On Friday (the 14th — doesn’t sound quite as scary), my lovely wife and I had a night out on the town in Putnam. First stop was the fantastic 85 Main for dinner (we can be fancy sometimes), followed by after-dinner drinks next door at Saw Dust Coffee House (the rum punch was delicious!), and capped off the evening by catching a performance at the legendary Bradley Playhouse. We saw Little Lies, a Fleetwood Mac tribute band, who coincidentally is playing a free show in Enfield tonight!

Since this was our first night out since the newest (and final) baby came, we wanted a special night, and that’s exactly what we got. Our boys were with my in-laws — thank you Gaga and Grandpa — and the baby was with my mom — thank you Nana.

And maybe the best part? Free parking, and we never had to walk more than 100 yards from the car.

If you haven’t treated yourself to an evening (or even a day) out in Putnam, you are missing out!

Turns out there’s a lot more public art hiding around the Quiet Corner than I realized. I put together a new Art Hunt with Willimantic murals, Mansfield’s outdoor art, Coventry’s incredible Sculpture Fields and a few wonderfully weird roadside finds along the way. Pick a route, save the guide and see what you can find.

Summer’s starting to wind down, so I figured we’d squeeze in one more very local challenge. I put together a Windham & Tolland Counties Waterways Crossword packed with lakes, ponds, rivers, and a few spots you’ve probably driven past a hundred times.

Give it your best shot, or go back and play any of the other puzzles you missed.

August is when Connecticut farms start showing off, and the produce shelves at the Willimantic Food Co-op are catching the full force of the summer harvest. Right now, fresh local produce is coming in from growers like Tobacco Road Farm in Lebanon and Shundahai Farm in Storrs.

This is the good stuff. Vegetables grown close to home, delivered without a cross-country road trip, and sold through a store that actually knows the people growing them. Shundahai focuses on healthy soil and no-spray farming, while Tobacco Road is another local farm helping stock the Co-op’s produce department.

What’s available changes with the harvest, which is exactly the point. The shelves reflect what Connecticut farms are picking now, not what can survive a week on a truck.

Stop in, see what just came off the farm, and build dinner around what Connecticut is growing right now.

This Saturday, Aug. 22, Stafford basically turns into one big outdoor music venue, with live performances on porches, in parks, at local businesses, and all over town. It kicks off at 11 AM with bells ringing across Stafford, then rolls through the day with everything from folk and classic rock to country and chamber music, wrapping up around 10:30 PM at Off The Rails Brewery. More details here

Last week’s trivia answer was Charles Dow, and this one still blows my mind a little. Dow was born into a farming family in Sterling, Connecticut, on November 6, 1851. After his father died when Charles was just six, he received little formal education and helped his mother run the family farm.

Somehow, that kid from rural northeastern Connecticut went on to become a newspaper reporter, co-found Dow Jones & Company, launch The Wall Street Journal, and create what became the Dow Jones Industrial Average. When the DJIA officially debuted in 1896, it tracked just 12 companies and started at 40.94 points.

Not bad for a farm kid from Sterling.

🐶Adopt-a-pal: Meet Cadbury, a petite 4-pound bundle of bunny energy who loves to zoom, explore, and hang with his people. This sweet little guy is ready to hop straight into his forever home.

🏡House of the week: This place is basically a 12,196-square-foot private resort sitting on 24+ secluded acres, complete with lake views and private trail access to the water. Inside: 5 bedrooms, 7 baths, five fireplaces, an elevator, billiards room, wet bar, massive studio, and a heated garage big enough for five cars. Yeah… this one’s a little ridiculous. Check it out!

👀Sighting of the week: Dodder | (Cuscuta pentagona)

🔭Sky report: Tonight (8/18), look west after sunset for bright Venus hanging near the waxing Moon. Then on Thursday, the Moon slides close to reddish Antares, the heart of Scorpius. Saturn is back in the evening lineup and visible for most of the night, while the Perseids are still hanging around through Aug. 24. So yeah, you’ve still got a shot at catching a random shooting star if you’re outside late enough.

Connecticut’s Tax-Free Week is happening now through Saturday, Aug. 22, and this year it’s not just about loading up the kids for school.

For 2026, the state bumped the limit from $100 to $300 per qualifying item, meaning most clothing and footwear under $300 is free from Connecticut’s 6.35% sales tax. That includes things like jeans, sneakers, jackets, dresses and work clothes, and there’s no limit on how many qualifying items you can buy. Backpacks and cleats were added this year, too.

One more nice change: non-electronic school supplies are now tax-free year-round, so there’s no need to panic-buy the notebooks this week.

Brooklyn | Rockin' at Riverside with Roc-Kin'-On - Summer Evening Concert | 6 PM - Classic rock band heats up the park for a summer evening at Riverside Park.

Putnam | Woody's Time Machine Tuesday | 7 PM - Throwback tunes spin at The Stomping Ground (132 Main St).

Willington | Tribute to Bruce John @ Willington Summer Concert Series | 6:30 PM - Springsteen tribute rocks the summer concert series at River Road Athletic Complex (511 River Rd).

Bolton | Bolton Summer Concert Series with Nightshift! | 6:30 PM - Party band Nightshift brings the energy to Bolton Green (222 Bolton Center Rd).

Ellington | FREE Movie: "Dead Man's Wire" | 1 PM - Free screening of the indie film at the senior center (40 Maple Street). Watch Now

Plainfield | Mindset @ Lions Park Plainfield Concert Series | 6:30 PM - Rock band Mindset plays the outdoor concert series at Plainfield Lions Park.

Coventry | Drum Circle at the Homestead | 6 PM | ($) - Bring your own drum or borrow one at this CT Landmarks event (2299 South St). Join In

Putnam | Courthouse Clambake 2026 | 4 PM - Annual seafood feast downtown at the historic Courthouse Bar & Grill (121 Main St).

Somers | Steel N' Eazy Bike Night | 5–9 PM - Country music, food and motorcycles fill Joanna’s patio.

Storrs | Summer Concerts on the Square: BERMUDA SEARCH PARTY | 6:30 PM - Funky jams at Betsy Paterson Square. Hear It Live

Willimantic | 3rd Thursday Street Fest! | 6 PM - Monthly street festival with vendors, food, and live entertainment (803 Main Street).

Andover | Stained Glass Sailboat Workshop Andover Community and Senior Center | 6 PM | ($) - Create a nautical stained glass piece to take home at Andover Community & Senior Center (25 School Road). Make It

Danielson | Beach Bingo! | 6:30 PM - Beach-themed bingo night at the fire department at South Killingly Fire Department (803 Providence Pike). Join In

Ellington | Women's Adult Camp Weekend! | 11 AM | ($) - Weekend retreat with outdoor activities and horseback riding (130 Sandy Beach Rd). Check It Out

Stafford Springs | Setback Night | 6 PM - Cards and craft cider at Stafford Cidery (68 Main St).

Vernon | Heroes Appreciation Night | 7 PM | ($) - First responders celebrated with bowling and fun (350 Talcottville Rd). Join In

Willimantic | 55th Shaboo Reunion Festival | 5–10:30 PM | ($) - Elvin Bishop headlines a huge night celebrating Shaboo history, legendary.

Windham | Home By Ten @ Windham Golf Course | 6 PM - Live music on the green at the golf course.

Woodstock | WOODEN HORSE @ ROSELAND COTTAGE TWILIGHT LAWN CONCERT | 6:30 PM - Folk duo plays the lawn at historic Roseland Cottage (556 Norwich Worcester Tpke).

Somers | Country Steel | 6:30–9:30 PM - Modern country hits and dancing take over Joanna’s Saturday night.

Thompson | Pig Roast - Go Hog Wild for FARA! | 12 PM - All-you-can-eat pig roast fundraiser for FARA at Thompson Rod and Gun Club (93 Brandy Hill Rd). Be There

Thompson | Musician and One-Man-Band, Tony Garcia | 4 PM - Live acoustic music performance at Triple Raven Brewing (27 Main St).

Vernon | SPACE Awards Reception | 2–4 PM - Explore Arts Center East’s second summer exhibition and awards reception, artfully.

Windham | Paint Your Pet Class at The Club! | 6 PM | ($) - Bring a photo, paint your furry friend on canvas at Franco-American Civic & Social Club of Windham (116 Club Rd). Create Away

Coventry | Chris Marolda | 6:30 PM - Live acoustic vibes at the historic tavern at The Bidwell Tavern and Cafe (1260 Main St).

Plainfield | LIVE MUSIC: RICKIE LOUISE MILLER | 1 PM - Live music performance at Hank’s Dairy (1006 Norwich Rd).

Stafford Springs | Acoustic Sunday's with Ali Kat Acoustic | 2 PM - Lakeside acoustic tunes at Mill Pond Country Store at Mill Pond Country Store (220 East St).

Vernon Rockville | Aquanett LIVE w/ special guest "Now That's 90s" | 3 PM | ($) - 80s rock tribute band plays outdoor show at Rocking Horse Bar & Grill (57 Hartford Tpke). Tune In

Windham | Self-Guided Historic Tour Maps | Anytime - Explore Windham Center’s old homes, cemeteries, landmarks, and Revolutionary War routes with free self-guided tour maps. Grab them here