Northwest suburban outdoors calendar

Nippersink Garden Club: A new garden club is forming to serve northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. Members of the Nippersink Garden Club are coming together because of the love of gardening and the love of the Nippersink Creek area and waterways. Membership is open to all interested men, women and their children. Membership will be free and 2009 meetings are yet to be determined. Visit nippersinkgardenclub.org or contact Stacy at (262) 279-5992 for details.

Ongoing

Stillman Nature Center: Volunteers are being sought to help in a variety of areas including, landscape maintenance, birds of prey and more. (847) 428-6957 or stillnc@wildblue.net.

Jan. 10

The Science of Snow: 1-11:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 10, Bartlett Nature Center, 2054 W. Stearns Road, located in the visitor center of James "Pate" Philip State Park. Children ages 7-12 will learn about snow through experiments, hiking and take-home project. (630) 540-4800 or bartlettparks.org.

Jan. 12

Feed the birds this winter: noon-3 p.m. Friday, Jan. 2, Palatine Public Library District, 700 N. North Court, Palatine. Children make a bird feeder using a pine cone, peanut butter and birdseed. Library staff will be on hand to help. (847) 358-5881.

Jan. 19

Green Thumbs of Barrington Garden Club: 12:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 19, Barrington Area Library, 505 N. Northwest Highway, Barrington. Mark Spreyer of the Stillman Nature Center presents," Winter Birds." Visitors welcome. Vicki, (847) 526-5998.

Jan. 22

Garden Club of Inverness: 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 22, All Saints Lutheran Church, 630 S. Quentin Road, Palatine. Special guests Shirley Remes, a Better Homes and Gardens field editor, speaks on how to make your garden photo ready. Brief business meeting followed by the presentation. All gardeners welcome. Carole, cjbass@comcast.net.

Jan. 24

Help the birds: 9:30 a.m., Barrington Area Library, 505 N. Northwest Highway, Barrington. Sponsored by Citizens for Conservation, local bird experts, Judy Pollock, Audubon Chicago region director of bird conservation, and Marian Thill, master gardener and certified naturalist, speak on how homeowners can help backyard birds. R.S.V.P to the Citizens for Conservation office at (847) 382-7283.

Jan. 25

Northwest Cook County Group of the Sierra Club: 12:45-4 p.m. Sunday Jan. 25, Headwaters parking lot, one mile west of Sutton Road on Higgins Road at Wichman Road traffic signal. Spring Creek Forest Preserve workday. Wear apporpriate clothing to cut and burn buckthorn. Greg at greg.stolzer@illinois.sierraclub.org.

Jan. 27

Cool Season Vegetable Gardening: 1 or 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27, 1100 E. Warrenville Road, suite 170, Naperville. Part of the Four Seasons Gardening program presented by University of Illinois Extension. Seminar focuses on vegetables that can be grown in the cooler temperatures of late winter into early spring. $10. For information or to register, call (630) 955-1123.

Feb. 9

Chicagoland Shih Tzu Club: 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 9, Arlington Heights Public Library, 500 N. Dunton Ave., Arlington Heights.

Feb. 10

Spring Flowering Shrubs for the Home Landscape: Feb. 10 and Feb. 12, 1100 E. Warrenville Road, suite 170, Naperville. Part of the Four Seasons Gardening program presented by University of Illinois Extension. $10. For information or to register, call (630) 955-1123.

Feb. 19

Garden Club of Inverness: 9:30 a.m. Feb. 19, All Saints Lutheran Church, 630 S. Quentin Road, Palatine. Pat Hollingsworth from RLS Landscape and Nursery in Elburn will speak about dividing outdoor gardens into floral rooms. All Gardeners are welcome. For information, call Carole at (847) 381-2727.

Feb 24

Ornamental Grasses: Feb. 24 or Feb. 26, 1100 E. Warrenville Road, suite 170, Naperville. Part of the Four Seasons Gardening program presented by University of Illinois Extension. $10. For information or to register, call (630) 955-1123.

March 3

Chicagoland Shih Tzu Club: 8 p.m. Monday, March 3, Arlington Heights Public Library, 500 N. Dunton Ave., Arlington Heights.

April 6

Chicagoland Shih Tzu Club: 8 p.m. Monday, April 6, Arlington Heights Public Library, 500 N. Dunton Ave., Arlington Heights.

May 4

Chicagoland Shih Tzu Club: 8 p.m. Monday, May 4, Arlington Heights Public Library, 500 N. Dunton Ave., Arlington Heights.

June 2

Chicagoland Shih Tzu Club: 8 p.m. Monday, June 2, Arlington Heights Public Library, 500 N. Dunton Ave., Arlington Heights.

Aug. 3

Chicagoland Shih Tzu Club: 8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 3, Arlington Heights Public Library, 500 N. Dunton Ave., Arlington Heights.