Pictures are fun to take when we have family gatherings, activities or anything we want to capture to remember later.

How about trying to find an animal in the woods in the winter? Sign up at the Jay C. Nature Center to join John Duren’s family winter photography class from 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 8.

Cameras are provided, and we ask that you pre-register by Feb. 7 by calling the Nature Center at 507-437-7519 or sending an e-mail to jchnatur@smig.net. The cost is $10 per family, and we are limited to five families.

We will offer adult open hockey at Packer Arena from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. running through Feb. 5.

The dates could be extended if we have enough participation. Participants must be at least high school age, and the cost is $6 per session. Goalies are free but must have full gear.

Would you like to learn how to cross country ski? Sign up for a class scheduled for 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 25 at the Jay C. Nature Center by calling 507-437-7519. Cost is $6, which includes the poles, boots and skis. So get outside and enjoy some brisk, fresh air.

For those of you who enjoy cross country skiing, there are some trails at the Nature Center that have now been track set. For those that could not be tracked they are groomed. Adult ski rental is $6 or $5 for snowshoes. Children 18 and under are only $1. Cost is for three hours.

Thank you to Dr. Richard and Belita Schindler for their generous donation, which allows the Nature Center to rent equipment to children at a reduced cost.

Open ice skating at Packer Arena this week will be 4:45 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 29 and Feb. 5.

The cost is $4 to skate and $1 to rent skates if you don’t have your own. The last two week-ends in January, Austin is host to two youth hockey tournaments at Packer Arena.

The outside ice rink warming houses at Kaufman Park (Eighth Street and 11th Avenue Southeast) and Galloway Park (Eighth Street and Second Avenue Southwest) are open. Kaufman is open daily from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Galloway is only open Friday, Saturday and Sundays from 6 to 9 p.m. and 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Ice rinks may be used during daylight hours when the warming houses are not open.

For those youth grades five to 12 in Mower County, stop in and check out the Youth Activity Center, which is located in the east rooms of Riverside Arena.

During no-school days we will open at 1 p.m. All activities are free and supervised. We have pool tables, air hockey, DDR, “Guitar Hero,” Wii, PlayStation 3, high-speed Wi-Fi and a computer lab, large-screen TVs, and the list goes on. As a treat, there is always free popcorn to snack on. Grab some of your friends and stop in to check it out.

The Austin boys’ hockey team will host Mankato West at Riverside Arena on Thursday. The JV game starts at 5:30 p.m. and varsity at 7:30 p.m. The next home game for girls’ team will be Friday, Jan. 24 at 5 p.m. against Rochester John Marshall. This is a make-up game from Jan. 14.

Check out the Austin Bruins at Riverside Arena. Their next home games will be Jan. 25, 31 and Feb. 1. Game time is 7:05 p.m.