JANE N. SLATER

508-645-3378

(slaterjn@comcast.net)

It is a steamy summer in Chilmark. The mist is heavy for parts of each day, and the sun has a hard time burning it off to give us a bit of beach time every day. But as Chilmarkers always say ... it must be worse on the mainland ... so I will go with that philosophy this week! The Firemen’s Backyard Bash was well attended on a foggy evening that added to the general cheer of the annual food and music get-together.

We send condolences to the family and friends of Jacqueline Norton Jensen who died last September and was buried on Thursday morning at Abel’s Hill. Jackie grew up here and had many friends and family members in Chilmark. She was married to Charles Jensen, Esq. who died just 11 days after she did last fall. Their daughters, Terrie and Michelle and Michelle’s son, Jeffery, came from Santa Barbara for the services and will return to California where they live and work on Saturday. We hope they will come back to Chilmark often. Jackie will be missed by her many Chilmark friends.

We remind you that the annual town affairs council meeting with the selectmen will be held on August 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Chilmark Community Center.

Betsy Cornwall entertained many of her friends at her 65th birthday party held under a tent at the Yard last Saturday evening. Cheers from us all!

The Yard will be offering selections from the opera Dido and Aeneas this weekend. Wendy Taucher is directing and some big voices are joining her at the Yard Barn at Beetlebung corner. Local artists Steve and Susan McGhee will be playing in the orchestra that accompanies the well-known singers who will perform. Please call the Yard at 508-645-9662 or check their Web site at dancetheyard.org to get all the details. There will be performances on Friday, Saturday and Sunday with matinees and a champagne evening. We are so fortunate to be able to have so much talent right here in Chilmark.

Extreme sports have come to Chilmark! Fishermen spotted a surfer off Noman’s Land last weekend. I wonder where Norman’s ranks on the list of world’s best surfing areas?

The lines have been painted on Middle Road, a sign that the Chilmark Road Race is due on Saturday. Remember to plan ahead as there will be some traffic issues at Beetlebung Corner on Saturday morning. Good luck to all.

Congratulations to Gwen Mayhew, daughter of Greg and Lois Mayhew of Quitsa, who is now an ensign in the Navy Nurse Corps. She has been commissioned and will report for duty at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. Cheers from us all.

David Lazarus has made his annual trip from Urbana, Ill., to the family’s Middle Road home. He will be joined by all the members of his extended family as they gather this month to remember Betty, David’s wife and companion of many years, who died in March. There will be a graveside service for Betty at Abel’s Hill at 4 p.m. on Saturday, August 15. The family will host those who wish to greet David and remember Betty at their Middle Road home after the service until 6:30 p.m. Betty was an active member of the Chilmark summer community and many friends miss her.

Charles and Lucille Plotz are entertaining Scot Medbury at their Flanders Lane home this weekend. Scot is an Hawaii native, an expert on the plants of the Pacific Northwest and president of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Brian Lym is also their guest. He is a librarian for the City University of New York.

Bill Vincent and his daughter, Katie, are enjoying a vacation at the family home on South Road. They live in Niskayuna, N.Y. Katie’s friend, Kelly Multari of Clifton Park, N.Y., joined them for a few days for her first Vineyard visit and Bill’s coworker Jeff Ives of Fort Edward, N.Y., was here also. David Humphrey and Gwynne DeLong of Glenville, N.Y. ,will also join the Vincents this August.

Longtime Abel’s Hill summer resident Garth Edwards is soon to be home after a surprise visit to Mass. General Hospital. He and his wife, Ollie, hope to continue their annual vacation with no further health problems.

Susan Thomas will return to conduct the services at the Chilmark Community Church on Sunday, August 9, at 9 a.m. Church volunteers are having a busy summer preparing lobster rolls for sale to the public on Tuesdays from 4 to 7 p.m. The church’s well-known flea market continues at the new location on North Road on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The Menemsha Fisheries Development Fund will sponsor the program Slow Fish, the pleasures of eating seafood harvested in a sustainable manner, with Warren Doty speaking. The program on Wednesday, August 12, begins at 5:30 p.m. at the library. The Friends of the Library cosponsor the events.

Alan and Winkie Keith are happy to have family members Virginia Keith of North Cauldwell, N.J., and Bill and Pricilla Kirby of Oakton, Va., visiting the Keiths at their farm on South Road this week.

Kevin Olivier of the Menemsha Market is happy to tell us that his dad, Vernon Buddy Oliver, is recovering from recent surgery, necessary after an unfortunate auto accident, at a rehab facility in Sandwich. We are send him get well wishes and hope to see him out and about soon.

We send condolences to the family and friends of Laurence Shedd of New Hampshire who unfortunately lost his life swimming in our ocean waters. How often we are tragically reminded that our ocean is a dangerous place and often unpredictable to swimmers. We regret the event and hope for peace for his family. We also recognize the extreme efforts made by all those who were involved in the rescue attempt.