(photo of an out-of-control cottage garden)

When I first saw this picture, I didn’t know what I was looking at, but I have since been told that it is Shannon Hicks’ very first garden. It looks like the Wizard of Oz scarecrow may be in there somewhere, sans vêtements, but frankly this little garden looks pretty scary all on its own. But as I said before, there aren’t too many gardens that look great in the middle of September. Next year, I expect Taunton Press will be featuring Shannon’s second garden in Fine Gardening.

Quite a few Newtown residents are scheduled to walk in the 16th annual Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk on Sunday. Organizers for the cancer walk say that Charlene Weber, Debbie Stiewing, Mona Steele, Marietta Rode, Wendy Knothe, Paul Knapik, Amy and Riley Cameron, and Agnes Burns signed up to walk. Recently two Sandy Hook residents, Frank Monte and Jerris Cary, participated in the 25th annual Pan-Massachusetts Challenge, a 142-mile cycling event through 46 cities and towns in to benefit the Jimmy Fund.

Pat Denlinger, Marilyn Alexander, Ginny Chiaramonte, Marion Thompson, Paulette Jurewicz, and Nancy Larin bowl in a league at Lore’s Lanes in New Milford but Pat says the league needs more bowlers. Pat says the league is “very laid back, not competitive” and anyone who may be interested in joining should call any of them or the bowling alley for more information.

NHS junior Stephen Petrovich continues to keep busy with the theater. After another summer of appearing in Musicals at Richter productions in Danbury (among other shows), Stephen not only returned to a full course of classes at Newtown High but has also been in rehearsals at Thomaston Opera House. He is part of the upcoming production of James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim’s fractured fairy tale (and 2002 Tony Award winner for Best Musical Revival) Into The Woods. The show opens this weekend — curtain will be at 8 pm on Saturday, September 18 — and performances continue on Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons until October 3. For ticket and curtain details or directions to the theater call its box office at 860-283-6250.

A surprise puppy was born at the Newtown dog pound last week. When a black chow mix was brought in “nobody knew she was pregnant,” said Virginia Jess of Canine Advocates. When it became clear she was trying to give birth, “they brought the chow to Mount Pleasant Animal Hospital to deliver the puppy because it was stuck,” she added. Animal Control Officer Gerri Breyan said Tuesday the female puppy was doing well, “but it’s still touch and go.” Gerri said they have found two possible homes for the pup through the Newtown Police Department, and the department is planning a “Name The Puppy” contest. “But puppies are very fragile, so we are proceeding with cautious optimism. She’s a strong eater and that’s in her favor,” noted Gerri. After the pup has its eyes open (at ten days) and has been weaned (about six weeks), the mother will be spayed and a home will need to be found for her also. Anyone out there interested in eventually adopting the mother should call 426-6900.

If the movie at Edmond Town Hall that opens on Sunday doesn’t sound too familiar, don’t be concerned. Tom Mahoney, who occasionally finds something out of the ordinary for Newtown moviegoers, is bringing in a docudrama called The Story of The Weeping Camel. The film will be running in the ETH theater Sunday through Thursday, September 19–23. Weeping Camel is from National Geographic World Films and it offers the story of a family of herders in Mongolia’s Gobi desert who face a crisis when a mother camel unexpectedly rejects her newborn calf. The movie provides a look into a different way of life, combining equal parts reality, drama and magic.

Now that I know Tom is open to animal movies, let me suggest that he work the following titles into the schedule: The Cat In The Hat, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, Cat Ballou, The Cat People, That Darn Cat!, The Cat From Outer Space, Fritz the Cat, Felix the Cat, Le Chat, The Curse of the Cat People, and What’s New Pussycat? C’mon Tom, let’s hear that projector purr.

That’s it for this week — the red carpet calls. But I’ll be back, so be sure to…

Read me again.