Island Light: October's Clock
Montauk daisies brighten an October porch along Ocean Park.
Montauk daisies brighten an October porch along Ocean Park.
Catching up on some reading on the Nashua House porch.
Catching up on some reading on the Nashua House porch.
Tisbury Shellfish Department heads out on the water.
Tisbury Shellfish Department heads out on the water.
Seth's Pond trees begin to show a bit of color.
Seth's Pond trees begin to show a bit of color.
Pine forest surround the bird sanctuary at Felix Neck.
Pine forest surround the bird sanctuary at Felix Neck.
East Chop Beach Club is closed for the season now.
East Chop Beach Club is closed for the season now.
Dinghies still line the inner harbor beach in Oak Bluffs.
Dinghies still line the inner harbor beach in Oak Bluffs.
Fishing boat shows weather and salt on her cleat.
Fishing boat shows weather and salt on her cleat.
Sail away to Falmouth.
Sail away to Falmouth.
East Chop Lighthouse has guided mariners for over 140 years.
East Chop Lighthouse has guided mariners for over 140 years.
Skies over the Airport.
Skies over the Airport.
The rhythms in the Island's community echo the 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 recessional song of the 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 too soon.