JOHN S. ALLEY

508-693-2950

(alleys@vineyard.net)

Last weekend the weather was quite nice but a little windy. That didn’t stop folks from playing tennis on the town courts at the school while others were practicing their golf swing at the Agricultural Society field. The post office, school and all other town and county buildings will be closed on Thursday in honor of Veterans Day. We will return to Standard Time on Sunday morning, making the daylight hours mighty short with darkness falling shortly after 4:30 p.m. So be sure and turn your clocks back one hour before you go to bed Saturday night so you will get to church on time in the morning. Jack Frost paid a brief visit to town Tuesday night. The election is over and lawn signs have all but disappeared. This town had the highest percentage of voters (66.7) casting ballots; our congratulations to all the winners. Linda Alley wants to remind you that there will be a winter farmers’ market at the Agricultural Hall tomorrow from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

The parks and recreation committee and the library staff would like to thank everyone who made their annual Halloween parties a huge success. Halloween was really quiet this year with the exception of the two parties.

Halloween tricks these days are on the decline. Just one trick or treater stopped at our house. But in the late forties and early fifties, pushing Lena McNeil’s black Essex into the nearby swamp (across from the police station), uprooting the junction sign at Brandy Brow corner and planting it in Joe Howes’ front lawn, stringing his wife Bessie’s clotheslines end on end and hooking them on the barn all were “routine” tricks that were expected to be carried out each year. I remember Helen Cooper, who lived on Old County Road, played her own trick on the kids that came to her house expecting candy: she had a sign on her front door that asked the kids to knock and ring loudly, which they did, but she never opened her door! On the other hand, her neighbors, Donald and Elizabeth Campbell, always gave you cider and popcorn and you got an extra glass if they could identify you even though you wore a costume. That also was the last house on the road for trick or treaters as the Earle, Fales, Drexler, Richmond and Barth houses were closed for the season.

Jill Carlton and her husband, Pete Karman, of New Haven, Conn., were at her summer home on State Road over the weekend to close it up for the season. Pete stacked the outside furniture in the garage while Jill finished her work in the house. They both enjoyed relaxing on their back deck this summer. They expect to spend more time here in the future as she is about to retire from her job.

Coco Brown, of Buttonwood Farm, Ian Tripp, Oscar Thompson, Ben and Steve Sennett, Rhonda Backus and Amanda Dickinson returned home on Monday after a month visit to Nepal. Coco reports that they enjoyed hiking, helping to rebuild a monastery and, believe it or not, met some people with relatives on the Vineyard. It was a rewarding experience, but it is always nice to get home.

John Mayhew, of Windemere, was the recipient of a party thrown by his wife, Shirley, of Look’s Pond Road, and their family celebrating his 90th birthday last Sunday. It was a swell affair, John talked with everyone, and he and Mark Lovewell teamed up to sing a few sea shanties.

The Island’s seasonal flu shot clinic will be held on Thursday at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School from 8 a.m. till noon. However, you need to report to one of the two staging areas first: Waban Park in Oak Bluffs or the Agricultural Hall in this town, to register prior to being directed to the high school for your shot. Drivers who skip the preregistering will be turned away. Walkers, bicyclists and those using the VTA bus, however, may go directly to the school’s Performing Arts Center to check in. This is the only town-sponsored clinic for adults and high school students this year. For more information contact the local board of health agent.

The annual meeting and election of officers and trustees of the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society will be held on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in their hall on Panhandle Road. Also the Barnraisers’ Ball will be held next Saturday night from 7:30 to 10 p.m. in the hall. Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish will provide the dance music. The public is invited, admission is free, but everyone is asked to bring a dessert to share with others.

Bea Whiting reports that on Saturday night over at the Agricultural Hall from 4 to 9 p.m. there will be all-you-can-eat local roast pork and chicken prepared by Local Smoke, with sides by Morning Glory and the Scottish Bakehouse, desert by Tisberry Frozen Yogurt, smoothies prepared with Mermaid Farm yogurt, and music by the Eric Johnson Trio. The cost is $50 a person or $75 a couple, no charge for children! Tickets are available at Cronig’s, Alley’s General Store and the Scottish Bakehouse. Proceeds go towards securing an Island-based, USDA-inspected, humane processing facility. This event is brought to you by IGI and the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society.

Orlaith Estes, over at the school, reports that there will be a noon dismissal of students on Monday for parent/teacher conferences, and that Thursday is a holiday as we pause to observe Veterans Day. There will be a Friday night coffeehouse performance at the school tonight at 7 p.m. Jeremy Berlin reports that everyone is welcome, listeners and performers; just bring a dessert along with you and enjoy the program. Alexis Garcia adds to the school report with these items; today from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. there will be a coffee with the principal. Items to be discussed are the Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan and budget development and school committee meetings.

On Wednesday from 7 to 8 p.m. the PTO will be meeting at the school.

Jennifer Rand reports that there will be a public session where you are invited to meet the candidates for the position of chief of police. It will be held at the Howes House at 7 p.m. on Nov. 12.

On Saturday at 4 p.m. over at the library Beth Lambert, river restoration coordinator of the Division of Ecological Restoration, will be talking about the Mill Pond and brook and management options.

Ginger Duarte reports that every fall the Garden Club awards Main street businesses with a certificate for the most beautiful window boxes or landscaping. The number of awards varies from year to year and the judging is done in September, as window box maintenance throughout the summer is as important in beauty and design. This year’s winners in town are: Alley’s General Store, Conroy Apothecary, State Road Restaurant and Up-Island Automotive.

Patsy McCornack, with assistance from Francine Kelly, will chair the special events at Featherstone this year. It is their 15th anniversary and it will be an action-packed agenda. Please call her with any questions at 508-696-0603.

Neila Hoffman reports that volunteers are needed at the library. If you are interested, please come to an orientation on Thursday, Nov. 18, at 9 a.m. Now is your chance to become a part of our award-winning library. Refreshments will be served. Please call 693-3366 to sign up.

A note from the past: “On Saturday night, Nov. 11, 1950 the Norman Benson family in Lambert’s Cove thought they heard familiar though far out-of season music outside. For generations it has been an accepted tradition that the pinkletinks announce the arrival of spring with their piping. Well the Bensons’ granddaughter, Margaret Duquette, succeeded in capturing two of the pinkletinks, which are now in a globe in the kitchen and are continuing to announce that spring has arrived. Various people, questioned about the pinkletinks, have said that never before have they known of the peepers appearing at this season of the year.”

Happy birthday to: Marion Irving, Pat Waring and Dawn Feinsmith today; Fred Estabrook and Vickie Thurber tomorrow; Marylee Schroeder, John Dolezar and Cynthia Robinson on Sunday; Sharon Estrella, Gabriella Camilleri, Erin Leighton and Nicole Casey on Monday; Binny Ravitch, Ken Hurd, Michael West and Linda Talbot on Tuesday; Richard Cohen, Marian Mohr, Mary Jo Joiner, Andy Brunk, Harvey Leonard, Cynthia Eakin and Salvadore Della Torre on Wednesday; and Tina Fisher, Barbara Hoffman and Wendy Hitchcock on Thursday. Happy fourth anniversary to Nicole Alley and Arsen Hambardzumian on Thursday.

Well, that is all of the social news for this week’s column. If you have any news please call or e-mail me. Have a great week.