NANCY GARDELLA

508-693-3308

(iklean@yahoo.com)

Ah, the sounds of summer to come! Remember that great instrumental song Dueling Banjos? When I sit outside to relax I am treated to the season’s sounds of dueling weed whackers, arguing lawn mowers, fighting wood chippers, and the annual dirge of non-mufflered motorcycles. Frankly, I prefer the sound of silence.

Welcome back to the ’hood to Jim and Trude Hart, who have returned from Florida and are working on making their flowers and gardens even more beautiful. Ditto for Bill and Jan Stokes. It’s almost as if my neighbors are having a gardening contest of which I have no part. Paul and Marge Howes have been here since early May but took a quick trip to New Brunswick, N.J., to attend their granddaughter Olivia’s sixth birthday party, pony rides and all. Farther down the road from us, Leigh Smith was thrilled to have her three young people in residence for a few days last week to help prepare her summer gardens and her home for the annual onslaught of visitors.

Bloomsday is upon us. All true Irish and English majors of all persuasions know to celebrate Bloomsday in an even greater way than St. Patrick’s Day. John Crelan certainly does. Be at the Katharine Cornell Theatre by 8 p.m. Sunday night, June 16, for the 35th annual event honoring the works of James Joyce. Memorize a few lines for me as I can’t be there. All I have memorized is the last paragraph of Molly Bloom’s last speech in Ulysses. Tickets are a mere $15 at the door.

Stock up on great breads at one of my favorite events, the 36th annual bread sale outside the Bunch of Grapes tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This benefits the Vineyard Committee on Hunger. So many of your friends and neighbors are talented bakers, and the sale gives us yet another way out of having to cook for the week.

Proceed to our library for the monthly mini-book sale. Actually, I have inverted the order, but timing is an issue. The book sale is from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m, so you will have to get your baguettes first. Erudite readers, correct me if I am ascribing this quote I live by to the wrong person but I believe it was Erasmus who said, ”When I have a little money I buy books. If there is anything left over I buy food and clothing.”

When you do visit our library, kids, teens and grownups may sign up for summer reading programs in all age categories. The great program for kids and teens begins June 24. Signing-in ahead of time makes you eligible for a T-shirt and various gift certificates from local businesses. If you are ages 12 to 18, you can register online.

Two events of note are happening on Thursday, June 20. The West Tisbury story hour for kids is presented at our library at 10:30 a.m. Everyone is welcome. Anyone under 8 years old needs a grown-up partner. How is the new West Tisbury Library coming along? Not that we mind hosting this crew while they are in transition, mind you. The other event takes place in Oak Bluffs, not our town, but I must mention it because it is a classic: on Thursday, June 20, the Featherstone Gallery for the Arts will present a summer solstice program featuring Martha’s Vineyard poet laureate Lee McCormack. Ten other poets will read as well. Choreography is by Marianne Goldberg and Caitlin Thurgood will be the dancer. Bring a picnic supper and celebrate the change of seasons. I’ll see you there.

We are blessed with an overabundance of talent. I am personally blessed to know artist Kristie Kingsbury Henshaw who left a nice message for me last week after reading about my trip to Rockford and the beautiful cats I visited there. Aside from being a writer, artist, raconteur — see her book on her dad, Craig Kingsbury Talkin’ — Kristie loves animals, as all her family always has. Kristie is now growing her own line of catnip and making catnip-stuffed mice for our feline friends. If you need gifts for your little ones, here they are.

Anniversary bouquets go out today to Sarah Hope Newton and Ericka Whittenstovall. Martin and Gail Becker celebrate many years of wedded bliss on June 19. Today is Flag Day so all the flags will be flying for the birthdays of Sandi Hakala, Cheryl Funk, Jason Goodwin and Mike Mayrand. June 15 is claimed by Brooksley Crisman. June 16 means a party for Margo Davis, Jason Mead and Joanne Moon Moncada. Gregory B, Joan Murphy, Tim Funk, Valerie Pachico and Kelley Henry celebrate on June 17, and June 18th belongs to Regina Jannace. June 19 is for Peg Jackson, Julio Bueno, Antoe Mitchell and Benjamin Eli Tichauer. And on June 20, Khalil Khalil and John O’Donnell take the cake. Many happy returns.