ce! Ice on the freshwater ponds. Ice on the salt ponds. Ice in the harbor. Ice in the bird baths.

Sunday is New Year’s Eve. Many decades ago there was a group of lively somewhat young year-round adults on Chappy who seemed to have unlimited energy for staying up late.

On Christmas Day, the Chappy ferry will run on an abbreviated schedule during the morning.

As the end of the year approaches you may be wondering to yourself if there might be some way to simultaneously do a good deed and to get some credits on your tax return.

The ferryboat On Time 3 was relaunched mid-morning on Monday in Vineyard Haven, made the trip to Edgartown against the current and returned to service mid-afternoon.

Everyone is invited to the annual Chappy Ferry captain and crew appreciation potluck dinner on Wednesday, Dec. 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Chappy Community Center.

Remember the Holiday Pop-up at the Slip Away Farmstand on Saturday, Nov. 25, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

While the usual Thanksgiving open house at the Chappy Community Center won’t take place this year, there will be a Holiday Pop-up at the Slip Away Farm stand on Saturday, Nov. 25, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

This is a particularly pleasant time of year for me. The ferry traffic has quieted down.

Gerry Jeffers died on a Monday. That evening and the next day we made sure that the word got out.