MARGARET KNIGHT

508-627-8894

(margaret02539@yahoo.com)

This is the time of year you can find the invasive bittersweet vines that may be slowly strangling certain trees near your house, or anywhere. Usually around now, I notice a couple of trees on which the leaves are turning a pretty yellow, and then I realize the whole tree is covered with bittersweet vine, and that’s what’s turning yellow. Virginia creeper is another vine that’s noticeable now. It often shows up as an unexpected patch of bright red up high in a green tree. It can also cover a whole tree, but it doesn’t grow as fast, or spread as much, as bittersweet.

The Russian olive is another good-looking invasive that becomes more noticeable this time of year with its profuse crop of pretty red berries. You can make jam out of them, but then you might want to cut down the bush if it’s in your yard because the fruit spreads the plants easily and they grow quickly.

Last weekend was perfect weather — cloudy and rainy — for the mini “film festival” at the community center. Mary Spencer screened more than 10 films over the two days for the volunteers who helped at the Martha’s Vineyard International Film Festival, and for any Chappaquiddicker. Everyone had a good seat (couch or arm chair), and there was lots of good food. Mary brought clam chowder and vegetable lasagna, and other people brought other yummy things. The atmosphere was homey and the films engaging.

On Sept. 20, Willet (Alex) Whitmore and Kathleen Ellen Fulton were married at the community center. Alex is the son of Drs. H. Thomas and Erika Whitmore Aretz of Menaca Hill and Brookline, and Drs. Willet Whitmore III and Carol Hankins of Florida. Kathleen is the daughter of Ellen and Herb Fulton of Norwell.

The brother of the bridegroom, Carsten Aretz of Chicago, was justice of the peace for the outdoor ceremony overlooking the beetlebung grove in Brine’s Pond. The couple presently resides in Somerville.

COMSOG, the Community Solar Greenhouse of Martha’s Vineyard, will celebrate its Fall Harvest Festival on Sunday, Oct. 5, from noon to 3 p.m. at their greenhouse off New York avenue in Oak Bluffs. There will be free soup, courtesy of Linda Jean’s restaurant, music by the Vineyard Brass, spinning demonstrations, art and crafts from local artists, and more, plus activities for the kids.

I used to think Will Geresy was making kind of a big deal about the crows at his house out near Wasque. That was before the crow hordes invaded my own yard. Before this summer, one would stop by occasionally to check out the place, or sometimes a murder of them would perch in a few trees on their way somewhere else. This summer they started coming in large groups, spending lots of time in my yard, and making deep beak holes in my peaches and apples, and even tomatoes and squash.

Now I hear them calling to each other all the time from the trees around my house. The crows and the crickets are the only wildlife I’ve heard in my yard for the past couple of weeks, plus an occasional wood frog. Recently I saw a movie that was supposed to be a love story, The Horseman on the Roof, set in the early 1800s, but the movie seemed to be more about people dying of cholera. Scene after scene showed people dying or dead and, even worse, being eaten by crows! Sometimes the crows even stalked the healthy living people. Now when I see crows sitting quietly in the trees watching me, I feel as if they’re planning something, and that I’d better watch myself.

As I write this, there are two crows tussling with each other on the front lawn. They both have the end of some stalk and they’re lying full-out on the grass kicking at each other like a couple of black labs fighting over a bone.

There was more talk of rats and crows this summer than I ever remember hearing. I certainly never had rats digging a home right inside my vegetable garden, and then chewing into my tomatoes, even the green ones, tasting every one. This year I’ve heard many stories of rats — some getting inside, even one sitting on a friend’s chest as she woke up in the middle of the night! T. J. Hegarty, the county rodent control officer who gave an informational talk at the community center at the end of the summer, is available to help out if you have a rat problem. You can reach him at 508-696-4888. I don’t know what you do about crows.