I can never quite tell if September marks a beginning or an ending, so it’s fitting that this issue contains a bit of both.

This is my twenty-ninth issue as editor of Martha’s Vineyard Magazine, and the eighty-seventh I’ve worked on overall. It is also my last. I’m taking on a new role at the Vineyard Gazette Media Group, this magazine’s parent organization.

Over the past twelve years, I’ve had the privilege of working with dozens of talented writers and photographers, sharing and shaping stories that deserve to be told. I’ve hunted for compelling ideas at town meetings, in coffee shops, in casual conversations, in newspaper clippings, and in old Island tomes. I have lived my life according to the peculiarities of this publication’s production schedule.

A friend of mine, prone to romanticizing my life on the Vineyard, once said he imagined me picking flowers in my garden while mentally composing editor’s letters. Usually, I liked to set him straight. “We don’t actually live in a fairy tale; we are a real place with real-word problems,” I’d explain. But the truth is, he was right. I have mentally composed many an editor’s letter in my garden, on the beach, strolling through woods, and waiting in standby. It’s been one heck of a wonderful job.

So much care goes into each issue: there’s the fact-checker, production designers, ad sales team, customer-service rep, webmaster, and distributor; there’s the advertisers, publisher, and board. Without them, none of this is possible. Then, of course, there’s the core team that brings its passion, ideas, talent, and attention to detail to bear every day. I’m talking about art director Emma Young, senior editor Connie Berry, associate editor Vivian Ewing, and managing editor Nicole Fullin. Their steadfast commitment to quality is what sets this magazine apart.

Of that group, Nicole has been by my side for nearly every issue, lending her expertise and helping this magazine grow. I’m thrilled to announce that she will be taking over as editor. I can’t think of anyone better for the job, and I can’t wait to see what she and the team do next.