10 To-Dos in Time For THIS Weekend…

'Tis I — AGAIN! I know it's early, but my In Box is full of things that can't wait until my next weekend blog update. Summer has been replaced by Fall. The weather is lovely. And though the days are shorter, it seems there are a gazillion worthwhile things to do.

Here’s a list of ten that I hope includes something for everyone.

1. Shop a Farmers Market. If you visit CitySeed’s Wooster Square Market in New Haven on Saturday, you can swap some old lightbulbs for some new CFLs. (Your last chance to do this is on Wednesday, September, 29 at the Downtown Market.)
2. This Saturday, wherever you live, say “no” to your unwanted drugs. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is lending its support and expertise for drug take-back events sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). The events will take place at 1,700 sites around the country on September 25 from 10 am to 2 pm. Bring your unwanted or expired SOLID prescription and over-the-counter medicines to any of these locations so they may be disposed of safely. (Liquids, such as cough syrup will not be accepted.) Removing unused medications from households can help prevent intentional misuse and unintentional poisonings of children and pets. Dumping the medication down the drain or flushing it down the toilet can become a source of water contamination. Click here to find a collection site near you.
3. Rid your home of hazardous waste such as old oil paint, used batteries, and pesticides. But be sure to dispose of them properly. Check with your local authorities for collection rules and locations. For most residents of the New Haven area, the place to go is HazWaste Central at the Regional Water Authority on Sargent Drive, open on Saturday mornings through the end of October. Click here for hours and guidelines.
4. Get out and pick something. If you are in CT, see the interactive Farm Map here. This map is also available in a stunning full color print version, Connecticut Farm Map: A Guide to Connecticut's Agricultural Destination, complete with a welcoming message from Gov. Rell. It may sound retro to the younger readers, but this one is a keeper. I picked mine up at Claire's Corner Copia, but I have seen it in many locations, and I know you can request one on the website. If you live elsewhere, google “Pick your Own.” It’s apples, raspberries, and pears around here.
5. Bake a pie. If you are feeling brave, try making your own crust. I switched from shortening years ago so have linked to a recipe using butter. It’s not that hard.
6. Eat some fair food. The Durham Fair, Connecticut’s oldest and largest agricultural fair, runs through Sunday at 7 pm. A small admission price will provide hours of fun, and Saturday promises to be a perfect fair day. Keep in mind that you will have to park some distance away and ride the bus to the fairground. The Big E, New England’s equivalent of a state fair, continues through October 3 in Springfield, MA.
7. Attend the Migration Festival at Lighthouse Park in New Haven. Creatures are on the move this time of year, and New Haven celebrates hawks and monarch butterflies.
8. Check out some art at Weekend One of New Haven’s 13th Annual City-Wide Open Studios. My friend Denise Saldana is one of the artists.
9. Stay home and vote for Huffington-Post’s Game Changers in 12 categories. New Haveners will be interested to see Ben Berkowitz, founder of SeeClickFix, currently in the top 3 for Technology. Be sure to check out and vote for the Green candidates, too. You have read about one of these candidates in my blog.
10. Ride a bike. Today is the last Friday of the month, a day on which Critical Mass bicycle rides take place around the world “to celebrate cycling and to assert cyclists’ right to the road.” In New Haven, the ride starts around 5:30 from the flagpole on the New Haven Green. Keep in mind that Critical Mass likes to call itself “an unorganized coincidence.” If you arrive at the flagpole much before then you will think the group has left without you; think of 5:30 as an appriximate departure.
11. And, on MONDAY, attend a FREE talk by by Mark Winne, author of Food Rebels, Guerrilla Gardeners, and Smart-Cookin’ Mamas, 6:30 pm at the New Haven Public Library.

Finally, save the date of October 6, New Haven Hall of Records, 6- 8 pm for a public meeting on the Elm City Market, a new community-owned full service grocery store, which will be opening on the ground floor of 360 State Street in the near future. Details to follow.


So little time…So much to do…