The Holy See in Oak Bluffs, MA

The African American population grew to new levels on the island this summer, with the greatest concentration in Oak Bluffs. Demographic marketing was apparent with a fist-bumping watercolor of the first couple (sale price $1,000) impressionist oil painting of the President walking the Aquinnah cliffs with his dog (sale price $5,000) and seemingly religious artifacts of and souvenirs in honor of Obama prominently displayed along Circuit Avenue. Here's my favorite. Don't call me a racist, I'm just reporting the scene.

Presidential Motorcade Sighted in Chilmark

Woohoo!!! Having tired of sharing my bedroom with carpenter ants over the last three weeks, the exterminator kicked us out of the house for a couple of hours today. I dropped the blogson at Alley's General Store to hang out with Coco, and continued up island to Aquinnah.

On the way back, I stopped in Menemsha.


Knowing the First Family was staying off of South Road, I took that route home and was the first car stopped by the Chilmark Police about 500 yards before Blue Heron Farm. As the line of traffic grew behind me, I knew the motorcade must be approaching. Sure 'nuff. I took this video, but cowered a bit with the policeman giving the the evil eye.



The only political statement I notice throughout the day's journey was this frequent signage peppering South Road.

Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Fair

The entire population on the island looks forward to that third weekend in August for the annual Ag Fair. From the newborn calf, to Coco's paper dresses, to rides and hats, to yummy food and, of course, the skillet throw. It was another dream come true at the fair. The Vineyard Gazette captures the whole weekend here, and provides an introduction for my skillet throw video:

The feminine gusto was certainly not questioned on Sunday when the woodsmen cleared out and women ages 18 to 88 stepped to the competition field to hurl three pounds and eleven ounces of steel over a measured dirt expanse in the women’s skillet throw.

The oldest contestant, 88-year-old Ann Lesnikowski of Vineyard Haven, ambled to the throw-line while clutching her daughter in law’s hand. Once on the field, the gold-jeweled, pink-lipped lady launched a rusted frying pan more than six feet in front of her. “I think it’s fun,” said skillet thrower Ms. Lesnikowski. “It’s something to do at the fair. I like the idea of women being able to compete at possible sports.”

Foggy MVY

Our flight to Camp Kieve yesterday was delayed a couple of hours due
to morning fog at the airport. We had a great reunion with the
blogson in Maine and brought him back to the island. Martha's Vineyard
is very crowded. This is probably peak tourist weekend, but it seems
to be busier than usual.

Developing Story for the Initiated

It seems to me that there is an infiltration of great concern developing around the globe. It is scarier than any political agenda, war, greed or corruption. It is stirring curiosity seekers by relatively large numbers. On July 13th, I, too, was motivated to post about this frightening, but fascinating development. Since mid-July, I have received more Google hits from that blog post than any single post over the last year. The commotion? GIANT GREEN MOTH SIGHTINGS.

Camp Kieve

Photo Credit

While I miss the blogson dearly for three and a half weeks a year, I never worry about him when he's away at camp. It is a wonderful and meaningful passage to manhood for these teens. Each year, the wilderness journey get increasingly more challenging. This year, the blogson spent thirteen days on the Allagash Wilderness Waterway in Maine. He returned to his cabin this weekend. Although, I have only received four sentences on a postcard from my camper, Kieve provides information and photos to the parents almost daily. Yesterday's news from Camp Kieve illustrates the fun they have when back from a grueling wilderness adventure:

Today was Sunday and as Geoff raised the flag after a half-hour sleep-in, he announced that the theme of the day was Super bowl Sunday. After a breakfast of pancakes and fresh fruit, everyone hurried back to their cabins to clean for a little while before choir practice. At chapel, Kieve Alum Chris spoke and we all sang the kieve hymn together. Afterwards, campers scurried back to their cabins to organize their things and make their beds in order to pass for inspection. Directors Tommy and Henry came around checking peoples cabins off and then camp settled down at Pasquaney to enjoy corn and barbequed chicken. In the afternoon, Pirates and Mystery Bus were the two most popular activities and despite rumors of rain the skies stayed clear. The counselors worked together to make a delicious dinner of wings, mozzarella sticks, burgers and dogs and then Geoff announced the evening activity: the Super bowl. Camp rejoined down at Harriet House field, which had been turned into a football stadium, complete with Goal Posts, loud speakers and delicious snacks such as popcorn and soda. Campers ate their fill while they cheered their counselors on. After the game we returned to the top of the hill to lower the flag while Geoff spoke of how much Kieve meant to him. Overall, it was another wonderful day at camp.

Amazing iPhone Picture of Sweet Amelia

Steph sent this amazing iPhone transmittal during the week. Our little sweetheart is scheduled for yet another surgery tomorrow. This is Amelia's fifth major surgery in her first year of life. Amelia is turning ONE! on August 2oth. Please spend a quite moment in prayer for Amelia's successful kidney procedure tomorrow. Thanks.

Lobster Now Cheaper than Hot Dogs

Now, there's really no reason to wait for a celebration dinner. The next cookout can be really special. For the first time in generations, the price of lobster is cheaper than the wholesale price of hot dogs per pound.

H/T Nancy

Woman's Best Friend

Solo, my five year old black Lab, rode shotgun for the 273 mile ride to Martha's Vineyard. During the silence of an uneventful ride, and while appearing to be dead asleep, Solo was a great communicator. Each time my glance veered in his direction, he drowsily and spontaneously wagged his tail in sheer appreciation for the moment.

Best Margarita Ever

Photo credit

Many people prefer the convenience of bottled margarita mixer, which is readily available in stores, to fresh squeezed lime juice when making this Mexican cocktail. While certainly not as fast and easy as pouring the pre-made beverage over tequila, fresh lime juice and Cointreau is the key blend to a perfect Gold margarita. It's this simple and delicious:

1 1/2 oz. Cuervo Gold tequila
1/2 oz. Cointreau
1 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice

Cheers!

40 Years Later: Historical Weekend

It was 40 years ago today that Ted Kennedy walked swam away from murder charges. While the story was big news for the Massachusetts senator, his cover-up was bigger news. Mary Jo Kopechne, the young woman with Ted Kennedy at a vineyard party, died after he drove his car off a bridge in an isolated area on Chappaquiddick. Kennedy waited until the next morning to call the police. Two days later, Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong made ‘one giant leap for mankind' as Apollo 11 landed on the moon.

Pinkletink

Winter fades, Spring dallies.
A limbo. And then, a sound.
The pinkletink peeps.
-Alex Goethals

We met up with an old friend at the flea market this morning. John always has a number of interesting ventures up his sleeve. Today he was telling us about his new clothing line for teen girls, Pinkletink. Cute name. We learned that a pinkletink is the folk name for a spring peeper frog on Martha's Vineyard.

The Art of John Lennon in Vineyard Haven

A benefit for the Island Food Pantry will be exhibiting the art work of John Lennon this weekend at the Mansion House in Vineyard Haven. From the MV Gazette:

...“What many people don’t know about John was that he was an artist before he was a rocker,” his widow and artistic collaborator Yoko Ono told the Gazette...Working primarily with pencil (and later, after meeting Ms. Ono and travelling to Japan, Asian brushes), Mr. Lennon produced art throughout his life. His drawings are whimsical, immediate and human.

The show, entitled Come Together, runs from noon to 7 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Twenty Four Hours: JFK, Jr. and the Family

As if being at a Yankee's game isn't exciting enough, I was absolutely thrilled to behold a memorable celebrity-sighting ten years ago in the Bronx. The very handsome Yankee fan, JFK, Jr., was occupying a box seat near the Yankee dugout, not too far from our seats. While most of the 49,000 attendees had no idea of Kennedy's presence at the game, I couldn't take my eyes off him. Sigh! The next evening, just about the time JFK, Jr. was taking off from a New Jersey airport in his private plane, we were taking off from a nearby airport in our single engine plane. Usually, we fly to our home on Martha's Vineyard, but that night we were visiting family in Pittsburgh. It was a hot and steamy night. The bloghusband flew at a higher altitude than normal because of haze's effect on his visibility while flying into the sunset. We awoke the next morning and were simply crushed to learn of the tragic demise of Kennedy's flight in route to the vineyard. My first thought was how the haze, while flying over water, must have made the horizon indistinguishable. Ten years later, people still tend to analyze and critique the accident. Pilots are a curious breed, and never will they criticize another pilot. The bloghusband merely says that every pilot has a different risk tolerance level.

Allen Farm, Chilmark MA

Your daily dose of sweetness.

Potter on the Vineyard

The blogfamily attended the 7:00pm premier of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. It was a sell-out crowd at the Island Theater in Oak Bluffs and about 110 degrees in the packed theater. The movie vaguely resembled the book we read three years ago. The anticipation was far better than the movie, but it was fun to revisit a fond memory of togetherness shared over 672 pages.

Countdown to Harry Potter Movie Six

Just two more days to the island premier of Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince. The movie will be playing in Oak Bluffs on Wednesday. We are very excited.

Giant Green Moth

Photo credit hiltonpond.org

This beautiful creature would be far more intriguing in a zoo rather than out my front door. As I stepped outside this evening, I thought of Alfred Hitchcock. The vineyard is rich with all sorts of wild life, and each year brings a new variety to life. I did a simple Google search for "giant green moth" and discovered that this fabulous beast is called a Luna Moth:

Luna Moths are members of the Saturniidae family, also known as the "Giant Silkworm Moths." Luna Moths are huge moths, with a wingspan of four and a half inches. They have a white body, pinkish legs, and huge pale green wings. The hindwings have eyespots and long tails. They fly, only at night, in Spring and early Summer.

How Monkeys Open a Banana

h/t misscellania

The Shenandoah

We were blessed with our third boating day of the season yesterday. Aside from the blogson, Will aka Billy, who tipped the dingy and fell into the cold harbor waters, we all had a fabulous afternoon soaking up the sun on Osprey. It wouldn't be the perfect day out to sea without sighting the Shenandoah in full sail. From Coastwise Packet, The Shenandoah is a 108' square topsail schooner with no auxiliary power, thereby making her unique in the American schooner fleet. She is the only vessel of her size and rig operating under the American flag. The Shenandoah is a legend in New England waters, and majestic to behold at full sail.

InStyle Magazine? No, Just Ally

With time at a premium, the days of leisurely flipping though a magazine seem few and far between. Luckily, I have the blogstepdaughter, Ally, to keep me advised of the latest trends in fashion. With a long-term career in the fashion industry, and a life-long passion for all things fashionable, Ally is my walking and talking consultant on new and useful products and styles. Ally and husband, Paul, are spending a couple days with us on the island.

Grilled Pizza Recipe

The blogstepdaughterinlaw, Kristy, has been an inspiration in my attempts to perfect the art of grilled pizza making. Hosting the vegetarian blognephew, Robert, on the island, grilled pizza has become a fun challenge and bonding event over the last couple of weeks. Our two attempts at making pizza have produced delicious, albeit, rudimentary pies. We agreed to have one more pizza night before our departure, which, we are convinced, will produce our best results.

1. With pizza dough at room temperature, pull, press and stretch the dough to a desired shape and thinness. A round pie is the traditional objective, but it's not always easy to achieve that perfect circumference.
2. Preheat grill to medium hot. Prepare all toppings in advance i.e., steam, sauté, grate, etc. Pizza sauce and veggies (meat, too, if desired) should be warm and ready for the crust.
3. Brush olive oil on one side of the crust and gently place the oil side down on the hot grill.
4. While the crust is cooking, brush oil the other side. Watch the crust carefully to prevent burning. The crust will get bubbly. That's good.
5. Gently flip the crust, and as quickly as possible, place the desired toppings on the pizza and close the top of the grill for a couple of minutes. Watch carefully.
6. Remove the pie, pour a glass of Chianti and enjoy the fruits vegetables of your labor!
   

SHOCK: Teens Take the Vineyard Bus

The 15 year-old blogson and his friend actually took public transportation home last night at 11:00 p.m. At least that's what they told me. Perhaps they engaged in their first episode of hitchhiking, which would be OK too, but only on Martha's Vineyard. I find this to be blogworthy for several reasons: 1. It's a rite of passage, independent and out late at night and on public transportation. 2. We have never been on a vineyard bus. 3. An article entitled reducing how much we drive--child miles traveled? caught my eye this morning.

First Time Visitors to MV

Hosting first-time visitors to our vineyard home, we are reminded of beauty that surrounds us daily on the island. It's fun to be inspired this holiday weekend.

Amelia in Summer

Amelia is blooming this summer. In a recent email from Steph, the proud mom shares some thoughts on our little girl:

Amelia actually pulled herself up for the first time today!!! Unbelievable! When she was born we were told that she probably would not have any feeling below her waist...well, she is showing them! She is really doing well, no more retching, she's talking (Ma, Ba etc.), paddy caking, giving kisses, saying uh ooh, rolling from one end of the room to another, laughing and pretty much just being a perfect baby : )

Iraq: National Sovereignty Day

The first step toward withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq officially started today. Iraq is celebrating the beginning of the end of six years of war. It is everyone's hope that Iraq will be able to maintain peace and order in their country without the help of foreign troops.

"While we celebrate this day, we express our thanks and gratitude to our friends in the coalition forces who faced risks and responsibilities and sustained casualties and damage while helping Iraq to get rid from the ugliest dictatorship and during the joint effort to impose security and stability," President Talabani said.

President Obama anticipates that all combat troops with be out of Iraq by August 2010.

For the Fashion Forward Man

Ewwwww! I'm going with hideous here.

From The Frisky:

Oh, Jean-Paul Gautier, you never cease to entertain. At his Spring 2010 menswear show the designer has a few of his male models strut down the runway in denim tube tops. While I don’t think this is a trend that will trickle down to the masses, will fashion-obsessed celebs like Kanye West embrace it? Guess we’ll see…

Dog Fest on Lambert's Cove

Beau, our old Lab grew up on Lambert's Cove. He has been rather ill lately and we've been hoping he'd have one more summer on Martha's Vineyard. There's still a lot of dog left in him this morning!

Ain't No Sunshine, but It's All Good

We're all falling into the summer groove despite the lack of sunshine on the vineyard. The bloghusband caught two giant blue fish while out on Osprey with friends. I did a four-mile run around West Chop. The boys took a 16-mile bike ride. Add some kayaking, Frisbee, beach paddle and we're off to a great start. Even Beau is feeling better now that he's home on the island.

Horizontal on the Vineyard

It's good to be on vacation.

Best Birthday Present Ever

Our very old Lab, Beau, had a messy accident in the house. The blogson cleaned it all up and said to me, "Happy Birthday."

New iPhone Comes to Market on my Birthday!!!

Friday is the big day for the arrival of the new iPhone. It just so happens to be my birthday, too. I told the bloghusband that my first generation iPhone is still perfect and still my favorite gift of all time. Why waste money on a new phone? It has voice command, a compass, the cut and paste feature, spotlight search, landscape keyboard and is really, really faster than that first dinosaur!

Bumper Sticker of the Day

House Hunting on Captiva

Public Remnants of a Dream

Blogs. According to a survey by Technorati, the NYT reveals today
that approximately 95% of blogs are abandoned over a 120 day period.
They cite a number of reasons for people simply losing interest in
blogging, but no where does it mention stalkers from San Mateo, Ca.

Changed and Confused

As I spend some some quiet time, with a cup of joe and the Sunday New York Times in Captiva, Fl, I can't help but wonder if world leaders are as confused as everyday Americans by Obama's policies bringing change and humility to world-power leadership.

Drama in Sleepy Town

My little Norman Rockwell town had it's first multiple burglary case in 75 years yesterday. Guess who was among the record-shattering statistic? Yes, indeed. The bloghome made news with an afternoon breaking and entering incident. The perp(s) entered the locked garage and my car before being frightened off. It was very unsettling to know that this was going on while I was in the house. The two leashes in my vehicle may have scared them away. Our ferocious Labs were sleeping soundly throughout the break-in.

RIP Old Yeller

Fainting Goats

So cute, and so silly.

Curious Decorative Design

While touring Genéve, this lovely design caught my eye on one of the buildings in the Old City. A quick Photoshop later, and voilá, a new banner.

Swiss Photo Gallery

Check out more photos of the trip here.

Gruyére Switzerland

Still not enjoying the sleep for which I am generally accustomed, the bus departed at 9:00 am for an excursion to the Swiss countryside. After an hour ride, the GFSI spouse tour embarked upon a Gruyére cheese factory. It was so interesting to see how this yummy cheese is made. A hands on education center demonstrated the delicacies that the black and white cows enjoy while grazing on the rolling hills. We watched the cheese makers do their thing in a spotless "kitchen" with giant vats and equipment. Then we could peek into the cellars where the cheese ripens. The group was treated to a terrific lunch of fondue and wine before going off to tour the medieval village of Gruyére and enjoy the ancient castle. Everyone snoozed on the trip back to rest up for the black tie gala tonight at Portes de Iris.

Cost Saving Measures in Genéve

The hotel charges 32 SF for a daily interent connection. Hence, you
may have to suffer through some typos as I post from the free mobile
connection.

Le Chat Botté

The conference officially began with a lovely reception followed by
intimate dine-arounds at city restaurants. We were delighted to host a
client dinner at Le Chat Botte. Critics say it is among the best
restaurants in Europe. After a fabulous dinner, I would say it was
among the best in the world.

Patek Philippe Museum

Oprah may espouse the merits of travel in a private jet, but I humbly recommend travel with an iPhone. The GPS has helped us navigate around the little crooked roads and rues of Geneva. After an enjoyable walk through antique shops, boutiques and a park we found our way to Patek Philippe Museum. This museum houses some of the most beautiful works of art in the country. Time pieces from the 1500s to date are simply and elegantly displayed to reveal the art and craft of the Swiss tradition of watch making.

Old and New in Genéve

Amazing Toilet Seat Technology

The Bloghusband and I were talking about how things have changed in Europe over the years. Thirty years ago, many of my trips through Europe, traveling on BA benefits, were like visiting third world countries. Mind you, I didn't have the same travel budget years ago, but the technology was just not as apparent as it is today. Take, for example, this Clean Seat in the ladies room of a café in Geneva. Utterly impressed after my pit stop, I tried to explain the operation of the toilet seat to Wild Willy. Thank heavens for YouTube.

Geneva Sights

A cloudy day of strolling through Old Town Geneva. We had an early dinner at Café du Centre, an outdoor bistro in the center of a bustling, people-watching haven. We had ice cream along the river walk as we ventured back to find our bus stop. Back at the hotel, we struggled to stay awake in hopes of warding off another day of jet lag. We howled with laughter while watching Tropic Thunder in bed. Hilarious.

Cafe du Bourg de Four

In the heart of Old Town.

Bus Stop in Geneva

Nap, shower, bus passes and we have begun our touring on number 5 bus to Quai du Mont Blanc.