JANE N. SLATER

508-645-3378

(slaterjn@comcast.net)

We send condolences to the Vincent family on the recent death of Priscilla Vincent, wife of Bill Vincent and mother of Katie, all of Schenectady and Chilmark. The family is gathered this week at the family home on South Road for the internment at Abel’s Hill Cemetery at 2 p.m. today, Friday, Nov. 30.

Welcome home to Barbara Seward who has returned to live in her home off Larsen Lane in Menemsha. Barbara has been living in Newton for several years. All her friends and family are happy to have her in our midst again. She tells us her phone number is the same and she will enjoy hearing from us all. Many remember Barbara as postmistress of the Menemsha post office for many years.

Chilmark folks are busy cleaning up after one holiday and now preparing for the next. Just remember, I have assured you that you can do all your shopping in Chilmark!

Mitchell Posin and Clarissa Allen will host their traditional open house at the Allen Farm on Dec. 8 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the shop at the farm will be open that weekend and every day after that until Christmas. It is a real shopping experience where you will find woolens and food items, toys and much more. The shop hours will be 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

There will be a flea market at the Community Center focusing on crafts of the season. There will be chowder available and some antiques and collectibles. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8.

The Friends of the Chilmark Library will offer a used book sale at the library from Dec. 15 through Dec. 24. They will be setting up on Friday, Dec. 14 and will appreciate volunteers to help.

The library is a busy place this month with many programs.

Peter Simon will offer a program on Dec. 8 from 5 to 6 p.m. He will present a slide show documenting his life in photography and music. The program is sponsored by the friends of the library and open to all free of charge.

John Perkins and his wife, of Marina del Ray, Calif., were in town recently and were researching their Smith ancestors on the Island. They are descendents of Elisha Smith of Quitsa, whose house still stands — owned now by the Gross family. In the course of their research they met Harriette Poole Otteson of Chilmark who, it turned out, is their fourth cousin in the Smith line.

The Friends of the Library are hosting their annual holiday party on Dec. 19 from 5 to 7 p.m. The Dunkl family will play music and there will be refreshments. Also there will be a greens making table. Those with extra greens are invited to bring them in at that time. This is a great moment for those among us who need a bit of help making that wreath appear round! There will be help available!

The recent sinking of the boat Explorer in the Antarctic was a personal shock to several Chilmarkers who had enjoyed earlier tours aboard the G.A.P. owned vessel. Tom and Barbara Rivers had traveled on her on several tours and Harriette Otteson also enjoyed a trip to Antarctica on the Explorer.

Congratulations to Will Flender who was admitted to the bar in a ceremony held at the Vermont Supreme Court on Nov. 27. Will is practicing law in Burlington. He is the son of John Flender and the late Molly Flender of Chilmark.

Chilmark seasonal resident and writer of popular mysteries, Linda Fairstein, will have one of her stories called Murder by the Book shown on Court TV on Monday, Dec. 10. The program was filmed at her Chilmark home in September. She will appear in the show and wants us all to know that Chilmark friend and resident Susan Chapman did her hair and make-up. Susan owns Boucle in Edgartown.

Arnie and Paula Riesman were at their Larsen Lane home for Thanksgiving weekend.

Norman and Diana Freed are back in Chilmark after a weeklong drive out to Indiana to visit with their son Andy and his wife Melissa and their sons Orion and Calvin. The Freeds also toured an interesting town, Columbus, Ind., a place of outstanding architecture.

Steve McGhee traveled to Long Island, N.Y., earlier this month to play with the Long Island Philharmonic Orchestra at a concert in the Tillescenter at C.W. Post College.

Bill and Marcia Randol are looking forward to some holiday time with their newest grandson, Sean Nicholas, born August 9, to their son Benjamin and Jane Murphy Randol of Bethesda, Md. Sean has a brother, Colin William who is three years old.

December is amnesty month at the library and there will be no fines applied to overdue books. All fines will be forgiven for food. People are encouraged to bring in nonperishable food items suitable for the Island Food Pantry. A box will be provided in the library for donations.