Chilmark is watching the sky this week as we hope for some of the promised drizzle to become real rain. It has been a dry summer and we need some soakers to get our gardens and our landscape ready for winter. It is hard to imagine that this lush green world will turn first to bright colors then to the gray of winter. Let’s hope we get no salt spray to spoil our local leaf peeping!

We still have lots of visitors to Chilmark. They are all carrying fishing poles in pursuit of the winning fish. Some locals are hanging on to winning weights, good luck to all!

Our seasonal businesses are still open, although some are on shortened hours, so please call ahead. The Columbus Day weekend is pretty much the end for most businesses. The fish markets traditionally stay open into the fall.

The Chilmark Community Church invites us all to the Tuesday pizza night that begins at 6 p.m. at the church. All are welcome to join in the supper and social time weekly.

The Martha’s Vineyard Partnership for Health is offering a free series of training sessions in a program designed to help family caregivers handle the challenges of caregiving. The six self-education sessions will take place on Tuesdays from Oct. 11 through Nov. 15 at the Edgartown Council on Aging at The Anchors. Pre-registration is required so please call 508-627-4368 ext. 14 or email wbenedetto@edgartown-ma.us. This new program has been well received and a number of our community are already benefiting from the sessions.

There will be an All-Island Flu Clinic and Health Fair at the high school cafeteria this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Open to all and a good reminder to get the flu shot now before the seasons change.

The Chilmark public library will conduct a program of songs on Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 5:30 p.m. Roberta Kim will share songs, photos and video from her Song Exchange Project travels last winter. She has visited places where song is an everyday part of life and she hopes to share the benefits of this with other cultures. All are welcome at no charge to this program sponsored by the Friends of the Chilmark Library.

The Neighborhood Convention will meet this month at St. Andrew’s Church in Edgartown. The subject, Feeding the Hungry, One Step at a Time, will be presented by Philip Dietterich. All are welcome and should bring a sack lunch.

Saturday is Cycle Martha’s Vineyard so just a heads up if you are driving. It is a 100k and 50k ride around the Island so be alert!

Sunday, Oct. 2 is the date for a Mushroom Walk led by Wesley Price in the Menemsha Hills Reservation. Please call 508-693-7662 for more information.

Alex Preston of Westport enjoyed a brief visit with friends in Chilmark this week. Alex was at one time a selectman in Chilmark.

Please remember to send me any social news you’d like to see in print. I am no longer the eyes and ears of Basin Road and will need your input to keep this column going! Thanks in advance for help with next week’s news.

Send Chilmark news to slaterjn@comcast.net.