Island Light: How Was Your Summer?
Ferris Wheel spins high over the fairgrounds in West Tisbury.
Ferris Wheel spins high over the fairgrounds in West Tisbury.
We'll start our diets next week.
We'll start our diets next week.
Garrison Vieira directs traffic at the intersection of the Ag Fair.
Garrison Vieira directs traffic at the intersection of the Ag Fair.
George Hartman.
George Hartman.
Jump shot lifted in the courts of Niantic Park.
Jump shot lifted in the courts of Niantic Park.
Oak Bluffs summer basketball league turned 50 years old this year.
Oak Bluffs summer basketball league turned 50 years old this year.
Wandering Moshup Beach in the dog days of August.
Wandering Moshup Beach in the dog days of August.
Summer would not be complete without slices from Gio's.
Summer would not be complete without slices from Gio's.
Catching the wind in Vineyard Haven's outer harbor.
Catching the wind in Vineyard Haven's outer harbor.
Pleasure boats come in all different sizes.
Pleasure boats come in all different sizes.
Vintage Chevy gleams under blue skies.
Vintage Chevy gleams under blue skies.
Ready for fishing, but are the fish biting?
Ready for fishing, but are the fish biting?
Tent business has been booming thus summer.
Tent business has been booming thus summer.
Quiet moment at East Chop Beach Club.
Quiet moment at East Chop Beach Club.
Take time to wander one of our many nature preserves.
Take time to wander one of our many nature preserves.
Osprey flies in cumulus clouds.
Osprey flies in cumulus clouds.
Overlooking the harbor from Tisbury Wharf.
Overlooking the harbor from Tisbury Wharf.
Rose mallow blooms at the western end of Crystal Lake.
Rose mallow blooms at the western end of Crystal Lake.
Exploring the wrack line at Katama.
Exploring the wrack line at Katama.
The realization might follow an overheard remark at approximately this moment each year — perhaps while waiting in line at the Touchdown Club's booth at the Ag Fair, or while wandering among the crowds at Illumination Night. "So tell me," they ask, "how was your summer?"
No week in the Island year marks a transition more vividly than the third week of August. No week of Island summer has more vacations carefully planned to catch its celebrations. Yet even as we celebrate, we find our conversations slipping into past tense, the summer simultaneously culminating and escaping us, streaming away into memory.