Island Light: Season Lingers
Afternoon sun warms a grazing horse at Sweetened Water Farm.
Afternoon sun warms a grazing horse at Sweetened Water Farm.
Leaves gather on Camp Ground porches and paths.
Leaves gather on Camp Ground porches and paths.
Dancing in the sunlight at the Field Gallery.
Dancing in the sunlight at the Field Gallery.
Pulled and stored for the season.
Pulled and stored for the season.
Red fishing shack in Menemsha.
Red fishing shack in Menemsha.
Tide pulls on the shore at Lucy Vincent Beach.
Tide pulls on the shore at Lucy Vincent Beach.
Low tide under the Oak Bluffs Fish Pier.
Low tide under the Oak Bluffs Fish Pier.
Whaling Church columns get a touch up.
Whaling Church columns get a touch up.
Trinity Methodist Church.
Trinity Methodist Church.
Martha's Vineyard Harley Riders gather at the Portuguese American Club.
Martha's Vineyard Harley Riders gather at the Portuguese American Club.
Mike (Panhead) Fuss leads the Harley Riders on the Red Stocking Fund run.
Mike (Panhead) Fuss leads the Harley Riders on the Red Stocking Fund run.
This year's ride raised $12,127, on top of toy donations.
This year's ride raised $12,127, on top of toy donations.
Outside the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School.
Outside the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School.
Carving inititals in tree trunks is longstanding tradition, though not encouraged.
Carving inititals in tree trunks is longstanding tradition, though not encouraged.
The Far Barn at Polly Hill Arboretum.
The Far Barn at Polly Hill Arboretum.
Lagoon Pond with a museum view.
Lagoon Pond with a museum view.
Clay cliff at Lucy Vincent Beach.
Clay cliff at Lucy Vincent Beach.
Evening window shopping at Island Music in Vineyard Haven.
Evening window shopping at Island Music in Vineyard Haven.
Capawock Theatre is transformed into World Market.
Capawock Theatre is transformed into World Market.
Cloudscape.
Cloudscape.
On the Vineyard autumn lingers like Islanders over coffee; no need to rush to the next appointment. Lawns are still green, herb gardens redolent with rosemary, farm fields freshly turned and dusted with a fine powder of lime. Nantucket Sound is navy blue and the salt ponds lie still in the evening hush with a thousand stars splashed overhead.
Thanksgiving this Thursday marks the end of one season and the beginning of another, but this year there is a distinct sense of procrastination about it all. Suddenly we are in no real hurry for winter with its hard freeze and slate-colored sea roughed up by whitecaps.