Sunday, Dec. 9 – Workshop Sunday: Packbasket Weaving
Join Books and Baskets owner Tracy Santagate from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and learn to weave a 13-inch potbellied packbasket with a hand carved handle, double-lashed rim and skids. All materials and tools are supplied including cotton straps. Please pack a lunch. Ages 17 and up. $75/person.
Sunday, Dec. 9 – Christmas Greenery Walk
Take a walk from 10-11 a.m. with VIC naturalist Brian McAllister and learn which winter greens to collect for wreath making, where to find them, how to collect them and what to leave untouched in the woods. Take this class before the wreath-making class or as a stand alone class. Please dress for the weather. $5/person.
Sunday, Dec. 9 – Make Your Own Christmas Wreath
Join Emily Stringham from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and learn to make a standard-size Christmas wreath with fresh winter greenery and a wire frame. Greenery and frame provided. Tools supplied. Please bring gloves, ribbons and ornaments such as pinecones. Pack a lunch, as well. Ages 17 and up. $40/person.
Sunday, Dec. 9 – German Birch Bark Star
Join Paul Smith’s College student Sean Frantz from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and learn to weave German stars out of birch bark. We’ll start by making two or three stars out of ribbon and advance to birch bark, which can be more challenging to work with. Ages 17 and up. $20/person.
Thursday, Dec. 13 – Volunteer Potluck
Paul Smith’s College VIC volunteers will get together with VIC staff from 5:30-6:45 p.m. for a preview of upcoming events and activities. Prospective volunteers are welcome. Please bring a dish to pass and a place setting. If you’re interested in volunteering at the VIC, contact Volunteer Training Coordinator Tracy Santagate at booksandbaskets@roadrunner.com.
Thursday, Dec. 13 – Armchair Traveler Lecture Series
Join Mary Brown from 7-8:30 p.m. for her lecture, “Beyond the Penguins: Behind the Scenes in Antarctica.” Brown worked in Antarctica during the 2008-09 summer seasons and participated in the logistical and survival work that makes scientific work there possible. Come and learn all about her experience. $5/person.
Saturday, Dec. 15 – Project Feeder-Watch: Birds in Winter
Join VIC Naturalist and birder Brian McAllister from 9:30-11:30 a.m. and learn about winter bird species. How do birds survive the winter months? What’s the proper placement for your bird feeders? How do you collect raw data for long-term research projects? You’ll learn all this and more. Please bring binoculars and a field guide and dress for the weather. $15/person.
Saturday, Dec. 15 – Field Sketch Write Now!
Tracy Santagate will lead this VIC Partner Program from 9:30-11:30 a.m. The Field Sketch Write Now! program teaches parents, grandparents and kids basic drawing and journaling skills. Kids and adults get separate instructors. Both learn the same nature journaling techniques and join together at the end to compare their new skills. $20 includes admission for an adult and two children.
Thursday, Dec. 27 – Leaper-Hoppers, Bounders and Waddlers
Make sense of winter tracks with VIC naturalist Brian McAllister. Learn to identify winter animals and to understand animal gaits, behaviors and preferred habitats. Please dress to go outside. 10 a.m.-noon. Ages 8-12. $10/person.
Thursday, Dec. 27 – Photo Safari
Join VIC educator Tracy Santagate from 1-2:30 p.m. and explore points of focus, zooming, background, shot framing, camera grip and other tips on photographing nature. Students need their own simple digital camera for this class. Please dress for the weather. Ages 8-12. $10/person.
Visit Paul Smith’s College VIC on Facebook for more info.
Plattsburgh, NY– On January 20, 2013 DION Snowshoes will heat up winter on the Adirondack Coast with Cock-A-Doodle-Shoe. Cock-A-Doodle Shoe, one of the Northeast’s regional qualifiers for the 2013 USSSA National Snowshoe Championships, is a 10K snowshoe race that makes use of the rolling trails that cover most of New Land Trust’s 287 scenic acres in Saranac, NY. The competition is open to participants of all snowshoe levels with $150 cash prize and a very unique trophy for the overall male and female winners. The entry fee for the race is $15 ($20 day-of) which gets you a t-shirt (only guaranteed to those who pre-register), merchandise raffle eligibility and post-race refreshments. Proceeds from the event will benefit The New Land Trust, a non-governmental, not for profit organization dedicated to developing and sustaining their property for health of the environment and the enjoyment of the public. Cock-A-Doodle-Shoe will begin promptly at 10:00am on Sunday January 20 with registration from 8:00am-9:45am for participants who did not pre-register at PreRace.com.
