Wed. Oct. 16
Art Exhibit
POMFRET --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret Center will present “Becorns: A Woodland World of Wonder” photo exhibit and sale by David Bird through Oct. 31 at the Grassland Bird Conservation Center on Day Road.  860-928-4948.

Art Exhibit
THOMPSON --- The Friends of the Library’s Art @ the Library series will present “With Love, From Kate,” artwork by Kate Gilman-Alexander, through Oct. 30 at the Thompson Public Library.

Thur. Oct. 17
Nature Program
HAMPTON --- The Connecticut Audubon Society at Pomfret will present “Trail wood Bird Walk” at 8 a.m. at Trail Wood on Kenyon Road. $5 for CAS members; $10 for nonmembers. 860-928-4948.

Blood Drive
POMFRET CENTER --- The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive from noon to 5 p.m. at the First congregational Church of Pomfret. 1-800-RED-CROSS.

Blood Drive
PUTNAM --- The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hale YMCA. 1-800-RED-CROSS.

Fri. Oct. 18
Zombie Fashion
PUTNAM --- The Annual Zombie Fashion Show will start at 7 p.m. at Rotary Park. www.discoverputnam.com.

'Deathtrap'
PUTNAM --- The Bradley Playhouse will present "Deathtrap" at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 18 and 19 and at 2 p.m. Oct. 20. Tickets $20 for adults; $16 for seniors and students.

Sat. Oct. 19
Great Pumpkin Fest
PUTNAM --- The Great Pumpkin Festival will start at 10 a.m. in downtown Putnam. Food, games, art, music and more.

Sawmill Tour
POMFRET CENTER --- Hull Forest Products is hosting free tours of its manufacturing facility on a drop-in basis from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Rt. 97.  Tours take approximately one hour 860-974-0127.

Mt. Bike Rides
HAMPTON --- The Quiet Corner Chapter of the New England Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA) is holding free guided mountain bike rides at Goodwin State Forest for kids and adults at all levels of riding ability. Registration starts at 8:45 a.m. Mountain bike and helmet are required for all riders.  For more info: see www.facebook.com/QuietCornerNEMBA/

Arts & Crafts
WOODSTOCK --- The Roseland Cottage Fine Arts and Crafts Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. Oct. 19 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 20. $5. Rain or shine.

Rabies Clinic
DANIELSON --- Pet Pals Northeast, a local animal welfare organization, is holding a low cost rabies clinic from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Quinebaug Valley Veterinary Hospital on Rt. 12. No appointment necessary. $12 cash per animal.  All animals must be on a leash or in a secured carrier. If available, bring prior proof of rabies vaccination. 860-317-1720.

Pomfret Trick or Treat
POMFRET --- The Pomfret Recreation Department will sponsor a “Rec or Treat” starting at 4:30 p.m. at the Recreation Park on Hampton Road. Trick or treating and hayrides from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. The bonfire will be lighted around 5:30 by the Pomfret Fire Department followed by the movie “Hocus Pocus” on the large screen. Food for sale. Bring chairs and blankets. Free.

Autumn Story & Craft
EASTFORD --- The Eastford Public Library will hold an Autumn Story & Craft for children ages 3+ at 10:30 a.m.  Register before Oct. 12.

Art Show
WOODSTOCK --- The First Congregational Church of Woodstock will host its 7th Annual Art and Craft Show from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 19 and 20. 40+ vendors. Lunch will be served on Saturday in the church basement.  Parking and admission is free.  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Sun. Oct. 20
Coyote Program
WOODSTOCK --- The New Roxbury Land Trust Inc. will present a free program on the Eastern Coyote from 2 to 4 p.m. at Roseland Park.

Hymn Sing
PUTNAM --- The Putnam Baptist Church on Church Street is hosting a Hymn Sing and music event at 6 p.m.   Refreshments available.  

Mon. Oct. 21
Blood Drive
DANIELSON --- The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive from 1 to 6 p.m. at Westfield Congregational Church. 1-800-RED CROSS.

Fri. Oct. 25
Trick or Treat
PUTNAM --- The Town of Putnam and the Putnam Business Association will hold its annual Trick or Treat Night from 5 to 7 p.m. in downtown Putnam. Free.

Teen Weekend
POMFRET --- The Windham-Tolland 4-H Camp on Taft Pond road will hold a Teen Weekend from 5:30 p.m. Friday until 9 a.m. Sunday. $50.  To preregister by Oct. 21 or for more info, call 860-974-1122.

Sun. Oct. 27
Community Conversation
PUTNAM --- The Quiet Corner subcommittee of the Windham/Willimantic NAACP Chapter will present “An American Story Race Amity and the Other Tradition” at 1 p.m. at the B’Nai Shalom Synagogue on Church Street. It’s part of a free film series. Movie and popcorn free. Discussion follows.

‘Get Roped In’
POMFRET --- The Windham-Tolland 4-H Camp on Taft Pond Road will present “Get Roped In!” Walktober Walk from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and the walk will include the low ropes course. For kids 9 and older. To preregister by Oct. 25 by calling: 860-974-3379.

Mon. Oct. 28
Blood Drive
DANIELSON --- The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at QVCC.  1-800-RED CROSS.

Wed. Oct. 30
Support Group
PUTNAM --- The Parkinson’s Support Group will present Diane Tryon, RD, speaking on nutrition and Parkinson’s from 2 to 3:30 p.m. in the Day Kimball Hospital RHF3. 860-774-6143.

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Recently, I ran out of a particular ribbon or yarn I needed whilst in the middle of making a bunch of “favors”.  You know how it is when you are crafting or making something; you always seem to run out of a specific component, of course, right in the middle of when you are doing the project.
Crafting or hand-making anything, is creative, and when you are being creative, you often don’t always know exactly what you need and how much you will need of it.  This is why, despite the online ordering and delivering retail trend, craft stores can still benefit from having an accessible physical location.  This is also true for home improvement and grocery stores.  These stores should actually consider dedicating a whole check-out lane for these “more of” shoppers.   So … if these stores know that their customers are often coming in and out for a variety of purchases, why then, are they making it harder to accomplish this?
Upon entering the craft store, with my need for “more-of” two particular items, I was immediately taken aback with the fact that the main aisle in front of me, and the one I needed to most efficiently traverse, was blocked with a large cart filled with boxes.  I assumed this cart was placed there by a member of the staff at the store.  I shrugged and decided that I would deter left down a smaller aisle.  This aisle was also blocked with another cart of “stuff” needing to be either placed on a shelf or having been just removed from a shelf.
I was now, super annoyed.  I wanted to actually buy something in the store, but found the blocked passages, an actual obstruction from selecting and making a purchase.   I zig zagged and, in a round a-bout-manner, I found my way toward the back of the store; wherein, I came across another, very wide cart, this time, being wielded by a store employee.  She politely excused herself and pushed on through, making me find a small space to squeeze into in order to let her go by.  At that point, I was confused.
Isn’t the point of a retail store to welcome shoppers IN and make it easy for them to purchase products? Isn’t that what they are in business to do?  Why then, lately, has maneuvering through a retail store, become so incredibly challenging?  Why do I always feel like I am in the way of the product displays, rather than the products being displayed for my consumption?  Rather than wide walkways with relaxed opportunity for pondering purchases, stores are now made up of overstuffed aisles of massive product displays or restocking piles, rendering the aisle flow of traffic as one-way only.  In some stores, the space in the aisle is further compromised with a rolling robot, wandering through, blinking and beeping, yet not able to reach an item on a shelf for me, roll aside to allow me to get by, or, most importantly, even to respond, let alone purchase anything!
My advice to those that are in the business of selling products to actual human beings in a store, make the items pleasantly accessible for purchase!
WHY? WHY?
Kathy Naumann, possessor of NATURALLY curly hair and the understanding that you can’t control everything!

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Welcomed
Day Kimball Healthcare (DKH) recently welcomed Stephen F. Schiff, MD, FACS who joined the Day Kimball Medical Group medical staff as a new urologist. Since Dr. Schiff’s arrival to DKH, the urology department has been able to re-establish high quality, integrated urology services. Dr. Schiff provides medical and surgical care of the urinary tract in men and women, and the reproductive system in men. Courtesy photo.

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