NANCY GARDELLA

508-693-3308

(vhavenvgazette@yahoo.com)

Friday, August 6, was certainly a day that has lived in infamy. Our annual memorial of the Hiroshima bombing will be held at the Aquinnah Lighthouse at 6 a.m. Please join us for prayers, words, songs and silence. You may catch a ride from Cronig’s in Vineyard Haven at 5:15 a.m., or be collected at Alley’s at 5:30 a.m. sharp. I’ll see you there.

I haven’t seen or heard from Tony Friedman for many years. What a delight to find a postcard from him, now living with three cats and several chickens in West Virginia, in my mailbox yesterday. Tony, he of the West Tisbury restaurant, once named Fat Tony’s, later christened Tony’s Sunset Gardens, businessman, writer, traveler, boat aficionado, has finally published his manuscript. I am hoping he will show up on-Island to give a talk at our library and do book signings at our stores. Until then, his new book, Dead Season on Martha’s Vineyard, is available at Montvue Publishing, P.O. Box 52, Maxwelton, West Virginia. Hard cover is $28, softcover is $18, which includes prepaid shipping and Tony’s inimitable autograph. Why not just reconnect with Tony at redcat02575@yahoo.com? Best of luck with the book, Tony.

Louisa Gould is offering Level 2 of her digital photography basic workshop on Wednesday, August 4 at her gallery, 54 Main street, Vineyard Haven. Class time is 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. You need not have taken level 1 to attend; the class will begin with a review of level 1: aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and exposures. The new topics are how to download images to the computer from camera cards using third party software, renumber, edit, e-mail, and organize files. The studio is air-conditioned. Bring your camera laptop with digital images and photo software. Please register ahead at 508-693-7373; the class cost is $95. Unfortunately, you won’t see me there as I’m still using my old Vivitar with actual film.

The Mansion House continues with a free class for members and non-members at 5:30 p.m., Sunday, August 1. Brenda Wallis is the instructor for “Butt n Up.” I will see you there.

One of our greatest actresses, so fond of the Vineyard, Katharine Hepburn, is being honored this month at our public library. Join us on Tuesday, August 3 at 7 p.m. for a free screening of Summertime with her costar, Rossano Brazzi. Other Hepburn films will be shown each Tuesday in August.

The library continues with Tuesday story times, 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. for infants to two-year-olds, 11 a.m. for the three to five set. Next week’s subject is dinosaurs! No one said people my age can’t be there.

Katie Mayhew and David Crohan have released a CD of their live concert at the Whaling Church last autumn. It is available at Alley’s, Rainy Day, the Secret Garden, and Aboveground Records. It will also be sold at their concert this Sunday, August 1, at 4:30 p.m. at the Whaling Church. A portion of the proceeds is distributed to many Island nonprofits. A great way to spend Sunday afternoon!

The biggest bunch of anniversary bouquets go out to my son and daughter in law, Chris and Lilly Clark, on August 5.

The birthday bandwagon pulls along Jonathan Alexander Gardella, Ashley Medeiros and Diane Hartmann today. Tomorrow is shared by Gale Grain Monk and Tony Radoszewski. August 1 belongs to Kelsey Anne Hunter, Arthur Strople, and Gisele Nascimento. August 2 is claimed by Sam Martin and Seniel Seward. August 3 is for Nancy Gardella — you guess which one — Will Sherman, Tom Colligan, Sr., Lucas Brunelle, Greg Cimeno, and Sharon Coogan and her twin, Patty Roddy. August 4 is a party for Elaine Klein, Barack Obama, Don Mitchell and Tony Friedman. And on August 5 Alicia Maciel, Tommer Willems, Susan Klein, Janet Alley, and Jennifer Kaufman take the cake. Many happy returns.