JOHN S. ALLEY
508-693-2950
Happy Fourth of July and welcome to the summer season and all the excitement it brings along with it. June brought us 22 days of rain, more than any previous June in nearly 100 years; it was cool and a fire was needed in the evening to take the chill out of the house. If you went downtown for any reason last weekend the traffic was brutal everywhere; just about every building in town is now occupied, the buses are comfortably full and the planes and boats are crowded. Many backyard cookouts will be held all around town tonight and tomorrow evening, assuming the weather allows. This is the start of a long holiday weekend; the post office and libraries will be closed tomorrow.
Lambert’s Cove beach stickers are now being sold at the shed at the town tennis courts, next to the school, daily from 9 a.m. to noon and with extra weekends hours from 4 to 7 p.m. this year.
About 80 invited guests are expected to attend the annual night before the Fourth of July party at the home of Wollcott and Leah Smith down in Tiah’s Cove this evening. Their many friends and neighbors will enjoy the evening and a wonderful dinner. A Smith party to bring in the Fourth is rapidly becoming the “in thing” to be invited to; Sal Laterra reports that last year it was truly a wonderful evening, great company and fantastic food. He is coming down especially for the event.
Joan Jenkinson and her sister Angela Madison flew out to California earlier this week to accompany Jane Newhall and Anita Guerra, of San Francisco, Calif., back to the Island. They are arriving tomorrow to spend the summer. Jane and Anita look forward to visiting with their many friends during their summer visit. Jane has missed only one Vineyard summer since the 1930s.
Kendall Gifford Miller, his wife, Carla, and children Daniel and Carl, of Newark, Ohio arrived last weekend for a vacation. They have been cleaning the yard, planting daylilies and continuing to improve the property. They plan to return home on Sunday.
Shirley Mayhew reports that the Franklin family, with the cooperation of the Friends of the West Tisbury Library, will honor the late Betty Franklin at the West Tisbury Library on Sunday, July 12. The event, a celebration of Betty’s life, will start at 3:30 p.m. Her many friends on the Vineyard are invited to attend.
The Athearn clan gathered at Charlie Kernick’s Tuesday night to celebrate Cliff Athearn’s birthday. Jim and Debbie Athearn brought Morning Glory greens, Charlie cooked a cioppino, and Stevie Hughes added a Pig Pickin’ birthday cake enjoyed by all. Morgan and Bobby Lucero, Connie and Bob Taylor, Debbie and Harry Athearn, and his neighbor, Muriel Bye, joined the celebration, which went well into the evening.
Marian Irving reports that the popular Sundaes on Saturday will return on July 11 and 18 and next month on August 1 and 8 over at the First Congregational Church. They will be offering ice cream sundaes with your choice of toppings. Also lemonade and ice tea will be available to sip in the shade on the church lawn. All proceeds will benefit the preservation of the historic building. Last Saturday, blessed with sunshine, the church’s annual Strawberry Festival set a new record as more than 1,100 adults and children were served and enjoyed their treats on the church lawn. Peter and Peggy Yoars, cochairmen, were thrilled with the turnout.
Last weekend was busy in town with the art show opening receptions. The crowd in town on Sunday afternoon at Allen Whiting’s annual art show and opening perhaps reached as many as 400 people during the afternoon over at the Davis House gallery. The Allen Whiting family participated in the event. Their son Everett prepared chicken liver pate from his own chickens, the sausage was from their own pigs and the wine was locally produced. The Davis House Gallery is now open Thursday through Sunday from 1 to 6 p.m. through Labor Day weekend.
The Granary Gallery, on Old County Road, began its 55th summer with an artists’ reception about the same time.
Mickey Stone, of North Tisbury, his wife, Kelly, and boys Miles and Max have returned from their new home on Maui, Hawaii, where Michael has taken a teaching job. They are busy opening for art classes for children, tending 100 newly planted blueberry bushes and entertaining family from Connecticut this week. Their newly born nephew, Alexander Konlian, will be arriving for his first trip to the Vineyard tomorrow.
Connie Koch, of Washington, D.C., and Edgartown Road, arrived last weekend to spend the summer at her home. She will soon be busy preparing for the arrival of her children and grandchildren who will make their summer visits next month.
Emily Gadd, of Bozeman, Mont., and South Road, has planted her gardens but reports that it takes a generous amount of sunshine to make things grow. She has had her house remodeled over the winter and is busy rearranging everything and in her spare time made a superb kale soup.
Marian Irving, of Old County Road, reports that her daughter Susan and her twin granddaughters, Chloe and Nichole Irving, were here last week. She says it was a challenge keeping them entertained and busy but she reached the high spot, she thought, when Chloe jumped on the Flying Horses Carousel and pulled the brass ring the first time around! Their visit to the Cupcake Shop in Vineyard Haven was another rainy day hit.
Jim Coyne, of Look’s Pond Road, reports that he and his wife, Holly, hosted some very knowledgeable gardeners last weekend. The board of associates of the Garden Club of America, 50 lifelong horticulturists from all over the country, visited the Island for two days of garden tours, guided by Sally Solmssen of Abel’s Hill, Angel Morris of East Chop, and their longtime friend Sarah Pease of Chilmark and Cohasset. They were honored to show them their garden on Look’s Pond and, thanks to the hard work of master gardener Zada Clarke, of Chilmark, the inspiration and vision of the late Nina Schneider, and despite five nearly-continuous weeks of rain, the garden didn’t disappoint the experts. The roses were at their peak and the sun even popped out for an unexpected visit. He is sure that Nina must have been smiling down on us all. Jim also reports that they are entertaining their daughter, Kate Coyne, and her friend, Ryan Coyle, both of New York city, all this week.
Malcolm Hall and his wife, Judy, of Deep Bottom, report that their house is filling up with family and friends for the big holiday. Visiting them are their daughter Emily and her friends Cory Gilberson, Stephen and Carly Hoffman, all from Denver, Colo. Also at the house are their son Ward and his wife, Laurel, and their children Arden and Brink, along with Chris Haynes and his wife, Kristy Nardone, from Boston. They have a few grandsons with them as well: Cameron Harrison, Ethan and Jacob Hall from Oklahoma City. Their son Houston, a student at the University of the Ozarks is on Island. Mandy Moore is flying in from Atlanta, Ga., today to be with them over the Fourth. Malcolm reports that Judy has been baking her blue ribbon apple pies nonstop, as they are the most sought after item at the picnic in Edgartown, so he took everyone to Lambert’s Cove Beach on Tuesday.
Marsha Winsryg reports that the Zambia Is Us concert and silent auction will be held at 8 p.m. July 16 at the Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs.
Doug Kent, of Lambert’s Cove Road, will have his gallery opening on Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m. at 401 Lambert’s Cove Road.
Jeff Munroe, manager of the youth hostel on Edgartown Road, reports that they will be hosting a full house this weekend. Bikers from across America as well as international guests will be on hand to celebrate the Fourth.
On a personal note, our 14-year-old faithful dog, Star, that you have seen walking in town sometimes, towing me on a leash or walking with my wife, passed away on Sunday. She enjoyed an occasional dip in the Mill Pond or town cove in addition to long walks and checking out new smells. A visit to Whiting’s farm was a special treat. It is unbelievable how attached you become to your pet over the years and don’t realize it until they’re gone. I will miss her demanding bark that I take her on a walk at least twice a day. Our thanks to Animal Health Care for making her last days easier and Jim Hudson, of Scanlon Construction, for his help in fashioning a proper box for her to rest in.
Happy birthday to Allison McKinley, Michelle Marks and Marissa Kaeka today; Pat Goodell, Jane Hawkes, David Bouck, Daniel Greenberg and Sandra Clark tomorrow; Dan Whiting, Bob Gray and Abigail Bailey on Sunday; David Douglas, Bart Smith, Amelia Espy and Emma Kiley on Monday; David McCullough, Mary Lu Keep and Sarah Pallatroni on Tuesday; John Mayhew 3rd, Sarah Cottle, William Austin and Andrew Gardner on Wednesday; Devin Church, Robert Blanchard and Laurie Turnie on Thursday. Happy anniversary to the famous Webster socialites Ed and Jane Konicki on Thursday. Belated anniversary wishes to David Lewis and his wife, Danica Kombol, as well as to Ed Levine and Vicki Bijur.
Well, that is all of the social news for this week’s column. If you have any news please call or e-mail me. A happy and safe holiday, and see you at the parade. Have a great week.
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