Well the record book on March closes Saturday night and it has been one of the stormiest and colder months in recent record. Some have said it was the worst of the winter. We made it through our fourth northeast storm which proved to be relatively mild compared to the others. There were several boat cancellations as the wind gusted to 40 mph. The month was like a lion with cold, snow, wet and very windy weather.

Well spring may have finally arrived and along with it the lambing season. The mill pond will soon be stocked with trout. Friday is Good Friday and Sunday is Easter, no fooling. The Congregational Church will continue to serve Wednesday community suppers throughout April.

Two SSA boats had to be taken out of service unexpectedly last week causing a stir and proving how vital that service is to us. The Seastreak, freight boats Gay Head and Sankaty filled in. The Woods Hole returned to service Sunday afternoon easing the auto reservation problem and the Martha’s Vineyard is expected back this week. After the initial shock, the SSA is to be commended for their work in keeping folks informed and helping with reservations.

Rev. Cathlin Baker will start Easter with a 9 a.m. service in the church, then move on to the Agricultural Hall where she will conduct a Community Easter Service and the annual Easter egg hunt.

Phyllis Meras, of Music street, returned home last Friday after a business trip to Boston.

Anna Alley, of State Road, returned home on Monday after a weekend visiting her sister Nina and her husband Dr. Dieter Pohl, her brother Donnie in Providence, and the grandchildren and their parents in Taunton.

Lynne Whiting reports that the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival recently hosted two sold-out screenings of David and Barbarella Fokos’s film, A Painter Who Farms. The 50 minute documentary about artist/sheep farmer Allen Whiting was produced by Chris and Sheila Morse. It will be shown again on the big screen this summer, date and time TBA, so stay tuned.

Tara Whiting, town clerk, wants to remind you that if you will not be available to vote in person at the annual election on April 12 you can vote via an absentee ballot at the town hall until noontime on Wednesday. The annual town meeting warrant this year contains 56 articles and one ballot question seeking $400,000 to fund the annual budget. The town reports will soon be out and about. Olivia Larsen, over at the library, reports on some of the upcoming activities. Saturday at 10 a.m., the library will host its annual spring egg hunt. On Saturday at 6 p.m., the library will host a concert featuring Island singer/songwriters Siren Mayhew and Sean McMahon. On Monday at 6 p.m., join the MV Community Seed Library group for their monthly Seed Saving Club.

History note: on Easter Sunday of 1946 the Congregational Church held a special service, the first part of it included all the Sunday school children. Those participating were Rita and Winnie Alley, Sylvia and Carol Spencer, Virginia Bardwell, Jane Austin, Judith Barker, John Alley, Crichton Magee and Robert Vincent. The girls were dressed in crepe paper costumes representing spring flowers. The Easter song was sung by all the children accompanied by Pricilla Fischer at the piano. Pansy plants were given to each child by the church and were presented by James Alley. After a short sermon by the pastor, William Thompson, Inez Cahoon and George Magnuson sang a duet of Easter hymns. The church was attractively decorated with lilies, jonquils and forsythia.

Happy Birthday to Marin Street and Alan Bilzerian Friday; Nancy Cole, Mary Keenan, Carl Van Rooyen and Emily Cohan tomorrow; Alison Barrett, Linda Fischer, Mickey Stone, Heikki Soikkeli, Bob Woodruff and Paige and Claudia Taylor on Sunday; John Stanwood, Silas Andrews and Nancy Brennan on Monday; Stacey Gouldrup, Rise Terney and Wyatt Jenkinson on Tuesday; Marlene DiStefano, Morgan Michalski, John Hoff, Deborah Mayhew and Andrew Worlock on Wednesday; Lauri McAuliffe, Chuck Hodgkinson Susan Britt, Kari Scott, Micheline Sonia, Joe Van Ness and Phil Spaulding on Thursday. Belated Birthday wishes to Emily Gadd, Janice Goldklang, Doris Clark and Kaitlyn Hart.

Well that is of the social news for this edition. If you have any news you would like to share please call or email me. Have a great week. I am quite sure that on Sunday all you ladies will all be wearing colorful Easter bonnets and the men sporting new neckties. Those of us with a Portuguese heritage will continue the time-honored tradition of giving a loaf of Easter sweet bread (with hard-boiled eggs inside) to their friends and neighbors. Best wishes for a Happy Easter! Have a great week.

Send West Tisbury news to alleys@vineyard.net.