August has arrived at our doorstep and with it the smell of salt air, fiery sunsets, preparing for that sweet second cut of hay, rallying to gather items for the fair and lots of friends and family members eagerly anticipating steamed lobsters fresh off the boat, sand between their toes and so much more.

The good news of the week is that Zeb, the bearded dragon lizard belonging to the Bunker-Ponte family, has been found. Duncan Caldwell sent word Wednesday that Zeb was found sunbathing on Middle Road. The Caldwells took good care of Zeb while waiting to be reunited with his family.

Ready to join in what August has to offer are Aubrey Shipway, her husband, Dave Miller and kids, Fiona (9) and Malcolm (6.) The Shipway-Miller clan has been visiting, among others, Tyler (13), Sarah (Mayhew) and Charlie Shipway from the Big Apple. They have enjoyed a stint in the big city of Oak Bluffs and will move up to Menemsha with Aubrey and Charlie’s dad, C. Morgan Shipway 3rd. Morgan is a lively member of the Squid Row coffee crowd while he’s in town and Fiona and Malcolm always bring giggles to the touch tank.

The John and Hillary Keene clan has had Danish cousin Maria Munch-Menzer join their extended pack of cousin teenagers. Before arriving on MV, she visited John’s sister Katy Keene Metell in Philadelphia and made a pitstop in New York city with John’s other sister Suzy Keene. Although she is preparing to depart, she has enjoyed lounging on the beach, BBQs with many cousins, lots of Galley ice cream and an introduction to the infamous Dumptique. A quick layover in Boston to catch Blue Man Group and take in the sights before she flies home to Copenhagen.

Lev Wlodyka, F/V Honey Badger, and crew members Casey Elliston, Johnny Osmers and Tim Sauer had a productive tuna trip to the Canyons. — Katie Carroll

Don Weitzman and Harriett Goldberg have thoroughly enjoyed their annual July visit to Chilmark. I first met Don and Harriett when their now grown daughter, Lily, was a wee one. Years ago we would refer to Lily as Rocket Girl. As a small child she would come in to the Texaco quite timidly, often nestled behind her parents, to purchase her favorite ice cream, the famous Hood Rocket. One day Lily came in all by herself to make her purchase. Don and Harriett were in the shadows of the doorway but Lily managed the whole transaction on her own. Since then, we have been chatting about life, children, school, jobs and more.

I enjoy their month-long stay almost as much as they do. Although Lily was not in residence for the whole month like she used to be, she did manage a couple of weekends and stopped by to say hello. Don and Harriett celebrated their July 21 anniversary with tasty lobster rolls and little fanfare.

Bella Thorpe has returned from the Green Mountain Horse Association Dressage Days horse show in South Woodstock, Vt. Bella and horse Reina performed beautifully and achieved not only top junior rider for the day but for the entire show. They also had a second place finish in third level test 3 and pulled off a fifth in freestyle with a very excited Reina. Bella trains with Tracey Amaral Olsen at Woodbe Farm in West Tisbury. The Woodbe team did well overall. In addition to Chilmarker Bella, new Stonewall resident Christine Morin Graham won all her classes on both of her horses and was day champion on both. Bella’s Auntie Jeno, Jennifer Enos Iacopino and her daughter Andrea travelled from New Hampshire to cheer.

Atlas Zack, Jakie Glasgow and Jack Lionette are off to Cooperstown this Saturday with their 12s baseball travel team for a weeklong tournament. A baseball tournament in the same town with the Baseball Hall of Fame is going to be both memorable and, to quote a teen, “epic.”

Julie Coleman plans to lead her annual Sunday morning hikes throughout the month of August and into early September. Julie’s first hike will set out from her home at 150 South Road on August 6 at 9 a.m. The hike will be an approximately three mile roundtrip adventure to Hancock Beach. Julie recommends hikers bring water and poles if you have them. Her next coordinated hike will meet Sunday, August 13 at Fulling Mill. Please send your email address to onceaweekjulie@gmail.com for further details.

The long awaited Martha’s Vineyard Book Festival returns this week. The opening panel in Chilmark on Friday night is sold out. But a Meet the Press discussion with political journalists has been added to the schedule in Chilmark on Sunday morning at 8:30 a.m. at the Chilmark Community Center. Leading political journalists, including Mark Leibovich of The New York Times and Richard North Patterson of The Boston Globe, discuss the political malaise in Washington with Jeremy Hobson of NPR’s Here and Now. The book festival continues over Saturday at the Harbor View Hotel and Sunday at the Chilmark Community Center campus with a full lineup of celebrated authors as well as rising stars in fiction and nonfiction. A complete list of authors and schedules is at mvbookfestival.com.

John O’Keefe, creator of the Chilmark Pond exhibit which will be on display at the library beginning August 19, is seeking photos depicting people, birds, animals, and pond-side nature. “Folks also love to see pictures showing how places have changed over the past 25 to 50 years,” said John. For anyone willing to contribute photographic prints (on loan), the deadline is August 15. Photos will be returned after the exhibit closes on Sept. 8. He can be reached at Chil.Pond.17@comcast.net.

Anne Martin Studio at 139 South Road, the red house with the freshly painted electric green mailbox, will feature works by Philadelphia artist Jillian Buhl beginning Friday, August 11. There will a reception with the artist on Saturday, August 12, from 5 to 7 p.m.

Lev Wlodyka, F/V Honey Badger, and crew members Casey Elliston, Johnny Osmers and Tim Sauer had a productive tuna trip to the Canyons. The four man fishing team returned to the dock with a loaded fish hold and moved hundreds of pounds of tuna through the markets. It was such fun to have so much excitement on the commercial dock.

When Rasmus Klimm built his Menemsha Shack in 1935, he never thought his soon to be great-grandson in law, Chris Palmero, would secretly plan to ask Klimm’s great-granddaughter, Caroline, for her hand in marriage. With clandestine planning by Caroline’s dad Tom, Chris pulled off a great surprise last Saturday night as sunset approached on Memensha Beach some 82 years later. It was an old fashioned proposal with some great history in the mix. With all of the engagement excitement surrounding Chris and Caroline, the Klimm family didn’t forget to raise a glass for their traditional toast: “Cheers to Rasmus.”

May the upcoming wedding planning be smooth and easy with lots of cheers to fond memories in the mix. And way to go, dad, for helping pull it all off. Cheers to you all.

Send Chilmark news to squidrow@vineyard.net.