The Garage That Became a House

The Meaning of Cheer

At this time, as the holidays approach and the days are at their shortest, almost everyone is feeling somehow battered by economic fallout.

December Days

The weather has been nothing short of changeable since the calendar turned to the last month of the year. Bitter cold settled over the Island early this week, creeping into every corner of the house and office and sending us scurrying for extra layers — lots of extra layers. Then suddenly it was warm again with rain and wind and ferries cancelled, interrupting holiday shoppers and soaking school children as they stepped off yellow buses and made a mad dash for home.

The Dark Side of the Island

Cinderella Legislators

In these long nights of December, lawmakers far away from the Vineyard are busy with what they call midnight regulation, changes that would affect our lives and livelihoods. President Bush calls it sprinting to the finish of his final term. He also calls it “working to enact a wide array of federal regulations, many of which would weaken government rules” — many involving the environment.

Zen and the Art of Splitting Wood

This is the time of year when the woodpile beckons. Stacked, split logs of nicely seasoned oak are the outdoor version of putting food by for the winter — like jars of canned summer tomatoes, or jam made with the frozen berries that were picked in July and August. If there is a fireplace or wood stove in the house, the woodpile is an integral element of life in the off-season.