To Our Advantage

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

In consideration of whether or not to allow beer and wine to be served by wait staff in restaurants with seating of 30 or more, using china settings, it should be noted that Tisbury is not now a dry town.

It’s a little musicians’ inside joke: Delores Stevens, pianist and artistic director of the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber Music Society, has dubbed this weekend’s performance The Phantom Violin Concert.

A quartet of acclaimed musicians will gather on the stage of the Old Whaling Church at 7:30 p.m. this Saturday, April 5, for the society’s annual spring concert. There will be music by Telemann, Beethoven, and Poulenc and Schumann, and for the finale, a performance of Cesar Franck’s Violin Sonata in A Major — without the violin.

Storyteller and author Susan Klein will recount her Island childhood in a special free performance at the Old Whaling Church on Saturday, April 12, at 7:30 p.m., sponsored by the Martha’s Vineyard Savings Bank.

A signed copy of Ms. Klein’s book, Through a Ruby Window: A Martha’s Vineyard Childhood, will be given out to the first 250 people at the event. Immediately following the presentation Ms Klein will meet guests at a reception with refreshments in the Baylies Room downstairs.

At least two Vineyard restaurants plan to participate in the Boston Bakes for Breast Cancer effort to battle the disease.

Mediterranean Restaurant in Vineyard Haven and Sweet Life Cafe in Oak Bluffs will bake unique desserts the week of May 5 through 11 leading up to Mother’s Day. They are among more than 100 restaurants and bakeries in the Boston area participating in the effort. All sales from the special dessert benefit breast cancer research and care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

More information is available by calling 617-632-4687.

Phyllis Vecchia Creative Drama will be holding a five week spring workshop at the Oak Bluffs School. The spring session will be on Thursday afternoons, May 8 to June 5, from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. in the home economics room.

The workshops for children ages four and a half to ten begin with theatre warm-ups, followed by character warm-ups, a story, dress-up in costumes, a performance, theatre games or puppet play.

The Vineyard Health Care Access Program is sponsoring a workshop for local employers about rules regarding health insurance enacted as part of the state’s health care reform program.

The workshop is set for Thursday, April 10 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School in the library conference room.

The Waskosim’s Rock Reservation is a Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank holding which can be reached off North Road at the West Tisbury-Chilmark line. Because of its habitat diversity, its elevation changes, its lack of so-called improvements, its overall acreage (just under 185 acres), its beech-lined stream and excellent trails, it is a great find for birders as well as other people seeking recreation. 

Rod and Gun Club Will

Host Hunter Safety Course

On April 14, 17, 19 and 20, the Martha’s Vineyard Rod and Gun Club will host the 2008 Massachusetts Hunter Safety Certification Course. The club is off Third street in Edgartown.

The classes will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. April 14 and 17, and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 19 and 20. The course is free.

By LYNNE IRONS

I was considering taking a garden hoe to my attic last week. The weatherman predicted four days of rain and I figured it was my last opportunity to get rid of years of collectibles before gardening chores take up all my time. The other alternative is to hope my children torch the place in the event of my demise.

Green home building is all the rage right now, but humans are Johnny-come-latelys to ecological building. Our “nests” are too often made from new materials that come from far and wide. Not so in the avian world.