A brag page
Richard White, owner of the two Soft as a Grape stores on Martha’s Vineyard, went into the book business today when he began showing and displaying Vineyard Stories’ books in his store on Circuit Avenue in Oak Bluffs. He also plans to carry books in his Edgartown store. Soft as a Grape manufactures its signature clothing in Wareham — locally grown, just like Vineyard Stories. Read More
Thoughts on being a photographer on Martha’s Vineyard: A guest blog
When I watch a wave crash against a rock and see the jewels of salt water splash into the sun-filled air, I realize both the beauty that nature provides as well as the power that is beyond my control. As I watch the aftermath of this exciting moment, I realize that the crash was temporary; the water keeps on rolling and eventually regroups so that it can come ashore and roll back to the sea. Hence, in essence, it is a pattern that never changes. The... Read More
Family spirits
"Sea Breeze" Sam's family in original painting by Steven Dohanos which became a Saturday Evening Post cover in 1948. Sam is on the steps with a boat. A guest blog by Harthaven resident Sam Low: I grew up in Harthaven, a family neighborhood in Oak Bluffs. For more than sixty years, my summer life has been centered on Harthaven’s tiny harbor where I learned to swim, row, sail, catch crabs, and spear eels. Today, when I come... Read More
Cross-pollination
This weekend we had the launch of the book Summer Friends at the Dragonfly Gallery in Oak Bluffs. Everything just seemed to work – the hosts, gallery owners Susan Davy and Don McKillop, were kind; the book buyers turned up; the author, Sarah French, was engaged and interested. And then something magical happened: with the signed books clutched in their hands, the buyers began to look around. What they discovered was Don and Susan’s wonderful... Read More
Where nature knows no bounds
Tweedy the gallery lover Martha’s Vineyard is officially classified as a “rural” area by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. And every once in a while, despite the busy streets and bustling commercial areas of our towns, we’re reminded of that. Tweedy, who seems to have a mysterious other life someplace else in the neighborhood, comes to visit the Oak Bluffs Arts District on a regular basis. He mainly wanders into the... Read More
Now, all hell breaks loose
Today was the last day until late August that islanders will go to the grocery store after 7 am. It’s the last day you’ll see us in libraries or sipping a beer at Off-Shore Ale. Our hair will get too long, the paint on our nails will chip, and our clothes will begin to get a worn-every-day look. We’ll seem a little haggard. We won’t go to movies. We’ll stop speaking to neighbors except about how busy we are or how many visitors they have. Now,... Read More
A Southern Lady
The first time I came to Martha’s Vineyard, I got seasick on the ferry. The second time my realtor, Sherry Purdy brought me a fur hat, coat, boots and gloves. “You just aren’t equipped for this,” I remember her telling me. The third time, I had planned to fly aboard one of the small Cape Air planes that come from Boston to the Vineyard. The weather was so bad I was diverted to Hyannis aboard a flight so equally bad a fellow passenger declared... Read More
Diversity on a small island
There are so many different islands on this island – topographically, politically, spiritually. Sometimes you feel as if you’ve visited a half dozen locales just driving five miles. Here you’re in Ireland, with rolling hills, ancient stone walls, old farm houses; there, you’re in a small town in rural Ohio, nicely kept ranch homes and modest in-town houses painted – what else? – white with black trim. Take a left off one of the busy roads... Read More
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