While popular New Year’s resolutions include losing weight, saving money, or drinking less, one study shows that 25 percent of Americans also plan to “learn something new” and increase their skill set in the coming year. Continuous learning has been proven to nourish our minds and help maintain overall health.
Fortunately, if “learning something new” is your New Year’s resolution then there are plenty of places in the City of Sparks to help you fulfill your goal.
Want to unleash your creativity? Head to Copper Cat Studio at 300 Kresge Lane to participate in a mosaic, needle felting, or alcohol inks artisan workshop. Interested in creating your own wall or porch decorations? Get some friends together and throw a DIY party at Hammer & Stain on 1287 Baring Boulevard. Or, if you are itching to get started on your big scale Burning Man sculpture, turn your dream into a reality at The Generator on 1240 Icehouse Avenue.
However, if you need a specific event to help jumpstart your new year and new you, then here are two more general events to help boost your mind and spirit:
For All the Birdwatchers in the Area- Learn About What Species to Spot at Lead Dog Brewery
Lead Dog Brewery and Tasting Room on 305 East Glendale Avenue is launching a January Lecture Series this month that features avian-related presentations and what birds you can spot in Northern Nevada. To kick off the Tuesday evening series, on Jan. 7 from 6-8 p.m. Paul Hurtado from the Great Basin Bird Observatory will give an annual recap on rare birds seen in the area and share tips on how to identify them out in the wild ($3 suggested donation). The following weeks’ presentations will highlight what’s going on in current research and bird-spotting techniques as related to avian conservation.
Learn How to Keep Houseplants Alive in the Wintertime
On Jan. 11, Moana Nursery at 3397 Pyramid Way is hosting a seminar titled “Your Houseplants and YOU!” at the Pyramid Way Garden Center. Starting at 10am, Plant Doctor Michelle Cartnick will host a tour and an interactive discussion about certain houseplants that thrive in one’s home or office and how best to take care of them. One of the main purposes of the seminar is to help people be a little bit more comfortable going into winter with their houseplants. Cartnick recommends different potting mediums, watering, fertilizers, and light exposure for popular plants (like African violets and orchids) helping budding botanists learn how to best keep their beacons of beauty happy and thriving in the shorter season.
For instance, Cartnick says that people get intimidated by growing orchids because many people plant them in a moss-based pot and overwater them causing root rot. She recommends that once an orchid’s blooms have passed, their owner should replant them in a bark-based pot thus giving the orchid more exposure to air and water. Cartnick also shares the best home environments for certain plants and how they can live in harmony with other people and pets while being indoors.
“Most people are interested in plants that help purify the air. Most plants do that, but some other good ones that produce oxygen include the snake plant (also known as Sansevieria or Mother-inLaw’s Tongue), aloe, and peace lily,” Cartnick says.
Many people also want to know about plants that are safe for pets. Most have some level of toxicity but some of the better ones that can withstand exposure to dogs and cats include orchids, waffle plants, the nontoxic money tree, and spider plants (which are also good beginner ones).
The Houseplants seminar will be held on January 11 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and tickets to attend cost $5. People are encouraged to bring in photos and notes of their problem plants and natural light issues. Attendees will also receive 20 percent off regular priced houseplants within the nursery on that day.
The Spanish Springs and Sparks Libraries Host Events All Year Long
The libraries in Washoe County are great places to hang out, read books, and use computers, but it also hosts specific events all year long that promote learning and education. Some upcoming events include a “I Got a New Device…Now What?” workshop at the Sparks Library on Jan. 4 from 10-11:30 a.m. and another “Houseplant Love” workshop at the Spanish Springs Library Tuesday on Jan. 21 from 6-7 p.m. also hosted by a Moana Nursery plant doctor.
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