Since I was unable to view your wee St. Patrick’s Day parade on-Island, since I was unable to join in the wearing of the green at the Ocean View, Ritz, or other venues of good food and drink, I rose early on St. Patrick’s Day and decorated the house with the help of Teri’s unfailing artistic eye. We turned on the St. Patrick’s Day parade for Nonna. I remembered marching in it in my Catholic school uniform, which served as our clan tartans for the day. This is the largest and longest parade in the world, I hear tell. Then nothing would do but to pick up some shamrock cookies at the White Plains Bake Shoppe and head to Dunne’s Pub. Proprietor Sean and all the bartenders, Philip, Nicky and Justin, were fetchingly dressed in crisp white shirts and green bow ties. So were the most capable servers, Barbara, Lally, Goldie and Kaylan. The staff was three times its usual number. The ambiance was wonderful, I dare say we might have toyed with the capacity regulations for my club/pub. Everyone had something green on and many plates of corned beef and cabbage were consumed. I ran into old friends from St. Bernard’s and met some new ones. Cold and windy, but the snow seems over. Same time next year.

Speaking of snow, thank you to my Island neighbors Judy and Bob Jahries who are keeping an eye on my house and dutifully reporting the amount of snow with each storm. Judy was invaluable in helping me get and return books to the Vineyard Haven library when I was laid up post-surgery and I shall never forget her kindness. Here in my Old Country, the staff at the White Plains Public Library is also keeping me enchanted with books and films after this latest surgery. I could not recover without a local library!

The great discussions group in the program room of our library starts an eight-week course of study at 7 p.m. on April 2. Materials are available at the library and you are urged to register at the desk or online. The first lecture will be on Russia and the near abroad, more specifically, the problem in Ukraine and Putin’s plans for the area.

While we are on library events, I must advise you to run, don’t walk, to register ASAP for the free cooking classes given in memory of library friend Laurel Chapman who made this series possible. Some of the best-known Island chefs will present the series on March 25, April 8, and May 6. All programs are held on Wednesday nights from 6 to 8 p.m. Space is limited to 30 members per class so get in now. Stop at the desk or go to vhlibrary.org.

It seems in winter we have more time to read and write. The Community Poetry Project, presented at our Tisbury Senior Center on March 12, featured Island poets Clark Myers and William Waterway. Our Martha’s Vineyard Poetry Society presented the readings and Q & A after, it was delightful. The program was hosted by Barbara Peckham and made possible by the hard work of Annette Sandrock, poets all. I hear this will be an ongoing event so stay tuned.

Call George Santos for me and make an eye appointment for the first day I return! Continuing in the poetry mode, our library director Amy Ryan sent me notice of next month’s news, as April is always National Poetry Month. I glanced at the flyer. I could swear it said: Three Poets Kicked Off National Poetry Month. My thoughts immediately turned to our stellar Island poets, Lee McCormack, Arnie Reisman and Rose Styron. What kind of trouble did they get into to be kicked off national poetry month, I wondered. On careful re-reading — more than twice — I saw it said kick off not kicked off. Obviously my eye prescription needs updating. But if I could be there I would to see and hear them in action on Wednesday, April 1, at 7 p.m. A reception and meet-and-greet follow the show. All free, of course, and presented by our indefatigable library staff.

If you have been as housebound as I have, consider seeing your friends and neighbors at our American Legion Post 257 on Martin Road every Monday night for bingo. We can always use participants, we can always use volunteers. I spoke with Abby McGrath of the writers and artists annual Renaissance House program dedicated to the memory and spirit of Helene Johnson and Dorothy West. No one has responded yet to our plea for a rental or donated property for this summer’s program. Traditionally the workshops have been held in Oak Bluffs, but we will take any of the six Island towns. Please help us! Contact me or RenaissanceHse.@aol.com.

After the long, hard winter the Island Theatre Workshop is pleased to present their One Act Play Festival Friday night at the Katharine Cornell Theatre above town hall. Stephanie Burke informed me the action begins at 7:30 p.m. It’s odd but oddly appropriate that the Wicked Good Winter Cabaret at the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, postponed since January, will be staged on one of the first days of spring, Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $23 in advance or at the door. Your favorite singers and actors are up — Shelagh Hackett, Molly Conole, Paul Munafo and Ken Romero. I wish I could see you there!

Join Jamie Alley for Monday Night at the Movies, also on the Patricia Neal stage at the playhouse. Five dollars cash only at the door will admit you to Night of the Iguana next Monday, postponed from February because of the weather. Jamie will greet you at 7:30 p.m. This weekly program is sponsored by Island Entertainment.

Cross borders Saturday night to join Peter Simon at the Pathways gathering space at the Chilmark Tavern. Peter will DJ a spring equinox party, open to all. Tunes you will dance to range from Elvis to the Beatles and beyond. That will also be the meeting place for Nancy Aronie’s poetry and writing series on Tuesday, March 24. Nancy, whose talent overwhelms me, will feature special guest writers throughout the series. How I miss seeing her on a regular basis as I did for so many years in my neighborhood when her son Dan lived here! Nancy always had a kind word, a cheerful smile, and unbounded enthusiasm. We need more of her in the ‘hood.

Speaking of my ‘hood, how I missed Bill Little’s homemade Irish soda bread yesterday! I used to watch him bake it and he served it to me hot from the oven. Alas, I purchased some Stop & Shop Irish soda bread for St. Pat’s. It tasted like it was left over from last year, same as they do with the Halloween candy. The birds and squirrels will get the benefit of that loaf of rocky, dry bread.

The birthday bandwagon pulls along JD Wild, Deb Chickering, Dianne Norton, Seth Edwin Donald and Chuck Redington on Friday. Saturday is a party for Barbara Dacey, Julie Robinson, Maureen Whiting and Michelle Yates. March 22 shines on Annette Anthony, Elizabeth Bennett and Gabriel Nascimento. March 23 warms up for Allison Crews, Louise Tierney and Casey Elizabeth Hendrickson. March 24 is for Greta and Ellie Hehre, and my oldest grandson, Corbyn Clark Garza. March 25 honors Mick Mortimer, Jim Hart and Olivia Lee Singh. And on March 26, Barbara Ivert, Ari Raynahan Siegler, Shirley Robinson, Liz Owens and Anne Bennett take the cake. Many happy returns.

Send your Vineyard Haven news to: iklean@yahoo.com.