When jazz goes on vacation, it goes to Martha’s Vineyard. So trumpets the tag line of the inaugural 2011 Martha’s Vineyard Jazz Festival, which officially takes place August 6-13, but enjoyed an unofficial kickoff at Lola’s in Oak Bluffs this past weekend. Throughout the summer, you can find jazz all over the Island leading to the weeklong festival in August.

I wonder when Decoration Day turned into Memorial Day? As a child, I believe it was used interchangeably. I thought of geraniums and cemeteries.

It is everywhere. Clouds of pollen have coated the entire Island. We are in danger of sinking under the weight of the zillions of grains of male tree dust.

Well, not really, but it is driving us all a bit crazy and putting many into a sneezing frenzy.

Baseball Team Creates Feeding Frenzy

Warning: The following contains numerous digestive metaphors. It could not be avoided.

The Martha’s Vineyard Sharks baseball team is famished. Their winter feeding grounds were dormant. Time usually spent enjoying seal sandwiches was eaten up by paper work. An inaugural baseball season is not just a dine-and-dash proposition. It requires desk jockeying and phone mangling, neither task usually on the shark preferred catch-of-the-day menu.

Currently, the Martha’s Vineyard Museum is featuring an exhibit entitled We Are Marching Along: Martha’s Vineyard and the Civil War. Next Tuesday, June 5 at 5:30 p.m., in conjunction with this exhibit the museum is hosting a lecture featuring Pulitzer Prize winning author William McFeely. He will be discussing the connection between the Civil War boat River Queen to Martha’s Vineyard.

Island Grown Schools is looking to grow their coffers. All year long they’ve been planting seeds of good stewardship of the land and stomach in the hearts and minds of Island schoolchildren. From creating gardens to serving local lunches at Island schools, IGS has become a warmly welcomed fixture here. But all this good nutrition does cost money.

Twenty Island Artists

On Tuesday, June 7, the Friends of the Vineyard Haven Public Library will host an exhibition featuring the work of more than 20 Vineyard artists. A reception will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. that day.

Artists Unite for Japan

This Sunday, June 5 from 4 to 7 p.m. a group of local artists are gathering to help children in crisis as a result of the tsunami in Japan. The artists include Mark Zeender, Hiroko Thomson, Carrie Mae Smith, Elizabeth Cecil, Jocelyn Filley, Meg Bodnar and Greg Watson. Well, most are local. Hiroko doesn’t live here, but she’s a grandmother to locals which means her Island roots are not just deep but most likely spreading good vibes down at the playground as we speak.

A Moment With Ray Ellis

Staring deeply into a painting, first from up close, then from afar, maybe trying a different angle or two to wander amidst the nuance of light and shadow is a beautiful journey. Viewer and art together on a tour of discovery.

But sometimes one desires a steady hand to lead this dance or at least fill in some background information on how art became art: Just what was the original inspiration and how much perspiration did it take to bring this painting to life?

Spring Cleanse

The time for spring cleaning, internal style, is now.

Beginning Monday, June 6 and stretching through to June 20, Sherry Sidoti, Jan Buhrman, Dr. Kristine Kopp and Dr. Dardy Slavin are teaming up to create a program designed to make you feel your best just in time for summer.

It’s a blend of yoga, nutrition and mind and body fitness all under one roof.