My DH signed me up(and paid for!) a one day workshop at Bat World. "This workshop will include both lecture and lab. Live education bats will be used for lecture, species identification and demonstration of proper holding techniques. Lecture topics include: Introduction to bats Public protocol Rabies pre-exposure vaccination requirements for rehabilitators Intake and handling procedures of crevice-dwelling and foliage-roosting species Species identification Appropriate food determination Feeding techniques for infant and adult bats Caging requirements and environmental enrichment Lab topics include: Initial examination (using dead specimens) Injection techniques (using dead specimens) Stabilization of open and closed wing fractures (using dead specimens) Participants will receive a Bat Talk DVD and the manual "Diagnostic and Treatment Update for the Rehabilitation of Insectivorous Bats". Bat World Sanctuary is an all-volunteer organization. Fees paid for our workshops go to maintain the sanctuaries and to buy food and medical supplies for the bats in our care. Bat World Sanctuary is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Workshop fees are tax-deductible. Please also read our statement on Academic Integrity." (Copied off of their website, check it out!) I am SOOOOOO excited!! It's not uncommon for an injured bat to be found at my work and these guys need all the help they can get! I also got a gift card to Home Depot and a bat house kit(so I can copy the pieces!) -B

I'm looking forward to these sort of things happening at the Lake County Extension Office. As I understand it, they only just recently got a replacement Horticultural Expert after being without one for a couple of years. I was told that she's 'really Gung-Ho' about getting things going and having various garden/landscape workshops (Rain Barrel workshops! Yipee!). It's just so far, there hasn't been anything. So instead, I keep watching the Marion and Sumter County Extension Offices and hoping to see something there that I would be willing to drive over to attend. I would be tempted to drive up to Duval for that Spring Garden class, but last time I drove to Jacksonville (two weeks ago, 6 hr round trip) I paid for it with two days of back pain.

Here is one star item that was made. Was it from a Holiday workshop? Those are running this week on HGTV at 9am est. The second link is one to all of her holiday shows. Good luck! http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/cr_occasions/article/0,1789,HGTV_3268_1393089,00.html http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/pac_ctnt_lnb_gutter/text/0,1783,HGTV_3938_15629,00.html

Mix this recipe to make the clay. Materials: one cup cornstarch plastic bowl wooden spoon one cup glue one tablespoon of cold cream one tablespoon of glycerin Teflon pan 1/2 cup water Steps: 1. Place cornstarch in a plastic bowl and make a well in the center. Add water little by little and pound the mixture gently with wooden spoon. Do not stir. If lumps appear, use thumb to smash. 2. Add glue all at once, stirring with wooden spoon. Add cold cream and glycerin then move it all into a Teflon pan. The Teflon is especially recommended for this recipe. Heat over a low temperature while stirring with the wooden spoon for three to five minutes until it looks like paste. 3. Remove the mixture from the pan and place it on counter to dry for 10 minutes . If the mixture is too dry, knead in small amounts of water using your hands. If the clay is too sticky, knead in small amounts of cornstarch using your hands. 4. With cold cream on hands, knead the dough until there are no lumps. Store the dough in plastic bags until ready to use. Note: The dough will shrink 20 to 30 percent after forming into desired shapes . It takes longer to dry if you live in a cold weather climate. To accelerate drying in cold weather place the clay in a scrap of cotton material