I took the early boat on Tuesday morning. It was the Woods Hole, a very comfortable vessel. The freight deck is open on one end making the car ride most pleasant. I made it up to the top deck which afforded a panoramic view of what may have been the most spectacular sunrise I have ever seen, and I’ve seen quite a few. My son Reuben remarked, “Is this nuclear weather?”

Back in the early 1980s, I worked many a breakfast shift at the Black Dog Tavern. The Vineyard Haven harbor is a sight to behold at dawn.

Traveling right along, Violet and I made a stop in Falmouth at the Boulangerie. We decided life was unpredictable and had several yummy pastries for breakfast. Dessert first may be the new normal.

There certainly are a huge amount of pumpkins at Morning Glory Farm. I grew some field pumpkins myself this year. Some were the size of beach balls. Sadly, however, they really are not edible. They lack the characteristic sweetness of say the Small Sugar variety. Back to the field varieties — I’ve been tossing them weekly into the pig pen.

In 2010, Violet and I went to the John Stewart, Stephen Colbert rally in Washington. It was the week of Halloween. We went to the national zoo one day. There were pumpkins in all the animal pens. We especially enjoyed the Giant Pandas on their backs, holding big pumpkins on their tummies. They were slowly and methodically scooping out the flesh. Clearly, it was a huge treat for them.

I’ve been busy prepping a few beds to receive garlic. I saved both hard neck and soft neck varieties from this past summer’s harvest to replant. I also purchased some new varieties form Filaree Garlic Farm out of Omak, Wash. Thanks to Mike at Heather Gardens for acting as middleman. I now have Chesnok Red (purple stripe) Montana Zemo (porcelain) Spanish Roja (rocambole) and Inchelium Real (artichoke).

In preparing the beds, I added lime and Prostart. After planting I’ll cover with mulch hay and walk away until next July.

I made it up to the Agricultural Hall on Saturday to the Winter Farmers’ Market. Besides the great products and live music, I reentered the Island community after a long, busy summer. It was awesome to see several old friends.

I loved Steve Myrick’s story about the missing trench knife returned to Nelson Bryant after 70 some years. When my Dad was leaving for the War after Pearl Harbor, my uncle gave him a knife and said, “You better bring it home. I want it back.” That is how my family would say “I love you — stay safe.”

Who knew we have almost 1,000 troops in Niger? Apparently, not even members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. I find this alarming and troubling. Equally troubling is the amount of generals in our executive branch of government. I thought civilian leadership of the military was a “thing.”

Oh, I do recall DJT saying during the campaign, “I know more than the generals.” This just in on Tuesday when I write this. Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake is not seeking reelection and he delivered a speech to the Senate explaining his moral objection to the President. Way to go! Is this a repeat of the moment when Senator Joe McCarthy was finally asked, “Sir, have you no sense of decency?”