By LYNNE IRONS
It’s been a busy week in the garden world. The weather has been completely in our favor. So much so, in fact, I believe we are a few weeks ahead of last year. The cool evenings have helped hold the forsythia in full bloom for weeks.
Wellfest, an afternoon of free health and healing workshops and sessions presented by the Martha’s Vineyard Whole Health Alliance, is on Saturday, May 1 from noon to 5 p.m. at the Grange Hall in West Tisbury. This free event features classes, demonstrations and workshops on movement, pilates, yoga, qigong, massage, reiki, acupuncture and more. Scheduled instruction includes a yoga class with Arlene Stark from 12:30 to 1:05 p.m., yoga therapy class with Jane Norton from 1:15 to 1:50 p.m., medical qigong with M.J.
The Library Friends of Oak Bluffs are preparing for their summer book sale, putting out the call for used books.
Arboretum Intern
The Polly Hill Arboretum announces Justin Free as their 2010 collections management intern. This nine-month internship will offer Mr. Free the opportunity to expand his already substantial knowledge of horticulture. It also will provide him with an in-depth look at curatorial and management practices employed to maintain the arboretum’s diverse living collection.
Spring is underway, and for those still shaking off the weight of the Vineyard winter, the Unitarian Universalist Society of Martha’s Vineyard is hosting a daylong meditation retreat with Mark Hart, on Saturday, May 1, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the society chapel on Main street in Vineyard Haven. Mr. Hart, founder of the Bodhisara Dharma Community and adjunct religious advisor for Buddhist students at Amherst College, will lead participants through alternating periods of meditation, silent walking and teacher-led exploration. Bring a bag lunch.
The Vineyard Haven Library Art Show is coming up, running from June 7 to June 19, and the library Friends are putting out a call for work. Submissions will be accepted through May 1, in any medium, including painting, drawing, ceramics, mixed media, jewelry, computer design and collage. A photo of the artwork may be dropped off during regular library hours. Submitting artists should include contact information, artist’s statements, image of the work, information about the work, title, media, and dimensions.
In honor of Earth Day, the Martha’s Vineyard Film Society will screen No Impact Man, a documentary film that follows Manhattanite Colin Beavan and his family during their year-long pursuit of a lifestyle that leaves zero environmental impact. To Vineyarders, such a goal would seem ambitious, but certainly plausible. But for a young family living in New York city, zero impact means zero elevators, taxis, Windex, television, material consumption of any kind, and no garbage.
Learn about the growing movement towards home vegetable gardening at a free talk with Chris Wiley, owner of Vineyard Gardens, at the Chilmark Public Library on Wednesday, April 28 at 5:30 p.m. Drawing from many years of experience growing with seed and determining the best varieties for the Island climate, Ms. Wiley’s lecture will focus on the what, when and how of planting a nutritious garden in your backyard. Topics include how to get started now with cool season vegetables and what to plant next month when the weather warms up.
Kids’ Theatre Workshop
Island theatre arts educator Phyllis Vecchia is offering a Thursday afternoon spring creative drama workshop from May 6 through June 10. Designed for children ages four-and-a-half to nine, classes will be held from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. in the home economics room of the Oak Bluffs School. Each week, in addition to theatre exercises, costuming and character games, young thespians will reenact a new folk or fairy tale. No acting experience is necessary.
Island Alpaca Farm’s third annual shearing day open house is this Saturday, April 24, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine. The farm, located at 1 Head of the Pond Road in Oak Bluffs, welcomes families to meet and learn about the alpaca, and watch as expert shearers clip the luxurious fleece, to be made into yarn (available for purchase at the farm) and give the animals a lightweight, warm weather haircut. More than 50 alpacas are scheduled for shearing and public viewing.
