Just when I got used to dawn’s early light, my day will be turned upside down. Daylight Saving Time begins this Sunday (well, so early it may as well be Saturday night, I say), March 13. Don’t forget to “Spring ahead” one hour. That means that it’s going to feel like you lost an hour of naptime for a few days, but it also means that you won’t have to grope your way home in the dark after work anymore.

There was a festive air in Town Clerk Debbie Aurelia’s office at Newtown Municipal Center this week on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. Arrayed on countertops, there were many sets of multicolored beads, such as those worn by the partygoers at the annual Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans. Beads of all colors and sizes were available for loan to people in the building. Although New England doesn’t have a tradition like Mardi Gras, Debbie made sure that anyone who was so inclined could get in the spirit of the holiday. No doubt, those beads were all the rage later in the evening, Tuesday, at the annual Shrove Tuesday pancake supper at St John’s.

I’m sure local birds will be licking their beaks as much as I am licking my lips at the news of a current effort by Newtown High School’s Animal Concerns Club to feed birds and raise cash for Canine Advocates. The club is selling “Seeds of Support,” both at the high school as well as to anyone who contacts parent advisor Lorrie Silber at Lorrie4Home@aol.com. Even though it seems like the worst of winter is behind us, foraging is still difficult for birds this time of year. I am PURR-fectly okay with this project… yes… chubby birds… If only I had an opposable thumb to let myself out the back door. (And let this be a reminder to cat owners: if you or your neighbors are feeding birds, make sure to bell the cat or keep it indoors.)

Tune in to Better Connecticut on WFSB Channel 3, at 3 pm, Friday, March 18, and you may see a familiar face. Chef Geoffrey Moore from The Inn at Newtown will be featured on a segment of the show, introducing those out of the area to the popular Newtown restaurant, showcasing some delectables off the menu, and offering heavily discounted $100 certificates to the first 100 callers to the show. Do I see a Food Network star in the making?

 Make A Home foundation, a local nonprofit dedicated to assisting the homeless and unfortunate all over the state with donations of furniture and other household goods, is on a roll again, thanks to the gift of a van from Simply Baby. (See related story in this week’s issue of The Bee.) The foundation has been fortunate to receive a good number of donations, but according to volunteer Robin Buchanan, is in dire need of pots and pans, dishes, sheets of all sizes, comforters, silverware, and beds. Any items that would contribute to setting up a home are welcome, and clothing for men, women, and children is accepted, in good condition. If you are planning a spring tag sale, please keep Make A Home in mind when your sale is over. They will gladly send someone to pick up leftover items. To drop off items or to arrange to have items picked up, call 203-270-5501.

Here is some good news from Newtown Middle School: Beginning Monday, March 14, and continuing until June 9, there will be a late bus each Monday through Thursday afternoon, departing the school at 3:15. This exciting addition is made possible through a grant from Newtown Prevention Council. Students must sign up to ride each morning before school in the C-wing office. Please be aware, though, that there will be no late bus on early dismissal days. Students have been sent home with parental permission slips that must be returned to the school, so moms and dads, be sure to empty out those backpacks.

The Animal Center of Newtown has always been feline focused, but recently, the rescue group has been able to take in dogs whose lives are on a short leash. Check out their website at www.TheAnimalCenter.org to see a video of the first rescue dog taken in by the group, and to find out about other adoption opportunities, both cats and dogs.

Well, despite the numerous spottings of the “ghost cats” around Newtown the past few years, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service declared the Eastern mountain lion extinct earlier this month. Apparently, because none of the sightings have been verified to the satisfaction of experts, the reclusive kitty cat has been removed from the endangered list and no longer officially exists. So if you see one, rub your eyes. Mountain cats are not for real anymore… hmm.

If mountain cats were nonexistent, I wouldn’t have to worry, but since I can still feel my furry self, I will have to hope that next week you will… Read me again.