Homer's best bets</MCC HEAD>

Story last updated at 1:04 p.m. Thursday, July 31, 2003

Homer's best bets
If you stumble outside after midnight assuming the big cloud umbrella has folded up you might notice a big red dot in the sky. Approaching alien mothership? A tear in the cosmic fiber of the space-time continuum? Nope. It's just our neighbor in the cosmos, Mars, working its way to the closest it has been since 57,537 B.C. Come Aug. 27 about 12:51 a.m. Mars will be 34.65 million miles from Earth a mere hop, skip and a jump in cosmic terms. Better start walking now.

Which is all the more reason to celebrate the coming darkness. Oh, sure, you can't go fishin' after midnight. You might need a flashlight when stumbling to the outhouse. The old rule of "kids, get home when the streetlights come on" might apply at the way-early hour of 11 p.m. So? Haven't we been burning the candle at both ends? Maybe it's time to slow down and relax. Embrace the night! Carpe noctem! Look up to the deep velvet sky and fall into the mystery of our vast universe. And when you're done philosophizin' and stuff, check out some of these Best Bets:

BEST 20 YEARS AND COUNTING BET: One hundred years, 20 what is this, the week of birthdays? Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic celebrates its 20th anniversary with a membership drive and barbecue from 5-8 p.m. Sunday at Two Sisters Bakery on Bunnell Avenue. Admission is $15 and includes membership.

BEST A CLEAN, WELL LIGHTED PLACE BET: Soon enough Homer's lost and abandoned critters will have a better place to stay while hoping to be found. You can hasten that day's arrival by going to Supporting Our Shelter's "biggest, bestest garage sale ever" from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday at the Kachemak Community Center, Mile 3 East End Road.

BEST AS OLD AS BOB HOPE BET: Around about the time Ol' Ski Nose himself was born, so did the first National Wildlife Refuge at Pelican Island, Fla. come into being. The Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge hold a Centennial Celebration from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday at the Kenai Peninsula State Fairgrounds, Ninilchik, to celebrate 100 years of national wildlife refuges.

BEST SKINNY SKEETER BET: Did you miss the blood drive in Ninilchik last week? You have another chance to donate your sacred bodily fluids at a blood drive from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday at South Peninsula Hospital.

BEST YAHOO KIDS BET: Yup, Sunday is National Kids Day, and to celebrate, the Homer Boys and Girls Club holds a family celebration from noon-3 p.m. Sunday at Bishop's Beach with kite-making, games, bubbles, hot dogs and lemonade.

BEST EAT LOCALLY BET: Now that the harvest is in, with fresh veggies ripe for the pickin' out of the back garden, we can celebrate meals created totally of locally grown or caught food. Come share your recipes and dishes when the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies holds a "Garden to Gourmet" potluck dinner at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Wynn Nature Center, East Skyline Drive.

BEST DRESSAGE BET: While at the Wildlife Refuge Birthday Bash, why not check out the Kenai Peninsula 4-H District Horse Show? It starts at 9:30 a.m. Saturday and continues 10 a.m. Sunday at the Ninilchik Fairgrounds.

BEST PROFESSOR SNAPE BET: Harry Porter hates this subject, but if you're into potions no, not the magic kind listen to Elizabeth Neumann explain how to make "Soaps, Lotions and Potions" at 7 p.m. today at the Wynn Nature Center on East Skyline Drive.

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