JANE N. SLATER

508-645-3378

(slaterjn@comcast.net)

Chilmark celebrated the Labor Day weekend holiday in fine style with lots of people here to enjoy the last days of summer vacation. For most of the weekend the weather was perfect for the beaches and for boating activities. The harbor was festive with many visiting yachts. A motor sailor, Mikado, was anchored just off shore. She was a beautiful aluminum hull boat 154 feet long built in 1987 in Japan. It was a surprising and pretty sight for the weekend beach and sunset crowd.

The roadsides are still lush with grapevines taking over as the dominant green. Many thanks from us all to Keith Emin and his crew for keeping the town roadsides mowed and trimmed and looking attractive.

Mark your calendars for the Eric Turkington appreciation party scheduled for Sept. 21 at the new Agricultural Hall from 4 to 6 p.m. Mr. Turkington is retiring after 20 years as our state representative. A large planning committee along with Barbara Day, Rhonda Cohen and Russell Smith are organizing the event. Please bring finger foods and beverages will be provided.

Bill and Susan Shanok of Middle Road and New York city enjoyed a visit with their daughter, Tori and her husband Will Dolan and their children, Emma, Kate and Will, all of Hingham.

Tom Turman will have a showing of his ink drawings of the Vineyard at the Chilmark library next week with the opening tomorrow, Sept. 6 from 3 to 5 p.m. Tom is the husband of Beebo Rantoul and they are at the Rantoul home in Chilmark for a Sept. visit from their home in Berkeley, Calif.

Bill and Betsy Ramsey were at their Larsen Lane home this week past with their daughter, Karen, and her fiancé, Brad Milioto, both of Baton Rouge, La. They were accompanied by Brad’s parents, Beverly and Tom Milioto of La Pas, La., and friends Nina and Dewey Johnson from Eldorado, La. They were all here to make preparations for the wedding of Brad and Karen planned for June, 2009 on the Island. She is the granddaughter of Bill Gilmour who was at his Larsen Lane home for the visit. The visitors from Louisiana were delayed in returning home due to hurricane Gustav.

Marjorie Good of Woodbury, Conn., and Chilmark, celebrated her 91st birthday on August 30 at a party hosted by John Jacobs and Betsy Healy. Marjorie is proud to remind us that she was born on the Vineyard.

Jack and Nina Huberman of Santa Fe are at their Menemsha home for a September vacation.

Author Marc Songini will speak at the library on Wednesday evening, Sept. 10 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. about his new book, The Lost Fleet. It is about the Yankee whalers’ struggle against the Confederate Navy.

Tony Horwitz will discuss his latest book, A Voyage Long and Strange, on Thursday, Sept. 11 from 5 to 6 p.m. at the library. The book recounts Horwitz’s following in the footsteps of many Europeans who preceded the Pilgrims to America.

Nancy Nitchie is enjoying the fall months at her Quitsa home.

The Galley restaurant will continue to be open but will close weekdays at 3 p.m. The Chilmark Store will close daily at 4 p.m. but remain open until Oct. 14 and the Menemsha Market is winding down with sales on some items and will close nearer the end of the month. The Bite and the fish markets remain open for food choices also.

Remember that the special town meeting is Sept. 22 at the Chilmark Community Center at 7:30 p.m.