It’s been over a decade since Elizabeth Gilbert’s memoir, Eat Pray Love, hit the bookstore shelves and instantly inspired nearly everyone who turned its pages to contemplate fulfilling the irresistible urge to buy a plane ticket and jet to Italy to eat fresh pasta or to take in a sunset at Ulu Watu Temple in Bali. The follow-up book has this one line in it that always comes to mind at this time of year as I drive through town noticing all of the tents and twinkling lights which mark the locations of couples exchanging vows for the first time. “To be fully seen by somebody, then, and be loved anyhow — this is a human offering that can border on miraculous.”

Congratulations to Jeffrey Smith, eldest son of Sarah Doyle and Bret Stearns, who married his longtime love Ashley Wojtowicz at Pond View Farm in West Tisbury. Jeff was wrapped in love by his younger siblings, Ava and Graham, as they stood as members of the wedding party. The happy couple calls Waltham home.

With weddings come anniversaries. Mary and Jonathan Boyd celebrated as did Aly and Elisha Wiesner. Judy and Ted Mayhew also celebrate with 57 years of wedded bliss between them.

Carl and Audrey Leaf celebrated their 65th anniversary with a trip to the Ocean View for dinner. According to Carl, who is one of my favorite regular visitors at the Texaco, they ate so much at dinner they simply didn’t have room to squeeze in dessert. But, upon arriving home, he did manage to enjoy a bowl of ice cream while watching the Red Sox game.

Heather Sommers’ series of landscape and figurative paintings composed of ceramic, paper, wood and paint entitled Re-Frames will be on display at the West Tisbury Library for the month of October. Her opening reception, to which all are welcome, is Saturday, Oct. 6 from 3:30 to 5 p.m.

I recently received some lovely communication from Shirley Reiss, proud great-grandmother of 15-month-old Jacob Greenberg. She was kind enough to share that he recently traveled to Larsen Lane to celebrate grandfather Arne deKeijzer’s birthday. Jacob traveled to town with his parents, Hannah and Mike Greenberg, who are calling Cambridge home this year while Mike is on sabbatical from Pamona College in California where he is a physics teacher and researcher. Although birthdays are exciting and a great excuse to gather, I am certain Jacob’s visit was the highlight for both Arne and Helen.

Cooper Chapman, eldest child of Susan and Joe, joined them at their Peases Point Way home for nothing other than a home cooked meal and a little face to face catch up. Even if it’s a quick visit mom and dad always love having Coop in the house. Cooper is calling Boston home these days while his sister Hadley is back for another year at Purdue University in Indiana.

Earlier this month family and friends said farewell to longtime summer resident, Irving Petlin. I always knew when he and Sarah would arrive in town as the lights would illuminate their barn home and a sense of warmth would radiate from within as I passed by. Although we didn’t spend much time doing neighborly things like block parties or backyard barbecues, I would often see him wandering to his studio and embrace the opportunity to say hello and share a few pleasantries about anything from the warmth of the day to reveling in the delight of a much-needed summertime rain shower. His presence will be missed. I wish I had the right words to let Sarah and her family know just how much I care.

Just a few days shy of what would have been his 68th wedding anniversary spent with the love of his life, Roberta, Captain James Douglas Morgan died at the age of 94. I had the pleasure of talking to him a few days ago and, although his legs gave him some trouble, his mind was sharp and his eyes twinkled when he spoke. He was a family man and friend. He was an avid fisherman back in the day and his nostalgic accounts of time spent at sea with Rasmus, Deba, Bjarne, Louis, Donny, Eric, Herb and more were told as if he were still out at the edge of Georges Bank. Good times were had right up to the end. My heart goes out to Roberta, Barbara, Jimmy and their families. Fair winds and following seas Captain Morgan. You will be missed.

Chilmark town news can be sent to squidrow@vineyard.net.