Right after the winter solstice, I get a surge of rebirth. I know we are heading into some serious weather, but I simply cannot be bothered by snow and cold. I will confess, sheets of ice are not my favorite. Some winters I have resorted to using pitchforks for stabilization when tending the livestock. So far, this late fall has been great for continuing work in the gardens.

I’ve been busy topping off all the paths with wood chips. It looks so tidy — the only time of year when the garden is neat. At least no weeds will grow for a month or so.

Forgive me . . . I’m all over the place this week. The deadline for this column was a day early and needless to say, Christmas involves a lot of mental and physical activity.

I have to give a shout out to a few decorative businesses. The Martha’s Vineyard Savings Bank in Edgartown is particularly lovely. The silvers and blues are a nice departure from the traditional red and green.

La Choza in Vineyard Haven keeps up with the season changes. The fully decorated trees in the whiskey barrels are a nice entry into Main street.

I’m crazy about the antlers that Vineyard Electronics brings out annually. What perfect “hood” ornaments for Santa’s sleigh. They make me a bit nostalgic. My dad had a hunting camp, which my brother still maintains and enjoys. There are all sorts of antlers, bear heads, deer leg coat hooks, turkey wings, and who knows what all hanging from the rafters and walls. As you may imagine, Western Pennsylvania is prime hunting grounds.

Where was I? Oh, yes, Christmas yard decorations. . . Violet and I get a kick out of the blow-up Santas, Frostys and train sets. During the day, they are reduced to puddles.

Crane Appliance has a wonderful hand-painted scene on the front windows.

Nature got into the act with fabulous holly trees on Franklin street right after the four-way. Most hollies need a boyfriend to produce berries; be sure to ask or research before purchasing. The male can be small and nondescript, but needs to be the same variety — for example: Blue Princess needs Blue Prince.

I started my Christmas shopping on Saturday. I love waiting until the last minute when town is all a hustle and bustle. I always shop locally both for food when possible and gifts. Our local economy can use a nice shot before the frugal months ahead. Besides, going off-Island to shop completely irritates me. How much can I afford to save? The boat, missed work, lunch and buying something just because it’s a “good deal” makes no sense to me. Just saying!

The house next to the old Le Grenier building has two large patches of rose-colored garden mums still blooming. I’m not sure about the variety. I have both Clara Curtis and Penelope garden mums, but they are more pale apricot and pink. I’ll look them up after Christmas. I refuse to begin perusing seed catalogs until after the New Year, even though they start appearing in my post office box right after Halloween. In fact, every day my mail box is stuffed with catalogs of all sorts. It has become so ridiculous that the Vineyard Haven Post Office has put out two huge trash receptacles just for catalogs.

I rarely, if ever, purchase anything except seeds from Pine Tree Gardens, which by the way is on newsprint so it can be tossed into the wood stove when finished. I couldn’t decide between Cuba or North Korea this week. Both are newsworthy. Guess I’ll go with the Sony Pictures computer hacking. Where to begin? I love freedom of speech at all times, however, a comedy about assassinating a real head-of-state who happens to be a lunatic with nuclear weapons seems a bit like yelling fire in a crowded theatre to me!

Then there is the issue of putting your entire life onto a computer. FYI a piece of paper in a stamped envelope tends to remain private.

May I just make an entirely elderly remark . . . They don’t make movies like they used to!