Monday, Sept. 4 is Labor Day. Public buildings, schools and libraries are closed. The stores will be open. This is a the unofficial last summer weekend to get together with friends and family. Of course there are always opportunities to get together, but schedules become tighter with all the groups and clubs that begin their seasons. Summer ends Sept. 21.

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Garden report: The nasturtiums have finally bloomed. The sunflower is exceedingly tall, almost to the garage roof, but no flower yet. The lisianthus and asters are beautiful. I might harvest radishes by the end of the week.

There us still time to enjoy the local corn.

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Corrections: I misspelled Nat Herold’s last name. One “r” is correct. I wrote two.

Dan Winslow was the chief legal counsel for Gov. Mitt Romney. I moved him up a few years to the Baker administration, which is incorrect. He is now president of the New England Legal Foundation.

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Local author Madeleine Blais has a new book out: “Queen of the Court: The Many Lives of Tennis Legend Alice Marble.”

Marble (1913-1990) was born in “rural Beckwourth, Calif., and raised in San Francisco. Marble took up tennis in high school and quickly mastered the sport,” according to an email Blais sent. Marble’s career ranged from winning junior tournaments to nabbing singles and doubles titles at both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 1939 to going pro in 1941. The narrative describes Marble’s endeavors off the court, which included overseeing a line of comics about notable historical women and pursuing a singing career.

A reading is scheduled at the Odyssey for Sept. 26.

I have read several of her books. She is a great writer.

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Rob Kusner and Barbara Puffer Garnier are somewhat tied in winning the summer postcard contest. Both sent cards from Japan and were in the same city but not at the same time. Each will get vegetables from the garden. However, unfortunately fewer tomatoes.

The winter postcard contest now begins. The sender of the postcard from the greatest distance receives homemade cookies: chocolate chip, peanut butter, molasses, oatmeal raisin, peanut butter blossoms and snickerdoodles. The card can be mailed, hand-delivered or emailed.

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The Knit and Crochet for a Cause program, organized by Pam LaDoux at the Jones Library, has been extended until Oct. 21. The group meets Mondays from 10 a.m. until noon to make hats for residents of all ages in foster care. The group has been enjoying the sessions and wants to continue.

For those who work at home, hats can be brought to the library until Oct. 2.

Don’t go this Monday — the library is closed for Labor Day.

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Send items for the Lehrer Report to phyllehrer@gmail.com.

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