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WC Seniors News
Newsletter of the Walnut Creek Seniors Club
April 1, 2021
Email: wcseniorsnews@gmail.com
Website: www.walnutcreekseniorsclub.org
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Alert: If you have trouble reading this, click on “View this email in you Browser” at the top of this newsletter, and that should solve the problem.
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Special One Time Event
Birds of Mount Diablo on Zoom
Monday, April 12, at 10;30 am
Sponsored by the Walnut Creek Seniors Club: Free
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Over 200 species of birds are found on Mount Diablo. This month we will do a virtual trip through the various habitats on the mountain with photos and commentary on the 50 or so most interesting and colorful birds.
Above is a photo of a Lazuli Bunting, a common migrant on the mountain. Fred Rentschler has been studying local birds and their habits and habitats for 25 years. He will show us spectacular photos in this Zoom presentation. To reserve a space and get a Zoom link, email Fred, at ftr555@comcast.net
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Attracting Butterflies and
Other Pollinators on Zoom
Monday, April 26 at 10:30 am
Sponsored by the Garden Group of the Walnut Creek Seniors Club: Free
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Swallowtail Butterfly in silk, art created by Terry Smith
Terry Smith wants to spread the word about the benefits of planting a habitat garden. She will answer the question: Who are the local pollinators in our area and what do they need to feel welcome your garden? Terry will discuss plants that attract pollinators and also grow well in Contra Costa County. Butterflies need not only nectar plants, but also host plants where they can lay their eggs and their larvae can eat tasty leaves to eat. Terry says, “We encourage people to plant year round flowering plants, so there is always a source of food.” She will point out garden practices that encourage pollinators and well as practices to avoid.
Terry Smith is a co-founder of the Pollinator Possee. She appears at events and visits classrooms to spread the word about the life cycles of pollinators and the need to build habitat for them in our gardens.
To reserve a space and receive a Zoom link, email Jane, the leader of the Garden Group, at ginger20749@yahoo.com
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My wife is very manipulative. My friends say, “Then why’d you marry her?”
Because she’s very manipulative.
Eric Navarro @erictries2hard
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Please Pay Your Dues –
Paying by Check
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1. Print your Membership Form by clicking on this link. https://wcseniorsclub2020.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/2021-membership-application-1.pdf
2. Fill out the form and include your $15 check (per member).
Make $15 Check Payable to: The City of Walnut Creek.
3. Mail Membership Form and check to:
Walnut Creek Recreation c/o CPCC
1666 N. Main Street
Walnut Creek CA, 94596
Your Membership Form must be included for processing.
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Paying Dues with Credit Card
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To pay your dues with a credit card, go to the City of Walnut Creek website:
https://wcseniorsclub2020.files.wordpress.com/2021/02/2021-membership-application-1.pdf
For problems phone: 925-2951490. You will speak with a live person who will help you.
1. Enter your EMAIL ADDRESS and PASSWORD. Your User Name is your email address. If you have no password (or if you forgot your password), click on “Forgot My Password.” A temporary password will be emailed to you. If you cannot find the email, check your Spam Folder.
2. Click on BOOK OR BUY. A drop-down menu appears and on it click BUY MEMBERSHIP.
A new page appears with a list of choices. Click on WC SENIORS CLUB – 2021. Then click on YOUR NAME and then click on CONTINUE ,
Fill out the online form. Then click on ADD TO CART. Don’t forget this step. Proceed and pay for your membership with your credit card.
** For more detailed instructions go to the WC Seniors Club website:
https://wcseniorsclub2020.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/wcsc-membership-online-instructions.pdf
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The genie came to me and asked, “What is your first wish?”
I answered, “I wish I was rich.”
The genie then asked, “What’s you second wish, Rich?”
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New Outdoor Activity for Seniors with Special or Adaptive Needs
The Social Services Division of Arts and Rec hosts both virtual and in person programs that help support the wellbeing and overall happiness of some of our most vulnerable community members. On a monthly basis, the specialized recreation program will be hosting a series of local hikes followed by a picnic where individuals get some physical exercise, engage in safe outdoor experiences and see their friends. If you know of anybody who would benefit from this program or would like to sign up for more information, please join our email list to receive updates about programs and opportunities to join. If enough seniors are interested, a special seniors group can be organized.
For specifical questions, please email Program Manager Kat at reisinger@walnut-creek.org.
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Walking Buddies
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The Walking Buddies will again try to restart their hiking/walking activities during the second week of April. For the moment, we will only be hiking/walking on Tuesday mornings. The hike on April 13 will be on the Lafayette-Moraga Trail from Rheem Blvd. to Moraga Rd. We will meet at the trailhead. It is completely paved and there is a lot of shade. As you walk down the trail from the starting point, you will see St. Mary’s College on the left and enter a heavily wooded area which is adjacent to Moraga Commons. The trail continues through the park and has stations for doing push-ups, pull-ups, and other exercises. The segment concludes in the Moraga Commons Community Park at Moraga Rd., but we will extend it briefly within the park. It is about four miles round trip from Rheem Blvd. to Moraga Rd. and back or approximately an hour.
We will follow County guidelines by wearing masks, maintaining the recommended distance, limiting the number of participants and congregating only in outdoor areas. Everyone must also sign a waiver of liability and there will be no organized carpools by the Walking Buddies group.
If you are interested in participating, contact Rolando Salazar at rsalazar94598@gmail.com for more information. You must be a member of the Walnut Creek Seniors Club.
The hike schedule is at https://rsalazar5.tripod.com/year2021/ (subject to change).
Rolando
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Hooked on Books, on Zoom
Meets the first Tuesday of the Month
Sponsored by the WC Seniors Club: FREE
Next Meeting: Tuesday, April 6 at 1 pm.
Click this link to join the meeting. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83622546421?pwd=YXlnM3liTFBTekw0UnpLaXdDZ09LUT09
Meeting ID: 836 2254 6421
Passcode: 614125
April 6 Book: The Guest Book by Sarah Blake
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Everyone remembers their first love, but sometimes it’s the second love that lasts… Fleeing her picture-perfect life among the privileged set and the wreckage of a failed marriage, Lily Parkins moves to the only place that still holds happy memories: her grandmother’s farmhouse, now a converted B&B on the enchanting Madrona Island. After learning her grandmother has passed away, Lily is left with only an old guestbook as her guide—a curious book full of letters, recipes, and glimpses into her family history.
May 4 Book: Isaacs Storm by Erik Larson (2000)
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At the dawn of the twentieth century, a great confidence suffused America. Isaac Cline was one of the era’s new men, a scientist who believed he knew all there was to know about the motion of clouds and the behavior of storms. The idea that a hurricane could damage the city of Galveston, Texas, where he was based, was to him preposterous, “an absurd delusion.” It was 1900, a year when America felt bigger and stronger than ever before. Nothing in nature could hobble the gleaming city of Galveston, then a magical place that seemed destined to become the New York of the Gulf.
Schedule
June 1 – Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly (2017)
July 6 – The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates (2019)
August 3 – The Golden State—Lydia Kiesling (2009)
September 7 – Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
October 5 – The One-in-a-Million Boy by Monica Wood (2016)
November 2 – The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (2020)
December 7 – The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline (2020)
January 4 – This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger (2020)
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If you found a $20 bill in every pocket of your coat, what would you have?
Someone else’s coat.
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Coffee Break Qi Gong
for a Balanced Life, on Zoom
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Mondays, 12 to 12:15 pm.
Sponsored by the WC Seniors Club: FREE
You can join at any time.
Qi Gong uses traditional Chinese exercises that engage the mind and body and encompasses posture and movement in a meditative experience. This 15-minute class provides a chance to take a break and relax with slow movements involving gentle stretching. Qi Gong is not a martial art and lacks the demanding exercise often associated with the martial arts. The leader, Bob Wolf, studied Qi Gong for 4 years at the San Francisco Chinatown YMCA and teaches Qi Gong to employees of a major corporation.
This class requires balance and physical activity. This means our insurance carrier requires that you be a member of the WC Seniors Club and that you agree to a waiver of liability in order to participate. The waiver will be sent with your Zoom invite and clicking on the Zoom link to join the meeting means you have agreed to the terms of the waiver. For more information and a Zoom link email
wcseniorsnews@gmail.com (note that seniors is plural)
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WEDNESDAY TRIVIA, on Zoom
Trivia meets every other week on Wednesdays
April 7 and 21, from 2 to 4 pm
Sponsored by the WC Seniors Club: FREE
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Do you enjoy the challenge of playing trivia? Want to have a good laugh and lots of fun while you exercise your brain? Then this is the activity for you! Join us every other Wednesday for a fun-filled afternoon of trivia challenge. This is a drop-in activity so no registration is required. Your hosts will be Bob and Cindy Mohler. Open to seniors, but space is limited. If you are interested, please contact Bob Mohler at
bobmohler82@gmail.com.
You will receive an email invitation with a link to the Zoom session a day or so prior to the Trivia session.
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Friday Trivia, on Zoom
Fridays at 1:00 pm
Sponsored by the City of Walnut Creek: FREE
Just click link or copy and paste in your browser. https://zoom.us/j/94521229988?pwd=NTYvTFp2YTduUlNUZXhOUE1lem5kQT09
Meeting ID: 945 2122 9988, Password: 235086
Test your knowledge and reconnect with friends on Fridays at 1 pm by joining the community and staff member Justin Bodily for a fun game of trivia!
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The primary purpose of your pinky toe is to periodically check if your furniture is still hard.
@wayattfeegrado
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Bingo on Zoom
Meeting ID: 501 673 844
Password: 445295
Sponsored by the City of Walnut Creek
Click link or copy and paste this URL:
https://zoom.us/j/501673844?pwd=aXN3dE9Lcld0TDZldWo5a2R3U0JMdz09
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Be sure to have downloaded your free virtual Bingo Card prior to the start of the program.
To download a Bingo Board visit:
https://bingobaker.com/play/1228516
Click on “Generate Card.” Then you can actually click on each square.
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WC Library is Open for
Book Pick-Ups
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The Walnut Creek Library, next door to the Senior Center, is open for front door pick-up of books. To schedule a book pick-up at this library phone or text:
Text: (925) 438-0997
Call: (925) 977- 3355
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Coupons for the Library Cafe
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The Zatara Library Cafe is open. Click below to get coupons that you can print. Coupon must be presented to the cafe to get the benefit.
Coupons
https://wcseniorsclub2020.files.wordpress.com/2021/03/coupons-library-cafe-2.pdf
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Neologism Contest Winners
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Once again, The Washington Post has published the winning submissions to its yearly neologism contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words…and the winners are:
1. Coffee (n.), the person upon whom one coughs.
2. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained.
3. Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.
4. Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.
5. Negligent (adì.), describes a condition in which you absentmindedly answer the door in your nightgown.
6. Gargoyle (n.), gross olive-oil flavored mouthwash.
7. Flatulence (n.), emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller.
8. Balderdash(n.), a rapidly receding hairline.
9. Pokemon (n.) a Rastafarian proctologist.
10. Frisbeetarianism (n.), (back by popular demand): the belief that when you die, your Soul flies up to the roof and gets stuck there.
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What Do We Know About April?
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Where does the name April come from? All you Latin aficionados will recall the name aprilis, which is derived from the Latin aperire meaning “to open,” a reference to the blossoming of flowers and trees.
Spring officially began this year on March 20 with the Vernal Equinox, the day the sun crosses the equator from south to north, making days and nights the same, 12 hours each. After March 20 the sun shines more directly on the Northern Hemisphere and days get longer than nights. We can enjoy our beautiful bright warm spring evenings.
April Fool’s Day (April 1) probably began in 1563 when France switched from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar, changing the start of the new year from April 1 to January 1. People who didn’t switch were the first “April Fools.”
And don’t forget to observe National Siamese Cat Day (April 6th), and International Carrot Cake Day (April 4th).
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Couple Dates Night
Movie in the Park – the Princess Bride
Friday April 2, at 7:45 pm.
Sponsored by the City of Walnut Creek: $30 per couple
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Socially distanced in Civic Park, couples will enjoy a romantic outdoor movie experience. A fairy tale adventure about a beautiful young woman and her one true love. He must find her after a long separation and save her after battling the evils of the mythical kingdom of Florin to be reunited with her. Registration includes a goodie bag with sweet treats, sparkling cider, and a few special surprises to make this date night extra special and fun. Bring a blanket to sit on, low lawn chairs, and any additional drinks you want. Space is limited to comply with distancing requirements. Rain cancels event. Movie starts promptly at 8:00pm.
Register online athttps://cityofwalnutcreek.perfectmind.com/23302/Clients/BookMe4LandingPages/CoursesLandingPage?widgetId=15f6af07-39c5-473e-b053-96653f77a406&embed=False&redirectedFromEmbededMode=False&courseId=4e69457f-bcf2-4004-8bf2-68f7774d893e
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Senior Spring Rec-Tivity Bag
Sponsored by the City of Walnut Creek
Cost: Free for Seniors Over Age 65 (must pick up) or $10 if delivered. No Refunds
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Do you know a senior who has suffered from social isolation and could use some cheering up this spring? Sign them up for a basket specifically geared towards seniors.
Baskets will be filled with spring and Easter themed goodies and activities for your loved one to complete. Each basket comes with a special note letting them know that they are cared for and how to find senior resources in Walnut Creek. Limited supplies so please sign up early. You must pickup the basket or, if you would prefer to have the basket delivered in Walnut Creek, you can pay $10 extra at checkout. Delivery to Walnut Creek addresses ONLY. If you are interested in donating to this and other special services for seniors, please consider making a donation at checkout.
Sign up at http://bit.ly/3qX93Tx
Questions? Email artsrec@walnut-creek.org
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Teacher: Everyone who thinks they are stupid, stand up.
After a while, Little Johnny stands up.
Teacher: Ah, so we have one stupid person among us.
Little Johnny: Actually, it broke my heart to see you standing there alone.
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Activity for Mother’s Day
Sponsored by the City of Walnut Creek
April 27, 10 – 11 am – Essential Oil Infused Sugar & Salt Scrubs
April 29, 3 – 4 pm – Mason Jar Stained Glass Candles
May 5, 11 – 12 pm – Heart String Art
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Make Mother’s Day a little extra special with a handmade craft and card made with love. These workshops are designed for an adult to come with a child between the ages of 3 – 8 to make a special gift for Mom/Grandmother/Special Someone. Time will also be spent putting together a few spring themed crafts and activities. Enjoy the park, fresh air and fun.
To register, visit our Special Events page at: https://cityofwalnutcreek.perfectmind.com/23302/Clients/BookMe4BookingPages/BookingCoursesPage?widgetId=15f6af07-39c5-473e-b053-96653f77a406&calendarId=39802f19-5f12-47f3-9006-108cca2603e1&singleCalendarWidget=False
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Taking a Walk by the Creek
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Patricia Dunn, age 91, paused for this photo while strolling on the Creek Walk in Civic Park (across the bridge from the large parking lot). She can be seen with her walker, and with her aide, Karma Inzunza, by her side, helping to watch out for bicycles.
Patricia walks the 0.4 miles from the bridge to the Iron Horse Trail and back almost daily. She comments, “I love this place. It just feels good to be here.” Patricia reports that walking in the park has improved her strength and balance. Her aide, Karma, says that she likes coming to the park with Pat and enjoys the scenery.
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Covid Vaccine Update
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Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS) now encourages everyone who lives or works in the county age 16 or older to request an appointment to receive a COVID-16 vaccine. You can register for an appointment at:
cchealth.org/coronavirus
or call 1-833-VAX-COCO (1-833-829-2626).
The county is expecting long delays on this phone line and encourages you to go to the above website instead.
In addition to vaccination through the county, those age 65 and older can also get vaccine appointments through the state website called My Turn. Type into your browser: My Turn vaccination appointments.
Appointments for those aged 16-64 are only available through CCHS and cannot be booked using the state’s MyTurn portal until the state announces vaccine eligibility to this age category.
Vaccinations should also be available at CVS, Walgreens, and RiteAid, in addition to your health care provider.
Contra Costa Health Services, the City of Concord, and Kaiser Permanente have joined together to open a drive-through vaccination site that can accommodate as many as 15,000 patients weekly, beginning March 30 at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor (formerly Water World) in Concord.
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Word Play
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1. Dad, are we pyromaniacs? Yes, we arson.
2. What do you call a pig with laryngitis? Disgruntled.
3. Writing my name in cursive is my signature move.
4. Why do bees stay in their hives during winter? Swarm.
5. If you’re bad at haggling, you’ll end up paying the price.
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Community Service Day
Saturday, April 17
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This year’s community Service Day involves a spring Food Drive featuring Pop-up Food Collection stations at grocery stores across the city – Safeway, Whole Foods, Lunardi’s, Nob Hill.
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Adapted from Wall Street Journal, Feb. 28, 2021
Are You on Zoom? Animals Make It Bearable
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Repetitive virtual meetings over the past year have sapped morale in many workplaces. So companies are hiring four-legged guests—sheep, goats, tortoises, llamas, bearded dragons and more—to paint smiles back on the faces of jaded employees. Many farms, sanctuaries, or petting zoos find that hosting animal video calls can provide a lucrative revenue stream.
Dozens of people from San Francisco software company Benchling Inc. were logged into a video call when the meeting quickly went off-script.
Benchling had paid Sweet Farm, a 20-acre animal sanctuary, to spice up the virtual gathering with a live video feed of animals including Paco, a 5-foot 9-inch rescue llama. When the Sweet Farm owner stood up too fast, a startled Paco retaliated by spitting at him in the face.
Because animals don’t always play along, farmers have become experts at pampering their talent. They’ve found themselves shampooing fleeces, banning troublemakers, blackmailing with treats and belly scratches—anything to keep the animals happy and performing at their best.
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Classes on Zoom
Sponsored by the City of Walnut Creek and brought to you by the Recreation Staff.
Sign up for one of these events at:
cityofwalnutcreek.perfectmind.com
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Virtual French for Beginners
For Adults
Thursdays, April 8 through 29, 3:30 pm-4:30 pm
Cost: $64 for 4 sessions
Instructor: Lori Hope Izabelle
# 30891
Zoom into learning French online this spring with Hope’s inspiring and interactive classes! Learn to speak and understand French in a fun and easy way, with interactive games, group activities… and even a play! This class approaches grammar fundamentals, and learning to communicate in basic French… from the comfort of your home! Class will cover gender, nouns, verbs, adjectives, and more, while discovering the French language and French culture. You will be speaking and understanding everyday French in no time!
Virtual French for Continued Beginners
For Adults
Thursdays, April 8 through 29, 5 – 6 pm
Cost: $64 for 4 sessions
Instructor: Hope Izabelle
# 30892
Continue your French practice online using the excellent Zoom platform, with Hope’s inspiring and interactive classes! Delve into the French language and its culture with tried and true methods, games, and specific learning techniques designed to get you comfortable and confident in speaking and understanding. This class is for those who would like to improve their French skills both in conversation and pronunciation. After reviewing grammar, we will go over specific tenses, dialogs, vocabulary, and much more.
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Boy Scouts Making Civic Park a Better Place
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Boy Scouts from Troop 302 in Walnut Creek clear brush from Walnut Creek (the actual creek) in Civic Park, as part of an Eagle Project for Scout Luca Matei, Scouts and parents formed a human chain and handed the brush up the creek bank to those on the sidewalk who put it in a dumpster. Participants included Luca Matei, Radu and Christina Matei, Elliot Carlson, Max Smith Beckham Gilliard, Blake Skillern, Tyler Long, Arthur Sainio, and others. Removing these invasive plants creates a better habitat for both plants and wildlife in Civic Park, home to the Senior Center.
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Adapted from the Wall Street Journal, March 8, 2021
Why is My Dog So Moody?
Call the Pet Psychic
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In humans’ long quest to communicate with their beloved pets, some are casting doubts aside and turning to animal communicators—sometimes called pet psychics—to try to learn what’s on Fido’s mind.
Once or twice a year, Terri O’Hara, a horse whisperer and pet psychic, visits a ranch in Littleton, Colo., to talk with the animals. On a typical visit, Ms. O’Hara will report that a miniature steer is miffed that the male pig has a female companion and he doesn’t. The hens complain that the rooster is abusive.
Ms. O’Hara, who lives in Eugene, Ore., has a three-week waiting list for appointments. Last month, she gave a woman the hard news that the family dog preferred to live with her soon-to-be-ex-husband.
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Want to Develop Your Green Thumb?
There are many Garden growing opportunities at the Walnut Creek Senior Center. You can get orphan plants in a 3 inch or 4 inch pots to take home to be repotted. The Garden Group supplies the gallon pot and you provide the love! Some plants need tending for a month others need management until November. If you have any desire to help, please contact ginger
ginger20749@yahoo.com
The plants will have multiple purposes in Civic Park. The marigolds will discourage deer from destroying the native plants in the new mini-garden adjacent to the Senior Center. Other plants will encourage swallowtail butterflies to lay their eggs on the perideridia plant shown below. The Garden Group is partnering with Friends of the Creeks to promote the Pollinator Garden in Civic Park. Please provide your support and watch your green efforts blossom into a welcoming gardening retreat around the Senior Center!
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Above: Pans of 6 small pots ready for volunteers to take home, repot, and grow.
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Above: Perideridia, host plants for a variety of Swallowtail butterfly, need volunteers to take them home and repot them in larger pots (pots provided)
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Volunteers Needed to Help Spread Mulch on Mini-Garden
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In the next few days a pile of mulch will be delivered to the new mini-garden next to the Senior Center. If you can help spread the mulch on the garden, please email Robin at wcseniorsnews@gmail.com
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Calling on Seniors Club Group Leaders
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Group Leaders please write a description of your group’s activities for the Seniors Club Website. A paragraph or two is adequate. Then the newsletter can link to these descriptions. This way we can get the word out and be ready when the WC Senior Center reopens. Please email to wcseniorsnews@gamil.com (notice that seniors is plural).
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Free QR Code Tutorial Workshop
Tuesday, April 6, 9:30 am
Sponsored by the City of Walnut Creek: Free
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Have you ever wondered what a QR Code is and how to use it? This is the workshop for you! QR Codes are very popular and a great way to transfer information without contact. You will learn how to download a QR code reader on your phone and how they are used. Ample time for questions and answers. Register for this free workshop by visiting:
https://tinyurl.com/bwp43nha
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A Sign of the Times: New Child’s Toy Makes the News
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With preschoolers wanting attention while their parents work from home, this new Fisher-Price toy has made the news. The pretend computer, headset, phone, and latte cup allow the young child to pretend to work along side a parent.
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Copyright (C) 2021 WC Seniors Club. All rights reserved
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