Island Light: Midwinter, Supposedly
Squibnocket splash.
Squibnocket splash.
Plenty of seating available in the Tabernacle.
Plenty of seating available in the Tabernacle.
De-icing the planes at the airport.
De-icing the planes at the airport.
Mid winter at Tiah's Cove.
Mid winter at Tiah's Cove.
Draggers report bountiful harvests this season.
Draggers report bountiful harvests this season.
Moshup Trail from the Vanderhoop Homestead.
Moshup Trail from the Vanderhoop Homestead.
Duarte's Pond.
Duarte's Pond.
Flurries fall at the East Chop Light.
Flurries fall at the East Chop Light.
Driftwood sculpture decorates the shore at Felix Neck.
Driftwood sculpture decorates the shore at Felix Neck.
Choppy water passage across Vineyard Sound.
Choppy water passage across Vineyard Sound.
Merlin's post.
Merlin's post.
Gay Head Cliffs.
Gay Head Cliffs.
Lantern room at the Gay Head Light.
Lantern room at the Gay Head Light.
Peeking through the stained glass windows at the Tabernacle.
Peeking through the stained glass windows at the Tabernacle.
Red-tailed hawk takes flight in Katama.
Red-tailed hawk takes flight in Katama.
Sepiessa.
Sepiessa.
Power lines at Tashmoo woods.
Power lines at Tashmoo woods.
Dusk at the West Chop Light.
Dusk at the West Chop Light.
Sunset.
Sunset.
We are about midway between winter solstice and vernal equinox, but the weather feels more like early spring than midwinter. This week some of the days were almost balmy. The sun rises now at about twenty minutes before seven, and sets near ten minutes after five. That's about fifty minutes more light at end of day than when winter began. Surely it's fair to feel the pull of spring, even though we haven't really had winter.
It's still the quiet time of the Vineyard year, the few months we savor before the summer to come. But in the mild, lengthening days, it's not so quiet as once it was.