You could buy a $4 bottle of kombucha, or you could make your own for pennies. It's simply sweetened black or green tea with a culture added. Make a primary ferment in class. A secondary ferment will be demonstrated so you can make it at home once your primary has developed. Discuss kombucha's fascinating history, how to troubleshoot, glassware, and SCOBYs. This hybrid class (live or via Zoom) will include information on microbiology and ferment creation. Registration closes at noon on 2/19. Zoom link, materials list, in-person address provided by instructor.

Emma Holder attended McGill University, earning a BSc in 1991 and a Masters in 1993 in microbiology and immunology. Her passion is to connect with people and provide enjoyable learning experiences to create healthy, happy lifestyles.

Learn new concepts and expand on your existing skills in color theory, blending and application. With step-by-step instructions, learn how to recreate still-life themes and comprehend the utilization of positive and negative space. Work on slightly more difficult still-life and landscape subjects while learning how to create the illusion of distance and composition.

Prerequisite: Watercolor Basics.

Bring 1 small tube each: cadmium yellow (light), cobalt blue, alizarin crimson, 1 paint palette (Russel says folding ones are ideal!), 1 round #10 watercolor brush; 1 inch wide flat brush, 1 drawing pencil #2H, 1 eraser, 1 light-weight board or piece of cardboard.; and two sheets of Arches watercolor paper, 140 lb. cold press, 22x30 inches (total supply cost approx. $80).

Note: Please purchase Arches, as the quality of watercolor paper is essential for handling the techniques you will be taught in class. Please bring any colors you already have.

Russel Whitten, a local artist and teacher, studied at The Art Students League of New York, Heartwood College of Art, and is a member of The Ogunquit Art Association/Barn Gallery. Students adore his laid-back, encouraging teaching style.

Classes in aerial yoga include flips, tricks and inversions. By keeping the swing at hip height, it transforms into a hammock that supports you during backbends and inversions and offers a unique way to build core, arm, and leg strength. You'll flow and fly in your aerial swing during these 50-minute lessons, fusing the grace of yoga with the freedom of flight. Wear comfortable workout-type clothes but nothing too loose, and be prepared to go barefoot. No class 1/31.

Ashley Jolly is certified in both barre and aerial yoga. Her main focuses are on strength, stability, and flexibility, as she finds these to be the trifecta of great fitness.

Classes in aerial yoga include flips, tricks and inversions. By keeping the swing at hip height, it transforms into a hammock that supports you during backbends and inversions and offers a unique way to build core, arm, and leg strength. You'll flow and fly in your aerial swing during these 50-minute lessons, fusing the grace of yoga with the freedom of flight. Wear comfortable workout-type clothes but nothing too loose, and be prepared to go barefoot.

Ashley Jolly is certified in both barre and aerial yoga. Her main focuses are on strength, stability, and flexibility, as she finds these to be the trifecta of great fitness.

Join Museum Director Tara Raiselis for a tour of the Saco Museum, a treasure trove of local history! Since its founding in 1866 (under its original name, York Institute), the stated purpose of the organization was "to promote the study of natural history; encourage science and art; and also to collect and preserve whatever relates to the natural and civic history of York County." Evolving over the years to meet the changing needs of the community, the museum's galleries are set up to allow revolving exhibitions showcasing the extraordinary collections, special interpretive exhibits, and work by contemporary Maine artists. Permanent exhibits include paintings, furnishings, and household objects with documented histories of ownership in the Saco valley in the 18th and 19th centuries. The second floor includes a room furnished to reflect a mill girl's boarding house bedroom from the 1840s. The museum also has a display of antique natural history specimens, including birds of New England. Preregistration required as space is limited, registration closes at noon on 2/28.

Tara Vose Raiselis has served as Museum Director at Dyer Library & Saco Museum since 2012. She holds a BA & MA in History from Pennsylvania State University, and an ABD from the College of William and Mary, also in History. Prior to her time in Saco, she worked at Strawbery Banke in Portsmouth, NH, and served as curator of the History Media Center at the University of Delaware.

What Folks Near, At, or In Retirement Need To know

Retirement doesn’t mean escaping taxes—in fact, it’s one of the top challenges you’ll face as you plan for the future and understanding them is essential to preserving your income throughout your retirement. In this workshop, we will uncover critical tax issues that can erode your retirement savings and discuss practical strategies to protect your wealth. Understanding how taxes will impact your income is essential to preserving your money throughout your retirement. You'll learn about Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs); how to calculate them and how they impact your taxes. Also, how Social Security, pensions, dividends, and interest affect your taxes. We'll even cover strategies such as Roth IRA conversions, tax loss harvesting, and how a step-up in tax basis and Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) can work to your advantage. By the end, you'll have knowledge and actionable strategies to consider that may help preserve your assets, maximize tax efficiency, and make your retirement dollars last. Please bring a notebook/pen and a calculator.

Anthony Corsino, owner of Zen Financial Planning, LLC in Andover, MA, holds a BS from Bentley, a Certificate in Financial Planning from Boston University, and holds other designations and certificates from The American College of Financial Services, The College for Financial Planning, and Villanova. He teaches financial planners nationwide in multiple university programs and serves as a subject matter expert at Boston University, Regis College, and through Greene Consulting, which partners with several universities including UNH and James Madison.

Impress your family and friends with your photos! Learn how to use the camera settings on your phone, as well as how to share and print your photos. Discuss picture-taking techniques and the best free and low-cost tools for editing, finishing, and image management. This class will include time viewing photos and the instructor will provide feedback on student work. Come explore the magic of smartphone photography with Steve!

Please have a computer, stable internet connection, and your fully charged smartphone (Android or Apple). Zoom link provided by instructor.

Steve McGrath is a professional freelance photographer and teacher with 25 years of experience. His love of the great outdoors led him to his true passion—nature photography. Steve was an active member of the Gateway Camera Club for many years and has won many ribbons and awards at fairs and competitions through the group and on his own. Many of his images have been published in school textbooks.

Where does it go?

Take a virtual tour through ecomaine’s Single Sort Recycling Facility to discover how we sort your soup cans and laundry bottles and why wish-cycling costs you money. Bring your questions and examples of any questionable recyclable items. Registration closes at noon on 3/5.

Annie Hayes holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Planning & Policy with a minor in Ecology from the University of Southern Maine. After starting as an Education and Outreach Intern at ecomaine during her junior year in 2022, she transitioned to the role of Environmental Educator following her graduation in 2024. Her commitment to education and advocacy drives her efforts to make a positive impact in the Maine community.