Our fall color seemed almost perfectly timed for the Columbus Day weekend. Driving around the island last Monday, I enjoyed the reds, yellows, and greens of the trees along with the border of purple asters along the roadside, creating the expected picture of New England fall.

As usual we saw many summer friends this past weekend as they returned to close cottages and to enjoy the fall colors. Members and friends gathered at the Southport Yacht Club last Saturday evening for the annual Columbus Day Potluck supper and were well fed with the many delicious dishes prepared by club members.

I heard that the Southport Planning Board approved construction of some additional decking on the yacht club, but the discussion and decisions concerning the need to move the Junior Building beyond the rising tide are yet to come.

Note that our neighbor, Bruce Crosby, has been transferred to Maine Medical in Portland so that the doctors can continue to search further for causes of his weakness.

Birth is the big island news this week. Angus Jay Kaler was born Thursday, Oct. 4 on his due date, at Mid Coast Hospital, weighing in at 7 pounds, 2 ounses. Parents, Sam and Maddie Kaler, along with his excited older siblings, Silas and Mabel Kaler, have welcomed the new baby home to Southport. Grandparents, Pam Baldwin, Mary Kaler, and Skip and Judy Rideout, will be happy to share pictures.

The other new birth happened last Friday, Oct. 5, at the Alpaca Farm where a day-long weaving workshop was interrupted mid-afternoon by the arrival of a new boy for the herd. This little boy arrived weighing 12 and 1/2 pounds, joining not only the adult alpacas, but also the little girl born Sept. 17, and the first baby of the season, a boy, born Aug. 23. As far as Ann and Mike know, all the mothers they have bred have now delivered, and no future babies are expected.

The new baby boy has not yet been named, but the little girl has. Her name is Jackpots Diamond Daenerys, the later name coming from the show, “The Game of Thrones.” For short we will call her Dany.

With Columbus Day now passed various island establishments will be closing down or changing their hours. Ship Ahoy Motor Inn closed Oct. 8. Newagen Inn will be open this week with the pub open to the public on Friday from 11:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. The Inn will close after the wedding guests leave on Sunday, Oct. 14. The last day for Ocean Gate Motor Inn and Resort will be Oct. 16. Oliver's in Cozy Harbor closed after Labor Day.

Our Island General Store will stay open with new hours as follows: Mondays from 7 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.; Tuesdays through Fridays from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m.; and Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. The Gift Barn is now closed for the season.

If you tried to have dinner early in the evening on Columbus Day at Robinson’s Wharf and found the restaurant quite crowded that may have been due to family gathered to celebrate De Amplo’s birthday. Happy belated birthday, De.

Robinson’s Wharf will continue to remain open during their usual hours except on Tuesdays when they will be closed. Although many appreciate and depend on the paychecks summer working hours provide, I am sure some folks feel relief that their heavy schedules begin to relax a bit.

I am also sure everyone has seen the large sign on your right as you approach Boothbay Center, telling us that summer water will go off on the third Thursday of this month, that is Oct. 18. Prior experience says water may continue to flow a bit after that date, but we cannot count on it. Being on a well causes me to look at a rainy day with a feeling of relief rather than dismay.

As Halloween approaches, look for some unusual costumes. I understand our editor might have one, but I will not say what. I did run into an unusually large, adult size, chocolate chip cookie walking around in the Island Store on Monday.