Nature & Science
The Farm Institute invites Island residents and visitors for family and community chores on Saturday, July 26, at 9 a.m. with author Norman Bridwell reading two of his beloved Clifford The Big Red Dog stories at noon.
Lend a hand big or small in collecting eggs, milking the goat, feeding and caring for the cows, sheep, pigs and baby chicks, and there are garden chores to enjoy as well. Dress for the weather — and to get dirty.
This is a free community event and no registration or experience is necessary. Donations are welcome.
Temperature: Precip.
Day Max. Min. Inches.
Fº Fº
July 18 88 68 .00
July 19 87 71 .00
July 20 88 71 .00
July 21 82 73 .00
July 22 86 65 .00
July 23 79 67 Trace
July 24 80 70 .27
Water temperature in Edgartown harbor: 75º F.
The evenings ahead are moonless. There is no interference from the moon until midnight or later. Tomorrow morning’s moon is in the last quarter phase. This opens the opportunity for a good evening of star hopping, looking for the constellations and what astronomers call deep-sky viewing.
Capt. Flip Harrington took a crew of six of us offshore in his M/V Dovekie on July 18. At one point we were 60 miles offshore, yet the bird life was lackluster to say the least. The most numerous species was the Mother Cary’s Chicken or Wilson’s storm-petrel. We spotted around 135 of them. Next in line were the greater shearwaters, at 25 strong, and lastly the Cory’s shearwater, of which there were two. We had a few of great-black-backed, herring and laughing gulls, double-crested cormorants, common loons, and near Noman’s Land, common eiders. We were all shocked at the huge numbers of double-crested cormorants that were loafing on the cobble beach at Noman’s Land. There is a small colony of common terns near the old dock and among the semipalmated plovers and least sandpipers on the wrack line was one pectoral sandpiper.
By LYNNE IRONS
While sitting in bridge traffic waiting for yet another enormous sailboat to pass through, I was working on a pretty significant resentment against Mr. and Mrs. Gotrocks. Here I was, late for work, hot and feeling sorry for myself, and the boat people were holding me up on their way to a lovely day on the water.
Friday, July 18: Hot and muggy. Temperature rises to the high 80s in the shade, hotter on Ocean Park. Oak Bluffs harbor is a kettle full of boats and waves. Breezy afternoon offers relief from the heat. Youthful swimmers jump off the Big Bridge all afternoon.
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.