News and Events for Nantucket Island
From 9 to 10 pm next Tuesday night, June 21, scientists from Nantucket’s Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) will lead an expedition to find and study members of a species that is older than the dinosaurs right here on our island beaches, under stars that are even older.
At 9 am this Friday, June 17, the first author talk of the 2022 Nantucket Book Festival will feature a conversation between Ben Shattuck and Nathaniel Philbrick about walking, retracing journeys, finding a nation, and finding yourself. Both authors explored these themes in recent books: Shattuck in Six Walks: In the Footsteps of Henry David Thoreau and Philbrick in his Travels with George: In Search of Washington and His Legacy.
History is a gift. Good or bad, right or wrong, it shows us where we came from and, if we’re wise enough to pay attention and listen to it, where not to tread again. And in spite of all the schooling, all the television and movies, and all the stories passed down from our elders, there are still pieces of our past that, to many, remain undiscovered.
There are three species of native freshwater turtles on Nantucket (in addition to a few illegally released pets). You can find previous articles about the beloved spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata) or the ubiquitous and prehistoric snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina). The third turtle species to roam Nantucket’s freshwater and uplands is the common, native eastern painted turtle (Chrysemys picta picta). The painted turtle is the most widespread native turtle of North America and they are fairly abundant throughout their range (coast to coast through the northern US and southern Canada, south to the Gulf of Mexico from Louisiana to southwestern Alabama).
Main Street has many comfortable seats on a Sunday morning. The dramas and excitement of Saturday night have washed or rolled down the cobbles, and Sunday morning comes gleaming up the harbor. It dapples the bricks through the elms, reflects off the gallery windows, and lights up my coffee cup. The air is cool and clear, the traffic light, and the parade interesting.
Judi Hill has a fine eye for art and an excellent sense of Nantucket history and design. In the G.S. Hill Gallery at 40 Straight Wharf, along with the original paintings and giclees by her husband and partner Greg Hill, Judi also has a beautiful selection of Nantucket Lightship baskets: traditional and historically significant baskets as well as new designs created by basket makers weaving today.
THEATRE REVIEW: METEOR SHOWER
Rarely have we seen a live theatre production that had us laughing nonstop yet left us pondering for more than a day on the psychological meaning behind it. We’re still wondering, and we might just go see Meteor Shower a second time for another 90-minute hit of humor and to confirm our suspicious about the serious theme.
For many people on Nantucket—visitors and year-rounders—when asked why they love the island, they answer by talking about the natural beauty, open spaces, and bountiful moorlands. The historic charm of our downtown may be enough for some, but it’s escaping the hustle and bustle of town and getting into the open conservation lands that really enchants people.
Artistic endeavors are being celebrated across our island this June as two festivals overlap in dates: one festival honoring art and another that salutes those who write and those who love to read. The Artists Association of Nantucket’s Plein Air Festival begins on Tuesday, June 14 and continues through Sunday, […]
