Blackberries are coming into season right now––time for those of us who know of a special berry patch hidden away in the wilds of Newtown to head out with our buckets and pails to pick the ripe fruits before the birds get them. We’ll be making blackberry jam, blackberry buckle, cobbler, roly poly, or blackberry sauce to serve over ice cream and cottage pudding. Don’t spare the fresh whipped cream. Just remember to honor the Blackberry Rules: Never tell anyone where your favorite blackberry patch is unless they volunteer to help pick; Never pick more than you need to fulfill your daily quota. And don’t forget the picker’s prerogative: One for the picker, one for the pot.

Newtown may seem pretty quiet these days with so many residents on vacation, but Parks and Recreation Director Barbara Kasbarian begs to differ. “Quiet? Are you kidding? Come into this office and see. We’ve got all our sports camps jam-packed. A record number of 200 have enrolled in the soccer camp alone. Then there’s flag football, baseball, basketball, and tennis.” The swimming weather “hasn’t been great,” Barbara reported, “but the Dickinson and Treadwell pools are still seeing a lot of use.”

If anyone has been feeling bad for Marie in the Parks and Rec office because she’s been hobbling around in a cast, worry no more. The cast came off this week, so she’ll be able to get to my bag of kitty treats even faster when I come visiting. Speaking of visiting, there aren’t too many folks walking their cats on the grounds at Fairfield Hills, but there are always plenty of dogs around, and children too! I know there have been some worries about the pesticides, broken glass, and possible falling bricks around the area, so make sure everyone stays safe by keeping a wary distance from all the unoccupied buildings. Of course it’s ok to romp all you want through the wide-open spaces.

One of The Bee’s three official greeter dogs, Starr, strayed from her front lobby post and went on a walkabout in the Wendover, Schoolhouse, Hanover Road area last week. She got a little lost and confused, but fortunately she met some very nice people, Michelle and Rich Labash at the intersection of School House and Wendover. Rich corralled Starr to safety then went on a search for her owners, Scott and Sherri Baggett, who were searching the neighborhood along with an impromptu posse on Hanover Road. Starr finally made it home, tired from her run, but safe and happy to be back in familiar surroundings. Many thanks go out to all who cared and helped bring Starr home.

St Rose Church was a busy place for anniversary celebrations last weekend. Frances and Vincent Beechal celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary during the 4 pm Mass on Saturday. Daniel and Carol Amaral renewed their vows at the noon Mass on Sunday.

Be sure to stop by the very first Newtown Summer Fest, which will run from 5 to 8 pm at the Village Square Shopping Plaza, 43 South Main Street, on Saturday evening. Twenty-two of Newtown’s retail shops and professional services will be represented there, and of course there will be live music and plenty of food.

Dr Bob Grossman’s whole career was all about saving lives, and it seems he just can’t get out of the habit, even in semiretirement and even while he is on vacation in Nantucket. Dr Bob joined a small group of other beachcombers on Madaket beach in Nantucket last week in redirecting a baby pilot whale that had beached itself. With a lot of pushing and shoving, the passers-by managed to get the stranded whale back into open water and to safety. Bob and the others, in the meantime, got soaked in the chilly surf.

By the way, Dr Bob was named to the board of Newtown’s Health District this week, filling the vacancy left by Jim Smith’s departure.

Ken Lerman, who spends his free time volunteering on the Newtown Ambulance squad, now can add bat catching to his list of skills. Ken “Just Call me Batman” and his wife, Laura, were in New Hampshire this week at the Little Lake Sunapee cottage of Carol and Charlie Foss when Carol glanced up and saw a bat peacefully hanging from the ceiling of the living room. Several phone calls to friends and neighbors produced no good suggestions on how to get rid of the bat, so Carol poked around in the garage where she turned up a minnow catcher. Ken made a few modifications, incorporating a fine-meshed kitchen strainer, climbed up on a stepladder and quickly trapped the bat. The Lermans were on their way to Ogontz White Mountain Camp and Retreat center in Lyman, N.H., where a music symposium was being held. Among those at the camp were several other Newtown Choral Society members including Carol Benson, Sharon Goodkowsky, Patsy Bedoe-Stephens, and choral society director Mary Andreotta.

Well, I’m out of here, like a bat out of you-know-where, before Ken Lerman shows up with his net. But I’ll be back next week, so be sure to…

Read me again.