Chilmark is moving rapidly though fall with mostly bright sunshine, although I did note that Chilmark recorded more than two inches of rain one day last week. The winds are quickly stripping the trees of their leaves but in some sheltered areas the colors are still vibrant. There is more color in town. The new U.S. Coast Guard boathouse now has white siding that “looks like” shingles. It is beginning to look familiar again. Scalloping seems to be going well and the Menemsha Fish Market has plenty of them for sale. The fishermen are fortunate so far in that the temperatures are staying above freezing most days.

The Food Truck is parked daily at the Home Port and is very popular with folks up-Island who need or want to eat out. Josh Aronie still pleases with his special touch. The truck is serving food through the lunch hour on weekdays.

Charles and Lucille Plotz send word of a memorial service they attended at the Public Theatre in New York City for the late Claire Tow who was a seasonal resident of South Road. Claire and her husband Leonard, who survives her, were supporters of health, educational and artistic projects, most recently, the Claire Tow Theatre at Lincoln Center. Claire was a strong supporter of the Chilmark Chamber Music Festival. The Plotzes report that the service was well attended by celebrities and friends who remember this extraordinary woman.

The Chilmark Planning Board will hold a public hearing on Monday, Dec. 8 at the town hall for the accessory apartment amendment to the zoning bylaws. The hearing will be at 4:30 p.m. Copies of the draft amendment may be picked up at town hall from the town clerk, Jennifer Christy.

Chilmark begins Thanksgiving celebrations with the annual Turkey Trot at the Chilmark School. Students begin the day before their holiday break, Nov. 25, by preparing vegetables for their stone soup. At about 11 a.m. students and all interested townsfolk gather at Beetlebung Corner for a mile race that begins and ends at that corner. After the race, the students and public share in the story of stone soup and share the soup prepared by the students of the school. It is a fun event for all! The school holiday break is Nov. 26 until Dec. 1.

Chilmark Community Church will begin their weekly soup suppers on Dec. 2. They begin at 5:30 p.m. and all are welcome, young and old. Group visiting and games complete the social evening.

Cheers to Bob and Bonnie George of Quansoo who are back from Takoma Park, Md. where they welcomed their sixth grandchild. Micah Hellinger George was born on Oct. 28 to Andrew and Stephanie George and sister Nina. Congratulations to all.

There are a couple of down-Island activities that might interest some of us. The Federated Church of Edgartown will held its fifth annual festival of wreaths on Dec. 4 from 5 to 7 p.m. Homemade wreaths will be on display in the meeting room and there will be a party in the Parish House. The annual sale is to benefit the reservation of the 1832 Sara Mayhew Parsonage.

The Martha’s Vineyard Museum will host their annual Appraisal Day at the museum in Edgartown on Dec. 6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Experts from Skinner Auctioneers will be available. Reservations are required so please call Jessica Johnson at the museum at 508-627-4441 ext. 117.

The Winter Farmers’ Market is on Saturdays at the West Tisbury Agricultural Hall from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with hot lunches available as well as crafts and farm fresh foods.

The holidays are coming up soon. Nov. 29 is Small Business Saturday across the country and we might visit the small businesses open for our benefit in Chilmark that weekend. The Copperworks, Alan Cottle’s shop and Menemsha Fish Market all on Basin Road will be open as will the Allen Farm shop on South Road. The Grey Barn retail shop is open most days for dairy products and I bet there are some nice things at the Mermaid Farm stand on Middle Road. I bet if we try, we can do all our shopping in Chilmark this season!

Send your Chilmark news to slaterjn@comcast.net.