Announcements for the week of November 25 – 29

Announcements:  Week of November 25^th – November 29^th

Tasty Recipe Treat…
During ThanksGibbons, Cathy McEvoy brought a fruited wild rice and pecan dressing. Many asked her for the recipe, so it is included at the end of these announcements.  Enjoy!

SPECIAL EVENTS and DEADLINES:

• Monday, November 25: Journal-making class Part 2 (10am- 12pm)

• Tuesday, November 26: Florida State Fair applications/fees due to the LEC

• Wednesday, December 4: Potluck (meet the maker of the LEC sculpture)

LEC HOLIDAY CLOSINGS:

• Wednesday, November 27- Friday, November 29: LEC Closed

• Monday, December 23 – Wednesday, January1: LEC Closed

COMING ATTRACTIONS 2025:

• Wednesday, January 8: Deadline for bringing State Fair entries to LEC

• Thursdays, starting January 9: Beginning Drawing with Tim (10am -12pm)

• Saturday, January 18: Acrylic Pour Workshop

• Saturday, January 25: Colored Pencils Workshop with Mark Menendez

• Friday, January 31: Field Trip to the 50^th Annual Miniature Arts Show (in Largo)

Interest Survey: December 2024

We want your opinion about possible offerings in the coming weeks.  Click here or complete the survey on the Resource table at the LEC.

Florida State Fair 2025

• DEADLINE THIS TUESDAY!!! Applications and fees are due to the LEC by 2 pm on Tuesday, November 26^th.  Additional information & paper applications are now available at the LEC. Please make checks to Florida State Fair Authority.

• Art work will need to be at the LEC by January 8. Tim will be available on January 8 from 11am – 1pm to help correctly wire art for display at the Fair.

• For those interested in being volunteer demo artists at the Fair, there is a sign-up sheet on the Resource table. Shifts are 3-4 hours, and you must remain at the table for the duration of your shift.  Demo volunteers receive a free ticket to the Fair for the day they demo. You can also email info@lectampa.org or call (813) 932-0241 to sign up or for more information.

Creative Fire 2024

The LEC’s latest anthology, Creative Fire: Embers and Ashes vol. 25, is now available for purchase on Amazon (click here). You may also pre-order your copy at the LEC.  If you have writing or art published in the anthology, your complementary copy is coming soon.

Class and Workshop News

• The final Journal-making class takes place on Monday, November 25 from 10-noon. Learn how to make journals of your own that you’ll absolutely love! We’re not journaling or writing; we’re making the cover and interior pages so you can fill each journal with whatever you want. They also make great gifts. We need to know how many supplies we need, so please email info@lectampa.org, call (813) 932-0241, sign up online at lectampa.org, or sign up in person.

• Plein Air opportunity! At 8am on Monday, December 2, LEC members are invited by the Pastels class to gather outside the clubhouse at Al Lopez Park to do plein air art.   Bring all your materials because supplies will NOT provided.  You are not limited to painting with pastels—the choice of medium is yours.

New Year, New Opportunities

• In January, the LEC will be offering two Saturday workshops: Acrylic Pour on January 18 and Colored Pencils with Mark Menendez on January 25. Online registration for these two workshops is available online, or you can email info@lectampa.org, call (813) 932-0241, or sign up in person.

• A field trip to the 50^th annual International Miniature Arts Show, in Largo this year, is planned for Friday, January 31. Sign up on the Resource table, or you can email info@lectampa.org, call (813) 932-0241, or sign up in person. Please indicate whether you are willing to drive.

• Tim Gibbons will be offering a 6-week Beginning Drawing class on Thursday mornings (10am-12pm) starting January 9. Look for sign-up on the Resource table at the LEC. You can also email info@lectampa.org or call (813) 932-0241.  Online registration will be available starting in December.

• Mish Murphy will be returning with an 8-week Poetry class on Thursday mornings (10:30am-12pm) starting January 9. The class will be in person and online.  Sign-up on the Resource table at the LEC. You can also email info@lectampa.org or call (813) 932-0241.  Online registration will be available starting in December.

Club News

• Nature calls! Cooler temperatures and lower humidity are finally here! Take advantage of the nicer weather and explore the Great Outdoors.  Don’t want to go alone? Join the new LEC Walking Club.  If you are interested, contact Arleen or Sheila for more details (email info@lectampa.org or call 813-932-0241).

• PHOTO CHALLENGES: Photos for the November & December Challenge will both be reviewed during the Photo Club’s December 18^th Zoom meeting.  November’s photo challenge is Fall. That can be seasonal or gravity or whatever else inspires you. Send Dave your images by Nov. 30 to help him keep them separate from December submissions.  December’s challenge is Winter. That can be seasonal, holiday cheer or whatever else inspires you there. Send those images in December.

• DATE CHANGE: The Photo Club will photograph the unveiling of the fifteen new mermaid statues at Weeki Wachee on Saturday, January 11 at 11:30am.  Come to a Photo Club Zoom meeting or contact Dave Beebe to learn more.

• Calling all readers! We are forming a new Book Club! If you are interested in joining, please sign up on the Resource table at the LEC, email info@lectampa.org, or call 813-932-0241.

Other LEC news…

• The LEC still needs volunteers for 2-hour shifts. Responsibilities include checking emails, light organizational projects, answering phones, etc. Please call or drop us an email if you are interested in volunteering.

FRUITED WILD RICE AND PECAN DRESSING from Cathy McEvoy

Makes 12 servings              Time:  About 2 hours (can be made early and kept warm)

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½  cups wild rice (about 9 ounces)

½  cup (1 stick) butter

¾  cup large pecan pieces (about 3 ounces)

4 large leeks, white and light green parts only, rinsed well and finely chopped

2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves, crumbled

2 bay leaves

1 ½  cups long-grain white rice (about 10 ounces)

4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 ¼ cups coarsely chopped dried apricots (about 6 ounces)

1 ½  cups dried cranberries

2/3 cup golden raisins

1. Simmer wild rice, in enough water to cover it well, for 30 minutes. Drain well.
2. While wild rice is cooking, position oven rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
3. Melt butter in 4 1/2 to 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add pecans and cook until slightly crisp and fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, remove pecans and reserve in a bowl. Leave as much of the butter as possible in the Dutch oven. There will probably be some little brown bits left in the butter from the pecans, but don’t worry about it.  Turn heat down to low and add leeks, thyme, and bay leaves to Dutch oven. Cover and cook  over low heat until nearly tender, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes.
4. Add the drained wild rice, white rice, and broth to the Dutch oven. Season with salt and pepper. (This dish likes salt, so be fairly generous. Start with the amount you think is right then taste it before serving to see if it needs more.)
5. Increase heat to medium high and bring contents just to a boil. Cover and put in preheated oven.
6. Bake until liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes.
7. Remove bay leaves. Stir in pecans and fruit. Leave off the lid and bake uncovered for 15 minutes.
8. Let stand 5 minutes, taste to see if it needs more salt or pepper, and serve.

It will stay warm in a slow cooker for a couple hours, so you can make it early.