There is a mystery at the C.H. Booth Library, which hopefully will be solved even before you read this. But if it is not, maybe you can help. Eight friends recently had a group art show in the Meeting Room of the library, but when they took down the show on Tuesday of this week, one of the paintings had gone astray. Artist Lisa Regina is anxious to find her favorite oil painting, of a lady in a red dress, dancing. If you have any idea where this lovely painting could have waltzed off to, please call the library at 426-4533.

The Organic Farmers’ Market at Lexington Gardens is open each Tuesday afternoon, but if that doesn’t suit your schedule, the Southbury Farmers’ Market kicked off its farmers’ market season this week. The market runs each Thursday from 2 to 6 pm at Southbury Town Hall, 501 Main Street South, and the season will continue until October 15. In addition to farmers and vendors from Southbury, Woodbury, Bethlehem, and other towns, Newtown will be represented in this market by Tony Posca and Andrea’s Pastry Shop, with pastries, pies, cookies, and bread, and Middle Brook Farm and Orchard will bring veggies, as well as some great pickles, preserves, and eggs.

It isn’t putting forth quite enough to have a stall at any of the local markets, but the garden planted at the South Main Street Taunton Press site by 2009 graduate Allyson Makuch and friends is doing fine, despite the excess rain this summer, I hear. Lots of tomatoes are stretching toward the sun (when there is some) and it looks like NHS and the Taunton cafeterias will be enjoying delicious fresh herbs and veggies come late summer and fall. Volunteers are taking on the job of tending to the garden this summer, since most of the senior Class of 2009 is on to bigger and better things now.

If you enjoy water gun fights and get a kick out of spraying unsuspecting friends with the garden hose, maybe you can better direct your energy. The Dodgingtown Volunteer Fire Company is seeking volunteers in all capacities, from firefighters to administrative assistance. Learn more about the opportunities to serve the Dodgingtown community by calling 426-4386.

I’m sending out a very special “Happy Birthday!” to Frances Van Wart, who celebrated her 90th birthday this past Monday, June 29. Her family — three daughters, two sons-in-law, nine grandchildren and their spouses, and 17 great-grandchildren — threw her a surprise birthday party at granddaughter Teri’s home in Terryville, much to her delight. Mrs Van Wart currently lives with a daughter, Barbara Wallenta, in Sandy Hook.

What’s this I hear? Fireworks? Just in time for the Fourth of July, local history buff Dick Hubert shares this info with me from a Fairfield Museum press release: On July 7, 1779, the people of Fairfield awoke to a warning shot from the fort at Black Rock; a British fleet was spotted off the coast. For two days Fairfield was under British attack with troops burning virtually all its buildings in the town’s center. This year is the 230th anniversary of this devastating attack and the Fairfield Museum, 370 Beach Road, is offering a series of one-of-a-kind events that honor this moment in history. Special walking tours are now available for a limited time where you can hear about the events leading up to, during, and after the fateful British attack. Two in the series have passed us by, but there is still time to plan for the special twilight walk, Tuesday, July 7, at 7 pm, and the “Rising from the Ashes,” tour presented on Saturday, July 18, at 2 pm, will examine the devastating aftermath and Fairfield’s recovery. Seems like a patriotic way to spend the country’s birthday month. There is a $5 museum fee for members, $7 for nonmembers.

The Children’s Adventure Center on Riverside Road is celebrating its 40th anniversary. The children there took part in a special cookout last Friday afternoon, June 26, one of several events honoring the anniversary that have taken place so far this year.

The long holiday weekend will give me time to check my shelves for books, CDs, and DVDs that I can donate to the Friends of the C.H. Booth Library Annual Book Sale. The volunteers take in donations year around, so I know I can still drop off any last minute finds at the library next week, before the big sale begins on July 11. You are planning to go, right? The sale takes place July 11 to 15 at Reed Intermediate School on Trades Lane. There is a $5 entry fee, Saturday, July 11, only. The rest of the days are free and include some fabulous bargains. This is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Friends, so let’s get out there, pick up some summer reading material (or college textbooks for the fall), and support them.

I’m hoping to find a copy of The True or False Book of Cats by Patricia Lauber in the stacks at the sale. I’ll let you know next week if I did, if you promise to… Read me again.