Shorebirds, waders, peeps, squatters, twiddlers, tattlers or sandpipers, it makes no difference what you call the members of the Scolopacidae family. They have hit the beaches, flats and fields of the Vineyard running. The shorebirds are visiting the Vineyard now and will be for the next few weeks. Visiting from where and why here?

Bettye Foster Baker>

508-696-9983

(bdrbaker@comcast.net)

BRAD WOODGER

508-627-4216

(ibwsgolf@aol.com)

Kim and I buried a beautiful bird on our beach this past Tuesday. No sign of trauma, he (or she) just seemed to have had enough of bird life. Not a seagull, but gull-like, with a downy belly and blue eyes. We buried bird high on the beach with a couple of local shells and some seaweed. Any life passed can be an odd reckoning for the living.

Rick Herrick>

508-693-8065

(herricklr@verizon.net)

Remember the old Montgomery house on East Chop Drive across from the Bordes? Michaele and Al Christian from Washington, D.C. purchased the house in 1999. After summering in it for seven years, they decided that a radical makeover was in order. For one thing, the constant need for a fresh coat of paint had gotten out of hand.

NANCY GARDELLA

508-693-3308

(vhavenvgazette@yahoo.com)

Today is an important anniversary in my life. It is exactly one year since I got third degree burns on my hand (cooking for the dogs) after which I took a vow never to cook again. I am pleased to say, unlike my New Year’s resolutions, I have kept this vow. I could not have done it without the help of all my neighbors and friends who are so kind to feed and entertain me. You know who you are. In fact, the year has worked out so well, I am renewing my vow.

By LYNNE IRONS

I cannot seem to catch up or even catch a break. This summer has flown by. Plants that should be blooming now are past their prime. Everything is moving too fast. Now, without a doubt, part of this phenomenon is my advancing age. I know and admit it.

In a Blink of the Eye

From Gazette editions of August, 1960:

KATHIE CASE

508-627-5349

(kathleencase@comcast.net)

What can I say about the weather this week, except that it is August? Let’s see what Mother Nature has in store for us this month.

Happy birthday to all who celebrated their day this past week. Big balloons go out to Jared Livingston, who celebrated his day July 31, and to Paige Herrick, who celebrated her day August 5.

JUNE D. MANNING

508-645-2574

(lthslnks@gis.net)

Dean’s List

Emily Reich, daughter of Bill Reich and Kathleen Cowley of Oak Bluffs, was named to the dean’s list for the spring semester 2010 at old Dominion University in Virgina. She is a tourism and recreation major in the college of education and is an athlete on the Monarch’s national ranked sailing team.