Your perfect Saturday in the ‘hood

So many options for an awesome Saturday, all of which give you a chance to engage with your neighbours.  Here is the recap:

1. Danforth East Garage Sale, 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. rain or shine, all over our neighbourhood

Did you hear Matt Galloway give us a shout out this morning on Metro Morning about our simultaneous yard sales taking place tomorrow?  Our sale is THAT COOL!  (Like, CBC-cool)  Over 100 households, a bunch of street sales, a rummage sale, and probably even more than what shows on our map.  Here is our post on it from yesterday in case you missed the map.

If you are hosting a garage sale, or even if you are not, please note that you can take all of your leftover stuff to Councillor Janet Davis’ environment day, and your used goods will be donated to people in need in our city.  That is awesome, right.  And it’s a nice segue to my next point.

2. Councillor Janet Davis’ Environment Day, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., East York Memorial Arena 888 Cosburn Avenue @ Woodbine

In addition to the stuff you know about Environment Day, did you know that you can bring lots of stuff to be donated to people who need it??  Here is the list from the City website:

Items donated to local schools for reuse

  • Art supplies (e.g. pencils, markers, crayons, etc.)
  • Buttons, keys, and collectors’ coins and stamps
  • Clipboards, corks and cork boards
  • CDs and cases
  • Children’s books
  • Costume jewelry including broken/old watches and clocks with hands
  • Dress-up clothing (e.g. costumes, prom dresses, uniforms, etc.)
  • Fabric pieces, yarn
  • 35 mm cameras and equipment

Items donated for reuse (please keep separate from others)

  • Sporting goods(e.g., skates, hockey equipment, bikes, rackets, etc.)
  • Books (excluding school/university curriculum books)
  • Medical equipment in good condition (e.g. eyeglasses, walking aids, hearing aids, etc.)
  • Small household items (e.g., dishes, ornaments, kitchen utensils, artistic drawings, games, etc.)
  • Textiles in good condition (e.g. clothing, linens, etc.)
  • Non-perishable foods will be donated to a food bank

Here is the recent invite from Councillor Davis.

Bring all the stuff you’ve stored in the basement or garage all winter. Don’t forget the batteries, paint cans, electronic equipment, re-usable goods and clothes. Replace your bins, pick up important information, and learn more about what you can do to be green. Find out about Toronto Water and TRCA projects in our neighbourhood.

Bring your friends and enjoy a BBQ, local musicians, seed planting, plant sale, face painting and crafts for kids. Thanks to our community partners EY Community Garden, EY Garden Club, Toronto Parks and Recreation, EY Skating Club and others for their contributions.

We will also be joined by terrific local groups like Local Enhancement & Appreciation of Forests (LEAF), and Women’s Healthy Environments Network (WHEN), and the Stan Wadlow Off-Leash Dog Park Association.

New this year, we have free on-site bulk paper shredding. Bring your confidential documents for a safe means of disposal.

For a full list of items you can dispose of visit:
http://www.toronto.ca/environment_days/activities.htm

As always, there will be free compost created from leaves picked up last fall. City staff will be on hand to help residents load up free compost. Be sure to bring your shovels and buckets.

Make sure you stop by my table to discuss your local concerns, share ideas or just say hello! And don’t forget to enter our draw.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact my office. Thanks. See you Saturday.

-Janet

So when you get your compost, what will you do with it?  Maybe plant a tree?  But how will you know how to take care of it?

3. Tree Care 101, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., 79 Hiawatha Road (near Coxwell and Gerrard)

Now that you’ve bought stuff at the yard sales that you will re-use, you have donated your stuff, safely disposed of your household waste, and obtained free compost, you need to go learn how to take care of our wonderful trees!! (A logical next step, no?  You can also go to this workshop before environment day.  I know, the world is your oyster.)

What exactly is this workshop all about?  How can I say it any better than our poster can?  Here it is again!

tree care 101 poster final version

Happy Weekend everyone!!

Map of 100+ Local Yard Sales This Saturday

If you’re looking to plan your strategy for this Saturday’s #DanforthEast Yard Sale, click on the map below where you’ll see the locations of over 100 houses that have signed up, including 4 street sales and 1 rummage sale.  The sales take place rain or shine from 8 am until 2 pm.

DECA YardSale Map

If you’re on twitter, share the deals you have at your sale or find while you’re out shopping using the #DanforthEast hashtag.  

Tree Care 101 – Saturday June 1

Who is speaking for the trees in your neighbourhood?

YOU ARE!

Come learn everything you need to know to be a bona fide tree-hugger, this Saturday, June 1, 2013 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. @ 79 Hiawatha Road, near Coxwell and Gerrard.

tree care 101 poster final version

New pre-natal yoga in the ‘hood

Baby on the Way?

Silly Goose Kids (2054 Danforth Avenue @ Woodbine ) is hosting two 4-class sessions of pre-natal yoga, beginning very soon.

Sundays from 9:15-10:30 a.m. (see poster below)
Tuesdays from 6:15-7:30p.m.  (JUST ADDED!)

The deadline for registration is this Friday May 31, 2013. Email the store here to ask questions or to secure your spot.

No previous yoga experience is required!
SGK yoga
P.S. May 31st is also the last day for Danforth East Arts Fair applications.  Visit www.deca-arts.ca for more info!

Farmers’ Market: Exciting Additions & Returning Favourites

Extra! Extra! This just in! The list of farmers coming to the East Lynn Park Farmers’ Market this summer is getting finalized. It includes some new vendors plus some of our favourite farmers.

  • Bees Universe, offering a variety of natural bee products, eggs
  • Bio Vision Farm, offering grass fed veal, lamb, pork, chicken, eggs (NEW)
  • Cookstown Greens, offering ecologically grown organic veggies
  • Danbrie Farms, offering pure maple syrup, related maple products and tomatillo salsa
  • Godelie Family Farm, offering potatoes, corn, strawberries
  • Kimbaya Eco Farm, offering organic veg & flowers (NEW)
  • Loffredo Fruit Farms offering pitted fruit and baked goods such as jams, jellies and pies.
  • Primeridge Pure, offering cow’s milk artisan cheeses
  • SunRay Orchards, offering pitted fruit, tender fruit, veg baked goods and prepared food
  • Woolerdale Farm, offering a full range veggies (NEW)
  • Fresh City Farms, offering veggies (NEW)
  • School Grown, offering veggies (NEW)

Plus, Lazy Daisy’s Cafe will be back with prepared food for all your impromptu picnic needs. And if you are reading this post out loud in the presence of children here is where you should stop. Carter’s Ice Cream will be bringing their mobile ice cream cart to the market this year with their yummy Kawartha Dairy ice cream.

We’re still awaiting applications from a few more farmers plus some local cuisine so stay tuned!

The East Lynn Farmer’s Market runs every Thursday from 3-7 p.m. between June 6 – October 17 at East Lynn Park, located on the south side of Danforth Ave, just west of Woodbine Ave.

Free two-hour art and meditation workshop – Sunday

Drawn Together: The Joys of Collaborative Art Making

Facilitated by Charles Hackbarth

Artisans At Work
Sunday, May 26, 2013
11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

This is a pay-what-you-like event. Donations are accepted to help pay for supplies, rental of the studio and the facilitator’s fees.

A note from the facilitator:

Making art together in a collaborative setting is both exciting and challenging.
In this fun two-hour workshop, we will explore ways to make art together.
Working with the theme of interconnectedness, we will spontaneously create
large-scale drawings that incorporate the imagery, colours, mark-making and creativity of all the participants who come out and participate. 

This is art-making as a social event. Stories are swapped, insights shared, friendships established.

This is an inclusive creative experience. Whether you are a professional artist, a hobby artist or someone who doesn’t consider themselves an artist at all, this is a fun and safe way to share in collective creativity. No previous art experience is necessary. 

Please feel free to drop by anytime during the workshop. However there will be a guided meditation and brief explanation at the beginning of the session at 11 am. 

Charles Hackbarth is an artist, writer, musician, Expressive Arts and Personal Transformation Facilitator. He’s been creating and showing his art since 1985. He’s been facilitating expressive arts workshops for 20 years. 

RSVP to Charles Hackbarth at 416-691-7772 or chackbarth@sympatico.ca