August is not my favorite month. For those of you who know me, I make every attempt to see the glass half full rather than half empty. The big three — Illumination, Fair and Fireworks — have now become a memory, but along with the August heat, traffic and attitudes, there are late blooming flowers, after work dips in the ocean, hurricane waves and eager anticipation of back to school, bittersweet hugs and farewells from summer friends.

For many of the recent high school graduates, it’s off-Island trips to Bed, Bath & Beyond, Target and maybe Home Goods to gather all of those things that will make a college dorm room feel homey. Oona Carroll, who was Falmouth Academy’s valedictorian, will embark on an adventure to Mount Holyoke College. Science, Arts, Industry captivated Kestutis Biskis and he will be wearing a Wildcats T-shirt representing the University of New Hampshire. Axel Abrams finds himself situated at Western Colorado University in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. Winter for him is going to be, as they say, “epic.” Clara Athearn, after getting her wisdom teeth extracted, will head to College of the Atlantic.

I’ll be honest, I just learned this week that former longtime Chilmark School educator, Jill Rosenkrantz, is an amazing dessert creator. She appeared on Squid Row just as Clara finished her final shift with a cheers-you-are-off-to-college decadent mousse-y cake. It was, to put it simply, divine. It happened just as the sun was appearing after a number of inches of rain fell. Perfection.

Eleven-year-old Penny Athearn is no worse for the wear after taking an ambulance ride from the Fair to the hospital. While working with her calf, it got a little rambunctious and gave her a kick to the mouth. Fortunately for Penny, the ride with Tri-Town Ambulance turned out to be precautionary and she is a-ok. Penny, along with her friend Josie Persinko, joined the cake eating festivities on Squid Row.

A lot of familiar names had ribbons beside them at the Fair this year. Let’s see if I can recall a few. Clara Athearn and her dairy calf Salem took a blue ribbon along with a few others, including a first place glazed bowl. Penny Athearn and her calf Bean also were adorned with a blue — along with a third place for some cool earrings. Sgt. Garrison Vieira’s daughters, Alyssa and Nayelli, took a first and second for their goats. Young Finely Wilbur’s duck and ducklings earned a first place ribbon and little brother Oscar entered some fine cucumber’s that survived despite the critter intrusion to their family garden. Hailey and Freya Mayhew’s junior mask entries earned a blue and a red ribbon as did their puppets.

Emme Carroll, Oona Carroll and Annalee Wike all entered pottery bowls and reveled in their first, second and third place ribbons. Preschooler Ida Mayhew’s wooden boat earned her a blue ribbon. Lizzie Soros earned herself the Barbara Lazarus Junior Best Brownie Award. Bobby Brown’s gigantic sunflower earned him a red ribbon. Kristen Brown’s home garden display not only earned a blue ribbon, but also the Paul Jackson Home Garden Display Award. Hollis Oliver entered seven items and took home eight prizes. His oil painting earned first place and the William Bradford Whiting Award.

I could go on and on hip, hip, hooraying and sharing Chilmarker accolades, but, I’ll plainly state, “I wish I had a talent to share.”