Nobody will ever love you as much as your mother, says a commercial on TV these days. Because that is probably somewhat true, do something special for your mother this Sunday, which is Mother’s Day. Just mailing a card is not adequate, considering the trouble she took to hoist you this far in life.
One mother I admire is Nicole Alley, who with her husband Arsen Hambardzumian, recently took their four sons west to explore, admire and scramble up and down and all over the Grand Canyon. The boys are close in age; in fact, half of them are twins. They are energetic and athletic, rapidly evolving into teenagers.
The boys hiked and climbed, rode horses, enjoyed the culture and color of Tucson and Sedona, as well as the great wonders of nature. In the family photos they sent, Nicole continues to look so blessedly calm.
Exploring another magnificent segment of our world this week were Ben, Nicole and their daughter Reed Cabot, who were in Iceland (or is it on Iceland?) for a fabulous trip. They went swimming in warm lagoons, hiking from one hilltop to another, admiring the volcanoes, eating all that home-made looking food and vowing to return.
On another trip abroad, though not quite a vacation, Paul Kerasik has been traveling around Germany. In front of one group of readers after another, Paul has been giving readings from his latest book, an adaptation of Paul Aster’s New York Trilogy.
Here at home, Annabelle Brothers has been on the Island most of the week. She is on a short break between finishing her junior year at Yale and beginning an internship in New Haven for a nonprofit called the Urban Resource Initiative. The program was created to support the city of New Haven.
Annabelle will be working on a community greenspace project, which takes on initiatives like restoring parks, vacant lots and streetscapes. We won’t be seeing much of Annabelle on-Island this summer. Sigh.
Also here at home, some of us have visions of the fair, which in only about three months away. Bill Haynes, our former fire chief, is an active board member of the Agricultural Society, and he is looking for ideas and helpers for a special project at the fair this summer. The fair committee want to include activities to celebrate the country’s 250th birthday and the signing of the Constitution.
The group is thinking of possible readings of the Constitution, or the Bill of Rights. Or maybe Paul Revere on horseback riding around the grounds, looking for the quickest route to Lexington. The committee is asking for ideas, for period clothing, for volunteers, for patriots. Contact Bill at 508 338-2153 or bbhaynes@comcast.net.
Birthday bouquets go out Friday, May 8 to two West Tisbury stalwarts, Phyllis Meras and Ken Belain. Happy birthday on Monday, May 11, to Shane Fisher, and to Emily Gray on Tuesday, May 12. Birthday celebrations are in order for Nicole Galland and Ellen Northrup on Wednesday, May 13, and for Bill Eville and Jay Napior on May 14.
This article appears in May 8, 2026.