Jo-Ann Tilghman>

508-627-7669

(Tilghmanjb@aol.com)

While it seems that summer has finally arrived, perfect, Vineyard sunny days remain hard to find. Everyone and everything seems to be reaching towards the sun. Plants and tree branches are growing into paths, driveways, and roads. This has prompted a reminder from Fire Captain Peter Wells that driveways and roads should be cleared ten feet wide and ten feet high to enable emergency vehicles to easily reach your property. While it is possible that the vehicles could access your property without all branches being cleared, they would likely suffer some unnecessary wear and tear on the emergency vehicles and it may take longer to reach your home. Peter commented that there are some on Chappy that do not feel fire equipment would be able to save their homes. However, Peter did point out that in the event of a health emergency, the same roadway openings are also required for the ambulance. So when you have a chance, check and see just how much the branches, trees, weeds, and other flora have encroached into the open spaces in their search for sun, and trim where necessary.

This evening, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., the Chappaquiddick Community Center Tennis Committee will kick off their fund-raising campaign with a reception at the center. Plan to attend, joining the more than two dozen early contributors. The Friday Foreign Film Series will follow at 8 p.m. This week’s film is titled The Visitor. Directed by Tom McCarthy, it’s partly focused on the plight of illegal immigrants in this country, but more significantly, it’s a story about friendship and connection. As always, this film is free.

A reminder of several events this weekend: The August CIA meeting, conducted by Cynthia Hubbard, will be tomorrow at 9 a.m. with coffee served at 8 a.m. Joanne Taylor will again present information on the “three mile zone” and there will be an update on Comcast. Sunday, August 2 is the 10th anniversary picnic of the Chappy Open Space Committee. Remember to bring your own picnic to Hickory Cove at noon to share the day with others. In the event of rain, the picnic will move indoors to the Community Center.

This past weekend, the annual tournaments of the Chappy Tennis and Chappy Pong groups were held. The following results have been reported: The Tennis Round Robin was a great success, with a record thirty-four participants involved this year. The tournament was played on four courts belonging to the Murray’s, Potter’s, Fowle’s, and the Nicholas’. The finals were held Sunday morning at David Plumb’s court, between Bob Prendergast and Lisa Bass, and Barbara McLagen and Jon Lindenberg. The winners were the McLagen-Lindenberg team. The Tennis Committee wishes to thank everyone who participated and all of the Court owners who lent their courts. In the Chappy Pong tournament, Alina Wen of Edgartown won the championship table tennis match against Oak Bluffs’ Albert Lau in the finals of the second annual tournament. Junior players dominated the semi-final games, won by summer visitor Evan Stoler, 15, who took third place by defeating 11-year-old George Kordahl, an Edgartown resident. In the final match of the all-Island open competition, best of five games, Wen finished 3-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-3. In the under-10-year-old-group, Christopher Harwitz, 10, of Winchester, finished in first place. Congratulations to all of the participants.

Monday, August 3 between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. Women’s Conversations will meet. This is a weekly time to meet your neighbors and discuss issues of importance of all ages and stages. For more information, call 508-627-3931. On Monday evening at 7:30 p.m. Rob Bierregaard will give a talk on Vineyard osprey and his three years of research, satellite tagging of the osprey. Tuesday evening at 7 p.m., the community center will host a free viewing of Bolt for Kids Movie Night. The Crafts and Farmers’ Market continues Wednesday, August 5 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., followed by an Ice Cream Social from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and the Vineyard Sound at 8:00 p.m. Sundaes are $4 and Vineyard Sound tickets are $8 for those 12 and up, $5 for those aged 5 to 12, and under 5 are free. Thursday, August 6 is the Jupiter String Quartet concert, dedicated to the memory of Moira Filley. The quartet performs as part of the Classical Music Series. Tickets to the 8 p.m. program are $20, or $18 for seniors. Final voting for the 2010 Calendar Photo Contest concludes at noon on Friday, August 7.

The countdown to the August 8 Chappaquiddick Community Center Auction continues. Below is a partial listing of items that will be up for auction: fishing tackle box, full day fishing charter, candlesticks, restaurant gift certificates from Smoke ’n Bones, Edgartown Seafood gift certificates, art by Chappy artists, custom jewelry, needlepoint glass cases, decorator pillows, children’s Chappy sweatshirts, an electric boat tour of Katama, walking tours of Tom’s Neck and Pimpneymouse Farms, peacock feathers, Marwari manure for your garden, Bobby Murray’s famous chocolate pie, Red Sox/Yankee tickets, bird seed and a bird house from the former Baron homestead, Chappy honey and more. With Trip Barnes as the auctioneer, this cannot help but be a lively and fun event for everyone in attendance. Come and support the CCC that provides a varied calendar of events throughout the year. Tickets are $25. Beginning this weekend, a number of items (the Novurania inflatable boat and the gas grill) that will be up for auction will be on display at the Center. While these are tempting to children for climbing, they are not jungle gyms, so please encourage children to stay off.

Wasque resident Sharon McCann Daly will be conducting a class in Pastel Landscapes Wednesdays, August 5, 12, and 26 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Old Sculpin Gallery. For more information, contact the Old Sculpin Gallery on Dock Street, Edgartown. Sharon’s pastel work is currently on display at the Old Sculpin and will be on display at the Chappy Community Center later in August. Sharon is also among the many Chappy artists whose work will be on display at the All Island Art Show Monday in Oak Bluffs. In the past, Chappy artists have brought home numerous winning ribbons.

Belated birthday wishes to Anne Heywood, who celebrated her birthday earlier this week. As a child, Anne’s birthdays were always a major event, shared with family and friends and generally involving picnics and sailing. Anne always enjoyed her special day and fondly remembers the “good old days.”

Something new has happened at the Chappy ferry. With the currents and increased summer boat traffic in the harbor, ferry owner Peter Wells earlier this week implemented a no standing policy for walk-on passengers. The request is for the safety of everyone on board. In the event of a harder-than-expected docking, Peter would prefer that all passengers are seated; but if seating is unavailable for everyone he asks that pedestrians hold on to the railings. Captain Bob Gilkes tells me that in the event of damp or wet seats, the ferry captains and deckhands have ShamWow cloths to wipe down the benches.

Sam Keen wrote that “Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability,” and while the Vineyard can keep visitors hopping from one activity to another, there is a welcome joy about lazy beach days, summer sunsets, and quiet, foggy reading days. Enjoy!