Many of you knew Phyllis Hodgdon Mortimer as a friend, neighbor, town resident (43 years she served us as Town Clerk – 43!) 

Phyllis and Paul raised their family here and in so many ways made this a very good place to live. Though her obituary said she was born in Foxboro, Mass., she was definitely part of long-rooted island families; both her parents were born here and the Colbys (her father’s family) went back at least five generations.

We’ll remember Phyllis as a very sweet, loving person, our deepest sympathy to her devoted family. 

News from the farm: sights of spinach, spicy greens, and kale at the Squire Tarbox greenhouses! Angie and Kyle have been harvesting spinach for the winter markets in Bath and Brunswick (with the other greens soon to follow). As the soil thaws a bit, parsnips and carrots which have overwintered will pop up.

Why not make this your year to meet Angie, Kyle and crew; they’ve worked hard to increase their crops and animals on the old Cornelius Tarbox property off West Shore Road. Interesting, over 100 years ago the island was cleared of most of the woods since each family raised their own crops and animals and often raised enough to sell to summer residents. 

Today, our small farms in Maine do struggle, but many, like the Tarbox farm, give us an alternative to large grocery chains: healthy food without transportation or processing costs, grown by people we know. 

Visit the Farm’s website www.tarboxfarm.com, learn about their Community Supported Agriculture program (CSAs), or sign up for the monthly newsletter (which usually has a tasty recipe).

A neat family reading event is set for next Wednesday, March 20 at 6 p.m. at the Wiscasset Public Library. Edgecomb residents June and Bob Rose will read their new book, “Message of the Owl.” 

June and Bob wrote, illustrated and published this beautiful new tale which is set in Edgecomb. Sounds like a wonderful time to share with your kids or grandkids. 

The snow is retreating, leaving some of our yards looking a little messy, with piles of sand, tree limbs, and winter’s usual wear and tear. And then there’s our ambitious plans for the spring. 

Paul Bonyun is looking for a few more yard accounts; he takes care of lawns and does basic landscaping, brushwork, and trimming. Hardworking and reasonable. Email him at westportfire3@gmail.com/. 

Two weeks ago the weather was messy and unpredictable, causing the public State budget forum in Wiscasset to be re-scheduled for last week. 

I forgot to mention this, but be sure to catch up with Senator Chris Johnson (chris@dirigo.net) or Representative Bruce MacDonald (bmacdon@roadrunner.com) with your concerns, ideas and opinions.

Are we done with snow? Probably not. I’ve learned a few things from the blizzard and the other gigantic snowfalls. First, clean up the town road after my driveway is plowed out. With the mounds of snow moved around by the plow guys, some ends up in the roads. Not good for other drivers! We get to shovel that (or be sure the road is cleared if you’re plowing). 

Second, get my car out of the road, regardless of the height of the previously-mentioned gigantic piles. Yes, it’s a bother to trudge through snow to find a shovel or scooper (my favorite), and then out to the road again to make a small parking area off the road for the car. 

If I don’t do this, the Town’s Road crew and others are quite likely to hit any car left in the road, maybe hurting themselves, me, my car … yikes! Blizzards are never conveniently timed (though they can be fun), but we can all make it safer for our neighbors and the folks taking care of our roads.  

Tracking mud and snow all over at mewbarnes2@yahoo.com or 207-882-6055.