Roger Naylor’s Weekday Presentation, Monday, Nov. 4, will explore Arizona’s 34 national park units, such as Wupatki National Monument. Photo courtesy of National Park Service.
Speakers Cover Arizona’s National Parks, President Roosevelt
Patricia Ingalls
Two speakers will give presentations in early November—one as an evening Premier presentation and the other as a Weekday offering. For full details, and to register for the evening Premier presentation, go to lifelonglearningatpc.org.
Arizona’s National Parks and Monuments. Roger Naylor, an award-winning Arizona travel writer and author, will present the scenic wonders and cultural treasures of Arizona’s 34 national park units. They range from the volcanic sprawl of stone hoodoos crowning Chiricahua National Monument, to the badlands of Petrified Forest National Park, colored like blood and peaches, to the miles of seductive shoreline at Lake Mead National Recreation Area, to the diversity of Arizona National Scenic Trail, traversing the length of the state.
Naylor’s work has appeared in “Arizona Republic,” “USA Today,” “The Guardian,” “Country Magazine,” “Arizona Highways,” and dozens more. He was inducted into the Arizona Tourism Hall of Fame in 2018. He is also narrator for the Verde Canyon Railroad.
Naylor’s presentation will begin Monday, Nov. 4, at 10 a.m. in Tuscany Falls Renaissance Theatre. Tickets, which cost $5 at the door, will become available in the theater lobby beginning at 9:30 a.m. No need for registration.
An Evening with Theodore Roosevelt. Joe Wiegand, the world’s premier Theodore Roosevelt repriser, returns to Tuscany Falls Renaissance Theater on Friday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m. for an evening of conversation with this larger-than-life political figure.
Wiegand has been featured as Pres. Roosevelt in “The Men Who Built America” on the History Channel, has served as the model for the newest Teddy Roosevelt sculpture at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, and has a feature role in “National Parks Adventure,” an IMAX film about our national parks, narrated by Robert Redford. Wiegand lives in Medora, N.D., where he works for the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation.
Admission to every evening Premier Speaker Series event is $15 per person and can be purchased online, or with cash in the lobby of the theater one hour prior to the presentation, subject to availability.
The theater is equipped with a hearing-loop system, which is a special type of sound system for people who use hearing aids. The loop system provides a magnetic, wireless signal that is picked up by a hearing aid, when it is set to the T-setting (telecoil). Many hearing aids are equipped with telecoil technology.
Trip Planned to Barleens Holiday Matinee
Patricia Ingalls
On Wednesday, Dec. 4, LifeLong Learning offers a mid-day excursion to Apache Junction to enjoy lunch and a matinee of live holiday entertainment at Barleens.
Barleens’ Home for the Holidays presents a talented lineup of versatile musicians, comedians, and variety entertainers in a joyful mixture of traditional and popular seasonal classics.
Before the show begins, Barleens serves its “meal like Grandma used to make.” Lunch includes succulent slow-roasted beef, fire-braised chicken tenders and signature pork ribs, creamy Yukon Gold mashed potatoes with classic pan gravy, steamed Parisian carrots, fresh crisp salad, whole-wheat dinner roll, and a decadent chocolate cake. Vegetarian entree includes fresh romaine and leafy green salad, creamy Yukon Gold mashed potatoes, steamed Parisian carrots, whole-wheat roll, and “Cowboy Caviar”—a tantalizing combination of beans, white corn, red and green peppers, and onion. (Gluten free versions are available on request.)
The Barleens’ family-run business began generations ago in Kansas, moved to the Missouri Ozarks, and in 1978, to Estes Park, Colo., where the Original Barleen Family Country Music Dinner Show began. In 1987, the Barleen family opened its Apache Junction location. Today, 22 family members run all aspects of the business, from the entertainment to the kitchen.
For full details and to register, go to lifelonglearningatpc.org.
November Classes Cover Diverse Topics
Patricia Ingalls
During November, LifeLong Learning (LLL) offers four classes, all on weekdays, beginning at 1 p.m., in the LLL Center. One November class, Artisan Bread, is already sold out. For full details and to register, go to lifelonglearningatpc.org.
Antiques: On Wednesday, Nov. 6, Neil Redmond, a senior appraiser at EJ’s Auction & Appraisal, will explain what is considered an antique, how it is appraised, and how the auction process works. He will talk about coins, stamps, tapestries, artwork, jewelry, furniture, signed memorabilia (how to ensure authentication), carnival glass, and more. Redmond has worked with EJ’s Auction & Appraisal since it was founded in 2009, and has been involved in the antique industry for 30 years. He is a certified Graduate Personal Property Appraiser and follows the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.
Code-Breaker Stories: On Tuesday, Nov. 12, Tim Stevens will share some fascinating stories of code breaking that many may never have heard about. For example, the Navajo Code Talkers code during WWII was never broken, but Japan broke the U.S. code. The Voynich Manuscript, dating from the early 15th century, containing fantastical illustrations of fictitious plants, remains undeciphered. Mary, Queen of Scots, was trapped by her own code and put to death by her cousin, Elizabeth I. The Beale Ciphers, describing the hidden location of a fortune in gold, buried somewhere in Virginia in the 19th century and still not found. Stevens was a chief scientist at Lockheed Martin and holds several patents in the security field.
Writing Your Life Story: On Thursday, Nov. 21, Denise Beeson’s class will provide a useful tool to write one’s autobiography for sharing with family about one’s youth, life journey, and experiences. Beeson will walk participants through the process of presenting their special, individual life journeys, documenting their dreams, goals, successes, and challenges along the way. This could be used as an autobiography, genealogy, or later used for an obituary. PebbleCreek resident Beeson teaches online courses in genealogy and autobiography.
Social Security 101: On Tuesday, Nov. 26, in the Chianti Room Tuscany Falls Ballroom, Jack Burns, a public affairs specialist with the Social Security Administration, returns to provide the latest news from SSA. This course is designed for current recipients, as well as those who are weighing their filing options. Topics include when best to file and start receiving benefits, disability and spouse benefits, when to file for Medicare, and the future of Social Security, among other relevant information. This class is a free event, but still requires registration to confirm capacity.
Birds of the Sonoran Desert: Wednesday, Dec. 4, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Photographer Dave Sussman has captured images of more than 200 Arizona bird species. The PebbleCreek resident has given many presentations featuring his photographs, including at Yuma Audubon Society and White Tanks Mountain Visitor Center. His class will concentrate on showing many of the birds seen right here in homeowners’ yards, plus some of the more interesting birds that people can find by venturing out into the desert and nearby watering holes.