NANCY GARDELLA

508-693-3308

(iklean@yahoo.com)

As I type right now I am missing the skillet throwing contest at the fair. Not to brag but you know this reporter, Holly Nadler and June Manning would easily tie for first place in this event.

Bill and Jan Stokes’s daughter Kim Beal of West Hartford, Conn., has arrived at the family’s Island home. Kim showed up Tuesday with her three children and the family headed to our library to take out books and films. They all love to read. Her grandsons will celebrate their birthdays on-Island next week. Until then, it’s beaching, clamming (Kim can rake more clams faster than anyone I know), jigsaw puzzling, fireworks, Illumination Night and possibly the fair. Kristin DiStasio arrives today with Kim’s nieces Stella and Chloe. All hail from Mount Vernon, N.Y. Kim is working toward her associate’s degree in fine arts and is really in love with her new job at the historic Mark Twain House in Hartford, where she is a guide. Cindy Lovell, formerly of Hannibal, Mo., is the new director of the Twain Museum in Hartford. Twain had roots in Hannibal as well, so Cindy comes prepared. Apparently, if you are as into Mark Twain as we are, you are called a Twainiac. Before President Obama leaves New England, Cindy invites him to visit the Mark Twain house.

Since books are always on my mind, even if it’s great beach or fair weather, let me remind you that tomorrow, August 17 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at our library we have the monthly mini book sale. That’s not all. On Tuesday, August 20, children’s room librarian Felicia Cheney will read to infants up to age two at 10 a.m. in the program room. She will be followed by local author Becky Loescher, who will read and sing from her book Over the Vineyard. That program commences at 11 a.m. on Tuesday and is for ages three to five. On Thursday, August 22, weather permitting, the older kids (age five and up) are invited to shoot off water rockets from the library’s patio with Rocket Man. There will be grown-up supervision. Remember for all children’s events, kids under age eight must be accompanied by a chaperone. So much library news! The 5K walk/run to benefit our programs is on September 15. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. at the library. T-shirts are only available to those who preregister. Preregistration allows you to join for $20; registration the day of the race is $25. For preregistration, contact Brenda Wallis at brendacwallis@gmail.com or call the library at 508-696-4210. Nonna and I will be “racing” via walker and wheelchair.

For years I have passed the beautiful table to the left just inside the library entrance and picked up valuable news and information from it. Only this week I noticed a plaque; the table was handcrafted by Carlton Sprague from the wood of our beloved linden tree on Main street. It was presented to the library in 1998 as a gift from the Friends of the Library.

Speaking of the library, it’s time to inform Lyn K. of what Nonna and I checked out this week: I am still reading the Price of Justice by Lawrence Leamer. I have read several books in between. We turned in Fin and Lady, a novel by Cathleen Schine. Nonna read Charlotte’s Web for the first time in her life. She’s now reading Hero, about T.E. Lawrence.

We hope to see you all tonight at the opening reception of Jules Worthington’s art show at the Martha’s Vineyard Bank in Chilmark. The reception is from 4 to 6 p.m. today. The show, Summer Dawn, will be on display during regular bank business hours through next week.

The last week of availability for the Vineyard Playhouse summer Theater Arts Camp begins Monday. The camp is held at our historic Tisbury Water Works building at 400 West Spring street. Register your kids at vineyardplayhouse.org or just check out more information at summerstars@vineyardplayhouse.org.

Don’t forget to see our esteemed selectman Tristan Israel play in the Acoustic Corner at the fair on Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. If jazz is your thing, go directly to the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center on Sunday night for smooth jazz vocalist Vivian Male at 7:30 p.m.

Anniversary bouquets go out to Bob and Elaine Klein on today, August 16th.

The birthday bandwagon pulls along Kathy Stuart and Kendra Frakes today. August 17th is a party for Mike Zenick, Gail Partridge, Renata Kinaki and Paige Stuart. August 18th shines on Adam Paul Iocavello, Cheryl Shrader, Leslie J. Stark, Melissa Dolby, and Michael Donovan. August 19th belongs to Bill Clinton, Jeff Pratt, Amanda Louise Bernard, Helen Szanto and Woody Woodward. August 20th is shared by Laurie Halt and Richard McElhinney. And on August 21st, Christian Beal and James Johnson take the cake. Many happy returns. I’ll see you at the fair.