With thanks to all of our earlier Island columnists this summer, we are covering the last three weeks of Isle of Springs news with this column. Also, as a reminder, over the off season, please provide Susan Bean with your news so she can, with her usual dedication, write our columns. Without your contributions there can be no columns over the winter.

Sunday, Aug. 19 saw Glenn McCandless conducting the Sunday Evening Service. Glenn spent the evening’s talk around the old favorite hymn “In the Garden” and the importance of gardens on the Island. He also played his guitar for at least one hymn. Arthur Norton accompanied us on the piano for a number of hymns. Arthur and his wife, Alex were in residence in the Germaine cottage for two weeks. Art had grown up spending summers here and it’s good to have him back.

On the West Shore, Ian and Patty Ridlon left early this year so they could take their middle son, Brendan, to college. Brendan is a freshman at Elon College in North Carolina. They were all appropriately excited and anxious. After Patty and Ian’s departure, the Ridlon Family cottage hosted Bob and Kelly Stebbenne and their family. Bob and Kelly’s two sons and their daughter and their respective spouses and infants spilled over into the Esterberg cottage. All of them fell in love with the Island, of course. Bob and Kelly are Rhode Island friends of Pat Ridlon’s brother, Joe and his wife Roz.

The week moved on without a great deal to report until, unfortunately, on Saturday, the 25th we were all saddened when Lars Rydell, a longtime Islander passed away. He was able to be on his beloved Island as he had wished. The Island all send out our sympathy to Lars’ family.

On Sunday, the 26th, our Sunday Evening Service was led by Linda Harper. Her service was lovely and poignant as she led a tribute to Lars including the singing of one of his favorite songs, “Sloop John B.” accompanied by Glenn McCandless on his guitar. Linda also read a number of pieces that had been written in the 1930s by Islanders. These included “In Rustic Wood” by Harold Stetson, “Island Message” by Mabel Norton, Arthur’s grandmother, and “Sheepscot Bay” by Kim Warner. These were fascinating in their own right and Linda closed with yet another wonderful piece by Edna Thomas telling of leaving the Island at summer’s end by horse and buggy in the early days.

On the East Shore of the Island welcomed the return of Hugh and Erica Reece and their children, Charlie and Maisey to the Dawes cottage. It is always cheering to hear the kids playing and laughing up there. Also on the East Shore, John and Pat Ridlon enjoyed a visit from Pat’s brother, Joe and his wife, Roz from Narragansett, RI and from her brother, Tony and his wife Virginia, from Jamestown, Rhode Islan. It was a great visit complemented by the Stebbenne contingent.

Glenn and Cindy McCandless also had, and still have, guests. They are Katie Povejsil and Bill Scull from California. Cindy and Katie worked together for years until Katie’s recent retirement.

Other Island visitors include Dina Hutchinson’s mother, Doris Suhie, from Centerville, Massachusetts.

Over the past weekend, Labor Day weekend, saw Betsy Morrell and Brad Booth in Unc’s cottage. They had with them Brad’s son Ascher and his girlfriend, Sandy Liang from New York City. Betsy’s friends from Camden, Jody Spanglet and Bill Lavrita were also visiting them.

The annual Labor Day all-island picnic at the Morrell’s farmhouse was held on Saturday. The weather, as it always seems to be, was beautiful and, as usual, the picnic was well attended with 93 in attendance. It is always a summer highlight that all ages of Islanders enjoy with great shared dishes and an overworked grill. As always, our thanks go to Dick and Ellie and the whole Morrell clan for hosting this event so graciously.

The closing Sunday Evening Service of the 2018 season was held on Sept. 2. John Ridlon officiated with some old favorite hymns, an opening and closing prayer and two readings from very different sources. One was from a charming small novel, “In Revere, In Those Days” by Roland Merullo; the second was a short, whimsical essay called “The Islands” by Elizabeth Coatsworth, a much-honored author from the Damariscotta area. Michael Smith played a lovely prelude and accompanied the hymns on both organ and piano.

And so, the summer season of 2018 on the Isle of Springs has wound down, as the closing hymn of the final Sunday Service of this year says, “God Be With You, ‘Til We Meet Again.”