Nature & Science
If you are thinking this has been a wet year, you’re right. With two months left in the year, we’ve already hit our annual average of 45 inches. If there is not another rain cloud overhead, if it doesn’t rain even a little bit between now and the end of the year, the Vineyard has already received enough.
Temperature: Precip.
Day Max. Min. Inches.
Fº Fº
Oct. 30 54 45 .02
Oct. 31 61 43 .00
Nov. 1 68 51 .21
Nov. 2 56 50 .01
Nov. 3 53 48 .03
Nov. 4 57 41 Trace
Nov. 5 52 36 .00
Water temperature in Edgartown harbor: 57º F.
The Vineyard Conservation Society is celebrating over 25 years of leading free winter walks for the community with a walk in East Chop on Nov. 8 at 1 p.m.
Liz Durkee and David Grunden will lead and look at erosion and the possible impacts on fisheries. Walkers will then have the opportunity to enter the light house and get a view from the top. Please park at the East Chop Beach Club parking lot.
As always, cider and cookies will be served. All VCS walks are family friendly.
Explore the off-season at Polly Hill Arboretum withe free, guided walks walks on the second Saturday of each month, starting next Saturday, Nov 14. Tours are at 10 a.m. and run for a little over an hour. Meet at the visitor center off State Road in west Tisbury and dress for the weather.
Mark your calendar for future tours, too: Dec. 12, Jan. 9, Feb. 13, and March 13.
For details, call 508-693-9426.
Who knew?
Bamboo shoots, those Asian culinary delicacies, are really the beginnings of the bamboo plants, the culms (new growth) that culminate in a full-grown bamboo plant. Though it may seem obvious, I had thought that bamboo shoots were in the same company as oyster mushrooms, buffalowings, cherry tomatoes, horseradish, bread an d butterpickles, and other misnamedfoods. I guess that you learn something new every day.
There is an idiom we are all familiar with: eating crow. I was curious as to the derivation of such an unusual phrase. Wikipedia suggests the exact origin is unknown. The Wikipedia entry goes on, however, to suggest a couple of possible explanations. First, the phrase was originally “to eat boiled crow.” The bit that followed was my favorite, however: Wikipedia figured it might be similar to “eating humble pie,” an English phrase that was something of a pun — “umbles” were intestines or less valued meats of the deer. People of lower classes than the kings, lords or governors were served pies made of these “umbles” (humble pie). These lower class folks were also served rook (a crow’s cousin) pie.
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.