Stop to smell the roses.  While there, hear the wind pass through century-old trees, see the riot of color in the garden, and listen to a gardening expert. Before fiber optics, solar-powered path lights, and LEDs, gardeners relied on a more natural approach to evening landscape highlights?they planted white flowers.  See this technique and learn about other traditional landscaping tricks during Brucemore in Bloom?Thursday, May 29 at 6:00 p.m. Join Head Gardener David Morton as he traces the development of the gardens from the original plan conceived by prominent landscape architect O.C. Simonds to the integration of function, recreation, and entertainment in Irene Douglas's vision for the country estate. View current plants and landscape techniques that continue to help preserve the historically accurate, prairie-style design by Simonds. Admission is $15 per person and $12 per Brucemore member. Space is limited; purchase tickets online at www.brucemore.org or by calling (319) 362-7375.

The Brucemore in Bloom Tour is part of Brucemore's Thursday Night Lineup. Every Thursday night Brucemore will feature a different specialty tour focusing on topics for all interests, including arts and culture, Midwestern industry, gardening, landscape design, architecture, preservation, behind-the-scenes at Brucemore, and growing up in the early twentieth century. For more information on the Thursday Night Lineup, visit www.brucemore.org or call (319) 362-7375.

About Brucemore

Experience Brucemore, an unparalleled blend of tradition and culture, located at 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. At the heart of the historic 26-acre estate stands a nineteenth-century mansion filled with the stories of three Cedar Rapids families.  Concerts, theater, programs, and tours enliven the site and celebrate the heritage of a community.  For more information, call (319) 362-7375 or visit www.brucemore.org.

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Join the staff of the Muscatine Art Center in an exploration of Iowa's past. The "Once Upon A Time in Iowa" Family Festival is a free event to be held on Sunday, April 27th from 1 to 4 p.m.

Children and their families will explore the exhibition, "The Art of Living Well," including several works by Iowa artist, Grant Wood. Children can then create a shadow box and are encouraged to bring family photographs to include in the creation of their family heirloom. Children can also decorate a flower pot by cutting and gluing images to decoupage to the pot.

Storytelling will start at 1:30 p.m. in the Stanley Gallery. Featured will be several books about the past including the children's book, "Apples to Oregon." This book will be the base for an outdoor adventure (weather permitting) for children to make their own pioneer trek. As part of the adventure, children will make butter and plant a seed to put in their flower pot.

While at the Art Center, visitors will also sample many different varieties of apples and vote for their favorites. Other light refreshments will be provided.

At 2:00 p.m., adults and older children can attend the presentation, "This is Your Hertitage" by Humanities Iowa Speaker, Loren Horton. The presentation is sponsored by Humanities Iowa.

The art activities offered as part of the "Once Upon a Time in Iowa" family festival are supported through a grant from the Iowa Arts Council, a section of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs.

Please contact Melanie Alexander, Director, with any questions or concerns at

563-263-8282 or by email at malexander@muscatineiowa.gov. For more information about Humanities Iowa, visit www.uiowa.edu/~humiowa. For more information about the Iowa Arts Council, visit http://www.iowaartscouncil.org/.

The Muscatine Art Center is open to the public Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 AM to 5 PM, Thursday from 10 AM to 7 PM and Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 PM Admission is FREE.

EVENT DETAILS:

Activity: "Once Upon a Time in Iowa" Family Festival

When: Sunday, April 27, 2014

Time: 1:00 - 4:00 PM

Where: Muscatine Art Center

Admission to this event is FREE.

WEST BRANCH, IOWA– Dr. Richard Baker continues his series of lectures about geology in our national parks with a presentation on Yellowstone. Dr. Baker is a professor emeritus in the Geoscience Department at University of Iowa. He completed his doctorate research at Yellowstone National Park. He has traveled to many of our national parks and has taught a course on them at the University of Iowa. The lecture is free and last about one hour. It begins at the visitor center of Herbert Hoover National Historic Site at 2:00 p.m. on April 19.

The lecture series is offered in recognition of President Herbert Hoover`s interests in geology and conservation.

Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum are in West Branch, Iowa at exit 254 off I-80. Both are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time. For more information go online at www.nps.gov/heho or call (319) 643-2541.

Herbert Hoover National Historic Site

110 Parkside Drive

PO Box 607

West Branch, Iowa 52358

319 643-2541 phone

319 643-7864 fax

www.nps.gov/heho

Twitter: @HooverNPS

Facebook: HerbertHooverNHS

[DUBUQUE, IA] Nash Gallery, 371 Bluff Street, will host an opening reception for Millennial Encounters, an emerging artist showcase on Friday, April 11 from 7-10 p.m. This multi-genre exhibit that runs through June 15 features the work of emerging artists from the art departments of Clarke University and Loras College. The artists' work include explorations in photography, installation, collage, mixed media/conceptual, painting, illustration, drawing, ceramics, and sculpture. Featured artists include Sara Steuer, Randi Westervelt, Abbey Tjebkes, and Mark Fuentebella from Loras College and Hannah Goldsmith, Traci Bauer, Jenna Michel, Maggie Scahill, and Kayla Carlson from Clarke University.

The exhibit and opening reception on April 11 serves as a fundraiser for DubuqueFest Fine Arts Festival 37^th annual all-arts festival scheduled for May 16-18 in downtown Dubuque.  The artists will donate 30% of all sales made on opening night to the festival. The public is invited to attend. Refreshments and treats will be served. A $10 donation is suggested for adults and $5 for students who show their current college ID. All proceeds support Nash Gallery and DubuqueFest. Nash Gallery is located above Monks Kaffee Pub, 371 Bluff Street. The entrance is at the rear of building.

DubuqueFest Fine Arts Festival and Nash Gallery are affiliates of the Dubuque County Fine Arts Society. For more information visit dubuquefest.org.  DubuqueFest Fine Arts Festival and Nash Gallery are affiliates of the Dubuque County Fine Arts Society.