I am sitting here listening to the weather and wondering what the next few days are going to bring. It is already raining and the wind is blowing, not badly, but it is starting. We have yet to have a frost and the leaves are still green, therefore we have not had any leaf raking. I fear we may be raking in December but my friend Jan used to say when the ponds are full, it is time for winter. So, I fear after this week’s weather, the ponds will be full.

Happy Birthday to all who celebrated their day this past week. Big balloons go out to Pedro Abreu and Daniel Sawers, who celebrated on Oct. 23; Braylin Hattingh on Oct. 24; Emily Crowell, Claire Proctor, and Pablo Venancio on Oct. 25; Isaac Belo, Isabella Burns, Mason Burns, Noah Burns and Highly Marsh on Oct. 27; and to Sydney Bruguiere, who celebrates her day today, Oct. 29.

Happy Anniversary wishes goes out to Kathy and Randy Mercier who celebrated 50 years of marriage on Oct. 25. Congratulations to you both and here is to many more years together.

Happy Birthday to Melanie Krauss, who celebrated her 30th birthday on Oct. 25. Melanie lives in Bridgewater but was on the island to celebrate her day with her parents Cindy and Richard Krauss, sister Haley, and Haley’s fiancé Charlie.

We started to pull the Christmas lights and decorations at the nursery. I know the other holidays have not been celebrated but, as many of you know, there are a lot of lights to be put out and around. If we start now, it is still a little warm, so the workers don’t freeze. As I have said many times as we decorate, “Keep moving or you will get wrapped in lights.”

We are not having the big big event this year but there will be lots of lights and decorations and we will have the variety of ornaments for sale. Plus, there is rumor that there will be wreath making on the Saturday of Christmas in Edgartown which is a fun event to do. The greens will be here in a couple of weeks, then the poinsettias, and then the trees. It does not seem possible but it will be beautiful.

The Edgartown Library is offering Halloween DIY craft bag pick up from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Oct. 25 through Oct. 30. You can go to the children’s room all week to pick up a Halloween DIY trick-or-treat bag. Kids who arrive in costume on Saturday, Oct. 30 will also receive a special Halloween goodie bag.

I am trying to practice what I preach, and I have bought three Christmas presents this year. There are now only seven Fridays ‘till Christmas Eve. It kind of brings the whole thing to reality when you just count the paychecks you have as you try to fit Christmas into your budget.

Have a great week and keep the home candles burning.