5593-R1_CIC_April2018_Calendar_Web

One Man’s Island by Bob Libby

Notices Ladies Aid: Please join us for crafty projects and camaraderie from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. each Thursday. Catholic Communion Service: A regular Catholic Communion Service will be held every Saturday at 4:00 p.m. at the church. Sew Good: Sew Good will meet April 25 from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Parish House. For more information, please call Lola Armstrong (846-4737) or Karen Corson (846-0938). Seasonal Rental at 13 Island View Rd: Fully equipped summer home with 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, and private right of way to the water; $900 per week plus a $300 security deposit. Contact Richard Bowen at rhbowen3@ gmail.com or 207-831-6148. Classified Ads Top Shelf Cleaning and Services: Cleaning, moving cars to and from the Stone Pier or ChandlersWharf, snowplowing and snowblowing, and winter house watching—daily, weekly, or monthly—lawn mowing, and light tractor work. For more information, call Cindy at 207-846-1055 The sunlight is so strong now that the ground warms quickly, and soon it will be dry enough to plant. The Old Farmer’s Almanac was particularly accurate for March and predicts drying winds this month and a particularly arid and warm summer in the northeast. We who like to garden are learning about using mulches to protect our plants. Living on this island makes the gathering of seaweeds to compost a natural advantage, and the high winds of March have Having just heard the stunning news that Tproperties (a likely division of the Trump Organization) has bought Hope Island to develop a new resort makes it impossible to think about any other island gossip as April begins. Some of you know that Paula and I have been going steady since 1962 and I have pulled a prank on her every year since. Now, welcome to April: anointed as the ultimate month of change, the first full month of spring. Though as an early riser, I am not a fan of the legislative rule of daylight saving time: it seems regressive that just when we have achieved earlier dawns they are pushed back later. Still, the natural increase in daylight is exciting, and soon we will experience that special day at our house when sunlight aligns with the eastern windows and western doors to shine through the core of our kitchen from dawn to dusk.

raked heaps of pine needles from the trees. The deep snowbanks protected our shrubs from dessication most of the winter. Now, island gardeners must be proactive to protect ornamentals from drought. Every year we have admired this month when looking at the island while traveling from Cousins because it is when the major trees start to bud, offering a rosy blush to the skyline. This is not a prank: Yankee magazine’s second season on public television will feature a show on Chebeague. This will continue the rise in tourist interest in this “uniquely charming location.” The program starts its broadcast this month. Change is inevitable, and the responsible idea for Chebeaguers is to prepare for change. Sustainability is a popular concept these days, and the evidence convinces us that Casco Bay faces an outsized impact from global warming as compared with most of the rest of the world. Warming waters, acidification, and the prominence of toxic algae blooms confront traditional ocean harvesting practices. If we hope to preserve the island’s economic vitality, we must develop innovative strategies to handle the changes coming our way. Perhaps the new Trump Resort on Hope Island will make Chebeague great again. April fool.

Island Commons 3rd Annual Easter Egg Hunt

Where: Island Commons Yard Date: Easter Sunday, April 1, 2018 Time: Noon Bring your own easter basket! All Ages Welcome! A Family Community Event! for more info contact Polly @ polly22@chebeague.net

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APRIL 2018 CHEBEAGUE ISLAND COUNCIL CALENDAR