The weakened economy has caused plenty of hardship on the Island, but we’re occasionally reminded that even in healthy periods years ago, the good times weren’t always so good.

According to the calendar, spring officially began on Tuesday. According to reality, it began on Dec. 22, ordinarily the first day of winter, when spring decided to do away with winter this year. A slight snowfall was a freak occurrence and temperatures below freezing as rare as a visit from the propane man.

It all seemed like a game to me — the telephone with oversized buttons, the notebooks adorned inside with multicolored dividers and bright cut-out floral images, the cassette recorder and accompanying pile of tapes whose covers illustrated the story, the round reading light with a wide magnified lens, the handheld TV remote with major on/off tabs indicated in real red or green, the super-sized TV screen. I’d never seen such an eye catching array of entertaining devices as those my mother, at age 80 or so, had at her fingertips.

Dave Stanwood returned home on Sunday at 2 p.m., after a trip to Woods Hole to see his mother, to find two new lambs had been added to his flock of five ewes. He sat for a while watching them stumble about in his barnyard, before going out to inspect them. “So far we’ve had seven new lambs...Only one of our ewes is still waiting to give birth. They’re Katadins, and they drop their offspring really easily. Wonderful sheep. That’s Angel Baby in the photograph looking at the camera.”

— Sam Low

Please Adopt Us

Spring sports are in full bloom at the regional high school, with the fields, courts and Lagoon Pond abuzz with preseason activity.

Girls’ Tennis

John Hughes Honored

John Hughes, former longtime director of the Vineyard’s lobster hatchery, will be honored by the state Division of Marine Fishers on Friday, March 23.

Mr. Hughes will be presented with the Belding Award, given to those who go above and beyond the call of duty to promote the conservation and sustainable use of the commonwealth’s marine resources.

Stroke Screening

The American Legion Post in Edgarton is hosting stroke and osteoporosis screenings on Tuesday, March 27. Various screening packages are available, starting at $149. For more information or to schedule an appointment call 877-237-1287 or visit lifelinescreening.com. Pre-registration is required.

Soaring Sayres

Regional high school freshman Rasmus Sayre, his father, Nevin, and sister, Solvig, each collected top awards in their divisions at windsurfing championships in Coco Beach, Fla. recently. Rasmus Sayre, 14, won the Techno 293 North American Championship in the Under 17 age group. Solvig Sayre, 20, who hopes to compete in the 2016 Olympics, bested the RS:X Olympic Class in the Women’s Division. Nevin Sayre became U.S. National Champion overall in the Kona Class.

The Island Housing Trust is pleased to announce the appointment of seven new board members at their annual board meeting. The Housing Trust’s board of directors includes representatives from each of the six Island towns, the Dukes County Regional Housing authority, homeowners and the community-at-large. Through this housing partnership, the Housing Trust is working to create a stronger, more vibrant and sustainable future for the Island community.