It’s hitting its stride now, this thing called summer on the Vineyard. Yesterday the Island was awash in red white and blue, the Fourth of July dawned hot and sunny and all paused for picnics, parades and patriotism.

Today it’s beach days end-to-end (ditto for the traffic), the grandchildren have sunburned shoulders, the old farmhouse is strewn with sand and tiny shoes, and the dogs like to sprawl in the cool corners where the breeze blows in off the field.

Tomorrow it will be August — or so it seems as the Island rounds the mark in another summer season.

Two old Islanders bumped into each other the other day and had the familiar conversation:

“Hey, nice to see you, how’s the summer going?”

“Busier than I can ever remember.”

“No kidding. Is it getting busier or are we just getting older?”

“Possibly both.”

“See you around Derby time.”