Summer is getting closer, the trees are budding, rhododendron and azaleas are in bloom, even a few roses are blossoming already. The temperatures have been relatively warm but now we look for rain.

The annual blessing of the fleet in Menemsha on Sunday morning performed by Pastor Seongmoon Ahn of Chilmark Community Church was very memorable and serene with many gathered despite the wind. Members of the United States Coast Guard Station Menemsha were at attention with Chief Robert Riemer, Chief Trey Honeycutt, FS1 Mark Montgomery, BM1 Irving Purrington, BM3 Mason Martin, MK3 Shaq Reed, Seaman Rupica Singh, and SK3 Nicole Cancellare. Welcome to SA Gabriel Villano of Edison, N.J., who has joined the ranks at Station Menemsha and is enjoying the Vineyard now that the weather has improved. All the best to BM2 Robert Verdone who will retire this week. Rumor has it that he and his wife Ali Verdone, R.N. will stay on the Vineyard. Thank you to Dan and Nancy Cabot for mentioning our late grandfather Captain Walter Manning and our late father James Manning who were an integral part of the Menemsha fleet for more than 60 years. Dan and Nancy read the names of the captains and their boats who are all members of the Menemsha fleet, numbering more than 60. Edson Rodgers performed several patriotic musical arrangements on his trumpet.

Thank you to the voters of Martha’s Vineyard for their support of the Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living finally having a permanent home, especially for the supportive day program. This has been a long journey which was started more than 25 years ago when Dianne Vose Durawa began her quest in finding a permanent home. We are almost there and will welcome the ability to have all of our services in one building. Stay tuned!

The seventh annual Windemere Auction for the benefit of the recreation department will be on Friday, June 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Grange, next door to the West Tisbury town hall. Admission is free. Light fare, wine, and sweets will be served. For more information, please call 508-862-1933.

The West Basin jetty project is now complete. The jetty has a new granite pathway along the channel and the bluefish are in.

Thank you to Dick and Debbie Pytko, under the guidance of Dukes County Veterans Agent Jo Ann Kinnecom Murphy, for their volunteerism in placing the American flags at the cemetery in honor of those veterans who have served our nation over the years.

If you missed the Memorial Day celebration at the Aquinnah town hall on Monday morning, perhaps you will learn more at the centennial celebration in a few years. United States Army veteran Leigh Vanderhoop offered a few words to memorialize those who have served. Aquinnah Tribal Chief Ryan Malonson offered a prayer and later read the statistics on American Indians who serve, words of praise were offered by Aquinnah Tribal Council Chair Tobias Vanderhoop, Tribal Color Guard Michael Sellitti was in attendance and at attention, a wreath was placed on the plaque at the Aquinnah town hall in honor of our World War I Veterans who accomplished quite a feat with their serving, and a history of those veterans was offered by yours truly. There were 12 descendants present who represented seven of the ancestors who had served during WW I. Luncheon was served following the service at the tribal building.

Burial services for Danny Mayhew and his wife Judy will be held on May 30 at Abel’s Hill Cemetery at 1 p.m. with military honors.

Faith Smalley, daughter of Jay and Millicent, has arrived home from her freshman year studies at Guilford College in Guilford, N.C. for the summer. She is thrilled to achieve being on the dean’s list. For the summer, Faith is working at the Aquinnah Shop and is also available for babysitting.

Joseph Spinelli and John McKinstry have arrived for their summer sojourn. It has been great catching up with them as they continue to unwind from their two weeks of travel from their winter home in Florida. We enjoyed Memorial Day dinner together and look forward to many more dinners after they catch up with everyone else.

Congratulations to our neighbor Cora Weiss who received an honorary doctor of laws degree at Adelphi University on May 21. Cora is the president of the Hague Appeal for Peace. She has devoted her life to the movements for peace, the advancement of women, civil rights, and human rights, both at home and abroad. She calls for the abolition of nuclear weapons and says that humanity has abolished slavery, colonialism, the prohibition of women voting, and apartheid, why not war? She was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 and 2001 for her role in organizing the largest peace congress in history, and again in 2005, with 1,000 women proposed by members of the Swiss Parliament, and in 2012 with her husband Peter for their work for peace. We will look forward to their arrival at their Aquinnah home.

Happy anniversary wishes to Seth and Megan Woods who celebrated on May 25 and Mike and Susie Wallo who celebrated on May 26.

Happy eighth anniversary wishes to Isaac and Noli Taylor on June 2. Happy 68th anniversary to Av and Dora Morrow on June 3, and happy 38th anniversary wishes to Jane Bankoff and Marvin Popkin on June 5.

Found my birthday book but now my computer has been down for one week—therefore I must borrow a computer. It has meant no emails for me nor Facebook for the past week!

Belated happy birthday wishes to Kaye Manning on May 24, and to Jon Mayhew and Nicholas Wallen on the same day. Marsha Shufrin partied on May 26. May 27 was a day of celebration for Janice Brown, Dr. Richard Koehler, John Kozboski, and for Kayden Keith Devine who is now seven. Nonie Madison parties on Thursday as does Christy Vanderhoop. Friday is a day of partying for Nancy Benoit and Fan Ogilvie. Michael Gilman will celebrate on May 30 and Warren WoWo Webber-Gebb will be nine. Roxane Ackerman celebrates on May 31, sharing the day with Jasmine Devine.

Happy birthday wishes to Louisa Luening on June 2 and Arthur Battistini on June 3. Maurice Dore, Janette Galbraith, Leah Bassett and Jason Widdiss celebrate on June 4. June 5 is a day of celebration for George Baird, Joan Silva Pretty, and Emmett Cole Taylor who will be six.

Send Aquinnah news to junemanning152@gmail.com.