The polar vortex seems to have gone elsewhere for the moment. I kind of thought those snowy owls were an omen of what was to be. We’ve had grey overcast skies, light snow a week ago and pouring rain all day on Tuesday. Spring is just a couple of months away. At least the temperature has been in the 40s and 50s this week.

Rev. Ellen Tatreau and the First Baptist Church would like to invite everyone to a special service honoring Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on Sunday, Jan. 19 at 11 a.m. at the church on the corner of Spring street and William street in Vineyard Haven.

It is that time of the year — time to get ready for the annual Chilmark School PTO and outing program winter Rock Away the Blues with Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish. You still have time to purchase your tickets and drop off your auction items. The event will be on Saturday, Feb. 8 from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Chilmark Community Center. There will be a live auction as well as a silent auction. It will be a wonderful evening of music, dancing, desserts and beverages. Tickets are $15 per person and may be purchased through the parents, at the Chilmark School or at Menemsha Texaco. Items for the auctions may be delivered to the school or to Katy Carroll at Menemsha Texaco.

There will be a gathering of friends in remembrance of the late Donna Carroll who passed away in September. Joan LeLacheur, Liz Witham and Aquinnah Witham would like to invite Donna’s friends to the potluck gathering on Saturday, Jan. 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the common house in co-housing at the West Tisbury end of Stoney Hill Road, near the Tisbury town line. Many of her friends will remember Donna and her friend Kristina Neopolitan, who both owned a little restaurant on the cliffs. For further information, please call Joan at 508-645-9954.

The new home of Daniel Albert is being constructed on most sunny days. It will replace the log cabin that belonged to the Hubert family for a century. The log cabin was of significance as being part of a settlement of log cabins.

Anna Duarte has been transferred from Massachusetts General Hospital and is now a patient at Windemere. She would love to hear from her friends. You may reach her by her home telephone number or she would also appreciate a quick visit.

Gloria Fisk was honored on her 80th birthday with a surprise party at the tribal building. She was surrounded by her six children: Anita Keegan, Fawn Fantasia, Leonard Vanderhoop, Edwin Vanderhoop, Cheryl Sellitti, and Trudy Garvin. Gloria’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren were also present. A fun evening was had by all.

Michael Gilman has recently returned after spending time in Florida with his father George Gilman who has been ill. George is now recuperating in a veterans’ hospital.

Noah James Manning returned home late Sunday night after spending the weekend with his grandparents Bill and Joan Kistner at their home in Poughkeepsie. While there, we all did a little shopping. Noah saw his first opossum in the backyard. On Sunday, it was brunch at the Kistner home with 30 family and friends celebrating Christmas and exchanging gifts from their secret Santa. Noah was accompanied by his parents Paul and Theresa and by yours truly.

Noah Mayrand has returned to San Francisco after spending Christmas with his parents Michael and Carol and his sisters Sonya and Alyssa.

Dan Sauer, his wife Nonie Madison, and their sons Waylon and Amos returned this past week after spending Christmas and New Year’s in Montana with the Sauer family. They visited with Eliza Eddy Schaub and her husband Timothy and their daughters Claire and Audrey. They enjoyed time at a ski lodge, learning to ski and snowboard. Their most fun adventure, though, was the dog sledding.

Durwood Vanderhoop is teaming up with Chris Baer, Susan Klein and Washington Ledesma to present a class, Arts & Global Community Connections Series through Adult and Community Education of Martha’s Vineyard (ACE-MV). The class will be held on four Thursdays — Feb. 6, 13, 20 and March 20 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Each class will be $10 per person. Class will meet at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School library. It is sponsored by the Martha’s Vineyard Cultural Council and co-sponsored by Featherstone. For further information, please email Lynn Ditchfield at lynn@acemv.org or telephone 774-310-1131.

Belated happy 13th anniversary wishes to Joel and Tamara Buchwald who celebrated on Jan. 13.

Happy first birthday to Moryn Gladys Holmes Widdiss who celebrated her very special day on Jan. 11.

Happy birthday wishes this week to Jesse Wiener on Jan. 18. Anthony Vanderhoop will be 15 on the 19th and shares the day with his cousin Carrie Anne Vanderhoop Bellis. Ciara Seccombe parties on Jan. 19. Captain Gordon (Todd) Bassett parties on the 20th. Mark Owen Shea will be four years old on Jan. 20. Catherine Deese parties on the 21st. Shaun MacPhail celebrates on Jan. 23.