Writing this on the hottest Sunday I remember here, it’s hard to think about sitting in the Community House this coming Saturday for the Annual Meeting. But by then we will be enjoying temps in the 70s, cooler nights and be ready for coffee and socializing at 9 a.m. The meeting begins at 9:30. JPVIS continues as a strong community association thanks to volunteers, who are often the same people rotating within the roster of officers and committee chairs. Some spots on the roster are open, namely House Committee. After many years of creatively overseeing the upkeep and improvements to the Directors Cottage and Community House, Amy Whitten and Kathy Wilkinson are retiring. Big shoes to fill, and maybe a team of three will work. Anyone interested in this or other ways to volunteer, let Jose or John Gillies, the incoming president, know.

A big round of applause goes to Emily Whiting for organizing Burnt Island Day, including having the energy left over to send in this report: Four boatloads of JPVIS families (and a couple of dinghies of kids) set afloat for Burnt Island on a sweltering Saturday. We set up blankets for lunch and found a corkscrew. Nominations were made for the first annual JPVIS pie awards, with Jose McComiskey, John Gillies, and the Wilson family taking home banana creme, pecan and blueberry desserts. A dozen or more children of all ages took off into the woods on a pinecone hunt and, in no time at all, Katherine Taylor emerged with the coveted "golden pine cone.” The family relay tradition was revived, led by Ann Swope and judges Cammie Beattie and Carey Swope, although we stripped down the clothing requirements in a nod to the heat. In a close competition, Team One emerged victorious after recruiting Bowen Gray for his knot-tying skills. After picnicking, we found cool spots under the shade of pine trees or swam off the beach for the rest of the afternoon. Special thanks to our transportation crew, which included John and Chris Gilles, Barry and Molly Simmons, Cammie Beattie, and Matt and Ingrid Himes (who made sure that no one was left deserted on the island at the end of the day). Thanks also to our game committee of Kristen Gray, Ann Swope, Margaret Himes and Margaret’s friend Sophie. And finally, our appreciation to Elaine Jones and Burnt Island for hosting us.

Dave and Susan have kept the tennis courts hopping. Last Thursday JPVIS hosted the Boothbay Country Club for an adult mixed doubles social with every court full. For the junior match at Squirrel 14 players and families motored over to the island to enjoy not just tennis but also the sandy beach and ice cream.

And….it’s time to start taking your tennis seriously; the JPVIS Annual Tennis tournament starts up in early August. See Dave to sign up.

This Sunday night is the Juniors’ Scavenger Hunt, 6:30 from the Community House.

Zumba is catching on. You can exercise-dance off your ice cream cones and lobster rolls every Wednesday morning from 8:30-9:30 at the Community House. Don’t forget your $5.

On the cultural front, my other half returned from Jeff Kowalski’s talk about the Mayan ruins at Uxmal last week full of enthusiasm. Thanks to Jeff for sharing his knowledge and experiences.

If you have walked to the end of McKown Point Road recently you may have heard high pierced screeching in the pine trees in front of Firefly, across from the McGee’s lawn. After a few mornings thinking it was a bereft osprey I stood outside at 6:30 a.m. to see instead an adult and 3 immature hawks- Broad-winged buteos is my best guess. The mom seems exasperated that the kids can’t get their own breakfast (her’s a fat chipmunk eaten on a horizontal limb). She appears ready to be done with them but they are like those grown Italian boys – the mammoni – and don’t leave her side for long.

Send in your news, announcements, sightings or musings. Or volunteer to write a column. Contact annedooley@mindspring.com