South Mountain Company's high-performance building engineer Marc Rosenbaum gave a presentation on Innovative Mechanical Systems for Low Heating Load Buildings at the fifth annual North American Passive House conference in Portland, Ore. Passive House is a German standard that was designed to make the world's most energy efficient buildings.

His case studies included a recent South Mountain deep-energy retrofit of a century-old carriage house for the Woods Hole Research Center.

YMCA Day Camps

The holidays are coming and the kids are out of school. What fun! Except that just because school’s out doesn’t mean Ma and Pa don’t have to punch a clock.

Well, help is on the way. The Martha’s Vineyard YMCA is offering full and half day camps on Dec. 28, 29, and 30.

Full day camp runs from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The cost is $185 for members and $199 for nonmembers

Half-day camp runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost is $150 for members and $170 for nonmembers.

Martha’s Vineyard Tile

Vineyard Stories has just published its sixteenth book about the Vineyard.

Last summer the press featured Schooner: Building a Wooden Boat on Martha’s Vineyard and The Bike Ride. Both books received great reviews and recognition. Schooner was named one of the 100 best photo books of 2010 by Snapshot magazine. The Bike Ride, a book for children, was endorsed by the Nature Conservancy for its contributions in the area of conservation.

Winter Lobster Rolls

Put down the eggnog and dive into a lobster roll. That’s right, lobster isn’t just some summer fling, at least not according to the folks at Grace Church.

On Sunday, Jan. 2 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. they will be serving their standard: lobster roll, chips, and beverage for $15, plus $4 for a slice of pie. Finally, a chance to take part in one of summer’s most popular events, and therefore most crowded, without waiting in line.

Lunchtime at the Chilmark School and the requests were piling up fast and furious.

“Could I have more kale, please?” “Can I have more wheat berry?” “My favorite was the beet chips!”

Beet chips?

It’s true and thanks to the Island Grown Schools’ Chilmark Community Lunch initiative, students could see beet chips replacing generic potato chips more often in the months ahead.

Oak Bluffs Association

Names Holiday Winners

The Oak Bluffs Association (OBA) has named Crossland Nurseries, for the second year in a row, as the best decorated business in Oak Bluffs. Once again, Mark and Bernie Crossland have outdone themselves in creating a magical holiday setting for all of Oak Bluffs. Their business, Crossland Nurseries, is located on Dukes County avenue in Oak Bluffs.

R.A. Seklecki

Matthew Seklecki, son of Catherine MacDonald and Daniel Seklecki of Vineyard Haven, was named a resident assistant for the Office of Student Life at Saint Michael’s College for the 2010-2011 academic year. Seklecki is a senior, political science and history double major at the liberal arts, residential Catholic college located in Burlington, Vt. He graduated from Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School before attending to Saint Michael’s.

Please Adopt Us

T’was the night before Christmas, and all through the Shelter, not a creature was stirring — not even a mouse!

The kitties were all snuggled and warm in their beds

While visions of new homes danced in their heads.

Suddenly, all of the animals awoke with a start and started to talk

You see, at midnight on Christmas Eve, all animals can speak —

And the animals at the Shelter had been waiting all week.

I hate shopping. It is the endless wandering about stores trying to make sensible decisions. It’s why one year I gave hard, cold cash for Christmas.

Come Dasher and Dancer, Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid, and Donner and Blitzen...

Okay, it is time to panic if the reindeer are coming. We know that Santa likes to park them and the sleigh on the roof so he can hop down the chimney to deliver presents to all of the good boys and girls. But I am quite worried that our roof will not be able hold them.