At the Morrell cottage, Eleanor and Dick welcomed back long-time friends Glenn and Ann Grimm of Avon, Conn. Glen and Cindy Mc-Candless were excited to have the Schubert family as their guests from Alpharetta, Ga. Jeff, Charlene and their daughter Olivia took advantage of the gorgeous summer weather by going on a whale watch, sailing, picking blueberries, taking in the beautiful sunsets on Jones' Point and soaking up the sparkling morning views off the front porch which they say reminds them of the deck of a cruise ship.

The Moody family was here for a stay at the Manning cottage, while around the corner at the Reece's, Evan Reece and his girlfriend, Annie Stover, from San Francisco, were here for week prior to cousin Tucker Hasting's wedding. We're glad to know that Annie passed her "Maine test" in all essential areas: by swimming in the icy waters, playing tennis, kayaking, cooking, and just putting up with the rest of the Reeces!

Now, about Jane McClennan's dirty laundry. Hopefully, she'll have less, courtesy of her new washing machine, delivered this week to replace the old "lemon" that has plagued her for years. The same day as the washer was being lugged up to her cottage, I saw Jane standing next to a brand new stove on Sawyer's Island dock. While it looked like she might be setting up a waterfront eatery, she was actually just checking out the new appliance which was being delivered to Muriel Dawes cottage.

There seems to be an endless flow of appliances here -- no-frills antiques are constantly being replaced by new gadgets, which, from my experience, are not built as well. Our 1936 GE refrigerator gave its last gasp of cold air last summer, after nearly 70 years of glitch-free service at our cottage, while the brand new Whirlpool replacement lasted three weeks before the compressor failed.

The Wednesday evening bridge party, hosted by Sue Bogart, included a spectacular lightshow, compliments of Mother Nature. Players had to compete not only with each other, but with loud rumbles of thunder and vivid bolts of lightning as a ferocious storm pushed across the island. The conditions seemed to have a positive impact on Jan Welty's game. Jan came in first place, while Sue came in second.

Out on the water, Bob Esterberg has been enjoying his new J-22 sailboat. Bob has owned several sailboats, but this is the first one that has a real spinnaker, the typically colorful sail that puffs out front to propel the boat with the wind from behind. Anxious to take the spinnaker for a spin, and not being familiar with the nuances of spinnaker sailing, Bob enlisted the help of island nautical expert, Edgar Reed. Edgar and Bob unfurled the sail and laid it across the floor of the Casino, then prepped the new sail for its first cruise on Saturday afternoon. Southerly breezes billowed the beautiful blue and white sail and carried Bob and Edgar swiftly and in high style from Ebenecook to Barter's Island.

Saturday, July 30 wasn't just a picture-perfect day to sail. It was the ultimate day to celebrate island romance - our version of "Two Weddings and a Funeral"-- except the funeral part. Instead, the island celebrated a love triage -- two weddings and an anniversary.

Island weddings have always been magical. Erin Thompson, daughter of island superintendent Mike Thompson, continued the tradition by exchanging her wedding vows privately with groom Ken Deprez at noon, in an intimate setting on Foster's Point. The pastor made the marriage official, witnessed by all the wedding guests. The ceremony was followed by a fabulous waterfront reception for over 90 family and friends. Glorious sunshine and comfortable temperatures were ideal for a classic island clam bake, hosted by parents Mike and Lynn Thompson on the lawn of their island cottage. Food was plenty, with lobsters, chicken, steamers, sweet corn, and potatoes. After guests were ferried off the island, the Thompsons, no worse for wear, hosted a cocktail party for island friends. Erin and Ken met at the Maine College of Art in Portland, and after a honeymoon on the Maine coast will return to Philadelphia where Erin is at the Moore College of Art and Design.

At the same time as the Thompsons geared up for their festivities, islanders Brad and Betsy Hastings were making last minute preparations for the wedding of their son, Tucker, to Katherine Crowley. There was an awesome rehearsal dinner hosted by Betsy and Brad at the Breakwater Hotel in Kennebunk. The highlight of the evening was a slide show of Tucker and Kate created by Tucker's brother, Cooper.

The wedding took place Saturday at St. Brendan's Chapel in Biddeford Pool, a small summer chapel reminiscent of the Casino on the Isle of Springs. The bride, absolutely dazzling in a pearly off-white strapless silk gown, carried a beautiful bouquet of white roses and freesia. Tucker, handsome and composed as groom, remained calm throughout the ceremony. Officiants were Kate's uncle, Father Paul Sughrue, her cousin, Father Richard Clifford, S.J, and Tucker's cousin, Reverend Melissa Wilcox. Anna Hastings, as one of the bridesmaids, wore a chartreuse silk green faille dress and carried roses in various shades of pink and hydrangea. Cooper Hastings, also a wedding party participant, served his brother as a groomsman.

There were lovely hydrangea wreaths on each of its doors, and there was a large white potted geranium in the front of the chapel in memory of each of the couple's grandparents not present. Tucker's grandmothers, Jinny Hastings and Jane McClennan were present to share in the occasion. Tucker chose two traditional island hymns for the congregation to sing, "Let the Lower Lights Be Burning" and "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee." The couple was radiant as they walked down the aisle.

The reception took place at the Webhannet Golf Club in Kennebunkport, near where Kate grew up. It was a perfect weekend for a perfect couple to begin their lives together. Certainly we all welcome Katherine (Kate) Hastings to our island community.

Meanwhile, back at the island, the party continued with an anniversary gala at the Casino. What began as a 10th anniversary party for Eric and Andrea Miller evolved into an all-island celebration of anniversaries. The idea started last summer with a conversation between Eric's mother, Judy Miller, and islander, Patsy Mackenzie. Judy suggested an island get-together to commemorate a decade of marriage for Andrea and Eric. But over the winter, the idea for a bigger event to recognize milestones took shape.

Saturday evening anniversaries came to life with a spread of tasty treats and lots of family fun. Islanders young and old enjoyed photos of weddings and couples, plus other important romantic remembrances - including a computer display of the Welty cottage, recognizing 25 years of island living for owners Jan and Jim Welty, a nostalgic junior prom snapshot of Art and Deb Pierce, circa 1951, and a wonderful photo of Sue and Gil Bogart. This year would be their 50th anniversary. We cut the cake -- and the rug, dancing the night away to the smooth sounds of the Sheepscot Jazz and Swing Band from Newcastle. Fabulous! Thanks to Pasty and Will Mackenzie for throwing this great party!

The weekend wrapped up with one of the highlights of the summer. Every year the island youth present the "Children's Service," a special Sunday evening event at the Casino. This year, under the direction of Eric Miller, they performed "The Wind Says Goodnight,"a play adapted by Andrea Miller from the fabulous childrens' book of the same name. The wondrous story is about a little girl who is kept awake by sounds of the night, stirred up by the dazzling brightness of a full moon. The sounds are personified by lively characters, each with a distinctive sound, and all dependent on one another for silence to set in.

The book was written by island author Katy Rydell, and is a beautifully-illustrated delight to children and adult readers alike. The production followed suit. Betsy Morrell designed colorful costumes faithful to the story. The cast included Anna Miller as the sleep-deprived child, Ben Moody as the croaking frog and Ravena Osgood as the toe-tapping, fiddle-playing Cricket. Lija Miller and Isadora Osgood, budding ballet stars, displayed their dancing talents as the moths. Luke McCandless was wrapped in a white sheet, depicting the cloud that ultimately blocked the full moon and put a stop to the nighttime merriment, allowing the little girl to nod off. Rowan Moody narrated the parts with passages from the book. Morgan McCandless and Madeline Loughridge conducted the rest of the service and rounded out the evening by leading a couple of our favorite island hymns.

Wow - what a week! I hope you enjoyed reading about the goings on. I had fun doing the article, given all the excitement and news to report. Now I hand the duties to Margo Fernald Shaw who will write the column for the coming week, as we look ahead to the annual meeting, the tennis tourney, and making more memories at the Isle of Springs.