Here we go again with round two of heat, and we are just coming into August. But we can consider ourselves lucky because we live on an Island filled with beauty and — best of all — a sea breeze.

Happy birthday to all who celebrated their day this past week. Big balloons go out to Diego Valentim, who celebrated his day July 27; Ryan Lauriano on July 28; Ayla Silva, July 29; Chloe Cook on July 30, and to Cassidy Kelleher and Nolan Murphy who celebrated their day August 1.

Mom used to say don’t wish your time away as I complained that the time was going so slow for me to do anything on my own. She would say that soon the days would fly by and you will wish the day would slow down. I remember thinking that I doubted her. Boy was I wrong. Here it is August already, and yesterday was Memorial Day.

July is busy but August is the month with the Fair, Illumination, and the fireworks. Kids in the middle states and southern states go back to school, the weather gets (somehow) hotter than it is now, yikes, freshman college students get ready to go to their first year away from home, as their parents prepare for a little quietness in their house. Busy and fast — that is what August is, so take some time and enjoy it.

I watched Jaws the other day. I can’t remember the last time I watched it, but seeing all the Islanders who’d been involved in the movie, the scenes with the beaches and the now old ER which was brand new when they filmed it, it all seems not so long ago. I was home from college for the summer and teaching riding lessons at Featherstone Farm. We would go to the beach between 12 and 2 to cool off and get to watch the filming of the movie. The crowd in the water! The whistle would blow and they would all come out...then in again. Watching the Islanders, those that are no longer with us, and those that are and get to share their experiences on a movie set with their children and grandchildren.

People were scared to go in the water after the film was released, for no reason as the sharks never came close. And now they are being watched just off the coast. Times change, we change, things change. That’s life.

This Saturday, August 3, Tom Dresser will speak at the Carnegie at 2 p.m. on his new book, A Travel History of Martha’s Vineyard. He will focus on the historical aspects of the steamship, the train and the trolley, and he will be happy to answer questions. The talk is open to the public and books will be available for purchase.

Have a great week and keep the home candles burning.

Send Edgartown news to kathleencase@comcast.net.