BEST FAMOUS ALASKA POET BET: Homer will have a chance on Sunday evening to hear from one of the stars in Alaska's literary firmament renowned sourdough poet John Haines. The Betster understands that Haines found his muse living in a remote cabin without modern conveniences. No, people, we're not talking about out East End Road. Anyway, over the years he has woven his Alaska experiences into a rich and award-winning body of work. He is currently the writer in residence at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and when he's not helping to forge a new generation of Alaska wordsmiths, Haines divides his time between Alaska and Montana. He will read on Sunday at the Bunnell Street Gallery, beginning at 5 p.m. The is no charge for admission.

BEST CHECK OUT THE ART BET: Artistic inspiration can strike us at any age, just ask Mozart, who was writing top 40 hits at three years old, or Ansel Adams, who was churning out museum-gift-shop-quality posters long after his death. And given the wide range of students from high schoolers to retired fishermen attending Homer's campus of the University of Alaska Anchorage, the Student Art Showcase, which opens on Friday from 5-7 p.m. at the Kachemak Bay Campus just might feature a masterpiece or three. The show will be up through May 8.

BEST TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAMES BET: Down in the big cities of America The Beautiful, it is apparently a tradition to skip school for the home opener of your favorite baseball team (not that the Betster has ever skipped school or would advocate such heinous truancy on a spectacular spring day). So with the Homer High School softball season kicking off Friday afternoon, it is time to get out the Crackerjack and head out to cheer the girls of spring. All the school principals in town can relax because the game, to be played against the Wasilla Warriors at Karen Hornaday field, gets under way at 5 p.m., well after schools let out. The Mariner softballers will play a doubleheader against Colony on Saturday. Game times are noon and 2 p.m. If the soccer pitch is more to your liking, the Mariners soccer teams also open their home schedules on Saturday, with the girls kicking off at 10 a.m. and the boys at noon.

BEST PERFORMANCE JUBILATION BET: On Friday, the annual youth performance "Jubilee!" will once again light up the Mariner Theatre. The 7 p.m. performance, which will feature musical and performance art pieces, costs $10 general admission, $8 for Homer Council on the Arts members, $20 for a family up to four, and $5 for anyone under 18.

BEST THERE'S A RINGING IN MY SOUL BET: A pair of local hand bell choirs, Harmony Ringers and Jubilation, will perform a public concert on Sunday at the United Methodist Church. Beginning at 4 p.m., the performance will blend English hand bell and choral music.

BEST LET A LOCAL WRITER INSPIRE BET: There are rumors going around that this little seaside burg has a robust community of writers. If you doubt it, check out the results of the Kenai Peninsula Writers Contest published in a special Homer News section April 17. Better yet, the Betster recommends that you get your literary selves over to the Kachemak Bay Conservation Society on Friday at 6:30 p.m. for a potluck and literature program that will feature readings from Pushcart Prize-winning author Nancy Lord and Rebecca Yates, who won a poetry prize in the Kenai Peninsula Writers Contest. For more information, call 235-3610.

BEST GIT ALONG TO THE BIKE RODEO BET: That annual spring spectacular known as the Safe Kids Fair, brought to you by South Peninsula Hospital and the Safe Kids Coalition of Homer, will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday at Homer High School. As usual it features those daring, tough-as-nails youngsters of the bike rodeo (bring a helmet if your kid wants to ride because some of those bikes can be ornery.) There will also be a fire safety puppet show, a water safety session, a visit from Iditarod legend Libby Riddles and so much more. Call 235-0258 for details.

Ah spring. That special time of year when the mud resurfaces, with the promise of fireweed and green leafy things. The telephone birds have begun calling in the forest (no word if their thrush friends picked up). And all that cabin fever time spent practicing your craft, whatever craft that may be, finally comes to fruition, when projects and works of art are hatched to the light of day like an overdue mail-order duckling. In the spring, artists of every ilk emerge from seclusion, pasty as they want to be, and find places to showcase their work. So it is that this weekend features a fine selection of opportunities to see a wide variety of creative ventures.

BEST FAMOUS ALASKA POET BET: Homer will have a chance on Sunday evening to hear from one of the stars in Alaska's literary firmament renowned sourdough poet John Haines. The Betster understands that Haines found his muse living in a remote cabin without modern conveniences. No, people, we're not talking about out East End Road. Anyway, over the years he has woven his Alaska experiences into a rich and award-winning body of work. He is currently the writer in residence at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and when he's not helping to forge a new generation of Alaska wordsmiths, Haines divides his time between Alaska and Montana. He will read on Sunday at the Bunnell Street Gallery, beginning at 5 p.m. The is no charge for admission.

BEST CHECK OUT THE ART BET: Artistic inspiration can strike us at any age, just ask Mozart, who was writing top 40 hits at three years old, or Ansel Adams, who was churning out museum-gift-shop-quality posters long after his death. And given the wide range of students from high schoolers to retired fishermen attending Homer's campus of the University of Alaska Anchorage, the Student Art Showcase, which opens on Friday from 5-7 p.m. at the Kachemak Bay Campus just might feature a masterpiece or three. The show will be up through May 8.

BEST TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAMES BET: Down in the big cities of America The Beautiful, it is apparently a tradition to skip school for the home opener of your favorite baseball team (not that the Betster has ever skipped school or would advocate such heinous truancy on a spectacular spring day). So with the Homer High School softball season kicking off Friday afternoon, it is time to get out the Crackerjack and head out to cheer the girls of spring. All the school principals in town can relax because the game, to be played against the Wasilla Warriors at Karen Hornaday field, gets under way at 5 p.m., well after schools let out. The Mariner softballers will play a doubleheader against Colony on Saturday. Game times are noon and 2 p.m. If the soccer pitch is more to your liking, the Mariners soccer teams also open their home schedules on Saturday, with the girls kicking off at 10 a.m. and the boys at noon.

BEST PERFORMANCE JUBILATION BET: On Friday, the annual youth performance "Jubilee!" will once again light up the Mariner Theatre. The 7 p.m. performance, which will feature musical and performance art pieces, costs $10 general admission, $8 for Homer Council on the Arts members, $20 for a family up to four, and $5 for anyone under 18.

BEST THERE'S A RINGING IN MY SOUL BET: A pair of local hand bell choirs, Harmony Ringers and Jubilation, will perform a public concert on Sunday at the United Methodist Church. Beginning at 4 p.m., the performance will blend English hand bell and choral music.

BEST LET A LOCAL WRITER INSPIRE BET: There are rumors going around that this little seaside burg has a robust community of writers. If you doubt it, check out the results of the Kenai Peninsula Writers Contest published in a special Homer News section April 17. Better yet, the Betster recommends that you get your literary selves over to the Kachemak Bay Conservation Society on Friday at 6:30 p.m. for a potluck and literature program that will feature readings from Pushcart Prize-winning author Nancy Lord and Rebecca Yates, who won a poetry prize in the Kenai Peninsula Writers Contest. For more information, call 235-3610.

BEST GIT ALONG TO THE BIKE RODEO BET: That annual spring spectacular known as the Safe Kids Fair, brought to you by South Peninsula Hospital and the Safe Kids Coalition of Homer, will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday at Homer High School. As usual it features those daring, tough-as-nails youngsters of the bike rodeo (bring a helmet if your kid wants to ride because some of those bikes can be ornery.) There will also be a fire safety puppet show, a water safety session, a visit from Iditarod legend Libby Riddles and so much more. Call 235-0258 for details.