Play Groups for 2021
Our virtual Winter Play Groups have kept us connected over the past year. These are three-part virtual workshops were organized by members and have been free for dues paying members. Some of the groups continue to meet outdoors. More details about the schedule for these sessions on the Events Page.
We’d like to plan some more of these Play Groups for the spring. Take our survey to share you ideas and interests.
2021 Winter (and Spring!) Play Groups On the Calendar Now:
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Goal Setting with Stephanie Chupein (will meet for “check ins” every few months)
Monday at 7 pm: Jan 18, Feb 7, Feb 15 (Follow Up April 19 at 7 pm and another check in on June 21 at 7 pm)
Link to workshop handouts: Wheel of Life, Goals by Domain, Setting Goals, Wheel of Life with Categories,
and a video on self compassion
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Games Night with Jackie Gilbert (taking a break for the summer)
Wednesday at 7 pm: Feb 10 (stay tuned for additional dates)
The Over Under Game was a great success! We’ll meet again on 2/24 at 7 pm for more Over Under.
This was so much fun, the group has decided to meet every 2nd and 4th Wednesday with rotating game leaders
April 14, 28th, May 12th and May 26th are scheduled. Taking a break for the rest of the summer. See you in the
fall!
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Ukulele for Beginners (continues to meet weekly as the UkuLaLas)
UkuLaLas Tune List and Meeting Schedule
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Planning Your Spring Garden with Leslie LaBrecque
(continuing with periodic garden tours and plant shopping trips)
Thursdays at 2 pm: Feb 18, March 4, March 18
Notes from the first session on every question we asked! Tips, links, & videos. Thank you, Leslie!
Same notes with a few updates on mold, shopping places and seed germinating packets.
How much light your garden is getting? I found this very helpful: https://www.johnson.k-state.edu/lawn-garden/agent-articles/miscellaneous/defining-sun-requirements-for-plants.html
For those really tricky questions that need expert advice, you might find this useful from the University of Maryland Extension: https://extension.umd.edu/learn/ask-gardening
Bird Friendly Zoom Gardening Workshops are being offered by Audubon March 10 and 23, info here: https://patterson.audubon.org/events
Master Gardeners is hosting a Zoom series on Urban Gardening on Vacant Lots, info here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/urban-gardening-on-vacant-lots-webinar-series-tickets-138011278449
This past week's zoom covered soil testing and it was very helpful!
Erin Reed Miller of the Patterson Park Audubon Center explains why native plants are so important:
https://www.wypr.org/post/making-most-native-plants?fbclid=IwAR3kOmXdcIB2XJItbTjPXwbTtE-sM13kCPWJFtgvKpzHR9Zt0SyB9WG3gz4
Here’s a link from Maryrose. Lists of native plants and garden designs for various conditions. Courtesy of Howard County Bee City USA: https://livegreenhoward.com/land/pollinators/
And a planting chart from Leslie: https://extension.umd.edu/kent-county/home-gardening/vegetable-planting-charts
Stephanie just sent this Home & Garden planting chart. Take a look! https://extension.umd.edu/resource/when-plant-vegetables-maryland?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=April%202021
Thanks to Anne Gummerson for the wonderful tour of the Robert Long House garden. Anyone else ready to welcome visitors to their garden? Let Nancy or Leslie know.
This from Lesley as a follow up to our Butterfly Workshop:
For those interested, there are many facebook groups dedicated to butterflies and locally, the Natural History Society Museum facebook page is worth joining if you would like to connect with people who raise butterflies and moths and organize field trips. Pre-covid, many people brought extra eggs of various species to share.
facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2592561597439731/about
For example if you wanted to raise luna moths, sweetgum and wild cherry are host plants for this species and a large sweetgum is right in front of my house. Wild cherry grows like a weed and I have seen many of these pulled as weeds around the pagoda/observatory.
Cecropia moths eat maple and I have gotten eggs from the NHSM meetings and raised & released them onto maple trees.
Another fun facebook group is Butterflies of the Eastern United States & Canada: https://www.facebook.com/groups/460038477352848
Without a doubt it's a bit of work to raise butterflies, however if at a minimum you are able to plant some pots of native pollinator plants, you are making a great contribution to the survival of these beautiful creatures!
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The Fine Art of Gratitude with Cinder Hypki
Sundays at 2 pm: March 7 & March 21
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Discovering the Story Behind Your House with Julie Saylor
(will meet later this summer to share what we’ve found)
Wednesdays at 3 pm: April 7, April 14, April 28
Resources. Great list of research resources. Julie recommends printing this out before the first meeting.
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Have an idea for a Winter Play Group? We can help you get started! hello@whatsnextbaltimore.org
Interest Groups (Can’t Wait to Get Back!)
Have an idea for a new interest group? Any member is welcome to start one. We suggest that the coordinator of an interest start with one idea and plan 3 activities. See how it goes and chart a new course from there. No long term commitment and a great opportunity to meet some neighbors who share an interest.
These ideas for interest groups came from our brainstorming at our first gathering last spring. Volunteer to coordinate one of these, or start a group based on a new idea?
Hiking Club
Ready to get out the city for a walk in the woods? This group promises that the first hike will be short and level, with later opportunities to increase the miles.
Our second hike with be in just outside the city on Monday, May 20th at 10 AM. The trail is about 3 miles long, not too hard. Please e-mail Megin Diamond for coordinating the gathering, sharing ride, etc.
Coordinator: Megin Diamond Renaud
Films
The new Parkway in Station North, The Charles, The Creative Alliance, The Landmark? Lots of choices. Let's carpool or share rides and get together afterwards to talk about the films. Upcoming dates for the movie: Saturday, Nov. 24, Dec. 29 and Feb 2 in the early afternoon.
A week before each event, e-mail Beth with a suggestion of what you want to see. We'll determine what the most popular suggestion is and will reply to everyone a few days beforehand with what we are seeing, where and when we will see it, and information about transportation. Everyone will be responsible for paying for their own ticket.
Coordinator: Beth Braun
Poker Club
Have you always wanted to learn to play poker? You know the rules, but want to learn some new games? One of our members has agreed to host and teach the first What’s Next Poker Night. Watch the newsletter for the first gathering coming this spring. Send us an e-mail if you’re interested.
What's Next Housing
Research and discuss shared housing options solutions for our neighborhood. This group has been meeting regularly, taken a few field trips and plans to continue to meet through the summer. Discussion topics include shared housing, adapting your current house for aging in place, and finding a roommate. Watch the Events Page for our next quarterly pot luck.
Take a short survey about your current and future housing needs and concerns.
Coordinator: Mollie Fein
Walkers in the City
A weekly walking group. Gather mid-morning on a weekday for a city walk. Exercise, conversation and exploration.
Coordinator: Ed Morman
