A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Wed Sep 26, 2007

This is Martha's Vineyard's "secret summer"; most of the visitors have left the island, the water is still warm, the beaches are empty but sunny, you can find a parking space without endlessly circling and it's the perfect time for islanders to finally enjoy our island before the icy Northeasters start to blow.

Today was a typical early fall day, temperature in the high seventies, a brisk southwest wind and sun glinting off the sparkling blue ocean ruffled with whitecaps.

I took the bus home from work, walked to the post office to pick up our mail, stopped at the local market for a few groceries, and started the half mile walk toward home. Neighborhood gardens are still glorious despite our summer-long drought and I was pelted by the acorns falling from the trees for which our town is named. Waving to friends, I could actually cross the street without waiting for long lines of traffic to pass.

At home, I picked red peppers from our garden to grill for dinner. I noticed that the deer are back and they have given our hosta border a crewcut - they seem to prefer hosta to the many apple drops on the ground.

Sunset is coming far too early these days. After dinner, Hubby and I watched the Red Sox win. We'll sleep well tonight with the windows wide open to the soft southwest breeze and the full moon.