The Big Valley Travel Club is booking the following excursions:

The Traveleers Travel Club is heading to Ireland in 2010 and there are 20 seats available for the June 28 departure.

There is no reason to have to wait for the pie in the oven to finish baking to delve into the world of flaky crusts and fruity filling.

Children are invited to submit names for the squirrel mascot that has taken up residence in Ryan's Reading Tree, in the children's room of the downtown Modesto Library.

NEW ADULT FICTION

Rock drummers, some claim, are finely tuned athletes, as fit as any long-distance runner. But to get your head around that idea, you'll have to put aside all sorts of assumptions and stereotypes.

Golden Valley Kennel Club will be hosting its annual dog shows from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Stanislaus County Fairground, 900 N. Broadway, Turlock.

Grandma's pie, stuffing with bacon and ladle after ladle of rich gravy -- clearly, this is the perfect time of year for a reminder on healthy eating. Bob Harper, trainer from the NBC show "The Biggest Loser," has teamed up with the nonprofit Grain Foods Foundation to promote a balanced approach to nutrition and health. Here are some tips from Harper:

HEART-RACING DRUM PLAYLIST

The lengthy menu of group fitness programs at most gyms can be overwhelming. Here is advice from personal trainers on finding one suited for you:

People have low expectations of cats.

If you knew there was a secret that would make you a much better athlete, and you found out what it was, would you do it? Or, if you knew what the sports secret was, would you just ignore it and forget about it? Most athletes and active people would, of course, pick the former, but the reality is that most every recreational athlete actually ends up choosing the second option -- and neglecting one of the biggest secrets to athletic success.

Do you remember 1926? Chances are you don't ... but 1926 was one of the worst years in the history of the American community. Calvin Coolidge was our 30th president, Pontiac cars were first created, Winnie-The-Pooh was printed, Kelly Blue Book was first published, the U.S. population was 115 million, and Route 66 was built from Los Angeles to Chicago.

Conserve water -- drink wine and beer. If you're on board with that, you might check out the Think and Drink Green social event Sunday at the Camp 4 Wine Cafe in downtown Modesto. Co-sponsored by the Tuolumne River Trust, the Yokuts Group of the Sierra Club and Camp 4, the gathering from 2 to 6 p.m. will feature outdoor- and wildlife-themed art and photography, live music, organic wine and beer and a signing of his autobiography, "My Life," by mountain-climbing pioneer Royal Robbins of Modesto.

'LORD OF THE DANCE' The popular show continues with performances today at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Gallo Center for the Arts, 1000 I St., Modesto. Based on Irish folklore, the show centers on a battle between the good title character and the evil Don Dorcha, Lord of Darkness. The production features a cast of 40, a singer and fiddlers who perform to high-energy recorded music. Since the show debuted in Ireland in 1996, it has been seen by more than 50 million people in 60 countries. Tickets are $40.50-$89. For more information, call 338-2100.