JOHN S. ALLEY

508-693-2950

(alleys@vineyard.net)

Last Saturday we received less than an inch of rain but it was welcome. It was the second such rainfall in less than a week. Sunday was magnificent but on the cool side. People were doing a lot of outside chores and home improvements.

September is slipping by at a record pace. The official beginning of the fall season begins on Sunday. The end of the shoulder season of transit service will come on Oct. 8. The fall foliage this year it appears will not be as colorful as in past years as leaves have been falling at a record pace due to the dry weather.

The bass derby is in full swing and the fish appear to be plentiful. At this time of the year Joe Howes would remind people of an old saying that has proved to be quite true: “You can tell what the coming winter will be like by how large the area of black is on the first white caterpillar that you see in the fall.”

This past Sunday afternoon, about 100 people, family, friends and neighbors, attended a party at the agricultural hall to celebrate John and Shirley Mayhew’s 60th wedding anniversary. Their children, Jack, Deborah and Sarah, put it all together and Deb served as the emcee. Their granddaughter Katie, who has an amazing voice, sang three songs and everyone listened to her. The stories told were fascinating, particularly Shirley’s recount of her first Vineyard visit and job at the Harbor View Hotel, the food superb, the conversation engaging and definitely a good time was had by all.

Professor Woollcott Smith of Smith Lane and Drexel College was here visiting his wife Leah and daughter Amelia last weekend. They all attended the Mayhew party on Sunday and Woollcott returned to Philadelphia on Monday.

John and Susan O’Sullivan and daughter Kate, of Washington, D.C., were visiting last week. On Saturday their oldest daughter, Sarah, was married to Jason McCullough at the Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs. John reports that 150 people attended the ceremony and the reception was held at the agricultural hall. The newlyweds will reside in New York city. It was a wonderful occasion and a good time was had by all. John and Susan returned home on Monday.

School secretary Gloria Sylva gave me some school information I did not get correct in last weeks column. So for the record Lieut. Col. Mike Halt is expected to resume his duties as principal of the school shortly as he will be returning home from active duty in Iraq. Parents, teachers and the staff are eagerly awaiting his return.

Catherine Rhodes, of Richmond, Va., is a first-time visitor to the Island and having a blast. She is an anthropologist whose work has taken her to New Guinea and Alaska. She is very impressed with the friendliness of the people and the relaxed atmosphere.

Jill Carlton and her husband Pete Karman, of New Haven, Conn., vacationed at her home on State Road last weekend. Pete inspected the work done in removing two large trees on their property. Jill harvested her final crop of vegetables from her garden.

Barbara de Braganca and her husband Miguel, of Boston and Old County Road, were in town last weekend. On Sunday they played tennis on the old clay court in front of their house. That court was the first tennis court built in town some 70 years ago.

Becky Wild of Sarasota, Fla., was in town last week hosting a reunion with Pete and Martha Mirande of Santa Cruz, Calif. Becky and Martha attended school together in their formative years. Also in their party were her son Jesse Goff and his daughter Sonya Mirande of New York city. They enjoyed their time at Lambert’s Cove beach and Seth’s Pond.

Martha Moore of Middle Point returned home last week from a summer season in Friday Harbor, Wash. She went out to visit with Joe McConnell. Martha reports having a swell time.

Andy Boass of Middle Road reports that he and his wife Susie, one of the famous Glimmerglass Girls, have been busy canning vegetables, making jelly and sugar cakes. Andy, a beekeeper, is in the process of collecting honey from his many hives.

Lynne Demond of Natick visited Steve Hart over the Labor Day weekend. They had just returned from a camping trip up in Maine. Lynne found time when they were in Kennebunkport to do a little geology work.

Next Saturday over at the agricultural hall it will be busy. The Fall Festival event will conclude with a community potluck dinner and dancing. George Hartman is organizing the 20th annual Antique Power Show. He asks all exhibitors to plan to set up late Friday afternoon or between 9 and 10 a.m. Saturday. Any help is welcome. If you have any questions, please call him at 508-693-6039. 

George, the master of steam engines, will have a display that will mostly include early automotive engines from the mid-1890s thru 1903. He is planning to run his 1903 Locomobile car engine on live steam during the show. George spent countless hours restoring that steam engine that he proudly displayed last year for the first time.

Tom Dresser reports that Sunday, Oct. 14 at noon is the scheduled time for the annual walk to raise money and awareness for Alzheimer’s. The walk will start at the Tisbury Senior Center to Oak Bluffs. We are planning to combine the walk with a play presented at the Vineyard Playhouse that Friday and Saturday, Oct. 12 and 13.

A social note from the past. On Oct. 1, 1946 Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Newhall, of San Francisco, Calif., who had spent several months at their home on South Road, departed for home. Their daughter Miss Jane Newhall, who joined them last month for a vacation and had a wonderful time, will be accompanying them back home.

Happy birthday to Judy and Larry Schubert, Amanda Dickenson and Tony Rezendes today; Carole Kimberly, Angela Scarborough and Kathy Lobb tomorrow; Granville White, Terre Young and Sean Conley on Sunday; Lydia Olsen, Brandie Lewis and Galvin Franklin on Monday; Cynthia Wayman, Manny Estrella and Cheryl Metell on Tuesday; Bill Honey, Ann Fielder and Haven Cutler, on Wednesday; and Mariko Kawaguchi and Wayne Smith on Thursday.

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