Peepers! I heard peepers last Friday night! I don’t know what the little creatures look like, much less their true name, but I know the sound they make. My father and grandfather had many sayings and observations about the weather and natural phenomena. They never seemed to have much to say about the groundhog’s predictions, but they always said that when you hear peepers, summer is just six weeks away! I really like that reassurance, and have marked my calendar so I’m sure to have all my summer gear ready on, let’s see, May 15. That, according to the peepers in my neighborhood, is when we can expect summer. Do you think I can hold them to it?

It looks like April is living up to its reputation as a month of showers. After the winter we all had, I know it’s hard to have the temperatures moderating, but the weather is too wet to enjoy being outside. We’ll all enjoy the May flowers that are being nurtured by this rainy spell. All the bulbs and shrubs around my yard are working hard to catch up – it seems one can watch the stems and buds grow from one day to the next.

Something else that seems to grow quickly is the amount of electronic gear that a household can collect. If you find that you have an excess of obsolete or broken electronic devices, Hughesville Rotary Club is providing an opportunity for recycling these items that would otherwise clutter your home or end up in the landfill. While they remind everyone that they CANNOT accept any items that contain refrigerant, like refrigerators or air conditioners. Club members will be ready this Saturday to help you. Get those unwanted items out of your house or garage and bring them to the Ashkar Elementary School parking lot. The club will accept a donation to help cover the costs of transporting the collected items. Donations will also help to fund other community service activities performed by Rotary.

While you are out running errands, make sure to schedule enough time for a visit to the Hughesville Area Public Library. If you haven’t finished doing your national, state, or local income taxes, the library has the forms and instructions you need to make that job go smoothly. There’s only a week left until the April 15 deadline. While many people file their returns electronically, it is still good to have a paper copy for personal records. And while you’re at the library, why not check out a good book or movie to enjoy once those tax forms are in the mail? There’s always something new to enjoy! You might also want to take a look in the Friends for the Hughesville Library Book room where you can purchase lots of great reading material for a pittance. The selection changes constantly, so it’s good to browse often.

Hughesville Events

Fri. Apr. 10, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Pre-school Story Hour at Hughesville Area Public Library. Register your 3 -? 5 year old child for this fun session by calling (570) 584-3762 or sign up at the library.

Sat. Apr. 11, 10 a.m to 2 p.m E-cycle Event sponsored by Hughesville Rotary Club. Re-cycle unwanted electronic devices for a small donation. Held at the Ashkar Elementary School Parking Lot, 350 South Broad Street, Hughesville.

Mon. Apr. 13 Hughesville Garden Club to meet, 7 p.m., Trinity Lutheran Church (rear), Hughesville.

Sat. Apr. 25 Clean up day at Lime Bluff Park. An official opening will take place with Penn College masonry students who built a fireplace.

Sat. Apr. 25, 8 a.m. Seedling Distribution. The Hughesville Rotary Club will hand out free tree seedlings to area residents. This annual event is timed to coincide with Earth Day. The supply is limited and seedlings will be given on a ?first come/first served? basis.