Well, we can’t say the warm weather is coming back anytime soon, but the trees and leaves look beautiful. Get out the ice scrapers and the snow shovels, the squirrels told me it’s going to be a long, cold one.

I have a great list of annual special shopping you can get out of the way right now. The Peacecraft Holiday Sale opens Nov. 29 through Dec. 24 at 30 Main street behind the Beach House. This nonprofit organization annually presents crafts and items from Haiti and self-help projects from other countries. The store is staffed by volunteers, and if you are looking to donate some time or just need more information call 508-687-9709.

The Lovely Linda — Linda Alley that is — she of the finely made jellies and jams and so much more, called to tell me that the West Tisbury Farmers’ Market opens this Saturday, Nov. 23 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Agricultural Hall with all you need to complement your Thanksgiving table. Sit by the fire, hang out with friends, and specifically from our town, enjoy Nick’s Delectable Dipping Oils.

Featherstone’s 11th annual holiday gift show kicks off with a preview tonight from 6 to 8 p.m, with refreshments served. Affordable gifts from $5 to $250 include artwork, cards, calendars, soaps, gift boxes, jewelry, pottery, scarves, quilts, photographs, ornaments, paintings, posters and even chocolate. All sales benefit Island artists and Featherstone. The regular show times begin tomorrow and run through Dec. 19, open every day but Thanksgiving from noon to 4 p.m. I’ll see you there.

Who can forget the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s program Toys for Tots? Bring a new, unwrapped toy for a child in need on our Island. Collection started Nov. 15 and runs through Dec. 13 at the General Aviation Operations and from Nov. 29 through Dec. 13 at the airport terminal. My suggestion is, as always, buy that toy from our Island merchants.

How sad for all of us to learn that Bill Brown died. Bill was always affable, funny and delightful. How well I remember when my cub scouts were working on a badge. Bill and his dad, Dick, gave their time and expertise to help us learn to carve and to fashion knife sharpeners from bicycle inner tubes. Joking with Bill at Ace Hardware was always a highlight of my day. Once again, the Island loses.

Confidential to Lyn K: I just finished Lawrence Wright’s book The Looming Tower. It is very well written and researched about Al-Qaeda and Osama. This is the author who wrote Going Clear, an expose of Scientology. When I critiqued that book in my column a few months ago I said I hoped Mr. Wright had bodyguards, and this book adds to that wish. He is a good and brave author. I am now reading Philip Caputo, The Longest Road.

The birthday bandwagon pulls along Noah Bacheller, Richard Anderson and Dorian Lopes today. Tomorrow belongs to Ryan Gorman, Derrick Alleyne and Philip Tucker. The party is for Moah Son, Shane Cleary and George Caros on Nov. 24. November 25 shines on Martha Dunham and Nicole Masi. Kim Beal, William Bishop, and Anna Elizabeth Carlson celebrate on Nov. 26. Fan Tuttle Schroeder and Heidi Schwab celebrate on Nov. 27. And on Nov. 28, Joey Tobin and Aidan Gomez Blanco take the cake.

Many happy returns.