Home Calendar

Arts/Crafts

Custer’s Spring Arts & Crafts Show - March 7-9. 36th annual event. Features more than 300 professional artists and crafters. Friday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Spokane County Fair and Expo Center, 404 N. Havana St., Spokane Valley. $7, good all weekend; free, age 12 and younger. (509) 924-0588.

Rings & Things Bead Show - Thousands of bead strands: silver, glass, gemstones, trade beads and more. Incredible selection of unique gemstone beads including new stones and shapes not available online. A wide selection of popular findings, tools, books and crystals. March 9, 11 a.m., Mirabeau Hotel and Convention Center, 1100 N. Sullivan Road, Spokane Valley. Free admission. (800) 366-2156.

CVHS Arts and Crafts Show - March 15-16. Crafts and baked goods, sponsored by CVHS Band Boosters. Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Central Valley High School, 821 S. Sullivan Road, Spokane Valley. $2 admission. (509) 228-5100.

55th Annual Gem, Jewelry and Mineral Show - March 28-30. The show will feature 40 dealers and 60 displays of precious and semi precious stones, fossils, specimens, beautiful jewelry and more. It will also include demonstrations and children’s activities. Presented by Rock Rollers of Spokane. Hours are Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Spokane County Fair and Expo Center, 404 N. Havana St., Spokane Valley. $6/adults, $5/seniors and military, free/age 12 and younger and Scouts in uniform; free parking and admission is good all weekend. (509) 891-6533.

Altered Book Making - 2014 Spokane Art School workshop. This class with Dina Fernandez teaches you the steps on how to put together an altered book using paint, paper, photos and odds and ends. Please bring any book with a hard sturdy cover and back such as a children’s book or journal. Paint brushes, glue, paper and pictures. Registration is required for all classes. Saturdays, April 19-May 3, noon-2 p.m. For age 18 and older. Spokane Art School, 809 W. Garland Ave. $73. (509) 325-3001.

Home/Garden

Community Library Network Upcoming Programs - Thursday, Perennial Flowers, 6-8 p.m. Learn how to plan, plant and grow perennial flowers, including bulbs and even some beautiful herbs; March 13: Rock Gardens, 6-8 p.m. Learn how to create one of these easy care gardens that are primarily drought tolerant and pest free. Free, registration required. Athol Library, 30399 Third St., Athol, Idaho. (208) 683-2979

Spokane’s 36th Annual Home & Yard Show - Continues through today. Presented by Jim Custer Enterprises. Featuring displays and demonstrations with home and yard-related products, services and improvements. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Spokane County Fair and Expo Center, 404 N. Havana St., Spokane Valley. $7/good all weekend; children age 12 and younger free. (509) 924-0588.

Horticulture Workshops - The University of Idaho Extension presents the 2014 Idaho Master Gardener’s Annual Horticulture Workshops: Monday from 6-8 p.m. or Saturday from 1-3 p.m., $10; March 10, Basic Gardening for Northern Idaho, 6-8 p.m., $10; March 17, Tree ID, 6-8 p.m., $10; March 24, The Art of Composting, 6-8 p.m., $10; March 31, Hunting for Wild Mushrooms in Northern Idaho, 6-8 p.m., $10; April 7, Ice Age Floods, 6-8 p.m., $10; April 14, Plants and Clean Water: Creating Rain Gardens, Native Gardens and Protecting the Aquifer and Surface Water, 6-8 p.m., $10. Registration is recommended; class sizes are limited. University of Idaho Kootenai County Extension Office, 1808 N. Third St., Coeur d’Alene. (208) 446-1680.

Logger Education to Advance Professionalism - March 18-19 in Sandpoint, March 25-26 in St. Maries and March 27-28 in Orofino and April 1-2 in Moscow. Register for these classes at UI extension office in each county. University of Idaho Kootenai County Extension Office, 1808 N. Third St., Coeur d’Alene. $45/advance, $48/online. (208) 446-1680.

Backyard Conservation Stewardship Program - The Backyard Conservation Stewardship Program is back by popular demand! Sign up today atwww.sccd.org/education.html. Advance registration is required and registration will not be available at the door. A limited number of scholarships are available for veterans. Wednesdays in March from 5:30-8 p.m. This program will feature tips for landscaping with native plants, xeriscaping, soil health, permaculture, trees, organic gardening, composting, attracting pollinators, landscaping for wildlife and more. Training is provided by local experts from several organizations. Snacks and prizes provided. Spokane County Conservation District, 210 N. Havana St., Spokane Valley. $25. (509) 535-7274.

“Growing a Garden City” - The next meeting of the Inland Empire Gardeners introduces Jeremy N. Smith, author of “Growing a Garden City,” as he speaks on unlocking people power for positive change through local food, farms and gardens. Smith will share surprising, inspiring stories from his book, in which 15 main characters he calls the “new faces of local food” –a troubled teen, a grandmother of 20, a homeless shelter chef, a single mother, a food bank officer, an entire first grade class, and more – transformed themselves and their neighborhoods through the intersection of agriculture and community, and discuss larger lessons for “growing together” in Spokane and beyond. Thursday, 6:30 p.m., CenterPlace, 2426 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley. Free. (509) 535-8434.

Beginning Bird Watching Classes - For ages 8-80 sponsored by Friends of Turnbull and Spokane Audubon Society. The classes will include binocular instruction and practice, field guides, birds at Turnbull and more. Classes are Saturday, April 5, May 3, June 7 or July 12, from 9-11 a.m. Registration and payment is required with participant information and check to “Friends of Turnbull,” c/o D. Burt, 3312 E. Donora Ct., Spokane, WA 99223. Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, Classroom, 26010 S. Smith Road, Cheney. $5/person, $10/family. (509) 448-0659.

Spokane’s Champion and Historic Trees - History of our local trees presented by Ed Lester, Spokane County-WSU Master Gardener. Third annual Speaker Series hosted by Inland Northwest Land Trust. March 11, 7-8:30 p.m., Community Building, 35 W. Main Ave. Free. (509) 328-2939.

Propagation from Seeds & Cuttings - Backyard Bounty - Spring Gardening Series. Learn how to grow from seeds with or without a greenhouse and how to get new plants from cuttings. March 13, 7 p.m., North Spokane Library, 44 E. Hawthorne Road. Free. (509) 893-8350.

Tree Identification Workshop - Register by March 11. Two-hour workshop “Identifying Idaho’s trees” focuses on the state’s most common native trees. March 17, 6-8 p.m., University of Idaho Kootenai County Extension Office, 1808 N. Third St. $10. (208) 446-1680.

Spoils to Soils: Home Composting - Learn how to turn your kitchen and yard waste into a rich soil amendment through backyard composting. This class will cover the basics of home composting whether it is in your yard or in your house using a worm bin. Presenter Kris Major is a Master Composter/Recycler. March 18, 6-7:30 p.m., South Hill Library, 3324 S. Perry St. Free.

Propagation from Seeds & Cuttings - Spring Gardening Series. March 19, 7 p.m., Spokane Valley Library, 12004 E. Main Ave., Spokane Valley. Free. (509) 893-8400.

Tree-planting Workshops - Registration due March 14 for the workshops March 21 at the Bonner County Fairgrounds in Sandpoint; and March 22 at the Federal Building on the corner of Seventh Street and College Avenue in St. Maries. Both classes are 1-5 p.m. $10. (208) 446-1460.

Kinnikinnick Native Plant Society - “Native Flora and Fauna - A Perfect Match,” presented by Kathleen St. Clair-McGee. March 22, 9:45-11:30 a.m., Sandpoint Community Hall, 204 S. First Ave., Sandpoint. Free. (208) 627-3292.

Vegetable Gardening 101 - Backyard Bounty - Spring Gardening Series. Basic info on design, soil prep, planting, watering, fertilizing and when to harvest. March 27, 7 p.m., North Spokane Library, 44 E. Hawthorne Road. Free. (509) 893-8350.

Associated Garden Club - The 2013-2014 list of meetings for the Members of the Associated Garden Clubs of Spokane are as follows: March 28, Chickens in the Urban Backyard; April 25, Lilac Princess Introductions and Hoop Gardens; May 12, Lilac Luncheon; May 23, Potluck; May 27-28, Plant Sale. For more information call (509) 838-3705 or (509) 260-5503. Manito Park, Manito Garden Meeting Room, east of the greenhouse, 4 W. 21st Ave.

Idaho Forest Master Steward Applications Due - Application deadline is April 1 for the University of Idaho training program that will take place in four, one-day sessions between April-September. For more information contact the UI Extension Office. University of Idaho Kootenai County Extension Office, UI Extension Office, 1808 N. Third St., Coeur d’Alene. (208) 446-1680.

Vegetable Gardening 101 - Spring Gardening Series. April 2, 7 p.m., Spokane Valley Library, 12004 E. Main Ave., Spokane Valley. Free. (509) 893-8400.

SCD Tree Sale and Surplus Sale - Place an order before March 14, or shop on the pick-up days. The annual tree sale accepts online orders, has an emphasis on edible species. The featured species this year are Giant Chinese Silver Grass, a tall ornamental grass, sold in a one-gallon pot for $8 each, and Rocky Mountain Juniper superstock, sold in a 20-cubic-inch plug for $3 each. Both species are great for making screens, prefer full sun, are drought tolerant and are highly adaptable. Visit www.sccd.org to order. For more information on the annual Tree and Shrub Seedling Sale, email treesale@sccd.org or call. April 4, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Spokane County Conservation District, District, 210 N. Havana. (509) 535-7274.

Sandpoint Earth Day Celebration - Food, live music, demonstrations, children’s crafts, wildlife displays and displays from a big variety of local organizations doing good things for the planet. April 19, noon, Forrest M. Bird Charter School, 614 S. Madison St, Sandpoint. Free. (208) 265-9565.

Pets

Pet Science Saturday at Mobius - Mobius Science Center and SpokAnimal are teaming up to present a family-friendly pet extravaganza. Admission is free for the adoption and vet clinic sections of the center. For other Pet Science Saturday events, the price of a Mobius day pass. Pet Science Saturday entertainment will include a full day of events and programs for science and animal lovers including: Ruff Revue Dancing Dog Troupe performances; photos and snuggles with Chance, the world’s cutest burro (by donation to Rough Chance Horse Rescue); Spokane Police Department’s K-9 Unit demonstrations; goofy cat portraits with shelter kitties, up close microscope encounters with pet parasites. Plus, SpokAnimal will have dozens of cats and dogs for adoption and an on-site urban vet clinic with professional staff performing low-cost rabies vaccines ($14) and micro-chip implants ($10) for cats and dogs. Vet clinic hours will be from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and an admission ticket to Mobius is not required. Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Mobius Science Center, 811 W. Main St. $10/adults, $7 children age 3-18, free/age 2 and younger. (509) 321-7133.

Divino Fashion Runway Show - Opens with Canines on the Catwalks. Proceeds from the show will go to SpokAnimal C.A.R.E. Shop, drink, and enjoy entertainment along with exquisite fashions and the most adorable dogs you have ever seen! March 21, 6 p.m., Service Station, 9315 N. Nevada St. $30/advance, $35/door; students $15/advance, $18/door, free/age 5 and younger. (509) 850-0737.

Backyard Chickens - Have you ever wondered about having chickens at home and being able to harvest fresh eggs? Paul and Susan Puhek from S&P Homestead Farm will share their knowledge of the world of backyard chickens. You’ll leave with a ton of tips and practical advice plus an understanding of what’s needed to take on this rewarding venture. March 24, 6-7:45 p.m., South Hill Library, 3324 S. Perry St. Free.