‘Know Flora and Fauna’ this May with Deschutes Public Library
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — From single-celled algae to megafauna that once ruled earth, explore how these organisms create diverse ecosystems. Connect to the world around you through nature journaling and share in the playful and creative experience of Dutch Iris Folding.
Gear up for a guided flora hike through Paulina Creek Preserve and join a tasting of locally crafted botanical spirits. Discover medicinal herbs grown locally and ponder the meaning of ancient petroglyphs and pictographs.
All programs are free and open to the public. Programs marked with an asterisk (*) require registration.
Dutch Iris Folding: A Colorful, Creative Craft*
Thought to have originated in Holland in the 1900s, Dutch Iris Folding is an intricate pattern resembling the iris diaphragm of a camera. Share in the creative folding experience to make custom art. Registration required.
- Tuesday, May 2 • 12:30 p.m. • Sunriver Library | 56855 Venture Lane, Sunriver
- Tuesday, May 2 • 6:00 p.m. • Downtown Bend Library | 601 NW Wall Street, Bend
Spirits Tasting at Gompers Distillery
Enjoy a guided tasting of locally crafted gin and vodka using handpicked Oregon juniper berries, golden pear, and Central Oregon lavender. First come, first served. Limited to first 30 attendees. Ages 21+
- Wednesday, May 3 • 4:00 p.m. • Gompers Distillery | 611 NE Jackpine Court #8, Redmond
Nature Journaling for Beginners*
Learn how to record and sketch the world around you. In this workshop, Lee Kellogg introduces the three element—curiosity, wonder, and attention—that makes nature journaling so fun. Registration required.
- Sunday, May 7 • 10:00 a.m. • Downtown Bend Library | 601 NW Wall Street, Bend
- Wednesday, May 17 • 1:00 p.m. • Sunriver Library | 56855 Venture Lane, Sunriver
Rock Art: More Than Just Images at Sisters Firehouse
Ponder the meaning of petroglyphs and pictographs, images created by Indigenous peoples, with the Archaeological Society of Central Oregon.
- Sunday, May 7 • 3:00 p.m. • Sisters Firehouse Community Hall | 301 S Elm Street, Sisters
Gin Tasting at Oregon Spirit Distillers*
Learn about locally made gin, and how ingredients, types of botanicals, botanical macerations, and distillation methods lend to the uniqueness of each individual gin. Registration required. Ages 21+
- Tuesday, May 9 • 5:00 p.m. • Oregon Spirit Distillers | 740 NE 1st Street, Bend
Medicinal Herbs in Central Oregon
Central Oregon is home to many herbs used by pioneers and Native Americans. Discover the beneficial herbs that could be growing outside your front door with clinical herbalist Holly Hutton.
- Thursday, May 11 • 6:00 p.m. • Downtown Bend Library | 601 NW Wall Street, Bend
- Thursday, May 25 • 6:00 p.m. • Sisters Firehouse Community Hall | 301 S Elm Street, Sisters
William Sullivan's New Hikes in Central Oregon
Author and hiking guru William L. Sullivan takes us on an armchair tour of new or dramatically changed trails between Bend and Eugene. Along the way, expect anecdotes about local history, plants, and outdoor lore.
- Friday, May 12 • 11:00 a.m. • Sisters Firehouse Community Hall | 301 S Elm Street, Sisters
- Friday, May 12 • 4:00 p.m. • Downtown Bend Library | 601 NW Wall Street, Bend
Come to Your Senses at Becky Johnson Center*
Incorporate nature into your writing that employs all five senses. Marina Richie is the author of Halcyon Journey; In Search of the Belted Kingfisher, winner of a 2022 National Outdoor Book Award. Registration required.
- Saturday, May 13 • 1:00 p.m. • Becky Johnson Center Redmond 412 SW 8th Street, Redmond
OSU Cascades Digital Flora & Fauna Reading
Local artists and OSU-Cascades MFA students unveil a new collaborative digital project that exemplifies flora and fauna found throughout Deschutes County. Attend this program in-person or online via Zoom.
- Wednesday, May 17 • 6:00 p.m. • Downtown Bend Library | 601 NW Wall Street, Bend
Regenerative Viticulture at Arome*
Learn about conservation and rehabilitation in agriculture featuring wines from around the world. Sample wines paired with light snacks while we talk about the benefits of promoting biodiversity in a vineyard. Registration required. Ages 21+
- Thursday, May 18 • 5:30 p.m. • Arome | 432 SW 6th St, Redmond
Guided Plant Hike through Paulina Creek Preserve*
Join the Deschutes Land Trust and Tom Wainwright for a hike to learn about the plants of Paulina Creek Preserve. Registration required.
- Sunday, May 21 • 9:00 a.m. • Driving and meet-up instructions will be emailed to registered participants.
For more information about these programs, please visit the library website at www.deschuteslibrary.org. People with disabilities needing accommodations (alternative formats or auxiliary aides) should contact Liz Goodrich at lizg@deschuteslibrary.org or 541-312-1032.
