Dear Readers,

The sun is out, warm breezes have returned, there are native strawberries at our favorite farm stand, the golf course is ready to open the back nine, and it is tough to find a parking place in Boothbay Harbor.

All signs point to the beginning of summer in the Boothbay Region. Whew. About time.

The harbor's shops are mostly open and a handful of new ones are testing the waters. There are sold signs on some real estate offerings, and our community seems ready to welcome our old friends back from the southland and our new tourist friends from away.

As usual, the first big event of the year is Windjammer Days (June 22-28), now it its 52nd year. Don't miss it.

The free event, yes free event, celebrates our combined maritime/tourist haven heritage with events galore. Beginning with a sailboat race for the famed Boothbay One Design class and ending with the annual Rocky Coast 5k and 10k running event, there is something at Windjammer Days for kids, and those of us who wish we were still kids.

The highlight of the event is, of course, the thrill of watching seven, count ‘em, seven tall ships sailing into our little harbor. It will take place shortly after 1 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24.

But that is not all. There are artists showing their art, craftsmen showing kids how to make (not buy) a toy sail boat, a lobster eating contest for those of us who love lobster and a collection of pirates shooting cannons, waving swords and yelling “Arghh” on cue.

For those of you who missed the 41st annual Fishermen's Festival last April, you can watch a recreation of the famous Cod Fish Race. I do not have the proper words to describe this wonderfully goofy event.

In addition to Windjammer Days, our friends at the Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library will open the space’s newly renovated doors on June 24.

Don't miss the chance to visit and marvel at the transformation of the wonderful facility that many feel is the heart of our community.

The task of library executive Tim McFadden and his crew of volunteers was to update the beautiful and quaint existing building without ruining the beautiful and quaint existing building. I think you will agree they have succeeded. After all, the last addition to the building was the children's room. The children that honed their reading skills in that brand new room will pass the big 4-0 in a year or two, so it was about time for an update.

While you visit the new facility, don't forget to stop at the library's Used Bookstore where you can find a great read to two, and at prices you can afford. The best deal of all, is you are making a contribution to the reading skills of our children and the reading enjoyment of us all.

The opening of the Boothbay Harbor Country Club's back nine is a real treat for those of us who took up golf years ago, when we realized we could not hit a curve ball. The old Boothbay golf course is long gone. While some may pine for the course of the olden days, hard core golfers will just shake their heads and smile at the amazing transformation. And, there is more to come. Like they used to say in show business: “You ain't seen nothing yet.”

This is just the beginning of the 2014 edition of summer in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. To keep up with events in our region, keep in touch each week with your friends at The Boothbay Register and the Wiscasset Newspaper. For those of you who are addicted to your smartphone, tablet or other hand-held device, and for those of you who can't keep your hands off the keyboard of ye olde laptop or ye older and older desktop computer, you can get the latest local and regional news by hopping over to www.boothbayregister.com and www.wiscassetnewspaper.com.

And, don't forget to look for one of the greatest summer taste treats, home-grown, native strawberries. You can find them at farmers’ markets and farm stands.