Rushing to catch a boat the other day, I failed to stop to pick up a newspaper to read on the way to Woods Hole.

’Twas Christmas Eve and Santa Claus was readying for his trip around the world by reindeer sleigh — not elegant cruise ship.

I liked turning 90 a year and a half ago. I was given a party overlooking Chilmark Pond by friend Mary Jane Pease.

The death of former Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev took me back to my travels to several Eastern European countries that he helped liberate from Communist rule.

Now is the time of year to be indulging in floral scents.

So it is April at last. The daffodils are up, but not all in bloom yet.

The driveways and barns and garages, the stairways and trees of the Whitney estate at West Chop have, for the past several years, been the scene of a new type of activity. A special project has been underway under the direction of Miss Kathleen Hinni of the Summer School of Creative Arts, and young people have been learning to grow through the arts.

It all began with a paper cup.

Brigitte Cornand, longtime deputy director of West Tisbury’s Dumptique, called recently from France, where she now lives, with New Year’s greetings for all her Vineyard friends.

On Christmas Eve the sky was clear for Santa and for his reindeer.