carved in stone

“Without minerals there is no life. Life learned how to make minerals, in teeth, bones and shells. People think these are separate, [i]t’s all part of a whole.” Dr. George Harlow, geologist and seasoned curator.

On a recent trip to New York City, we visited the newly refurbished Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals at the American Museum of Natural History.

early cave petroglyphs

The dazzling displays include meteorites, fossils, minerals, gemstones - rough and cut, new and old. All spectacularly displayed so each can shine in their own awesome spotlight.

The mission statement of the museum is: "To discover, interpret, and disseminate—through scientific research and education—knowledge about human cultures, the natural world, and the universe."

The newly reopened gems & minerals exhibit

Nowhere does this strike closest as in these immersive halls and exhibits that take us back in time to the origins of Planet Earth and the human race. There are over 5,000 minerals on earth and in the surrounding space around us, forming the substance of the world we evolved in and are made up of.

summer solstice 2021

Summer Solstice marks the high point of light in the northern hemisphere - the longest day, the shortest night.

Midsummer celebrations held throughout the United States are largely derived from the cultures of immigrants who arrived from various European nations since the 19th century.

The Lake - Central Park, NYC

With the rise of earth-centered spirituality, many including Unitarian Universalists celebrate the summer solstice as a religious holiday. Seeing how the Big Apple is faring this Father's Day weekend - is cause for fervent prayers indeed.

Juneteenth 2021

Especially after the past year of protesting, donating and talking about race and racism in America, we are all just too grateful to have a US president who values the significance of the day! 

Happy Juneteenth to all! 

Juneteenth (also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day or Emancipation Day) is a day to honor and celebrate liberation. It was 156 years ago on June 19, 1865 that all Americans became free from slavery (despite the Emancipation Proclamation occurring two years prior). 

Today, the holiday is about celebrating Black culture, history and life. Bringing people together to honor all those who came before us and fought for the rights and privileges we hold today. 

celebrating the end of slavery in the United States

Juneteeth gives us the opportunity to support, appreciate and educate through a host of activities. So, whether you’re hosting a barbecue or buying from Black-owned businesses, be sure to celebrate Juneteenth this year - as loudly and boldly as you can! 

Corpus Christi

Sunday, June 6 is the Feast of Corpus Christi (Ecclesiastical Latin: Dies Sanctissimi Corporis et Sanguinis Domini Iesu Christi. 'Day of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ the Lord' also known as the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.

It is a Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Western Orthodox liturgical solemnity celebrating the Real Presence of the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ in the elements of the Eucharist.

monstrance on the altar

Two months earlier, the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper is observed on Maundy Thursday in a somber atmosphere leading to Good Friday. The liturgy on that day also commemorates Christ's washing of the disciples' feet, the institution of the priesthood, and the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.