Chilmark started this day — Tuesday — with a starry sky and a nip in the early morning air, but as I write mid afternoon, it is snowing hard and the roads are coated. We will continue to anticipate that it will turn to rain as predicted. And so begins the winter season in Chilmark — early and with intent!

The Chilmark Community Church invites us to a Christmas Eve program of lessons and carols to the accompaniment of the music of the harp. There will also be the traditional candle lighting. The service begins at 5 p.m. and children are especially invited to this service.

The weekly soup suppers at the Chilmark church are suspended for two weeks. There will be no soup supper on Christmas Eve or on New Year’s Eve. They will continue to be offered the following week at 5:30 p.m.

We send best wishes to Elmore “Bud” Mayhew who is in the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. We hope he will be out and about soon.

Donald Berwick of Menemsha and Newton is running for the job of governor of Massachusetts. The Volunteers for Berwick for Governor of Martha’s Vineyard invite us to attend an open house at Howes House on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 9:30 a.m. Donald has been a seasonal resident on the Island for more than 30 years and is well-known to many of us.

There was a memorial gathering for Graydon McCormick on Dec. 8 at the visitor’s center at Lawrence Heritage State Park. Graydon was a seasonal resident of Menemsha for many years who died on Nov. 4. He leaves his wife Mary and children, Kate, Seth and Cliff McCormick. We send condolences to all his family and friends who will miss him. The McCormick’s Vineyard home is on Chowder Kettle Lane and they are the family of the late James Arenson and Grambs Miller.

The Chilmark library holiday book sale will continue through Dec. 28. Town clerk Jennifer Christy conducted a historical records lesson at the town hall on Tuesday morning. The Chilmark School students from grade two and three were invited to town hall and shown old Chilmark records. Teachers Gretchen Snyder and Jennifer Passafiume planned the instruction hour that marked the Local Government Day on the town and school calendars.

Chris Fischer and the food crews from Beetlebung Farm and Beach Plum Inn in Chilmark are in New York city this month running a pop-up restaurant called Fish and Rose from Dec. 10 through 30 at 10 Kenmare street in lower Manhattan. They are offering the best foods harvested from the Vineyard. Reports are that they are doing well and the customers are coming! Cheers from us all!

Word has reached us of the death on Dec. 7 of Charlotte Ruben. Charlotte lived for many years on Martha’s Vineyard, first as a seasonal resident and then retiring to her home on Larsen Lane where she lived for a number of years before moving to more convenient housing in Canton. She was a teacher in New York city and an active and interested citizen. She belonged to many groups while living here and made many friends. We all remember her well and have missed her presence amongst us. We send condolences to her two sons, Michael and David, and to her four grandchildren who spent much time with her in Chilmark.

Many of us remember the smart shop in Edgartown called Tashtego. Ted and Jane Farrow were the founders of that business before retiring to Florida. Now, several years have passed and sadly Ted has died, but Jane is wasting no time and is still active and productive. She has just published a cookbook entitled Red Peppers & Blue Lobsters. It is full of stories about the recipes as well as other recipes from all areas of her life. The book is illustrated with many drawings that will be familiar to Vineyard folk, done by Allison Leslie, a longtime friend of the Farrows. The cookbook is available at Bunch of Grapes in Vineyard Haven. It will make the perfect Vineyard gift possibility.

All who have reason to go to the Chilmark branch of the Martha’s Vineyard Savings Bank will enjoy seeing the wonderful playland entitled Polar Express. It is a large display of a toy train with figures and scenery all created out of chocolate. There are many details and delightful colors all created by Chilmarker Barbara Fenner of Galley fame. She is the well-known chef at that landmark eatery in Menemsha during the summer, and now we know what she does off-season. The display is well worth the visit. Congratulations, Barbara, for a great Christmas decoration.

The next time we chat, Santa will have come and gone. We hope he brings us all peace and joy for the coming year. Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate and a happy New Year to us all!