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A resource for families in Santa Cruz County | |
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Help for snaring those popular family events
that quickly become full!
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How we love our furry, family members with their unique personalities, clever ways of communicating. They love us devotedly, greet us with tail wagging joy after brief away times, bark to alert and protect us and always make us laugh with their entertaining antics. The Top Dog Film Festival, the popular, annual film festival returns for our enjoyment.
Scroll to the end of the newsletter for details because this family friendly event always sells out!
We plan to give you heads up to score tickets or places for events so popular that they sell out before you even hear about them.
We can't guarantee full success, because sometimes organizations are delayed sharing their events in time for our Thursday newsletter. Often we discover events after the newsletter goes out. Check for them on https://www.facebook.com/SantaCruzParent/.
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Neighbors visited the Arboretum with their three children ages 3, 5 & 7. They took a right on a path that led to an open field and the children took off at a run! They soon returned and continued at a reasonable pace watching for the humming birds visiting exotic spring flowers. When they came upon rabbits and quail they "froze" in place and watched them scurry for the bushes. Before you go, get a preview of what's blooming now.
Do treat yourselves to a visit to the Arboretum and visit the website first. Before you leave, make a visit to Norrie's Garden & Gift Shop. It's full of enticing garden treasures for all seasons.
Have a wonderful March weekend with the family and friends, Parmalee
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Kim Komando tells us about a current scam.
"Not long ago, a woman named Robin was sleeping beside her husband, Steve. They live in Brooklyn with their two young kids."
Robin was awakened by a phone call from her mother-in-law, Mona. “Must be a butt-dial,” she figured. Then the phone rang again. When she picked up, she heard Mona sobbing, “I can’t do it, I can’t do it.”
"Then, a man she’d never heard before came on the line. “I’ve got a gun to your mom’s head, and I’m gonna blow her brains out if you don’t do exactly what I say.”
"I’ll cut to the chase. It was a deepfake. Robin’s in-laws were never in danger — but she didn’t know that."
What should you do if this happens to you? Find out > > >
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We Love Our Little Flyers | |
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March is Hummingbird Month at the Arboretum
"This time of year the Arboretum hosts both Anna’s and Allen’s hummingbirds, the two most common species in Northern California.
“The density of hummingbirds—the number per area in the Arboretum—is ridiculously high,” says Bruce Lyon, professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UCSC. “You can watch them feeding on flowers, you can watch their courtship, you can watch them chasing different species. It’s a great opportunity to see some pretty amazing hummingbird biology.”
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It's another magnificent year for wildflowers, a reward for all those wet days!
Find out where they are, when they bloom and the golden rules for viewing wildflowers, near and a little farther away in this well researched article.
Stunning Spots for Northern California Wildflowers.
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Parenting Workshops for inspiration, finding ways to help with parenting challenges, tweaking our skills and support from leaders & fellow travelers in this incredible and important journey....
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These schools invite you to visit!
Explore your options.
Visit websites.
Go to Open Houses & Tours
Make appointments to visit schools.
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March is Hummingbird Month at the Arboretum, March, Daily 9am – 5pm, Come celebrate these tiny aerial acrobats and the beautiful gardens that sustain them. We have a variety of activities scattered throughout the month. Visit Norrie’s Gift & Garden Shop for hummingbird gifts and plants that attract them. Details
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Pi Day Pie-Baking Contest, March 14, 3 – 5pm, Get ready to roll out the dough and unleash your inner culinary genius! The Children’s Museum is hosting a Pi Day Pie-Baking Contest on March 14th and you’re invited!
Get the important details!
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Watsonville Film Festival, March 15, Short films + Live music performance by legendary Nicaraguan musician Carlos Mejía Godoy at Oldemeyer Center, Seaside; March 11-17: Selected film programs online at WFF Virtual Cinema, DETAILED SCHEDULE AND FILM TICKETS HERE
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Bring Your Own Book (BYOB), 3rd Fridays, 11am – 12:30pm, March 15 – December 20, Join us at the Aptos Branch Library for an engaging and dynamic book group experience: Bring Your Own Book (BYOB). This innovative program encourages participants to bring along a book of their choice and share their thoughts, insights, and perspectives with fellow readers. Whether you’re passionate about fiction, non-fiction, classics, or contemporary literature, BYOB Book Group welcomes all genres and interests.
How It Works
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Poetry Writing Workshops for Ages 11-18, Friday, March 15, 4:30 – 6pm, Watsonville Youth Center, “Writing about the Ville” Join us for a series of poetry writing workshops for teens. You will have the opportunity to write a poem in English or Spanish. No poetry writing experience is required. Come to one, two, or three sessions. Details
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Mamma Mia! Fridays & Saturdays, March 15-16 & 22-23, 7pm; Sundays, March 17 & 24, 2 – 4pm, Come take a trip down memory lane and down the aisle with us. Mamma Mia is a fun, family friendly musical. If you need a night of easy, fun musical theater then please join us. . Details
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Mammals at Moore Creek Preserve with the Nature Club, Saturday, March 16, 10:30am – 12:30pm, Calling all middle school students (6th-8th grade) with a love for the great outdoors and a sense of adventure! Join the Nature Club to explore mammals inhabiting Moore Creek Preserve on March 16th at 10am. Explore the wonders of nature and make new friends along the way Details | |
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DATE NIGHT! 24th Annual Brookdale Bluegrass Festival, Friday 6-11pm; Saturday 12noon-11pm; Sunday 11am-2pm, March 15-17, Join us for the Brookdale Bluegrass Festival at the Historic Brookdale Lodge. Enjoy three days of great bluegrass and folk music on stage, afternoon and late night jams, and food and drink. All the toe-tapping old time Americana and bluegrass tunes you love await you. Y’all come now! Details
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Beginning Drawing for Teens, Sunday, March 17, 3 – 5pm, Interested in learning how to draw Manga or other types of art? Laamasha Young has a Masters of Fine Arts.
This beginning drawing class is for teens ages 12-18. The class will take place immediately following the Advisory Council of Teens. All supplies AND pizza and refreshments will be provided! Details
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Songs and Stories with Fairy Grace and Mr. David, Wednesday, March 30, 10:30 – 11am, Enjoy songs and stories with Fairy Grace and music and movement with Mr. David. This show consists of Fairy Grace performing songs from her album, Lovely (Positive Songs For Children) and a reading from her children’s book, My Heart Is Smart. Mr. David takes the second half of the show and performs movement and sing-along songs from his albums, The Great Adventures of Mr. David and Mr. David’s First Album.
Details
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West African kora presented by Sean Gaskell, Thursday, March 21, 4:30 – 5:30pm,
Performance and educational demonstration featuring the West African kora. Sean Gaskell features songs on the kora- a 21 stringed West African harp. Many songs featured on the kora preserve an 800 year history dating back to the founding of the Mande empire. Gaskell has presented adult, youth and family programs at over 350 libraries and a multitude of k-12 schools, colleges, universities and assisted living facilities in the United States and Canada. Details
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Look Ahead
Register or get tickets before they sell out!
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Qingming Festival: Craft and Learn, Friday, March 22, 10am-12pm
Join renowned author Sandy Lydon and community hero George Ow for a morning discussion and craft to learn about the Qingming Festival, one of the most important festivals of the Lunar New Year. First we will discuss the history and practices surrounding this Chinese festival, then we’ll make Chinese masks to take home.
All ages are welcome, and the event is geared to adults. Registration is strongly recommended as craft supplies may run out.
The Qing Ming Festival, literally meaning Pure Brightness Festival, takes place on the fifteenth day after the spring equinox. As a holiday devoted to remembering and honoring the deceased, people sweep and decorate gravesites, burn incense. and paper money, and make food offerings.
Registration required Details
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Mamma Mia! Fridays & Saturdays, March 15-16 & 22-23, 7pm; Sundays, March 17 & 24, 2 – 4pm, Come take a trip down memory lane and down the aisle with us. Mamma Mia is a fun, family friendly musical. If you need a night of easy, fun musical theater then please join us.
The story takes place on a mythical Greek island in the present day, and centers around a young girl named Sophie who dreams of a white wedding, with her father giving her away at the altar (I HAVE A DREAM). Problem is, she doesn’t know who her dad is – and she’s getting married the next day. As the show begins, she explains to her chums that her mum, Donna, fell into the arms of three men within a short space of time. So she’s got three possible dads, and has invited them all to the wedding (HONEY, HONEY). Details
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Top Dog Film Festival, Saturday, March 23, 7pm, Come to the Top Dog Film Festival and support the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter.. The much anticipated Top Dog Film Festival returns for another year, promising joy, inspiration, and a whole lot of canine magic to audiences across Australia. This family- friendly event will once again showcase a collection of uplifting and heartwarming films that capture the beauty and unique personalities of beloved four- legged companions.
The Top Dog Film Festival allows dog lovers from all walks of life to experience the enchantment and deep emotional connections shared between humans and their furry friends. From heart-warming stories, to jaw- dropping adventures, this year’s film selection promises to leave no stone unturned in celebrating the incredible bond shared between dog and human. Details
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