JOHN S. ALLEY

508-693-2950

(alleys@vineyard.net)

The weather bureau reports that July was the second hottest month on record in the northeast since record -keeping began in 1895. On the other hand, the first 15 days of this month have been the coolest since 1935. With the fair in full swing, it is hard to believe our summer season is fast becoming history. It seems that everyone is entertaining houseguests, going to the fair, and of course, enjoying the fireworks tonight. By next Wednesday, alas, the fair will be but a memory as almost all of the trucks, tents and carnival equipment will leave starting on Monday. The seasonal exodus will be well underway by next weekend. We are again reminded of the late Howard Andrew’s famous bumper sticker, Pray for September.

President Obama and family arrived Saturday afternoon and many people lined the road to get a glimpse of him in the motorcade. Some folks donned white polar bear suits and held signs urging him not to approve of the Keystone pipeline. Almost everyone had a camera and a lot of pictures were taken, mostly of other people lined up to view the motorcade.

Up until late Wednesday afternoon the entry-processing department of the fair was operating at a fever pitch. The famous Glimmerglass Girls — Judy Bryant, Susie Boass and Ann Howes — were helping out as usual. Eleanor Neubert is the fair manager while Kathy Lobb has been the hall manager for a number of years and is ably assisted by Eve Heyman, the entry clerk and barn manager. The Martha’s Vineyard Museum will have an exhibit featuring Vineyard oral histories of a variety of Islanders in the front of the main exhibit hall.

George Hartman of Panhandle Road reports that on Saturday at 10 a.m. the fair’s eighth annual antique garden tractor pull will take place. He got his tractor started on Monday and has been sprucing it up all week. Garden tractors must be at least 25 years old. There will be four weight classes: 1,000 lbs, 1,500 lbs, 3,000 lbs and 4,500 lbs. The competition is fierce and it is a lot of fun for competitors and spectators. George says his wardrobe will be provided by the Dumptique this year.

Lloyd Thornton and his wife Evie of Newburyport arrived on Tuesday for their annual visit with Bob and Rosemarie Doane. Bob and Lloyd were old high school buddies and have had a friendly rivalry in the adult bread baking category at the fair. Lloyd’s wife, Evie, attended nursing school with Bob’s sister and neighbor Muriel Bye.

Jim Johnson reports that he and his daughters Abby and Amalya and are back on the Island. They have rented Bildad’s Roost on Norton Farm Road and are in the middle of a two-week stay.

Heidi Marquedant of Hopkinton and her children have been visiting her parents Andy and Susie Boass of Middle Road for the summer and will attend the fair.

If you witnessed an unusual number of motorcycles last weekend, your eyesight is just fine. Several hundred riders attended the 30th annual Run to the Rock celebration. The Martha’s Vineyard Harley Riders Association sponsored the event. This month is also the 111th birthday of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

Jessica Lee Hill and Andrew Green were married on Saturday afternoon at Look’s Pond. Thomas Higgins and Elizabeth Simison were married Sunday afternoon on the MV Martha’s Vineyard. The ceremony took place on the third deck and Captain Mark Young blew the whistle several times when they were united in marriage.

Denise Mount and her husband Don Evon of Canton, Conn., and their friend Tom Majeski of Charlestown and his wife Patti of Plymouth were our house guests last week. The weather was not the greatest but it improved over the weekend and they found time to enjoy the beach. They departed for home on Monday with an eye toward returning in October.

Kendall Gifford Miller, his wife Carla and their children Daniel and Carl of Newark, Ohio, vacationed at their home on Edgartown Road for the past two weeks. Kendall has a garden of daylilies and corn on his property and has been selling them in front of the old Gifford’s store.

The Deep Bottom home of Malcolm and Judy Hall has been busy this summer. Judy’s brother Steve Coldasure and his wife Kat from Dayton, Ohio, arrived for their second Vineyard visit. They brought along their grandchild Carter Stanton from Centerville, Ohio. Malcolm reports that they spent the week shellfishing, canoeing, sailing, shopping, sightseeing around the Island. The Halls are very busy preparing for the wedding of their daughter Emily to Whitney Brush later this month.

Mary, who bakes all of the pies for her gazebo in North Tisbury, has been laboring to meet the demand. Last Saturday she baked over 125 pies and her husband Gary Ellis put them out for sale and they were sold out by early afternoon! Gary reports that Luke Martineau of London, England, stopped by and asked if he could paint a picture of the gazebo and the customers. Gary was very impressed with his painting.

Old friend Jeff Kurth up in Chilmark passed away earlier in the week. Jeff and his family lived in North Tisbury for many years. He was a good plumber, having taken up his father’s trade. Jeff was a friendly guy who will be missed by many.

Vineyard Gardens on State Road has been hosting a Gallery in the Garden every Friday night in August. They hope you’ll join with them and a variety of local artists for great art, free refreshments and nursery tours.

Happy birthday to Katherine Long, Kimberly Baumhofer, Ketty Saunier and Madeline Webster today; Sarah Murphy, Karin Stanley, Michele Meyers and Michelle Saulnier tomorrow; Gerry DeBlois and Christine Napolitan on Sunday; Bill Clinton, Joseph Ulva, Eli Berlow and Jennifer Sepanara on Monday; Debra Polucci, Robert Francis, Tom Burke, Tim Gregory, Susan Millett Boaas and Amelia Kauffman on Tuesday; Jen Zern and Charles Watson on Wednesday; Chelsea Pennebaker, Armand Bergeron, Laura Gilman, Bill Tsikitas, and Shelby Ferry on Thursday. Belated birthday wishes to Goodie Stiller, Colleen Morris, Joan Jenkinson, Charlene Gault and Rosemarie Doane. Wedding anniversary greetings on Thursday to Dick and Diana Reische on their 51st and on Saturday, Dan and Elaine Pace celebrated their 45th.

Our trivia question is 72 years old tomorrow: National League umpire Jocko Conlan ejected Pittsburgh Pirates manager Frankie Frisch for coming out on the field holding an umbrella to protest the soggy playing conditions during the second game of a doubleheader with the Dodgers at Brooklyn’s Ebbets Field. The argument was later the subject of a painting by what famous artist?

I’ll see you at the fair and don’t forget it is discount night on the rides. If you have any news please call or e-mail me. Have a great week.