KATHIE CASE 508-627-5349 ()

April showers bring May flowers. I don’t know what downpours bring but we sure have had our share these days. But the good thing about the rain is that it keeps the pollen down, and when the sun comes out the trees and bushes are going to burst.

Happy birthday to all who celebrated their day this past week. Big balloons go out to Sophia Alves who celebrated her day April 22; Esther Alves, Emily Freeman, Alexis Lavigne and Ana Ribeiro on April 25; Adriana Young on April 26; Madison Mello on April 27; and to Finnegan McDonald, Samuel Resto and Paige Smith who all celebrate their day April 28.

Dee and Jack Butynski sent me an email and let me know that on March 14 they became grandparents for the first time. Connor James Leber came six weeks early and spent two weeks in the NICU in Reston, Va., but he is very healthy and they are looking forward to having him here for his first Island visit during the Fourth of July. His parents are their daughter Kaitlyn and her husband Casey.

Seth, their son, is getting married this weekend to Theresa Tousignant at the Harbor View Hotel. Their son Lucas became engaged to Emily Brown of Edgartown while they were in St. John on vacation in February. Emily’s parents are Steve and Claudia Brown of Edgartown. Congratulations to everyone.

It is the time of year when everyone is coming in the nursery to fill window boxes and freshen up their gardens. And every year there is a push me, shove me argument on when it is time to put out some annuals. I know it has been warm but the last frost date in general is May 15. We recommend Memorial Day weekend.

Some people don’t like this answer and they buy annuals anyway and that is okay. It is their gamble and kudos if you don’t lose them to frost or a cold snap that will turn the leaves brown. If it makes you feel better I have the same bug and it is so hard to resist buying everything.

May 1 is coming and it brings back memories of throwing May baskets on the neighbors. I don’t know if they would be accepted now but we would take a box and decorate it and fill it with canned goods or make cookies and fill the box with the goodies and flowers, which we got from their yards. Then we would put the box on the front steps, knock on the door, and hide to watch their surprise. It was fun and it made people smile.

Have a great week and keep the home candles burning.

Send Edgartown news to kathleencase@comcast.net.