In many communities where I have lived, as snow melts along the roadside, litter remains. On Southport, the “Isle of Bump,” (thanks to Jeff Brown for our new name and fresh sign), someone is drinking Bud Light in bright blue cans and tossing the cans along the road, but those cans constitute almost all of the visible litter.

We will probably find more litter when we participate in the group cleanup of the island on Sunday, May 3. First at noon come to the Town Hall where chef Gerry Gamage will be cooking hot dogs. Enjoy lunch with friends and neighbors and then pick up a plastic bag, choose your route, and clean up your portion of our island. Places to leave your full bags will be identified for pick up by an island truck. This event is sponsored by the Southport Island Association and our selectmen.

Amazingly, in spite of our new nickname, “Isle of Bump,” many of the frost heaves, even on the west side where they were so numerous, have smoothed out. All it must take to do so is a few days when the temperature remains above freezing. Summer water, on the other hand, will be later than usual this year, probably not flowing until about May 1. And more bumps will occur as workers bury the water line from the Southport Bridge to Plummer Road.

Over the years we have noted many signs of spring, but Cy Seifert reported one new to me. Last Monday morning at 9:30 a.m., at the Harbor’s Choice Laundry, all the washing machines were full. As part of her spring cleaning efforts, Sandra Seifert had taken a quilt in to wash, only to find many others had the same idea, probably because Monday was our first good day to hang washing out to dry.

Another benefit of spring cleaning came to Joyce Marshall, who found a favorite gold earring, lost for a year, as she swept underneath some furniture.

Joan Britton was back around the Southport Memorial Library table this morning after a great Easter time visit with son Charlie and his wife, Jennifer, at their home on the campus of the McDonogh School in Owings Mills, Maryland. We welcome her home.

Also home, but in Stockton, New Jersey, is Ron Sheay. His wife Ginny is very happy to have him home after two months in the hospital, where a simple procedure turned into a major event. Now he needs to build up his strength for their summer on Twin Coves Road, Southport.

I am not so sure how much it will contribute to our health, but certainly it will contribute to our palate and will help others. The Island Store is selling two whoopie pies for $3, with $2.75 going to support Healthy Kids month.

And our island school children, on Tuesday, April 14, helped others by “Jumping for Heart,” raising money to give to the American Heart Association. This project, part of their physical education class, raises money, helps the children keep fit, and burns off that excess energy so many youngster have this time of year. Many times when I was an elementary classroom teacher, or even when I was teaching high school students, I would have loved to be able to say, “Go run, or go jump rope” for an afternoon. The kids usually raise about $200 in this event.

The Southport Memorial Library kitchen is taking shape. This morning the cabinets were all in place with a young man there to measure for the granite counter tops. What a lovely space we will have for our coffee pots and microwave.