Some things good for your weekend

Kids' Resale

Christ King School/Parish holds its famous annual Children’s Clothing and Furniture Resale this weekend, Friday and Saturday. If you’re looking to get in on the best inventory, line up to get an entry number at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. The sale starts 6:30 – 9:00 (Friday) and continues Saturday 9:00a.m.- 3:00 p.m.

Over the years, I’ve heard that the sale is packed – so you need to be committed to find good deals.

Mark your calendars, too, if you want to visit their Toy Resale just before the holiday season. Friday, November 13 6:30 – 9:00

Adults only at the sale. No children on Friday evening for safety reasons.

Hotline number is 414.258.4160 x 47

More Than 10,000 Books for Sale

This Friday, Saturday and Sunday over 10,000 used books could be your thrifty treasures for a great cause – increasing Milwaukee area literacy. The recently retired Oakland Avenue Harry W. Schwartz bookstore makes a sentimental setting for this year’s sale. Sales times are 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Community at its best! Add Saturday, September 26th, 8:00 a.m. – 12:00p to your calendar. Market, Food, Stories, Music in the Village

A committed group of volunteers in our community has been hard at work to bring back a viable Farmer’s Market to our fair city. As a result, we will enjoy a 2010 seasonal Farmer’s Market located by the Little Red House, under the Harmonee Bridge.

The realities of well-stocked Farmer’s Markets (from the farmers and vendors POV) is that they, understandably, only want to commit to those Saturday markets that will be profitable for them. Will our Tosa community show up to shop and support this new Farmer’s Market? Like the Whos in “Horton Hears A Who,” this is our opportunity to shout “We Are Here! We Are Here!”

To answer that question, the market organizations have put together an exciting one-day Kickoff to 2010 event to show vendors and potential vendors that Tosa rocks the fresh, local produce, flower, bakery, etc. market.

Outpost is the official Kickoff sponsor. (Nice!)

Maxie’s is throwing a special breakfast. I’m getting more details.

Bakery will be provided from The Outpost and Local Industries, and bread from the Breadsmith;
Olive oil from Oro di Oliva;
Fall produce from Basse’s Country Market, Wellspring, and Bosch Family Farms;
Flowers from Plot Thickens;
Chef demo with Chef Pepplar;
Story-telling at 10:00 a.m. with Molly Del Vecchio and Nancy Clarkin; and
Live music from a popular Tosa East High School jazz ensemble.

Would anyone consider assisting in the yard sign effort to build awareness? Yard sign are still available for $5.00. Contact Maureen at millmanns@wi.rr.com to get one.

Here’s to a great showing in the Village on the 26th! May our fabulous weather continue on the day!

Tolling Reminder

Over the years, I’ve been turning over ideas of what Milwaukee leadership could give its people as a “call to action”  to knit our community together to pull toward the future.

Families and individuals are living with real struggles in our fair city.  Too often, we argue over the causes of struggles and to what degree any of us have a duty to assist others.   Meanwhile, our close and present society is not waiting for us to make up our minds.  More and more children grow around us without enough.   Not enough supervision, not enough sobriety, not enough safety, not enough warmth, not enough softness, not enough hugs, not enough food, not enough education, not enough medical care, not enough homes and on and on.

Why doesn’t Milwaukee step forward as a community and toll available civic bells for five minutes or so every lunch and dinner hour to suggest that we all remain mindful of our city’s children?  I don’t know of any other U.S.  city that tolls its bells to give people an opportunity to pause and be mindful for a few minutes.

It’s a simple start, but why not?    Click here to here the City Hall bell .

Early Shoots of Spring – Maple Sap and “Music Under Glass”

When Milwaukee daytime temperatures rise above 32 and nighttime temperatures go below 32, our area maple trees do what comes naturally – run maple sap. My favorite time of year is here. Winter into Spring.

I talked with Schlitz Audubon Nature Center today about when to expect 2009′s Maple Sugaring Days. The dates of the center’s maple tapping and sugaring events are not yet on its Calendar of Events, but they are planned for the weekend of March 14th. Give this beautiful Milwaukee resource a call to learn more information about Pancake Breakfasts and Maple Sugar Days programs. Or call any of the other area nature centers for their dates for maple sugaring events. All the Milwaukee-area nature centers have some sort of event around the trees’ fascinating rite of Spring.

Without doubt, we have more cold, gray days ahead here in Milwaukee. If you, like me, need an early shot of Spring, put the “Music Under Glass” Milwaukee County Park concert series as a recurring event on your Thursday evening calendar. The music groups are fun and varied; and the glass refers to the Show Dome at Mitchell Park Horticulture Domes.

Remember hearing that the Domes just reopened following a big glass refitting? That project also added endearing, little twinkling lights that make evening events possible and visually uplifting. The concert stage is in the Show Dome, full of Spring flowers. Or, you can grab a glass of wine or beer and head for the warm, tropical air of the Tropic Dome.

All of these events are not just friendly to kids of all ages – they are memory making.