Seven players from the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks represented Team Massachusetts in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League All-Star Game, held Thursday in Pittsfield. Pitchers Trevor Breton (Western New England University), Matt Calomoneri (University of Scranton) and Bob Carbaugh (Seton Hill) were named to the squad, as were infielders Dylan Tice (Indiana University of Pennsylvania), Nick Sell (University of Massachusetts - Amherst) and Nik Campero (Seton Hill). Outfielder Ryan Siegel (Mercyhurst) rounded out the Sharks roster.

Fifty windsurfers representing four different countries competed in three classes of racing Friday and Saturday at the Vineyard Haven Yacht Club. Races were cancelled Sunday due to no wind, but wind conditions for the first two days were gusty, challenging all levels of racers.

There are some persisting myths about the Vineyard — such as the notion that this is an easy place to ride a bicycle, that all Islanders know a ketch from a yawl, grow their own tomatoes, think nothing of picking up hitchhikers or picking off ticks, and most important, own at the very least one dog. Maybe two.
And that last one is the truest. Island dogs are omnipresent — and that doesn’t include the little pups that get carried around in summer purses like fluffy accessories.

In that critically short moment of dawn, an hour before sunrise, the planets Jupiter and Mars appear as a pair. They aren’t as close as they were a week ago, but still a sight. Jupiter is significantly brighter than Mars. If you can find Jupiter, you’ll see the red planet Mars under and to the left.

Then look below the two planets for a third, Mercury.

Mercury is hard to see. The planet is only a short distance above the horizon. Give yourself a tap on your shoulder if you see it.

Chilmark hosted a near perfect summer vacation week just past. The beaches were popular and being out on the water was a good choice. The fish were biting, the sun was hot and it was definitely July. We also hosted an unwelcome bug that someone told me is called the one-day virus. I hope it missed you all and that you will dismiss last week’s column as fall-out from my day with the virus. It is quickly gone but no fun on deadline day.

The 35th annual Art Buchwald Possible Dreams Auction will be held on Sunday, July 28 at the Winnetu Oceanside Resort in Edgartown. Tickets are only $25 per person and benefit the largest social services organization on Martha’s Vineyard, serving more than 6,000 people every year.

The summer is just flying by and Grace Church tells me so. It seems no sooner do I see the sign up on Fridays for lobster rolls, there it is again on the corner of Franklin and Woodlawn. I usually think, “Oh, they forgot to take it down,” but here it is, yet another Friday. Remember our American Legion Post 257 on Martin Road offers these popular sandwiches as well as chowder on Tuesdays.

This past weekend traffic seemed to increase most everywhere and it is busy all around town. The weather this July was toasty, the way it should be. The heavy rain showers Saturday night and Sunday morning brought with them some relief from the high humidity. Richard Olsen of North Tisbury recently repositioned his herd of Holstein cows to take advantage of the August sun.

Someone has been stealing our whelk shells from the fifth tee. Maybe there is a crime ring of elderly lady crafters, hoarding attractive white shells to decorate and display next to their Hummel figurines. That’s my guess. But I don’t intimidate easily, so I will come down hard with harsh words and stern looks upon the culprits, no matter their number or age.

Hazy, hot and humid — we have had it all. Now we just need rain. Who would have ever thought we would need rain after June’s weather, but Mother Nature has spoken. Let’s just hope there is some relief somewhere.

Happy birthday to all who celebrated their day this past week. Big balloons go out to John Murray, who celebrated his day July 20; Riley Craig, July 21, Abigail Lively, July 23, Natalie Wallace, July 24 and to Owen Kleinhernz, who celebrated his day July 25.