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!!

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

Trees, Night Out with Neighbours & S Sense Closing Sale

DECA Tree Meeting

If talking trees in your thing then you should head to CakeTown (2039 Danforth Ave) this Saturday.  The DECA Tree group will be meeting to talk trees at 1o am. You’ll recognize the group – they all have leaves in their hair.

Night Out with Neighbours: Ethiopia Edition

Last Thursday a group of neighbours got together for the first ever Ethiopian Culture & Cuisine night at Rondez Vous Ethiopian and Eritrean Restaurant (1400 Danforth Ave).  Event organizers Susan and Tara provide an overview of the night below.  For a look at more photos from the evening check out the DECA Facebook Page.  Looks like we can expect more culinary fun in the future!

Banchi roasting coffee beans.
Banchi roasting coffee beans.

We arrived at Rendez-vous restaurant, warmly greeted by Banchi in her lovely African dress and were instantly transported from the February cold into the warmth of an Ethiopian evening.  Banchi graciously gave everyone a glass of wine to enjoy with our delicious appetizer and then a scrumptious platter. She taught us how to use our hands to eat the Injera bread. That took a bit of getting used to and then there was no stopping us! The mildly spiced plate of curried meats and vegetables warmed our insides and satisfied our souls. This was followed by the wonderful coffee ceremony, an aromatic experience that filled the air. Banchi roasted the coffee beans with cardamon right in front of us. The taste of Ethiopian coffee melted the palette, and finished off the meal perfectly.

The night was capped off with a performance by Ethiopian dancers, Eske and Frey, in their colourful costumes. The African music and smiling faces of the dancers even moved us to join in and learn a few steps.  For most of us, it was the first time we experienced Ethiopian cuisine and culture – and we all said, we are definitely returning to the Rendez-vous.

Due to the success of this dinner night out, it was suggested that we do this more often at the other restaurants along the Danny.  So stay tuned for possible Italian, Thai, Mexican cuisine and culture nights!

Susan & Tara

Closing Sale at S Sense

S Sense in Design is closing their storefront located at 698 Coxwell Ave to focus on design consultations.  Everything in the store is on sale, including lighting, home accents, and the displays. Laura is also offering onetime free home consultations during the month of April – hurry before she gets booked!  Her last day is March 23rd so you still have time to say goodbye.  Store is open Wednesday to Saturday 12 to 5 pm.

Psst: We hear that a very familiar business might be taking over this beautiful storefront soon.  Stay tuned!

Sandy Aftermath & Pub Crawl Praise

Sandy Aftermath

Well, almost 24 hours has passed since the worst of Sandy blew over Toronto and we’re hoping everyone is with power and managed to escape with minimal property damage.  We are glad that no injuries were reported, although it seems that the east end was hit hard with power outages overnight.  In fact, many residents were without power well into the morning, along with some local businesses, schools, and daycares, some of which were shut down for the day.
Some DECA Board members did visual surveys of area parks, and here’s what we know:
  • There was major tree damage to Monarch park.  Six large trees are gone, several others lost significant limbs and a bench was ripped out of the ground, concrete footings and all. (see photo below)
  • East Lynn Park had a few big branches down on the north side of the park but no major tree losses or damage.
  • Stephenson Park and the Williamson Ravine were very much spared from major damage.
What did you wake up to this morning?  If you have pictures of the local storm or storm aftermath, please share them on our Facebook Page or let us know in the comments below what happened in your area.
Remember to call the City at 3-1-1 if you see damage that requires attention.  If the damage is related to a hydro wire, call Toronto Hydro at (416) 542-8000.  (That is also the number to call during a power outage, so it might be worth keeping it in with your flashlights and candles.)

___

Good times had by all at the DECA Pub Crawl

A little over a week ago, neighbours came together for drinks and samples at local bars.  Here’s a note from the organizers, Tara and Susan, recapping a great evening.  The good news is that they’re already planning the next one!

Wow, what a drizzly turned sizzly evening the Danforth Pub Crawl was. We, Susan and Tara, would like to personally thank all the business owners and participants. 

It was a great success for all! The host restaurants had new customers presented to them, and the Crawlers were introduced to places they had never had the pleasure of visiting! All of us became fast friends, and we found some hidden talents/products/services amongst us all too.

The hosts at each restaurant showered us with heaps of goodies, which were doled out all night as prizes for raffle draws, being on time, and for just being there at all!

Susan had the great idea to ask the biz owners to chat about their restaurants, some history and their specialties. Tara asked the pub crawlers to stand up and promote themselves too. We all quickly became interested, and found many common interests to talk about.

We started the Pub Crawl at Sidewalk Cafe, where Enza made delicious Italian sushi and mini martinis.  We donned our feather boas and Hawaiian leis to make us stand out in the crowd. 

The next stop was Sarah’s where we sampled wine, beers and appetizer platters in our own room with a fireplace.

A little damp, we arrived at El Sol’s where the beef tacos were ready and served up quickly with delicious margaritas that warmed us up fast. 

TKO’s was our next destination, and we had plates of pulled pork sliders, mini burgers and beer samplers. 

Some Crawlers used taxis, but for the rest, the last walk was long, wet and song-filled! Mostly we sang and bugled Singing in the Rain. Someone knew all the words, and it was fantastic. 

When we got to Relish, it was warm and inviting, and the service was super; they gave us free beer samples! Joanne from Relish initially gave us the super idea to end the night at her place, Relish, as Karaoke started at 10pm on Thursdays! (Turns out Tara has a twang when she sings country!)

Jason from Toronto Model Photography captured the happenings with his camera, so thank you Jason. 

We’ve already started planning the next outing! Please feel free to email Tara if you would like to join us next time.  We will also be sure to put the info out on the decadiaries as soon as we know our plans.

Tara & Susan

CornFest & Trees

Market this week: CornFest, Godelie Family Farms & Cooks
 
Time to celebrate all things CORN! It’s Cornfest at the East Lynn Park Farmers’ Market this week.   Toronto’s famed storyteller Dan Yashinsky will be telling his stories at 4:30 p.m.  and the music of Bad Dog will set the mood for market goers and picnickers alike starting at 5:00 p.m. Be prepared to sing along!  And don’t forget your toonies as there will be cobs of boiled corn for sale at the DECA table.

Speaking of corn, I spent some time chatting with Harry from Godelie Farmily Farm last week.  Godelie Family Farm owners Gary & Blanche Godelie have been one our market’s pioneers having been with us since the first year.  Harry leaves the Godelie farm in Otterville at about 10 a.m. each week with corn, beans, cucumber, potatoes and many other fresh goodies that are picked daily.  That means that the corn he sells at our market is picked at 6:00 a.m. and can be on your table at 6:00 p.m.  Amazing!  As people shopped last week Harry asked them how long they boiled their corn – most people said between 8-10 minutes.  Turns out you only need to boil it for two minutes as it keeps the sugars from turning starchy.  I can attest that the corn is scrumptiously sweet right now as Harry convinced me to try some raw last week.  It was surprisingly delicious.  Try it.

Volunteer cooks:  We have over a dozen volunteers who cook dinner for our farmers each week.   They do it as a way to say thank you to the farmers and makes it so they don’t have to drive home on an empty stomach.  We have one volunteer signed up each week but given it’s peak season for the market we are looking for some additional volunteers to help with meals over the next two months to help distribute the load.  If you are interested in helping contribute to a meal please contact Shelley  – shelleydarling (at)yahoo.ca.

DECA Tree Group

The new DECA TREE GROUP meets this Thursday July 19 at 7 p.m. at Relish (back room). New members welcome!  We are hoping to get the group started on some projects, big and small. If you have time before the group meets, please read Every Tree Counts: A Portrait of Toronto’s Urban Forest.  This will help us make a plan for enhancing the tree canopy in our fabulous neighbourhood. If you can’t read it in time, please come anyway. There are many ways to get involved. We especially need to get water to our newest local trees.  Hope to see you there!

DECA Trees

DECA is re-establishing its urban forestry group – DECA Trees.  A few tree-minded folks have come together to put some energy into making our trees healthy and vibrant. The first of the tree posts is below.  If you would like to get involved or know more about this group, contact Anne at ratherbeinagarden@gmail.com

Did you know that trees grow at night?

And to make that happen you have to water your local trees, especially the young ones (and maybe the poor dying tree down the block too).

Young Trees

Trees didn’t grow up wanting to be jammed into a barren hard packed narrow boulevard in the city  with dogs peeing on them- but here they are. You can’t correct the where- but you can help them survive and grow. Young trees need to be watered 2-3 times a week.

The finger test:  Stick your newly manicured nail a few inches into the ground near the tree. If it doesn’t feel damp – it needs water. You can also do a visual check and to see if  the leaves are wilting. If they are, the tree is in distress and should be watered a.s.a.p.

How Much? 

For a small tree- about 8-10 litres (about 2 gallons )  2-3 times a week. How hard is that?  It’s a great kid summer project and it’s very rewarding. The first year the tree is madly trying to establish a root system. Next year stand back and watch that tree grow ! (keep watering though).

Because of the narrow hard packed boulevard into which so many trees are planted the water will likely roll into the street, and not soak into the ground . You’ll have to use a drip method.  A hose left on a drip will give you enough water in about 20-60  minutes to adequately water the tree. Ideally water at the drip line. (The drip line is the area under the outer edge of the tree branches. There are tiny roots here that take up water for the tree as it drips off the leaves.)  Trunks don’t need water and wetting them can cause fungus growth and rot.

There – you’re done!  2-3 times a week.  Encourage your neighbour to do the same. And water other street trees that are being neglected. Here’s the bonus…carrying watering cans is great way to tone the triceps!