Coming Around Again

Columbus Day weekend is like the last throes of life for the island, from the perspective of an islander looking at the busy season. Currently the island is experiencing an Indian summer; temperatures near 80, sunny skies, bustling streets and sidewalks. The pace of business has steadily declined; the pace of my running has steadily improved. After a season of working and running injured with little or no sleep, I have found the time to slowly rest and recover. Then again, for all of the years that I have called Martha’s Vineyard my home, the pattern has held steady. So I also know what lies ahead.

Soon the day trips off-island will consume the time of many an islander. I have already begun that ritual, albeit while travelling with the MVRHS Cross Country team. The potluck dinners and contra dancing dates will be set, as the locals reclaim their haunts from the summer renters. The local harvest festivals have already begun and will continue as long as the weather holds. Others will begin to pack into the local bars to watch sports and bide their time until last call sends them off to their winter digs. Yes, even the Vineyard has tightly knit social circles that seldom co-mingle.

Writing workshops, knitting groups, drawing classes and the like fill the days, and sometimes nights, of the islanders that stay through the months of January and February. Old friends, new friends, frenemies, and rivals gather to pass the time, the gossip, and their stories while they await the arrival of the next season, whenever that might be. There are the cooking classes on Wednesdays at Le Roux, poetry readings, concerts with local musicians, and the occasional film festival or chowder festival. Something is usually happening every day of every week throughout the off season. Often it is difficult to do all of the things you actually want to do without scheduling the activities like appointments.

During the bleakest days of the winter you can find me working on any one of the numerous projects that need completing around my house. Days can pass before I go into town, which is less than a 8-10 minute walk. Sheetrock, paint, stain, urethane, or whatever; all of those tasks require a day or more of preparation in order to be done correctly. I actually look forward to such tasks, as they are ever present reminders of progress in an otherwise stagnant time of year.

So there are more than a few ways to spend the off season on our little island. Look around and you might see a few clues if you look closely. If you are new to the off season on Martha’s Vineyard, then you just need to find a circle of friends that will help the time not only pass, but will give you something to look forward to, even during the everlasting days of summer.