My father in law Bernie Cournoyer died two weeks ago. A few days before his death, he asked about his garden, wished us well and shook hands. It was sad to see him go, but his body gave out on him. Not his mind.

Hurricane Katrina Anniversary Stirs Memories

Vineyard Residents Who Helped Vividly Recall Battered Region

By TOM DRESSER

During the eight years that former West Tisbury teaching assistant Jill Dresser (who is my daughter) lived in New Orleans, the common refrain she heard was that it was a doomed city, a bowl that had sunk below water. Potholes were frequently seen gushing up water. Rain storms quickly became momentary afternoon floods. And there always was talk of The Big One.

Taking Cues from Nature's Design

By TOM DRESSER

Native plants are the keynote of the landscaping at Up-Island Cronig's in West Tisbury. There is woodland with viburnum, beach plum, winterberry and high bush blueberry, as well as aroria and shadbush. An intermittent wetland can be found by the parking lot drain, where beetlebung, shadbush, iris and joepye weed flourish. Native pine, sheep fescue, inkberry, switchgrass and little blue stem grow on the edge of State Road.