From Star Island to China
Tue, Feb 2 2021, 11am
Porch rockers outside the Oceanic Hotel on Star Island, “a magical place” of peace and tranquility visited by Jan McCulloch in August 2019.
Our next Armchair Traveler program will be on Tuesday, February 2, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. via Zoom. We have two terrific presenters lined up to share their photos and experiences.
Use this link to join the Zoom meeting on February 2.
B. Jan McCulloch, professor emeritus, Family Social Science, will take us to Star Island, which she describes as “a magical place” of peace and tranquility nestled among the Isles of Shoals 10 miles off the coast of New Hampshire. Her presentation will be divided into three parts: a brief history of Star Island; staying at the Oceanic Hotel; and Star Island photography, including birds, landscapes, boating scenes, and an island celebration.
Robert Patterson, professor emeritus, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, will focus on three of his trips to China. In 1983, he was part of an invited lecture tour; in 1986, he led 20 people from the Twin Cities on a 350-mile bike tour from Shanghai to Nanjing; and in 1989, he was on Tiananmen Square during the uprising to overthrow the government.
Please mark your calendars. We look forward to you joining us.
—Lynn C. Anderson, chair, Armchair Traveler Program
Upcoming Events
Our July 15 "hike" is going to be a kayaking adventure on Bde Maka Ska (formerly Lake Calhoun) and Lake of the Isles! If you don't have a kayak (or paddleboard), Wheel Fun Rentals, located next to the new concession stand rents single kayaks at $15 an hour and double kayaks at $25. The second hour is free if we rent before noon. Life jackets are provided with the rental.
Laura Ericksen will lead the discussion of How Stella Learned to Talk by Christina Hunger, a true story by a speech-language pathologist who taught her dog, Stella, to communicate using buttons associated with different words.
Our August 5 hike will be a reprise of our hike last summer at William O'Brien State Park. This is a beautiful park with a winding trail and a great view of the countryside. The hike is about 5.5 to 6 miles and we'll go at a moderate pace with frequent water breaks. After the hike, we will eat lunch at Rustic Roots Winery, a half mile north of the park.
Kathy Cramer will lead the discussion of The Bookbinder by Pip Williams, a book set in 1914 Oxford chronicling the life of Peggy who works in the University bindery, but craves a life beyond binding books but to being a scholar herself.
Enjoy a two-hour cruise on the Jonathan Padelford, leaving from the Harriet Island dock in St. Paul, boarding time at 5:30 p.m. We will have a brief program on board by Patrick Nunnally from the River Life Program of the Institute on the Environment.
August 31 is the due date for annual reports and updates. Annual Reports, Toolkits, web page updates, operating document updates and archives collections are all due each year on this date.
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After a summer break the UMRA Photo Club will next meet September 10, 2024 in the meeting room of the Hennepin County St. Anthony Branch Library. For those interested in lunch, meet at the Great Dragon at 11:30 am. For September the THEME will be Curves
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