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Bangor

Woolie events at library

Shepherd, spinner and knitter Sally Michaud of Vassalboro will give a “woolie” demonstration for children at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 31, in the Story Room of the library.

Plant sale

Mabel Wadsworth Women’s Health Center will hold its annual plant sale 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, May 31, at Grace United Methodist Church, 193 Union St. A large number of perennials from day lilies to yarrow will be available. A selection of shrubs, vegetable seedlings, herbs, annuals and house plants also will be for sale.

Several local nurseries have donated gift certificates worth more than $100 that will be raffled.

The sale will take place rain or shine.

Guest night

The Heart of Maine Chorus will hold a guest night for women who want to sing four-part harmony a cappella at 7 p.m. Monday, June 2, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, corner of Grandview Avenue and Essex Street.

Adoption information

The Bangor office of the Department of Health and Human Services will hold a public informational meeting about adoption and foster care 1-3 p.m. Friday, June 13, in Bangor. For meeting location and to participate, call A Family For ME at 877-505-0545.

Art at the library

The art students of Bangor High School are showing their work in June at the Bangor Public Library in the Library’s Lecture Hall and Stairwell Gallery. The exhibit opening takes place 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, June 4, in the Lecture Hall, and is open to the public.

Earl Dotter’s photographs are being shown in the exhibit “Farmworkers Feed Us All,” in the Bangor Public Library’s Reading Room until June 30.

An internationally known photojournalist, Dotter has worked extensively with migrant populations in Maine. His photos and the quotations that accompany them focus on the state’s wild blueberry, apple, broccoli, egg and cranberry harvesters. The purpose of the exhibit is to encourage awareness and discussion about the occupational, cultural and personal challenges and hazards faced by Maine’s migrant farmworkers and growers. “Farmworkers Feed Us All” is funded by the Maine Migrant Health Program, the Harvard School of Public Health, the Maine Department of Labor, The Maine Initiatives Harvest Fund and private donors.

The fiber art of Anita McCormick is being shown in the Bangor Public Library’s Reading Room Showcase. A decided theme to her works – namely cats – led to an invitation for Henry, a 3-D fiber artist who specializes in sculpture, to share the showcase with McCormick. Henry is the first cat to have his work shown at the Bangor Public Library.

Hermon

Bountiful Basket Bingo

Bountiful Basket Bingo is set for 1 p.m. Sunday, June 1, at the Hermon High School gymnasium. The event will benefit Project Graduation 2011. Doors open at noon when two large baskets will be raffled.

Advance tickets are $10 for 15 games, $12 at the door. Tickets are available by calling 848-3791, 848-3027, 848-3772 or 884-8533. Tickets also are available at Aubuchon Hardware, Penobscot Plaza, Bangor; and Columbia Psychology Associates, 82 Columbia St., Suite 301, Bangor.

Stillwater

‘Iris eyes’ are smiling

The Penobscot County Master Gardeners will hold their first evening garden program for the season at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 17, at the Master Gardener demonstration garden at the University of Maine Rogers Farm in Stillwater.

A new iris display has been installed at the demonstration garden. Mary Betts, of Snow Brook Gardens in Parkman, coordinated the donation of 135 plants. She and several other members of the Maine Iris Society donated plants.

In the April Maine Iris Society Newsletter, Betts described the new planting in the demonstration garden:

“The iris garden is two crescents, each 50 feet long, with three rows of plants. Siberians and species varieties are on the outside edges, and the Japanese and tall Siberians are in the center row. Many are new and older Maine introductions, and many are national award winners, and sometimes both. We had a total of 135 plants of 89 different cultivators. There were many larger clumps, so there will be flowering this year, and through time, should become even more and more beautiful. This is possibly the most diverse iris display garden in Maine for the public to visit.”

Betts will lead the free program on June 17, including a tour of the iris beds and Betts’ thoughts on iris culture and use in the landscape.

Participants are encouraged to tour the demonstration garden to see the new plots for 2008. For information, contact Penobscot County Extension office at 942-7396 or 800-287-1485.

Orono

Vincent Hartgen biography

A public reception will introduce “Vincent Andrew Hartgen: His Art and Legacy” 3-4 p.m. Monday, June 2, at Dirigo Pines Retirement Community in Orono. The book is the subject of a new biography and art monograph by Maine arts essayist Carl Little and the artists’ sons David and Stephen Hartgen.

Readers will be impressed with the numerous watercolors and drawings of the late Hartgen over his lifetime including landscapes and seascapes of the Maine coast, woods and fields, and more than 40 drawings by the artist.

Vincent Hartgen founded the University of Maine Art Department, the University of Maine Museum of Art, and advanced arts in the state. Stephen Hartgen will make a presentation at the reception. The public is welcome to attend.

Scout-planned event

Ashley Nickerson of Greenbush is working on her Girl Scout Gold Award. She is organizing an event to take place at noon Sunday, June 1, at Orono High School. The event is free and open to all.

Activities planned for the event are tie-dying, jewelry making, seed planting, henna tattoos, face painting, scrapbooking, information on multiple sclerosis, a bake sale and silent auction.

A band concert will take place at 4 p.m. with music provided by several bands.

Care of antique textiles

Antique textile care and preservation is the topic of the brown bag lecture at noon Friday, May 30, at the University of Maine Page Farm and Home Museum.

Susan Smith, registrar at the museum and the Hudson Museum will talk about antique textiles and how age, environmental conditions and handling can affect the condition of textiles. Special care ensures long-term preservation, according to Smith.

She will discuss environment, light, temperature and relative humidity, cleaning, handling, display, storage and when to consult with a textile conservator.

Dana Lippitt, curator of the Bangor Museum and History Center, will join Smith to offer a demonstration on making padded hangers.

Smith holds a master’s degree in museum studies and studied fashion design in New York at Parsons School of Design, now called Parsons The New School for Design. She is the former curator of the Bangor Museum and History Center, which has a collection of more than 600 textiles.

The talk is sponsored by Foxcroft Veterinary Services. Participants are invited to bring along a brown bag lunch.

Writing, drawing workshops

Fields Pond Nature Center in Holden will sponsor writing and drawing workshops at the Orono Bog Boardwalk. The schedule is:

. Drawing Nature at the Orono Bog, 9-11 a.m. Sunday, June 1. Leaders will be Travis Baker and Joni Dunn. The workshop is open to adults and children. The cost is $8 for Audubon members, $10 for others. Advance registration required, 989-2591, htwining@maineaudubon.org.

Travis Baker will instruct participants on capturing the essence of the bog plants with a sketchpad and pencil, taking time to focus on the details. Joni Dunn, volunteer Audubon naturalist, will remark on the abundant facets of nature at the bog. Bring favorite art supplies and a creative spirit.

. Nature Writing at the Orono Bog, 9-11 a.m. Saturday, June 7. Workshop leader will be Holly Twining. The workshop is open to adults and children. The cost is $8 for Audubon members, $10 for others. Advance registration required, 989-2591 or htwining@maineaudubon.org.

The workshop will focus on using all five senses and the imagination. Participants will be given writing exercises and time to draft a quick story, poem or essay on their own. The group will be given the option to share their work.

Areawide

Arbor Week in Maine

Gov. John E. Baldacci joined Maine students, municipal officials and others on May 19, at a State House celebration to mark the beginning of Arbor Week in Maine.

Since 1978, Maine has recognized the third week in May as Arbor Week. This year’s theme was “Planting trees to fight global warming.”

According to the Maine Forest Service, forest products are a $6 billion-per-year industry in Maine, employing more than 25,000 workers. Outdoor recreation and the fall changes in Maine foliage are important to tourism, Maine’s largest industry.

The State House celebration concluded with awards recognizing individuals and municipalities active in promoting tree management.

Municipalities that participate in Tree City USA received awards: Auburn, Augusta, Bangor, Bath, Camden, Farmington, Hallowell, Hampden, Kennebunkport, Lewiston, Orono, Portland, South Portland, Waterville, Westbrook and Yarmouth.

Tree City USA is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation. Member communities meet standards for community tree management.