyone on Thursday, Oct. 31, at 5:30 pm for the costume parade and pizza. Everyone is welcome to bring potluck items to share. If you’re interested in having kids trick-or-treat at your home, please let Katie Carrol at squidrow@vineyard.net know, and she’ll add your home to the list.
Have a great week.
