Well, the weather last weekend was seasonable and with the rapidly falling leaves, time change, cooler temperatures and lowering the storm windows, we are slowly falling into the grasp of winter. We had nearly an inch of rain last week and were the recipient of a blast of cold weather. Allen Healy has repositioned his herd of sheep into two new locations on Old County Road late last month and they have responded by neatly mowing the field. As you may have noticed, the deer have been moving around lately, primarily due to the hunting season, and you are apt to see them in the strangest places or crossing the road. The archery season for deer ends soon.

Zeke Wilkins’ crew stopped by the house and installed a new storm door on Saturday. Ed Konicki last spring installed a screen door I had in the wood shop, but it is getting colder by the day and it was a relief to get the new door in place before the snow flies.

Well over 150 people attended the memorial celebration for Bob Potts at the Grange Hall on Sunday afternoon. It was well put together and highlighted his many talents. I am sure he would have approved of it.

Liz Oliver reports that the school’s fifth grade class is having a cake walk at the Chilmark Community Center on Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. It is a fundraiser for their Shenandoah trip. In addition to the cake walk, there will be a bake sale, 50/50 raffle, lottery ticket tree raffle and a chance to win a sunset sail for two on the Shenandoah.

Amy Hoff over at the library reports that on Sunday, Nov. 23, at 3 p.m. there will be a community poetry reading. Bring your own poems or your favorite, or just come by and listen to the program. There will be light refreshments afterwards. She also reports that this fall they will be returning to their Food for Fines program. Patrons will be invited to bring in food that will go to the Island Food Pantry in lieu of fines incurred for overdue movies and books. Join in the community’s effort to replenish the Island Food Pantry’s supply!

Lee Revere reports that if you are cleaning up your house for the holiday season and come across books that you no longer need and wish to donate them to the library, you may do so by driving over to the school and putting them in the book drop attached to a small building near the parking lot.

History Note: On Saturday night, Nov. 11, 1950, the Norman Benson family in Lambert’s Cove thought they heard the familiar though far out-of-season music of pinkletinks. For generations it has been an accepted tradition that they announce the arrival of spring with their piping. Well, the Benson’s granddaughter, Margaret Duquette, succeeded in capturing two of them, which are now in a globe in the kitchen and are continuing to announce that spring has arrived. Various people asked about the pinkletinks have said that never before have they known of the peepers appearing at this season of the year.

Happy birthday to Geoffrey Currier, Jill Macy, Louise Fragosa and Charles Luskin today; Antonio Saccoccia, George Hough, Robin Nagle, Alison Thompson, and Craig Miner tomorrow; Joyce Brigish, Carol Hall Marchant, Jacob Oliver, Richard Dumas, Paul Adler, Jane Finnerty and Carolyn Schmidtke on Sunday; Jim Coyne, Chloe Maley, Chelsea McCarthy, Nicholas HallBilsback and Oakly Smith on Monday; Rusty Hitchings, Jennifer Reekie, Samantha Chaves, Terry Mello and Carol Clark on Tuesday; Mary Austin, Kevin Segel, Matthew Flanders and Neidra Salzman on Wednesday; Joan Borkow, Craig Dripps, David Sauter, Sam Hopkins, Carlo D’Antonio, Glen Gaskill and Tom Bartosiewicz on Wednesday, and Bernice Kirby, Danny Metell, Caleb Gray, Dorothy Post and Stephanie Russell on Thursday. Anniversary greetings to Otis and Mary Rogers on Sunday, and belated birthday wishes to Diane Smith and Bob Gothard.

Well, that is all of the social news for this week’s column. If you have any news, please call or email me. Remember, 60 years ago tomorrow the soon-to-be famous chimp, J. Fred Muggs, made his first television appearance on the Today program hosted by Dave Garroway.

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