The cherry trees on down-Island main streets are putting on a remarkable display, the tiny goldfinch has begun to appear as an unmistakable bright yellow dot among the fresh green of tree limbs just beginning to leaf, and shops are opening their doors, freshening their paint and anticipating the rush of shoppers.

Hints and fragrances of summer abound on the soft breezes, and thoughts of Islanders turn toward Memorial Day, the traditional beginning of the season. From the harbor of Menemsha to the Camp Ground in Oak Bluffs, from the crack of the baseball bat during a Little League game, to strolling Lobsterville, we revisit the pleasures and pursuits of the season to be, and brace for that remarkable jolt of fresh energy and delight that it brings.