A memorial photo of Bumpkin Flanagan, who passed away on Christmas, 2004.

Kinetinaut David Hess happily inspects his Platypus

• The American Visionary Art Museum is about to host the world’s most high-velocity sculpture exhibition — the annual East Coast Kinetic Sculpture Race. Some of this year’s competitors will be sharing their secrets on how to build art for speed.
• Also during the hour, an exploration of some of the mysteries of the pet / human relationship. We’ll be hearing the story of a local woman, Patsy Flanagan, who’s struggled to recover emotionally from the loss of her pet, and we’ll meet a pastoral counselor, Tracie Barton-Barrett, who’s focused her therapeutic skills on helping people get through the grief of pet bereavement.
• And a visit to a Baltimore animal shelter, The Maryland SPCA, where humans and animals forge new friendships by the dozens and improve the quality of each others’ lives every day.

Bernie the Bullfrog likes the mud in Patterson Park

Bumpo the Elephant can’t wait to get out of the AVAM barn

The Poison Dart Frog was designed by students at the Baltimore Lab School

Hope springs eternal as the Baltimore Farmer’s Market opens on Sunday, featuring mounds of fresh produce, goat cheese, wheat grass, fruit smoothies, grilled meats and just about anything else you can eat. Hours are 8:00am to sell-out every Sunday, and the market is at Holliday and Saratoga streets under the Jones Falls Expressway. And, take note: you will almost certainly run into someone you know there.

On Sunday night, Poetry for the People Baltimore presents Speak and Spin, an evening that has been described as a cross between a poetry café, a mix tape and a dance party. Doors open at 7:45pm at Fletcher’s in Fell’s Point, and it’ll be hosted by Signal contributors Olu Butterfly and The Dri Fish. Call 410 236 3775 for more information.

Monday evening Shriver Hall presents a rare opportunity to see one of the world’s greatest violinists, Gidon Kremer, along with his chamber orchestra Kamerata Baltica. The concert begins at 7:30 pm at Shriver Hall on the Johns Hopkins Homewood Campus.
Tickets are available at the box office or by calling 410 516 7164.

Also on Monday, public radio superstar and host of This American Life Ira Glass returns to his home town for a special presentation at Center Stage. The program starts at 7:00pm and is a benefit for Civic Works, a Baltimore based community service organization. For more information call Civic Works 410 366 8533 extension 205.