News and Events for Nantucket Island
On Tuesday, October 6 Nathaniel Philbrick will launch and present his new book, The Rush: California Gold, the Civil War, and the Making of the Modern World to his hometown audience here on Nantucket and in collaboration with Nantucket Book Partners. This is a free event, but registering at Nantucketbookpartners. […]
I was recently reading a collection of articles called Nantucket Voices by Mary Miles when I came across a passage that made me chuckle. In one essay, an old islander named Bill Broughton, who many will still remember, explains what qualifies somebody as a “real” Nantucketer.
Dylan Thomas knew something about communities. The famous Welsh writer laid out this knowledge in his amazingly epic poem, Under Milk Wood in 1954. This poem is perhaps best remembered as a radio performance with a variety of actors, including Thomas as narrator, giving voice to the eclectic cast of characters. Originally titled The Village of the Mad, the rambling, rhythmic story captured a day in the life of the imaginary Welsh village of Llarggub – “Bugger all” backwards.
Turkey vultures are one of my favorite birds. I generally have a soft spot for the disparaged and underappreciated. However, for turkey vultures, my love for them comes down more to how they are perfectly suited for their actions: structure suits function. These beautiful (yeah, I said “beautiful”) birds are highly specialized. Their “naked” head is free of feathers, causing some to malign these majestic creatures for their wrinkly pink heads (the original skin heads). A head free of feathers allows this bird to feed on carrion without pesky feathers getting in the way or becoming contaminated.
I woke this morning borderline astonished that the coffee maker had done exactly what it was supposed to do.
This is not particularly impressive technology. A timer, some water, ground coffee, a heating element. Humanity has accomplished greater things. But there it was at five in the morning, a pot of coffee already made, and with it something I hadn’t quite expected… twenty minutes I would ordinarily have spent making it myself. I took the coffee and sat down.
The Town of Nantucket has announced the launch of a new three-year housing preservation program designed to help keep existing year-round rental homes affordable for Nantucket’s workforce and community. Funded by the Affordable Housing Trust and administered by Placemate, Rooted Renters provides financial incentives to property owners who commit to […]
There is no place quite like Nantucket in the summer.
Every June, the island seems to wake from a long sleep. Window boxes overflow, hydrangeas begin their slow explosion into blue, the harbor fills with sails, restaurants spill onto sidewalks, music drifts through open doors, and every sunset somehow convinces us that we’ve never seen one quite like it before. The island becomes brilliant. Not simply beautiful, but brilliant. It shines with an energy that’s difficult to explain to someone who has never been here. It is easy to understand why people spend all year dreaming about these few short months.
Swim Across America, the national nonprofit organization that makes waves to fight cancer through charity swims across the U.S., will host its annual Swim Across America – Nantucket Open Water Swim this Saturday, July 25, at Jetties Beach. This community charity swim welcomes swimmers of all ages and skill levels, […]
There comes a moment every July when Nantucket settles into itself. The fireworks have faded from Jetties Beach, the last parade chairs have disappeared from Main Street, and another Independence Day has become part of the island’s memory. Families unpack their suitcases, restaurants find their rhythm, gardens burst into bloom, and the island seems to slip effortlessly into the busiest weeks of the year.
