JOHN S. ALLEY

508-693-2950

(alleys@vineyard.net)

We had excellent hot weather over the long holiday weekend, just the way it should be for the Fourth. Ted Morgan down in Edgartown organized and marched in his 42nd Independence Day parade, and it was well attended, as was Woollcott and Leah Smith’s party the night before, when about 75 people took part in the evening’s festivities. I made an error in last week’s column on the date of the party and I apologize to the Smiths and anyone else for any inconvenience I may have caused.

Mary Blake, of North Tisbury, reports that business has been quite brisk at her pie gazebo, where they sell homemade pies daily. Her dad, Roger, held down the fort for years but ill health has reduced his time outside. She reports that on Saturday they started out with a substantial number of fresh-baked pies and by 4 p.m. there were none left to sell. Traffic, particularly downtown, is extremely difficult to impossible; the flood of people coming off the boats last weekend was unbelievable and a police officer told me it had been that way all week. Airport manager Sean Flynn reports a significant increase in air traffic. Bus traffic has had a substantial increase in ridership; the route to Aquinnah has required two buses going up during the day so you have to remember to factor 20 minutes more into your travel time.

The annual Tisbury Street Fair is tonight and begins at 6 p.m.

Norman and Mary Lu Perry, of Vineyard Meadow Farms, returned home last week after attending their grandson’s high school graduation in Hartford, Conn. Norman reported it was a large family affair. Their daughter and family came in from California for the special occasion.

Kendall Gifford Miller, his wife, Carla, and children, Daniel and Carl, of Newark, Ohio, arrived last weekend for a vacation. They have been trimming trees, cleaning the yard and planting daylilies. They returned home yesterday.

Henry Bessire and his wife, Louise, are in residence for the summer at their home on Edgartown Road. Henry reports that they had several houseguests recently and are planning for more this summer.

Susan and Andy Boass, of Hopkinton, were at their summer home last weekend. Andy is a beekeeper and sells his product from a card table on the edge of Middle Road. His wife, Susan, one of the famous Glimmerglass Girls, is busy preparing for houseguests.

Kristen Buck, of State Road, reports that she and her husband, Brian, and daughter, Alice, are very excited that their friends Lori and Alan Klein, from Brooklyn, N.Y., will be on Island here for two weeks, renting a home in Chilmark. They look forward to their annual visit. Darah Whyte and her husband, Henry, who visited them in May, report that she is pregnant and expecting a child in October.

Kristin also reports that Brian’s daughter, Siobhan, made Chancellor’s List for the last semester at UMASS Dartmouth. She is a psych major and in the honors program. Congratulations, Siobhan!

Charlie Kernick, of Edgartown Road, reports that the Morning Glory Farm Athearn clan and Stevie and Charlie Kernick treated Uncle Cliff to a birthday dinner at the Harbor View on North Water street last Thursday night. Cocktails started the evening, and lasted for some time as Debbie and Jim, Robyn and Simon and Daniel and Meg Athearn made their way to the restaurant after closing the farm stand for the day a few moments before. This prompted Cliff to remark that “I should have had my birthday at a more convenient time of the year.” After dinner, the party moved on foot to the waterfront for some stargazing and ice cream, in lieu of a cake with 88 candles.

Bob Ganz, of North Road, attended the Fourth of July Parade in Edgartown and he proudly marched in his Army uniform along with many other veterans. He reports that, much like Malcolm Hall, his investment in okra seeds has paid off. His garden has a healthy bunch growing and is seeking okra recipes. Perhaps Malcolm has some, as he is from the Southwest and his wife, Judy, is a great cook.

John and Jacqueline Zeisel arrived last weekend and will be at their house in Quansoo for the summer. John reports that very soon their house will be full of family, friends and guests.

Jeff Smith, an advisor in the White House and a friend from way back, and his wife, Nancy, who is a senior policy advisor with AARP, came up from Washington to spend the Fourth with friends.

Lee Mogul and his wife, Gretta, of New York city, have been at their Deep Bottom home since early June. They were joined by their daughter, Liza, for the holiday weekend. Lee attended the Smith party last Sunday night.

Vicki Bijur and her husband, Ed Levine, of New York city, have been vacationing at her mom’s place in Tiah’s Cove. Ed is busy attending to the final details of his new book, Serious Eats.

Bob and Diantha Eisendrath, of Belmont and Middle Road, spent the long holiday weekend at their home. Their son, Noah, owner of a nightclub in Boston, was their guest for the weekend. Diantha reports that they will return for the month of August.

Jill Carlton of State Road is enjoying her first summer-long stay on the Vineyard since she was a little girl. Pete Karman, her husband, reports that she looks forward to many more to come. Jill retired in January, after 27 years at Yale University, where she served as registrar and won a lot of praise for her leadership in bringing Yale into the computer age.

Bob Luskin, of Edgartown Road, reports that he is in residence at his home until early September. His wife, Charlotte, is expected in a few days. This weekend her daughter, Miranda, and the dogs will arrive. His son, Peter, celebrated his 28th birthday on Tuesday at a combat outpost in Kandahar province in Afghanistan. He sends his love to his Vineyard friends and plans to spend a week or so here in late August while on leave.

We were lucky enough to be invited over to Malcolm and Judy Hall’s house last week for dinner. We were able to catch up on the news: Their son Houston arrived with them in early June and is attending summer school at CCC College. Grandson Jacob Hall is in residence. Last Saturday newlyweds Amy Hall Cronk and her husband, Scott, and her son, Cameron Harrison, arrived from Oklahoma City. On Sunday Judy’s brother, Scott Crawford, his wife, Michelle, and daughter, Adrienne, arrived from Colleyville, Tex. Their daughte,r Emily, of OKC, has been here since the beginning of June and is operating a successful babysitter and house cleaning service (please call her at 303-669-6466). Along with their neighbors, Cole and Jeanne Powers, all of them attended the Fourth of July parade.

Liza Lawson, her husband, Patrick, their family and Samantha Linton, a CBC television producer, all of them from Toronto, Canada, are staying at the Plakins house on Middle Road.

Sal Laterra, of Providence, R.I., was the holiday weekend guest of Phyllis Meras of Music street. Sal reports that after mowing her lawn, he joined Phyllis in attending parties and the parade in Edgartown. He returned to Providence on Tuesday.

Dudley Eppel, of Pond View Road, reports that nearly the entire family gathered at his house to celebrate the Fourth of July. His grandchildren, Lila and Alexander, of Weston, arrived on Friday and were accompanied by their mother, Meredith, and dad, Chris Jylkka.

Denise Mount, her husband, Don Evon, of Canton, Conn., and her sister, Pam, of Westchester, N.Y., arrive today and will be our guests. They will enjoy the beach, shopping and dinning out. Denise and Anna celebrate their birthdays on Tuesday.

Old friend Danny Bryant, who passed away recently, was always remembered for his fireworks show down at Big Sandy on Tisbury Great Pond. Many people who live near Soo Whiting’s boathouse sure did enjoy it.

Marian Irving reports that there is an ice cream sundae fund-raiser tomorrow from noon to 4 p.m. Enjoy an opportunity to choose your ice cream, toppings, and whipped cream with nuts or cherries! All proceeds to benefit the historic church. John Kelleher and Patti Linn are the cochairs. A similar event will occur on Saturday, July 30.

Ginger Duarte reports that comedian Marty Nadler will do a performance of stand-up comedy tomorrow night at 7 p.m. at the Grace Church Parish Hall in Vineyard Haven. The event will benefit the Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living. Marty will entertain guests with his Very Vineyard 2011 show featuring all new material based on anecdotes about life on the Island. The event will include wine and cheese and seating will be at round tables, cabaret style. Seating is limited so call Leslie Clapp at 508-939-9440 for tickets.

The Martha’s Vineyard Democratic Council will meet Saturday at 9 a.m. in the Howes House.

Colleen Morris over at the library reports that tomorrow from noon until 2 p.m. there will be sponge painting crafts with her. On Monday night at 7 p.m. is the movie Lion King.

On Sunday be sure and see the World of Troubadours and Trobairitz at 3 p.m. over at the Howes House. It features musical performances by Jessica Goodenough Heuser, soprano, and musicians Deborah Hart, Carol Loud and Andy Weiner. Dramatic readings will be presented by Jonathan Revere, John Alley, Susanna Sturgis, Paul Levine, Joseph Eldredge, Jennifer Tseng and Colleen Morris. The guest speaker is Dr. Marisa Galvez, of Stanford University.

There will be an evening with author and historian David McCullough at the Agricultural Hall on Wednesday, July 20. The evening begins at 8 p.m., and proceeds will benefit the expansion program being planned by the Library Foundation. David will talk about his new book, The Greater Journey. For more information, call 508-693-3366.

The library book sale will be held this year at the regional high school cafeteria from July 29 through August 1, daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Happy birthday to: Jack Mayhew, Emma Young and John Austin today; Julie Skinner, Skipper Manter, Devon Church and Laurie Turney tomorrow; Rez Williams, Matthew Sudarsky, Sandy Fisher, Joy Robinson-Lynch, Mary McDonough and David Merry on Sunday; Anthony DiNitto, Mike Colaneri and Andrew Woodruff on Monday; Anna Alley, Denise Mount, Levi Flanders, Clare Rattet and Martina Mastromonaco on Tuesday; Paul Karasik, David Perzanowski, Rev. Baker, Karen Lobdell and Michele Ortlip on Wednesday; Tina Miller, Jay Schwartz, Bob Lee and John Walsh on Thursday. Belated birthday wishes to the honorable Dudley Eppel.

Well, that is all of the social news for this edition. A piece of useless trivia for your next cocktail party: Spam became available at your local grocery store 74 years ago today. It is the kind you eat, not the useless material you receive daily in you e-mail. Please call or e-mail me with your news. Have a great week.