The rhododendron bush is a great temperature gauge according to garden writers. If the leaves are very furled you know its cold. I have two bushes in front of the dining room windows. When I open the shades, I know whether to bundle up or not.

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Despite the cold, there was a very good crowd at the Merry Maple ceremony last week. More trees were lit. While the notice said the event would be held on the north end of the common, it was really in the parking lot. The band could never perform on the slopes that were created. The tents with activities were on the road in front of Town Hall.

Pop up balloons added to the festivities. I was going to tell Santa I was really nice this year, but the line was so long. Children were eager to see Santa who was sitting on the fire engine.

Thanks to all the organizers of the evening. Many thanks to the UMass Minuteman Marching Band for performing and the great outfits they wore. They now do choreography. My arms got tired watching the drums being slung around.

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The Amherst Community Band, directed by Tim Anderson, will perform a free holiday concert Saturday, Dec. 14 at 6:30 p.m. in the St. Brigid’s Church Parish Hall.

There will be refreshments and Santa is expected to make an appearance.

Anderson is the director of the UMass Minuteman Marching Band.

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Arcadia Players will present a Handel Holiday Celebration concert featuring the Messiah and the Chandos Anthem Saturday, Dec. 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the Grace Episcopal Church. Visit arcadiaplayers.org for tickets.

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Susan McCoy has an illustrated report, “Trees, Shrubs, and Gardens of Munson Memorial Library,” that can be read at the Munson or Special Collections at the Jones Library.

The report began with a hand-out of trees at the library when a tree was planted in honor of recently retired Munson librarian Susan Hugus. McCoy, who worked at the library, began thinking about other trees that had been planted in honor or in memory of someone or some event. Former Gazette and Bulletin garden writer and library trustee Sherry Wilson contributed research for the report.

“Every tree has a story,” McCoy writes in the new report, according to a press release about the publication.

She includes the stories behind half a dozen trees planted in memory of South Amherst residents, a tree marking the 100th anniversary of the Thursday Club of South Amherst, a memorial bench in honor of Hugus’ predecessor librarian Jean Manfredi, and other plantings, as well as the history of the building itself.

McCoy took numerous pictures of special trees and gathered stories from families involved as well as people who have worked on the gardens over the years.

I am a member of the South Amherst Thursday Club and we had that tree planted 20 years ago. We march in the South Amherst 4th of July Parade and take a group picture in front of the tree.

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