The Vineyard is shuttered against the cold these days, Islanders wrapped in layers of fleece and wool as they go about their daily lives, with one eye on the heating bills, the other on the ice skates hanging in the shed. The bay scallop fleet is grounded until the thermometer climbs above 28 degrees. Farms are tucked in for their winter nap. Colds and flu are a seasonal hazard. And with the holidays over, many more businesses have begun to close for the winter.

It would appear that this is a year for business renovations from Edgartown to Vineyard Haven. The latest such news came this week that the Black Dog Tavern, the perennial off-season go-to place on the Vineyard Haven harbor, will close until March for needed extensive renovations.

It’s important for business owners to take care of their buildings and this should translate to some more work for Island contractors in the slow season. And of course not every place is closed; it’s fun to find different places to go for a bowl of soup or a hamburger.

Meanwhile, it’s time to make the coffee at home before heading out to work in the morning and to invite friends for cozy January dinners on the weekends.

Maybe February dinners, too.

Much of the Island may be closed for winter but hearth and home are open and welcoming.