Island Light: Ring in the New
Holiday weekends bring walkers to Lucy Vincent Beach.
Holiday weekends bring walkers to Lucy Vincent Beach.
A family outing.
A family outing.
Goldeneyes in the water off East Chop.
Goldeneyes in the water off East Chop.
Pink skies at the end of the day in Vineyard Haven.
Pink skies at the end of the day in Vineyard Haven.
Waders strike a pose on Tashmoo dock.
Waders strike a pose on Tashmoo dock.
Empty beach at Bend in the Road.
Empty beach at Bend in the Road.
Icicle whiskers on an East Chop pier.
Icicle whiskers on an East Chop pier.
Taking flight.
Taking flight.
Dredging off Packers Wharf.
Dredging off Packers Wharf.
Christmas snow has Field Gallery sculptures dancing for joy.
Christmas snow has Field Gallery sculptures dancing for joy.
Plow needed.
Plow needed.
Is the barbed wire keeping us out, or something in?
Is the barbed wire keeping us out, or something in?
West Tisbury barn.
West Tisbury barn.
Nip n Tuck farm.
Nip n Tuck farm.
Generations of Islanders at rest.
Generations of Islanders at rest.
Tashmoo Farm.
Tashmoo Farm.
Fireworks for New Years.
Fireworks for New Years.
It is the concerns of the day that turn us to poets and philosophers to define the importance of the coming of any new year: Housman reflected on the “beauty of the death-struck year.” Emerson told us the “years teach what the days never know.” In the 19th century Charles Lamb wrote: “No one ever regarded the First of January with indifference.” And Tennyson took special note of the new year when he was poet laureate of England in 1850: “Ring out the old, ring in the new; Ring, happy bells, across the snow; The year is going, let him go; Ring out the false, ring in the true.”
As for the Vineyard and new year’s resolutions, we wish for unity within the community, and for quiet thought about the future of this place.
Meanwhile, from all of us at the Vineyard Gazette we extend to everyone on the Island and across the nation best wishes for a happy, prosperous and peaceful new year 2023.