Cruising to Alaska

Sharon and Marty shared the pictures and stories of their 2016 Alaskan cruise. Beautiful scenery and wildlife from Vancouver to coast of Alaska all the way to Denali.

You can view their presentation here.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Lou Master was back for another delicious creation, Sweet and Sour Chicken. Great smells and a favorite for many using pineapple, bell peppers, carrots and onions. You can also use shrimp and/or pork with this recipe.

You can view Lou's recipe here.

Holocaust Museum - Pinochet's Chile

Michelle Tovar from Holocaust Museum Houston gave us a great presentation on Pinochet's Chile; from Pinochet's rise to power and those that helped him to the atrocities his government committed on his own people. To think, all of this just happened in the 1970s, not so long ago.

You can view Michelle's presentation here.

Clowning Around with the Grandkids

What a fun treat to have our own professional clown in our midst. Melo Pisha shared with us some of her secrets to entertaining the young and the young at heart. We learned juggling, face painting, some magic tricks and of course, balloon animals. Lots of fun had by ALL!

You can view some of Melo's notes here.

Snowman Hat Centerpiece

What a great idea for the holidays. Linda Gabrielson showed us how to make our own unique snowman hat using a can, a plate, and our own imaginations to decorate. You can view a few of our finished centerpieces below.

Closing the World Gender Gap

Another interesting presentation from Kendra Penry of Heifer International. We learned how empowering women in developing countries can significantly increase the productivity and sustainability of their communities. We discussed several specific examples of how Heifer and other non-profits are helping to end hunger and poverty in the world.

You can view Kendra's presentation here.

The Joy of Bird Feeding

Based on the book by Jim Carpenter, the Founder of Wild Birds Unlimited, we learned how to start and succeed in feeding our backyard neighbors. In this two-part class we learned the five steps to bird feeding mastery. In addition, we expanded step three to learn the 12 elements of a thoughtful bird feeding station.

You can view the presentation here.

Support for Caregivers

Are you or have you been a caregiver? Take this quiz, here, to find out. You might be surprised by your responses. Erial Green, Baker Ripley's Sheltering Arms Senior Services Support Specialist, shared with us many of the challenges caregivers face and the resources available to us.

You can view Erial's presentation here.
"Prepare to Care" by AARP can be viewed here. It is a good reference for caregivers.
Caregiver support services offered by BakerRipley can be viewed here.

Holiday Ornaments

We are getting into the spirit of the holidays with the latest class from Linda Gabrielson. Such cute holiday ornaments made from cinnamon sticks. Who knew? See some pictures from class below.

Reconsider the 70s: How Should We Remember the Decade?

The decade of the 1970s was a big one for many of us. Prof. Blake Ellis presented some thoughts on the decade; was it the end of the radical Sixties or the beginning of the conservative counterrevolution of the 1980s? Interesting discussion on how war, sex, race, gender and economics became flash points in our politics, even today.

You can view Blake's presentation here.

California-From Drought to Deluge

Nathalie Brandes, Geology professor, presented an overview of the causes and effects of the climate events happening in California in recent years. A very interesting discussion about some of the reasons for the climate changing from record drought to record flooding to the wildfires experienced today.

You can view Nathalie's presentation here.

Trouble in Zion

LSC History Professor Angela Bell led us through the history of the Mormon Church from its beginning in New York through its progression and problems in Missouri in the 1830s. She detailed the resulting conflict between the Mormons and their Missouri neighbors that gave way to the Missouri Mormon War in 1838. 

A copy of Angela's presentation can be seen here.

Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Lou Master showed us another easy and delicious baked dish with zucchinis stuffed with an Italian sausage mixture and topped with mozzarella cheese in a marinara sauce. It was accompanied with a side of mashed cauliflower mixed with butter and parmesan cheese. As usual, good-sized samples were enjoyed by everyone in the class.

You can view Lou’s recipe here.

3 Weeks in Italy

Lone Star College offers several Study Abroad trips each summer for students. Mark Darby and Cheryl LeJune, ALL members, ventured to Italy with 5 professors and 18 students for a 3-1/2 week adventure. They shared the many locations they visited and many of the things they learned while on the trip with Mt. Vesuvius as the backdrop for most of the trip.

You can view their presentation here.

Female Inventors

Beginning with the US colonies up to the Space Age, Monte Parks, Education Programmer at Jesse Jones Park, led us on an interesting journey of women inventors. We learned of practical to very technical contributions made by women during this time. The presentation was based on women inventors listed by the patent office, so many women inventors remain unknown or forgotten.

You can view Monte's presentation here.

Virtual Dementia Tour

Many of us have a family member or friend with dementia in one of its forms. Abby Rudd, Avanti Senior Living dementia specialist, presented us with valuable information regarding dementia. With the help of Kelly Huntley, Avanti's Memory Care Director, the class participated in a virtual dementia tour to help understand how disorienting and difficult life can be for a person with dementia. Trying to perform the most basic tasks became impossible. Great discussion after we went through the tour.

To get an idea of what we experienced, please view the ABC Nightline report here.