Thursday, February 1
Ages 3-6 Years
Nature’s Nursery, Winter 2024
4:00pm
Join us on the first Thursday of each month from January – March for an engaging program designed just for your young nature lovers. Every session will last 45 minutes – 1 hour and include a story, an encounter with a live animal, and an activity or craft. Some of our activities might be outside, so dress for the weather and wear good walking shoes. Advanced registration is required. To register, please call 860-567-0857 or visit whitememorialcc.org. Space is limited. Meet in the A.B. Ceder Room. We require that one parent/caretaker stay for the duration of the program, but our room cannot accommodate more than one adult per child. Please inquire about financial aid as needed. Members: $9/child per session or $24/whole series, Non-Members: $13/child per session or $36/whole series

February 3

WINTER FESTIVAL AT BURR POND STATE PARK!

Grab your winter gear, bundle up and join us for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s (DEEP) No Child Left Inside^®17^h Annual Winter Festival at Burr Pond State Park, 384 Burr Mountain Road, Torrington. The event is a partnership among No Child Left Inside^®, Connecticut Aquatic Resources Education (CARE) and the City of Torrington and offers a full range of winter activities for the entire family. The festival is 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3 with a rain date of February 4. Visit Colleen Harrak and an Avian Ambassador at the White Memorial table! The event is free and no registration is required. For more information: https://portal.ct.gov/NCLI/Events/Winter-Festival

February 7

Dark of Winter Yoga

This class will run for 17 weeks, from the change of the clock in November to the change of the clock in March, specifically November 8 to March 20. The class will meet on Wednesdays from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.. This class will meet on Zoom, but there are a few spaces in the studio for in-person students who are vaccinated (please contact me directly if interested). There is no previous yoga experience required. The purpose of the class is self-care during the winter season; increasing self-awareness, emotional balance, physical strength, flexibility, and muscular endurance. The class will integrate mindfulness, breath technique, yoga postures, kinesthetic awareness, and alignment in an hour of relaxing, quiet, guided movement.

The cost will be $10 per class. Money can be exchanged on Venmo, Square, Cash, or Check. Please contact Judith to make these arrangements. Each class attended donates $1 to White Memorial Conservation Center!! After you Contact Judith, the link for the class will be provided.

Contact Information: Judith’s phone and text is 860-309-9489. Email can be sent to [email protected] .

Judith Ehrman-Shapiro, PhD, BC-DMT, NCC, RYT is a psychotherapist, dance-movement therapist, nationally certified counselor, and registered yoga teacher. Her private practice, the Evolving Center, is in Winsted. She is a proud member of White Memorial Conservation Center, where she has been sharing her love of yoga for over 6 years!

February 10

Cut it Out! The Local History and Practice of Ice Harvesting

Ice harvested from Bantam Lake was used for refrigeration throughout the year. Begin in the Museum with a visit to the Ice House display, then head outdoors for a walk down the Lake Trail to visit the old ice house ruins. The program culminates with our own “Cut Ups” Jeff Greenwood, James Fischer, and Gerri Griswold demonstrating how ice was cut and moved using the same tools and methods. Dress for the weather. We will be walking and standing on Ongley Pond for extended periods of time. Wear warm boots and prepare for wind and sun. Hot beverages and treats will be provided to fortify you! 11:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M. A. B. Ceder Room, Members: $5.00  Non-Members: $10.00. Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. Call 860-567-0857 or register online www.whitememorialcc.org .

Thursday, February 15
Ages Newborn–2 years
Babies in Backpacks, Winter 2023
10:00am
Children ages newborn through 2 years can spend about an hour exploring the great outdoors with us on the third Thursday of every month from January – March. This is a place for caretakers to learn about being outside in all safe weather with babies and toddlers, to try out different hiking carriers, swap suggestions on gear, and help encourage each other to be outside more! The very flexible schedule will typically be a half hour of walking and a half hour of outdoor sensory exploration. Having fun is our only expectation! Bring any milk, snacks, and supplies you will need, but we won’t go too far from your car. Dress for the weather! We will go out in snow, rain, and sun, as long as it is safe! Caretakers must stay for the duration of the program. Meet in the Pollinator Garden. 10-11am. Advanced registration required. Register at whitememorialcc.org or call 860-567-0857. Space is limited. Please inquire about financial aid as needed. Members: $9/child per session or $24/whole series, Non-Members: $13/child per session or $36/whole series 

February 15

Happy Hour Hiking Club with Gerri Griswold

Start the New Year with a resolution to get your body moving more! Skip that Happy Hour cocktail and calorie-laden appetizer, and take a walk with Gerri! It may be cold. It may be dark. It may even be snowing…but you can do it! Each one-hour walk will cover a different trail on the property. At the end of each hike, you’ll receive a recipe for a healthful, tasty, easy recipe to help keep you on track. Dress for the weather. Bring a head lamp or flashlight!  4:00 – 5:00 p.m. Meet in the Museum. FREE…Donations will be accepted to help defray the Conservation Center’s programming expenses.

February 16 – 22

Museum Children Free Week

Courtesy of The Laurel Ridge Foundation in memory of Francesca M. Thompson, M.D. Free admission to children ages twelve and under when accompanied by an adult.

February 16

STAR PARTY!

This astronomy program is organized by members of the Litchfield Hills Amateur Astronomy Club and the Mattatuck Astronomical Society. Tonight’s topic is Astronomy 101 – How the Sky Works. Weather permitting, there will be star gazing after the program. 7:00 P.M., A.B. Ceder Room. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. You are invited to bring your own telescope or binoculars. FREE… Donations will be accepted to help defray the Conservation Center’s programming expenses.

Saturday, February 17
Ages 10 and up
Artistry with Animals
10:00am-12:00pm
Unleash your creativity at these unique ANIMAL Life Drawing classes, led by our own artist and educator, Colleen Harrak. “Artistry with Animals” will be offered in 3 sessions – Jan. 20, Feb. 17, and Mar. 23, 2024. At all sessions, you will create realistic 2-D art using both taxidermy and live animals as your visuals. In Session 1, you’ll use charcoal and pencil to make sketches that capture both stillness and vitality. Session 2 invites you to explore mixed media, blending the textures of preserved and living subjects in your artwork. Finally, Session 3 brings this dynamic fusion to life with vibrant acrylic paints. Don't miss this chance to blend art and animal anatomy in a one-of-a-kind setting. Reserve your “easel” today! We will provide art materials, paper, and drawing boards, but you’re welcome to bring your own materials. All skill levels welcome. For Ages 10 and up. You can sign up by session or, for a discounted rate, the whole series! Members: $20/person per session or $50/whole series, Non-Members: $30/person per session or $80/whole series 

February 17

The Arctic Fox with Ester Rut Unnsteinsdóttir, Mammal Ecologist, Icelandic Museum of Natural History

The Arctic Fox is Iceland’s only native land mammal. Today you will travel to Iceland (virtually, of course) to learn about this beautiful, fascinating animal. Ester has traveled every inch of her country, searched every nook and cranny, to uncover the secret and not-so-secret behaviors of the Arfctic  Fox. Her work is the subject of an upcoming book, “Melrakki, The Surviving Arctic Fox”. The book is a completely revised edition of Phil Garcia's first book published by Explographe in 2016. This new version is not just a beautiful photography book, but also includes an extensive scientific text by Ester.

About Our Speaker: Ester Rut Unsteinsdóttir is a noted Icelandic biologist. She works at the Icelandic Institute of Natural History and is the country's leading expert on foxes, continuing the work of her late mentor Páll Hersteinsson. 2:00 p.m., ZOOM, Members: FREE, Non-Members: $10.00. Preregistration and pre-payment are required. Call 860-56700857 or register online: www.whitememorialcc.org A Link to the presentation will be emailed to you on February 16.

February 19

Presidents Day

OFFICES CLOSED

February 19 -23

Crash Course in Icelandic with Marc Daníel Skipstað Volhardt

This fun five-evening course is an introduction to one of Europe’s oldest languages. Through photos, stories, and humor from a linguist’s and fellow learner’s perspective, you’ll learn basics of this fascinating language and maybe pick up a few tips for your upcoming trip!

Description:

In this course, you will learn the basics.

 - How are those extra letters ð and þ and æ pronounced?
 - How do I break down those long words? Eyjafjallajökull, Laugavegur, Kirkjubæjarklaustur etc.
 - Learn some everyday phrases.
 - Spice up the linguistics with lots of photos and everyday stories from Iceland, both from Reykjavik and Marc’s stays in the grand countryside
 - Why is Icelandic such a big part of Icelandic culture?
 - How does the word "jæja" work in colloquial Icelandic?
 - will also take you through some light grammar, and you will even see that Icelandic and older forms of English are sometimes very similar!
 
Volhardt strives to make his teaching informative and is always happy to answer your questions during the classes.

About Our Facilitator:

Marc Daníel Skipstað Volhardt, is a Danish/Icelandic hybrid both linguistically and personally who has lived the first half of his life in Denmark and the second half in Iceland, and a few other places across the Nordics. Volhardt is a linguist and works for the University of Iceland teaching Icelandic as a second language as well as general and Scandinavian linguistics. Marc has studied abroad at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark as well as the University of Tromsø in Northern Norway. He has done fieldwork on the Otomí language of Central Mexico and has created a written standard for a Western Danish dialect. The most important thing for him is to share his passion for language whether it be in the classroom, on TV, in podcasts or through adding it to personal Facebook photo posts.

This is a hybrid program available in- person in the A. B. Ceder Room or on ZOOM.

6:00 pm – 7:30 pm, Members: $50 for 5 classes. Non Members: $80.00  for 5 classes. Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. Call 860-567-0857 or register online: www.whitememorialcc.org

February 21

Dark of Winter Yoga

This class will run for 17 weeks, from the change of the clock in November to the change of the clock in March, specifically November 8 to March 20. The class will meet on Wednesdays from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.. This class will meet on Zoom, but there are a few spaces in the studio for in-person students who are vaccinated (please contact me directly if interested). There is no previous yoga experience required. The purpose of the class is self-care during the winter season; increasing self-awareness, emotional balance, physical strength, flexibility, and muscular endurance. The class will integrate mindfulness, breath technique, yoga postures, kinesthetic awareness, and alignment in an hour of relaxing, quiet, guided movement.

The cost will be $10 per class. Money can be exchanged on Venmo, Square, Cash, or Check. Please contact Judith to make these arrangements. Each class attended donates $1 to White Memorial Conservation Center!! After you Contact Judith, the link for the class will be provided.

Contact Information: Judith’s phone and text is 860-309-9489. Email can be sent to [email protected] .

Judith Ehrman-Shapiro, PhD, BC-DMT, NCC, RYT is a psychotherapist, dance-movement therapist, nationally certified counselor, and registered yoga teacher. Her private practice, the Evolving Center, is in Winsted. She is a proud member of White Memorial Conservation Center, where she has been sharing her love of yoga for over 6 years!

February 24

A Evening of Music and Dancing The Bog Hollow

You know Dave Paton as our go-to guy for all things mushroom, but did you know that Dave and a group of his non-fungal friends make up an unbelievable bluegrass / folk band! Hammered dulcimer, fiddle, bass, guitar, and more make up this ensemble. Bring a dinner, BYOB, and your dancing shoes for an evening of toe-tapping, hand-clapping, feel good music with  Bog Hollow! 6:00 p.m., Carriage House, All tickets: $10.00, Call 860-567-0857 or register online www.whitememorialcc.org