Ramps = Wild Leeks

Janine Toth brought us Ramp Pesto the year we served on Search Committee One which was unsuccessful in bringing a full-time senior minister to UU.   The flavor of this beautiful Kermit-the Frog true green pesto was strong and garlic-like and I remember wanting more.  As I learned, the pesto was made from wild leeks or ramps as they are more frequently called.   They grow in moist woodlands and are only available for about 3 or 4 weeks and they do not appear in the same location annually.  They are illusive!   
At the Memorial Garden Cleanup last Sunday April 27^th,  Debby Funk, one of the Memorial Garden Stewards, told us about huge patches of ramps growing across from the paint gun place on the way to Funks Grove.  As an aside, Debby and Mike make Maple Sirup down there tapping thousands of trees ! 

Yesterday I went down to Funks Grove, parked in the paint gun parking lot and went across the street to enter the woods filled with wildflowers.  From Debby's description of the ramps resembling tulip leaves, I found them.  I felt as though I found a million dollars!  I made several cups of ramp pesto all wrapped tightly and placed in the freezer.   Salmon topped with ramp pesto was delicious and made a lovely lunch served cold the next day.   I surprised Janine this morning and presented her a container of ramp pesto. 

Divine Chocolate -- Fair Trade

Crossroads, the Fair Trade shop where I volunteer sells chocolate.  One of our chocolate vendors is Divine Chocolate from Ghana.  Our UU Church also sells Fair Trade coffee and chocolate one Sunday a month, many of the same products as found at Crossroads.  Last Sunday I purchased 3 large chocolate bars, put them in the freezer and told myself they are off limits.  No will power here!  Two are already gone.  I am trying to control my appetite but am having troubles. 

Arrrgggguuuuuuhhhhh!!

Couldn't use the scanner on my Cannon Pixma 520, at least the part of the scanner using the platen to merely scan.  I googled a Cannon address for printer support, was connected right away with someone who had a Indian accent and happened to be in India.  He accessed my computer remotely and was sure he could fix the problem.  No success.  I finally terminated the call and found the US number for Cannon on the control panel located under the icon for the MP 520.

Two Very Different Kinds of Music

Gary Gletty, our UU Choir Director sends us cool YouTubes.  This one features an incredibly talented quartette from Germany, Salut Salon.  Here they are also very funny. 

And this one, We Are the World was produced in 1985 as a benefit for Africa.  The singers have earphones so they hear the orchestra accompaniment. 

Official Picture of We Are the World Singers

We remember it well.  Featured are all the popular singers of the era.   Lionel Ritchie, Kenny Rogers, Tina Turner, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springstein, Al Jurreau,  Ray Charles, Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder, both  blind, Cyndi Lauper, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick, Kenny Loggins, Michael Jackson and other Jackson's, Harry Bellefonte only a short clip of his head.  Daad thinks Quincy Jones is directing.  WE LOVE THIS!!!!! 

Blood Moon

We saw it!  I saw it at  1:15 am and Daad
around 3:00 am.  We think the 1:15 view
was a bit more red than the later one.
Beautiful! 

I grabbed this photo from the internet.
What we saw was not as bright or as
large as this with the reddish orange visible only
around the moon's bottom edge.  It was fun
using the binoculars.   The moon was quite small as compared to a harvest moon.  

Jewish Hate Crime

The Jewish Hate Crime that occurred in Kansas City on April 14th is horrible.   Pure evil.   These perpetrators  are called white supremacists because the only people they condone are people like themselves.  Today we are global society, a civilization whereby Jews, Buddhists, Muslims, Baha'i, Quakers, Christians, Unitarian Universalists (das us!) all share planet Earth, this beautiful jewel of the universe.  

Any group who espouses evil and terror makes us sit back and hope everyone can learn to live together.  After all, there can be unity in diversity.   

Shen Yun Performance Group

Program Cover

Rev. David Robins was our minister for 23 years.  His son Eric married Chia Lin and they are part of the Shen Yun Performance group showcasing Chinese dynasties beginning in ancient times.  Eric plays trumpet and Chia Lin is a percussionist with the orchestra.  The best musicians and dancers from throughout the global community are featured.    Shen Yun is so large they have several traveling groups.  They are trained in Cuddebackville NY where Eric and his wife live.   Shen Yun will never perform in China until it moves from communist rule.  Sad. 

I had the good fortune to see Shen Yun yesterday at Braden auditorium where 3000 seats were filled.  The afternoon was magical. David ministers in the Peterborough Church in New Hampshire and this morning I sent him an email with the picture below and he emailed back to say he was happy I was able to be at a Shen Yun performance.  My friend Sarah Riehl had an extra ticket.  The afternoon will remain with me for a very long time.

UUBN Will Discontinue Supporting New Life School in Uganda

It came to our attention via two NLS volunteers, a couple, a  geochemist  husband and his wife, a teacher, that the partnership money of 9 UU churches was not spent as intended.   When this came to the attention of the UU Partnership Council in Boston, they decided not to remain the fiduciary agent for the 3 year old project to include relinquishing their leadership role.  

The All Souls Tulsa Church decided to rewrite the project.  Their commitment to this rural school of 500 children is remarkable.

As part of the All Souls proposal:

"All churches will provide a representative on a rotating basis to go to Uganda to disperse funds to targeted projects at NLS."

This did not rest well with us because of the safety issue and the rudimentary facilities at New Life school.  What a huge responsibility to deliver the funds and to disperse them accordingly plus check that the money is spent for what it was intended.

Tomorrow I will send an email to our UUBN New Life School Committee so they know the project will not be continued.  Our minister asked me to say a few words at a congregational meeting  April 27.

The benefits to UUBN will not be forgotten, especially the UU Uganda Festival.  We learned about a culture vastly different from ours.  Personally, my trip to Uganda with Gretchen will forever remain with me.

50th Anniversary of Civil Rights Act

Vice president Lyndon Baines Johnson signed this
landmark legislation into law 50 years ago,
the year after beloved President John Fitzgerald Kennedy
was assassinated in Dallas on November 23, 1963.

"There is no issue of States' rights or National rights.
There is only the struggle for human rights."

Robins Are Back

I removed the foundation twigs

The garbage bag tells the robins to build
 their nest in a safer location.