When I started writing this article, the sun was shining. Then it turned dark as night and the skies opened up. It rained so hard I thought all the leaves were going to come off the trees. This side of Edgartown did not get hail this time, but there were some big pellets in Vineyard Haven and Oak Bluffs. We sure have been having some strange days.

The Island has been full and lots of people are here. Some are strangers here for the first time, but there are many who summer here.

By the time you read this, the parades will be over, all the candy will have been thrown out to the kiddies, the fireworks will have filled the sky with their colors and people will be getting ready to go back to their homes after a week of vacation.

Happy birthday to all who celebrated their day this past week. Big balloons go out to Jordan Souza and Emma Waltersdorf who celebrated their day June 30; Sophia Santos on July 1; Maria DeFreitas on July 2; Robert Manning, Landin Medeiros, Tayshaun Parris, and Nicholas Penni who all celebrated July 3, and to Harold Harris and Peter Rosbeck who celebrate their day today, July 5.

The Federated Church welcomes the Rev. Dr. Charlotte Wright. Please join them on Sunday, July 7 at either the 8:00 a.m. or 9:30 a.m. service, to welcome our new minister. Most recently, pastor Charlotte served as the minister at Chilmark Community Church for the past two years, and she has been an on-Island elementary school substitute teacher. She will help us during the transition and process of finding a new settled pastor. All are welcome.

On Tuesday July 9, the Edgartown Public Library will start its summer concert with the Joel Harrison Trio. Concerts start at 6:30 p.m. and go for about an hour, located on the library’s front lawn, with chairs provided! These are some of my favorite events of the summer, as we get to sample our local talent and meet up with neighbors.

I walked through town the other night and giggled to myself as I had been thinking that the sidewalks were bare, a lot of the stores were closed, and there were hardly any boats in the harbor. That night we had to walk single file, all the stores were open and the harbor was filled with all kinds of boats, and the launches were running. What a difference a day makes.

Have a great week and keep the home candles burning.

Send Edgartown news to kathleencase@comcast.net.