Welcome to winter. The weather has adjusted to the season. My friends are cooking more and decorating, so between the delicacies being baked and the pine needles brought into homes our houses are so cozy for the season. Sarah Powell is on town duty for Tea Lane Nursery getting all our street decorations just so. Thank her for her artistic eye when you see her out and about. Soon she will be on duty up at Matt Tobin’s holiday shop at the Woodland shopping area.

Stephen Dunham is back from his work in Arizona for the time being. This peripatetic master carpenter is always at work or on the road. He arrived in the nick of time for Thanksgiving. His Mom, Martha, had a full house of family for the occasion. Martha will be needing some hand surgery in a few weeks. It is her left hand, thankfully not her right, but good to know Stephen will be here to help her out.

You all know of the many events for this season or you may check this paper’s community calendar. A quick reminder about Saturday, Dec. 1 when our American Legion Auxiliary holds its annual fair from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Marrin Road. The first 25 people through the door get a free gift. Raffles, sales, baked goods, food. Our NAACP has a bazaar same day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the senior center in Oak Bluffs. Plan carefully and you can attend both.

The director of our Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, Suzan Bellincampi, will give a talk on her new book, The Nature of Martha’s Vineyard. This is a collection of many of her published columns over the last 16 years. The photos are by Tim Johnson. Suzan covers our birds, fish, amphibians, mammals, plants and sea life. The talk is at 7 p.m. in our library program room on Tuesday. Book signing and refreshments will follow. Suzan lives in West Tisbury with her bees, her honey, and her hand-built house.

The Vineyard Playhouse features Justen Ahren, Jennifer Smith-Turner, Steve Ewing and Margaret Emerson at its second poetry cafe of the season on Thursday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. Arnie Reisman will be there. A mere ten dollars gets you in and tea, coffee, cookies and pie go well with poetry. I’ll see you there.

Walter and Gail Burke have kindly decorated their outdoor tree again. I consider it my tree. Many winter nights when I was recovering, Nonna and I would look out my front window and see that as a beacon of hope for both of us. Thank you, Burkes.

Alex Schilcher is in New York city this week enjoying the transition to lit trees and window decorations.

The birthday bandwagon pulled along Sarah Powell on Nov. 27, and on Dec. 5 Bill Schwabe and Mark Zajackowski take the cake. Many happy returns.