Summer changes a lot of things here in Windham.

When driving through the rotary it is wise to glance at the license plates of oncoming cars because I’m almost positive some other states’ drivers really haven’t grasped the yield command.

Traffic is different at this time of year. For one thing, there’s a lot more of it. And it seems to be mostly Mainers, probably those who are speeding off to camp or cottage after a hard day’s work in Portland.

I don’t get as upset as most about the “commercial strip,” a short little stretch of Route 302 in North Windham, because I’ve lived in real cities where there were multi-lane highways. Of course, in these cities they also had real crosswalks with pauses long enough for a person to get all the way across the street, without breaking into a gallop.

Walking is a big problem in North Windham. At a glance, it appears that a person should be able to park a car and walk to many places in this little area, but you’re safer in a car. As I listened to the planning stages of the several elderly housing complexes, with the long-winded discussions about the need for sidewalks, I kept thinking about those people who live at Marblehead Manor, Unity Gardens and Marcus Woods. Discussions centered on “safe walking” for these folks who, it was mentioned, would be going to the shopping centers.

If I managed to walk up to Route 302, I surely wouldn’t cross the street to get over to the Shaw’s shopping center. And it’s quite a hike to stay safe, not have to cross the street, and walk up to the Windham Mall! The new Walgreen drug store is conveniently located, but one has to be heavily insured to take a chance and cross the street at that intersection.

Next time planners talk about having senior housing convenient to shopping, I hope their site walks include a real walk from the proposed site to the stores.

Given that many people who live around here get so frustrated waiting seconds to move ahead in traffic, I can’t imagine their blood pressure if they actually had to wait for a walk light, but I’m sure real pedestrian-friendly travel ways are in the future.

Motorcycles and cars with amplified sound systems have become background noise at my apartment on Route 115. One day when it was cool and rainy, I closed the windows and marveled at the silence, broken only by the refrigerator humming along. For a brief crazy minute, I almost missed winter.

A poor misguided mooseling (young moose) made its way from the swampy area behind me out to my driveway and was headed toward the racetrack of Route 115 when I yelled the poor critter back to the woody area. I am so close to Route 302 that I can see the traffic light, yet vehicles going past my house aren’t concerned about lights – or kids – or those strolling elderly folks.

There’s a logging operation in my backyard, with its humungous trucks and heavy, noisy equipment (including the back-up signals), but I hardly hear it when a convoy of motorcycles zooms by.

Yes, summer is here. Everyone has double entries in calendar blocks, trying to fit everything in these two or three months before it’s time to talk about fairs, harvest, insulation and cool weather on the horizon.

Recently, a summer visitor who was in the grocery checkout line with me said “Aren’t you lucky to live here year-round?” I wanted to suggest she come back in February, but I just agreed with her.

See you next week.

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