Nature & Science
On Monday night, the gibbous moon appears right near the bright planet Jupiter. The two move high in the east together as the evening unfolds. The two celestial objects are in the zodiacal constellation Pisces. Though appearing together, the moon is more than 251,000 miles away and Jupiter is 418 million miles away.
It’s been raining for like 40 days and 40 nights. But the sun is bound to come out sometime and when it does, time to head outdoors. Looking for a little hand-holding, though, to bring you back to the wild? Then you’re in luck. On Sunday, Nov. 14 the Vineyard Conservation Society is leading a walk out to Norton Point Beach on Chappy.
Anyone interested should meet at the Chappy Ferry parking lot at 12:45 p.m. If already on Chappy, meet at the Wasque TTOR gatehouse at 1 p.m.
The sky’s the limit!
Well, up to now, the Milky Way galaxy has been the limit. Humans have never gone into space beyond our Milky Way galaxy. This is not surprising, as to breach the diameter of our barred spiral galaxy would take a space explorer 100,000 light years in travel time.
Beetlebung Corner is really the center of Chilmark. The library, the school, the community center, the town hall, two banks, a restaurant, a general store, a real estate office and the post office are all within a few steps. This is all well and good for humans. However, for the birds Beetlebung Farm, which provides fresh vegetables and flowers in the summer, is their main attraction. By now the vegetables have been harvested and most of the flowers gone. Luckily there are still a few hardy nasturtiums blooming and a very late visitor arrived on Nov. 2 to enjoy the nectar of these nasturtiums. Marie Scott and Suzie Bunker, both daughters of Ozzie and Rena Fischer, spotted the hummingbird and alerted their father and their brother, Bert.
Temperature: Precip.
Day Max. Min. Inches.
Fº Fº
Oct. 29 64 46 .01
Oct. 30 59 40 .01
Oct. 31 58 47 Trace
Nov. 1 60 36 .00
Nov. 2 49 39 .00
Nov. 3 50 28 Trace
Nov. 4 52 40 .08
Water temperature in Edgartown harbor: 54º F.
There were more than enough good fishing days this fall to spread into October. The 18th annual Octoberfish tournament, offered by Larry’s Tackle Shop, saw plenty of fish and fishermen. The biggest fish was a 16.80-pound bluefish caught from the shore by Luc Mercier of Edgartown. He weighed in his fish at the tackle shop on Oct. 25. His fish was caught more than a week after the close of the Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby. Had it been caught earlier, it would have put him on top of both contests.
Almanac
A comprehensive guide to weather and tides on the Island.
Vineyard Gardener
I guess this past week weather-wise is called a January thaw. We did not really experience it the last several years as December was unseasonably warm.
Farm & Field
Beige and brown and tan and black, with horns spiraled or semicircular or in undulating waves, a legion of goats marched up the hill toward us, bleating in anticipation of fresh grass and leaves.