Henny promises to look at the subject of death and dying with a wide-angle lens from the most gross to the more subtle and spiritual aspects of the process. We will explore IT from the body’s point of view, as a natural organic down-to earth gross psychophysical process, as well as cover how to prepare for, how to serve the one dying, and how to care for the body after death.

 We will cover the subtle dimensions and fields involved in the aspects of dying and our emotional responses of letting go and surrendering our attachments to the body, things, people, and our self-identity. We will explore and discuss the reality of subtle energy experiences such as ‘the Tunnel’ effects in Near Death Experiences, the Light at the end of the Tunnel, Out of Body experiences, & astral travel.

We will examine religious belief structures about the Afterlife and their effects, touch upon ideas of Reincarnation & past life experiences. Henny believes that The Spiritual, unconditional Consciousness, as Light and Love, is always available to draw us to Its radiance and Light in Living and Dying. Her intent is to reduce fear and anxiety, as well as denial and avoidance of the subject, and to instruct in ways to face dying with a depth of understanding, an open-feeling heart and mind to support an easeful and grace-guided process for all involved.

Let’s face IT together!

Instructor: Henny Nouwen

Henny is not a stranger to the many dimensions related to the subject of death and dying.  She has faced IT in her personal and professional life choices and experiences.

She specialized in cardiac care in Canada in 1966, Los Angeles1969 and worked as an open-heart surgery circulator nurse in Seattle 1985.  For a total of 19 years, I had to be active as a team member to always prevent death from happening.  I participated in all the rescue efforts, resuscitation, heart-lung machines, respirators, defibrillators, pacemakers to keep the heart going and prevent death at all costs.

Disillusioned with this western medical model, at the time, of patient survival at any and all cost, I started searching for a different approach.  Death with dignity, loving support, compassion and understanding of the process became my model. For a short time I served as a hospice home  health nurse.

I went back to school and studied metaphysics for four years,  graduated in 1981 and accepted the call to become the Founding Minister of the Center For Spiritual Living in Mount Vernon.  As a pastor (officially ordained in 1984) I was able to approach death with compassion, counseling, prayers, funeral and memorial services for the one dying, their family and friends.

During the 9 years as a minister, I studied with Elizabeth Kubler Ross and attended her Life, Death and Transition seminar. Studied Stephen Levine books and workshops, I went to Antioch University and studied transpersonal psychology.

In my studies I discovered the greatest “Spiritual wisdom on the ultimate transcending of death and everything else” in the book Easy Death by the Ruchira Avatar Adi Da Samraj. That book became my “Bible” on my service to the dying.

In 1990 I became His devotee and for the last 35 years I serve in the death and dying Ministry of Adidam, a group of devotees dedicated to assist terminally ill and dying devotees to prepare for and with His Grace be drawn through their death transition and subsequent three-day vigil.

Henny has shared this wisdom on death and dying in classes, workshops and retreats. Hospice of Lake County asked her to start a Death Café support group in CA which she facilitated for one and a half years.

Presently Henny has a private practice in Anacortes doing Hands on Healing Energy work as a licensed massage therapist. She has been teaching at the Senior College classes on Energy Healing through the Chakras, Grief and Loss, and would love the share her thoughts and experiences in this Spring course called “Lets Face IT…. Every Body Dies

Writing about your life can seem like a daunting task. Where to begin? This class will prime the pump, with weekly writing assignments (about 750 words) presented in themes, plus writing tips. Sharing your stories confidentially with others in class will inspire you even more. You'll come to see your life through a different lens and leave a legacy for your family. (Class size is limited to 10 students.)

Instructor: Teru Lundsten

Teru has been teaching memoir writing in Skagit County since 2010. She worked as a personal historian, helping people preserve their life stories into books for their families. As a journalist she wrote over 200 profiles of people of all ages and from around the world. She has completed a memoir of her early years.

Class 1: History Mystery 1: Only 2 out of 3 returned

On December 26, 1943, three Lockheed Vega Ventura PV-1 aircraft based at Ault Field on Whidbey Island departed on a routine “out and back” navigation training exercise. Only two planes returned.

Class 2: History Mystery 2: A 3-hour tour gone wrong

On January 14, 1945, a Lockheed Vega Ventura PV-1 from Ault Field on Whidbey Island departed on a three-hour flight. Their mission was to rendezvous with a plane towing an aerial target over Cape Flattery for a free gunnery training exercise and return directly to Ault Field. The plane never made it back to Ault Field.

Class 3: History Mystery 3: It was just a short hop

On August 12, 1945, a PB4Y-2 Navy Privateer departed Ault Field on a short test flight after scheduled maintenance with 16 aboard.  It did not turn out well.

Instructor: Jesse G. Kennedy III PhD   

Following twenty years of university teaching, Jesse worked in cultural resource management for North Cascades National Park Service Complex for more than twenty-six years. A Pacific Northwest native, he became the first Chief of Cultural Resource Management at the park in 1995 and continues to explore the history of Skagit County and the North Cascades through the images, stories, and structures of this heroic environment.

Requested presenter of over 50 programs to various audiences highlighting special aspects of the historical character and characters of Skagit County and the North Cascades.

This Drawing course is for people with little to no experience with drawing, but a desire to try something new to challenge their thinking, observation skills, and creativity. The lessons will offer a supportive, confidence-building environment in which adult learners develop foundational skills through a thoughtfully sequenced series of activities that build week by week. Beginning with the physical fundamentals of drawing—such as hand coordination and mark-making—the course gradually advances to perspective, proportion, and complex forms, with each new technique reinforcing prior lessons. We will practice drawing from direct observation as well as the imagination. By nurturing innate creative abilities and emphasizing focused, accurate observation, students strengthen both technical skill and self-confidence. The course also frames drawing as a meditative, present-moment practice, encouraging participants to slow down, observe deeply, and engage creatively—making the learning experience both enriching and restorative.

Week 1 — Dropping into the Slipstream: Entering Focused Awareness

Purpose: To help students slow down; quiet mental noise, and enter a state of attentive presence that supports learning and creativity. Core Themes: Letting go of performance pressure; shifting from thinking about drawing to experiencing seeing; establishing calm; sustained attention. Learning Emphases: Drawing as a practice of attention; Eye–hand connection; Awareness of line, space, and proportion without judgment. Typical Practices: Blind and semi-blind contour drawing, slow observational exercises, timed drawings that emphasize presence over outcome. Outcome: Students learn how to enter a focused, receptive state—the foundation for all observational drawing.

Week 2 — Working Within the Current: Deepening Observation and Visual Understanding

Purpose: To develop accurate observation while maintaining the ease and momentum of flow established in Part I. Core Themes: Staying present while engaging skill; Seeing relationships rather than objects; Trusting perception over assumption. Learning Emphases: Proportion, angles, and spatial relationships; Light, shadow, and form observing before correcting. Typical Practices: Measuring techniques (sight-size, comparative measurement); Value studies and simple forms; Extended observational drawings. Outcome: Students strengthen their ability to remain in focused flow while drawing with increasing accuracy and confidence.

Week 3 — Responding with Intention: Integrating Skill, Expression, and Choice

Purpose: To help students consciously shape their drawings while staying connected to observation and flow. Core Themes: Choice without force; Expression grounded in seeing; Balancing structure and freedom. Learning Emphases: Selective emphasis and simplification; Personal mark-making; Creative interpretation rooted in observation. Typical Practices: Longer, self-directed drawings; Compositional decisions; Reflective discussion of process. Outcome: Students learn to respond, using skill and creativity together, while remaining grounded in attention and presence.

 (Class size is limited to 20 students.)

Materials: All are available at Bayshore or on Amazon. Students will need: A blank notebook at least 8”x10”  (this can be an art sketchbook or simply 8-10 blank sheets of copy paper per session), 2-3 sharpened 2B pencils, An eraser (white plastic art eraser, gum eraser, or kneaded eraser).

Instructor: Drusilla Hill

Dru Hill has studied, created, and taught art in the United States and abroad, to children and adults. She has worked as a commercial illustrator, graphic designer, fine artist, and teacher after receiving a BA/FA, an Associate Degree in Commercial Art, and MA of Education. Works by Dru Hill have been acquired by businesses and private collectors in the United States and Europe. She has shown in galleries and juried shows including: The Frye Art Museum, Northwest Watercolor Society, the Western Federation of Watercolor Societies, Tubac Center for the Arts, and the Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild.

Class 1: Toni Caskey – Beautiful Bulbs in Your Garden

Toni Caskey has been a WSU Skagit County Master Gardener for 25 years. “I love this program! I was our annual Tulip Tours Director for 21 years. I truly enjoyed escorting over 120 tour groups as we trekked through the tulips and daffodils throughout our unique Skagit Valley.  As we travelled to Roozengaarde, TulipTown, and the Skagit County Master Gardener Discovery Garden, our guests were always amazed and delighted. This flowering patchwork industry started with six different colors and now has nearly 200 varieties! I am here today to speak about how you, too, can be involved as a home tulip and other bulbs grower!”

Class 2: Sheri Rylaarsdam – Vegetable Gardening in the PNW

Sheri Rylaarsdam is a transplanted farm girl from Iowa. She has been gardening in the Pacific Northwest for almost 50 years. Sheri completed the Master Gardener training with WSU in 2019.

Sheri will talk about soil: the basis of everything, planning: what to do before you set foot in the garden, and timing: what to do when you get there. Hopefully you will learn something new and together we can discuss practical advice that will encourage and inspire you on your gardening journey.

Class 3: Hallie Kintner and Diana Wisen – Pruning Shrubs

Hallie Kintner is a Skagit County Extension Master Gardener and has taken many pruning classes from Plant Amnesty. Diana Wisen has been an active Skagit County Master Gardener for 35 years. She has taught classes on numerous gardening topics and is on the Board of Directors of the Skagit County Master Gardener Foundation.

This class will discuss what, when, why, and how to prune ornamental shrubs for a healthy and beautiful garden.

Class 4, 1st hour: Diana Wisen and Janet Kowalski – Right Plant Right Place Right Purpose

Diana Wisen has been an active Skagit County Master Gardener for 35 years. She has taught classes on numerous gardening topics and is on the Board of Directors of the Skagit County Master Gardener Foundation. Janet Koalski has been a Master Gardener since 2019.

Successful gardening depends on many factors including knowing your site and its conditions as well as selecting plants which thrive in those conditions. This class will focus on how to decide what to plant and why, in order to have the garden of your dreams where you live.

Class 4, 2nd hour: Bobbi Lemme – Irrigation

Bobbi Lemme became a Master Gardener in 2019.  She eventually gravitated to the drip irrigation system at the Discovery Garden and is now in charge of any additions or repairs, along with the assistance of other dedicated volunteers.

This one-hour presentation will cover the basics of setting up a drip irrigation system in your own garden.  There will be hands-on demonstrations of how to connect tubing and make repairs.  It's not rocket science!  Start small and add on to your system as you feel more comfortable.  It's so nice to free up your time from watering to work with those lovely plants!

Class 5: Diana Wisen - Gardening for Fragrance

Diana Wisen has been an active Skagit County Master Gardener for 35 years. She has taught classes on numerous gardening topics and is on the Board of Directors of the Skagit County Master Gardener Foundation.

Growing fragrant plants adds a powerful dimension to the pleasures of gardening. Scent is the most potent and bewitching substance in the gardener’s repertory and yet it is the most neglected and least understood. Throughout history plant scents have delighted and served people. This class will encourage you to discover the pleasure of gardening for fragrance and will include take home plant lists.

Class 6: Deborah Smeltzer – Composting

Deborah Smeltzer (Master Gardener Class of 2012) currently serves as chair of the Training Team, treasurer of the Skagit County Master Gardener Foundation board, Discovery Garden Front Door Garden Co-Coordinator, and member of the Web/Communications, Recruitment & Retention, Front Door, and Strategic Planning project teams. She has been a master gardener instructor for soils, soil fertility, composting, mosses, lichens, fungi, online tools, and presentation skills. 

This class will provide attendees with information about reducing garden waste, understanding what compost is and what it is not, how to make compost, including hot, cold, & vermicompost, and basic tools for composting. You should come away from this class with a love of sustainable gardening practices that help us achieve a healthy planet. By the end of the class, we hope you will understand the benefits of incorporating compost into garden soil and how vermicomposting is a benefit year-round for city dwellers. A detailed resources and reference list will be provided.

No previous science or math background is required. In this intense, non-mathematical science appreciation course you will step into a realm where reality refuses to follow common sense. You’ll wrestle with fundamental questions about the nature of matter, energy, observation and reality itself. Through six lectures, we’ll trace the evolution of quantum physics development which will challenge your deepest intuitions.

Lecture 1: Introduction to the Realms of Physics - We’ll map out the hierarchy of physical theories from Newton’s clockwork cosmos to Einstein’s warped spacetime to where quantum phenomena begin to dominate.

Lecture 2: The Early History of Quantum Mechanics – We will trace the bold intellectual leaps that forged quantum theory’s foundation.

Lecture 3: The Schrödinger Equation - Discover the central equation of quantum mechanics without the benefit of mathematics. We’ll interpret the wavefunction as a repository of possibilities and their probabilities. You’ll gain an intuitive grasp of why particles behave like waves and waves behave as particles and why this duality upends our classical, worldly expectations.

Lecture 4: Making Sense of Quantum Mechanics – We will delve into several interpretations that wrestle with our attempt at making sense of the quantum foundation of reality and its mind-bending predictions. No single interpretation commands universal acceptance. It is still a mystery!

Lecture 5: QFT and The Standard Model of Particle Physics – We will move beyond particles to fields as the universe’s true building blocks of reality. We’ll outline how quantum field theory is consistent with Einstein’s special relativity and leads to the current Standard Model’s description of quarks, leptons, and their interactions with the force carrying fields. Although we’ll skip the math, you’ll come away with a basic conceptual sense of subatomic reality.

Lecture 6: Beyond the Standard Model - We will discuss the open questions that hint at deeper layers of reality, including quantum gravity contenders like string theory and loop quantum gravity, and the ongoing hunt for a unified description of all forces.

This course will likely leave you dazzled by the staggering successes of quantum physics while aware of the profound mysteries that persist. Hopefully, you’ll appreciate why quantum physics demands nothing less than a reimagining of reality itself.

Instructor: Barrie Hughlock PhD

I love science, and have studied science throughout my life, and continue to do so. I have taken many courses in science outside of my major, which is physics. I completed my undergraduate studies at the University of California at Berkeley and received my doctorate at Brown University.

In most homes today the internet handles our banking, buying, studious inquiries, and is the vehicle for a cornucopia of home entertainment. Learn what all the technical gobbledygook means in easy-to-understand terms.

Explore the various options available in Anacortes for internet access. Learn about the options available to you and choosing the best option. What hardware is best for you and where to get the best price. Did you know you can make your cell phone crystal clear with no call drops in your home with one simple setting!

Replacing Cable TV with an internet option. The ins-and-outs of all the Live TV options that are available (most like cable) and selecting the one that really fits your needs. Did you know you can get local news programming streamed on your TV for free!

How to navigate the hundreds of streaming options. Learn how to make selections that provide the content you really want. This is the best deep dive into streaming content and how to get the most out of it. Did you know you can get a wide selection of movies and TV shows for free!

After each class, every participant will receive a PDF providing details and links to all the hardware and services discussed in class. No need to take notes!

Instructor: Joe Huston

Joe’s varied background includes developing corporate instructional programs, corporate training, as well as being an accomplished motivational speaker. His entertaining programs include strong audience interaction and are always sprinkled with humor. Joe is an avid movie, TV and sports fan and enjoys sharing his incite in the vast world of streaming home entertainment.

This course is designed for anyone interested in learning a little more about wine; the viticulture, the most common grapes, how to taste (you will learn how to taste like a pro!), and pair with food.

It will begin with a brief overview of how and where grapes thrive and the eight most common grape varieties. We will cover ‘still’ wine production and classification. Finally, a discussion of what characteristics one should observe when tasting wine and how best to pair wine with food will conclude the three-week course.

Instructor: Connie Pangrazi

Professional Experience:

Over 30 years of educational experience – both public and private. Retired from Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University - Assistant Dean of Academics. Skagit Valley College faculty adjunct, Leadership Skagit Class of 2018.

Community Service:

Soroptimist International of Anacortes member and current Shop president, Leadership Skagit Coach 2019-21, Anacortes School District Ready to Learn Fair Clothing Drive Coordinator, Island Hospital Therapy Dog Program Coordinator.

Connie Pangrazi retired in 2017 after serving as the Assistant Dean of Academics in the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College as well as teaching courses in Exercise Science and Physical Education pedagogy. Prior to entering higher education, Connie taught in public education for more than 10 years.

Connie purchased a home in Northern Italy in 2021. As the property has a small vineyard and Cantina, she became interested in the production of wine. Within the past two years Connie has completed Levels One, Two and Three of the WSET and is currently completing her DipWSET Certification. She hopes to one day make her own wine and be involved in the wine industry.