Homer, Alaska - Announcements - Homer's Best Bets 05/07/08

Story last updated at 11:52 PM on Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Homer's Best Bets

Holy Migration, Betsteroids. Did you see all those long-distance travelers swooping around the Homer Spit, all decked out in bright colors and weary for landfall after a long trip? No, no, the Betster doesn't mean the Statendam cruise ship passengers we're talking shorebirds, seabirds, ducks and geese.

Photo by McKibben Jackinsky
Bristol Johnson, 3, and Lindsey Beatty, 4, prepare to watch "Star of the Sea," a puppet show presented by Birth 2 Three at Paul Banks Elementary School Saturday.

If you passed by Mud Bay or Beluga Slough this week, you might have caught hundreds of international visitors feasting on the mud flats. They don't call dowitchers the sewing machine bird for nothing they're mean, lean, feeding machines the way their heads bob up and down. Out on the slough, you could see four, count 'em, four species of geese, from the bright and showy white-fronted geese to one lone, lost snow goose. All of them have come from lands far, far away, most making a brief fueling stopover on their way to create new little birdies elsewhere in the Arctic.

Ayup, we're getting visitors from many shores this week. If you ran into any of the Statendam passengers or crew and how could you not? you heard Kiwi, Aussie, Japanese, British, Filipino and Canadian accents, eh? The cruisers said they appreciated Homer's hospitality and sunny weather after a long, cold trip over from Russia.

See? As far away as we might be from everywhere else, the world comes to us. We get strangers in this strange land, but like the saying goes, you're only a stranger until we know your name. We'll be meeting a lot of friends this week and over the summer to come. Roll out the red carpet, put on a smile, buy a newcomer a drink and get to know the world, for the world is getting to know us. And hey, what better way to show our new friends the town than with some of these Best Bets?

BEST BIRD BARD BET: Learn about writing for the birds or about them with "Speak for the Peeps Writers Workshop" at 1 p.m. today at the Homer Public Library. Nature writer Nancy Lord conducts the free class.

BEST HEAD BANGER BET: No, not the Head Banger's Ball at 7 p.m. at Armageddon Caf, although, hey, there's another Best Bet. No, we're talking the rough and rowdy Mariners football team. If you've been waiting to see the new George Clooney movie about football in the good old days, check out the 6 p.m. showing Friday night of "Leatherheads" at the Homer Theatre. Proceeds benefit the Homer Mariners.

BEST CHECK IT OUT BET: Seldovians don't have to coordinate a shopping trip to the big city with the Homer Health Fair. This Saturday from 8 a.m.-noon at the Seldovia Conference Center Building, they get a fair of their own. Get low-cost blood and prostate disease tests and free HIV, blood pressure, blood sugar and vision screening.

BEST LOVE YOUR RIVER BET: Nobody likes hauling in what looks like a big beautiful king salmon, only to pull up an old tire. Keep your favorite fishing stream clean with the Anchor Point Chamber of Commerce's Community Cleanup and Anchor River Cleanup starting at 10 a.m. Saturday. Clean up the town, too. Wear hip waders if you're cleaning the stream. Sue Mauger of Cook Inletkeeper does a presentation on climate change.

BEST VOTE EARLY VOTE OFTEN BET: With so many wonderful quilters in town, it'll be hard to pick just one favorite. Try anyway, with the annual Kachemak Bay Quilters Show from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday at the Homer Elks Lodge.

BEST BITE BACK AT BIG OIL BET: Frustrated with rising gas prices? Hey, give up your SUV and start riding a bike. Bike to Work Week starts Monday. Sign up for the Commuter Bike Challenge or register for Bike to Work Day, May 18. The team with the most points wins a prize other than health, fitness, low gas bills and a teeny carbon footprint. Call 235-8812 or visit local bike shops for more info.

BEST PSYCH OUT BET: Want to learn more about the human mind? Check out the Homer High School Psychology Fair from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday, when students present over 35 exhibits all about that little hunk of gray matter between your ears.

BEST CLEAN WATER SMACK DOWN BET: The Clean Water Initiative will either cripple the mining industry or lead to safe, clean mining operations. Hear both sides of the story over the next few weeks. At noon Tuesday for the Homer Chamber of Commerce Luncheon, representatives of NANA Development Corporation a partner in the Red Dog Mine talk about Red Dog and other mines and why they think the Clean Water Initiative is a bad idea.

Homer Alaska - Announcements -