A Vineyard tale. Tamma, Bobbie Jo and I were doing errands. Stopped at Rockland bank. I saw a horseshoe crab in the driveway, and thought I would like the shell for my garden. Tamma went to retrieve it. The whole crab was alive and in there! We drove it to the beach and released it. Nothing like finding perfectly good shellfish in a bank parking lot.

Bloomsday is upon us, the celebration of James Joyce’s Ulysses. This year it is on Sunday June 16 at 8 p.m. at the Katharine Cornell Theater. Tickets are available at the door or in advance at Bunch of Grapes. This is the 41st continuous celebration put on by Arts & Society. I thank John Crelan for being at the helm of this extraordinary evening. Gerry Yukevitch will read from The Boarding House, Molly Conole will sing, and dance is on the menu. Philip Dieterich will be the pianist. And, as always, Pam Schnatterly returns as Molly Bloom. Come see your friends and neighbors do what they do best.

I ran into Shirley Robinson at Stop & Shop. She is such a delight! She is looking forward to my son and his family’s visit next week.

I am happy to report that Stop & Shop has finally gotten aisle markers back up describing the contents of each aisle. That renovation confused us all.

The Vineyard Haven Library is offering a free craft event for grownups at 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 8. We will be learning to make rope baskets. I’ll see you there.

The library has the paintings of Elizabeth R. Whelan in Art in the Stacks. You may view her capturing of off-season Island life throughout June during regular library hours. Her work is also available at the Night Heron Gallery on Main street.

While I was downtown I stopped in at the beautiful Island Music store. I was pleased to learn that their open mic night every other Tuesday will still be a summer event. It entertained a lot of us in the off-season. Check it out.

I had the pleasure of knowing poet Judith Neeld during her time on-Island. The West Tisbury Library has a special presentation on Tuesday, June 11 at 4:30 p.m. Judith and her husband not only published a poetry magazine, but Judith was also the recipient of the Emily Dickinson award from the Poetry Society of America.

Condolences to the family of Gene DeFelice. He served in the Marine Corps and was a great asset to our Legion Hall. I shall never forget him.

Billy Dias was the mayor of Vineyard Haven. Condolences to his friends and family. Billy was one-of-a-kind.

Belated birthday bouquets to Laurie Marotta. The birthday bandwagon pulled along Sam Cotton on June 4. Jackie Belleville celebrated on June 6. Wendy Fitting, Miles Gross and David Alan Friedman party on June 8. And on June 9 Naromar DePaula takes the cake. Many happy returns.