Keeping Calm & Gardening On
Making sense in crazy times
The sun rose at 6:18 this morning and will set at 4:29 this afternoon.
Tuesday, with anxiety of the presidential election results building, I took to working in the garden for some peace. There is something about digging in the dirt, readying the borders and beds for their winter nap that is very grounding. Ripping out weeds in areas I neglected, cutting back stalks of long-dead hostas, phlox, sunflowers, lilies and more helped me focus on an area in my life where I could make a difference for good. By the time I’d cleared out the fenced-in garden and spread leaves for mulch that had fallen from the poplar trees, I felt much better.
Wednesday, after the returns came in and Trump was declared president, I set my sights on putting to order the most challenging border that fell victim to too many good beach days at the end of summer. That section of the garden will soon be neat and tidy for the dozens of daffodils that will begin pushing through the ground in March. By April we’ll begin to enjoy four to six weeks of blooming daffodils of all shapes and sizes in shades ranging from white to pale yellow, deep gold and pink.
I have found that when things go south in my life, finding a way to be productive and focus on forward momentum, making a difference, is an antidote to stress from events that are beyond my control. Actively working to help others in need – not just writing a check – is also therapeutic and swivels your focus to people out there with real problems.
One person who spent much of the month of October on a mission of mercy, reaching out to people in crisis he’d never met, is my friend Toby Brown. Toby and his wife Suzette organized a clothing and supplies drive for victims of Hurricane Helene. Toby made several trips to the mountains of western North Carolina where people’s lives were utterly destroyed by the unexpected wrath of Helene. He and Suzette used the reach of Facebook to spread the word, and islanders responded with overwhelming generosity.
I know Toby from church. He’s a veteran and active with the VFW and American Legion. One morning he was hanging out with fellow vets at the Legion where they were watching some of the horrific scenes of devastation and loss in the mountain towns of western North Carolina. Lives were lost, whole towns wiped out, infrastructure severely compromised.
Toby, an Army veteran, got in touch with his former sergeant who lives in the area. He was key to putting Toby in touch with where to drop off the Nantucket donations where they would be distributed to the greatest areas of need. In the swirl of all the politics that seem to divide us these days, Toby is an example of old-fashioned American concern and generosity to his fellow Americans.
Not to be overlooked are the efforts of Isaiah Stover, a former islander now living on the Cape and doing the same work as Toby in helping the residents of North Carolina.
Back on the island, November has come in quietly. The branches of many of the big trees are now bare. But driving down Main Street from Caton’s Circle to the Pacific Bank, there was a true leaf-peeping show of gold, russet, orange and even green from leaves still clinging to the big hardwood trees. Bigger changes are happening in our commercial districts. The old Sweet Inspirations Shop behind the post office was knocked down last week to make way for something new. Scuttlebutt in the restaurant industry is that the replacement building may very well be the venue for a cheese and charcuterie shop, operated by a seasoned island restaurant couple.
Down on Sparks Avenue bigger changes are starting to take shape as the split rail fencing around the Downyflake parking lot has been removed and adjacent lots scraped clean, all in preparation for the demolition of buildings to make way for a new mixed-use commercial development by a Boston developer.
It will be a massive change visually. Most of the buildings on this side of the road are single story and small. The new buildings are much larger and not at all in keeping with the neighborhood. I am surprised the HDC approved the building design. There are no similar buildings in the area, unless you count the Stop & Shop.
But then, right across the street is that oh so ugly temporary trailer that the town has made into a meeting space for its departments. That trailer was originally a temporary food shack for the Miacomet Golf Club after a fire rendered its building unusable. It was never intended to be a permanent fixture anywhere on the island, yet it is. And town-sanctioned no less. So much for building with Nantucket in mind.
With the Downyflake gone, my go-to place for a diner-style breakfast or lunch is Crosswinds at the airport. Blueberry pancakes, BLTs, grilled cheese and the best grilled chicken Caesar salad are my favorites there. Larry and company do a great job providing good, affordable food in a congenial setting. Fun fact – it’s the favorite place of the Secret Service when they’re on island with President Biden. Expect to see them in a few weeks around Thanksgiving for the Bidens annual visit.
While we’ve lost the Downyflake, there are two other restaurants open this month that were not options this time last year.
Kevin Burleson and Gabriel Frasca are keeping Straight Wharf Fish open daily from 11 am to 8 pm through ttthe Christmas Stroll. I went for lunch with a friend a week ago and had a terrific Caesar crunch salad with shrimp. It’s also the place to get a good scallop roll or clam roll as well as a burger. We sat out on the deck, jackets on, and had a view of the harbor you don’t usually get this time of year. Tonight The Pearl reopens with a new fall menu to give us more dining out choices in town. It will be open at 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday through Stroll.
There is good news for beachgoers who love the calm waters off the north shore. Expect to see the Land Bank announce the purchase of 41 Jefferson soon, that private stretch of sand between the public beach next to The Galley and a hop, skip and a jump to Jetties. Last summer I suggested in my Here and There column that the Land Bank should look at acquiring this beachfront propert which has been on the market awhile, and add it to our public beach holdings. Was someone paying attention?
Originally listed at $39 million, the price recently dropped to $29 million, and it is likely the Land Bank agreement will be for less. The under one acre property comes with some buildings on it that could possibly be repurposed for affordable housing. This will be a win for the public and the town. You read it here first.
Look for Near and Afar every Thursday morning, with special editions posted from time to time.