Another week of bizarre weather to say the least, 47 degrees on Thursday and about eight inches on snow on Friday. Roads were passable to go out on Saturday. We braced for another blizzard on Tuesday which must have headed out to sea as the early morning snow quickly turned to rain with a stiff northeast wind during the day and sunshine and calm by afternoon. Oh well, better than the two feet of snow predicted just when daffodils were starting to bloom. Chilmark Chocolates opens on Thursday and Linda Jean’s opens Friday.

Fun times at the Aquinnah Public Library this week. On Saturday, March 18 at 10:30 a.m. is story time, and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. make airplanes from recycled plastic bottles. On Tuesday, March 21 at 4 p.m. is after school club and at 5:30 p.m. is the knitting group with supplies provided and no experience necessary.

The Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival will be the place over the weekend. On Sunday, March 19 at 2:30 p.m. at the Chilmark Community Center, Tribal Court Judge Claudette White and producer/director Anne Makepeace will have a question and answer session following the showing of the film Tribal Justice. Bill Nye the Science guy sounds interesting for Saturday morning.

Martha’s Vineyard Community Services sponsors a Caregivers Support Group. For information, call Allison McKinley at 508-693-7900, ext. 217. MVCS will have a Saturday Dads Play Group on March 18 at the Tisbury School gym from 3 to 4:30 p.m. On Wednesday, March 22 from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the MVCS Family Center on William Street, there will be Play with Me Playgroup with activities for all children up to six years old. On Wednesday there is also an expo for parents of children up to age eight to learn about childcare and education options. The expo is from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the regional high school cafeteria. All of these programs are open to all within the age groups and are free.

Felix Neck will sponsor a spring stargazing event on March 19 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. with Mark Lovewell. Mark will share some cosmic happenings to celebrate spring with stargazing, stories, a fire, and treats. Free and all are welcome.

The Island Wide Youth Collaborative in collaboration with the Youth Task Force invites parents, caregivers, providers and educators to a forum on Parenting to Prevent: the Effects of Substances on the Developing Adolescent Brain with Dr. Ruth Potee on Thursday, March 23 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the high school library. Onsite childcare will be provided with pre-registration by calling 508-693-7900 ext. 400. Translation services will be provided.

Congratulations and all the best to Chilmark Police Chief Jonathan P. Klaren, who was appointed on March 9. Always a consummate professional in the 25 years I have known him.

Welcome to Samuel Hoppe SN, a new member of the crew at USCG Station Menemsha. Sam is originally from the Albany, N.Y. area so he is rather accustomed to cold weather.

Noah Manning returned from his vacation in Florida a week ago, accompanied by his parents Paul and Theresa. They spent one weekend with her uncle Jim Wilde and his wife Lorraine at their home in Fort Lauderdale, then a few nights on Sugarloaf Key, down to Key West, and up to Islamorada. They attended a Food Network show where Noah was delighted to meet Duff Goldman with a photograph and an autographed cookbook. Noah has already made two loaves of Challah. They enjoyed dinner out with Ted and Judy Mayhew as well as Emmett and Kathy Carroll, Marshall, Katie and Brooks Carroll, and Chris, Kendra, Oona and Emme Carroll and visits with Charlie Shipway, Sarah and Tyler. They enjoyed fishing and diving off Emmett’s boat (until the sharks began to swim nearby). Needless to say, they all had a grand time.

Shawn MacPhail, Alexandra Taylor, and their daughters Olive and Violet have returned from their annual visit to Captain Hugh and Jeanne Taylor on their island in Exuma in the Bahamas.

Isaac Taylor, his wife Noli, and their children Emmett and Tillie were in Exuma as well visiting their parents/grandparents on their private oasis.

Dan Sauer, his wife Wenonah Madison, and their sons Waylon and Amos returned from their vacation in Mexico a week ago. Nonie and the boys had visited her cousin Holly Jenkinson Bario and her children Peter and Emma recently at their home in Los Angeles.

Thank you to Jamie Vanderhoop for hosting a LuLaRoe party at their home on Saturday. It was well-attended by many ladies in the community and a fun fashion show for all.

Congratulations to Todd Vanderhoop and Amera Ignacio on the birth of their third son, Reed Vanderhoop, born at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital on March 7. Reed is welcomed home by his older brothers Ivan and Lyle.

Condolences to family and friends of Bobbie Donovan, who passed away at her home in Vineyard Haven. Bobbie and I were former coworkers at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.

Condolences to family and friends of Nannette West, who passed away at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Nannette and I were schoolmates together at MVRHS and shared many classes. I was so happy to reconnect with her a few years ago after not seeing her for decades.

Happy 29th anniversary wishes to Albert and Linda Fischer as they celebrate on March 20.

Happy birthday wishes this week to Christina Brown, who celebrates Friday. Stop by Menemsha Texaco on Saturday to wish Marshall Carroll a happy day. Kristie Mayhew will party on the 20th. Beth Erickson parties on the 21st. Our UPIS LAND Council on Aging outreach worker Ellen Sutter Reynolds will celebrate on the 22nd and shares the day with Annette Anthony and twins Heidi Stutz and Cynthia Stutz Craig. March 23 is a day of celebration for Paul Galbraith, Renee Metell, Dan Sauer, Dwight Kaeka, Travis VonDessonneck and Nanauwe Ama Vanderhoop, who will be 17. Aretha Witham, Rya Baird, Karen Van Brakle, and Hal Child share the day on March 24.

Send Aquinnah news to junemanning152@gmail.com.