All are welcome to the ninth annual Art in Bloom, a walking tour of seven sites in Jackson where pieces of art are interpreted through member-crafted floral arrangements. Presented by the Mountain Garden Club as its annual gift to the Valley, this exhibit will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 22, and is free of charge, open to all, to showcase floral interpretations of local art. Typically, close to 50 members prepare floral arrangements intended to evoke and interpret chosen pieces of art.  The art and the floral arrangements are then exhibited at seven locations throughout Jackson Village. This year's seven sites include Jackson Public Library, Ravenwood Curio Shoppe, Snowflake Inn, Whitney Community Center, Jackson Historical Society (the former Town Hall), The Wentworth Hotel, and the Old Jackson Library; brochures about the event will be available at all sites, so visitors may begin the tour at any of the seven sites.  Most area restaurants will be open for lunches.In addition, from 3 to 5 p.m., the Mountain Garden Club will host a reception and a raffle of a wide variety of floral and garden-related items at the Whitney Community Center.

This Saturday, June 22, at 11 a.m. the Conway Public Library kicks off this year's summer reading program with Lindsay and Her Puppet Pals (suggested age 3 and up). Year round Lindsay brings her Puppet Pals — giant hand puppets and marionettes — to families all over New England. The show is full of humor with children from the audience called upon to participate often, interacting with Lindsay's unique and memorable characters. The stories move right along, stressing positive attitudes and kindness that delight young and old alike. Don't forget to register for summer reading while you are at the library this Saturday, June 22.

The annual strawberry festival, benefiting our friends across the river at the East Conway Community Hall, will take place on Friday, June 21, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. The hall is located a quarter mile from Sherman's Farm on East Conway Road. The menu includes casseroles, cold cuts, salads and more, and of course fresh strawberry shortcake for dessert. The cost of this always delicious meal is $8 for adults and $5 for children under the age of 12. Call 939-2262 for more information.

Girl Scout Junior Troop No. 208 presented two special gifts to the Charlotte Hobbs Memorial Library, June 10. Pictured: Julia Vitella, Sinead Lounsbury, Audra Hamlin, Grace Neddenreip, Charlotte Ackerman, Eva, and Maddie Darling is down front. (COURTESY PHOTO)On Monday, June 10, the Girl Scout Junior Troop No. 208 presented two special gifts to the Charlotte Hobbs Memorial Library. Assistant librarian Rosie White accepted a cook book and a white rocking chair on behalf of the library. Both gifts were part of the "Power of Community" in the troops Agent of Change Journey. The cook book consisted of recipes the girls collected over a six month period. They designed the book which their leader Jammie Graves published into a hard covered book. All this work earned the troop the Bronze Award an award which hasn't been presented to Lovell in 10 years. The girls should be very proud of themselves as this award is the highest level possible that the girls can achieve. Many of these fourth and fifth grade girls at one time or another has been in a program at the Library so the gift of a book was greatly appreciated. The leaders of the group Jammie Graves and Mary Anne Vitella with the help of Megan Hamlin are proud of the achievement of their girls Audra Hamlin, Angle Lusky, Morgan Trott, Julia Vitella, Maddy Darling, Charlotte Ackerman, Grace Neddenriep, Snead Loundsbury and Ava Chadbourne. Congratulations to both the leaders and the girls for a job well done.

On Friday, June 21, the Charlotte Hobbs Memorial Library will hold the start-of-the summer party from 9 a.m. to noon. This is a duel sign up one for the Library Reading Club and the summer recreation programs. Children 12 and under can join the summer reading program with the theme "Dig into Reading."