I contacted a couple of West Tisbury friends who drive a Tesla to see how they are dealing with the wacky threats to their brand of vehicles. They are not on-Island right now, but plan to return here shortly, and confess they are concerned about the long drive, “for the car, for us, and for the availability of unharmed charging stations.”

They keep the car garaged, but they also worry about vandalism and, “it seems a strange way to demonstrate against Musk by hurting people who already own the car.” My friend added that they display bumper stickers that portray their opinions of Musk: “He is despicable; in no position to run the country. We want him to go away.”

But, they added, “it’s a great car and we are not going to sell it.”

April means annual town meeting for the town’s full-time residents. This year’s big event begins April 8 at the school at 6 p.m. — actually 5:55 p.m. for a quickie one-item vote on becoming officially designated by the state as a Seasonal Community. Obviously, I said to myself, diverting my eyes heavenward.

The warrant is long, much of it taken up with zoning bylaws, and some of those are changes in the wording of existing bylaws to match the state’s requirements and shouldn’t arouse our emotions. For those with temperaments already stirred by the question of the future of the Mill Pond, it is the last item on the list of warrant articles.

John Athearn, our most neighborly of neighbors, has died. Johnny was the kind of person who arrived on foot, showed up unexpectedly with a wide grin and a curiosity about what was happening at this end of the street. He was boyish in appearance and had a quick raucous laugh. He connected easily and playfully with children and grown-ups alike. It was impossible to know how old he really was.

In his later years, Johnny began painting landscapes, at last allowing his artwork to be shown to the rest of the world. His watercolor landscapes are small, finely detailed and painted with brushes that appear to have only six or eight hairs. He sold them at his brother’s farm stand, Morning Glory Farm, or he gave them away from his living room if you happened to drop by. Nice mementos of an all-around good guy.

Happy wedding anniversary Friday, March 28, to Brian and Kate Athearn.

Birthday wishes this week to Janice Belisle and Holly Wayman on Friday, March 28. The twins Paige and Claudia Taylor will celebrate their big day on Tuesday, April 1. Ted Box and John Stanwood are birthday boys on Wednesday, April 2. Wyatt Jenkinson is the guest of honor Thursday, April 3.

Here’s a ditty I wrote some years ago:

In April the blossoms unfold

Eruptions of daffodils bold

The air is fresh laundered

The birdsong is squandered

But frankly, my dear, I’m still cold.