Another gray week appearing as though snow would fall any minute but first we must wait for the temperature to fall just a little more. Thank you to Lang, Irena and Sasha Gerhardt for sharing the peace sign on the western shore of Menemsha Pond for all to enjoy. We know that Craig (Spa) Tharpe is responsible for placing the lights each year on their cliff. It gives one a little bit of hope in these conflicting times that are pervasive around the world.

Santa’s elves will be busy wrapping gifts on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 5 p.m. at the town hall if you would like to join in the fun. The Aquinnah Christmas party will be held on Thursday, Dec. 21 at the town hall at 5 p.m. Please bring a dish to share. Santa will arrive by fire truck.

Hanukkah began at sun down on December 12 and will end on December 19. There will be a special service Friday evening at the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center in Tisbury at 5:30 p.m.

Joan LeLacheur will have an open studio at her home on 42 Old South Road on Saturday, Dec. 16 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. She will have wampum and shell jewelry, traditional and contemporary designs, including bracelets, earrings, necklaces and pendants. She will also have beautiful cards made by Susan Shea.

The Sargent Gallery is open for the Holidays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday to Sunday and by appointment, please call 508-645-2776. There will be an artists’ reception on Saturday, Dec. 16 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Local artists include Paul Lazes, Julianna Healy, Melissa Knowels, Jannette Vanderhoop, Lainey Fink Scott, John Nickerson Athearn, Ruth Kirchmeier and others.

Chilmark Community Church invites one and all to Offerings of Music and Light on Sunday, Dec. 17 at 5 p.m. Participants include Becky Williams, Martha Hudson, Carol Loud, Lori Shaller, the Black Brook Singers, Holly Wayman, Atzic Marquez.

On my way to Menemsha the other evening the lights were on at Copperworks so I stopped in and enjoyed great conversation with Scott McDowell and Fire Chief David Norton. Scott has a great selection for Christmas gifts including wampum jewelry, art work and his vast array of copper lamps and wall hangings, and soon will have ornaments available for you to make.

Everett Poole’s Chandlery has marine supplies as well as his hand-carved, hand-painted small buoys for key chains. Always an interesting conversation or two and definitely a history lesson as well.

Virginia Crowell Jones’s Foc’sle Locker has a great assortment of books for all ages from cook books to maritime adventures, wool sweaters and vests, scarves and cards. Ginny will buy your maritime books if you are willing to part with them. She will appraise them for you to determine the value as well. Call her at 508-693-6397.

Next stop is Menemsha Fish Market and a visit with Stanley and Lanette Larsen for a cup of chowder or a lobster roll at the counter or to takeout. They have gift cards available as well. Menemsha Pond scallops are in.

And down by Dutcher Dock, Menemsha Texaco is open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. with Marshall and Katie Carroll and Carl Crocker always ready with a few stocking stuffers, Squid Row hats or T-shirts, and Martha’s Vineyard Fisherman’s Preservation Trust tee shirts.

Laurie Perry reminds us that the Martha’s Vineyard NAACP will hold its annual holiday bazaar on Saturday, Dec. 16 at the Oak Bluffs Senior Center on Wamsutta avenue. The bazaar is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Congratulations to Lucas and Megan Batzer on the birth of their daughter Kaia Isabelle Batzer born on Dec. 6. Kaia is their first child and thus the first grandchild of Max and Cheryl Batzer. We will look forward to her arrival at Lobsterville this coming summer.

Great to see the Buchwald family on Sunday evening before they headed home to Washington, D.C. — Joel, Tamara, Corbin and Tate. Corbin did very well over the weekend participating in a road race, coming in second in his age group and if I recall coming in fifth overall.

Carolyn Feltz and her husband Jerry Wiener recently returned from an all too brief trip to New Jersey and New York to visit with family. Carolyn has been the Aquinnah town clerk for the past 12 years and has decided to retire from that position by the end of December. She is really irreplaceable and will be greatly missed around the town hall. Voting days have always been interesting and perhaps she will join us on the Board of Registrars or maybe even run for Constable in the spring as that position needs to be filled. Anyway, all of her efforts have been greatly appreciated and have not gone unnoticed.

Condolences to the family and friends of Ruth Rocha who passed away this week. Ruth and I worked together a few years ago and she would always bake my favorite lemon meringue pie for me and send me home with her delicious lemon squares. She worked for many years at the A&P in Tisbury and then she worked very hard for several families in West Chop, only retiring just a few years ago. Services were held on Wednesday.

Happy birthday wishes this week to Mataquhas Vanderhoop who celebrated his second birthday on Dec. 8. Tamara Buchwald celebrated on Dec. 10 and shared the day with Dr. Karen Casper. Christopher Manning celebrated his birthday on Dec. 12.