Spring flowers are in bloom most everywhere, even though the weather, up until last weekend, was unseasonably cold and damp. The baseball field on Sunday hosted a youth baseball game and the tennis courts were also busy. Short-sleeved shirts and shorts were clothing of choice. My thanks to son Sam for sorting the mail at the post office during my absence.

Anna and I returned home Tuesday after an unstructured vacation trip that covered three states. We went to Boston and a Red Sox game last week. I had not been to Fenway Park in 20 years. We had great seats in the State Street pavilion courtesy of Kern Grimes; the weather was great and the view spectacular, but the traffic was a nightmare leaving the game. Nicole Arsen and the grandchildren Robbie and Henry hosted a cookout after the game.

The next day we headed out to Webster to visit old friends Ed and Jane Konicki, it had been four years since our last visit. We had a fun time visiting and meeting their family. Ed showed us all around the town. They know the places that locals frequent and serve great food at a reasonable price but are probably not in any chamber of commerce guide. We highly recommend that if you are in the area of Putnam, Conn., you stop at Mainely Seafood. Donna Moody was a superb hostess, her dimple is almost as big as her smile and besides serving us great food she gave us a history of the business.

At Sunday breakfast in a railroad car dinner in Worcester, Dick Philabosian joined us. We visited Sal Laterra in Providence; he had just finished mowing his lawn and was hanging out his awnings in anticipation of Phyllis Meras’s arrival.

Katie Ruppel reports that John Stanwood went down to Thimble Farm recently to pick up some items and then drove up to the Allen Farm in Chilmark. It was there he realized he was harboring a stoway! A small chicken had climbed into his truck and decided to take a nap.

Linda Baughman, of Philadelphia, Pa, arrived Monday night for her annual spring vacation with Phyllis Meras.

Dan and Elaine Pace are happy to return to the Vineyard to welcome spring after spending a few months between Sanibel Island Fla., Philadelphia and Seattle. They welcomed their grandson Gannon on Sanibel. Gannon’s father ran his 22nd Boston Marathon on Monday, the pride of all the family. Their Philadelphia family includes redhead Julie who is now 18 months old. And their Seattle family includes six-year-old granddaughter Cora, whose birthday they celebrated, and her brother Andrew, three years old. They report that traveling and being grandparents is great fun, but they are glad too to return home to find daffodils blooming all around their Vineyard home.

Friday at 4 p.m. the West Tisbury Library will host a free concert with Charles Terry. Saturday at 2:30 p.m., fittingly on Arbor Day, tree lover Tim Boland’s series of talks continues. Join Tim as he outlines the unique challenges and opportunities of gardening on Martha’s Vineyard. On Tuesday from 5 to 6 p.m. Susie Bowman and Fred Hotchkiss will give a talk on horseshoe crabs accompanied by a slide show at the library.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the CVEC solar project at the landfill will be held April 28, rain or shine, at 10:45 a.m.

On April 29, 1957 a soapbox derby was held on Scotchman’s Bridge Lane. Contestants in the races were Chris Murphy, Johnny and Julie Scannell, Albie Scott, Prudence and Allen Whiting, Roger LaHart and Mark Kurth. Chris and Allen were the participants in a run off that was won by Chris by a wide margin. Chris claimed the prize of $1.25 to be spent at Albion Alley’s store. The race was the brainchild of Allen and Chris who, by themselves, went to see selectman Nelson Bryant and asked him to close the road for the afternoon so the race could take place.

Happy birthday to: Wendy Nierenberg, James McDonough, Priscilla Cote and Todd Stempien Friday; Darah Schwartz, Susan Reidy, Alicia Bramhall, Ina Andre and Shannon Lobdell Saturday; Bob Yapp, Maratha Tack, Veronica Murray, Mike Goldsmith and Stephen Genburg on Sunday; Shirley Mayhew, Sal Laterra, Jill Rosenkranz and Nicole Cabot on Monday; Cecily Bryant, Noah Garcia, Colin Whyte, Chris Riger and Emily Fischer on Tuesday; Cathy Campbell, Patrie Grace and Ken Edwards on Wednesday; Bob Schwartz, Tom Roan, Charlene Baker-Weiss and Rafe Mazer on Thursday.

Well that is all of the social news for this week’s edition. If you have any news please call or e-mail me. Have a great week.

Send your West Tisbury news to alleys@vineyard.net.