Friends of the Rio Grande Nature Center

Happy Wildlife Wednesday…or should we say Woodhouse’s Wednesday!?! Here at RGNC we have a species of toad called the Woodhouse’s toad. These bumpy little creatures were named after an American physician, surgeon, and naturalist Samuel Washington Woodhouse in 1854 by French herpetologist Charles Frédéric Girard. They don't know that, though, they're toads! You may have heard a Woodhouse’s toad even if you have never seen one, some people have compared their calls to a sheep or goat bleating. To learn more about Woodhouse’s Toads and amphibian conservation, join us next Sunday, May 24 at 12pm in the Education Building for a presentation by Victoria Reichow. Learn all about Victoria’s Girl Scout Silver Award Project helping Woodhouse’s Toads at RGNC! Become a Ribbit Refuge Ranger and help protect our toads by taking the “Clean Water Pledge”. It is going to be toad-ally awesome! #WildlifeWednesday #herps #toads #amphibians #wildlife Toad Portrait 📸: Stukel, Sam/USFWS

We will have so many talented artists & craftspeople vending on May 9th and 10th this year. If you left Mother's Day Shopping until the last minute, you are in luck! If you planned ahead pat yourself on the back and get yourself a little treat! Clockwise from top left: Barbara Shewnack, Desert Dog Designs, Amy Lopez, Carmen Caswell, SavonBar, Carisa Martinez, K and C Naturals, and Gordene MacKenzie.

Our featured Spring Garden Festival vendor today is Barbara Shewnack. Barbara explains how “The silversmithing bug bit me in the early 70’s and for many years it was my hobby.” In 2004, she studied with Hazeltine’s Jewelry School where she discovered new techniques and fine-tuned her skills. Barbara Shewnack works with sterling silver, gold, copper, nickel, brass, and a wide variety of beads and gemstones. She draws with a coping saw and paints with metal colors, oxidation, patina, and stamp work. Whether Barbara is designing jewelry or metal art, her intention is to present something unique. Stop by the Spring Garden Festival on May 9th and 10th to see Barbara’s unique pieces!

"It is now May . . . It is the month wherein Nature hath her fill of mirth, and the senses are filled with delights. I conclude, it is from the Heavens a grace, and to Earth a gladness."--Nicholas Breton Hooray! It's May! Bees are buzzing, flowers are blooming, birds are chirping, and Spring Garden Festival Starts on May 9th at 8:30. We have two fun-filled days planned with a little something for everyone.

Who doesn't like sitting outside and listening to live music? Coachella doesn't have anything on the Spring Garden Festival! Stop by, check out our vendors, and listen to some live music. The line-up is as follows: 🎸Saturday May 9th: 🎵11:00am Scott and Irma Reeder 🎶12:00pm Abq Skeleton Crew 🎸Sunday May 10th: 🎵11:00am Levi Dean and the Mesa Rats 🎶12:00pm Rob Huffman and Friends 📯🎻🎷🥁🎹🎸Get ready to boogie in the bosque!📯🎻🎷🥁🎹🎸

Our featured Spring Garden Festival vendor today is K and C Naturals. K and C Naturals is a woman-owned and family-operated company. They create all-natural skincare, pain care and aromatherapy products for people and pets. Shower steamers, essential oil blends and inflammation salves are just a few examples of the many all-natural products they create! Stop by the K and C Naturals table at the RGNC Spring Garden Festival May 9th and 10th, for some self-care and relaxation. Spring Garden Festival Spring Garden Festival

Our featured vendor today is Jessie, the owner of Local Locas Facepainting! Jessie has been face painting for nearly a decade. Her favorite hobbies include creating art, playing Pokémon, spending time with her friends and helping her community. Local Locas Facepainting will be painting faces (of all ages!) during the RGNC’s Spring Garden Festival on May 9th and 10th. Stop on by!

Our featured Spring Garden Festival vendor today is Carisa Martinez. Carisa Martinez is a welder who utilizes mainly recycled materials to create metal yard art pieces. Carisa began welding about 6 years ago, after learning to weld from her husband while making a metal gate for their house. Inspiration struck after seeing a metal ocotillo sculpture and Carisa has been making yard art ever since! Come see Carisa’s unique yard art pieces at the Spring Garden Festival on May 9th and 10th at the RGNC. Hope to see you there!

Join us for a tracking workshop with Master Naturalist, Michael Cox. This tracking workshop will be a hands-on, in-the-field experience open to all ages and experience levels; participants will learn how to identify track and sign at the Rio Grande Nature Center. After you are finished tracking, stay for the food trucks and fun at the Spring Garden Festival. Michael Cox is a Master Naturalist, and a volunteer ecology educator at the Sandia Mountain Natural History Center. He has been tracking wildlife for 10 years and is certified by the Cybertracker North America organization as a Level III in Track and Sign, and Level I in trailing. He founded the Duke City Trackheads tracking club and website. He has led tracking workshops for both City and County Open Space, the Bernalillo County Master Naturalists program, and the Bosque School.

Just two more weeks until Spring Garden Festival! Our featured vendor today is Laura Blaylock. Laura is a stoneware potter who uses a wheel to throw bowls, platters, small saucers, and occasionally mugs. Her glazes are vibrant, food- and oven-safe, and utilize several stunning glazing techniques. Come see Laura's pottery at Spring Garden Festival on May 9th and 10th at RGNC. See you there! @laurablalock2

The roots of the Rewilding Institute (@rewildinginstitute ) are planted in northern New Mexico. We’re embarking on a mini roadshow in the Land of Enchantment. We’ll bring stories of jaguars and the contagious enthusiasm and inspiration we feel in safeguarding them. Our hope is to connect with long-time supporters and find new ones. The Jaguar’s Footprint: Stories of Rewilding Powerful and elegant, revered yet endangered — jaguars are the ultimate symbol of the wild. Join us to uncover the stories of individual jaguars, whose lives reveal the corridors in need of protection. Explore the hotspots that are essential stepping stones where jaguars roam. And through inspiring, firsthand accounts from the field, discover bold models for rewilding that offer a roadmap for the jaguar’s return. … Videos of newborn jaguar cubs included! Taos | Wednesday, April 29 | Taos Lifestyle (Mary’s Place) (@taoslifestyle ), 815 Paseo del Pueblo Sur | 6 – 8 p.m. | Stories, images, and conversation Santa Fe | Thursday, April 30 | Center for Contemporary Arts (@ccasantafe ), 1050 Old Pecos Trl | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. | Borderlands Jaguar film, presentation, Q&A | co-sponsored with Defenders of Wildlife (@defendersofwildlife ) Albuquerque | Saturday, May 2 | Rio Grande Nature Center State Park (@friendsofthergnc @nmstateparks ), 2901 Candelaria Blvd NW | 10:30 – noon ~ family activities | 1 – 3 p.m. ~ not-to-miss jaguar presentation Jaguar photo courtesy Fin and Fur Films (@finandfurfilms ) #jaguars #nature #conservation #rewilding

Our featured Spring Garden Festival vendor today is Miriam Hall. Regarding her work Miriam says, "As a photographer and documentarian, my work is about walking in nature. My morning and evening walks serve as my daily meditation. The act of taking pictures preserves the memory of the moment in my mind. Walking in the North Valley here in Albuquerque has grounded me in the seasons and rhythms of life." Stop by and say "hi" to Miriam at our Spring Garden Festival May 9th and May 10th!