If you missed her presentation last summer, Sarah Sherman McGrail will be back to present "Southport, The War Years: An Island Remembers" on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 1 p.m. at the Southport Town Hall. Sarah has interviewed many of the veterans on our island as well as those who experienced the war personally in other ways, and then written a compilation of their stories in several books including the one by the title above. The books are available at our library. If it snows too much to get together on Jan. 21, Sarah will offer her talk the next day, Sunday, Jan. 22, again at 1 p.m.

We wish a speedy recovery to two Southporters I know to have been hospitalized. Enid Johnson is making a good recovery after a stroke. Note elsewhere in this paper an article about Joseph Pickul, who was was injured in an accident on Route 1 in Woolwich.

Southport is well covered in this week’s paper. Note the article about the Artist of the Month at the Southport Memorial Library, Andre Benoit, whose three dimensional art sculpture is being displayed. Also note the report from the Selectmen’s meeting that they have extended the one year lease granted to Mike Nguyen and Louise Monroe to run Cozy’s Dockside restaurant in Cozy Harbor to a three year lease. We can look forward to continued good food, good fellowship, and great views.

Tuesday, Jan. 17, Southporters may attend the town budget meeting at the Town Hall to listen to the discussion. The agenda does not include questions or comments from the audience. Ashley is busy collecting the committee reports for the publication of the town report in late February.

A correction from my note of hours at the Southport General Store. Monday through Friday they will open at 7 a.m., not 6 a.m. as previously written. The closing time on those days, 4:40 p.m., is correct. The pizza of the month for January is chicken BLT. Looking over the menu recently I may decide to buy our dinners at the store frequently rather than shop and cook for every day.

I also noticed at the store a large canvas bag for sale that said “Keep our oceans clean.” Several books I have read recently, especially “Silent Spring Revolution” by Douglas Brinkley, remind me how important our efforts to protect the environment are. The book is a bit daunting as it is about two inches thick and 672 pages, but I am sure our librarians will give you an extension on keeping the book out if you need it.

For those reading this article away from Southport, winter has settled in here. Most snow from our recent slight storm is melted, but before it did so the full “moon on the crest of the new fallen snow gave a luster of midday to objects below,” even though Santa had already been here. Boats snuggle under their covers in house yards and boat yards. Winter coats, boots, hats, and gloves are in use, a bit later than usual after our lingering warm weather. I note a large gray squirrel eating the buds off the Bradford pear trees in our yard, keeping his balance even though the branches he chooses are so slim they bounce up and down with his weight. The squirrel, the birds, and the blooming of my indoor plants keep variety alive in what otherwise would be a rather repetitive schedule. For our local readers, take time to enjoy our island’s variety and beauty both indoors and out.