Island Light: October's Clock
Fall colors brighten the trees surrounding Priester's Pond in West Tisbury.
Fall colors brighten the trees surrounding Priester's Pond in West Tisbury.
School is in session.
School is in session.
Around the bend on Meetinghouse Road in Chilmark.
Around the bend on Meetinghouse Road in Chilmark.
Heron searches the saltmarsh for delicacies.
Heron searches the saltmarsh for delicacies.
Menemsha fishing shack has weathered many seasons.
Menemsha fishing shack has weathered many seasons.
Brick textures on West Chop Light.
Brick textures on West Chop Light.
Quiet time at Owen Park on Vineyard Haven harbor.
Quiet time at Owen Park on Vineyard Haven harbor.
Bittersweet is overtaking this house in Aquinnah.
Bittersweet is overtaking this house in Aquinnah.
Stone church awaits up the stairs.
Stone church awaits up the stairs.
Fog envelopes the bandstand in Ocean Park.
Fog envelopes the bandstand in Ocean Park.
Ferry arrives while Capt. Bob Douglas mans the oars.
Ferry arrives while Capt. Bob Douglas mans the oars.
Pea soup limits visibility in Edgartown harbor.
Pea soup limits visibility in Edgartown harbor.
Chappy Ferry makes the run to Dock street.
Chappy Ferry makes the run to Dock street.
Gay Head Light aids navigation off the coast of Aquinnah.
Gay Head Light aids navigation off the coast of Aquinnah.
Vineyard Haven harbor.
Vineyard Haven harbor.
Camp Ground cottages on a misty, gray October day.
Camp Ground cottages on a misty, gray October day.
The rhythms in the Island’s human community echo the new melody in the natural world around us. You can taste it in the October air on that last bracing sail before the boat goes into storage for another cold season. You can hear it in the song of Canada geese, honking southbound, and you can see it in the bright blooms of chrysanthemums in village dooryards and the red of poison ivy vines along a favorite path. October’s clock slows and invites us to savor the moment, but even so, it will be November soon.