BACK TO SCHOOL GIVING
With back to school in San Marcos set for Tuesday, Aug. 15, a tradition I like to celebrate is to take a back to school supply list and get the items, and then donate these to one of the area organizations providing assistance to families. Back to school shopping for me as a youngster growing up on the Southside of Chicago was always a time to look forward to, in that I had babysitting funds to use for 64-count crayon boxes and new Shaeffer fountain pens with turquoise ink cartridges, and later, in high school in New Jersey, I had to buy my own school books, as I was a scholarship student at Oak Knoll in Summit, N.J. This weekend local stores will be crowded and staff busy as parents and children go item by item and get ready for the new school year. Think about paying it forward to the car in back of you in a drive-through or if you can help a family in need in paying for supplies. Be extra considerate of those trying to get those lists taken care of this weekend especially. Summer may be winding down but there is still some joy that can be spread around if you are looking for the opportunity.
LOOK TO THE SKIES
The younger version of myself would be gobsmacked to hear of my new interest in bird watching. I really never understood the appeal until recently. It might be that my appreciation of nature has matured with age like a fine wine– another appreciation of mine that is positively correlated with the number of years under my belt. A local birder, Stephen Ramirez, hosts a bird walk that travels through local green spaces, preservers and riverside parks. Be up bright and early because the best bird watching, and this event, occurs right when the sun comes up. There will be ten binoculars available to borrow. No furry friends allowed as they might scare off the birds. The location will be announced today on this facebook group link https://www.facebook.com/ groups/SanMarcosBirdWalk. I imagine all of that walking around in the summer is going to have you working up quite a sweat, so I recommend a dip in the beautiful San Marcos river afterward to cool you off. After that, a nap will probably be in order seeing as it will still be very early.
BACK TO SCHOOL BASH
Tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Southside Community Center and Methodist Healthcare Ministries will host its Back to School Bash on the center’s grounds located at 518 S. Guadalupe St. This event, which is co-sponsored by Texas Preparatory School - San Marcos, will feature free haircuts, bookbags and school supplies, as well as complimentary food and drinks and a special gift distribution. If you happen to be out for the Farmer’s Market on The Square, grab some fresh produce, some pastries and a cup of coffee from the Coffee Bar, then head down to Southside Community Center to support local families getting ready for the 2023-2024 school year. Southside encourages those with school-aged children to arrive early because supplies will be available in limited quantities.
Later in the evening, Wake the Dead Coffeehouse will host its monthly Abracadavar Witches’ Market starting at 5 p.m. In addition to locally-made art and jewelry, this weekend’s market will feature sweets such as candy apples, caramel apples, cakesicles, dipped oreos, pretzel rods and rice crispy treats: perfect to put us in the mood for fall, which I promise is coming and hopefully soon.
