We have added a lot of new items since our first March list!
Visit an historic grist mill
The public is invited to watch corn grinding to produce Carpenter's Jonnycake Meal at the historic Perry-Carpenter grist mill starting at 1 pm on Sunday, March 11. The mill, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is located at 364 Moonstone Beach Road and is the oldest operating water-powered grist mill in Rhode Island. Come and learn about the history of the mill pond and mill, see how it works and sample the excellent Jonnycakes.
Walks and nature
NEW: The Richmond Farmers' Market is hosting a screening of the movie "Vanishing of the Bees" Wednesday, March 14th at 7pm. Admission is free for the screening at Clark Memorial Library, 7 Pinehurst Drive in Carolina. This documentary details the economic, political and ecological consequences of a dwindling world honeybee population.
UPDATE: The Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association is hosting two bird walks in March. One is on Saturday, March 17 (the rain date for one originally scheduled on March 3), at 8 am at the Ninigret Wildlife Refuge. A second walk will be held on Saturday, March 24, at 8 am on the Tefft Hill Trail in Exeter, RI. Participants must have binoculars for all Birding Program Events. Field Guides optional. Pre‐registration is required for all WPWA events and is easy to doonline. These events are free but please consider making a donation.
The popular Tuesday Bird Walks hosted by the Audubon Society of Rhode Island took the month of February off but will restart on February 6 through the month of May. They depart from the Charlestown Mini Super parking lot at 8 am each Tuesday morning. You may contact Phil Budlong at pbudlong@cox.net for the itinerary of each week.
The Kettle Pond Visitors' Center (50 Bend Road) will hold an information session about the Piping Plover, the challenges they face, and what you can do to help on Saturday, March 17, from 10 am until noon. Attend to learn more about this threatened species.
NEW: The Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association is hosting a lecture about the Kinney Azalea Gardens in Kingston, Rhode Island featuring a talk given by Dr. Sue Gordon, resident horticulturist and manager of this breathtaking site. Dr. Gordon is a faculty member of the College of the Environment and Life Sciences at the University of Rhode Island. She teaches courses in plant biology in the URI landscape architecture program. This lecture will be held at the WPWA office at 203 Arcadia Road in Hope Valley. Register here (not there yet as this is being written). More information about the gardens here.
The Audubon Society is sponsoring a Woodcock Walk at the Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge (1040 Matunuck Schoolhouse Road) on Saturday, March 24, at 7 pm. If you have never witnessed the sunset courtship display of the American Woodcock, you are in for a rare treat. The male "timberdoodle" tries to impress the girls with a combination of "peent" calls from the ground and a spectacular, wing-whistling display of aerial acrobatics. We might also hear singing coyotes and a calling owl or two. Meet in the Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge parking lot. Participants should be prepared for a short walk out into the fields, followed by a longer (and probably colder) wait for the birds to get active. Registration is required and there is a small fee. Call (401) 949-5454 ext. 3041.
NEW: Visit the Cross Mills Public Library on March 26 at 7 pm for an event in the Garden Tour Lecture Series when Rosemary Smith will provide information on how to manage and conserve water resources in your backyard environment.
NEW: Free movie night
The Cross Mills Public Library is holding a Family Movie Night on Friday, March 23, starting at 6:30 pm. The movie to be shown is Hugo (PG). Set in 1930s Paris, an orphan who lives in the walls of a train station is wrapped up in a mystery involving his late father and an automaton. Reviews here. Light refreshments will be served.
Taxing tax thoughts
The AARP-sponsored tax help session continue in March on Thursdays from 1 to 5 pm and Saturdays from 2 to 5 pm at the Cross Mills Public Library. Trained volunteers will be there to help you, free to low and moderate income taxpayers, and you don't need to be an AARP member. No appointment is necessary.
Want to write?
We recently described opportunities for writing classes by Grace Farrell of Carolina Fabric and Fiction. A class series at the Octagon House in Carolina Village starts on March 27 and Ms. Farrell will teach a similar course at URI starting April 2. See the article at the link for details.
NEW: Meet the Easter Bunny
Your town Parks and Recreation Department is sponsoring breakfast with the Easter Bunny followed by an Easter Egg hunt in Ninigret Park starting at 10 am at the Senior/Community Center (Easter Egg hunt at 1 pm by the Little Pavilion in the park). Ages 2 through 10. Free, with generous sponsorship by The Washington Trust, Dunkin Donuts and Arrowhead Dental. The Easter Egg Hunt will have 5,000 eggs, crafts, and hot chocolate and of course the Easter Bunny.
In the heavens
On March 13, the two brightest planets, Venus and Jupiter, team up to make for an eye-catching sight in the western sky soon after sunset. They will be separated by 3 degrees on this evening, Venus passing to the northwest (upper right) of Jupiter and shining nearly eight times brighter than "Big Jupe." Although they will gradually go their separate ways after this date, on March 25 and 26, a crescent moon will pass by, adding additional beauty to this celestial scene.
He's your daddy
UPDATE: Many of us appreciate Daddy's Bread at 805 Moonstone Beach Road. (Yes, I know that's outside Charlestown but sometimes we just have to make a long trip for something good!) They have announced that they will open March 10. Keep updated with their Facebook page.
NEW: Boating safety
On Wednesdays March 14 through May 31 at 7 pm at the Cross Mills Public Library, the Point Judith Flotilla of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary will present a course on legal requirements, navigation rules, boat handling, trailering and aids to navigation. More course info here. Registration required by calling 364-6211. For more information email David Nelson.
NEW: Photo ID for voting
Beginning this year you will need a photo ID to vote. If you don't have one, you can get one free at this event, Tuesday March 20 from 10 am until noon at the Charlestown Senior/Community Center in Ninigret Park. (But you'll have to find someone to drive you to the Senior/Community Center because you don't need this ID if you have a driver's license.) More information including what documentation to bring is here.
All of these suggestions and lots more are listed in our calendar, a free service at Progressive Charlestown.
