Even though there were clouds in the sky

the lobsterman brought his pots by.

He stacked them around

and with rope they are bound.

The wind is supposed to blow

so toppled over we hope they won’t go.

We adorned them with lights

and reveled at the sight.

We hope the light’s twinkle

will help the community jingle!

Wayne Iacono hauled his lobster gear and brought it home to mend over the course of the winter in preparation for soaking them again in the spring. After careful consideration he decided to trickle a few of them back to Menemsha to bring the community some cheer. The pots were stacked in a pattern reminiscent of a tree alongside the Texaco. Marshall and I helped adorn the limbs with lights that we looked forward to seeing twinkle once the sun had set. All is merry and bright in Menemsha. I urge you to buzz the bight and take a peek.

While you are out and about, be sure to make your way down the Menemsha Crossroad. Margaret Maida, with the help of her clan, really stepped up her decorative game this year. Lights and figures adorn her yard and you cannot help but smile as you pass.

Debbie Hancock’s real estate office, beautifully adorned in festive garb, seems to be the backdrop for passerby holiday photos. Twice now, when I’ve driven by after dark people have been standing in front of the sparkling lights and snapping pictures. I can’t say that I blame them. It sure is beautiful.

Thank you to all who believed me when I said participating in this year’s Adopt a Coastie morale-boosting initiative would be fun. Baskets filled with personalized goodies were dropped off to the 23 personnel currently stationed here in Menemsha. It was a perfect way to show them how truly welcoming Chilmarkers can be. Thanks to the Berinis, the Morgans, Linda Thompson, Mike Salvatore, Mary Breslauer, Debby Packer, Julie Flanders, the Noyes-Keens, Geraldine Brooks, the Cody-Fursts, Jennifer Burkin, Alec and Sally Walsh, the Ambulos, the Coutinhos, Jan Buhrman, Shelley Scheuer, Hellie Neumann, members of the Chilmark Firefighters Association, Janet Weidner and Tom Ruimerman, the Doyle-Benas, the Olivers, the Goldmans and the Kimbers.

Thanks to all who dropped off toys and monetary donations for the Red Stocking Fund at the fire station. Chief Bradshaw made the delivery to Vineyard Haven where donations are being packaged by volunteers and readied for distribution.

Santa is getting ready to visit the littlest Chilmarkers. A few of his elves busied themselves with wrapping gifts this past week. Thank you to Jeremy Bradshaw, David Norton, Bradley Carroll, Linda and Robert Coutinho, Pam Bunker, John Cabral, Janice Brown, Brooke Emin, Forrest Filler, Jonah Maidoff, Nancy Polucci and Tony Palmer. A little extra thank you goes out to Allison Flanders, who not only wrapped but brought some of her decadent Salt Rock Chocolates to share.

Well wishes go out to Lenny Jason, who had a little tune-up on his ticker. After a quick period of down time he is sure to be as fiery as ever. I look forward to seeing him out and about soon.

It was cow bells for Meg Athearn as her feet carried her through the streets of Millinocket, Me, the town whose claim to fame is as the gateway to Mount Katahdin. She completed her first marathon in 4:57:44. The weather may have been chilly but the support she got was enough to warm your heart and soul. Way to go, Meg.

I don’t know if any of you have watched the series Yellowstone but I have. There are a couple of lines spoken by character John Dutton that made me think of here and how things are growing and changing. I can’t recall the exact wording, but one goes something like, “people have stopped living with the planet and instead of live on it” and the other is “There will come a time when Earth sheds us like dead skin, and it will be our own fault.” Ponder that for a while.