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Recently I spent some very pleasant time in the classroom of my children's kindergarten. Mrs. Stone had asked me to come and show her kindergarteners how to plant seeds.

Gerard and Willy Verkaik love open space. And while their children want the couple living close to family, the Verkaiks consider close a relative term. They recently bought a 40-acre property north of Loon Lake off Highway 395. The land is about 30 minutes from their daughter's Colbert home.

Healing gardens should be a part of every health care facility. That's the word from Ann Hanenburg, ASLA, a landscape designer for Sherry Platt Van Voorhis Landscape Architects in Spokane.

Motto ware says it all Vintage motto cups add sentimenal reminders to gifts.

"Spokane wasn't ready for this 20 years ago," says Doug Miller of the new Spokane Park 'n Swap, a European-style outdoor flea and farmers' market, opening Saturday at the corner of Highway 2 and Hawthorne Road in the parking lot of the old Newport Cinemas. Miller tried to pitch the idea to the city 20 years ago, but after Miller had obtained all of the necessary city permits, Spokane City Council voted the idea down in a 4 to 3 vote. Slightly disgruntled, Miller moved away from Spokane and thought he would "come back in 20 years when Spokane caught up."

In Spokane Manito Park: The Lilac Garden is just south of the Duck Pond.

Many of us who share our lives with pets have had the experience of coming back to the house, kennel or yard where we left our pet and finding that they are not there. That sense of dread and worry starts to creep up on us. Most of the time, we find them pretty quickly or discover they were never really gone, only hiding in an unusual place or stuck in a rarely opened closet. But, sometimes a dog goes through an open gate or a cat slips through the door. What should you do?

Quilting for charity is nothing new. American women have been doing it since the founding of the republic, giving away the artistry of their hands to benefit needy recipients or donating or selling it to benefit some worthy cause. Since 1990, the Magnificent Quilting Ladies of Priest Lake, or "Coolin Cutups" as they have been dubbed, have made one glorious hand-made quilt or wall hanging per year to help with the upkeep of the Coolin Civic Center. Some years they've also made a second quilt to raise funds to benefit other Priest Lake causes.

There's something about big, noisy construction equipment that's irresistible to kids. If you have a child (or grandchild) who loves big machines, then this dump truck pedal car project is the perfect way to deliver an oversize load of fun with your next do-it-yourself project. Combining smooth pedal-power and a sturdy frame with a working steering mechanism and dump box, the dump truck was designed with 3- to 6-year-olds in mind. It requires two full sheets of plywood, a few pieces of dimensional lumber, two steel rods and two pieces of flat steel stock. Six wheels, screws and nails, a few assorted pieces of hardware and some paint round out the shopping list.

Pack your binoculars and favorite bird guide: We're going to Leavenworth! We all know Leavenworth for its Bavarian charm, particularly during Christmastime, but spring offers us another reason to visit this quaint Washington town. Springtime in Leavenworth is a beautiful backdrop for bird-watching. The fruit trees are showing off their full blooms into May, and this weekend the town hosts its Fifth Annual Spring Bird Fest. For beginning and expert birders, locals and visitors, friends and families — this event is sure to please.

Dear Collector, I hope you find this dish interesting. It was given to my mother by a neighbor over fifty years ago. The neighbor claimed at the time that it was very old.

Sometimes, it's hard to remember that I once lived in a space inhabited by little ones. Gone are the rattles and blankies and alphabet blocks.

Nothing can be more disturbing than to be awakened in the night by the cry of your female pet as she begins labor contractions, especially if you don't know what to expect. After calling your pet's doctor for emergency assistance, you realize that, with a little advanced preparation and knowledge, this sleepless (and possibly expensive) night could've been avoided.