Hydrangeas are in full, heady bloom, whites tinged in pink or pale lime, filling gardens in draped magnificence; they thrive here like no other place. Alongside the roads there has been an eruption of spotted touch-me-not, aka orange jewel weed, a leggy member of the impatience family, whose seed pods explode when touched, crops of choke berries, lingering spirea, varieties of goldenrod as well as asters, and in those damper spots broad-leaved cat-tails that rattle in the wind. If you are enjoying those roads on foot, and I know many are, please consider walking toward the oncoming traffic so you can see it approaching and move out of the way if needed. If a bicycle is your mode, ride with the flow of traffic on the right side and for your, and car drivers’ safety, follow the rules of the road and signal with your intentions. If by some terrible incident on bike or in an auto you strike a cat or dog, stop, take responsibility and help, they are part of someone’s family. Let’s all take a deep breath and share the road.

There are plenty of places and events to get to, here are a few. 

The Southport Memorial Library will have a final Storytime on Wednesday the 19th at 10 a.m. This is geared toward younger children and includes a shared book, a craft/art project connected to the book as well as a light snack. After you might want to stay and enjoy the Children’s Room books, toys and dramatic play props, it is not your average library. As an adult you have many options as well, the large collection of books to take out, used books for sale, museum passes, art shows, currently works by Mary Jo Rines, and the Coffee Table on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m.

As we move into the fourth weekend in August you may want to attend Art for Art’s Sake at Hodgdon Yacht Services, Boat Shed #1 from the 21st to the 23rd. There will be a reception and items for sale on Friday from 5 to 7 p.m., then Saturday sales continue from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and finally on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event is free and brought to Southport by the Lincoln Arts Festival. 

Also free, but bring your money to bid and buy, the annual Southport Fireman’s Auction, held at the fire station on Saturday the 22nd. The bays are filling up with what could be your next treasure, so set those alarms, brew a travel mug of coffee or tea and get to the Flea Market portion at 6 a.m., then head for the miscellaneous items in the garden at 7 a.m, next set up your chair, grab a breakfast sandwich and settle in for the bidding action which will begin at 9 a.m. See friends, neighbors and support our firefighters at this gathering of community. 

Other free things to do would include a visit to the Hendricks Hill Museum housed in an eight room, 1810 home that features period furniture, an authentic beehive oven, local artifacts and island genealogy, as well as fishing equipment, boats, models, Gus’s lunch counter, ice-harvesting tools, the old Newagen Post Office and much more. Hours for the rest of this month are Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., then just Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

On Sunday, Aug. 23, you might want to go to the Southport United Methodist Church for an Afternoon of Song beginning at 2 p.m. This will be a showcase of community talent assembled and directed by the Southport church’s choir director Dr. Mary Miller. There will be both secular and non-secular music, from Broadway to opera. Light refreshments following. Donations appreciated.

Not as busy as last week and the week before, but some nice events to fill parts of your days. Nobody really wants the jam packed days, just a smattering of things to choose from is fine, even preferred, with the other moments for enjoying the world around us from the lichen to the soaring osprey, and they have indeed been soaring, synchronized flights that I could not take my eyes off - divine wonder. Many more herons during the low tides and groups of semipalmated plovers flying and sounding in low swirling formations around the rocky shoreline as terns dive from above among the diving black ducks on the water.

I have a new source for checking on outdoor conditions in the morning before I head out and you might like it as well. Annie Britton created this website which shows climate information for Southport Island. It has current conditions for weather, including live radar; power outages; current wind and sea conditions; current state wide wildfire risk; mosquito and tick activity predictions; and other climate data. This data is continuously updated, and she thought it would be a great resource for everyone on Southport to have. (Note that she does this stuff for fun, and there is no cost to the town!). https://anniebritton.github.io/southport.../index.html 

Whatever you opt for this week, bring a little joy and kindness to someone and May Peace Be With You All.