This course will serve as an introduction to woodcarving. The forms of woodcarving, types of wood, books, safety concerns, and tools used will be discussed. Techniques to carve in-the-round will be introduced and used to carve a cowboy boot and a Christmas ornament. Individuals using blood thinners should consult their physician, but probably should not start woodcarving. Each participant will need a knife, wood blanks, carving glove, and thumb guard. It is almost certain that people will cut themselves.

FACILITATOR BIO: Keller Suberkropp was a biology professor for 31 years during which he taught Intro Biology, Mycology, Microbial Ecology, Aquatic Biology, and Microbiology. He has been woodcarving for 16 years.

As a prelude to the Fiber Arts Festival this fall, students will learn to weave a basic 5"x6" weaving, and we will sneak in some tapestry, Chimayo style. Hosana Eilert is a master weaver who has been weaving for the past 20 years. She weaves primarily in the Rio Grande/Chimayo tradition, and all of her pieces are original creations. She engages in all aspects of the weaving process, including designing, carding, spinning, natural dyeing, and weaving.

FACILITATOR BIO: Hosana Eilert is a master weaver who has been weaving for the past 20 years. She weaves primarily in the Rio Grande/Chimayo tradition, and all her pieces are original creations. She engages in all aspects of the weaving process, including designing, carding, spinning, natural dyeing, and weaving

This needle art became popular in the late 1940's. Homemakers decorated the border of Huck towels with embroidery floss. Today, crafters make couch throws, baby blankets, pillows, wall hangings, pictures, table linens and clothing using yarn and monk's cloth. They also enjoy using a variety of threads on other even-weave fabrics, such as Huck cloth, Huck toweling and Aida cloth. Participants will be introduced to both Swedish Weaving and Huck Embroidery. They will create and come away with a holiday ornament.

FACILITATOR BIO: Maxine Sanderson learned Huck toweling on her own in the late 1950's and then revisited the craft by taking classes at the Senior Centers in Albuquerque.

Prerequisite: This class is not for beginners; students must have knowledge of sewing and basic embroidery.
Learn how to use the colcha stitch that has been a part of traditional embroidery in New Mexico since the Spanish colonial era. Participants will create a colorful design as they come to understand the history of this art form. Colcha embroidery is a wool-on-wool or wool-on-cotton embroidery technique indigenous to northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. Spanish settlers used hand-spun, hand-woven cloth made colorful by embroidery yarn dyed with plants, insects or minerals.

FACILITATOR BIO: Facilitator Monique Durham was born and reared in France. She earned a degree from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) in Spanish literature and worked as a folk music archivist at the Center for Southwest Research, University of New Mexico. Embroidery and fiber are parts of Monique's life. She has won several prizes for her colcha (Spanish Colonial) embroidery, and her work has appeared in the Albuquerque Fiber Arts Fiesta, a juried event, and won a prize at the Taos Wool Festival.

A basic introduction to guitar for beginners. We will start and work with some simple and familiar melodies and then expand them into alternating bass finger picked arrangements. Some familiarity with basic guitar chords would be helpful but not necessary providing a student is willing and motivated to practice outside of class and to learn and pick them up as the class progresses (your fingertips will be sore at the start). Over the eight class sessions we will pick out the melodies of four to six familiar songs on the treble strings, set those melodies within chords, and then add the thumb as an embellishment in the form of an alternating bass. Once established, the alternating bass technique can be used in a variety of musical styles.

Participants will learn the basics of drawing techniques as explored through the subject matter of animals. From the second session on, each will provide one or more photos they wish to work from, such as a bird, mammal, reptile, insect, whatever interests them and each student will also provide their own art materials. Because these techniques extend to painting also, those interested may choose to finish off in acrylics.

FACILITATOR BIO: Jan Fell, wildlife artist, is a self-taught advocate of all living creatures. She began drawing animals 35 years ago, using traditional pen point and black India ink. As her art evolved, she incorporated colored inks, then progressed into acrylic paints. Jan seeks to illustrate each creature realistically, true to its nature, with great attention to detail.

A 3 session class, the first session will give a synopsis of the Baroque and Classical musical periods and information on Bach and Beethoven. Two Bach Preludes and Fugues, a Beethoven Sonata and a Beethoven Theme and Variations will be performed. The second class will cover the Romantic and early Modern musical time periods. Information about Brahms and Bartok will be covered and piano recital pieces played. The third class will be given over to playing the full Master's level recital with background media to enhance the performance and program notes. The purpose of this course is to help people access classical music more fully, thus having a more enjoyable listening experience.

FACILITATOR BIO: Adele Guisto spent her professional career as a keyboard teacher and public school music teacher. She has retired from active teaching and is finishing an interdisciplinary Master's Degree in Keyboard performance and Psychology at WNMU. She has frequently performed in the Good Shepherd Recital Series over the past 15 years and continues as coordinator and performer for the series.

Songwriting is a unique craft that requires a successful union of two skills: musical composition and wordsmithing. This course will begin with looking at the concepts and structures (or lack of) involved in songwriting and end with students writing at least one song. Topics will include: analyzing successful songs, possible song structure, "make or break" song components, motif, arrangement, the Muse, lyric vs music driven, and performance. This course is open to beginning or intermediate songwriters. Students must be able to accompany themselves on an instrument (stringed instrument players can bring their own. A keyboard will be provided, if needed.)

FACILITATOR BIO: Wally Lawder is a singer-songwriter based in Silver City. He has 4 CD's of original music to his credit and regularly performs over 70 original compositions, both locally and on the road in Arizona and California. He was a finalist in the nationally competitive Tucson Folk Festival songwriting competition and won first prize in the Gila River Festival songwriting contest and the ACLU Southwest New Mexico contest. Pulitzer prize winning poet Stephen Dunn has stated "Wally Lawder is both a romantic and a social critic, and his quiet lyricism heightened by his gifts as a guitarist gives me great pleasure."

This two session course will introduce the participants to the basics for of making magical music on the Native American Style Flute. Topics covered will include History, Styles, Demonstration, Resources, How to Make Music, Reading Tablature, and more. Participants don't need to have any background or experience playing an instrument or reading music. Bring your flute along if you have one but participants don't have to have a flute to enjoy this course.

FACILITATOR BIO: Pat Morrisey has been teaching himself about Native American flutes since moving to Silver City in 2009 and has attended workshops on playing these beautiful instruments. Now that he has learned to play and to build them, he is looking forward to sharing what he has learned with others

This one session course will demonstrate the techniques of fabric preservation and will include a tour of the Silver City Museum collections wing as well as an exhibit in the Collection Workroom of textiles rarely or never seen by the public.

Facilitator Bio: Jackie Becker is the Silver City Museum Curator.

We don't know about you, but both Jane and Jeannie always wanted to play "Mame" and "Dolly" and we know that there are a lot of other Broadway lovers who want the chance to sing in the chorus or even solo, as long as it's not on the stage. So, Jane and Jeannie invite you to join them for three fun sessions where you can sing your heart out and belt your way through a bunch of the Broadway classics. You don't have to be able to read music. Both facilitators have musical theatre experience and will take turns accompanying the class on the piano. What more could you ask for?

FACILITATOR BIO: Jane Vanvig has degree work in music therapy - University of Wisconsin. She spent many years working in long term care facilities and rehab settings doing music and music activities. She paid for Massage Therapy school in Baltimore by offering music and music activities in various nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Jane had quite a following among the over-85 group in the greater D.C. metro area, which is still her audience of choice. Now she plays the old classics for her own amusement - especially since she is no longer a soprano, having moved into tenor section of the choir.

FACILITATOR BIO: Jeannie Miller has performed in musical theatre productions in Juneau and Fairbanks Alaska and in the Phoenix area. She enjoys taking center stage. And, she enjoys directing shows and choruses. And, she even plays the musical accompaniment role at times. Jeannie has been a member of WILL since its beginning and is in her second term on the WILL Advisory Board.

Have you ever wondered how a stained glass artist creates and constructs an original design? Susan Rice will guide you through the process, from creative idea through finished work of art. She will demonstrate the series of steps- from design and color choices to soldering and polishing-in the copperfoil method. This is an overview of the process, facilities are not available for creating individual pieces.

FACILITATOR BIO: Susan is a professional stained glass artist, owner of "Spirit Glass" and currently showing her work at the Copper Quail Gallery in Silver City. See www.spiritglass.net.

In six sessions, we will explore the poetic form of haiku. The first two sessions will focus on the Masters, and will introduce the poetic form of haiku so that students can begin to write their own. The third session will center on the writing and sharing of haiku, leading to the formulation of a haiku notebook. The fourth and fifth session will examine the tanka, an extended version of haiku. The last session will feature the six word story-poem. At the final session, each student will be given a hand-thrown tea bowl, made by the instructor, tea will be served, and students will have the opportunity to share their haiku notebooks.

FACILITATOR BIO: Bill Blakemore taught English and Creative Writing for over 30 years. He has conducted numerous haiku workshops, writes a haiku blog, and is active in the Silver City Arts Community.

How often have you thought of writing a novel? What's the usual excuse? Could it be that you don't have enough time or ideas? Well now's your chance to not only participate in writing that "novel" but to also participate in WILL's continuing on-line adventure. Participants in the course will take turns writing a paragraph or two and, when finished, will send it on to the next person on the list, who will then add his/her own paragraph or two. And, if you receive the document at an inconvenient time, or are experiencing writer's block, you can always "pass" until your turn comes around again. The group will meet in-person once at the beginning to go over ground rules, and once at the end to meet and read the final product. Participants must have Internet access and Microsoft WORD.

Dune is the best selling science-fiction book in history. It is the winner of both the Hugo and Nebula awards for 1965. It appears on numerous lists of "must reads" and is closing in on 50 years old. The universe created by Frank Herbert is as alive, exciting and more pertinent than ever. Some call it the first novel to examine ecological concerns. Some call it philosophy, adventure or prophesy. As one reviewer said, "It is the supreme masterpiece of science fiction," but Dune resists summary. It is many books to many people and few have the same interpretation; I do know that it is far more than "big worms and a fat man with the floating suspenders." So whether you've read it recently or years ago or want a reason to begin your journey, let's share insights in a roundtable discussion of ecology, the role of women, philosophy, religion and adventure.

FACILITATOR BIO: Karen Rossman has a bachelor's degree in Academic Studies, is an avid reader and loves to share her enthusiasm for all things creative. Karen has offered several beading classes for WILL, and recently taught a journal- making class for WILL.

This course will cover the history of the Cinema from its beginnings in 1895 until the present. We will explore the pivotal points of cinema history, as well as the technical innovations and creativity of the filmmakers that have shaped the film industry of today.

FACILITATOR BIO: Chris Aquino hails from Chicago, IL. He attended the Columbia College Film School from 1983-1986 where he was at the top of his class. His passion for filmmaking has served him well throughout his life. He was running a successful video production company from 1990-1995 until he and his family decided to move west. In 2001 he again started a production company in Fort Collins, CO. He successfully grew that company until 2005 when he moved to Silver City, NM where he and his partner Mary now make their home.

A seminal event in the lives of those of us who lived through it, whether as voluntary/involuntary combatants in the war or as opponents/supporters on the home front, the long American intervention in the Vietnamese people's effort to throw off their colonial yoke left indelible marks on us, our nation, and our society. As is true of most periods of upheaval and conflict, those years inspired significant contributions to American literature. This course proposes to examine the American experience of those war years through two novels - Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried, and Robert Olen Butler On Distant Ground - and two movies - Michael Cimino's The Deerhunter and Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now. Also strongly recommended for those who wish a broader fictive screen are Tim O'Brien's Going after Cacciato, Robert Stone's Dog Soldiers, and Norman Mailer's The Armies of the Night.

FACILITATOR BIO: Larry Godfrey retired to Silver City from a life of teaching literature and writing to university and high school students from Hyderabad, India to Muscoda, WI. He now spends his time teaching an occasional WILL course and writing poetry and fiction.

Allen Stewart Konigsberg is a well known screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician and playwright. His nom de plume is Woody Allen. This film series of 5 classes will consist of a number of well known earlier films that include a range of topics. The films are Interiors, Bananas, Annie Hall, Manhattan, and Sleepers. Allen draws on many influences and experiences in his life including using the style of Ingmar Bergman to make the film, Interiors. The Marx Brothers also were an influence and are seen in some of Allen formless comedies. Come join us for a return again to movie memories.

Facilitator Bio: Ted Presler, lived in Manhattan in the mid 60's/early 70's and often related to the dynamics of Manhattan as portrayed in many of Allen's films using New York as the venue.

What made Shakespeare write the way he did? From biographies and film clips, you will imagine how he learned, loved, lost love, took risks, was prudent, acted, fought to get ahead, and created the most astounding characters in all of literature. This class will show how the facilitator, Frost McGahey, believes Shakespeare became Shakespeare. There are no required texts, but suggested biographies are Shakespeare: The World as Stage by Bill Bryson or Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare by Stephen Greenblatt. The movie Shakespeare in Love is suggested viewing before class.

FACILITATOR BIO: Frost McGahey has taught numerous Shakespeare classes for WILL. She has also written, produced and directed two plays relating to Shakespeare. McGahey is currently working on a novel, Shakespeare and the Mystery of the Hunchback King.

Talk about Living History! This class will tour cemeteries in Grant County to learn local history by exploring the folks who lived--and died--it. This second Crawl in a series will meet at the Masonic Cemetery for further adventures in local history.

This course will provide a broad-ranging overview of the critical importance of irrigation systems and irrigated agriculture in New Mexico's development, beginning well before the arrival of the Spanish in 1540. Post-European contact developments in various basins will be discussed to illustrate the continuing importance of water and irrigation systems in structuring the geography of NM and the state's economy even today.

FACILITATOR BIO: Neal Ackerly received his B.A from Florida State University, M.A. from University of Arizona, and Ph.D. from Arizona State University, all with majors in Anthropology. He has 36 years of experience with research interests in early Southwest prehistory, historic mines and mining in New Mexico, and past and contemporary irrigation adaptations across the Southwest. Dr. Ackerly has completed studies of community acequias throughout New Mexico including the Mimbres and Mesilla Valleys.

Ride a comfortable Corre Caminos bus along Highway 356 in the mining district with interpretive stops along the way to the Santa Rita pit overlook. View and discuss the last of the remaining old mineshaft head frames in the mining communities of Bayard, Vanadium, and Hanover. See the Empire Zinc mineshaft head frame that inspired the infamous 1951 strike and resulting 1954 documentary, Salt of the Earth, the only film banned by the U.S. Government. This tour fills you in on the fascinating history of the most productive mining area in the entire state of New Mexico.

FACILITATOR BIO: Terry Humble is a native Grant Countian, a retired Santa Rita mine mechanic and a local historian.

This course will begin with a general survey of pre-colonial America, then segue way into colonial America with details about the original settlements. Emphasis will be on the reasons for settlement, colonial society, and political steps leading to the independent United States. Join us as we consider such questions as: What was happening in Europe in the late 1500's that affected the situations on the North American continent? Why did the colonists embark for a wilderness unknown to them? and, How did they survive?

FACILITATOR BIO: Maury Shortt received his Master's Degree in History from WNMU. He presently teaches American History at WNMU in Silver City and at the new Lordsburg facility. Prof Shortt has always been interested in American History, especially Colonial America because his paternal and maternal families extend back in time to the founding of Jamestown. Some of the original land granted to Prof Shortt's family from headrights is still held by family members.

The Vietnamese are descendants of nomadic Mongols from China and immigrants from Indonesia. There is evidence of a prehistoric Iron Age culture in northern Viet Nam, and much of the earliest history is rooted in mythology. These four classes will focus on the Early Kingdoms and the Period of Chinese Domination, Early Independence, the Independent Period, and the Divided Period, covering the period from 2879 BC to 1802. The focus of these classes will be how Vietnam became an independent country and repelled various attempts to invade it.

FACILITATOR BIO: Dennis Beaver received his BA from Indiana University and his MBA from Indiana University. He spent one year in the Republic of Vietnam. He has 14 years experience as a historical interpreter.

This will be a brief exploration of the 7 million-year evolution of the Hominids to the earliest Homo sapiens. We will also look at the contentious history of the development of the fossil record for this evolution.

Most people know that our knowledge of Ancient Greek writings - often considered the cornerstone of Western Civilization - came to us from Arabic translations. Many people believe that these translations were an essential part of the revival of European civilization that we know as the Renaissance. But how many of us can name a scientist from this 700 year period of time? Come and join us as we discuss some of the important scientific advances of the medieval Arabic civilization.

In honor of New Mexico's 100th anniversary as a state, we will explore the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the Treaty of Mesilla. American forces had trouble finding a Mexican empowered to negotiate. Maps were scarce and those that existed were bent as much as 50 miles. The chief US negotiator had "issues." And then when the Senate took up the treaty, slavery and its implications inflamed the debate as it infected almost every societal and governmental concern. Although the negotiated Guadalupe Hidalgo gave the U.S. part or all of the Mexican states of Nuevo Leon (Monterrey), Tamaulipas, Coahuila, and Chihuahua, the really, really valuable territory, south of the Gila River, was omitted from the Senate's final version of the treaty. The U.S. decided to buy the real estate. "History can be a messy affair," says Tom Hester, "but when Secretary of War Jefferson Davis, American statesman and West Point grad, was occasionally in charge, it was time for shovel and broom." Tom studied history for a time at university.

The United States could scarcely wait to induct California into statehood. Ditto for Nevada and Colorado. Then why were some U.S. Senators saying ugly things about the New Mexico Territory and New Mexicans? Why did New Mexico cool our heels in the national vestibule, biding our time for statehood? In honor of New Mexico's 100th anniversary as a state, Tom Hester will lead a discussion of the news accounts of the late 19th century as the class tries to feel the national pulse from a remove of 150 years. Tom studied history for a time at university.

The course on Ancient Egypt continues with the study of the famous Ramesses series of pharaohs, starting with the 19th Dynasty (1319-1070 BCE) through the Third Intermediate Period consisting of the 21st-25th Dynasties (1070-712 BCE). Other areas of Ancient Egyptian life such as medicine and science will also be discussed. The class consists of lectures and films relating to these subjects. (It's not necessary to have attended the previous Ancient Egypt courses to appreciate the dynamics of this course.)

The program will focus on the current research in the Mimbres area and the investigations at the Harris Pithouse Site in the Mimbres Valley by Dr. Barbara Roth of the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Data from the Harris Site is giving archaeologists not only a greater understanding of the pithouse occupation in the Mimbres area but also about the transition to the later pueblo time period, especially at the Mattocks Ruin. The Harris Site is an important site in southwest archaeology because it was partially excavated in the 1930s by Emil Haury and was used by Haury to help define the Mogollon Culture.

Come take a tour of the historic Silver City Railroad which served the mines during our town's early days. The tour will cover various locations such as the Cooper Street Masonic Cemetery, Boston Hill, Market Street, Chloride Flats, Little Walnut, Swan Street, and "W" Mountain

FACILITATOR BIO: Don Beem, local historian and longtime railroad enthusiast, will conduct the tour and provide background information on the railroad.

Join the "How to Become a Leading World Authority" Club, a gathering of local citizen scientists interested in starting or continuing an individual project. As a citizen scientist, you can bird-watch, monitor the growth of pinon pine, or sift through soil found around an excavated mastodon (a Michigan museum mails you a kilogram of "fossil matrix," and you work at home). Author Sharman Apt Russell will begin the twice-monthly meetings by discussing her work on tiger beetles, a project she is writing about for National Geographic. Sharman will bring in other speakers and facilitate the discussions. A background in science is not necessary; all you need is a passion for your subject. No matter your interest, from Southwestern grasses to star-gazing, this How-to Club is there to help and support you.

FACILITATOR BIO: Sharman Apt Russell is an award-winning nature and science writer whose most recent book is Standing in the Light: My Life as a Pantheist (Basic Books). She teaches creative writing at Western New Mexico University in Silver City and Antioch University in Los Angeles. She is also the author of a number of books on science and nature, including Hunger: An Unnatural History (Basic Books, 2008); An Obsession with Butterflies (Basic Books, 2005); and Anatomy of a Rose (Perseus Books, 2003).

Building kites, flying them, and discovering a few new ones along the way! Of all your kites, which is your best one? You do have more than one, don't you? Kites for different wind speeds? That's a great idea since the weather's never the same from day to day. Roll your sleeves up and enjoy learning to make a kite and fly it. Pick up some dowels or bamboo skewers, some plastic bags and sticky tape, or choose from kits provided by your facilitator, Rick Miller. Don't laugh! Wait until you see the collection of designs that Rick has made and flown! There are designs for just about anybody, from young kids to experienced fliers who enjoy a building challenge. Attend this hands-on class for fun and enjoyment or for the challenge of developing your kite-building skills.

FACILITATOR BIO: Rick Miller has been a kite-building and kite-fighting enthusiast for many years. He has built a thousand kites in his lifetime and says that the very best time for all kinds of kite activities in southwest New Mexico is October.

As seen in the movie The Kite Runner, kite flying and kite fighting are more than pastimes in Asia; they can even be obsessions. For instance, the streets of the Afghani capital of Kabul are filled with shops selling kite-flying equipment, and the skies above the city are decorated each day with hundreds of colorful kites fluttering in the wind. Traditional Pakistani, Indian, Afghani, and Japanese kite fighting are done throughout the United States. Los Angeles and San Jose have groups of people who regularly fight Indian and Afghan kites. Korean, Japanese, Brazilian, and Chilean fighter kites have been used for demonstration purposes at various large kite festivals throughout the U.S. This class will introduce participants to the sport of kite-fighting in a casual and fun style.

FACILITATOR BIO: Rick Miller has been a kite-building and kite-fighting enthusiast for many years. He has built a thousand kites in his lifetime and says that the very best time for all kinds of kite activities in southwest New Mexico is October.

Have you ever wondered about the rocks that share our landscape in Grant County? This course, presented by Lee Stockman and Judy Allen, will include general descriptions of the three types of rocks (Sedimentary, Igneous, and Metamorphic) and how they are formed, with an emphasis on the local geology of Grant County. A selection of rock samples from the area for each type of formation will be presented and examined. By the end of the class participants will be able to recognize and identify several specimens from each category.

FACILITATOR BIO: Lee Stockman and co-facilitator Judy Allen are lifelong rock hounds who owned and operated Royal Scepter Gems & Minerals for six years. Both are active in the Grant County Rolling Stones Gem and Mineral Society and have taken a variety of geology courses and seminars over the years. Lee and Judy have explored Southwestern New Mexico and are familiar with its terrain, minerals, and geology and taught this same course in Spring 2010.

Living with wildlife-the good, the bad, and the ugly-comes with living in Grant County. Just as it is necessary to pay attention to the basic needs of wildlife when attracting them, successful discouragement takes special steps and sometimes a concentrated effort as well. Facilitator Dennis Miller will discuss both the positive and negative interactions between humans and local wildlife that can happen in and around your home. Bats, deer, javelinas, skunks, coatimundis, ringtails, gophers, rattlesnakes, and feral cats will be discussed along with humane methods to discourage or remove them from your property. You will learn what to do if you discover an orphaned or injured animal and receive help in deciding how best to assist an animal in need.

FACILITATOR BIO: Dennis and Denise Miller own and operate Gila Biological (Wildlife) Consultants and operate Gila Wildlife Rescue in Silver City. They have been rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing New Mexico wildlife for 33 years. Dennis has been doing research and wildlife control and consulting for local mines, municipalities, and businesses for the past 25 years and taught biology for 29 years, 19 of them at WNMU. He is a Professor Emeritus of Biology at WNMU. His Wildlife Rescue is one of only two rehab centers in New Mexico licensed for all species of wildlife.

In the first session of "Backyard Beekeeping" facilitator Hillary Kiva-Niklas will provide an introduction to the history of bees and backyard beekeeping practices. In the second session she will present and lead a discussion about the movie Nicotine Bees, which investigates why the honey bees of the world are in serious trouble and why their declining population threatens our food supply.

FACILITATOR BIO: Hillary Kiva-Niklas is a backyard beekeeper trained by Les Crowder, a natural beekeeper and pollinator advocate. She maintains a small urban homestead on the edge of Silver City in which bees, ducks, chickens, and an evolving permaculture-style garden form an integrated whole. Along with her husband, Hillary manages the homestead as an experimental site with the goal of self-sufficiency and ecological harmony and as a means for small-scale food security.

Dave Menzie will lead a discussion about the San Vicente Watershed, which will include the history of the Big Ditch, a look at water quality issues, and an examination of the animal and plant life of the watershed. The class will conclude with a 2-mile walking tour of the watershed (including a couple of creek crossings).

FACILITATOR BIO: Dave Menzie works with the New Mexico Department of Environment.

The United States Forest Service (USFS) manages 193 million acres of forests and grasslands and, according to its website, is dedicated to the restoration and enhancement of landscapes, the protection and enhancement of water resources, developing climate change resiliency, and helping to create jobs that will sustain communities. In the first of two sessions facilitator Dick Markley will present an historical perspective of the Forest Service. In the second session he will explore current issues facing the USFS.

The first class will provide an introduction to the basic fundamentals of landscape design, including principles of water harvesting, appropriate plantings, and using plants to enhance the spaces that surround our dwellings. The second class will be a site visit to see examples of landscape design.

FACILITATOR BIO: James Fitzgerald has been designing and building landscapes for over thirty years.

Will science or politics determine the future of the endangered Mexican gray wolf? A U.S. government program of trapping wolves, poisoning them, and killing pups at their dens, which was carried out on behalf of the livestock industry, resulted in complete extirpation of wolves from the western U.S. by 1945. That same program exported to Mexico in 1950 resulted in wolf extirpation south of our borders, with just a few wolves captured alive for emergency captive breeding to save the unique Mexican gray wolf subspecies from extinction. The 1998 reintroduction of Mexican wolves to the wild in the Apache and Gila National Forests was intended to begin recovery and help restore the ecosystem, but it has been undermined by continued government acquiescence to stock grower demands and ongoing persecution of the wolves. This course looks at the history of the Mexican wolf, the landscape that wolves occupy through a car camping trip with day hikes in the Gila National Forest, and discusses the Mexican wolf's future.

What makes a good trout stream? How do you recognize one? And if you do, how do you cast your line or tie your knots? Want to learn fly-fishing techniques along with fly-fishing in New Mexico lore? Then join Rex Johnson, author of Fly-fishing in Southern New Mexico, and get the answers. The first two sessions will focus on casting techniques and knot-tying, with a lot of interesting information about local stream ecology and the big ones that didn't get away. The third session will focus on planning the fly-fishing field trip and any other fly-fishing topics the class wants to discuss. Participants are asked to bring their own rod and reel.

FACILITATOR BIO: Rex Johnson is author of Fly Fishing in Southern New Mexico. He teaches mathematics at WNMU.

It's out there! The Great Outdoors is calling. If you are interested in any type of outdoor activity, sign up for this course. WILL is scheduling hikes, birding trips, and other activities at different levels for members on an ongoing basis. Monthly informational and sign-up meetings for each activity will take place on the 2nd Tuesday of the month prior to a scheduled event. We are also looking for reliable trip leaders for all kinds of activities. Can you take a group on your favorite hike? Can you canoe? Do you dance with the stars, or are you down and dirty in caves? Contact WILL to set up dates!

FACILITATOR BIO: Facilitator for WILL's Outdoor Experience program since late 2010, Jeff moved from Arizona in 2010 where he enjoyed hiking and backpacking. Several visits to the Gila and Aldo Leopold Wildernesses while a Phoenix resident were a motivating factor in his moving to Silver City.

The theory of biological evolution is the great unifying concept in all of biology. Prior to the elaboration and widespread acceptance of this idea, biology was largely a chaos of unrelated facts. In this course facilitator Julian Lee will lead participants in an examination of the historical development of evolutionary thought and the lines of evidence that argue persuasively for the reality of evolutionary change. The class will consider the mechanisms by which evolutionary change comes about and conclude with a consideration of sociobiology and biological determinism, especially as they apply to our own species.

FACILITATOR BIO: Julian Lee is Professor of Biology Emeritus in the Department of Biology, The University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, where he taught courses in ecology, evolution, behavior, comparative anatomy, and herpetology. His research involves various aspects of the biology of amphibians and reptiles, with special emphasis on those of southeastern Mexico and northern Central America. He is author of The Amphibians and Reptiles of the Yucatan Peninsula and A Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of the Maya World, both published by Cornell University Press.

This course is being offered by facilitator Martha Everett to Qigong participants of all levels. We will be working with graceful movements, deep breathing, stretching, and drawing in our life force energy or Qi. This drawing in of Qi reduces stress, raises metabolism, and brings our physical, emotional, and spiritual selves into optimum health and balance by increasing the flow of energy in the body.

Facilitator Bio: Martha Everett first experienced Qigong in a workshop almost 4 years ago with 250 other people in the room. In Martha's words, "We were all connected to each other by the Qi in our bodies and all around us. This was a very pivotal moment in my life, and I have felt drawn to share this ancient practice ever since. I found it quieted my busy mind, brought my physical body into a more open and receptive state, and opened my heart to more peace and love. I am a teacher of Qigong, as well as a student, always learning and always seeking more information to share."

Prerequisite: Participants must have taken the introductory Bones for Life class. Are you concerned about the health of your bones? Bones for Life benefits include: better posture, improved equilibrium and vitality, freedom from back and joint problems, and stronger bones. Gentle weight-bearing movements challenge your bones to be strong and sturdy while improving overall balance and coordination.

FACILITATOR BIO: Dixie Dexter has been involved with the Feldenkrais Method since 1988. She became a certified practitioner in 1996 and has been in practice since then in a physical therapy setting, Mercy Hospital's Integrative Services, and private practice. She became certified in Bones for Life in 2005, which is based on the Feldenkrais Method. Her enthusiasm for both modalities has remained consistently high since her first exposure to them.

Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement (ATM) lessons consist of verbally directed, sophisticated movement sequences designed to create the conditions for improved functioning. Sensory-motor activity is used to free us from habitual patterns and allow for new patterns of thinking, moving, and feeling. The lessons involve tremendous variety, helping to make the learning intriguing and enjoyable.

FACILITATOR BIO: Dixie Dexter has been involved with the Feldenkrais Method since 1988. She became a certified practitioner in 1996 and has been in practice since then in a physical therapy setting, Mercy Hospital's Integrative Services, and private practice. She became certified in Bones for Life in 2005, which is based on the Feldenkrais Method. Her enthusiasm for both modalities has remained consistently high since her first exposure to them.

Facilitator Anna Dye will provide an introduction to Rosen Method Bodywork, a unique and profound form of bodywork, and an overview of this method and its development by Marion Rosen. According to Rosen our feelings and memories are stored in our body memory, even if our conscious mind has forgotten them. In order to deal with difficult life experiences and the pressures of our surroundings, especially as children, we use the support of our musculature. This can lead to chronic tensions and physical pain, as well as rigid and limiting attitudes. This unconscious tension takes effort and energy. The gentle touch of the Rosen method allows us to become aware of and access the tensions in a mindful way. Relaxing happens from inside out, and letting go of the tensions adds to our physical, emotional, and spiritual mobility and aliveness.

FACILITATOR BIO: Anna Dye began studying Rosen Bodywork nearly 10 years ago in Finland. After moving to the United States she was able to start an internship as a student of the Rosen Method Center Southwest in Santa Fe, which includes practicing on clients.

Facilitator Anna Dye will provide an introduction to Rosen Method Bodywork, a unique and profound form of bodywork, and an overview of this method and its development by Marion Rosen. According to Rosen our feelings and memories are stored in our body memory, even if our conscious mind has forgotten them. In order to deal with difficult life experiences and the pressures of our surroundings, especially as children, we use the support of our musculature. This can lead to chronic tensions and physical pain, as well as rigid and limiting attitudes. This unconscious tension takes effort and energy. The gentle touch of the Rosen method allows us to become aware of and access the tensions in a mindful way. Relaxing happens from inside out, and letting go of the tensions adds to our physical, emotional, and spiritual mobility and aliveness.

FACILITATOR BIO: Anna Dye began studying Rosen Bodywork nearly 10 years ago in Finland. After moving to the United States she was able to start an internship as a student of the Rosen Method Center Southwest in Santa Fe, which includes practicing on clients.

Learn how to reduce stress and improve your health through laughter! Facilitator Mary Ann Finn guides participants in Laughing for Health through a variety of exercises and activities. The class is suitable for all activity levels and abilities. For more information see www.laughteryogaamerica.com.

FACILITATOR BIO: Mary Ann Finn is a Certified Laughter Leader, registered nurse, and diabetes educator.

In this course Rod Rees will examine Consciousness in Four Parts: Part 1: Classic concepts of Consciousness or the Mind's problem with the Body; Part 2: The varieties of conscious experience or "William James visits Monty Python's Flying Circus"; Part 3: Phenomenology, complex interactive systems, and the Hall of Infinite Mirrors; and Part 4: Rocks, robots, and dogs or the color of Consciousness.

FACILITATOR BIO: Rod Rees is a retired professor of Philosophy.

Prerequisite: Class is limited to experienced players and/or those who have already taken Vicki's and Sam's Beginning Mah Jongg Class. Mah Jongg may have been around since before the time of Confucius. It has always been a game that brings people together in a unique way. Perhaps it's the click of the tiles and the lively pace of the game, or maybe it's simply because Mah Jongg is so much fun. Vicki Johnson and Sam Redford have been playing Mah Jongg together for over a decade. This session will be limited to experienced players and/or those who have already taken Vicki and Sam's Beginning Mah Jongg Class.

FACILITATOR BIO: Vicki Johnson has lived in Grant County for 15 years. She is an experienced hiker and player of games.

Facilitator Bio: Sam Redford and her husband own and operate Redford Associates, a local architecture and planning firm. She has lived in Silver City for 22 years and has been playing Mah Jongg for 17 of those. She serves on the Grant County Community Health Council and on the board of New Mexico First. She is a lover of cats, good books, ocean cruises, and Mah Jongg.

Curious about Amateur Radio? Then this is the class for you! In this 90-minute class Sam Fry will review the history and mission of Amateur Radio and will look at the state of Amateur Radio today. A summary of both the public service aspects of the hobby and the fun and challenge of participating in worldwide communications and contests will be reviewed. Topics will include the use of computers, digital modes, and local communications repeaters and handheld radios. The class will end with a short discussion and Q&A session on getting started and obtaining a license.

FACILITATOR BIO: Sam Fry obtained his Novice amateur license in 1957 at the age of ten and within two years had passed the test for General. He was active in ham radio throughout the 1960s and 1970s in Louisiana but lost interest by 1980. After many years of inactivity, the decision to fulltime RV several years ago led to the rediscovery of this wonderful hobby. Today he holds the Amateur Extra and operates both while RVing and from his new home location near the Burro Mountains

With the sesquicentennial of the Civil War, you may be wondering about your ancestors' own participation in the Civil War — and America's other military conflicts. This course, for beginning as well as more experienced genealogists, will show you how to explore your ancestors' military records. It will cover records from colonial battles and the Revolutionary War through WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, with a special emphasis on Civil War records and the best websites for this research. You'll learn not only how to discover the facts of your ancestors' military careers but also how to glean important genealogical evidence from these resources (even if your ancestor never actually served, such as from draft cards).

FACILITATOR BIO: David A. Fryxell founded Family Tree Magazine, the nation's most popular genealogy publication and continues to write for the magazine as a contributing editor and "History Matters" columnist. He edited The Family Tree Guide Book and The Family Tree Guide Book to Europe and contributed to The Family Tree Resource Book for Genealogists. Currently, Fryxell is the editor and publisher of Desert Exposure, a regional monthly publication based in Silver City, NM. www.desertexposure.com.

This course, facilitated by nationally ranked player Spike Flanders, will introduce you to the basic rules of Gin Rummy. Variations of the game will be discussed and hands-on playing will be an important part of the course. As you learn the game and become familiar with different strategies of gin, your skills of observation, deduction, and memory are sure to improve. And most of all, you'll have a great time!

FACILITATOR BIO: C. N. Flanders, also known as "Spike," retired to Silver City more than 10 years ago from Illinois. He is married and has grown children. Spike is active in a number of Silver City organizations, including the ACLU, Westerners, the Gila Native Plant Society, and others. Besides gin rummy, additional interests are reading, hiking, Southwest history, Native American art, in particular Hopi jewelry. He has been playing gin rummy for more than 60 years. Consistently ranked among the top 50 players internationally, Spike recently competed in tournaments in Las Vegas, St. Louis, and Palm Springs. It is Spike's hope that through teaching gin rummy as a WILL course, the game will increase in popularity in our community.

We have tackled and conquered Blackwood, Gerber, Cuebids, and Help Suit Game Tries. Are you ready to take on: Jacoby, Drury, and Lebensohl? We will structure the class with lots of practice hands and more laughter as Patty Reed and Helen Lemal learn right along side you.

FACILITATOR BIO: Patty Reed is one of the founding members of the Western Institute for Lifelong Learning and is an experienced lifelong learner. She attended courses at Duke Institute for Lifelong Learning when her mother, Betty Reed, was president of that organization. Patty and her husband, Fred Fox, have lived in Silver City for 21 years, and have raised 2 sons, Nathaniel and Ben. She is a licensed Marriage and Family Counselor and has had a private therapy practice for the last 20 years. She has been a member of the Silver Consolidated School Board for 11 years.

FACILITATOR BIO: Helen Lemal is the WILL Registrar and an active tennis and bridge player.

This course will cover preparing wills, powers of attorney, and medical directives. It will also help to unravel, in plain English, scores of knotty legal issues. Few like to confront death and how estates will be handled, but in a WILL course, with an acknowledged expert, you can feel comfortable in asking questions and discussing issues that many have in common. The final session of the workshop will provide some simple tools you can use to get organized so that, in case of emergency, your family and friends can take care of what needs taking care of.

FACILITATOR BIO: Tim Kane is a retired attorney. While in private practice, he specialized in tax matters, property distribution incident to bankruptcy and divorce, and wills and trusts.

Each semester, this course will choose a different country on which to base a complete meal. Prior to the class session each participant will make either an appetizer, salad, main course, or dessert, then meet in a central location to enjoy each other's creations and company. We would like each cook to briefly discuss the cooking/ingredients when s/he serves the meal. In order to accommodate all members, if a participant wishes to include meat in a dish, s/he must also make a vegetarian version. Emails with instructions and recipes will be sent out to participants two weeks before the meal. When signing up, each participant must list any food allergies or state that s/he has no food allergies.

FACILITATOR BIO: Karen Murphy, Ed.D., is Associate Professor Emerita from the Department of Educational Psychology at Texas A&M University, where she taught educational technology and distance learning. Her teaching experience spans kindergarten through university. Karen is an avid international traveler, having lived over 10 years in Turkey, 2 years in Cyprus, and a semester in Australia. In her retirement in Silver City, Karen enjoys reading, hiking, water aerobics, line dancing, gardening, yoga, and traveling.

Go is one of the oldest games of pure strategy in the world. A board game for two players, it originated in China more than 2,000 years ago and is noted for being rich in strategy despite its relatively simple rules. Though computers can now challenge the greatest chess players, they can only beat a lowly 6 kyu (beginner) in Go. This class will cover the history, philosophy, and etiquette of the game as well as teach the game itself.

FACILITATOR BIO: Hiram Lewis says that he learned to play Go from two terrible players (his parents), but that no one really had a clue. He started playing in earnest in Seattle in 1979 and has almost reached the rank of 1st Dan, but mostly he remains a kyu player. Hiram Lewis plays on-line on both KGS and IGS, and he is a 5 kyu on both those servers. A "Go" group of Silver City players meets at Arby's on Sunday mornings at 9:30 and plays for a few hours.

Tamales, a gift of the indigenous peoples of Mexico, are a festival food. Because of cooler weather and lots of family gatherings in the fall and early winter, most tamales are made from the Dia de Guadalupe to Christmas. Now is the time for you to learn. Since her childhood Consuelo Hester has ground the spices, cooked the meat, mixed the masa, prepared the corn shucks, and steamed the final, delicious morsels. It's a lot of work, and it's a technique that you have to experience to master. Her tamale style: thin, almost airy masa with a spicy and ample dollop of meat or chile and cheese. But lately Consuelo has been thinking vegetarian and even low-carb and low-cal. So sign up for the traditional and for the healthy. You'll have the chance to sample different types of tamales, and you can take home a half dozen that you've made yourself.

FACILITATOR BIO: Consuelo Hester has lived in Silver City five years, coming here from Arlington, Virginia. Consuelo was a program manager for the IRS. She received a BS in education and enjoys reading and teaches quilting to a women's cooperative in Palomas, Chih., Mexico. Her son, Carlos, lives in Maryland.

Flavors from afar come right to your own kitchen. Join Chef Rob Connoley as he conducts a demonstration class in preparing basic Ethiopian cuisine. Participants will learn six dishes in addition to the classic injera bread.

Facilitator Bio: Rob Connoley is owner and chef of the Curious Kumquat, in Silver City.

We live in a wildland/urban interface, and along with the many natural benefits of this beautiful area, we also face the risk of wildfires. In fact Grant County is one of the most "at danger communities [for wildfires] in New Mexico." Topographical features, vegetation fuel types, local weather conditions, and prevailing winds determine the level of wildfire risk to our community. These factors as well as the particular characteristics of your home and property help determine your own home's vulnerability to wildfire. A Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) has been developed and implemented for the Grant County area and offers one of the best ways to reduce the risk to your home. A key to the success of the CWPP is effective collaboration between federal, state, and local governments and private landowners. Facilitator Gary Benavidez will talk about what you can do on your own to protect your home and what programs are available to support your efforts.

FACILITATOR BIO: Gary Benavidez is the Grant County Fire Management Officer.

Some say that Our Lady of Guadalupe Monastery is the most "authentic Benedictine monastery" in the United States. After 19 years of labor, this monastery was recently raised to the level of a Conventual Priory, one step away from becoming an abbey. The monastery is located at the end of Forest Road 203 with a view that will take your breath away. At the monastery, we will learn about their fascinating history and their future plans from Brother Bernard. We will hike the monastery grounds so wear comfortable shoes and bring a hiking stick if you want. Vicki Johnson and Susie Trujillo will lead this hike.

FACILITATOR BIO: Vicki Johnson has lived in Grant County for 15 years. She is an experienced hiker and player of games.