The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $292,454.30 for the business week ending on Friday, Jan. 17, 2014. The land bank receives its funds from a two per cent fee charged on many Vineyard real estate transactions.

The weather has been all over the map. First it’s bitter cold with some snow and then mild with a generous amount of rain. If the unusual weather pattern this winter holds, now it’s time for another frigid blast and snow.

You can probably imagine how excited I was about Ivy Ashe’s story in the Gazette last week about the new, old barrel piano acquired by the Preservation Trust for the Flying Horses. The original Catalonian hand-cranked piano manufactured in Spain is apparently similar to the original one used over a century ago, which the trust still has but is unusable.

Last week we had 40 degree weather and as I sit here it is a blizzard outside and the thermometer is at 13 degrees. So, I guess that means that winter is not over.

The erosion at Wasque continues unabated. If the Schifter’s buildings had not been moved, the guesthouse and pool would have fallen over the bluff this week. For the moment the Wacks house seems to have been granted a reprieve.

The media have convinced me that another storm of great proportions is heading for us and that we must brace ourselves for its severity. I am not making light of things but I am remembering the days before there were all these people watching out for us.

Well, the polar vortex visited once again. Freezing temperatures have returned, but the blizzard that was supposed to be really was not that bad after all.

The 28th Annual Big Chili Contest, a major fundraiser for both the Red Stocking Fund and the Portuguese-American Club, begins at 11 a.m. on Saturday at the P.A. Club in Oak Bluffs (snow date is Sunday).

A two-part series sponsored by the Aquinnah library begins with a documentary that explores the benefits of eating a plant-based diet on Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 5 p.m. Then, they will follow up the movie with a potluck based on recipes from the cookbook published from the documentary. The potluck is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 5 p.m. Call Barbara at the library if you have any questions, 508-645-2314.

For bats and other nocturnal animals, nighttime is the nicest time. These animals prefer not to see the light of day, and have adaptations that make their night life shine. Bats are just one group of animals that can do it all in the dark.