Learn one of music’s deepest mysteries: how to play songs without relying on music. A very practical presentation of music theory that includes predicting chord progressions, learning from recordings, and transposing-all expressed in everyday language. This is an ideal follow-up to the “Instant Piano” class and is open to anyone who has a basic understanding of chords on any instrument. Expand your musical horizons, and free yourself from sheet-music dependence, and be the life of the party! Prior experience with chords recommended. Fee includes the online book, online follow-up lessons, a recording of the class and an optional monthly question and answer session. Class is held online using zoom.

Participants will learn how to season, care for, and use a Chinese wok and cleaver. The recipes for the class will include stir-frying, oven roasting, and preparing steamed rice. Each student will take home a specially selected kit including a lightweight cast iron wok, wok spatula, carbon steel cleaver, honing steel, a heavy duty cutting board, and one of Chris Toy's 6 cookbooks. The retail value of the kit is $230, but participants will pay Chris just $120 on the night of class. Those in the know bring containers just in case! Class size is limited to 6 so register today!

Please note that the date for this class has changed from the one listed in our Spring / Summer 2025 brochure. The new date is Tuesday, May 13th. 

Did you know that the number of people turning to choosing Airbnb for lodging in Maine has almost doubled from two years ago? The revenue earned by Airbnb owners in Maine topped $100 million in 2020. If you have entertained the idea of opening up your guest bedroom or summer camp for short term rental, this is a class not to miss. The instructor, herself an Airbnb owner, has interviewed many other Airbnb or VRBO owners and put together a packet with good information, tips and actual stories of unusual events in the life of a short term landlord. This course will address issues dealing with ordinance, insurance, expectations, fees, hosting, guests, safety, communication, neighbors and more.

Many of our most beautiful and important insects rely on specific native plants for food and during certain phases their life cycle. Make your flower garden a haven for wildlife by learning which plants attract insects and what the insects do for your plants. This class will focus on specific plant-insect relationships. We will look at host and nectar plants for butterflies and moths. What bees need to feed. How to shelter a firefly for winter. And a host of other hints for bringing winged life back to your garden. Students will receive a reference list of native plants and the insects they attract and one packet of easy-to-grow seeds of a local native plant species to take home.

Laurel Dodge is a naturalist and author. She has worked at nature centers and a zoo.

Learn to play the ukulele! It has never been more popular and you don't even need to know how to read music! On the uke you can knock out folk music, rock, blues, jazz, pop, country, tunes old and new -- even classical music. Duncan Perry, who has taught more than 900 students of all ages, will introduce you to essential chords and playing skills using familiar songs. There are lots of laughs along the way and learning to play an instrument is good for your brain! You will need a playable ukulele and an electronic tuner or a tuner app. And when folks hear you play this happy instrument, well, they just have to smile! If you don't own a ukulele, please contact us for information. What are you waiting for? Grab a uke and get ready for a musical adventure, then spread the joy!

This class welcomes all levels of students wanting to experience watercolor painting. The weekly exercises are designed to build confidence through step by step instructions. Techniques such as wet on wet, dry brush, blotting etc. are integrated into each watercolor painting. Color theory and mixing is covered along with how to create a successful composition. Many students have returned each year remarking how much they enjoy the class. They learn something new each time they attend. Come and enjoy meeting great people who love to paint and have fun! The supply list available on our website or by calling the adult ed office.

This workshop is going to give participants the opportunity to create their very own emotional first aid healing kit to soothe themselves through stressful times. Participants will be able to review their five senses of sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch to create items to soothe their hearts through difficult times. Participants will gather items such as dried flowers, colorful sea glass, beautiful beads, Maine stones, pictures of nature, and other items to place in a beautiful healing pouch. This will be an open discussion workshop for those who would like to share about their healing kits.

Mid Coast Maine has one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, but within the beauty are hazards that can quickly ruin your day on the water. Geography, tides and weather can combine to make even the most experienced mariner opt to stay ashore. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 2-5, located in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, offers an introduction to navigation course that can help recreational boaters cruise the area. The basics of coastal navigation are covered using the chart of the Boothbay area. What we cover applies to all National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) navigation charts. Navigating Mid Coast Maine covers the basics of navigation and trip planning while taking you to the far corners of the local “Cape Small to Pemaquid” #13293 chart. Our experienced instructors have hundreds of hours cruising the waters covered in this course as recreational boaters and on the water conducting Coast Guard Auxiliary patrols. They are certified CG Auxiliary Small Boat Coxswains and Boat Crew members as well as local residents. Topics include basic navigation using both traditional paper charts and various electronic chart formats, understanding navigational aids, and buoy systems. Problem sets will help you understand the building blocks of course planning including exercises on tides; time, speed, distance; and course layout and labeling. To take the course you need either a printed chart or access to an electronic chart of the Boothbay Harbor area. Paper Chart and Nav Tools: We recommend charts printed on quality paper so you can draw (and erase) course lines using a pencil and add information easily. The NOAA chart of the area is The Three Rivers Chart (#13293). In addition two charting tools are recommended. The chart and tools may be purchased separately at the start of class. The chart costs $30. Along with a paper chart you should have two navigational tools. One is a divider (compass) cost: $10. The other is a roller plotter or parallel rule cost $35.