JOHN S. ALLEY

508-693-2950

(alleys@vineyard.net)

By LYNNE IRONS

Every week I have a few moments of angst concerning writing material but have never been one to experience a loss of words for very long.

Late January is the coldest point of the year, and it leads into the snowiest. Such harsh weather is a two-edged sword for birders.

The number of birds declines as some move south and others succumb to the cold; what birds remain sulkily conserve their energy in sheltered spots; and the process of looking for birds is a chilly one for all parties concerned.

In the forest, the dead sometimes stand tall and refuse to fall.

Don’t mourn for these deceased; they are a sign of healthy woodlands, wealthy with wildlife. In truth, there is life in tree death.

Women’s Workshop Set

On Financial Planning

The Martha’s Vineyard Women’s Network will hold a breakfast meeting on Jan. 29 at the Baylies Room in the Old Whaling Church in Edgartown from 7 to 9 a.m.

Jennifer W. Marlin and Margo Urbany-Joyce, both assistant financial planners with Ameriprise Financial, will address the concerns of women and their specific issues that may affect them in financial planning.

On cold, clear winter Vineyard days, I have trouble staying indoors. I am always tempted to set off for a walk in the woods or along a beach. The air is fresh, the sky blue. Trees gray as elephants stand out against the blueness of the sky.

And so it was on Monday, Martin Luther King Day. The air was a crisp 20, the sky the blue of medieval religious paintings, and tree limbs were clearly etched against it. Driving on Barnes Road near the Oak Bluffs water works, I stopped for a walk along the Lagoon.

Tisbury Pond Walk

The Trustees of Reservation will sponsor a walk at the Tisbury Pond Club on Sunday, Feb. 3 from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Hear the tale of a special hunt club whose members yearned to keep Long Point open and wild, as we view old journals, photographs, and duck hunting equipment. A walk will uncover old duck blinds and lead us toward our wildlife viewing blind.

Admission is free. To attend the walk, use Deep Bottom Road, the winter entrance to Long Point Wildlife Refuge, in West Tisbury. To register, call 508-693-7662.

Sometimes you just have to face the facts, even if they seem rather unpleasant.

Most people use the term habitat without realizing that they are one. Yes, you read right: whether you know it or not, you are a habitat and a home base for ectoparasites.

JUNE MANNING

508-645-2574

(lthslnks@gis.net)

Resounding applause to Dan Sauer for his arising early to assist with the construction of the new playground in December. Dan was inadvertently omitted from the list of volunteers who worked on that cold blustery morning to provide a safe place for the children of Aquinnah to play.

KATHIE CASE

508-627-5349

(kcase1@verizon.net)

Mother Nature once again is playing with us. We have had great temperatures but this weekend we will be covered by Arctic air. One thing is sure: the Patriots can play in any weather.

Happy birthday to all who celebrated their day this past week. Big balloons go out to Victoria Sadowski, who celebrated her day on Jan. 13; Kyle Rollins, who celebrated on Jan. 15; and Andrew Fournier, Austin Fournier, Elias Gundersen, and James Murray, who all celebrated their day Jan. 16.