I first met friend and neighbor Ellen Nibali nearly 34 years ago. As new West Friendship neighbors, I was thrilled and impressed during our first meeting to realize that Ellen knew all about gardening.

Over the years, I have been the happy recipient of Ellen's expertise on topics ranging from Iris propagation, to selection of the correct variety of Nandina to the proper soil preparation for blueberry plants.

Whenever a gardening question arose over the years, I went first to Ellen. It was Ellen who first educated me about the invasive grasses which have infected our lawn..

She has shared her horticultural largesse with the readers of the Baltimore Sun, where she pens a column on gardening advice and fields questions on a variety of gardening questions. She is also employed by the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension where she further educates gardeners on topics like designated noxious weeds and how the seeds are spread.

Now, Ellen has opened her home and gardens to the community for a Bay Wise Garden Tour Sept. 19, 1- 4 p.m. And what you may wonder is Bay Wise? This is fundamentally a phenomenon in which gardeners seek to inform the public of the simple notion that safe gardening equals improved water quality in our beloved bays.

The free tour which will be held at the Nibali residence in West Friendship, will include a view of the Nibali's lovely five acre property which is landscaped, gardened and managed using Bay Wise principles.

Visitors will learn gardening practices that render a low impact on the environment and that attract beneficial wildlife to the garden. Topics such as invasive versus non-invasive plants, herbicide free gardening, the relationship of healthy gardening to wildlife and examples of native species such as a Catalpa tree, Jack in the Pulpit and Hearts a Bursting plants will all be part of the tour.

Howard County Master Gardeners will be stationed throughout the property to point out specific Bay friendly gardening principles and to answer questions. Chesapeake Natives Nursery will host a table during the tour and will sell native plants.

The Nibali home is at 3452 Rosemary Lane, in West Friendship. If you would like to learn more about the tour call 301-741-7138 or go to the Master Gardeners Web site at www.mastergardener.umd.edu/local/Howard/ and click on 2009 Bay Wise Tour.

When he wasn't rehearsing with his Southwest Bluegrass Band in anticipation of performing during the Howard County Fair, Art Boone found time this summer to organize a family reunion. The clan numbered more than 100 and was held July 19. Spanning multiple generations, Art declares the family gathering was a wonderful success.

The Marriotts Ridge High School Dance Company wants your dirty cars. The dance students have chamois and buckets ready for a car wash fundraiser set for Saturday, Sept. 12, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The dance company members will be at the West Friendship Volunteer Fire Station, at the corner of Routes 32 and 99. Bring the old buggy out and give the students a boost.

The Mt. Zion United Methodist Church will sponsor a yard sale Saturday, Sept. 12, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., at 12430 Scaggsville Road (Route 216) in Highland. All proceeds from the sale will benefit the youth fellowship group at Mt. Zion.

This youth group has done exceptional work in the past with rehabilitation in areas hard hit by Hurricane Katrina.

Questions? Call Beth Blough at 301-604-6769.

Carole Kramer collects books all year long in anticipation of her church's annual media sale. The sale, in its 14th year, is a fundraiser for the church's outreach programs and has become a fixture for bibliophiles in the region.

This year, Carole has an enormous collection to offer. Hundreds of hardbound popular fiction, an entire room devoted to children's books, antiquarian and vintage books, computer software, antique maps, poetry, biographies, CDs, cassettes, videos, DVDs, stationery items and 78 and 45 rpm records. This is virtually a media and book lover's paradise. The sale is a win-win proposition for all involved.

Book fans go away delighted and organizers can pat themselves on the back for unloading all the year's worth of collected media materials.

Funds raised go to a worthy Lutheran church program. I mention this sale so frequently because I have always been amazed by the organization of the books, and the orderliness of this sale.

If you love books and media materials, this one is for you. The sale also includes some rare first editions, antiquarian selections, superb old maps, amazing vintage garden and cook books, autographed items and coffee table type volumes.

The Annual Shepherd of the Glen Lutheran Church Media Sale is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 11, 3-7 p.m. and Sept. 12, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. A $5 bag sale will be in place Sept.12 from noon to 3 p.m.

Local book dealers who swear by this sale include Walter Jackson of Gramp's Attic Books and Michael Gentile, who runs an online book business. Shepherd of the Glen Lutheran Church is at 14551 Burntwoods Road in Glenwood.

Questions on the sale? Need directions? Call the church at 410-442-1204 or Carole at 410-442-2475.

So popular was the spring sale, that the Kids Nearly New Sale has returned to the Howard County fairgrounds for a fall sale spectacular. This is the weekend when parents fill up their mini vans with loads of bargains acquired at the Kids Nearly New Sale. Essentially this sale is one big huge indoor yard sale with everything one can imagine (and more) for kids.

The annual Kids Nearly New Sale will be in full swing Saturday, Sept. 12, 8 a.m. to noon. The indoor mammoth yard sale is dedicated to all things kid-sized.

From children's furniture, clothes and books to toys and baby gear, the bargains are as amazing as the amounts of gear provided by the dozens and dozens of vendors.

Questions on the sale? Call 410-823-6039 or e-mail inquiries to kidsnearlynewsale@aol.com.

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