May I be condemned to be in a stalled car in the middle of Five Corners on the Labor Day weekend exodus for neglecting to inform you last week of the famous Chicken Alley Art Show at our thrift shop last Sunday. This annual fundraiser for Martha’s Vineyard Community Services is always a great place to meet friends, purchase gifts and view the art that comes into the shop over the previous year.

Signs of fall are beginning to appear as the last gasp of warm moist air enveloped the Vineyard this past week. Canada geese are headed south each morning with time out for the last of their summer dips in the Mill Pond. The berries don’t appear to be as plentiful as last season and they are late.

This is an odd time of year on Chappy. For me, at least. Summer is still doing its thing, being all summery and such, but I feel a marked shift in the energy — a slowing down. There’s always a great lead up to summer here, then a brief peak, then a slow winding down. Like the Super Bowl, but with fewer ads.

This week we are getting every kind of weather we can get this time of year. Rain, sunshine with no humidity, sunshine with lots of humidity, sunshine just beautiful. Hope everyone is enjoying it.

Happy birthday to all who celebrated their day this past week. Big balloons go out to Bethany Felix, who celebrated her day August 17, Victor Valentim, August 19, Taylor Fauteux, August 20, and to Anthony Chick, who celebrated his day August 24.

The Edgartown selectmen Monday approved changes to aquaculture regulations that will allow town shellfish constable Paul Bagnall to write citations for violations.

A first-time violation of town aquaculture bylaws would be accompanied by a $100 penalty, and a second violation, which would come after a week, would have a $500 fine. Under the previous regulations, any violations would go before the selectmen, who would schedule a hearing and write a letter to the offender.“By the time it gets to the board there’s been some fines issued,” Mr. Bagnall said.

The Road from Charity to Justice is the topic of the sermon offered by guest preacher the Rev. Cannon Edward Rodman on August 25 and Sept. 1 at the 9 a.m. service at Trinity Episcopal Church.

Louise Marx of Haverford, Pa., won the Martha’s Vineyard Rod and Gun Club’s 2013 trap championship on August 18. Participants took aim at two rounds of 25 targets with Ms. Marx breaking the greatest number of clay targets to capture this year’s title. Dick Carlson and Brian Welch, both from Oak Bluffs, took second and third place. Ms. Marx is the first club female trap shooter to take the annual club title.

Jeffrey Churchill has been collaging since he was a boy, papering the walls of his room with photographs from Sports Illustrated and making collage posters from National Geographic for his friends. His mother wasn’t thrilled about the wall decorations, but the posters were a hit with his friends.

Last Friday’s 42 minute Oak Bluffs fireworks achieved yet another milestone. Of the nine U.S. presidents who have visited the Island, the first, Ulysses S. Grant, and now, the present, Barack H. Obama, have become the only two to witness the glorious display in Cottage City’s remarkable Ocean Park.

Marney and Richard Toole of Oak Bluffs are delighted to announce the engagement of their son Taylor Toole to Jennifer Hirsch, daughter of Molly Paul of Concord and Kevan Hirsch of Ambler, Pa. Jen, a graduate of Harvard University, is an account manager at SHIFT Communications, a public relations agency in Boston. Taylor, a graduate of Emerson College, is a video producer for Boston University. A May 2014 wedding is planned.