“Get some exercise, then go back home. It’s not a holiday, it’s a pandemic.”

This is, by far, one of my favorite quotes as of late. It was blasted out through the Mount Washington Avalanche Center after hundreds of people flocked to ski Tuckerman’s Ravine.

Recently, much of the mountain has been closed due to concerns regarding the spread of Covid-19. Martha’s Vineyard is strikingly similar to the Mount Washington Valley. People flock here and there in search of outdoor recreation. They issued another statement just the other day which politely asked folks to stick close to home and reminded those who seek outdoor excitement in the Whites that the “mountains have been around for a long time and will be here when life returns to normal.”

These thoughts can easily apply to the beaches and woodland trails of Martha’s Vineyard. Get out, exercise, run your essential errands, but then go back home. Read books, plant seeds, bake cookies, watch movies, build things, paint things, sew masks, enjoy your family, make phone calls, work and plan from home, Facetime friends and do everything in your power to alleviate the pressure on our health care providers and essential workers. The beaches have been around for a long time and will be here when life returns to normal.

The excavator was hard at work Monday creating the opening between Tisbury Great Pond and the Atlantic. The channel was cut and flowing water in short time, alleviating the pressure on pond side basements. Flushing the pond also allows an adjustment in salinity levels. Johnny Hoy could share lots of info about the herring that will, hopefully, return to the pond. The cut may seem simplistic, but when you think about it, it’s extraordinarily scientific.

Saturday and Tuesday of this past week provided folks with an opportunity to get their hands on straight-from-the-boat sea scallops. Captain Wes Brighton tied his vessel Martha Rose alongside Menemsha’s commercial dock and sold his catch in neatly packed one pound bags to those who got the word in time to line up 6 feet apart. He hopes to make this a regular thing.

Fresh from the boat scallops were well complimented by a fine assortment of seafood offerings from Stanley and Lanette Larsen’s Menemsha Fish Market. They’ve been open every afternoon and request you place your orders by phone for curbside delivery: 508-645-2282.

Todd Christy has been busy roasting coffee. He’s keeping the shelves at Cronig’s and Grey Barn well supplied.

I have been wondering if the ospreys have made their way back to the Lewenberg’s pole on Osprey Lane? I’ve spotted them soaring above the road near Belden’s and wished I had a camera when I saw one one sitting in a tree feasting on something grasped tight in its talons.

Genc Brinja celebrated his birthday last weekend with a virtual house party hosted by a wonderful group of friends. He also started the day with cake for breakfast because, why not.

In addition to birthday wishes to Genc, I’d like to shout out a big thank you to all of you who are doing your best to adhere to the stay-at-home order. Your health care providers appreciate you. Your community appreciates you. The Earth appreciates you. You are setting a good example and it hasn’t gone unnoticed.

Sit a spell in your yard, eyes closed and have a meditative listen. The birds sing. The crows caw. The surf ripples along the shore. Your neighbors till the soil. Deer creep through the dried leaves of last fall. If you listen really closely, you just might hear the buds popping out on the trees.