I have been enjoying a wonderful visit from my sister in law, Nancy Gardella, and her son, Jonathan Alexander Gardella. As is their custom the summer has been very wild and crazy for them with lots of travel.

All roads lead to Martha’s Vineyard. Among the many friends returning for the season, or part of it, were Sam and Ashley Byrd on a very quick jaunt from Texas.

My grandsons made it to the Island last week. It was a whirlwind vacation with their parents.

We are not the only town to have a picnic, even if it has to have a rain date. After the formation of their town 125 years ago, West Tisbury held its first Town Picnic last weekend at the Ag Hall. Food, beverages, games, camaraderie. Doing what we do best in season.

Our town picnic, rained out two years in a row. At least the Tisbury school kids were able to have their memorial March to the Sea on Friday.

The Friday before Memorial Day when we took seats and standing room early for the Tisbury School children’s March to the Sea with their flowers for our fallen military men and women was always so special to me.

“These are the times that try men’s souls” was never more true in this nation than now.

Everyone has become contentious. Issues on Island, issues off-Island, is it true a house divided against itself cannot stand? I shall concentrate on the changes going on here on the Rock; someone else will have to straighten out the mess off-Island.

Now it is on to climate change, and if you had been paying attention the last few decades you would have noticed.

Monsoon season! Did any of you take your dinghies down to Five Corners and go rowing? I expect lush lawns and gardens this summer considering the amount of rain we have had.