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Worm composting workshop
10 a.m.-noon, Saturday, Nov. 7 | Gamble Garden, 1431 Waverley St., Palo Alto | Free | Registration required
Learn how to turn your kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich compost with the help of some amazing worms during this 2-hour composting workshop geared for beginners and garden pros alike. Compost helps plants grow bigger, stronger and healthier and increases moisture retention. Palo Alto residents can receive a free compost bin or worm bin (one per household), while supplies last, by attending this workshop.
Repair Café in Palo Alto
11 a.m. – 3 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 8 | The Museum of American Heritage, 351 Homer Ave., Palo Alto | Free | More information
Bring your favorite household items to the Repair Café at the Museum of American Heritage in Palo Alto, where volunteers will help repair small appliances and electronics. The community-run event encourages repair and reuse to keep items out of landfills. Limit two items per household. Check-in is scheduled to close at 2:30 p.m. but may close earlier if the event reaches capacity.
Free sandbag distribution sites
Residents can pick up free sandbags at locations throughout Santa Clara and San Mateo counties to prepare for winter flooding. Some sites provide filled sandbags, while others offer bags that residents must fill themselves. Sandbags are available seasonally, generally from November through April.
Palo Alto residents can pick up sandbags at Mitchell Park (600 E. Meadow Drive), the Palo Alto Airport Terminal (1925 Embarcadero Road) and the Rinconada Tennis Courts (corner of Newell Road and Hopkins Avenue). Find Palo Alto locations and details.
Menlo Park residents can pick up sandbags at the Burgess Park parking lot (corner of Burgess Drive and Alma Street) and Fire Station 77 (1467 Chilco St.). Find Menlo Park locations and details.
East Palo Alto residents can pick up sandbags at the Public Works Corporation Yard (150 Tara Road). Find East Palo Alto details.
Residents elsewhere in Santa Clara County can find locations and information through Valley Water. San Mateo County residents can find locations and information through the county.
Estate planning seminar
Noon-1:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 12 | Zoom | Free | Registration required
Learn how estate planning can help avoid probate, protect assets in the event of incapacity and ensure property goes to intended beneficiaries. Kimberly Barrot of Falk, Barrot & Associates, LLP, will discuss living trusts, probate and estate taxes under California law during this 90-minute webinar hosted by Stanford Federal Credit Union.
Holiday centerpieces workshops
10:30- 1:45 a.m. & 2:30-4 p.m.; Saturday, Nov.14; 7-8:30 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 8 | different Peninsula locations | Free | For more information, look for “The Thrifty Table: Creating Beautiful Holiday Centerpieces on the UC Master Gardeners events calender.
UC Master Gardeners is hosting three hands-on workshops called “The Thrifty Table: Creating Beautiful Holiday Centerpieces,” at various Peninsula sites to teach participants how to create holiday centerpieces without a massive budget or a professional florist. Participants will learn: How to scout their own backyard or junk drawer for unique textures, greenery and accents that add character to arrangements; how to deconstruct affordable supermarket flower bunches and reimagine them as high-end-looking centerpieces;; and tips on keeping their arrangements fresh.
Holidays at Filoli
Nov. 14- Jan. 10 | 86 Canada Road, Woodside | Tickets for Holiday Lights start at $45; other special holiday events vary in price | More information: filoli.org
Filoli is kicking off the holiday season with a variety of special events. The house will be decorated to reflect the years when the Bourn and Roth families lived there, from 1917 to 1975, while 28 miles of lights illuminate the gardens. A 210-foot light tunnel is among the highlights of the annual seasonal festivities, which also include teas, a ballroom champagne lounge, wine tastings, activities at the estate’s wooded Thistlewyck Village and other events.
Build an owl box
2 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 15 | Independence Hall, 2955 Woodside Road, Woodside | Free
Learn how to build an owl box and encourage owls to nest in your yard. Nature educator John Gallagher will share step-by-step instructions, photos of owls and owlets on his Danville property and information about owl habitat and their benefit in rodent control at the Woodside Environment & Open Space Committee’s Autumn Event focused on how to keep Woodside pesticide free.
Choosing and planting fruit trees
1:30 – 2:15 p.m., Sun, Nov. 15 | Rinconada Library, 1213 Newell Road
Palo Alto | Free | More information
Learn how to choose fruit trees for your garden, including which varieties grow well locally, how to select the right tree size and what terms such as “chill hours,” “semi-dwarf” and “multi-graft” mean. Don Bollinger, who leads the orchard team at the Master Gardener demonstration garden at Martial Cottle Park in San Jose, will discuss how to select and plant fruit trees and prepare for a successful harvest. Bare-root fruit trees begin arriving at local nurseries in December.
Home buying webinar
11 a.m.-noon, Wednesday, Nov. 17 | Zoom | Free | Registration required
Learn homebuying basics in this one-hour webinar hosted by Stanford Federal Credit Union. A Realtor and mortgage consultant will share tips on how to find and buy a home with the most favorable terms and help participants understand the homebuying process and financing options. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session.
Fall and winter berries
Noon- 2 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 21 | Windy Hill Open Preserve, Portola Valley | Free | More information
Learn about the berries and nuts found growing wild in local habitats during this 2-mile leisurely hike around Sausal Pond on the Spring Ridge and Besty Crowder trails with docent naturalists Olga and Tony Bright. (Note: Foraging is prohibited on protected lands; this activity is for interest/information/fun only.) Meet at the Lower Windy Hill Parking Area located on Portola Road.
King tides at the Baylands
Nov. 24-26 | Palo Alto Baylands Boardwalk, 2775 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto | Free | More information
The Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve provides a place to witness king tides, the exceptionally high and low tides that occur for a few days each winter when the Earth, sun and moon align to create an unusually strong gravitational pull on the ocean. These tides can rise above 9 feet, or about 2 feet higher than the average tide, causing flooding in parts of the Baylands and sometimes forcing birds into areas where they are easier to see. Viewing king tides from the preserve’s wooden boardwalks and catwalks is one of the most distinctive ways to experience this coastal phenomenon in the South Bay. The next peak king-tide windows for the Bay Area are Nov. 24–26. If you prefer a guided tour, the nonprofit Environmental Volunteers offers free interpretive walks through the Baylands during king tide periods.
