Well, Anna and I went down to North Carolina to attend her nephew, Nick Pohl’s graduation ceremony at Davidson College. We had great fun and stayed with Charlie and Stevie Kernick at their condo. They showed us around, took us to the local farmers’ market first of the season onions, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, strawberries, peaches and pecans were on sale. There are no shortages of places to dine and Charlie made reservations at the Epic Chophouse in Mooreville. The building has a lot of history. When it opened in 1888 it was a general store. It is home to the first electric elevator in the state. It has a large mural on the north exterior wall advertising a 1927 Franklin automobile and the local garage that sold them. The chop house has been there for about 20 years and is very popular. The manager told me we were dining out on a slow night. They will serve just over 700 dinners.

The graduation was held outside at the college under a bright blue sky about 450 students and over 2,000 members of their families and friends attended. Congratulations Nick!

On Tuesday we drove down to Georgetown, S.C. and passed by numerous fields of corn. The further south we drove the taller the corn. By the time we got to McBee, S.C. it was three feet tall. It is host to a huge roadside stand that among other things served the freshest strawberry shortcake I ever tasted. Wednesday was a visit to Charleston, a beautiful city, and tour guide Anna had a visit to Myrtle Beach. The next day it just happened to be Black Bikers Week. My word, the motorcycles of all sizes and shapes. If you think the VTA buses are loud it is nothing alongside a few of those bikes.

Old friends Walter and Lisa Smith, of Augusta, Ga. were at the graduation and invited us down to see them before we went back home. So on Friday we drove down to their house to visit them and the whole Smith family. We all had a wonderful dinner and a fun filled evening. Other family members present were their daughter Megan and her boyfriend, son Bruce and his wife Angie and their daughter Georgia who was graduating from high school the next day and will be attending Valdosta State University in the fall, son Spencer, daughter Kelly and her son from Colorado. We flew from Charlotte to Boston Sunday afternoon. Needless to say we had a wonderful time.

Tanya Larsen, assistant director of the Up-Island Council on Aging, reports that outreach coordinator Ellen Reynolds, has announced she will be retiring in July after 23 years of service. But don’t worry, you will still find Ellen visiting farm stands or at the beach, taking her photographs, and spending time with her family. For those who are unable to visit Ellen before her last day in the office on June 15, please join us on Friday, July 13 from 2 to 4 p.m. for light refreshments and to wish Ellen well.

Dionis Montrowl reports that The Congregational Church invites all to its spring concert, For Lo, The Winter is Past, on Sunday at 3 p.m. The program will feature Daniel Pinkham’s Wedding Cantata. For more information, call 508-693-2842.

History note: In June of 1954 the building boom in town continued to mushroom. First, the Sam Thompson barn was moved across Old County Road and renovated into living quarters, then Mrs. Marian Kelsey, of Hamburg, Conn. purchased the barn and adjoining lot from Mabel Johnson, of Edgartown Road. Construction began on another summer home on Old County Road, a Cape Cod style cottage for Mrs. Margaret Young of Morrisville, N.Y. on land purchased from Mrs. Albert Carman of Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Lumber from the former Santos house on Music street torn down by the town was used in the construction of Mrs. Young’s home. Her neighbor, Mrs. Carman, also had a large addition put onto her house. Daniel Manter was the contractor for all of the building jobs. Phyllis Smith had the kitchen wing of the former Canary Cottage moved to her property and used it as a summer camp.

Happy birthday to Eric Magnuson and June Morell Friday; Linda Alley, Joyce Siberling and Maria Watson Saturday; Patrick Perzanowski, Jenifer Alameda, Sian Williams-Bassett, Bill Blakesley and Wayne Sylvia on Sunday; Stephanie Brothers, Deborah Dennis, George Hartman and Debra Yapp on Monday; Dale Julier, Mona Rosenthal, Margie Meltzer and Jean Powers on Tuesday; Jen Wool, Mary French, Ernie Barrett, Dorothy Gregory, Wanda Higgins and Lee Faraca on Wednesday; Andrea Hartman, Cheryl Grimes, Darcey Neago and Barbara Frankel on Thursday.

Belated birthday greetings to Beth McElhiney, Mary Jane Pease and Simi Horwitz. Anniversary wishes to Tony Silva and Dianne McDonough on Sunday Roger and Gloria Sylva celebrate their 50th on Wednesday.

Well, that is all of the social news for this edition. Wednesday is the 74th anniversary of D-Day. If you have any news please call or email me. Have a great week.

Send West Tisbury news to alleys@vineyard.net.