This event, directed by Kit Noble,  is not one to miss!  On October 8th, Nantucketers will be taking to the streets and beaches, forests and fields armed with smart phones, Flip Cameras, GoPros and any other handheld HD device to capture the many faces and spaces of the Grey Lady.

In the spirit of ‘Day in the Life’ picture books, and, more recently, Kevin Macdonald’s documentary, ‘Life in a Day’, ‘Nantucket 24′ will chronicle a single day on island as seen through the lenses of hundreds of Nantucketers. The raw footage will be submitted to Nantucket Films where it will be edited and scored to create a movie mosaic entitled ‘Nantucket 24: One Day on Island Time’.

‘Nantucket 24′ will premiere at the Dreamland in May of 2012, a perfect project to get the theater’s long-awaited reels spinning. Imagine your smart phone footage stretched across the big screen while the adoring Nantucket community looks on. The Dreamland will surely be an unparalleled beacon of community arts. What better way to celebrate its opening season than to be part of the story?

Check out facebook for more information or visit www.nantucketfilms.com.  We’re ready with our Flip – are you?

The Schoolie Bass have arrived!  Reliable sources report Striped Bass up to 22 inches have been caught on the South Shore from Cisco to Madaquecham.  Schoolies have also been caught on the fly on the east side near Sasachacha Pond (which, along with Hummock Pond, opened up to the sea this spring).  Be sure to pack your light tackle and fly rods when you visit a Nantucket beach house this spring or when you arrive to open your Nantucket house for the season.

With Easter quickly approaching, Windwalker Real Estate wanted to pull the rabbit out of the hat and share a few ideas to help celebrate.  Here is our list of suggestions to put you in the spirit:

Hop by Sweet Inspirations to enter your guess for the jelly bean contest (with prizes!) and indulge in artisan, home-made chocolates.  Hand-crafted Coco the Whale truffles, truffle bunnies, jumbo chocolate eggs, solid belgian chocolate carrots, hand decorated easter oreos, and daffodil hat truffles make for great gifts.  Better yet, there is still time for Easter Shipping.

The Starlight Theater & Cafe is showing Hop today, Wednesday April 20th at 3:00 & 5:00 p.m. and tomorrow, Thursday April 21st at 2:00 p.m.  A perfect comedy for kids about candy, chicks, and rock’n'roll!

Nantucket Candy Co. is reopening today!  It’s the perfect place to satisfy your sweet tooth.  Swing by tomorrow, Friday April 22nd & Saturday April 23rd between 12:00-2:00 p.m. to have your picture taken with the Easter Bunny.

Flowers on Chestnut is Nantucket’s go-to floral boutique specializing in fresh-cut arrangements for every occasion and unique home accessories.  The Nantucket Wildflowers arrangement, among the most popular, is the perfect gift for celebrating spring!

Celebrate Easter at Bartlett’s Farm this Saturday, April 23rd between 10:00-11:00 a.m.  They will prepare hard boiled eggs and provide all dyes and other goodies for decorating (and even take care of the clean-up).  Afterwards, head out to the greenhouse for an Easter egg hunt with the Easter Bunny, so don’t forget your camera.  $5, pre-registration required.

Brant Point Grill opens for the season today (5:30-9:00 p.m)!  Easter Brunch with Raw Bar will be held on Sunday, April 24th from 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.  Adults $42 / Children $21.  Reservations required, online or call 508.325.1320.  While you’re there, be sure to join in one of the two Easter Egg Hunts happening at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on the White Elephant Harborside Lawn.  Tell the kids to look forward to a special guest appearance!

It is no secret – we all knew it and now it’s official!  Nantucket beaches have made it to the 2011 National Geographic list of the top 10 beaches in the world.  The list is short and the destinations are exotic and impressive - Hawaii, Tahiti, Maldives, and the SeyChelles are all mentioned.  Nantucket was a top pick because of the cleanliness of the beaches, the spectacular views, and exquisite sunsets!

Of course being on short list of such a prestigious publication does not happen all by itself.  There are many volunteers and organizations responsible for making it happen.  Three such organizations are  The Trustees of Reservations, the Conservation Foundation, and The Clean Team.  Each organization is committed to the support and preservation of the natural beauty of Nantucket. On Saturday, March 19th, all three organizations are joining together to allow volunteers a chance to get involved as a group to contribute to the continuing effort to keep our beaches clean, safe, and inviting as possible to benefit beachgoers, anglers, and our wildlife.

WHEN:  Saturday, March 19th, from 9:00 a.m. until Noon

WHERE:  We will meet at 8:45 a.m. at the Wauwinet Gatehouse

RAIN DATE:  Sunday, March 20th

With March on Nantucket being such a changeable month, in which we may see warm spring-like temperatures or late-season storms, you can understand how this saying might hold true in some instances.  I saw the first snow drops appear on Academy Lane this past week.

Sunny yellow daffodils can be seen bursting through the ground on every street corner -  we are definitely in the midst of March Madness!

Each spring there are thousands of daffodil festivals across the world, celebrating the arrival of the beautiful sunny blossoms and Nantucket is no exception. In Roman days, the Romans thought that daffodil sap contained healing properties, and brought it along with them on conquests. It became a well-loved flower everywhere with its early blooming and bright colors.

Plans for the annual Nantucket Daffodil weekend are well under way with several cars already registered to take part. This year the festival takes place a week later due to the Easter holiday from April 29th to May 1st  and this is not the only change – we are pleased to report that there is another class being added to the parade this year – vintage motor bikes!

Nantucket home owners and visitors alike enjoy the celebration of Daffodil Festival.  We take the opportunity to enjoy the rebirth of spring with hopes and promises of sunny days ahead. There are many things to do and events to enjoy this year; we look forward to welcoming you to the Island of Nantucket and hope to see you on the road to Siasconset on Daffy Day!

“For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils”  - William Wordsworth

“As marvelous as the stars is the mind of the person who studies them.” - Martin Luther King Jr

No doubt about it, Nantucket has an incredibly big sky! The stars and planets in our night sky are stunning and almost appear within reach…

Recently, on a rather frosty February evening, the Windwalker Team and their families visited the Maria Mitchell Loines Observatory on Milk Street Ext.  The day was perfect and it appeared that we were in for a crystal clear night of stargazing. The sky was clear as a bell until about 5:50 PM but by 6:15, as we huddled together for warmth, the clouds had enveloped the full moon and “gobbled up” all the stars.  Astronomers Vladimir Strelnitski, PhD, Director of Astronomy and David Sliski, Astronomy Assistant  were not to be daunted.  We were treated to a mini lecture on the two telescopes on site and saw an award-winning photograph (pictured above) of colliding galaxies taken by the larger telescope at the Loines Observatory.

Our Windwalker family must indeed be charmed because suddenly the clouds parted and there before us through the observatory window was the bright full moon surrounded by stars.  The telescope was quickly positioned for a lunar view and all of us, old and young, peered through the powerful lens at the “man in the moon”. It was explained to us that even many undergraduate students never have exposure to telescopes such as these, making this a memorable experience, especially for the children in our group.  I thought to myself, these are the moments that light a fire in our future scientists.

On an equally clear, crisp, night in October 1847, while family and friends gathered in the rooms below, young Maria Mitchell gazed up into the stars and discovered a telescopic comet, invisible to the naked eye. This event propelled her to fame and changed the face of science and education throughout the world.

“The Mission of the Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association is promotion of the legacy of Maria Mitchell and exploration, education and enjoyment of Nantucket’s land, waters and skies beyond. Located on the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, the MMA serves both visitors, seasonal and year-round residents.  Now celebrating over a century of discovery, the MMA is dedicated to opening up the universe to curious minds, and allowing people to see what before was unseen.  Our simple motto – ‘Explore, Educate, Enjoy’ – captures the essence of our programs and activities”.

Windwalker Real Estate sends a big thank you to Janet Schulte, Executive Director and the Maria Mitchell astronomers for a wonderful evening under the starry sky over our Nantucket homes.

“May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night and a smooth road all the way to your door”- An Irish Blessing

Leone Collins & The Windwalker Team

www.windwalkerrealestate.com

2011 is well underway and as we approach spring for Nantucket property, so we decided it would be fun to check out some fun facts for our beautiful island.  Local lore has it that…

• The Steamship Authority bookings for 2011 are up 28%
• Nantucket Island Resorts accommodation bookings are up 30%
• Several new shops will be visible on Main Street and on Easy Street
• Earlier rental bookings are trending toward a bold 2011 rental season
• Though some events are already sold out, there is still time to purchase your passes for the Nantucket Wine Festival in May
• Patron passes for the Nantucket Film Festival 2011 are available at a 10% discount until March 16^th
• Look for the new Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank branch that will be opening on West Creek Road in March
• Whalers Hockey -With three wins this week, the Nantucket High School hockey team earned a berth in the Div. III playoffs in its first season as a varsity program
• February has brought less than an inch of snow to Nantucket, while off-islanders are buried in more snow than they have seen for years, we can see the bare ground

There will also be several new restaurants opening their doors this year:

1. Pazzo (by the guys at Lola) will be opening in the Sflogia space
2. Six Degrees East (of Slip 14) will be replacing Cambridge Street
3. Brickhouse Tavern (under the management of Michael Strugis) will be opening at the JC House
4. Fussaro’s (Tommy Fussaro, long term Island resident) will be opening in the El Rincon space
5. Chefs Amanda Lydon and Gabriel Frasca are taking over at 21 Federal
6. Mark & Eithne Yelle will be opening in April at the Old Daily Breads location offering prepared foods and baked goods
7. A new gourmet wine and cheese store will be located on South Wharf

The days are longer and the daffodils are beginning to pop up out of the frozen ground-a sure sign of Spring!

Help us kick off the 10^th Annual Yuletide Fair and Art Opening to support the Nantucket Lighthouse and your local Nantucket artists this Friday December 10^th and Saturday December 11^th , 2010 at the Nantucket Yacht Club. Paintings, photography, and prints by Joan Albaugh, Kasia Baker, Margaret Fox, Howard Fraker, Cary Hazlegrove, Randy Hudson, David Lazarus, Robert McKee, Julija Mostakanova, Terry Pommett, Edwin Rudd, Daniel Sutherland, and more.  Sales are tax free.

As always, the Yuletide Fair Gift Shop will feature an amazing collection of heirloom quality, unique, one-of-a-kind hand crafted items and holiday gifts.

Additional Fair favorites include Sarah Leah Chase, the Holiday Bake Shop, the Cafe, and  Cary Hazlegrove’s holiday portraits. Live entertainment with beloved local musicians will lure you and your family to linger long after you’ve finished browsing the Gift Shop. Beat the stress of holiday shopping with a soothing massage from Berta Scott of Becalmed.  This is the perfect one-stop shopping event of the holiday season.

Small Works Art Opening & Sale
Friday, 10 December, 6 pm-8 pm
Nantucket Yacht Club, 1 South Beach Street

Opening Sponsored by Donelan Wines and sales to benefit the Nantucket Lighthouse School and the Artists.

10^th Annual Yuletide Fair
Saturday, 11 December, 10 am-2 pm
Nantucket Yacht Club, 1 South Beach Street

Don’t miss the third annual Nantucket Lighthouse School Hoedown featuring square dancing, a BBQ dinner and even a mechanical bull to ride.

Saturday, October 23
6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Great Harbor Yacht Club
www.nantucketlighthouseschool.org

$60 per person
$100 per couple

Most islanders and visitors to Nantucket property are well aware of the established non-profit environmental and land conservation groups.  One such entity that I recently learned more about is the Linda Loring Nature Foundation at 110 Eel Point Road.   The Foundation is dedicated to being stewards of the globally rare ecosystem (known as a coastal sandplain) and fostering learning that promotes environmental awareness.  In the summer, programming includes nature, bird, and butterfly walks, and during the winter, their programming is more school-based.  Future plans include a Nature Center on the property. E. Vern Laux is the Foundation’s Resident Naturalist and Land Manager.

Established in 1999 by Linda Loring as a private operating foundation, it is still in its “start-up” phase, and consists of 270 acres of pristine natural habitat that surrounds the Head of Long Pond.   An 81-acre Nature Trail is open to visitors on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 9-5.  Membership is encouraged.  For more information, check out their website, or their trailmap.

Posted by Jenny Paradis