Set the dial to winter, and get outside. Learn something new, think for yourself, find a different pathway. The weather is sure to change; enjoy the day.

“Horse owners have long understood the value of rehabilitation in restoring an injured animal to health as have sporting dog enthusiasts. It's only recently … that the interest in physical therapy for pets has exploded.”

– bit.ly/GoodForDogs

Good ideas to take home will be found at the Sunday, Jan. 31, Canine Physical Rehabilitation & the Family Dog – a fun, informative, and interactive seminar with Kim MacDonald, DVM, cVMA, CCRP, Jill Bruno, CVT, CCRP, hosted by Lock, Stock, & Barrel in Bethany, Conn., starting at 1 p.m. Physical rehabilitation in canines (as well as other species) involves non-invasive exercises to relieve pain, increase mobility, and allow for a return to as normal a function as possible following an injury, surgery, or when your pet has a chronic physically debilitating condition. Call (203) 393-0002 for information and to give them a head count if you are attending.

Register early for Introduction to Beekeeping, Feb. 17, 1 p.m., Stamford Museum & Nature Center, 39 Scofieldtown Rd., Stamford. Not ready to keep your own bees, but you're curious and want to be part of the solution? Are you afraid of bees or think you may be allergic? This workshop is for you. Beekeeper Tim Cerniglia of Beekind Farms will introduce friendly and productive pollinators and talk about a season of beekeeping. Bee products from the hive, demonstration hives, and beekeeping equipment on display. Pre-registration and pre-payment are required, and an early event sold out quickly. Adults only; fee is $65. Here is the link to get your ticket.

Ground Hog Parade, Sunday, Jan. 31, Ferry St., Essex. Round up pots and pans and wooden spoons to help make a ruckus and wake up “Essex Ed” (he is a really big groundhog). The fun starts at 2 p.m.; call (860) 767-3904 for details.
 

A room of glass where plants once grew was part of poet Emily Dickinson's world. Help restore it for visitors and posterity.

“If you look closely at the photo, you can see brickwork beneath the window that shows where that doorway was sealed over around 1916, after the conservatory was taken down. The Emily Dickinson Museum will be re-opening that doorway … in 2016.” To donate to the Conservatory Restoration Fund, contact the development office at (413) 542-5084 or development@EmilyDickinsonMuseum.org.

For those who are passionate gardeners, consider reading Emily Dickinson's Gardens: A Celebration of a Poet and Gardener by Marta McDowell, an author who has this quote on her Good Reads page: “I am intrigued by writers who garden and gardeners who write. The pen and the trowel are not interchangeable, but seem often linked.” The volume is chockfull of excerpts of Dickinson's writing, historical details on the poet's life and gardens, plus design ideas, plant sources, and growing tips. Great inspiration to visit or for your own garden.

Wolf to Woof: The Story of Dogs, Saturday, ongoing through May 12, at The Springfield Museums, 21 Edwards St., Mass. This is a traveling exhibition on the history, biology and evolution of dogs with multi-media displays, artifacts, photo murals, dioramas. Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fee for museum is $18; add $5 for this special exhibit.

The Connecticut Aquatic Resources Education (CARE) program is offering free family ice fishing classes. Learn about ice safety, ice fishing equipment and bait, rules and regulations, and how fish behave during the winter. Classes are designed for adults and children 8 years and older. Check out a list of classes, registration information, and our “Let's Go Ice Fishing” video at www.ct.gov/deep/care.

“Local Color: Connecticut Stories” Quilt Exhibit in Guilford, Feb. 5 through Feb. 21, Guilford Art Center 411 Church St. Look over the fabric and stitches that depict historical points of interest, personal journey stories, natural and architectural works associated with Connecticut. The opening reception is Friday, Feb. 5, 5 to 7 p.m.; free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.