Two, count ‘em two, West Tisbury authors have been blessed with recognition in this past Sunday’s New York Times Book Review.

One is a combination article, review and charming photograph of Geraldine Brooks for her new memoir, Memorial Days, about her dealing with the sudden death of her husband Tony Horwitz. Geraldine, as you probably know, is an Australian/American author, Pulitzer Prize winner, and a member of our town’s conservation commission. Her most recent novel is Horse, which she nearly abandoned part-way when Tony died so unexpectedly. Her readers are grateful that she finished the book.

In Memorial Days, the author is gobsmacked by the shock and the crush of attention facing her in the immediate aftermath of her loss. Geraldine decides to seek solace, to have a chance to think and to mourn, on a remote little island off the coast of Australia. In many ways, her description of Flinders Island is much like the Vineyard must have been early in the 20th century. She knows that the Vineyard is not the quiet, comforting place she needs, especially on Memorial Day weekend.

Nicole Galland’s new novel also draws praise in the book review section. Nicole grew up attending the West Tisbury and regional high schools, and keeps in touch with childhood friends and family here. Her latest book is called Boy and like many of Nicole’s previous novels, takes place several hundred years ago. The ‘boy’ is an actor playing female roles in Shakespeare’s plays in Elizabethan London, where “love, intrigue and gender-swapping” have been delighting critics. If historic fiction is not your cuppa, and you would rather read a Vineyard-based, contemporary book of Nicole’s, you might enjoy On the Same Page, loaded with love, intrigue and byline swapping.

Speaking of boys, the younger generation of Mayhews has added a boy-child to the local population. Katie Mayhew and Sean McMahon are parents of Angus Sean Patrick Mayhew McMahon, born here on March 10, weighing it at a hefty 8 pounds and 12 ounces. Angus is the brother of Isla and Fiona, and the grandson of Deborah Mayhew. Welcome, big little guy.

So the sun has crossed the yardarm and I have crossed my fingers that spring has indeed arrived. With any luck at all, the Vineyard will sample many blessings of the season before Memorial Day.

One of those annual events is the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. The double feature series runs March 26 to 30, some at the Grange Hall and some at the Capawock in Vineyard Haven. The Grange series begins Thursday, March 27, showing Beyond the Gaze at 5 p.m., offering dinner and music at 7 p.m. and screening Tokito at 8:15.

There are more movies Friday and through the weekend, with dinner between the films each evening, and lunch between films on Saturday and Sunday.

Meanwhile, baseball season has begun for boys and girls, and is no longer part of Little League. Tryouts and evaluations have already taken place within the newly-designated Martha’s Vineyard Youth Baseball and Softball season. The local program is open to boys and girls of all genders between four and 19. Slightly older folks who might like to coach, ump or volunteer, please email Ernie Chaves.

Happy birthday to Julie Robinson Friday, March 21, and to Dan Sauer on Sunday, March 23. Take the rest of the day off, Dan.