Color: we expect “the bleak mid-winter” to be devoid of color, but not on Southport. Although the brightly colored fall leaves are gone, in their place we can now enjoy the bright red winterberry and the evergreen of our many pine trees. Add to that the wreaths and creative light displays on all our public buildings, around the school pond, which this morning had an icy skim, and on many homes and docks.

The Cullinas’ home on Route 27 shares some of the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens’ lighting expertise with us on Southport, and I hear that someone has rowed over to David’s Island to trim a dock with white lights. Thanks to nature and to all humans who work hard and risk cold fingers to bring bright and colorful cheer among us.

Thanks too to our road crew who responded so quickly and thoroughly to the season’s first snow fall, a challenge because what began as a classical snow globe scene of gently drifting, large snowflakes, turned quickly to rain, and then as temperatures fell into the evening, began to freeze on all outdoor surfaces. A guest arriving at our house for dinner reported that Southport had the only sanded roads in her journey from East Boothbay. Well done, guys.

Our first two Southport Island holiday events were well attended and a great success. Over one hundred people gathered at the Island Store last Friday evening, Dec. 2 for “Southport Lights Up.” From the Gift Barn steps the school children sang out clearly favorite Christmas carols. Russ Jackson organized the button push so the lights around the school pond turned on, and then Santa (Gerry Gamage) roared up in his red motorcycle, dismounted, and led us all in the singing of “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.” The children knew what was coming next as they gathered round to received gift bags from Santa who distributed all 32 of them from his pack. Next, hungry people crowded into the store for pizza, hot cider, and cookies. Thanks to all: Santa, the Southport Island Association, and Janet, Oliver, and store crew for such a lovely evening.

Providing the religious context for the season, on Sunday evening after delicious soups, breads, and cookies, the Southport Methodist Church choir and friends, led by Mary Miller, offered a service of Lessons and Carols. The pews were full not only of Southporters, but other folks from the area who enjoy this traditional recitation in song and word of the Christmas story.

Coming events include Sunday, Dec. 11, at 2 p.m. in the Southport Town Hall, where the Southport Memorial Library Aides will sponsor Broadway actor Will Rhys in “A Christmas Carol.” Mr. Rhys has adapted the Dickens story to a one-man show in which he brings each character to life, capturing their nuances and delivering a full range of emotion. This event is free, but you may donate to the work of the Library Aides.

On Monday, Dec. 12, also at the Southport Town Hall beginning at 6 p.m. the island school children will present their holiday concert, with a snow date of Dec. 13.

Then on Saturday, Dec. 17, the Southport Memorial Library Aides will host a Holiday Open House at the library from 1 until 3 p.m.  A part of this event many of us look forward to is Island resident and storyteller Donald Duncan reading a Christmas story.  Come early for a good seat. The Library Aides will provide refreshments. For your Christmas shopping, many arts and crafts will continue to be available for sale at the library.

Now for some news from a bit further away in Portland, Maine. Several folks around the library table last Tuesday had been in Portland to see Amy Roche, daughter of Ann and Roger Roche of Southport, perform in a show called “Broadway at the Good Theater,” a fundraiser for the theater. They were exclaiming how good she was and how lovely, so I went upstairs to see Ann and find out more about her daughter.

Amy, who lives in Westbrook, was a theater major at Smith College and spent a semester at the National Theater Institute in Connecticut. Moving to Portland in 1986, she entered into the theater scene there, focusing most of her time during the last 15 years at the Good Theater. This spring look for her in the Good Theater’s production of “Trip to Bountiful.”