Winter in New England with its short dark days can prompt you to count the seconds until spring is ready to produce its various shades of green. Yet sometimes the season of grays and browns can wrap you with what feels like a warm towel — a warm towel fresh from the dryer like your mother might have wrapped you in after you had spent so long swimming that your lips were the deepest shade of blue.

And despite the frigid temperature, the warmest of grays and browns on a constantly changing shoreline can be like a splendid mosaic of color bringing light to an endless winter.

Babies also bring light to our lives. Reno Hendrix McDowell was born on Dec. 7 to Ross McDowell and Sophie Guymer. He takes up residence in southern California but calls Scott McDowell and Shakti Reynolds paternal grandparents.

On Jan. 9, a six pound seven ounce baby boy joined the Esposito family who reside in New Jersey. Oliver is the second child born to Casey (Kimber) and Nic, which makes sweet Bee a big sister, and Sarah and Warren Kimber doting grandparents once again.

Please keep Ted Mayhew in your thoughts. He was taken by MedFlight to Mass General Tuesday and, although the details aren’t important right now, your well wishes, prayers, positive thoughts and more are essential to both his and his family’s well-being. Teddy, we hope to see you circling the shore soon with your ever present smile.

More than 40,000 US Coast Guard members have missed paychecks. In our town alone there are two dozen affected, not including their families. Our community has pulled together to help support our friends and neighbors in their time of need. If you’d like to contribute cash, gift cards or other, please contact the Coast Guard Spouses’ Association of Menemsha at cgsamenemsha@gmail.com. To drop a check in the mail, send it to USCG Station Menemsha, 20 Edy’s Island Way, Chilmark, Ma. 02535, or deposit it in one of the drop boxes placed around the Island including Menemsha Texaco. The USCG motto is semper paratus which means always ready. We need to remind them that we, too, are always ready to assist when needed.

Margaret Pénicaud writes from the comfort of her State Road home to share news of a free spaghetti dinner and showing of the documentary Apparition Hill on Tuesday, Jan. 29 at Saint Augustine’s in Vineyard Haven. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. The event is a fundraiser for a parish pilgrimage to Yugoslavia. Call 508-693-2797 with questions.

Feb. 9 is not only the Chilmark School PTO Fundraiser at the CCC from 7 to 11 p.m. but it’s also the night of the ensemble concert showcase at Pathways with Siren Mayhew, Sean McMahon, Christine Seidel, George Davis, Aaron Lowe, Julius Lowe and Laura Walton performing at an event titled Pop Friction: Shades of Love. That event is from 7 to 9 p.m. The center of town is certainly going to be a busy place. Just as an aside, PathwaysARTS is celebrating its 10th anniversary of bringing the arts to Island audiences throughout the off-season.

Ed Sussman and Dana Nunes arrived at the Evan’s Bay Marina in Wellington, New Zealand to set up camp for a few days during their winter adventure down under. While quietly reading in their van a familiar couple strolled by. It was none other than Matt and Molly (Peach) Mayhew. Dana shares that the couple recently finished touring the North Island and are preparing to settle in for Molly’s studies at Victoria University where she will obtain a master’s in marine conservation. The four had a nice visit before Ed and Dana set off on the ferry for five weeks on the South Island. The chances of four Islanders bumping into each other on the other side of the world seemed pretty small yet, look at that, it happened.

Send Chilmark news to squidrow@vineyard.net.