Monday’s wind and rain storm has vanished into blue skies and bright sun illuminating the changing leaves and the purple asters lining our roads. Adding to the road decoration by the wind are the reddish brown pine needles softening the black of the road surface. In other words, the world is lovely this Tuesday morning.

The storm on Monday did result in a few power outages, mostly affecting single homes, many power blinks, and a few trees and limbs down, all reminding us that we are not always in charge.

The colorful scarecrows the Southport Central School children created and placed along the school pond fence survived the storm intact. With their big, floppy hats, I am surprised they were not dismantled by the wind. Good work, students.

Southport Yacht Club members will gather at the club on Saturday evening beginning at 6 p.m. for their last event of the year, a potluck supper. Please bring your own beverages and some food to share. Weather permitting the new fireplace insert, burning propane rather than wood, will be used for the first time, and the new landscaping out the kitchen door will be on display.

The workmen at the Pratts Island Bridge are cutting and placing granite facing on the piers at each end of the bridge. Although a small sign said the bridge was closed, Gene Hauser had safely crossed it to walk to the post office. I suspect just how ‘closed’ the bridge is will depend on the work of the day and even the time of the day.

The crowd around the library table this morning was congratulating the Southport Bridge DOT engineers for preventing speeding on the bridge, noting that their solution to the rather substantial unevenness to the bridge decking was to install two ‘bump’ signs, one at either entrance to the bridge. Various solutions were suggested including attaching bills for the replacement of cars’ tires and realignment to the state tax bill, deducting from the tax owed the amount of the car repair.

On a more serious note, many thanks to Oliver’s Restaurant for donating a large amount of food supplies not used during their summer season to the Boothbay Region Food Pantry.

Also a welcome and thanks to Molly Thibault and her family who have been hosting a German student for the past two weeks. Nina has been attending Boothbay Region High School and enjoying shopping in the area. Next year Molly will travel to Germany to experience Nina’s school while staying with her family. Such international exchanges widen everyone’s horizons.

The place to be on Thursday noon is the Island Store where all the persons behind the counters are decked out in tie dye shirts, and Mike Beane, the Grill Master, presides at the outdoor grill cooking the world’s best hamburgers and cheeseburgers. Last week Kit counted 19 pickup trucks in the store parking lot, and Mike reported that they sold at least 56 hamburgers. For some of us older folks such a good hamburger for lunch means we do not have to cook much for dinner.

A reminder that winter store hours are Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. Sunday the store will open at 7 a.m. and close usually at 5 p.m. The last day for the Gift Barn this season is Sunday, Oct. 13.