What was left of Hurricane Jose finally pulled far enough away from the coast to free us from a long stretch of dreary weather that promised, but never delivered, rain. In the storm's wake was, happily enough, a downright gorgeous day for what is becoming an annual equinox celebration, the North Stonington Festival, a.k.a., the NoStoFest. It's a lot of fun, with an acknowledgement of my town's long history—North Stonington was formally established in 1724—its rural roots, and the continuing importance of agriculture and our still-thriving farms. There's also ample opportunity to celebrate all the good and varied things people do around here, from fairy gardens made by the Girl Scouts behind the Town Green, to home-grown musicians, to, of course, tractor-pulled hay rides down Main Street. Lots of people came out to enjoy the weather, the antique car show, the exhibits—everything from local cattle to home-made ghee—the good food, and each other. That's the long and short of it, or, well, the tall... very tall... and short of it.