Jo-Ann Tilghman>

508-627-7669

(Tilghmanjb@aol.com)

When we arrive on Chappy in the spring there is so much to do: rake up the last of the leaves that have blown into their favorite spots and basement window wells over the winter, work on the garden, buy plants, paint the Gentle Julia (the 60-year-old family wooden catboat) put out the mooring and get the boat in the water, not to mention the shopping and cleaning that goes with opening any house. We generally arrive with at least one new project such as painting a room, making curtains, or building a new stone wall. Now, as we approach the time for us to leave Chappy for the winter, we find we are doing many of the same things in reverse.

There are lawn mowers to have serviced, gardens to be raked out and covered, shrubs to wrap in burlap so that they do not become deer food over the winter, cleaning (one might ask why does a house need to be cleaned when leaving and then again when one returns — how does it get dirty when no one is in it?), packing and taking the boat out of the water and safely stored for another winter.

Dawn and Victor Colantonio will host the first Chappy Community Center potluck of the fall season Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 6 p.m. for cocktails and dinner at 6:30 p.m. Please bring a dish that will feed your group plus four. The potlucks are a great way to meet and stay in touch with people plus have a chance to sample new cuisine. Also at the community center, the Farmers’ Market will continue again next week. Farmers Sharlee Livingston and Will Geresy have not yet decided how much longer they will continue to be at the Wednesday 4 p.m. market. Both are still selling tomatoes, herbs, cucumbers, beets and whatever bounty they have available. Another news item from the community center is the announcement of an auction for next summer with auctioneer Trip Barnes. This fund-raising event is always popular so watch this column for more information as it becomes available. If you would like to help with the auction or donate an item please contact Sue Phinney at 508-627-3780.

When tropical storm Hanna blew in last Saturday she made it very easy for those who had picked up their copies of Chappaquiddick: That Sometimes Separate but Never Equaled Island to have an excuse to settle in for part of the afternoon and read a section or two of the very interesting and informative book. Hatsy Potter will be back at the community center this Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until noon if you did not have a chance to pick up your order or if you would like to buy additional copies. If you have left the Island for the season your order will be shipped as soon as possible. Thanks to Hatsy for the significant amount of time she put into this project. She is to be commended for the wonderful result. She asked me to send thanks to Susan Gomez for all the typing she did to get the book ready for the printer and she also wants to thank everyone who contributed part of their family history and photos to the publication.

Another result of the storm was people going out to Wasque to check out the breach, the waves, and the skies. During the lull between bands of rain my husband Tom and I were out walking some of the Wasque trails and ran into Sunny and Alan Wilson with their dog and Dick and Judy Diamond who were also curious to see what the storm would stir up. In the end the storm did not bring much rain to Chappy but my big surprise was how few leaves came down. Somehow I had expected our yard to be littered with small branches and leaves, but that was not the case.

Nefertiri Jeffers still has the Chappy Store open on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. The store is the place for Chappy Store T-shirts, Gail Rodney prints of the store, and pantry essentials.

An added bonus at this time of the year is the aroma of ripening grapes and beach plums which appear to be plentiful. I have never been a diehard aficionado of picking beach plums and making jelly but I certainly know folks who look forward to the annual fruit harvest for jelly and cordial.

We do have Hanna to thank for getting us started earlier than usual on our preparations for leaving the Island. The boat is now out of the water, some of the outdoor cleanup has begun, and lists are being made of what needs to be done, inside and out, before we leave. Margaret Knight will take over this column next week. Thanks Margaret, for letting me write over the summer — it’s been fun.