We have had a stretch of beautiful, perfect fall days here on Chappy.

This weekend temperatures climbed into the seventies, with little wind and clear blue skies. The water is still warm enough for swimming, although the impending chill is now noticeable. On both Saturday and Sunday, many people were out on East Beach, soaking in another end-of-the-season beach day. We have been so lucky to have many of them this September.

On Saturday night, my husband and I took advantage of the still evening to go for a sunset kayak from the Dyke Bridge out to Cape Pogue Bay, stopping mid-ride for a picnic on the shore. It was the kind of evening where the water reflected the sky so perfectly it was difficult to tell where one ended and the other began. With bare toes tucked in the sand, we ate dinner and watched the sun dip below the horizon in a spectacular blaze of purple and orange. Then we climbed back into our boats to paddle home in the near-dark, noticing the sparkle of phosphorescence in our wake.

Since it is derby season, many fishermen dotted the shoreline, occasionally calling out to us as we traveled past. In the still night air, their voices carried easily across the water.

“Hope the mosquitoes aren’t as thick out there as they are here,” one called. “Cause, Jeee-sus, they are thick. Not as thick as the fish but still thick,” he continued, as he felt the tug of another fish on his line.

At the Dyke Bridge, SUVs and trucks silently passed each other in the night, headlights bouncing off the water. Quiet, dark figures cast lines from the bridge, the “plunk” of the lure audible when the vehicles were absent.

It was a beautiful night to be out.

If you have not visited Mytoi recently, I strongly encourage you to. With the hectic pace of summer finally behind us, my nearly-two-year-old daughter and I loaded into the bike trailer and headed down the road for a visit to the garden last week. We followed the path, moving at Juna’s pace and pausing on the bridge to sit in the sunshine for a bit. There we watched the turtles swim by, each one popping its head out of the water to sternly observe us for a moment before paddling away.

Marc Fournier took over as the head gardener at Mytoi this spring, and his hard work this summer is apparent. Plants, new and old, are well-pruned and freshly mulched. There are new benches, a ramp up to the bridge, and an all-new seating area in the entrance. The tea house looks out over an immaculate and well-cared for garden. It was such a peaceful visit, and I look forward to another trip there soon. Well done, Marc, thank you for all your hard work. The next Chappy potluck at the community center is Oct. 2.

Send Chappy news to slipawayfarm@gmail.com.