ave you ever visited a place for the very first time and had the immediate feeling of “home”? This is the case for me and Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. My first trip was as a young adult visiting my aunt and uncle, who rented a house there. It was love at first sight as we cruised into Vineyard Haven Harbor on the ferry…the sailboats.. the sea captains homes… this beautiful rustic seaside island not far off the coast. Looking down off the bow, the cold water churns a clean, clear deep turquoise and navy blue. I knew right away I could live there very happily.
How to describe the Vineyard vibe… well, unfortunately it has become very popular during summer months over the years with celebrities and politicians…. particularly Presidents. This has made it a very populated touristy destination and real estate prices have soared. There are lines at ice cream stands, waits at the restaurants, traffic through the towns, but you can also get away from it all to the more rural parts of the island… Menemsha, Chilmark, Aquinnah… Tisbury. There are country fairs, Illumination night at the Campgrounds, artisan flea markets, Organic produce stands… horse farms and trailriding, sailing, biking at it’s best. The beaches!! ooh, that wild South Beach… beware the undertow!… but behold the beauty.
This morning I booked a long weekend at the end of the summer for the family ( kids agreed to go! I think they like us!…. at the moment) and already I can smell the salty sea air and taste the Black Dog fish & chips. I check the real estate market on island occasionally, waiting for just the right little cottage to come up for sale at the right price. So far it hasn’t happened and maybe it never will, but the search itself brings me joy, imagining the possibilities regardless of whether they ever unfold.
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