Well, the hot and humid weather has arrived. I guess that means summer is actually here. We are still wishing for rain as the ground is still so dry. But we will still take the sunny days.

Happy birthday to all who celebrated their day this past week. Big balloons go out to Madeline Chronister, who celebrated her day July 13, Hugo Burrows and Katelyn Tankersley on July 14 and to Catherine Cherry who celebrated her day July 15.

Maureen Leitner and her family have returned from Montana where they attended a wedding. “Mo” is our newest member of the Donaromas family and she fit right in, so her presence was missed while she was gone.

They had a great time with many activities including fishing and archery, white water rafting, shooting and kayaking. It sounds like a fun trip and I am glad she is back so we can enjoy her for the next few weeks before she goes back to college.

It is July and I have my annual email from Pat Tyra. Pat writes: “Yes, it is July, and once again Jimmy Santos and wife, Patty, from The Villages in Florida, have arrived for their annual visit here in his hometown. And again they are the guests of Edgartown classmate, Pat Tyra and her husband Harold Bauld. As usual their visit is planned to coincide with the O.B. Portuguese Holy Ghost Feast and parade. But this year besides a friendly gathering of friends and relatives on Shurtleff Way, Tuesday and Friday lunches at the Anchors, Friday’s Grace Church lobster rolls, sweet bread from Reliable in O.B., and “scratching” for clams at Katama Bay, they are hoping for good winds and a sunny day for a sail on Oscar Pease’s “Vanity” catboat, courtesy of the M.V. Museum (with classmate Tommy Fisher)."

Pat shared that she learned the “formal” rules of sailing on a catboat out of the Harborside Hotel as a high school graduation gift “way back when.” Before that the Tyra family sailed sailfish races on Eel Pond during sunny Sunday summers.

It always sounds like a good time and it is great they all still get together after all these years.

The third annual Blueberry Festival will be held at the First Congregational Church in West Tisbury, next to Alley’s General Store, on Saturday, July 18 from noon to 4 p.m. New this year are kids’ activities, raffles, fresh flowers, costume jewelry, and at 1 p.m. a performance by the M.V. ukulele group. And of course blueberry smoothies, cobblers, muffins, scones, pies, etc.

The eighth annual Edgartown House Tour will be on Tuesday, August 11. At 1 p.m. Mary Jane Carpenter will give a free lecture at the Edgartown Federated Church. She will share the history and other information about the houses on the tour.

This year all the houses are on North Water street. The homes will be open from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served throughout the tour at a house on North Water street, overlooking the harbor and the Chappy Ferry.

Tickets are $40. Tickets will be available the day of the tour at the Federated Church and at 67 North Water street. Proceeds from the house tour benefit the maintenance of the Federated Church Meeting House.

Have a great week and keep the home candles burning.

Send Edgartown news to kathleencase@comcast.net.