You can learn from the beginning or get help with a project. Bring practice yarn and needles or hook to the first class. The instructor, an accomplished artist, has taught knitting and crocheting for more than 30 years. Call 512-364-3147 or email pat@tittizer.us with questions. Limit 15.

Pat Tittizer
Course Starts Thursday, Feb. 19
Knitters 9:30—11:30 A.M.
Crocheters 10:00—Noon
United Christian Church
3500 W. Parmer Lane (78727)

Since antiquity, writers have attempted to understand and define the idea of evil by giving it a voice. Using the perspective of the Devil, some of the world’s greatest creative thinkers have sought to challenge the intellectual resolve and rigor of the faiths while encouraging their characters and audiences to query the strength and doctrine of their own beliefs. As a result, through temptation narratives, morality dramas, cultural satires, and Faustian bargains, explorations of “the Adversary” have yielded some of the most compelling stories and characters ever imagined. Participants should be aware that the readings will include quite a bit of poetry, although for the longer poems, we will read selections rather than the full texts. Limit 15.

Cynthia Lee, PhD
10:00—Noon Thursday, Starts Feb. 19
Lamar Senior Activity Center, Arts and Crafts Room
2874 Shoal Crest Avenue (78705)

This state is an area of great beauty and enormous diversity. It has greatly varied landscapes as well as water resources, soils, climate, vegetation, fauna, and human use. Basic to all this diversity is the underlying geology. Variations in the geology—the types of rocks present, their geometric arrangement (geologic structures), and the geologic processes active now and in the past—are the major determinants for present landforms. Climate and biologic activity also play important parts. This course will cover:

• Geologic Basics—to set the background for understanding what’s to come

• Bedrock Geology—the distribution of rocks by geologic age

• Structural Framework – major structural features that influence geology

• Geologic History of Texas—the geologic events that have brought us to the present time

• Landscapes of Texas—how all this geology and geologic history are reflected in the present surface features.

Our very popular instructor is a retired Petroleum Geologist and teacher, who brings a wide perspective and thorough detail to his classes. Please bring $2 to the first meeting to cover course handouts. Note: No class on April 2; class extends one week to April 16. Limit 30.

Peter Boone, PhD
10:00—Noon Thursday, Starts Feb. 19
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Room 205
3525 Bee Caves Road (78746)

The practice of meditation is becoming increasingly common among people from all walks of life, encouraged in high-level corporate sessions, during coffee breaks and before academic tests and sports competitions. These are practices that have been cherished since ancient times. In this course you will learn about the many benefits of meditation and practice various meditation and visualization techniques, including mantra meditation, single-object meditation, breath-awareness meditation, meta-meditation, and mindfulness of the present moment. The class features multimedia-based lectures, guided meditation, and relaxation video clips. Our text is the instructor’s book, The Divine Art of Meditation, the result of almost a decade of research on the subject. 6 Classes. Limit 20.

Farnaz Masumian
10:00—Noon Thursday, Feb. 19
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church
3525 Bee Caves Road (78746)

Do you love poetry?  For many people, poetry provides a new means of seeing the world, speaking to and for us in a meaningful way. This is an opportunity to meet with other poetry lovers to share and talk about verse in a non-academic setting, and encounter poems and poets that are new to you. This is not a poetry-writing class. Participants will bring one or two favorite published poems to read aloud and share with the group. Discussion will be along the lines of why a poem speaks to the person who brought it, or why this is a favorite poet. Prior to each meeting, participants will be notified how many will be in class so they can bring hard copies of their selections for those coming to that session, if possible (or at least one copy for the facilitator). The week after each meeting, everyone will receive digital copies of the poems. Limit 12.

Bronwyn Bowen, Facilitator
10:00—Noon Thursday, Starts Feb. 19
The Church at Highland Park, Burchette Room
5206 Balcones Drive (78731)

Why astronomy? A little history. Tools of astronomy. Photometry! Spectroscopy! Lots of pretty pictures of the Milky Way. Next, a Milky Way inventory. What does the Milky Way include? Stars, dust and gas. How do we know the shape and size of the Milky Way? While it appears static, the Milky Way is truly dynamic. Gas and stellar motions facilitate the construction of a map (which includes a Black Hole). Motion implies evolution. With spectroscopy we can establish an assembly timeline, highlighting past banquets and future disasters. How old is the Milky Way? We appeal to Cosmology to establish a time line of our Universe. Is the Milky Way unique? A look at lots of other galaxies, some very ‘new’ (thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope). Lastly, our expert and ever-provocative instructor’s take on Extraterrestrial Life. 6 Classes. Limit 50.

G. Fritz Benedict         
10:00—Noon Thursday, Starts Feb. 19
The Village at the Triangle
4517 Triangle Avenue (78751)

The Austin area is a great place to bird. We will have four classroom sessions and four field trips in the immediate Austin area. Classroom sessions will introduce students to the birds that live in Central Texas year-around as well as those that pass through during migration and those that summer here. Other topics will include equipment, bird identification tips, how to attract birds to your yard and places to bird in the Austin area. Although the class is geared toward the beginning birder, all skill levels are welcome. The classroom sessions will be from 10:00—Noon on Thursdays; field trips will be 8:00—10:00 A.M. Participants can expect to walk up to a mile and a half on mainly level surfaces that may not be paved. Our very popular instructor has been birding for more than 40 years and is a Master Birder and Master Naturalist. Limit 20.

Chris Gunter
10:00—Noon Thursday, Starts Feb 19
Triumphant Love Lutheran Church, Upper Room
9508 Great Hills Trail (78759)

This class is a “Buy One get One Free” session! You will learn two different skills and maybe even more! For the first 4 weeks you will learn a traditional technique in hand quilting called Kawandi that originated in the western part of India where lightweight scrap fabrics and even old saris are used to create unique pieces. If you can thread a needle and work a running stitch, you can master the art. In fact, if you have never sewn anything, you will easily pick this up in minutes! The following 4 weeks will be dedicated to using scraps (again!) to make one-of-a-kind fabric postcards or greeting cards with any technique you prefer or want to combine: hand- or machine-sewing, embroidery, applique work, beads, rhinestones, fabric paint, ribbons, laces and anything else you can think of. Limit 14.

Terry Lawson
10:00—Noon Thursday, Starts Feb. 19
First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin, Room 13
4700 Grover Avenue (78756)

Take a deep dive into traditional and replacement Medicare, as well as how to handle needs beyond what Medicare will cover. We’ll examine real examples of how the program works, use of Medicare for specific needs, and coverage of costs when Medicare shuts off. If you are now on Medicare, are approaching Medicare eligibility, or considering Medicare benefits for a loved one, this is a course for you. It will give you a firm grasp of how to maximize your benefits, what types of plans are available, and as a bonus, how to keep marketers from calling you so much! Our instructors are insurance brokers with a focus on educating the community. 6 Classes. Limit 20.

Cassie Walden and Maggie Davis
10:00—Noon Thursday, Starts Feb. 19
Westover Hills Church of Christ, Room 201
8332 Mesa Drive (78759)

This class works at the end of A1/Beginning A2 level according to the CEFR. This means you can already apply quite a few standing phrases, start basic communication, and write more complicated sentences. You already have a solid understanding of the cases (nominative, accusative and dative), can form the conversational past, and start building dependent clauses. A lot of explanations can already be done in German. If not sure this class is right for you, try this placement test. Limit 16.

Henrike Belz
10:00—11:30 A.M. Thursday, Starts Feb. 19
Violet Crown City Church                                 
1300 Morrow Street (78757)