JOHN S. ALLEY

508-693-2950

(alleys@vineyard.net)

Well, this month has been kind to us weather wise with just two days below normal up to now. Families of school children will be heading off-Island today and tomorrow as it is the start of school vacation week. It will seem empty and deserted around town all week long. Wednesday is Leap Year day and for a few folks­ — Sam Alley included­ — it is their actual birthday! As we head into March on Thursday, National Pig Day will be celebrated by those of us who remain on the rock. Daylight Saving time begins in two weeks.

David Murphy arrived on Saturday to finalize details of an upcoming slide show celebrating the art of Stan Murphy. The slide show will be shown on April 1 at the Grange Hall and present a wide range of Stan Murphy’s creations. Tickets to the free program will be available at the West Tisbury Library some time in March.

Jennifer Tseng, over at the library, reports that the JC Trio will be playing jazz music twice next month: March 2 and March 30. Both gigs are at the same time, Friday at 4 p.m.

Dionis “Dinny” Montrowl, of the Congregational Church Campaign Committee, reports that the large hollies and overgrown boxwood had to be removed from in front of the church because they were overwhelming the building and damaging the siding. Maciel Land & Tree donated their time and equipment and completed the task earlier this week. The congregation will vote at a special meeting in the next several weeks on new plant options.

Will Whiting, of Fort Moon, returned home on Tuesday after an extended trip to Taiwan with a side trip to Borneo. He reported that this is the year of the Dragon and there were fireworks every night of his visit. He enjoyed the warm weather, hiking and eating different types of food. He hopes that warmer weather will soon get here as it seems awfully cold to him.

Coco Brown, of Buttonwood Farm road, left the Island on Wednesday on a three week trip to Scotland were she will be visiting friends.

Alice Green and a number of other friends left for Ireland this week as a part of their studies in the Irish history class. They plan to be in the Emerald Isle for a week.

Ginger Duarte reports that the Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living is holding a cultural luncheon on Saturday, March 10, from noon to 2 p.m. at the Grill on Main in Edgartown. The luncheon will honor our Island Brazilian community. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased by calling director Leslie Clapp at 508-939-9440.

Ed Konicki, of Webster, was browsing in an antique store in Dudley last week and found in an old book a July 1935 boat schedule of the old Steamship line that the owner was about to throw away. In the summer season, 77 years ago, a total of 14 round-trips were offered daily, with just six on Sunday, by three steamers: the Naushon, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. They served several ports in those days: Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs, Edgartown, Woods Hole and New Bedford. Connecting motor coach service was offered between Oak Bluffs, Vineyard Haven and Edgartown. It also included a New York Boat schedule that served New Bedford, Fall River, Boston, Providence and Newport, R.I. Those were late afternoon departures that arrived at Pier 14 in New York city early the next morning. A handwritten note recommends reasonable places to spend the night­ — Cottage Inn, Charlotte Crest Tourist Camp and Elm Arch Inn, where the meals are 50 cents and they have all the modern conveniences — should you miss the last sailing from Woods Hole.

Happy Birthday to: Brenda McMorrow, Dennis Jason, Rev. Tom Roan, Kevin and Caleb Carr, Ernie Mendenhall, Justen Ahren and Diane Wall today; Steve Gallagher, John Anderson, Alison Welles, Julie Chang, Kelly Arruda and Susie Bowman tomorrow; Katherine Athearn, Ann Greenaway, Irving Katz, Mason Fischer and Natasha Taylor on Sunday; Gene Bergeron, Sarah Culkin, Shawn Emin, and Kevin McFarland on Monday; Susan Goldstein, Tom Thatcher and George Brush on Tuesday; Sam Alley on Leap Day, and Susan Phelps and Donny Mills on Thursday.

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