Jane Kenyon
I am the stone step, the latch, and the working hinge. I am the heart contracted by joy, the longest hair, white before the rest.-Jane Kenyon
August 22, 2025
Earth Shine on the Moon
Seeing earth shine on the setting crescent moon is is especially tough.
Graceful Fliers
This long-winged species flies in graceful loops as they chase and catch insects on the wing. They are most likely to be seen in the late summer as they fly overhead on their southbound migration.
Need Water
After what seemed like endless heat and humidity, we finally got some relief. Monday and Tuesday, while still painfully dry, gave us lovely cool nights and days with a reasonable 70-degree temperature.
Beauty Moth
The student became the master.
Edie Arrives
Evan Kavanagh-Coogan and Patrick Coogan, of Vineyard Haven, announce the birth of a daughter, Edie Lo Kavanagh Coogan, born on August 18 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Old Timers
From the August 22, 1950 edition of the Vineyard Gazette: The fair, say the old-timers, isn’t quite what it used to be. But then, they add with reminiscent chuckles, it never was quite what it used to be.
Hello Aylla
Ana Carolina and Cleber Batista, of Vineyard Haven, announce the birth of a daughter, Aylla Sophia Correa Miranda, born on August 13 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Bridge Column: Week of August 29
Here are the club holdings for you and partner:
Land Bank Revenues as of August 15
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $167,287.62 for the business week ending on Friday, August 15, 2025
Chilmark Town Column: Week Ending August 22
1965 was a pivotal year in American history, marked by major events in the Civil Rights Movement, including the Selma to Montgomery marches and the signing of the Voting Rights Act, as well as a significant escalation of the Vietnam War with the landing of Marines at Da Nang and continuous air strikes.
Chappy Town Column: Week Ending August 22
The Slipaway Farmstand is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. There are lots of veggies, flowers, meats and pantry items.
Oak Bluffs Town Column: Week Ending August 22
The third annual Martha’s Vineyard Artist Talks, curated by Clińee Hedspeth and featuring internationally acclaimed artist Jonathan Green, was very successful.
Edgartown Town Column: Week Ending August 22
We have had some nice relief from the heat and the humidity. It is nice to enjoy being outside and doing whatever your favorite activity is.
West Tisbury Town Column: Week Ending August 21
If you are are a true believer, you have been praying and crossing your fingers for Hurricane Erin to hook a right and fizzle in the middle of the ocean.
Vineyard Haven Town Column: Week Ending August 22
The weather always gets cooler just before the Agricultural Fair. This week is no exception.
A Big-Hearted Soul Gets a Frabjous Sendoff
The Camp Jabberwocky community turned out in force Tuesday afternoon to honor one of the camp’s most stalwart and best-loved volunteers, Jack Knower, who died at 71 last October.
Steamship Charts Next Steps
As the Steamship Authority continues its search for a new general manager, several key department heads this week outlined steps needed to secure a stable future for the ferry line.
Experts Aim to Raise Tick Awareness
Island doctors, researchers and biologists are redoubling tick education efforts amid the growing concerns about the disease-carrying arachnids.
Discovering Fresh Water in the Salty Depths
After a 74-day offshore drilling trip south of the Vineyard, a consortium of scientists say they have found a large freshened water aquifer beneath the sea floor.
Rebecca Haag Elected Hospital Board Chairperson
The Martha’s Vineyard Hospital and Windemere Nursing board of trustees elected Rebecca Haag as its new chair at a meeting last month.
Keeping the Faith at Union Chapel Services
Union Chapel’s Sunday services in Oak Bluffs have spread messages of hope and unity all summer long, and organizers are anticipating a spirited final two sermons.
Grey Barn Era Comes to a Close
Lines have been long all summer at the Grey Barn ever since owners Eric and Molly Glasgow announced that this would be the last summer for the farmstead.
When All Roads Led to the Grange Hall
First a little history. The inaugural Agricultural Fair and Cattle Show took place on Wednesday, Oct. 27, 1858.
Program Kudos
The Aquinnah Cultural Center offered an impressive program at Stillpoint last week.
Harvesting Ticks
Martha’s Vineyard Medical hosted a morning of talks on Saturday by smart and interesting people about ticks and the diseases they bring.
Perhaps the Real Danger Is in Moving Too Fast
I have spent the better part of the last year trying to gently (and okay, sometimes not so gently) convince my mother that perhaps it is time to hand her car keys over.
Heavy Surf Closes Island Beaches to Swimming
As Hurricane Erin moves north up the east coast, strong winds and heavy surf have closed beaches to swimming and caused ferry schedule changes.
Welcome Owen
Grace and Joshua Gothard, of West Tisbury, announce the birth of a son, Owen Smith Gothard, born on August 19 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Please Adopt Us: Week Ending August 22
We have two more adoptions to report this week. Black kitten, Bonsai, has found his forever home where he will be able to run free and explore the great outdoors, and black kitten, Pip, came and went in a matter of days.
Midway and More Beckon as the Agricultural Fair Is Underway
The gates to the 163rd Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Fair opened on Thursday at 10 a.m. and eager fairgoers quickly headed for the rides and food stalls, or to the barn to check out the newest entrant: over 10 piglets, born just as the event began.
Recent Real Estate Transactions for Week Ending August 17
Deborah Previdi and Richard Previdi purchased Beach Lot-Hancock in Chilmark from Daniel A. Knowlton Trust and TM Knowlton Irrevocable Trust for $650,000 on August 14.
Cartoon Exhibit Is Also a Family Reunion
An extensive family cartoon collection will be available for the general public in a new exhibit at Featherstone Center for the Arts starting this Sunday. The exhibit was curated by Suzy Brown van Dijk and Lisa Brown Langley from their parents archives.
West Tisbury Considers Reallocating Howes House Funds
West Tisbury will hold a special town meeting next month to deal with several fund transfers, including one that would take money away from long-delayed plans to renovate the Howes House.
Illumination Postponed Due to Weather
The annual Oak Bluffs tradition will now be held on Thursday, and traditional candles will not be allowed.
Embracing Radical Inclusivity
Rabbi Lau-Lavie’s talk a few weeks ago as part of the Summer Speaker Series at the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center was entitled “Radical inclusion, a moral response to divine divisive extremes.”
Coast Guard Will Revise Buoy Proposal
After taking in thousands of comments, the U.S. Coast Guard is making changes to a plan to remove hundreds of navigation buoys in the northeast.
Curtain Closes on This Year’s Summer Speaker Series
Oskar Eustis, the artistic director at the Public Theater in New York City, gave the final presentation of this season’s Summer Speaker series at the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center.
Osprey Statue to Honor Legacy of Gus Ben David
Work to dedicate a statue to Gus Ben David, the renowned Vineyard naturalist who died last year, is underway in Oak Bluffs. The select board voted last week to approve a statue of an osprey created by Barney Zeitz to be placed at Sunset Lake.
Boat Repair Firm Challenges MVC Fee
Rico’s Boat Service, which straddles the Oak Bluffs-Vineyard Haven town line at Down Island Farms Road and Holmes Hole Road, is challenging a bill of more than $24,000 from the Martha’s Vineyard Commission for its 1.39 acre project.
Whippersnappers Oxen Program Continues an Ag Fair Legacy
The Whippersnapper competition was named after Sidney Morris, who died on July 9, 2024. He was an important presence at the Agricultural Fair, often with his oxen, Zeus and Apollo.
Edgartown Home Subject of High-Profile Whiskey Lawsuit
A home on Edgartown-West Tisbury Road is embroiled in a lawsuit that accuses the Uncle Nearest whiskey brand of defaulting on more than $100 million in loans.
Playing Pickleball for an Important Cause
The sharp pop of pickleball echoed across the high school tennis courts on Saturday as dozens of players filled the courts to raise money and create awareness for Stand With Everyone Against Rape (SWEAR), an initiative at the regional high school.
