Membership runs from 7/1/2024 through 6/30/2025 and must be current in order to register for a class.

This class will meet on Zoom on the second Wednesday of each month from September 11, 2024 to June 10, 2025. The instructor will lead discussions of books and authors. The books are from various genres and should all stimulate interesting discussion.

September 11        Small Mercies by Dennis LeHane

October 9              The Women by Kristen Hannah

November 13         My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok

December 11         Long Island by Colin Tobin

January 8              Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson

February 12           How to Read a Book by Monica Wood

March 12               Travels with George by Nathaniel Philbrick

April 9                   Heaven and Earth by James McBride

May 14                  Book to be determined

June 11                 Discussion about book selection for the next year

Students will meet at various outdoor locations to paint in the fast drying media of their choice.  The various outdoor locations will be determined at each class.  The first class will meet at Laurel Hill Cemetary, Saco, ME.  Venues and materials will be discussed with each student by phone prior to the first class.

Course instructors are Patricia Scamman and Robert Dunn.

Whether you are beginner, intermediate or experienced painter, come join us with your favorite medium (watercolors, acrylics or oil pastels).  Develope your own work of art in a friendly, learning and sharing environment with other painters.  Bring a snack or lunch if you prefer.

Modern lifestyles are very fast paced, and we don't take the time to be quiet and thoughtful.  This class introduces classical meditation techniques and postures that have been used for hundreds of years.  Each class begins with a group conversation for 20 minutes, then we meditate for 20 minutes in silence, and have 20 minutes to discuss the experience and ask questions or make comments.  The students highly value the quiet time together and the chance to discuss meditation with people who do it and the faculty who has meditated for decades and offers guidelines when requested.

A cushion is needed to sit on or a chair where you can sit up straight.  Clothes should be loose and don't restrict your body while getting into your meditation posture.  Handouts will arrive via email from Jeff Goldsmith.

Beginner and experienced artists in the group will create art according to individual choice.

The journey of responding to the challenges of climate change from within continues in this follow-up to last spring's  Seeing the earth, Sensing the sacred.  We will continue to explore how we might respond to climate change as we look at additional spiritual guides and traditions, including the important voices of women in both the past and the present.  We will also learn about efforts currently underway to join spiritual principles with scientific knowledge as a path to greater ecological healing.

"Every creature is a glittering, glistening mirror of Divinity." ~ Hildegard von Bingen

"The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe, the less taste we shall have for destruction." ~ Rachel Carson

"I thought the secret of life was obvious:  be here now, love as if your whole life depended on it, and try to get hold of a giant panda." ~ Anne Lamott

You do not need to have participated in the initial course last spring.  We will begin with a quick summary of what we covered as a review for those who were there and an introduction for newcomers.  This is a shared class with South Coast Senior College.

One part history, one part personal recollections, one part music.  A return to another time - the golden age of capitalism versus the encroaching concern of communism.  At home, happy days.  I like Ike and I Love Lucy.  Nationally and even globally, a dynamic decade that was culturally transactional - an evolving 'time hyphen' between the patriotic '40s and the defiant '60s.  From the standpoint and through the lens of 2024, let's review and decide - the '50s - American pie, jolly jingle or requiem?

This is a shared class with South Coast Senior College.