Community Calendar

Brooks Elementary Movie Night March 8

Come watch “Wreck it Ralph” Friday March 8 from 6 – 8 p.m. at Brooks Elementary School located at 1000 Hill Road in White Lake. Admission is a $1 per person or a maximum $5 for the entire family. Ticket includes a bag of popcorn and bottle of water. Pizza, candy and assorted drinks will be available for purchase. For more information call 248-684-8037

Huron Valley Council For the Arts March Gallery Highlights “ Emerging Masters”

The Huron Valley Council for the Arts and Huron Valley Schools Elementary Art Departments will have a joint exhibit, Emerging Masters The exhibit will featurethe work of student artists who hail from Highland, Spring Mills, Brooks, Kurtz, Country Oaks, Lakewood, Johnson, Heritage and Oxbow elementary schools in the Huron Valley School District.

“Huron Valley Schools Elementary Art Department in partnership with HVCA is honored to showcase art work from students from all of our elementary schools. This exhibit is the culmination of a year’s worth of art education and creativity on behalf of both our art teachers and our students. There will be a wide variety of art on display, both two and three-dimensional, from the elements and principles of art, to realism and abstraction to world cultures.

Gallery hours for Emerging Mastersare from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturdays through March 29. For more information about the exhibit, call HVCA at 248-889-8660

OAKLAND COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION St. Patrick’s Day Dance March 15 

Oakland County Parks and Recreation Adaptive Recreation program will host a St. Patrick’s Day Dance on March 15from 7-9 p.m. for individuals with disabilities ages 18 and older at Novi Parks and Recreation.

The evening will include music, snacks and dancing. The cost is $5 per person if registered by March 8. Cost is $7 per person after March 8. Registration form is available online at DestinationOakland.com

Novi Parks and Recreation is located at 45175 West 10 Mile Road in Novi. For more information, call 248-424-7081

Bluebirds, Their Homes and You, March

Come learn about Bluebirds on Saturday, March 9 at 1 p.m. at the Nature Center. Last year Kensington was home to over 200 beautiful songbirds. Participants will learn more about the birds and how they can help through a movie, discussion and a field trip part of the program. Fee is $3 per person. Preregistration required. For ages 10 and older. Call 810-227-8910

Huron Valley Horse Blanket Headquarters Ribbon Cutting March 7th

Please join us to celebrate the official opening of Horse Blanket Headquarters on March 7 from 4 – 6 p.m. at 28525 Beck Rd. Suite #102 in Wixom. Ribbon Cutting will be at 5 p.m. as well as drawings for free. Washes and feedbag totes from 5 – 6 p.m. For more information call 248-858-2398  Huron Valley Horse Blanket Headquarters.

Project Wild Workshop for Educators March 9

On Saturday, March 9 at 10 a.m. a Project Wild Workshop will be at the Indian Springs Metropark Environmental Discovery Center. Project WILD is a wildlife-focused conservation education program for K-12 educators and their students (see www.prjectwild.org for more information.) Informal and formal educators are invited to learn the Project Wild curriculum for use in their classroom. Participants will leave this six-hour workshop certified in Project Wild K-12. Participants should bring a sack lunch and dress for outdoor activities. The event fee is $35 per adult. Register by calling 248-625-7280

Highland Township Library Baby Story time March 7, 14 and 21

Baby story time will be held March 7 at 10:30 a.m. at the Highland Library. Baby story time is for babies 3-18 months of age. Siblings are welcome. Children learn to feel comfortable in a group setting, and build vocabulary through interactive storytelling, songs, movement and rhyme. This program is designed to be 30 minutes of story time, plus an additional 20-minute playgroup for those who wish to stay. Call 248-887-2218

Milford Public Library Family Story time March 7, 14 and 21

Children and parents or caregivers are invited to the Milford Public Library on March 7 from 10 – 10:30 a.m. for stories, songs, crafts and other activities. Please call 248-684-0845 to register.

State of Oakland County Schools Address March 20

On March 20 at 7 p.m. The State of Oakland County Schools program will be held at Oakland Schools located at 2111 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford, MI. Oakland Schools and the Oakland County School Board Association have partnered to bring Oakland County residents a comprehensive view of education in our county. Measures of student performance, collaborations across districts, successes of the past year and challenges for the coming year will be shared with participants.

Dr. Vickie L. Markavitch, Superintendent of Oakland Schools will deliver the State of Oakland County Schools Address to parents, administrators, teachers, support staff, state and county officials, community agencies and the general public.

EASTER EGG HUNT MARCH 16

VFW Post 4156 located at 321 Union Lake Rd., White Lake is having their annual Easter Egg Hunt on March 16 from 1 – 3 p.m. Please RSVP by March 15by calling 810-227-2091 or 248-303-9157. A donation of non-perishable food item will be appreciated.

Bunny Hop March 15th

Come hop about and the Easter Bunny will hop to on March 15from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the Wixom Community Center. Fun family dance with pizza dinner and DJ. Bring your camera for photo-op with the Easter Bunny and wear your Sunday best! Must pre-register by March 14 at 2 p.m. Call 248-624-2850 

HIGHLAND ADULT ACTIVITY CENTER PLANS A COMMUNITY GARDEN

Please join us for our first organizational meeting on March 11 at 6 p.m. in the Activity Center located at 205 N. John Street. The Highland Adult Activity Center is planning to create a Community Garden adjacent to the Center on John Street. The Center is looking for persons of all ages to help create the Community Garden. Bring many good thoughts and ideas with you. For more information call 248-887-1707

Gardens with Janet Macunovich March 12

Join us at the Walled Lake City Library on March 12 from 7 – 8 p.m. for some useful tips to bring our gardens back to life. Spring is fast approaching and we need to be ready and inspired. Join us as we gain helpful tips on how to bring our gardens back to life. In partnership with the Lakes Area Garden Club, Janet will again pass on her expert advice. Call 248-624-3772

Things to Celebrate in the Month of March

The month of March represents the presence of spring and most of us are longing for its arrival. As we await the disappearance of snow and frigid temperatures, there are plenty of things to celebrate in the month of March that can help us get through the horrible defrosting period.

March 2 is National Peanut Butter Lovers’ Day. I don’t know about you, but I see this as an open invitation to indulge in peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, peanut butter cookies and peanut butter pie.

March 3 rings in “I Want You to be Happy Day” which provides an opportunity to focus on others and do something nice for them. Perhaps you could share a piece of your peanut butter pie with a neighbor or friend? In these trying days, I think “I Want You to be Happy Day” should be embraced by everyone. Just imagine how much of a difference we could make by cheering others up!

March 4 is “Hug a GI Day” which ties in well with Dave Murphy’s “Gratitude Project” presented at ThankASoldier.net. Dave’s project is a simple, yet powerful project that invites everyone to send thank you messages to our soldiers. Learn how to give our GIs a virtual hug by visiting The Gratitude project Blog.

March 12 is set aside to celebrate Girl Scout Day. Many of us have already purchased our Girl Scout cookies, but if you haven’t done so, buy a box or two on March 12 and show your support.

March 17 is infamous for being Saint Patrick’s Day and gives us the opportunity to adorn ourselves with green clothing and shamrocks while sipping green beer. Many festivities are associated with St. Patty’s Day including parades, three leaf clover hunts and indulging in Irish foods such as corned beef and cabbage.

March 22 is “National Goof Off Day” and encourages everyone to chill out and relax. When was the last time you goofed off and did nothing but have fun? Isn’t it time to break away from the daily grind and do something different? Plan fun goof-off events with your spouse, children or friends and make new memories.

March 25 celebrates the Swedish holiday of “International Waffle Day.” Start your day with a freshly pressed waffle covered in strawberries, peaches, or blackberries and smothered in homemade whipped cream. Yummy!

March 28 brings us “Something on a Stick Day” which is a wacky and fun day. It can be great entertainment for kids and adults. Everybody loves food on a stick, so get creative with your children and encourage them to try brussels sprouts and carrots on a stick. Dip pretzel sticks in melted chocolate chips for a sweet-and-salty treat. Make vegetable or meat shish kabobs or order Chinese food and eat your meal with chopsticks.

March 30 is “Take a Walk in the Park Day.” When was the last time you took a leisurely stroll through the park? A good, brisk walk through the park will fill your lungs with fresh air and provide the opportunity to empty your mind. Don’t forget to take the dog; they will enjoy the walk also.

POPULAR BELIEFS IN MARCH

There are many superstitions about March. We often hear that “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.” This means that the first day of March is often stormy and the last day is mild and warm. Another saying is, “April borrowed from March three days, and they were ill.” This refers to the first three days of April, which are generally rough and blustery like March. A third saying calls the first three days of March “blind days” because they are “unlucky.” If rain falls on these days, farmers supposedly will have poor harvests. So who knows?

FACTS ABOUT MARCH

According to the Georgian calendar, March is the third month of the year. According to the early Roman calendar, it was the first month and was called Martius. The ancient Romans later made January 1 the beginning of the year and March became the third month on the calendar. March has always had 31 days. Its name honors Mars, the Roman God of war.

The winter ends with March, and end comes spring. Spring in the northern half of the world begins with March 19, 20, or 21. It’s the day when the sun is directly over the equator. March can either fill wintry or springy, with as many blustery, windy days as there are mild, sunny days.

In the northern hemisphere, the animals end their hibernation and many plants come to life again in March. The sap flows in the trees again, and the buds begin to show up. Bears, woodchucks, and chipmunks leave their hibernating spots. People begin to start looking for the first robin, for the beginning of spring arrival.

The bloodstone and aquamarine are the birthstones for the month of March. The violet is the flower for the month of March.