We do need a bit of color, don’t we? Sand-covered snow, dingy yards, maybe Wednesday’s storm will add just the touch needed. On the other hand, how about picturing bright summer colors, like sunflowers maybe. The Community Association is hoping everyone interested in the craft workshop on February 15 will call Emily Adler at 207-882-9804 or email Susan Bowditch at susanbowditch@hotmail.com by next Monday, Feb. 10. They’re getting materials together for us to make sunflower wall-hangings, so knowing how many people are coming will be of great help.

Do you get over to Damariscotta? A Food and Farm Film Festival (try saying this fast a few times!) started last week and will continue every Friday for the next six months. The films are free, and are shown Fridays at 7 p.m. at the FARMS Community Kitchen and Food Learning Center, located on the second floor of Rising Tide. Here’s the next Friday film, February 7: “Killer at Large: Why Obesity is America’s Greatest Threat.”

Reading sometimes seems like opening a bag of mixed chocolates: lots of good tastes to choose from, and who can stop? Here’s a little of what our neighbors are reading: Angie Trombley’s read the Complete Sherlock Holmes, which is wonderful, she said. She and Kyle are sharing a book right now called “Cod” by Mark Kurlansky, who also wrote “Salt.” Both are excellent histories. Angie also enjoyed a series called “The Hangman's Daughter,” by Oliver Pötzsch.

Brenda Bonyun’s has recently read “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society” by Mary Ann Shaffer (an amazing story about the Island of Guernsey during German occupation), “Against Medical Advice” by James Patterson (a true story based on a young person’s struggles with an agonizing medical condition), and “Barefoot in Baghdad” by Manal Omar. And after this variety, she’s diving into “The Center of Winter” by Marya Hornbacher about a family’s complex struggles with death.

Some books we seek out, others are left for our taking. Roni DiPietro picked up a book by Lee Child left by a guest, and has been totally hooked on the Jack Reacher series (now up to #14). Another “gift” is the book about the girl who went to prison, “Orange Is The New Black,” Piper Kerman's memoir (a new Netflix TV series). Next up will be “Motherland” by Maria Hummel, a novel inspired by family letters about Nazi Germany towards the end of the World War II, and how people are caught up in everything, just able to take care of themselves to survive.

Gale Swanton’s enjoyed Amy Tan’s “Saving Fish from Drowning” about a group of friends traveling in China and Myanmar. One book on someone’s “to-read” list is “The Invention of Wings” by Sue Monk Kidd, the author of “Secret Life of the Bees.” This is an historical novel set in the South in early 1800s about a daughter who was given a slave as a child, and about the young slave.

Me, I’ve finally swerved away from an unexpected fascination with Scandinavian murder mysteries (yep, the Kurt Wallender books, and thrillers by Stieg Larsson and Jo Nesbø) to catch up with a whole different flavor: Van Reid’s Moosepath series, which is very fun. Great characters and plots, plus Van’s writing about the families and farms, hills, forests, and rivers of neighboring Edgecomb helps us Westporters picture our island back 100 years ago.

Most all of us are big fans of the Wiscasset Library, with excellent new books from the fiction and non-fiction worlds, and shelves and shelves of mysteries and novels. Kinda surprising we don’t bump into each other more often! And there’s also something else in common among Westport readers — occasional piles of 6 to 7 newspapers waiting for time to read them, or “must-have” books overdue or collecting dust.

Looking for your favorite chocolates, I mean, books or films that make you laugh or stretch your world. I’ll definitely read emails to mewbarnes2@yahoo.com or take calls at 207-882-6055.