It is hard to believe that April is here already. Ol’ Mother Nature has been all over the place the last few days. Really warm temps and sun and then a morning temp of 10 on Sunday the 29th.
All the snow that fell from the last storm has melted nicely from our driveway, which the chickens love! But the mud, oh my goodness the mud. I may have to give up washing my kitchen floor (thanks to Bocephus) until some time in June. It seems like we are in the midst of an unsettled weather week. Am I correct that it is April and indeed spring?
Just a reminder that the Annual Mills Market Easter Egg Hunt takes place this Saturday the 4th at 9:00 a.m. Please keep an eye out and drive carefully if you are going through the village at this time. Big thanks to the Trish Mills & Family and to all the helpers that have kept this time honored tradition going for our town.
Claire Sessions was kind enough to send me some info for this week’s column: Here are some tidbits for you from the Historical Society and Rec. Committee.
Andover Historical Society: The annual meeting will be held on Thursday, April 9th at 6:00 p.mm at our in-town building. We would love to see some new faces, tell you all about our past year and add new members to our roster. A new book titled “The Fabric of Andover,” written by Peter Stowell, is nearing completion and we hope to have copies available for purchase at Andover Olde Home Days.
Rec. Committee: We continue to provide Pickleball play time at AES three nights a week. Tues/Thurs. Wednesdays are for those who need more practice or want to learn how to play in a slightly less challenging environment. All play starts at 6:00 p.m. and generally ends at 8:30. For those who would like to stay connected digitally, the “TeamReach” app is available for free download. We are listed as Andover, ME Pickleball. Dates and times for all play are listed along with a message board for member communication. To sign up for Team Reach, use Group code: And04216. I hope some local folks sign up and join in on the fun. The outdoor court was redone last year and will be in use this summer I have no doubt. Look here for updates.
If you happened to hear a helicopter flying around Andover on Saturday the 28th, fear not. The Andover Volunteer Fire Department would like to thank the Maine Forest Service for coming to Andover to provide some familiarization and training in Helo Ops. A few of the members got to take a ride with their outstanding crew. Great teamwork by one and all.
Another wonderful resource we have in Andover is Darlene Akers and her Dragonfly Healing Nest. Her next upcoming class is: Wild Cherry Medicine Saturday, April 11th from 1:00-3:00 p.m. at Betula Botanical Sanctuary at 4 Cardinal Way, Andover, Maine. This will be a hands on class; learn how to process the bark of Black Cherry, Prunus sertonia. We will explore the medicinal properties of the wild cherry tree. We will also play with rooting some branches. Energy Exchange: $30 You will go home with the bark that you process and cuttings to root. Contact Darlene for directions at dragonflyhealingnest@gmail.com; this address is not on Google maps. What to bring: A knife to process bark, a water bottle, a journal/pen and comfortable clothing to be outside. You can always check out Darlene’s Facebook page, Dragonfly Healing Nest, for any info on upcoming classes.
The Andover Snow Valley Sno-goers will be holding their season end meeting and election of officers on Saturday, April 11th. This will take place at the Andover Town Hall from 5-8 p.m. There will be a pizza supper from 5-6:30, then from 6:30-8 an end of year recap and highlights. Also an election of officers for the 2026/2027 season. All are welcome to attend. For more info please call (207) 233-0468.
A reminder from the Town office: Dogs must be registered in the town where they live, with proof of rabies vaccination and spay/neuter certificates needed to complete the registration. Registration fees support local Animal Control Officers, rabies control, and animal welfare investigations. Dogs residing in Andover are registered at the Town Office. The annual fee for licensing (male or female) is $6.00 for neutered/spayed and $13 for all others. Failing to register a dog in Maine (by Jan 31st) results in a $25 late fee per dog. It is a civil violation that can lead to a court summons and fines of up to $100. For dangerous dogs, late fees can reach $150. Licenses are required annually for dogs over 6 months old. On April 1, 2026 the Animal Control Officer will be provided a list of dogs that are not currently registered in the Town to follow up with owners.
The last Cabin Fever Reliever will be held this Saturday the 11th from 10-2 at the Andover Congregational Church. Bring any craft project to work on. Coffee and tea are provided. From what I have been told this has been a wonderful thing for folks to get out for a few hours during this past winter. I am hoping that it will return again next year.
In closing I want to wish everyone a very Happy Easter. I hope you all have a chance to visit with family, friends and loved ones. Please feel free to send me news or events to share. diananadeau@ymail.com