August. The month that intensifies our senses has arrived. It is a month filled with early morning swims, beach picnics, boat rides, agricultural fair preparations and setting aside just the right blanket and chairs for the Oak Bluffs fireworks.

August. It is the month to savor. Savor the hazy days of summer. Stay up a little later squidding. Get up a little earlier to see the sunrise. Walk the dog a little longer. Let your kids eat ice cream for dinner and revel in the fact that they are laughing as it drips down the front of their shirt. Don’t sweat the small stuff. That is what laundry and ocean dips are for.

It is the month the Fischer/Scott clan gathers on Menemsha Beach on Sunday mornings for family swim. Gene Fischer gets ice cream for a mid morning snack and cousins Marni and Tosh, who have arrived from their home in northern California, are all smiles at the touch tank. Marni is missing her front teeth which makes me remember the day Brooks lost his first tooth. He wanted to make a video about it. That video will forever make me smile.

Marni and Tosh are joined by their folks Andrew and Emma. Emma’s side of the clan is visiting as well. Grandpa Bert Fischer is tickled pink that all of his grand babies are here learning life lessons.

Ronin Parsons, grandson of Connie and Bob Taylor, has finally broken the curse of the illustrious striped bass. He’s been fishing multiple times over the past month. He’s thrown all the right lures in all the right spots, but each time comes up empty. Finally, he felt the tug and heard the whiz of the line on his reel. A slot bass emerged from the water putting an ear-to-ear grin on Ronin’s face. A photo captured the moment. When conversation about said fish comes up, cousin Weston Taylor chuckles and explains, “I’ve seen the picture at least 30 times.” Way to go, Ronin. Fishing and catching certainly feels good.

Holly Bario traveled from her home in southern California to celebrate her mom Joannie Jenkinson’s 80th birthday. A family dinner at the Homeport was the venue for familial doting, reveling and observing this fabulous human’s big day.

Family, friends and big sister Dahlia patiently awaited his arrival and he finally made his debut. Along with Dahlia, parents Tara Reynolds and Owen Willis welcome Nash Fuller Willis to the world. The bond is strong and the love palatable. Life is going to be even more grand with him in the mix.

Andrea Geyer has returned to town after spending some time with son Bennett, daughter in law Molly and brand new grandson, Caden James Geyer born on June 3. I’ve seen pictures and videos of this lovely little boy who bears the name meaning “spirit of battle” in Gaelic and “friend or companion” in Arabic.

While mom Cassie was off-Island for a brief stint, Abe Courtney and his dad Patrick made a day of it in Menemsha. Crab catching, beach time, dock strolling, lunch and a sit-a-spell on Squid Row were all in the mix. Lucky me to have had a chance to hear about Abe’s day.

Folks are settling in to real ball playing at Flanders Field. Legendary slugger, Junior Farrell, hit one over the bushes and not into the bushes. If it were not for the great defensive outfielders, Hunter Weiss and Keon Petlin, he’d have hit a couple more. Lily Bernhard also played sterling defense at shortstop.

August. It is also the month that brings on some sort of cosmic unease. August can feel like evil incarnate where many of us feel like we are simply struggling to survive. Good habits seem less than possible in August. I try to focus on the little glimpses of positivity like fresh cucumbers from Bobby Brown’s garden or ripe, juicy watermelon from Albert Fischer, or the occasional fresh from the oven pizza dropped off just in the nick of time by Jean and Michael Riccardi. It is August. Timing is everything.