Southport Column: A gracious volunteer, a 6,000-pound turtle and more

Wed, 05/17/2017 - 11:00am

Many thanks to Aric Pickens, a Southporter and one of our road crew who volunteered to upgrade the plantings around the Southport Town Hall property. He has built a small wall out of stone bricks around the town hall sign and planted flowers within the space defined by the wall. He has totally re-landscaped the front of the hall with roses providing a background and other flowers filling in between the building and the driveway. The large planter as you enter the town offices in the back has a red, white, and blue theme with an azalea bush in the center and white petunias and red begonias to complete the theme. Many thanks, Aric.

If you have ever wanted to own a 6,000-pound granite turtle, now is your chance. Note signs at the Southport Memorial Library and a sign at the head of the road off Route 27 leading to Turtle Cove. Those signs indicate a large estate sale to be held May 19, 20, and 21 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. In addition to the turtle, which can be moved in two pieces, are many other interesting items.

A correction to last week’s information about the Firemen’s dinner at Newagen Inn. The bar will be open for cocktails at 4:30 p.m. with dinner served at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 25 and with music from 5 until 8:30 p.m. You do need to call for reservations (633-5242). The cost is $35 a person with a donation from Newagen Inn going to our Southport Fire Department. As those of you know who have attended this event in the past, the food is delicious and the firemen are at your service, greeting you at the door and serving your tables. This event often sells out, so call soon.

“Open” is the key word around the island this week. Gray Homestead Campground is open with campers beginning to arrive. Ocean Gate Motel opened on Friday, May 12 in time for Mother’s Day and had a good weekend with reservations piling up nicely for the summer. Oliver’s Restaurant in Cozy Harbor will open on Friday, May 19. When I stopped by there today, two women from the Country Club were busy filling the outdoor planters with colorful flowers. The Gift Shop at the Island Store will open Wednesday, May 24, although most days staff is busy sorting and arranging the stock so you can get a peek at what is to come. Store hours will continue to expand as business picks up, so check the sign in the window for the latest revision.

Some people help others open their facility such as Bill Fearnside who will be helping staff at the Boston YMCA Family Camp on Lake Winnipesaukee refurbish their cabins with lamps and helping with other clean-up chores. The Fearnsides enjoyed attending this camp with their family and are now “giving back.” Well done, Bill.

Dick Snyder is now officially in residence in an apartment on the east side of the harbor, behind what was once Rocktide, but this morning he joined the crew around the table at the library, thus not deserting his Southport roots.

As I write on Tuesday morning, we are rejoicing in the warmth and sun after what seemed like weeks of rain and chill. The forecast for the week is increasingly warmer weather until temperatures rise into the 80s. Will we be swinging into too much of a good thing? The large clivia at the main desk and in the children’s room at the library are celebrating with large stocks of orange flowers.