Christian Arrives

Kara Best and Stephen Ciancio of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a son, Christian Patrick Ciancio, born on Dec. 20, 2010, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Christian weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces at birth.

Rain or shine, the Vineyard’s Christmas Bird Count will take place on Jan. 2, 2011. We hope you will participate either in the field or by counting the birds at your feeders. Contact Rob Culbert if you are interested in joining a field team at 508-693-4908 or call in your feeder sightings between 2 to 5 p.m. at 508-627-4850.

Last Sunday’s snowstorm caught me off-guard. It is beyond me why I ever watch the weather man.

More often than not, this column deals with the wonderment of wildlife and the peculiarity of plants. Today it takes on the idiosyncrasies of another of earth’s inhabitants — the habits of Homo sapiens.

West Tisbury’s Mill Pond was all white;
The snow on the cattails a pretty sight.
The mallards were swimming up and down.
A wood duck, too, was visiting town,
And hooded mergansers were having their day
While in their incredibly stately way
Babette and Romeo — that elegant pair
Of swans that assuredly add such flair
To Mill Pond waters were cruising about
Enjoying a breakfast, without a doubt,
Of cornbread supplied by Jenkinson, Joan,
Who looks after the swans all on her own
Because they make such a picturesque sight

For the Love of It

From The Christmas Instinct by William Caldwell:

Last Friday, after weeks of shopping, wrap ping, packing and fund-raising, Red Stocking joyfully distributed clothing, food and toys to 419 Vineyard children from 274 families. This represented an increase of 43 children over last year. We anticipated this additional need due to the current economy and thankfully we were able to meet it only because of the tremendous generosity of our faithful supporters — Vineyarders, off-Islanders, individuals, businesses, organizations, churches, schools, etc.

FAIR METHODS

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

Christmas 2010

A small gale lashed the Island early this week, bitterly cold and driven in from the ocean with steady light snow that frosted woods and farm fields and stone walls, turning the Vineyard into a Currier and Ives print overnight, just in time for the winter solstice on Tuesday. Soft, mournful blasts from the Nobska foghorn blew across the Middle Ground, echoing faintly up and down the north shore, somehow more reminiscent of June than December.

The Farm Neck Foundation, an independent charitable corporation created by Farm Neck Golf Club to provide charitable assistance exclusively for the Vineyard, has announced its annual grants for the year 2010. This year’s grants total $44,150. The recipients are:

Island Community Chorus receives $2,000, to help purchase a sound shell.

Options in Education (Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School) receives a $3,000 challenge grant to fund its artist-in-residence, project period and mentorship programs.