MILL CREEK METROPARKS October calendar Activities slated for next month at Mill Creek MetroParks:

Oct.: 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 & 4, 11, 18 & 25. Yoga at Fellows Riverside Gardens. Tuesdays, 8:30-10 a.m. (Beginner level) & 5:30- 7 p.m. Thursdays, 8:30-10 a.m. and 5:30-7 p.m. (beginner level). Learn a blend of yoga styles amidst the restorative power of nature. At the beginning of class, students will take an energizing walk in the gardens with instructor Heidi Suraci. Students at all levels are welcome. Bring a mat, small blanket, and water. Call FRG (330) 740-7116, for information. Fee: $10 per class.

Oct. 4: Garden Author’s Reception & Lecture: Growing Green, 5-6:30 p.m. (reception), 6:30-9 p.m. (lecture). Special guest Rebecca Kolls, host of the HGTV gardening series “Rebecca’s Garden.” Her down-to-earth, “get your-hands-dirty” approach to gardening will educate as well as entertain. She will share her knowledge and experience in her lecture, Growing Green. Call FRG (330) 740-7116, to register. Fee: $25 ($15 FFRG members) reception and lecture, $15 ($10 FFRG members) lecture only.

Oct. 5 or 6: Friday, 11 a.m.-noon or 1-2 p.m. or Saturday, 11 a.m.-noon. Each preschooler age 3-5 with their favorite adult will prepare for National Herb Day by making an herbal bouquet to decorate a broom and taste herbal snacks. Call FRG to register. Fee: $5 R, $7 NR

Oct. 6: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Do you have a backyard compost pile? Does it have the right stuff? Call The Green Team at (330) 740-2060 for contest information. Awards program is from noon-2 p.m. Wagon tours of the MetroParks Farm will be given at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. (330) 533-7572.

Oct. 6: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Join Naturalist Emeritus Bill Whitehouse on this ramble of the Bears Den area and the park’s western section. Participants must be at least 16. Bring a lunch, drink, and extra water. Dress for the weather and wear sturdy footwear. Call Ford Nature Center (330) 740-7107 to register. Meet at FNC. Pace is moderate; hike is difficult because of length (up to 10 miles).

Oct. 6 & 13: 9 a.m. both days. Join Naturalist Nancy Brundage to search for birds of all varieties. Bring binoculars. Meet at Newport Wetlands parking lot. Easy rating, less than 1 mile.

Oct. 7: Kayak trip around Lake Newport, 2-4 p.m. Meet at East Newport Boat Launch. Kayakers of all skill levels are invited to join these escorted trips. Single and tandem kayaks are available. Age restrictions apply. Reservations must be made 36 hours before program. Call FNC (330)740-7107 for information. Fee: $12/person R, $15/person NR; second person in tandem kayak 1/2 price.

Oct. 7: 1- 4 p.m. Visit the MetroParks’ Farm to see how the fall harvest is progressing. Wagon tours will be given every half-hour. Try to find your way through our corn maze. Make a special fall craft to take home. (330) 533-7572.

Oct. 6 & 7: Bulb Sale, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. both days. Looking for interesting spring bulbs to add to your garden this fall? Consider the selection at the Friends of Fellows Riverside Gardens bulb sale. Pre-orders will be ready for pickup on this weekend. Call FRG (330) 740-7116 for information.

Oct. 9: Botanical Mask Workshop, 6:30-8 p.m. Add a touch to your Halloween costume by making an unusual mask decorated with dried leaves, grasses and flowers. Each child age 6 and older with an adult will create a mask. Call FRG to register. Fee: $8 R, $11 NR.

Oct. 9: 5:30-8 p.m. Lynn Cardwell will help students construct an autumn “green man” wall ornament and will share the related garden folklore. The clay project will be glazed, fired and ready for pickup after Oct. 30. Call FRG to register. Fee: $39 ($30 FFRG members).

Oct. 10 & 24: Health & Wellness Walks, 9 a.m. both days. Join us for the health of it and experience the many benefits of walking.

Oct. 10: Meet at MetroParks Bikeway Trailhead at MetroParks Farm. Moderate rating, 2 or 4 miles.

Oct. 11: Tales for Twos: Spooky Spiders, 10, 10:45 & 11:30 a.m. It’s almost Halloween! Are spiders spooky or helpful? Two-year-olds and their adult companions will spin a web, listen to a story and find out why spiders are so different from us. Call FNC (330) 740-7107 to register.

Oct. 12 or 13: Preschool Nature Hour, 10 a.m. or 12:30 p.m. Friday or Saturday at 10 a.m. Find out how possums and their wildlife friends get ready for winter. Children ages 3-5 and their parents will enjoy a story, activities and an outdoor walk. Preregister at FNC. Fee: $2 R, $3 NR.

Oct. 14: 1-4 p.m. We’ll share a pumpkin story every half-hour from 1:30-3:30 p.m. You can make a pumpkin craft to take home. MetroParks Farm. Call (330) 533-7572.

Oct. 14: 2 p.m. Enjoy the seasonal changes as we hike along the MetroParks Farm Habitat Trail. Meet at Bikeway Trailhead at the farm. Moderate difficulty, unpaved trail, 2 miles.

Oct. 14: Ten-Mile Hike, 1 p.m. Join us for this heart-pumping walk around Lakes Cohasset and Newport. Meet at FNC. Difficult rating with hills and steps, 10 miles.

Oct. 18, 19 & 20: Pumpkin Carving Workshop. 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Carving pumpkins for display at the annual Pumpkin Walk held Oct. 21. Sample toasted pumpkin seeds and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow carvers. The service garage area at FRG can be chilly; dress in warm layers.   

Oct. 20: 6-8 p.m. The mummy wrap competition starts at 6 p.m. for families, followed by the pie-eating contest for adults. A stage show performed by Jocko the Clown also set. Children of all ages can compete for prizes in the costume competition at 7 p.m. Pet owners can bring their animals dressed in costumes for a special competition. Held at the Judge Morley Pavilion.

Oct. 21: Pumpkin Walk at Twilight, 5-8 p.m. Jack-o’-lanterns will be smiling as you stroll about the gardens at twilight. Harvest decorations will be on display. Learn why a bat is a gardener’s best buddy. Refreshments served in the Davis Center after the walk.

Oct. 21: Final Wagon Tour, 1-4 p.m. Don't miss your last chance of the season to take a wagon tour of the MetroParks Farm. Wagon leaves every half-hour. Make a special craft to take home.

Oct. 23: 7 p.m. Jim Kerr, curator for the Beaver Creek State Park Nature Center, will present a program on the waterfowl of Ohio. Learn the basics of waterfowl migration and how to identify common types of waterfowl found in our area. Social time begins at 6:30 p.m.; presentation begins at 7 p.m. For more information, call (888) 846-8851. Held at MetroParks Farm.

Oct. 25: Flower Arranging Basics, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Deby Clark will demonstrate how to use a fresh pumpkin shell as a vase for a fall arrangement. Participants will combine chrysanthemums, wheat and cattails in a pumpkin vase to create a delightful centerpiece. Call FRG (330) 740-7116, to register. Fee: $25 R, $32 NR.

Oct. 26: Breakfast Botany, 8:30-10 a.m. Start your morning with a garden walk to learn how plants are preparing for a seasonal change. Return to the Garden Cafe to enjoy a light breakfast and learn about the autumn garden. Call FRG to register. Fee: $6 R, $8 NR.

Oct. 28: Where Are the Witches?, 2 p.m. On this walk, we’ll look for witch-hazel, witches’ broom and visit the Witch’s Cave. Meet at Scholl Recreation Area. Moderate difficulty with hills, 2 miles.

Oct. 30: Silver Sneakers Open House, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Have fun and move to the music through a variety of exercises designed to increase muscular strength, range of movement and activity for daily living skills. Hand-held weights, elastic tubing with handles and a ball are offered for resistance. A chair is used for seated and/or standing support. Held in Classroom A at MetroParks Farm.