Island Light: Seasonal Confusion
Rowing club assembles to begin the day in Vineyard Haven harbor.
Rowing club assembles to begin the day in Vineyard Haven harbor.
Tending to the oxen at Brookside Farm.
Tending to the oxen at Brookside Farm.
Bookmark the kitten surveys her domain at Bunch of Grapes.
Bookmark the kitten surveys her domain at Bunch of Grapes.
New-born lambs cavort on a mild February day.
New-born lambs cavort on a mild February day.
Feeding time.
Feeding time.
Ready to play again!
Ready to play again!
East Chop Light perched atop Telegraph Hill.
East Chop Light perched atop Telegraph Hill.
Menemsha channel buoy.
Menemsha channel buoy.
Shoeless and fancy free at Owen Park in February.
Shoeless and fancy free at Owen Park in February.
Winter erosion exposes driftwood treasure at Katama.
Winter erosion exposes driftwood treasure at Katama.
Gordon Ponte leads the way with the riding club.
Gordon Ponte leads the way with the riding club.
Island history written on the headstones in the West Tisbury cemetery.
Island history written on the headstones in the West Tisbury cemetery.
Old barn has seen many winters down in Scrubby Neck.
Old barn has seen many winters down in Scrubby Neck.
Roof has seen better days.
Roof has seen better days.
Propellers in motion.
Propellers in motion.
Water moves over the falls at Priester's Pond in West Tisbury.
Water moves over the falls at Priester's Pond in West Tisbury.
Tisbury town hall.
Tisbury town hall.
Sun sets in the west over Tashmoo.
Sun sets in the west over Tashmoo.
We will remember this New England winter, at least to date, as a season more than unusual and almost absent of snow. Island warming is the talk of the Vineyard. Temperatures this past week have reached the 50s, with a high of 70 last weekend.
This weekend brought a return to winter, to falling temperatures and snow again. But who can complain with the scent of spring in the air and enough seasonal confusion to fool plants and people alike. The rhythms of this Island winter seem particularly muddled.