If you’ve been to any of the 63 National Parks, you know already that it’s more than just a pretty place; it is an awe inspiring experience. Most weeks I try to keep my column focus on you, but occasionally I just have to share a little bit about me. I’ve set a goal to visit each of the National Parks. Yes, there are a lot. Yes, some of them are a challenge to get to like Gates of the Arctic in Alaska that requires a charter plane to access. I’ve decided to tick the boxes of those in the lower 48 first.

I have a willingness to visit the parks on my own, but when your adult child says, “Mom, let’s go together!” you accept the invitation. Bradley and I have returned from sea level at Ruby Beach in Washington’s Olympic National Park, 5,400 feet of elevation at Mount Rainier National Park’s Henry Jackson Visitor Center, and a whole bunch of sites in between. All 14,410 feet of Mount Rainier was visible on what was a most unexpected blue sky day. I’m still feeling gratefully speechless.

While I was in Washington, Jan Burhman traveled to Arkansas for an adventure with family and friends.
Well wishes go out to Stan Mercer who was a tad under the weather as well as Warren Doty. Thankfully, both find themselves on the mend.

It’s a big week for birthday celebrations. Ty Sinnett, Alicia Knight, Steve Flanders, Don Sexton, Adam Miller, Dianne Smith, Ann Noyes, Chas Hollinger, Katy Kurth, Noah and Jules Stuber, Peter Cook, Sarah Kimber, Scott McDowell, Delilah Meegan, Brooks Carroll, Clarissa Allen, Rebecca Haag, Susan Larsen and I am sure plenty more celebrate this week. Clarissa, Westley, Brooks and Susan all would have shared a day with Basil Welch if he were still here with us. I think of him at this time of year and likely will for the rest of my life. I wish you all and those I missed, yet another, wonderful trip around the sun.

They may not call Martha’s Vineyard home anymore — Coast Guard life can be transient — but, nevertheless, the Wood family stays connected. Let’s shout out a hip, hip, hooray welcoming their newest family member Amelia Bethany Wood. Parents Jordan and Brian and big sisters Avalee and Rylee are thrilled with her presence.

In preparation for April 28 annual town meeting, Sarah Glazer shares there will be a public information session at the Chilmark Library on Saturday, April 19 from 4 to 5 p.m. Stop by to ask your questions so you may vote next week feeling informed.

You may have noticed one of our fire trucks had been parked outside in front of a broken door at the Menemsha Crossroad station. Yes, unbeknownst to anyone, it was slowly wiggling off its track until one day it just, for lack of better words, popped. Fortunately no one was close enough to experience any injury and the company has since been to town to repair it.

Congratulations to Aquinnah police officer David Murphy who retired last week. He may have taken his last cruise down State Road as a full time Aquinnah officer, but we will see him in a sheriff’s department uniform soon. His change in scheduling should allow him more time for family, spinning tunes, teaching gun safety classes and more.

Members of USCG Station Menemsha lent a hand to the very busy Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head Natural Resources Department. They have been monitoring resident striped bass in Squibnocket Pond and Menemsha Ponds and, with the help of some Coasties, they are now able to detect any outgoing fish with the recently deployed receiver just outside of Menemsha Harbor. According to the department, “Along with being a final checkpoint for our fish to identify times of arrival, departure, and estimate residency times, this receiver will also be able to detect other animals of scientific study that are tagged with the same acoustic tracking technology.”

The Natural Resources Department also installed a fish weir at the herring run along with an underwater camera as part of their river herring monitoring program. You can be one with the fish and watch the activity live-streaming on their website. Tuning in is worth the time.

Along with the osprey and pinkletinks the running of the herring is a thrill for those who look for glimpses of spring on the water. It’s a sure sign when you hear the osprey squawking from above then, once it locks in its sight, watch it swoop down from above, encircle its talons and emerge from the water invigorated by the catch. A herring in its grasp is the reward.