It’s the time of year when the great ponds along the south shore of the Vineyard get opened to the sea. The ponds are now brim-full from all of the rain and snow melt during the winter months.

Six weeks ago a friend plunked a calendar down in front of me and told me to point to the day that I would head out to California to visit my daughter Nearess.

Four and a half decades ago I was memorizing the Navigation Rules at Maine Maritime Academy.

Every time I drive out to Wasque, I think of Gazette writer Joseph Chase Allen sitting at his desk on Skiff’s Island writing his weekly feature Among the Fishermen.

As usual the school vacation week on the islands gives the impression that more than half of the inhabitants have gone to America.

As of Tuesday, the overland route between Chappy and the Vineyard was open for vehicular traffic.

On Tuesday morning Brad Fligor’s voice came over the ferry radio asking somebody to call the police quickly.

The northeaster that blew across the islands Monday left several inches of fresh water. There were some spectacular puddles on the roads and the big ferries missed a few trips.

For Christmas this year my sisters made me a booklet of photos and memories of my parents, Russell Ethan Wells and Polly Eldridge Curtis.

This last blizzard really gave me a feeling of the dead-of-winter. I had not sensed that for the past half decade or so.