My whiskered correspondent who keeps the mice away from fine French artwork has whispered something about longtime Newtown resident Robert Cottingham’s work on display in Paris. Mr Cottingham’s retrospective opened November 8 at Galerie Georges-Philippe & Nathalie Vallois. On display through December 21, “the galerie will present ‘Robert Cottingham — Fictions In The Space Between,’ which includes works from throughout Cottingham’s long career, with one gallery showing his oil paintings from 1991 and 2019 accompanied by their studies; in the second space, there will be a retrospective of his works on paper: from the Hollywood Villas of 1969 to his recent Perfume Bottles, all of which testify to the richness of this hyperrealist’s work. The signs that made him famous — the trains, the typewriters, the cameras, or the mechanical components — will also be on view,” according to the press release received (and nicely translated) from the gallery. So, anyone who happens to be walking past the galerie at 33 & 36 rue de Seine can see his work. If you’re there, please pet the cat.

Better late than never: we recently got a look at the Fall 2019 issue of Classic Trains magazine, in which readers will find a great essay by Newtown resident Chuck Fulkerson. Chuck is well-known for his artistic talent painting trains, but here he uses his writing skills to paint a picture about a neighbor, once long ago a train engineer, and his encounters with animals on the tracks. According to the magazine, it should be on the stands through at least November 26, or visit classictrainsmag.com to find out how to get your copy. (Select Magazine tab, then back issues.)

The independent children’s bookstore Turning The Page, 477 Main Street (Clock Tower Square) in Monroe, is hosting “Stories and Santa,” Saturday, November 23, from 1 to 4 pm. Listen to Santa read stories from 1 to 1:45 pm, then line up to take your own photos with Santa Claus the remainder of the afternoon event — and browse the book collections, of course! Call 203-459-1579 for RSVP information or visit turningthepagebooks.com.

Newtown Interfaith Council is planning the 2019 Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebration for Sunday, November 24, at Congregation Adath Israel, 115 Huntingtown Road. While still being celebrated the Sunday before Thanksgiving, this year’s event will begin earlier than in years past: at 1 pm. The theme of this year’s gathering will be how faiths invite people to live a thankful life through hospitality and unity. Those planning to attend are asked to bring with them a non-perishable food items or monetary donations for the nondenominational FAITH Food Pantry. For additional information, contact the Newtown Congregational Church office at 203-426-9024 or newcong@sbcglobal.net.

Also on Sunday, for those looking to get into the holiday season through music, seven Newtown residents would be happy to see fellow residents on Sunday afternoon. That’s when The Connecticut Master Chorale is scheduled to perform its 21st Annual Holiday Prelude Concert, at First Congregational Church of Danbury. Ginnie Carey, Anita Corbeil, David Jurman, Elizabeth Johnston-O’Connor, Brad Peterson, Nancy Raymond, and Dan Yee are all current members of the group, which has a “festival selection of exceptional choral music,” according to Director Tina Johns Heidrich. That means everything from new arrangements of old favorites, traditional carols, Big Band selections, calypso songs complete with steel drums, and the powerful gospel song “Every Light That Shines at Christmas” as the finale. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door, which will open at 2:15 for the 3 pm performance. Visit cmchorale.org or call 203-740-9533 for directions, last minute reservations, and other details. And if you bump into any of those local singers, be sure to tell them Mountain sent you.

Firefighters from all five of Newtown’s volunteer companies will be participating in the 17th Annual Fill The Fire Truck Collection this weekend. Traditionally done the Saturday before Thanksgiving, members, family, and friends of Newtown’s firefighters will undertake this collection for FAITH Food Pantry. On Saturday, November 23, from 9 am until 2 pm, members of Sandy Hook, Hawleyville, and Hook & Ladder companies will be stationed outside Big Y World Class Market on Queen Street, while Botsford and Dodgingtown companies will be represented outside Stop & Shop in Sand Hill Plaza, 228 South Main Street. Donations of all kinds will be accepted. “The shelves are absolutely bare,” according to SHVFR EMS Captain Karin Halstead, the coordinator of the event. Everything collected on Saturday will be driven immediately to the Church Hill Road food pantry that afternoon.

The following weekend, Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue will kick off one event and host another. On Friday, November 29, by noon, members will begin selling Christmas trees and other seasonal items at its main station on Riverside Road. The Christmas Trees (Etc) Sale will continue until 9 pm that night, and then run weekends from 9 am to 9 pm, and weekdays from 6 to 9 pm (earlier by chance), through Christmas Eve or while supplies last. Proceeds will benefit the fire company. Call 203-270-4392 or visit sandyhookfire.com for additional information.

Don’t miss your chance to Stuff A Cruiser on Saturday, November 30, when the Newtown and Redding police join forces to collect for local food pantries. You’ll find officers and vehicles waiting to be filled up in front of the Big Y Market on Queen Street, from 10 am to 2 pm.

On Sunday, December 1, Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue will host the Fourth Annual Santa Sleigh Rides, a special event made possible by Tolland firefighters. Santa and his antique sleigh — renamed Engine 12-25 — will be at Sandy Hook’s main station from noon to 6 pm, offering free rides around the neighborhood. There is no charge, reservations are not taken, all ages welcome, and the event will run rain (snow) or shine. For additional information about this event, find Sandy Hook Fire & Rescue on Facebook.

With the holiday season “practically here,” as one Grinch would say, The Newtown Bee is seeking memories of Newtown holidays past. Do you remember a good deed someone did? Did someone help you? Did you witness a holiday scene that you remember year after year? Did you have a favorite holiday tradition in town? Tell us by sending your story, limit of 300 words, to education reporter Eliza Hallabeck at eliza@thebee.com, by December 12. Stories will be compiled and published with the first and last name of the person who shares the story in the December 20 print edition of The Newtown Bee.

How could I not promote this purr-fect way to spend a morning? On Saturday, December 7, from 10 am to noon, “PAWS to READ” at Byrd’s Books, 178 Greenwood Avenue in Bethel. The independent book store is hosting Danbury Animal Welfare Society (DAWS) for a cat adoption morning at the bookstore — and reading a story to a cat is a must-do for cat lovers both young and old. Kittens love the attention, so children are especially invited to share a story with them. To sign up your child to read to an adoptable friend, go to https://conta.cc/2qfbfvR or call Byrd’s Books at 203-730-2973. The volunteers at DAWS, Bethel’s local no-kill animal shelter, will be on hand to answer questions about cat or pet adoption. (Is it possible to read to an adoptable kitten without bringing one home? I hope, for these kitties seeking forever homes, that that is the end result of story time for each and every one!)

I’m always hoping, of course, that you will PAWS on this page. Be sure next week to... Read me again.