The blossoms in the flower beds are shutting down. It is dark in the early morning and again before you finish dinner. Schoolgirls know what they are going to wear on day one, even though the first day of school is more than two weeks away, on Sept. 8.
The fair on Sunday morning was quiet but happy. I saw only a few people I know, but there were many others impressed by the exhibits in the hall: the skills, the talents, the artistry of so many people on this Island.
A few were watching the cornhole showdown before lunch. Dogs in the dog show were behaving properly, but when their performances were over, they and their handlers gathered to chat in loose groups in the open space outside the makeshift ring. Then something set off a signal and 15 or 40 dogs all started barking. It took just a few moments to calm these well-trained critters, and the judging resumed.
Signs of exhaustion didn’t surprise me. The competitive cut flower displays were starting to droop by Sunday. A tall sunflower was propped up by a stalk of bamboo. Peppers and tomatoes were sprouting wrinkles.
In the barn, many of the cooped-up cows understandably looked tired of the whole experience. That photogenic pig and her 10 piglets, little sausages, drew the most attention, even though they were all napping.
The appealing aspects of the fair — and of Illumination Night and the fireworks displays — express the wholesomeness of this community’s entertainments. We might have been a resort of jet skis, casinos, booze cruises and fast food, but thanks to so many, we are much more. No wonder people who grew up here or summered here, and most of those who live here, are thoughtful and kind. They hold the door for you, drivers pause on the main roads and let you in from the side streets. Who would want to live anywhere else?
The fair weather was ideal. A bit of rain at either end, bright sun and low humidity in between. Perfect.
There are still a few summer pleasures ahead, including warmed up ocean water for the chickens of the sea, like myself. The annual fireworks display in Oak Bluffs blasts off after dark on Friday, August 21. The Indigo Girls are coming. Ghost Island Farm is celebrating with a pot luck cookout and music on Saturday, August 22, from 3 to 7 p.m. Bring your own grill and food.
I think about the man who posted his plans on Facebook back in June. He announced he was wisely delaying his visit to the Vineyard, not coming in July but waiting until August “when everything has quieted down and I can enjoy a peaceful vacation.“ I wonder if he is here now, and I wonder if he tried to come and couldn’t fit on the boat. Or got here and couldn’t find a place to sleep. When I see all the cars on the roads, I can’t help but wonder where everyone sleeps.
A reminder if you are voting by mail, be sure to send that primary election ballot by Tuesday, Augst 25. Also, early voting begins Saturday, August 22, 8 to 11 a.m., until the election on Sept. 1.
Happy birthday to Ashley Medowski on Saturday, August 22. Tuesday, August 25 is a special day for Margaret Maida, Sherm Goldstein and the musically talented Jack Crawford.
Another musical talent, Dean Rosenthal, celebrates his birthday on Thursday, August 27, as does Katryn Gilbert, the woman who keeps me and others strong and balanced.
Congratulations and happy wedding anniversary to Dan Waters and Hal Garneau.