June, so soon?

Welcome back, summer friends! Here’s to a hot and sunny season in beautiful Bridgton. It seems like just yesterday I was writing about the kickoff of the Farmer’s Market, the Women’s Health Fair, and boating safety. Where did the year go? Here we are again, in the early days of summer, celebrating some of the best things about summer in Bridgton: fresh veggies, clean lakes and free massages. It’s going to be a busy week…

Greens, grains & goats

What began as a small group of local growers gathering in a parking lot to sell their plants and flowers has blossomed into a thriving Farmer’s Market.

With tables and tents filled with organic produce, homebaked breads, artisanal cheeses and locally grown perennials, our Farmer’s Market is now a Saturday morning tradition. Located on Depot Street in the Common Ground beside the Magic Lantern, the market runs from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. every Saturday of the summer and fall.

Along with the traditional garden wares, you might find a bluegrass trio picking old-time tunes under a shade tree, or a lone violinist serenading the shoppers. It’s just a quintessential slice of summertime in town, and a great way to support our hardworking local farmers. And when you’re there, be sure to ask Helen Ramsdell about her goats, because I hear she has some exciting developments at the Ram’s Farm stand…

Health and happiness

The annual “Every Day in a Woman’s Life” Health and Wellness Fair is here again, hosted by Bridgton Hospital on the campus at South High Street.

On Saturday, June 5, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., there will be seminars, demonstrations and lots of free goodies for all. I go every year and trust me when I say get there early, because you won’t be the only woman who wants a chair massage, paraffin wax treatment, manicure and mini-facial!

Along with the pampering there will be lectures on osteoporosis, healthy cooking, gardening to attract native birds and butterflies, and Tai Chi and yoga demonstrations. Private breast and skin exams, cholesterol screenings and heart-health risk assessments will also be given by hospital staff. For information, call Pamela Smith at 647-6055.

Golf is for girls

What better way for girls to spend a summer day than on the rolling greens of our beautiful local golf course, practicing proper putts and soaring swings?

Bridgton Highlands and Girl Scouts of Maine have partnered to present the 2010 Girls Golf Program for girls who live in Bridgton and surrounding communities. The 10-week program is open to girls in grades 2 through 12, with sessions scheduled for Thursdays from 4-6 p.m., June 24 through Aug. 19.

“We hope to elevate girls’ enthusiasm towards the game of golf,” said Wayne Hill, Bridgton Highlands golf pro. “We are delighted to make golf accessible to girls and committed to making sure that participants learn to play in a fun, relaxed way.”

Girl Scouts and non-Girl Scouts can participate; the fee is $130 and non-Girl Scouts are asked to pay an additional $12 registration fee to participate. Financial assistance is available and anyone who wants to register for Girls Golf should contact Girl Scouts of Maine at 1-888-922-4763.

Forty and fabulous

And finally, a round of applause and cheers to the Lakes Environmental Association, which is celebrating its 40th year of preserving our local green spaces, fostering environmental awareness in our children, and saving our lakes from nasty invaders like milfoil and hydrilla.

LEA is a constant presence in our community, where on any given day you might find Peter Lowell lobbying for shoreland protection, Bridie McGreavy leading children on animal-tracking field trips or Colin Holme monitoring delicate vernal pools and local lake water quality.

LEA’s efforts have helped create Pondicherry Park, the Holt Pond Nature Preserve and the town-wide Stevens Brook Trail system. Their staff and volunteers teach boating safety to our summer visitors, and man the many wash stations at boat docks to keep non-native scourges out of our pristine waters.

If you want to get involved in this awesome organization, join members at the National Trails Day Celebration which includes trail cleanup at Holt Pond and Stevens Brook. Just wear some comfortable work gear and meet at the LEA office on the corner of Chase and Main at 9 a.m. on Saturday, June 5.

Then on Saturday, June 19, Maine’s own celebrity gardening author Paul Tukey will be in Bridgton giving advice on growing an environmentally healthy lawn and using native plants and flowers to encourage bird and butterfly diversity in our gardens. He will speak at the Town Hall at 10 a.m., where there will also be a plant sale filled with native perennials and shrubs.

For more information on any of these events, call LEA at 647-8580 or check out their website at www.mainelakes.org.