JANE N. SLATER

508-645-3378

(slaterjn@comcast.net)

Chilmark joins the rest of the world in grieving for the many lost and injured in the terrible events in Japan this week. It is hard to truly comprehend the damage. It seems far away and yet, with the amazing pictures, it seems to be next door. As always when we suffer these events of nature, I wonder what the Chilmark connection will be.

Max and Connie McCreery were happy to tell folks that their daughter, Meg, and her children were able to call them the morning of the earthquake reporting that their home in Tokyo was unaffected. Rob was out of Japan on business. The McCreerys are relieved now to hear that the family has reunited and relocated for a time in Singapore.

I did see Andy Freed, professor of geology at Purdue University and researcher of earthquakes, speaking on a major news station. Andy is the son of Norman and Diana Freed of Chilmark.

The Friday family movie for tonight, March 18, will be postponed because of the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival at the community center and is rescheduled for April 1 at 7 p.m. Next Friday night the family movie is High Noon and will begin at 7 p.m. at the library. Popcorn and soda are offered at no charge.

Nancy Aronie will be doing a three-session workshop at the library beginning on March 23 at 5:30 p.m. The next dates are April 6 and 20. The workshops will be Writing from the Heart: Finding Your Own Voice. Her summer writing workshops are well known. She asks that you attend all three in the series to achieve the best results from her teaching.

Susan Larsen is still training with her daughter, Brigida, for their May 14-15 Avon Walk for Cancer in Boston. Those who wish to support her may send checks to: Susan Larsen, 108 Hammett Lane, Chilmark 02535 or go to her Web site: Avonwalk.org/goto/susan.larsen. It is truly time to find a cure for this cancer. Stop and count the people you know who have died from breast cancer. Too many.

Jan Buhrman’s Kitchen Porch newsletter for March is out on the Internet. I was going to paraphrase some of it for you but it is such a pretty publication that you really will enjoy reading it yourselves. It is at kitchenporch.com There is a lot going on this spring in the world of food; growing, preparing and enjoying. If you don’t know Jan, you can meet her and enjoy her talents as she is doing the meals for three days of the Film Festival at the Community Center this weekend.

The 11th annual Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival will be at the community center Friday evening, all day Saturday and Sunday. It is a very popular and appreciated festival. Arrive early for best parking. Tickets are available at the door if you haven’t taken advantage of online ticketing.

Our household enjoyed an annual spring rite this weekend son Caleb and his family came from Northbridge for a weekend of boat prepping, hoping for an early start on summer fishing. As of Sunday, they still could not see their lawn for the snow cover.