Geographer's View of Houston Flooding

Buck Buchanan, CyFair Geography professor, shared some great insights with us regarding our CyFair area topology and population growth that helped set the stage for the recent floods that affected many of us. Buck showed us how he uses various tools, both online and downloadable (Google Earth Pro) as well as his research UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle, aka drone) to analyze events.

Below are the various links and articles Buck showed us in class.
1. Washington Post article on Houston flooding from August 2017.
2. Probulica article on Addicks and Barker reservoirs.
3. Tremblor. Activate Flood Hazard to see flooding at location of interest.

4. Google Earth Engine Timelapse. Enter location of interest.

National Parks: Zion, Bryce & Grand Canyon

Lou and Sue Master treated the class to a great presentation about their trip through the National Parks in the Colorado Plateau with Road Scholars. From learning about the unique geological formations to wandering around the natural beauty in the parks, Lou and Sue had a wonderful experience.

You can view Lou's presentations here on Zion, Bryce and Grand Canyon.

Fine Arts Showcase

290 Program Construction Update

As we wind down on the major 290 construction project, Mike Zientek, Sr. Public Involvement Representative, was back again with the latest update. It looks like that by the end of 2019, work will be completed on 290 as well as the 1960/6 flyover. Fingers crossed.

You can view Mike's presentation here.

Tin Jewelry

Another fun class creating some unique jewelry with Linda Gabrielson. Look below for some of the pieces created by the class.

Cooking with Mushrooms

How much do you know about mushrooms? How about cooking with mushrooms? Joan Everson, ALL member and Chairman of Friends of the Library, shared with us the history and horticulture of the mushroom. There are many types used in cooking and Joan showed us several types, how to use them and an idea of their cost. We also enjoyed two delicious recipes made by Joan.

You can view Joan's recipes here.

Purple Martins

It's that time of year again and Richard Edie of Wild Birds Unlimited was back to talk about Purple Martins. We learned how to get started to become a Purple Martin landlord and attract these song birds to our backyards.

You can view Richard's presentation here.

Cy-Hope

Linda Rucker from Cy-Hope joined us again to update us on the latest activities of Cy-Hope. The group is a service organization that helps those in our own CyFair community. From providing assistance for hunger, mental health, mentoring, and accessibility to sports and music, Cy-Hope is working with our entire community to making life better for the kids who live here.

You can view Linda's presentation here.

Hiking the Camino de Santiago

Professors Laura Taggett and Matt Turner took us on their trip in northern Spain as they hiked the Camino de Santiago. They shared with us how they planned for this trip, how they packed, and the magnificent views as they walked through the cities and countryside on their trek.

You can view their presentation here.

Cutting the Cable

Many of us have considered moving away from our cable or dish suppliers and "Cut the Cable".  However, what is really involved and what are the costs of those streaming services and possible equipment. Richard Gillespie, ALL member, gave a thorough presentation of the many things to consider as we move toward this decision. There is no cookie cutter answer; we all like different programming including news, sports, movies, local stations, etc. All of these need to be considered in your decision to "Cut the Cable".

You can view Richard's presentation here.

What is Acupuncture?

Have you considered acupuncture? Many of us have, but what exactly is it and what can it do for us? Dr. Zhong returned to share with us the background of acupuncture and how it has been used throughout the millennia for many illnesses and conditions. He talked about how he uses traditional Chinese medicine, including acupuncture and herbs, sometimes in combination with Western medicine, to treat his patients today.