I guess I am just like everyone else in the morning; I enjoy reading the newspaper and drinking my coffee before I start my day. Well, after wading through the numerous full-page ads (don't like them) I spotted the "Ticked Off!" column in last week's Sentinel. Some person who is apparently unfamiliar with Oviedo and its chickens wrote the following:

"The Oviedo chickens stare and make faces at me every time I drive by. It's spooky. Those disease-ridden vermin should be eradicated by the city because they probably have bird flu." I think I would stare at that person too after that remark. Think that person ought to get a life or a hobby of some sort. The city of Oviedo is known for its chickens!

Tomorrow is the big day for Oviedo — The "Taste of Oviedo," our own street festival, runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 18, on Oviedo Boulevard between County Road 419 and Mitchell Hammock Road. This is the event's 15th year, featuring live entertainment, arts and crafts, specialty foods from area restaurants and children's activities including rock climbing and inflatables. The Oviedo Preservation Project will have a citrus and celery cook-off for best recipes using citrus and/or celery. Admission is $2 for adults, $1 for children ages 3 to 12. All-you-can-play wristbands are $5 and that includes admission. For more information, please call 407-278-4871.

Take the "Snakes Alive" class from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 18, at the Ed Yarborough Nature Center, 3485 N. County Road 426, Geneva. This hands-on presentation and interactive hike will teach you about Central Florida's slithering reptiles. There is no charge, but reservations are required. Please call 407-349-0551 to reserve your spot.

There's going to be a great day of golf to raise funds for the Moffitt Cancer Center on Friday, April 24, at Eagle Creek Golf Club, 10350 Emerson Lake Blvd., Orlando. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m., and a shotgun start will tee off at 1:30 p.m. The day will end with dinner, an awards presentation and an auction. Please contact Mo Perez at 407-492-7290 for registration and details.

Please mark your calendars for 7 p.m. Tuesday evening, April 21, for the next general meeting of the Oviedo Historical Society. Our meetings are held in the Memorial Building at 30 S. Central Ave., Oviedo (next to the fire station). Our program for the evening, led by David and Annabelle Tropf, will be our selected guests of local fifth-graders, who will receive the annual Oviedo Historical Society history awards. The meeting is open to the public; light refreshments will be served.

The city of Oviedo and the Oviedo Historical Society are partnering on an event to take place on Monday, April 27, at City Hall Chambers from 9 a.m. to noon. Adults age 65 and up are encouraged to participate in this "video history" session. Participants will have approximately 15 minutes (maximum) to tell "the story of a lifetime." The stories can be a general recording of their life events, or it can be a story about one or two special events. In fact, it can be recorded history of just about anything that they would like to share with others. Hagerty High will be recording the videos. Oviedo High will be conducting the story prompts. This session involves residents age 65 and up and the next session will be youngsters. No city staff time is being requested for this event. City Council has OK'd the event. For more information, call 407-977-5601.

The Artistic Hand Gallery and Studio will be taking registrations for the May-June classes 2009. An example of classes for adults and children are 3-D Sculpture for children, Digital Camera and Photography, Stained Glass, Adult Clay, etc. Interested? Call Del Seaman at the Artistic Hand, 353 N. Central Ave., 407-366-788 for information and registration or e-mail Del at artistichandgallery@yahoo.com.

A bit of April 1909 history from the Florida Times Union newspaper: "Oviedo — The progressive citizens have been interesting themselves for the past week improving the town with new sidewalks and shade trees.

"The quarterly meeting of the Methodist Church closed last Sunday after a week of very interesting services. The local pastor, Rev. McCall, ably assisted their presiding elder, Rev. Lee.

"Baseball enthusiasts are delighted to know that the diamond has been covered with a good coat of clay, which will make the ball ground as good as if not better than that of any town of this size in the state.

"The orange trees here are blooming profusely and a fine crop is expected next fall, unless a drought interferes. At present the rain would be a blessing to all interested in agricultural.

"The Lawton Brothers is the name of a large new store just opened up in the brick block opposite the A.C.L. Depot. Reports indicated that the new firm is doing a very satisfactory business."

A thought — "I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read and all the friends I want to see."

— John Burroughs