Island Light: Already Here
Feeding time on East Chop.
Feeding time on East Chop.
Taking advantage of milder temperatures on Atlantic Drive.
Taking advantage of milder temperatures on Atlantic Drive.
Old Sculpin Gallery bedecked with wreaths on Dock street.
Old Sculpin Gallery bedecked with wreaths on Dock street.
Sunset over a lighted Ocean Park.
Sunset over a lighted Ocean Park.
Nighttime at Five Corners.
Nighttime at Five Corners.
Bob Douglas putters in his workshop.
Bob Douglas putters in his workshop.
Holiday lights shine from inside the Black Dog Tavern.
Holiday lights shine from inside the Black Dog Tavern.
Menemsha fish shacks, weathered by time and salt air.
Menemsha fish shacks, weathered by time and salt air.
Edgartown harbor docks.
Edgartown harbor docks.
Window reflection in Oak Bluffs.
Window reflection in Oak Bluffs.
Alcione da Silva wears her Christmas spirit.
Alcione da Silva wears her Christmas spirit.
Rainy day on the tarmac at the airport.
Rainy day on the tarmac at the airport.
Christmas tradition at the Edgartown Light.
Christmas tradition at the Edgartown Light.
Flying low over Katama in search of food.
Flying low over Katama in search of food.
Mansion House anchors Vineyard Haven's Main street.
Mansion House anchors Vineyard Haven's Main street.
Pulled ashore on Lagoon Pond.
Pulled ashore on Lagoon Pond.
Alabama rides out slightly choppy waters of December.
Alabama rides out slightly choppy waters of December.
End of day at Katama.
End of day at Katama.
Three days from now the winter solstice will arrive, with night triumphant over day, and then the slow march of longer days will begin. It will be what we and the heavens conspire to call the first day of winter, but in our bones we know that winter already is here.
The sun and the moon are low on the horizon, branches are creaking in the wind, and suddenly through the woods we see houses that have been cloaked from view since spring. The great bustle of the holiday season is well underway — almost past, in fact, except for the legion of procrastinators in whose ranks so many of us dwell. Once the ringing of the New Year bells fades from the air, a social winter will come to the Island as well, and there will be three or four months when visitors are few indeed. In those months will dreams of spring again begin to stir.