NANCY GARDELLA

508-693-3308

(vhavenvgazette@yahoo.com)

Happy ending! Lil Bit is back! I have a very nice family to thank for the safe return of Bitsy, two elegant, intelligent, and beautiful young ladies, sisters Cheyenne, almost ten, and Monique, almost eight, Cormier. Under the careful supervision of their dad, Joe, the girls found Lil’ Bit running loose on Franklin street, promptly leashed her, and brought her to the safety of their home when they realized the police station and animal pound were closed for the night. They took good care of Bitsy, named her Muffin because, while I had a license on her, I did not have a name tag. Now I have introduced the girls to Lil Bit’s brother, Silvio, and I have three new friends in the neighborhood and some loyal dog walkers. Last week they even treated Bitsy to a visit to the beach, a bus ride, and the street fair! I thank all the people who helped me locate Bitsy and were so worried for my sake. Laurie Clements did her usual superb job, Cheyenne, Chris and Nicole Cimeno, Ashley and Amber Willoughby, Anthony Masi, Bill and Debbie Little spent hours trying to track her down and distribute wanted posters. I thank all the businesses that let me put up signs, and all the people who gave me a hug. I can’t tell you how lonely the one night I had sleeping with only two dogs instead of three was. At my house, no matter what the weather, I always like a three dog night.

Lil Bit isn’t the only one who’s back; world traveler Becca Dunham returned Wednesday from a year abroad studying in Germany. Becca wasted no time getting back to work at Bryn Walker on Main street in our town and, on some days, at the Edgartown store. Stop in to say hi and hear about her exciting year.

Talented Stokley Towles, son of Holly, has been sending me great information about his water projects in the Seattle area where he lives when he’s not visiting here. He has just completed a project commissioned by the Seattle office of arts and cultural affairs. Check the schedule of Stokley’s performances at seanet.com/~stokley/waterlines.shtml.

Few and far between but always necessary on this fragile Island are the hazardous waste collection days. The Edgartown collection center on the West Tisbury Road near the airport is hosting one tomorrow from 9 a.m. to noon. I’ll see you there.

Tomorrow night you may enjoy Haitian music and Haitian art at the MV Resort, 111 New York avenue in Oak Bluffs, with an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Tickets are $15. This is a benefit for the Haitian Fish Farm Project.

Don’t forget the Portuguese-American Club parade on Sunday, July 19, which kicks off from the police station in Oak Bluffs at 10:30 a.m. Everyone is invited, and in the spirit of multiculturalism, our Scottish Society of MV has been asked to participate. I hear Ed Pierce and David Wilson will be there in kilts. Any other takers?

Michael T. Coe, associate scientist at the Woods Hole Research Center, will speak at our library on Tuesday, July 21 at 7 p.m. on the subject of the consequences of the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest. This important discussion is free and open to all.

Earlier on Tuesday you may join Wiet Bacheller and her talented friends of the garden club at the Old Mill in West Tisbury for a talk at 1 p.m. by Laurie Eisener of the School of Landscape Design at Harvard University. Laurie’s subject is gardens for period houses. There is a $5 entrance fee for non-members. The club has had a busy spring and summer, successful plant sales, and a Beauty and the Best Art and Flower Show. Always looking for new members.

I’m giving you a heads up on an event for Tuesday, July 28, because reservations are requested by July 21. Our local chapter of the NAACP is honoring long-time service members Carrie Tankard, Marie Araujo, and Lorna Andrade with a luncheon at the Grill in Edgartown. Call Laurie Perry-Henry at 508-627-8737 to make your reservation.

Two grand events are planned for Wednesday, July 22, what to do? Habitat for Humanity is having a wine tasting in the garden from 6 to 8 p.m. at their Decorator Show House at 105 Main street in Edgartown. For more details call 508-939-4114.

The annual Vineyard Nursing Association benefit is that same evening, also at 6 p.m. MV Clambake Company will provide the food at the Field Gallery. There will be a live and silent auction presided over by Kenny Goldberg, Vineyard Sound sings a capella, all your friends will be there. Tickets are $125, $70 of which is tax deductible. Call 508-696-0785 for details.

Anniversary bouquets go out to Joe and Shirley Sullivan on July 20.

The birthday bandwagon pulls along my son, Chris Clark, Daniel VanLandingham, Fred Benson, Jessica Slocum, Barbara Masters, and twins Jay and Dana Bangs today. Tomorrow is a party for Margaret Tileston, Paige Donovan, and Ben Araujo. July 19 is claimed by Kenny Hayes. July 20 belongs to Jane Crews, Danielle Jacobs, Carly Ann Miller, and Gabriela Silva. July 21 honors Gretchen Huntley Jacobs and Brian Hurley. July 22 is for Ed Colligan, Katharine Anderson, Jenny Lehman, Bekki Willems, and Nicole Christopher. And on July 23 Sapna Bahal and Tyler Burt take the cake. Many happy returns.