A reader has shared with me their concern about fireworks over the Memorial Day weekend, and I must concur. It has been fairly dry in recent weeks, so along with the usual precautions if you have fireworks in hand, dry wooded areas may be more apt to erupt in flames from fireworks debris... and might I add that in our state, “fireworks” remain illegal. Sparklers, which according to ct.gov, are “NON-EXPLOSIVE, NON-AERIAL devices that contain less than 100 grams of pyrotechnic mixture,” have been legalized, but only for use by those age 16 and older. “Party poppers, snakes, smoke devices, and anything that emits a flame are not legal for private use in Connecticut.” Illegal and carelessly handled fireworks cause injuries, as well as house fires and grass fires. Please reconsider if you are in possession of fireworks.

Is there magic in science? Kids will find out on June 5 at the Everwonder Museum, 31 Pecks Lane, with two shows of “The Science Of Magic,” at noon and again at 2 pm. The show for ages 5 and up is $5 for members, $10 for nonmembers, with an additional fee for those hoping to take “Magician in Training.” Call 203-364-4000 to find out if space remains, as there was limited availability, according to information received from the museum. It’s time to support our state museums again, now that they are more widely open to the public!

Remember that the Newtown Board of Realtors’ Annual Pet Food Drive is underway through 5 pm, June 4. You’ll find details on participating offices and the hours when you can leave your donations in our online calendar at newtownbee.com/calendar or in our Community Calendar in the print edition on Page 2. Cat litter, paper towels, and Nylabones are among the needed items that will go to the Animal Control Center. This year, the board is also collecting for FAITH Food Pantry, I cannot fail to mention.

One more reminder that “Taps Along The Housatonic,” presented by American Legion Post 202, will be a musical commemoration on Memorial Day, Monday, May 31. Musicians and post members will assemble at eight different locations along the Housatonic River in Sandy Hook, beginning at Eichler’s Cove at 10:10 am, to render “Taps” on a variety of instruments. The public is invited to any of the sites, but don’t be late! At 10:11 am, “Taps” will play at the end of Mohawk Trail; at the end of Sweetbriar Lane at 10:12 am; on Riverside Road near Lorenzo’s Restaurant at 10:13 am; at the Silver Bridge on Glen Road at 10:14 am; at the Walnut Tree baseball field, Bridge End Farm Lane at 10:15 am; at Anthes Avenue at 10:16 am; and final “Taps” will sound at 10:17 am at Shady Rest Community Beach. Not all of the sites have access for great parking, so please take that into consideration when choosing a location.

The traditional VFW Post 308 ceremony in honor of Memorial Day is set for Monday, May 31, at 11 am, at the VFW club off of Tinkerfield Road. The public is invited to attend.

Looks like we have a reader, some thousands of miles away. Neil Randle shared with Bee reporter Alissa Silber that a friend, Vibhav Sanzgiri, from Mumbai, India, says their local paper “does weekly profiles of people making an impact in the local community and elsewhere.” So his friend randomly Googled the “Snapshot” from The Newtown Bee, Neil says. “You might say that it’s a small world, or that The Newtown Bee has a wider circulation than we may have thought... about 7,725 miles!”

Speaking of thousands of miles away... did the full moon on Wednesday night appear particularly bright to you? That’s because we experienced a “Super Flower Blood Moon,” with the moon the closest to Earth in its orbit. The “Flower” part comes from May being a month of blooming flowers; and the “Blood” refers to the fact that this full moon was also a total lunar eclipse, which makes the moon appear red. Sadly, we in the Northeast could not view this total lunar eclipse. Nonetheless, I’m sure you continue to enjoy the bright nights as the moon wanes.

In case you have missed this in the weekly Library Notes or elsewhere in the paper, with the huge annual book sale in the works for July 9 to 13, Friends of the C.H. Booth Library cannot accept any donations from June 14 to July 20. Drop-offs during that time will be discarded, so if you have books or other items that generally are accepted for the sale, please hang onto them for now. Donations are gladly accepted beginning July 21 and will be a welcome addition to the 2022 book sale!

It’s never too early to mark your calendar to donate blood. Newtown Congregational Church, 14 West Street, will host three blood donation clinics, June 10, from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm; June 11, from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm; and June 25, from 8:30 am to 6 pm. Visit redcrossblood.org to schedule your appointment or call 800-733-2767. Donations of all blood types are still sorely needed, especially with summer on the way.

If you are a resident of Newtown/Sandy Hook or work here in a job that brings you face-to-face with the public — or want to nominate someone who is — how about being The Newtown Bee “Snapshot” of the week? This personal profile/photo appears on Page 2 of every print issue, and online at newtownbee.com, as well. The questions are ones you know the answers to, because they are all about you! Contact alissa@thebee.com to arrange an interview.

Those who love browsing others’ beautiful gardens will be disappointed to know that the annual Historical Society Homes and Gardens Tour is postponed once again. But if you are willing to travel, I see that “For the Love of Gardening,” a tour of seven unique Redding gardens, is being planned for Saturday, June 12, from 10 am to 4:30 pm, rain or shine. The self-guided tour is cosponsored by New Pond Farm Education Center and the Redding Garden Club and is a fundraiser for both. Tickets are $50 for the tour, or $65 for the tour plus a catered picnic lunch. More information is found at newpondfarm.org, where tickets must be purchased in advance, or by calling 203-938-2117. The deadline for tour and lunch tickets is June 5; deadline for tour-only tickets is June 10.

Garden lovers can also visit ctvisit.com/getaways/ultimate-garden-tour for a list of gardens throughout the state that are open to the public.

In anticipation of Flag Day, State Reps Mitch Bolinsky (R-106), Tony Scott (R-112), and Raghib Allie-Brennan (D-2), and state Senator Tony Hwang (R-28) are helping Newtown residents dispose of their worn American flags in a dignified and respectful way. The US Flag Code specifies that old American flags no longer in service must be properly disposed, and the lawmakers are offering this service free of charge, in conjunction with VFW Post #308. The Newtown state legislative delegation will have two separate drop off locations, which will take place through June 12, at C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street, and theNewtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street. Residents may also drop flags off at the VFW Post # 308 on Tinkerfield Road. Flags can be dropped off in any condition throughout the year. Call 800-842-1423 for more information.

There’s a new dog on the block. According to the Associated Press, “The American Kennel Club announced Monday that the tiny, chipper Biewer — pronounced like “beaver” — became its 197th recognized breed. That makes the toy dogs eligible to compete for best in show at many US events, including the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club show, which will be held in June this year instead of its usual February date.” This pup is rather like a Yorkshire terrier, loves being with people, and weighs just four to eight pounds (that’s smaller than most cats)! Maybe good things do come in small packages...

Good things do come in small columns, that’s for certain, so I hope that next week you’ll plan to... Read me again.