The heat is up, the humidity is back and the beaches are crowded. But we need rain. The ground is dry and the ponds are going down. As I write this, I am watching the rain radar and it is going to the north of us. But I am still hoping.

Happy Birthday to all who celebrated their day this past week. Big balloons go out to Tyler Batchelder and Veyda Pearl, who celebrated their day on July 18; Talia Young on July 19; and to Victor Da Costa and Judah Levy who celebrated their day on July 20.

My co-worker Sara Santos Frade celebrated her birthday last Friday so we all ventured to Oak Bluffs to the Barn Bowl & Bistro for dinner. I played trivia there before Covid hit us and so I knew the meals were good. But I have to say: what we ate was even better than before. We all had a great time and the birthday girl, her boyfriend Lucas, and friends Angel and Agata stayed for some bowling. It was a great night and it was nice to visit outside of work.

Chris Baer, who does Martha’s Vineyard Old Style photos on Facebook, has been sharing old photos of farmers from the past, some of whom are no longer with us. There are photos of Fred Fisher from Nip ‘n Tuck farm. A lot of adults on this Island were raised drinking his milk from his cows. My friend Ann Bannerman used to deliver the milk early mornings before her farm chores at Featherstone Farm or even before that at Tashmoo Farm with Libby and Elsie. She always said that when she saw kids that she delivered milk to, you could tell they were raised on it because they were big and strong and no there were no additives in the milk, so they were healthy.

Other pictures are of Arnold Fischer and his lambs, Marjorie Rogers, Pondview Farm and, of course, a young Jim Athearn of Morning Glory Farm as the ringmaster at the Fair. There are Ralph and Ethel Sherman who ran SBS for a long time and supplied all those farmers. It sure took me and many others back in time to those days when we really did live off the land and sea.

Kids of all ages are welcome to drop in at the Edgartown Library and explore their under the sea mural to learn about the different sea creatures and to “adopt” a stuffed sea creature to take home (while supplies last). For each animal adopted, the Friends of the Edgartown Library will make a donation to the Ocean Conservancy.

Have a great week and keep the home candles burning.