When most people think of the Yard in Chilmark, an arts colony full of modern dancers comes to mind. Perhaps a touch of bohemia, too, with artists living and working on the grounds off Middle Road, running around barefoot with grace and poise. The Yard is all of those things, but at the fifth anniversary gala tonight, artists are out to prove it’s much more.

Opera singers, musicians, actors, performance artists and, yes, dancers will fill the barn theatre to showcase their talents in the fifth celebration of the opening of the Yard Arts Festival.

How and why does an artist make the move from representational to abstract art? For recent washashore MarieLouise Rouff, it was about making friends with a machine.

BRAD WOODGER

508-627-4216

(ibwsgolf@aol.com)

Kim and I have just returned from a quick trip to Logan (dropping nephews off, and spending an hour with our new friend Amy, Jet Blue check-in trainee), and a visit to Kim’s homeland, Lake Winnipesaukee. Had a lovely time. Truly beautiful part of the country. No moose sightings, but still fun. So, I may have missed a bit of Chappy “happy”-nings, but I just make most of this stuff up anyway. Welcome back us! Thank you!

JUNE D. MANNING

508-645-2574

(lthslnks@gis.net)

JOHN S. ALLEY

508-693-2950

alleys@vineyard.net

Happy Fourth of July on Sunday and welcome to the summer season and all the excitement it brings. If you went downtown for any reason last weekend, the traffic was heavy; every building in town is now occupied, the busses are comfortably full and the planes and boats are crowded. Many backyard cookouts will be held around town tonight and tomorrow evening, assuming the weather allows. This is the start of a long holiday weekend; libraries, post offices and town buildings will be closed on Monday.

JANE N. SLATER

508-645-3378

(slaterjn@comcast.net)

Chilmark is ready for July with the temperatures stuck on high and the buzz of folks coming and going filling the air! Bring it on! We are ready.

The Community Center opened this week past and is already in full swing. The booklets are out and if you didn’t get one in your postal box you may stop by the center and pick one up.

It is filled with activities at all times of day for all ages in the family.

Kathie Case>

508-627-5349

(kathleencase@comcast.net)

Our heat wave has given us a little reprieve as we now can breathe a little better. It sounds like we are going to have a good Fourth of July and the beaches should be great.

Happy birthday to all who celebrated their day this past week. Big balloons go out to Kevin Cleary, Rowna Gruffydd, and Isabella Vasiliadis, who celebrated their day June 26; Jessyca Hernandez and Aidan Smith on June 30; Malik Magnuson on July 1; and to Charles Fenske, who celebrates his day today, July 2.

There’s something comforting about wandering the streets of Edgartown and being able to see inside the extra large doors of the old whaling captains homes, knowing so much history has crossed those thresholds.

And as American flags go up this week decorating the streets of the Vineyard, and red and white flower pots dot balconies and adorn storefronts on Main street in Edgartown, history repeats itself. The Fourth of July is Sunday, marking both the national Independence Day holiday and the official start of summer on the Island.

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Like David against Goliath, the Martha’s Vineyard/Dukes County Fishermen’s Association and a well-known Menemsha draggerman last week filed a lawsuit in federal court against the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, claiming that the giant wind farm planned by Cape Wind Associates for Horseshoe Shoal in Nantucket Sound threatens to put Island fishermen who work the shoal, including squidders and conchers, out of business for good.