Some end of the year thoughts. If you have a dog, remember to register him/her by the end of the year at the town office. Last year Donna Climo, our town clerk, reported 57 dogs licensed in the town.

Nomination papers are out on counters around town to be signed for selectman, assessor, and overseer of the poor, all one position, for three years; a school committee member for three years; a Boothbay Region Water District trustee for three years; and a town treasurer for three years. Currently Smith Climo is the selectman whose term is ending. Katherine Tibbetts is the school committee member. Gerry Gamage is the water district trustee, and the town treasurer is Anita Sherman.

If you wish to run for any of these offices, you need to obtain nomination papers from the town clerk and return them “signed by at least 25 registered voters, and not more than 75 registered voters of the town, at least 21 days before town meeting, with the town clerk.” (Article 1, Section 8 of the town bylaws.) This year the date the nominations papers are due is by 12 noon on January 17, 2014 according to the public announcement in this paper last week.

Those of you who drive the east side of the Island can enjoy the lovely Christmas Crèche scene arranged in the sunken garden on the Elliott property. Many of us remember Lydia Elliott’s friendly smile and fun energy. Now I assume her husband, Dick, carries on the family tradition at Christmas. Thanks, Dick.

I hope you all saw Bob Mitchell’s lovely “Winter Moon” photograph and comments on the front page of the second section of the paper last week. For those of you not on the island last week for the full moon, below freezing temperatures and cloudless sky, you missed a great treat. “The moon, on the breast of the new fallen snow, gave a lustre of mid-day to objects below”; was truly a reality here this Christmas season.

On a less romantic and more practical subject, many kudos and thanks to our road crew and plowmen who had traffic moving by early morning both Sunday and Wednesday when snowfall was especially heavy. Five intrepid St. Andrews Auxiliary Board members from Southport made a 9:30 a.m. board meeting at the St. Andrews Village on Wednesday morning even though we had received at least another six inches of snow Tuesday night. Good work everybody.

As I type on the Friday before Christmas, we wait to see what Mother Nature has in store for us over the weekend and for the mid-week holiday. Many houses will begin filling up with family from near and far. The Doelp household will see two-thirds of their family arrive from Boston and Philadelphia. The Pratts Island Road will come alive with the McWhan and the Riley household receiving offspring and grandchildren, some from as far away as Washington State.

The Sherrills will eventually have all three offspring in residence plus Leigh’s sister, and I am sure there are many others crossing the Southport Bridge for a holiday visit. I wish each of you safe travels, merry Christmas, and a happy New Year.