Author Archives: Susanna J. Sturgis
August License Plate Report
In last month’s report, I wrote that the end-of-year license plate map would look pretty much like July’s. Ayup. August’s map looks exactly like July’s: Worth noting however: Last Friday afternoon I was in Edgartown, down by the harbor. A little bright … Continue reading
The Musicales—Then and Now
Shortly after I moved to the Vineyard, I started volunteering at Wintertide Coffeehouse. It was strictly a winter thing in those days, the mid-1980s. It took place on most weekends, January through March. Wintertide, I was told, was inspired by … Continue reading
Built on Stilts
Oak Bluffs streets were crowded on this early mid-August evening, both with cars and pedestrians, but I found a parking spot on Penacook — my go-to street for summer parking in Oak Bluffs — and walked toward Union Chapel. My … Continue reading
Islanders Write? Not Quite
In the summer we denizens of the Seasonally Occupied Territories are regularly bombarded with events that have “Martha’s Vineyard” in their names. Their main connection to the year-round Vineyard is that they’re held on the same terra firma. Summer residents … Continue reading
Twofer
One of the joys of my life is singing in the U.S. Slave Song Project Spirituals Choir. Directed by project founder Jim Thomas, we sing songs sung by African slaves in the American colonies and the United States from 1619 … Continue reading
July License Plate Report
Wisconsin, Wyoming, and Alaska are now on the map. Not bad, eh? If past experience is any guide — and I’ve got more than 25 years of past experience at this point — the end-of-year map will look pretty much like this … Continue reading
How to Survive Summer
With this year’s changeover I commence my 30th year as a year-round resident of Martha’s Vineyard. Traditionally the changeover is when the July people leave and the August people arrive. I’m not sure we have real changeovers anymore: it seems … Continue reading
The Vineyard We Knew
Everybody elsewhere knows all about Martha’s Vineyard. They’ve read about it on the newspapers. They’ve seen it on TV. The president vacations there, right? Plenty of books mention the Vineyard, or use it as a backdrop. Few are those that … Continue reading
Best 4th of July Ever
Hurricane Arthur, first of the season, dealt us a glancing blow on Friday. In anticipation, most July 4th activities, including the big parade in Edgartown, were postponed till Saturday. So my 4th of July actually took place on the 3rd, … Continue reading
Moped Accident
Day before yesterday a moped crashed into a pickup on a stretch of road I know well: the stretch where it’s South Road, Chilmark, on one side and State Road, West Tisbury, on the other. This is where Rainbow Farm … Continue reading
From the Seasonally Occupied Territories . . . 