Author: Mary Bennett

(Some) Apples are ready for picking – please help yourselves

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Photo credit: Keith Wilkinson

We have 14 apple trees on the North West side of the property.

They were planted to celebrate our 100th anniversary.

UPDATE: Next up: The King apples are ripe mid-September to early October.

In the meantime, do pick up any fallen apples. 

 

Our apple tree varieties are (clockwise from North West)
Honey Crisp, Scarlet Sentinel, King, Florina, Yellow Transparent, Summerland Red Macintosh, Ambrosia, 
Gravenstein, Cox Orange Pippin, Liberty, Sunrise, Golden Sentinel, Shamrock and Jonafree.

In order of ripening:

Yellow Transparent  July 10–25

SUNRISE  mid-August

GRAVENSTEIN  

Cox’s Orange Pippin late picking straight from the tree recommended.

Scarlet Sentinel – mid to late September

King – September 15 – 25

Florina – late September https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florina_(apple)

McIntosh – not till September 20-30

Ambrosia – mid to late season – October

Liberty – late season

 

FROM https://www.bctfpg.ca/horticulture/varieties-and-pollination/apple-varieties/

I’m adding more details about the various trees and apples below. A work in progress.
Apples are ready between   August 15 – October 30
from: https://pickyourown.org/apples_howtotellwhenripe.php
Scarlet Sentinel

King

Sept. 15–25 Yellow with red blush

Red McIntosh

Sept. 20–30 Yellow with red blush
Popular in America since 1811

  • Best for: eating, sauce, salad, good as part of a blend for applesauce
  • Sweet, mild flavor

ambrosia apple

Ambrosia – mid to late season

  • Sweet, crisp, aromatic flavour reminiscent of pear and low acidity.
  • Mostly red colouration, with yellow patches.
  • Flesh is cream-coloured, firm meat
  • Medium to large in size
  • Developed in British Columbia in the early 1990s.
  • Believed to be a cross of a Jonagold and Golden Delicious.
  • Ripens mid to late season

Gravenstein apple

Gravenstein

  • Greenish-yellow with a lumpy appearance
  • A good, all-purpose apple,
  • Good for applesauce and pies.

Cox’s Orange Pippin – early

  • Popular in English markets.
  • Medium sized, golden yellow skin, with brownish orange
  • often russeted.
  • Flesh tender, crisp, semi-tart
  • early

Liberty apple

Liberty – late season

  • A highly disease-resistant introduction from Geneva New York.
  • Liberty has superior dessert quality, similar to one of its parents, Macoun
  • Best for: eating, sauce, salad
  • flavor improves in storage
  • late season

Sunrise – mid August

Yellow Transparent July 10–25 Creamy yellow

Jonagold Sept. 15–Oct. 7 Yellow with red stripes

Jonathan Sept. 20–25 Yellow with red blush

Golden Delicious Oct. 1–15 Yellow

Delicious—red strains Oct. 1–15 Red

Please pick the flowers and herbs in the labyrinth

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Yes, that’s an unusual invitation, I know, but… I’d love people to take a bit of UCV abundance home with them. The rudbeckia (black-eyed Susan) makes a lovely bouquet to bring some sunshine indoors.

Here are some that I would really like to have picked. It saves me pruning and dead-heading:
Lavender (still quite nice but fading fast). It’s mainly on the outer ring on the east side.
Dandelions- of course – any time!
Mint – There are several kinds of mint – chocolate mint, pineapple mint, etc. Please do cut 6″ pieces or so to make tea or enjoy in salads etc.
Fennel – Nice for a bouquet and also nice with mint for tea, or infused water.
Any time —
Lambs ears – those lovely fuzzy leaves can be picked any time. Not edible (but not poisonous). Kids love to touch them.
Sage – on west side near a tree – pick a bit to take home – I love sage tea, or to flavour other foods.
Take up to 1/3 of…
The glorious rudbeckia/black-eyed Susan – Take the flowers that are in full bloom. I call this pre-emptive dead-heading. Cut the step right to the place where it connects with another stem, so it looks nice.
Please don’t pick without checking with me:
The echinacea was moved last year and just getting established, so I’d prefer it wasn’t picked yet. Leave it for the bees!!

 

Here are some excerpts and links about kids and flowers:

Some flowers, like the bright yellow dandelion, are very common and children should be encouraged to collect them by armfuls. Other flowers, like the yellow golden paintbrush, are endangered and should be left alone. Not all flowers are created equal but everyone (even kids!) can learn which flowers are good to pick, where to pick them and when to pick them. Learning about flowers and picking them is a wonderful opportunity for you and your child to connect with nature together.

Do you have an idea for a new group? Let’s make it happen!

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We know it’s hard to get to know people on Sunday mornings. There are so many of us. And as is often said: There’s a lot that goes on around here.

UCV has lots of small groups where people get to know each other more easily. Some once formed are then closed. Others are drop-in. Several people are initiating new groups starting in September.

And perhaps YOU too have an idea of a group to get like-minded people together?

Sheila R. and Mary Bennett as the Connect and Engage team would like to support and encourage you if you do.

We can help you find the right committee to sponsor your group; learn how to book space and advertise.

We may do a forum in late August or early September if enough people want to learn all the how-to’s (and perhaps some what-not-to-dos) of running groups at UCV.

And of course, there may already be a small group that you’d be interested in – so check here.

Here are some good ideas for starting new groups:

https://www.uua.org/interconnections/192406.shtml

Walk a sand labyrinth at Spanish Banks East and a picnic

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If you’ve never walked a labyrinth in the sand, here’s your chance.

Weather permitting, I will be drawing a labyrinth August 31, 2019 and hosting a ‘walk’ from 1:30 to 3:30 pm at Spanish Banks in Vancouver, British Columbia. from Les.
Please come if you can:
Cost: donation
For directions to the labyrinth, cut and paste the following link into your browser:
In the spirit of reciprocity and gratitude, please bring a gift to offer to the Sacred in Nature such as flowers, coffee beans, etc. These will be used to create a mandala in the centre of the labyrinth.

 

If you have any questions, please email Les at:  walkingalabyrinth@gmail.com

Check his website any time for updates: http://walkingalabyrinth.blogspot.com/

I plan to be there and several of us are planning a picnic

Send me a note if you’re interested: earthspiritucv@gmail.com

Laurie, Mary are confirmed. We expect about 6-8 or so.(Best guess!)

 

 

New Singing Group starts Sunday, September 15

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Do you like to sing? Would you like to sing once a month in a small group that doesn’t judge or perform? We will meet for the first time at 12:45 pm on September 15 and gather on the third Sunday every month until April. You’re invited!

My name’s Glenn Deefholts. I’ve been playing the piano and hosting singalongs for years. I’ll play while we sing, sharing my five copies of the Vancouver Ukulele Circle Songbook. Three people can gather around one book. There are songs from about 1910 to 2010 in various genres. The group is limited to a maximum of about 12 people, unless more songbooks are purchased.

We will sing after lunch, from about 12:30 to 1:15, taking turns choosing songs. No pre-registration is required; just come to the Lindsey-Priestley Room at 12:30 each third Sunday, after love soup and lunch. Questions? Contact Glenn

approved by Music Committee and Connect & Engage team

Dear Coffee and Tea Drinkers

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You are seriously needed to volunteer for Sunday Coffee Service set up and/or serving.

With Karen Hertz stepping down from every Sunday set up, we need you!  Just once a month! You will be appreciated and feel a warm glow in your heart from your humble service to our community.  Men are welcome to volunteer.

Contact Eva Allan.  eallan@telus.net or 604-738-4962

 

 

 

If you’re 18-35 and want to meet other Unitarians your age…

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A special invitation from the Canadian Unitarian Council to new-to-UU young adults

Are you interested in connecting with other young adult (18-35 year old) Unitarian Universalists? Gathered Here is a monthly 75-minute online check-in and gathering that will give you a chance to meet other UU young adults and experience the warmth of our national community.

2nd Monday @ 5pm on Zoom

Join other UU 18-35 year olds on Zoom (a video-conferencing platform) for the sharing of joys and concerns, deeper check-ins, prayerful reflections, and an opportunity to process current events with a spiritually grounded community. Gathered Here generally takes place on the second Monday evening of each month at 5pm Pacific/ 6pm Mountain/ 7pm Central/ 8pm Eastern/ 9pm Atlantic. It’s a free drop-in gathering, so no advance registration is necessary. Search “Gathered Here” on the CUC website or on Facebook to find upcoming dates and login instructions.

Here are some more ways for UU young adults to connect online.

CUC Website

http://cuc.ca/young-adults/

Our congregation supported this year-long project

http://cuc.ca/young-adults/young-adult-project/

Facebook Links

Canadian Unitarian Council Youth and Young Adult Ministry page

https://www.facebook.com/CUCyayaministry/

UU Young Adults in Vancouver

Closed Group (You can ask to join)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/122226307860396/

90 members

UU Young Adult Connections

Closed Group (You can ask to join)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/698574876830392/

A continental group only for those between 18 and 35

1300+members

Description

There are a lot of UU young adults* wandering the continent but it’s easy for us to feel isolated. This group is here to combat that feeling and connect us to each other. Feel free to share events and information, ask questions, and invite other young adults you know. THIS GROUP IS INDEPENDENT OF THE UUA. *The UUA defines young adults as people between the ages of 18-35. If you are younger than 18 or older than 35, this is not the group for you. Note: We also welcome anyone who identifies as a U/U (Unitarian or Universalist) rather than as a UU.

 

Text reminders

There’s a lot to keep track of, which is why we’re offering a new way to get the most important info about young adult events sent directly to your phone. We will use this service to send monthly reminders about Gathered Here, as well as other important event notices such as registration deadlines. Here are instructions for how to sign up for text reminders using a service called Remind.

1) By text:
Just text @cucya to (502) 694-1142 and you will be signed up for reminders. You should receive a confirmation from Remind right away.

2) Online:
Visit rmd.at/cucya to sign up for text, smartphone notifications and/or email reminders. By creating an account, you can change your settings or unsubscribe at any time.
* Remind was designed for classrooms, so you’ll get a prompt asking whether you’re a teacher, student, parent, etc. Just choose “student” to move to the next page.

3) By email:
Send an email to young-adults@cuc.ca and request to be added to the reminder group. Please include your cell phone number in the message.

[Thank you and credit to BLUU for the text notification idea and instructions! Visitblacklivesuu.com/ to learn more about their incredible work]

Additionally, you can always check in on what events are coming up for young adults atwww.cuc.ca/community/young-adults/young-adult-events/

 

Prepare for Pride – Info Table and Photo Booth

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Prepare for Pride

Drop-in to the Genders and Sexualities Alliance table to prepare for Pride. In the courtyard before and after the service.

You can

  • paint a rainbow on a rock
  • take a selfie in front of our Welcoming congregation banner
  • pick up the GSA brochure and rainbow book mark
  • add your preferred pronouns to your name tag
  • get a rainbow or trans button or bracelet – by donation
  • check out new Welcoming Congregation mugs
  • ask anything at all

UCVs Genders and Sexualities Alliance was formed in the summer of 2018.

In the past year, we’ve

  • had two potlucks at UCV prior to attending the Out in Harmony choir concert (January and June)
  • hosted a forum with representatives from Qmunity
  • two other potluck/discussion/planning sessions
  • planned a worship service with Lorimer Shenher
  • created GSA brochure and worked with Communications team on principles bookmark
  • hosted a film screening of She’s a Boy I Knew
  • developed our group to include liaisons from other Metro Vancouver Unitarian congregations.

A wish list for our labyrinths for 2039 or earlier

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Here is Mary’s wish list for our labyrinths for 2039 (or sooner) from her homily presented July 7th.

I have a wish list for the future of our labyrinths.

I wish there was a big welcoming sign giving the basics of how and why to walk a labyrinth.
I wish more neighbours would regularly stop by to walk the labyrinth and that some of them would decide to check out what else happens here.

Bench with labyrinth at Xenia Retreat centre on Bowen Island

I wish there were benches for resting. And maybe a yellow Friendship bench indicating that someone sitting there would appreciate a conversation.
I wish that when you reach the centre of the courtyard labyrinth, you could actually able to walk into the centre area, not have your way blocked by a big tree root.

Some other wishes

  • a late-night lantern walk on the labyrinth–perhaps for Hallowe’en/Samhain
  • until or unless we can move the shrubs around, a bird bath at the end of the courtyard labyrinth walk would be lovely
  • a labyrinth group who meet regularly for labyrinth walks, planning labyrinth walks and tending the labyrinth.
  • more music on the labyrinth. Thank you to Tara for playing her harp on the labyrinth on May 4th – could we have more music? and poetry readings? or?
  • picnics on the labyrinth
  • a little free library – that includes books or handouts about the labyrinth.
  • wooden markers for the plants

Maybe you have wishes? Let us know your ideas!

Labyrinth Rabbit Hole

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Curious about labyrinths?

Here are some of the links that Mary Bennett referred to at the service on July 9th about labyrinths and related ideas like eco-philosophy (or ecosophy) and gardening to live to be 100. Come down the rabbit hole (Maze?) to learn more about labyrinths!

Some references

UCV labyrinth web page vancouverunitarians.ca/labyrinth

Lauren Artress https://www.laurenartress.com/

St. Paul’s Labyrinth https://stpaulsanglican.bc.ca/site1/outreach-2/labyrinth/

Matthew Fox http://www.matthewfox.org/

Stephan Harding on Becoming Indigenous

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwG746L3dDg

Schumacher College https://www.schumachercollege.org.uk/

James Lovelock http://www.jameslovelock.org/

350.org https://350.org/

Dan Buettner: TED talk on How to Live to be 100

https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_buettner_how_to_live_to_be_100?language=en

Small is Beautiful https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_Is_Beautiful

World wide labyrinth locator https://labyrinthlocator.com/

World Labyrinth Day (First Saturday in May) https://labyrinthsociety.org/world-labyrinth-day

Veriditas https://www.veriditas.org/

How to draw a labyrinth youtube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyEwgGuWzCI

Here are some links to other Canadian Unitarian congregations with labyrinths.

https://victoriaunitarian.ca/welcome/our-labyrinth/

http://www.uukamloops.ca/connection/labyrinth/

https://www.kelownaunitarians.ca/labyrinth

http://www.uce.ca/renting-the-facilities/

Ottawa First also have a labyrinth but no web page as yet.

If you know of others, please send an email to unitarianlabyrinth@gmail.com and we’ll update this page.