The weather prophets had been predicting rain. At last it came, heralded by middle-of-the-night thunderstorms. These continued through Labor Day. Afterwards, citizens vied with each other in telling how many inches of rain had fallen.

For Villagers who had counted on an enjoyable Labor Day barbecue and even a chance to have lunch outdoors, this was a disappointment. But nobody wept, for the kitchen staff had prepared a lavish indoor picnic. There were hot dogs and chicken, hamburgers and cheeseburgers, along with serve-yourself salads, potato chips and pickles, before the final offering of homemade whoopie pies.

A hum of contentment filled the Pinkham dining room as residents munched their way through the feast.

Paul has been watering the raised plant boxes outside the dining room — but not this Monday or Tuesday. Instead, he found that the heavy rains had knocked down and split some of the taller flowers. He tidied them as much as possible.

After Tuesday’s supper, those residents who wished took away ripe cherry or patio tomatoes, most of which had been slightly split by the downpour. (Through the storms, the nasturtiums looked better than ever!)

On Wednesday, a group of residents went by Village bus to the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens for a cart tour around some of the park. The cart was driven by the son of former resident Peg Lunt, who explained how the Gardens began. Drifts of bright, late-summer flowers beside the paths added to the brightness of the day.

Afterwards, Activities Director Barbara Marr drove the bus back to the Village via Hodgdon and Sawyers Islands. The roads were not too crowded, now that Labor Day is past.