The sunset, regrettably, is now taking place just after 6 p.m. and is dropping faster each day. When daylight saving time ends on Nov. 2, we will plunge into darkness before 5 p.m. and the fall season we will be upon us! Old Jack Frost paid us a brief visit Monday morning to scout the area. He vows he will return shortly so everyone can see and feel his calling card.

Pumpkins now grace many front lawns and it is perhaps the last weekend to mow your lawn and then put your lawn mower away until spring. Nicole Alley, her husband Arsen and our grandchildren Robbie and Henry visited us last weekend. We all went out to dinner to celebrate our anniversary Friday night. It was their first visit since July. Robbie got a complete tour of our area. He walked with his grandma to the head of Town Cove, where he inspected the boats, talked with a fisherman, and then he went up to Whiting’s farm to look at the animals but they were all out in various pastures. Allen let him feed some chickens near the barn and he greatly enjoyed that task and asked if he could do it again on his next visit. He went over to Green Island Farm and looked at many of their chickens, bought some eggs to take back home and, of course, visited the playground several times. The rest of us tried to keep pace with him without much success. They went back home late Sunday afternoon and grandma and grandpa slept unusually late on Monday morning.

Tara Whiting, town clerk, wants to remind anyone wishing to vote in the election on Nov. 4 that absentee ballots are available and you may stop by and vote until noon on Nov. 3 if you are not going to be in town. She is available every weekday at the town hall. She reports that voting activity has been brisk.

Ben and Paddy Moore spent a great weekend in Boston. The first event was a seventh birthday party for their grandson Mattias, along with his sister Maya, parents Max Moore and wife Berta Pantoja, grandmother Guadalupe Pantoja (up from Mexico for the celebration), and cousins Sebastian and Marie Claire, along with children Olivia and Marco. Then on Sunday they went to the Museum of Fine Arts to see the splendid Jamie Wyeth exhibit, his first complete retrospective, and Ben says it was a really fine show. And to top it off, they took Mattias and Maya to see The Lion King on Sunday evening. A great time was had by all, but they had to come back to work on the Island to recover!

Sarah Rosenthal and Julie Prazich of Lambert’s Cove Road hosted a gathering of her brother Carey’s close friends on Monday evening to reminisce about him and tell a few stories — an evening he would have enjoyed. Present were myself and Anna, Tim and Eileen Maley, Hunter Moorman and Leslie Gray, and Woolcott and Leah Smith.

Linda Alley, aka the Jelly Queen, reports that the Farmers’ Market has come to an end at the Grange Hall. She thanks all of her many customers for purchasing her homemade jelly. The Winter Farmers’ Market that will run every Saturday through December beginning tomorrow at the Agricultural Hall. They will have many of the same things you found this summer, with the addition of the fireplace and hot food to accommodate visitors during the fall.

Lynn Ditchfield reports that Adult and Community Education of MV (ACE MV) will be collaborating with the Yoga Barn and will offer an intensive and comprehensive yoga teacher training program. Past graduates have made an impact in the community sharing their skills in a variety of settings including our schools, with the tribe and at the hospital. The course also offers optional college credit from Fitchburg State University. The certificate course will be led by Martha Abbot and Scarlet Jarrell.

Gayle Poggi reports that the regional high school Minnesinger silent and live auction benefit will be held on Saturday, Oct. 25, at Dreamland in Oak Bluffs. Tickets are available from any Minnesinger or at the door. For more information, call 508-939-4053.

Happy birthday to Polly Bassett, Rick Reinhardsen and Kate Hubbell today; Cynthia Walsh, Kim Nichols, Kendra Yale and Gail Tipton tomorrow; Bill Bennett, Bud Mayhew, Bob Levine on Sunday; Linda Carnegie, Erich Luening and Ronnee Schultz on Monday; Bob Doane, Mary Hinckley, Ted Powell and Amy Hoff on Tuesday; Victoria Phillips, Susan Silva and Katherine Stackpole on Wednesday, and Susanne Faraca and Dianne Rothwell on Thursday. Belated birthday wishes to Sandy Hill, Bud Mayhew and Goodie Stiller, and belated anniversary greetings to John Paul Jones and Irene Selvino, Davis and Gina Solon, John and Jean Kelleher, and very special 71st wedding anniversary wishes to George and Mary Lu Hough of Indian Hill.

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

Send your West Tisbury news to alleys@vineyard.net.