April on a Small Maine Island

We’ve all heard of April in Paris, which if you have been to Paris, you know it’s not really the best time of year to be there. May is a much better month, but the word April simply scans better in a song.

April in Maine can be a challenging month, because after our long winters (and this year was a very loooong one!) we’re  all more than ready for a warm spring and the promise of summer.  But as I write this, snow from last night’s storm is still waiting to be shoveled and there’s more snow predicted for  tonight. It’s a little frustrating for those of us eager to sit on the dock, put a boat in, or at least be able to pack away the winter woolies. But warm weather will come as it always does, and we’ll appreciate it all the more.  And truth be told, when the summer people return to our small island, we are happy to claim bragging rights for having made it through another winter.

As I work on another book about Maine, this time about life on the island, I realize again what a unique place it is.  When an ice pond formed in front of my house for the first time ever and cut off access to my car, friends offered ice choppers and strong backs to help me break it up and our trusty plow guy-hand shoveled ice over the frozen walkway so I could navigate my way out.  I brought muffins to a sick neighbor, and when a friend skidded on black ice and landed in a ditch

April on a small Maine island. Winter doesn’t bow out gracefully!

, three cars stopped to help him within minutes. Challenging as the weather can be at times, it also can bring out the best in people.

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you’ll return soon. As the weather warms, we’ll talk more about the many great places to visit in Maine, as well as what life is like in a small island lobstering village.