I know we haven’t officially turned the page from summer to autumn, but if you’ve been in any retail stores in recent weeks you know how folks like to plan ahead. I’m not only seeing treats and decorations for Halloween — my favorite holiday, naturally — I’m already seeing Thanksgiving and beyond! I give thanks every day to readers of this newspaper. I hope you’re thankful for me and my weekly thoughts.

I’m also thankful to the folks at Newtown Youth & Family Services, who are well into planning for their 39th Newtown Holiday Festival. This year’s event is scheduled for Sunday, December 8, 11 am to 4 pm, and will have plenty of returning favorites along Main Street — house tours, Holiday Tea, Nutcracker performances, Historic Trolley Tour rides, Festival of Trees, and more — and at least one new thing this year. NYFS Director of Development Julie Schmitter told me this week Newtown General Store has agreed to be open that Sunday for the event too. We’ll have plenty of details and specifics in weeks and months ahead.

Continued congratulations to Newtown residents who fared well last month at Bridgewater Country Fair. The following names and details have been received: Art and Photography, Linda Pickwick, Best in Show and 1st Place Senior; Camden Brody, first place, Children Photo; Baking, Laura Danner and Brooke Deitrich; Firemen’s Parade, Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company, Best Overall Unit and Most Fire Fighters in Line; and Vegetables and Fruits: Laura Duffy, 1st Butternut Squash, Spaghetti Squash, also placed with Yellow and Early Girl Tomatoes, and Kelly Cooper, 1st Shishito Peppers, and 2nd Jalapeno Peppers.

I like to think I’m a DIY cat. As a kitten, I created my own yarn balls to chase. Just last week I clawed some feathers off the hat of an unsuspecting woman as she walked past me. Those feathers and some string found under a desk were combined into a toy that gave me hours of joy. Just imagine how excited I was to hear about a Friends of C.H. Booth Library Do-It-Yourself Books Special Sale being planned. This was hinted at following the Friends’s annual Summer Book Sale, but nothing was definite until earlier this week, when an email arrived with dates and times. I’ll be among the first in line on Saturday, October 5, when the two-day event opens at the library. Thousands of books and media from Taunton Press on home improvement, woodworking, sewing, cooking, and other popular crafts and hobbies will be offered that day from 9:30 am until 5 pm. The sale will continue Sunday from noon to 5 pm. All items are in mint condition and will be “reasonably priced,” I’ve been told. I’m not sure about cat treats as currency, but the Friends do accept cash, checks and cards for payment.

If you like to dabble in art, the library has something else that may interest you. A Newtown Community Art Exhibition is being organized for October and November, and it will be exactly what it sounds like: organizers are hoping to receive unique pieces of art created by members of the community. Readers of all ages are invited to visit either service desk inside 25 Main Street, where 6x6 canvases are available. Artists can also use their own canvas, provided it’s that size. Then create a painting or drawing inspired by your favorite book and return it to the library by October 7, and it will be displayed within the exhibition.

I’m giving two paws up this week to Women Involved in Newtown, who recently wrapped up their second annual flower fundraiser. People could order 12” pots with any combination of yellow, bronze, red, or white chrysanthemums and the proceeds benefited The Sue Rubino WIN Scholarship, which goes to a Newtown High School student who demonstrates exemplary community service. Kelly Conte and Kinga Walsh spent Friday, September 6, as well as the morning of Saturday, September 7, delivering the 43 pots of chrysanthemums that had been ordered. The chrysanthemums were all sold as buds, Kelly said, so that they’ll last as long as possible, and people can watch them bloom as the season goes on. Kelly also told me the fundraiser and scholarship keep Sue Rubino’s spirit alive, as she was always working with food pantries and doing things for other people. As Kelly said: “We could all be more like her.” Really wish I ordered myself a pot of chrysanthemums, too...

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers? Nope, it was Mighty Morphing Power Zucchini that visited The Bee office this week. A pair of zucchini that appeared on the Freebies Cabinet in our building on Tuesday magically transformed into zucchini muffins by Wednesday morning. Graphic designer Lynn Remson discovered the amazing change.

Mary Thomas surprised some of the volunteers at FAITH Food Pantry this week. While rewrapping sold old china with old issues of The Newtown Bee, Mary came across a photo of some pantry volunteers, taken exactly 14 years to the day of her recent chore. The photo was taken when the pantry was in its original home, the basement of the former St John’s Episcopal Church in Sandy Hook. Included in the photo was Mary’s late sister Barbara “Babo” Lynch. Mary made copies of the photo and delivered them this week, she said, to the pantry and its current Tuesday morning crew. “They were very happy to see the photo, such memories,” Mary shared. We were equally happy to see Mary Wednesday morning, when she stopped in to give us our own copy of the photo. Mary and her smile were a nice surprise, as always.

I was very sorry to read this week about the death of Tom Condon. A veteran Connecticut journalist whose career spanned more than 45 years with The Hartford Courant, and then another decade-plus with CT Mirror, Tom died Tuesday morning following a return of cancer. He was a strong, gifted writer who was inducted into the New England Newspaper & Press Association’s Hall of Fame in 2016, the same year our then-Editor Curtiss Clark was also inducted.

This week’s print paper date falls on a Friday the 13th. I don’t know where the idea of this date bringing back luck came from — maybe the same people who said crossing paths with a black cat is also unlucky? Hooey! I cross paths with some of the best black cats around and I have yet to be followed by anything but good luck (and a bunch of golden retrievers who also walk about 5 Church Hill Road like they own the place).

I’m going to think about those who may be paralyzed by their triskaidekaphobia this weekend. Come snuggle with me if you need a safe place. We’ll talk about all the things we love about Newtown, and then share those thoughts next week when readers come back to … read me again.