MARGARET KNIGHT
508-627-8894
The grass may still be green but it’s starting to feel more like winter on Chappaquiddick. Brine’s Pond had a skim coat of ice earlier in the week, and we’ve had some nights below freezing. The winter solstice is on Monday, which will be the shortest day of the year. It’s nice to think that after that the days will be getting longer until next June.
Thanks to the people who have put up Christmas lights at their houses and made the island look cheery for the holidays. Dick and Judy Diamond have their Sampson avenue yard decorated for Christmas again. It’s a modified Chappy version of the Oak Bluffs Gatchell’s house, and worth a trip for the kids.
This Sunday, Dec. 20, the community center will hold its annual Holiday Tea from 3 to 5 p.m. It’s high tea, Chappy-style, with tea from silver tea sets, with lots of tea sandwiches, sweets and hot chocolate with whipped cream for those who don’t want tea. The community center will be decorated with wreaths and greens, a Christmas tree and candles. With a fire in the grate, the room should be a cheery and inviting place to gather for some caffeine-heightened conversation. The tea is for all ages and all sexes on Chappy.
The community center’s Christmas Eve dinner will start at 6 p.m. on Thursday. Everyone on Chappy is welcome; bring your house guests. A full dinner, with chowder, turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and salad will be served, thanks to the various people who have agreed, or even offered, to make something to share, despite the busyness of this time of year. Others may bring appetizers or dessert, but there’s always plenty of food, so come if you can.
Other holiday events include a reading of the Second Shepherd’s Play, part of the Wakefield Drama, directed by Liz Villard. John Ortman is in the cast. The play is at the Whaling Church on Thursday, Dec. 17 at 5:30 p.m.
On Monday, Dec. 21, at 5 p.m. the an all-ages chorus directed by Roberta Kirn will sing songs of peace, hope and light at the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center. This is a great concert of multicultural songs sung a cappella, with some audience participation.
This Saturday and Sunday, the studios of two wonderful artists will be open to the public from noon to 4 p.m. Cindy Kane and Rose Abrahamson have shown in many Island galleries, and their studios are well worth a visit. You can call for directions: Cindy at 508-696-8533 and Rose at 508-693-4198.
The West Tisbury church Hand Bell Choir will play carols on Main street in Vineyard Haven on Saturday from noon to 1 p.m. near the Capawock.
Also this Saturday, Luanne Johnson will lead a walk for Sheriff’s Meadow through the Self’s property. If you’re interested in going, give their office a call to let them know.
The Community Center 2010 calendars are now sold out. We hope you got one already if you wanted it. If you’re a picture taker, you could take some shots this winter and spring to enter in next summer’s photo contest for the 2011 calendar.
Shirlee Miller called me about an owl box she often walks past on the Crocker’s property. In July, as she walked by, she heard a lot of peeping from the box, and told Don of it. He waited patiently outside the box and got a good shot of a great crested flycatcher with a bug in its mouth, ready to feed its babies. The young fledged a couple of days later.
This past Wednesday was Kim Morse’s last day on the job before she and Jonathan go south for the winter. Jonathan has finished work on the On Time III, which should be home by the time you’re reading this. Wednesday was the day when the winds whipped directly out of the east and tore off part of the Farm Institute roof that was under repair. It was an unusual compass point for such strong winds, and it pushed the water into the harbor, causing unusually high tides. It sent the waves directly into the Edgartown side ferry slip, making it an exciting day for ferry captains. Kim said it was “one of the top five most interesting days” driving the ferry. At one point, she felt the ferry surfing on top of a wave. On other trips, passengers reported feeling as if the ferry was almost under the water instead of on top of it. Some said they came across in their cars with windows open and seat belts off — just in case. In the early afternoon the tide got so high that Liz, who was driving, figured if it rose a couple more inches, the ferry would have to stop because the bumpers along the side would be above the tops of the ferry slip walls. At that point, Peter called the school, and the Chappy kids took the bus home early. Soon after, the wind suddenly died down and the tide started going out even though high tide was not due for three hours.
A few days later, it was as if the water got sucked back out to sea equally strongly as it had come in. The tides were so low that the ferry bumper went nearly underneath the plywood on the side of the slip. At lowest tide, the sandy bottom next to the ferry slip on the Edgartown side was out of the water making a wide beach in front of the former Daggett House. This low tide may have been caused partly by the storm that arrived soon after, and maybe affected by the phase of the moon, although it was still a couple of days from new moon. There will be a second full moon on Dec. 31 which, according to a modern definition, means it will be a “blue moon,” although traditionally a blue moon referred to an extra moon in a season. It’s the name of the third moon, because the first, second and last moons of a season already have names.
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