JOHN S. ALLEY

508-693-2950

(alleys@vineyard.net)

The spring flowers are in bloom most everywhere, even though the weather, up until last weekend, was unseasonably cold and damp. On Saturday, however, the temperature reached 70 degrees and it was delightful. It was a great weekend with lots of outdoor activities and a few grills were taken out of mothballs. Thursday is May 1 when baskets may be hung on your door, and Maypole celebrations and dances announced the arrival of warmer weather and sent old Jack Frost on vacation. The baseball field on Sunday hosted a youth baseball game and the tennis courts also were busy. Shortsleeved shirts and shorts were clothing of choice.

The price for gasoline continues to rise, seemingly each day, and at this writing is at a record $3.85 per gallon. Automobile and particularly truck traffic on the roads in town appear to have been affected. Fuel oil prices impact just about everything: for example, several garden and hardware stores have seen a sharper than usual increase in the sale of garden seeds. I would predict that Vineyard Transit Authority buses this summer will be used heavily by tourists and the local population.

The youth hostel was a beehive of activity last week. Camp Safe Haven had its annual outing of campers, who are HIV-positive, and staff members who spent the week at the hostel for the 12th consecutive year.

Director Tony Lombardi reports that they all have had a wonderful time with many outdoor activities and field trips and a talent show and dinner put on by the Harley Riders of the Vineyard at the Grange Hall last night. The weather cooperated and it was great nearly every day until it was time to break camp.

It was a huge community success. Volunteers from across the Island helped and made this a memorable occasion. All of the money to operate this camp is either raised or donated. Tony says if you would like to contribute to the Safe Haven Project, mail your donation to Box 24, Vineyard Haven MA 02568.

Alexis and Noah Garcia of State Road returned home last weekend from a 12-day trip to Oxford and Gloustershire, England, where they visited family and friends. While there, they visited the church from the Vicar of Dibley and climbed a hill in Turville to the old windmill of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang fame.

Kyah Andrewski of Livermore, Me., is visiting with her grandpa Glenn Jackson and his wife Rosemary at their farm on Stoney Hill Road until Sunday. Rosemary reports that Kyah is seven years old and making her first visit to the Vineyard. She is having a great time with the animals, planting seeds and learning how to spin yarn.

John Hoff and his wife Heather of Dolphine Merry Road, owner of Oakleaf Landscaping, recently purchased the Middletown Nursery property from Chris Morse. John plans on opening a nursery using the same name that we are familiar with next Friday. His crew has been busy for the past week cleaning up and planning the new business. Congratulations.

Rez Williams and his wife Lucy Mitchell of Edgartown Road returned home last week from their second trip to New York city in the last 60 days. Rez reports that it is a fascinating city and they had a good time.

Fred and Jeanane Barron of Campbell Road have returned to their home after a business trip down to New York city. Fred is busy putting the finishing touches to his new television comedy series that he has been working on for the past year, interrupted by the writers’ strike.

Marian Irving, chairman of the church council, reports that a group of parishioners raked and cleaned up the church grounds last Saturday. This Sunday the minister, Terry Newberry, reports that the church will be celebrating spring with an afternoon service at 2 p.m. on Sunday. You are invited to bring your pet or animal to be blessed by the church.

Dan and Elaine Pace, of Pond Road, plan a book reception next month to celebrate their new book, Island Home, written about why people come to the Vineyard and why they stay. You will have the opportunity to meet the 14 “washashores” who are featured in the book.

Old friend Tom Dresser reports that the History Press has just published his newest book, Mystery on the Vineyard.  He will be holding an open house book talk at Featherstone on Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m.

On April 21, 1986, Bob Schwartz and his wife Maggie, of Greenwich, Conn., arrived to spend the long weekend at their house on Music street. Their guests were their daughter Ellen Tormey, her husband Mickey and their new baby Thomas. Also Pat Ziprodt, a costume designer from New York city, arrived at her home, God’s Pocket, on Edgartown Road. Her guests were her sister Constance Zonka and her son Milo, of Chicago, Ill., and Lord Hanover from Hanover, England. She returned to New York city on Sunday to attend the opening of Sweet Charity, a play for which she designed all of the costumes. Lord Hanover departed on Tuesday to address the closing session of the United Nations before returning to England.

Happy birthday to Darah Schwartz, Susan Huntington, and Shannon Lobdell today; Bob Yapp, Maratha Tack and Mike Goldsmith tomorrow; Shirley Mayhew, Sal Laterra and Dale Robinson on Sunday; Cecily Bryant, Colin Whyte, Noah Garcia and Emily Fischer on Monday; Cathy Campbell, Patrie Grace and Ken Edwards on Tuesday; Bob Schwartz, Tom Roan and Rafe Mazer on Wednesday; and Dick Knabel, Sylvana Dole and Daniel Pace on Thursday. Belated birthday wishes to Jackson Eno.

Well, that is all of the social news for this week’s edition. If you have any news, please call or e-mail me. Have a great week.