Deer Hunting

he Virginia/Maryland/DC wildflowers are essentially at their peak NOW! We will hike the Windy Run Trail in north Arlington down to the Potomac Heritage Trail along the Potomac River. Upstream for a bit and downstream for a bit will show us many of the currently blooming wildflowers. This is timed for later in day so that you can take care of your other responsibilities and still get outside. There will be plenty of light for good pictures. Also, the birds get more active and noisier towards dusk. Bluebells, spring beauty, wild phlox, snowbells (even though it is done snowing) , May apples (even though it is April). These are a few of the flowers blooming now that you will see. The Spring ephmeral wildflowers take advantage of the light and bloom quickly before the trees leaf out and put them in shade. When the trees leaf out, the spring wildflowers begin to go to bed until the next year. Wear shoes with tread that will grip. There are a handful of stream crossings and a set of steep stairs (with a handrail part of the way down). If you have treking poles, consider bringing them. No dogs. I will also show you I-Naturalist. Load the App before you come if you wish. The Appalachian Mountain Club uses this as a citizen science project that can track blooming dates and locations. Meet at 2433 N Kenmore St, Arlington, VA

Hello again! After a long hiatus, the Monday meet up at Nanny O’Briens is back! We’ll have some games to play, but feel free to bring your favorites as well. Stop by for a game and a drink, and say hello! We’ll be in the back room. Other info: Nanny O'Brien's is allowing us to use their back room for some board game socializing. Please reciprocate their generosity by purchasing food and drinks. Free street parking starts at 6:30 in most areas (make sure to read the signs). If you're taking the metro, take the red line to Cleveland Park and walk two blocks southwest on Connecticut (we are located next to CVS).

Volunteer with us refurbishing donated bicycles to help us get them back out in the community! This event is open to both new and existing volunteers. No mechanical experience is necessary. Note: The warehouse location is in the alley behind 1502 Mt Vernon Ave. Enter through the gray door next to a roll-down garage door. If you drive to the location, be sure to park in the street, not in the alleys or parking lots surrounding the warehouse. And wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty with bicycle grease! Please be aware that volunteers under 18 need a parent or guardian to accompany them to their first volunteer experience and sign a liability waiver, while volunteers under 16 need a parent or guardian to accompany them at all times while volunteering with Vélocity.

***“I am struck with how rare it is to find a few good friends on the path. It is easy to find people who simply want to sit and be entertained by teachers, or who want to sit and entertain by playing the role of teacher. In other words, the quest for affirmation often outweighs the quest for truth.*** ***Yet you may have one or two good friends, and definitely have one or two waiting to be discovered. Find them; be thankful.”*** ***— Shawn Nevins*** 'What will make me happy in life?' ... 'Am I my thoughts?' ... 'What is Enlightenment?' ... We meet every week to ask questions like these in the pursuit of Self-Knowledge and Truth. We are interested in topics like: Zen, stoicism, spirituality, psychology, mindfulness, Nisargadatta, non-violent communication, Socrates, existential philosophy, Alan Watts, taoism, Eckhart Tolle, meditation, Ramana Maharshi, etc. But we are not affiliated with any dogma, philosophy, or religion. Our goal each meeting is to serve as mirrors for one another using question-based inquiry in a safe environment. In a session, every participant takes turns discussing the week's question or topic, and the group asks reflective questions without any agenda besides trying to understand the person's beliefs. A few other guiding principles of our group: * No one is obligated to share * Be honest with yourself and others * Do not try to convince others to believe or think as you do * Keep the focus on the person being questioned We meet at the [Bethesda Library](https://maps.app.goo.gl/GWMozF8zpY1m1PY26) every Monday. The library is a 5 minute walk from the Bethesda Metro on the Red Line, approx 25 minute Metro ride from Metro Center and Gallery Place stations. The library has a a parking lot with metered parking for $1/hour. \*\*\* WE WILL BE IN MEETING ROOM 3 UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED ----- THE MEETING ROOM IS IN THE BACK OF THE LIBRARY \*\*\* Please contact us with any questions!

Join us for a 5k run alternating between Harris Teeter/NIH loop and Chopt/Capital Crescent Trail.

**Matthew 22:39 ❤️** “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Do you identify as **LGBTQIA+** and find yourself carrying doubt, shame, or hurt because of religion? Are you curious about reconnecting with your faith—or exploring it in a new way? If so, you’re invited to join a queer Bible study centered on **rediscovering God’s word through *love***. **This space is rooted in the belief that Christ’s love is for everyone.** Despite what many have been taught or made to feel, your identity does not disqualify you from faith—it is part of your story, and you are worthy of love, belonging, and grace. For a long time, I struggled with confusion, frustration, and even resentment toward religion. I asked God why I was made the way I am, wondering if that meant I was somehow wrong. Over time, I came to realize that the hurt I carried didn’t come from God—it came from human misunderstanding, systemic bias, and teachings that strayed from love. Through reflection and growth, my faith has become something different: something rooted in compassion, inclusion, and love for all people—myself included. **Logistics:** • 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month\* • Location: Library or apartment\*\* • 60–90 minutes of reading and discussion\*\*\* \* Frequency can increase if a consistent group forms \*\* In-person gatherings at my apartment's lounge if the group is comfortable \*\*\* Agenda shared in advance **If this resonates with you, you are welcome here. ❤️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️**

You must read the following NVHC Sign-in Sheet Statement/Liability Disclaimer, **[https://nvhc.com/signin.pdf](https://nvhc.com/signin.pdf)** and then answer the question that you will see when you RSVP with "**I accept**" to be permitted on the hike. **5 mile loop with 476 ft. of elevation** **Please Note:** The hike requires quite a bit of **maneuvering** (rock scrambles, stream crossings, ascent/descent using ropes, over/under trees). **This hike is only suitable if the Potomac River level is** **not high and there has not been much rain in the previous** **week which would make the streams difficult to cross.** **DESCRIPTION:** Come join me for this fun trail and enjoy this beautiful spring weather! We will descend from **[Turkey Run Park](https://gohikevirginia.com/turkey-run-park/)** to the **Potomac River** to hike along the **[Potomac Heritage Trail](https://www.nps.gov/gwmp/planyourvisit/upload/POHEMap-508-2021.pdf)**[ ](https://www.nps.gov/gwmp/planyourvisit/upload/POHEMap-508-2021.pdf)for a short distance before turning off towards **[Langley Oaks Park](https://liveandlethike.com/tag/langley-oaks-park/)** on our way to **[Dead Run](https://myhikes.org/trails/dead-run-hike)** where we'll stop for a **snack/lunch break** lounging on the rocks! We will then head back along the River to the parking lot. **Bring:** adequate hydration, sturdy shoes, poles, snack/lunch **Pace:** We hike at a pace of 2.0 to 2.5 mph while moving. **Dogs**: No dogs on this hike per **[[NVHC Dog Policy](https://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolicyhttps://tinyurl.com/nvhcdogpolic)]** **Park Entry Fee**: $0.00 **Where to Meet**: We will begin at **Turkey Run Park Lot C1** off of the **George Washington Memorial Parkway**. There is plenty of parking. I have a Honda Fit, the hatchback will be up. Please **arrive by 9:15** am to allow time for signing in. We'll start hiking at 9:30am. **GPS Coord: 38.964339, -77.153148** **[https://maps.app.goo.gl/KDBQ5BdcVQRGHCnP7](https://maps.app.goo.gl/KDBQ5BdcVQRGHCnP7)** **[BLUEBELLS in Northern Virginia](https://gohikevirginia.com/bluebell-trails-virginia/)** **Rehydration**: TBD Leader: Dawn Keeler message me here or text to 703 533 9231

UPDATE JULY 2021 Puzzled Pint Washington DC-City/Arlington is going back to live events starting July 2021. Our Fairfax chapter is still on hiatus until further notice. Love solving puzzles?...with friends?...while eating and drinking? Join us for Puzzled Pint in Washington DC, Arlington, or Fairfax County! http://www.puzzledpint.com/ Puzzled Pint is a casual, social puzzle solving event which happens at bars/pubs on the second Tuesday of every month in multiple cities around the world. The Friday before each event, they post a location puzzle to the web site. The solution to that puzzle will lead you to a local pub/bar/restaurant. There are two locations in Northern Virginia, one in Arlington (sometimes in DC proper) and one in the Fairfax area. Hints will be available on the site for the location puzzle. On the night of the event, show up at the specified pub. We'll have more puzzles for you to solve while you enjoy drinks and food. Most teams take between 30 minutes and 2 hours to solve a typical puzzle set. We, "Game Control", will be on hand to give hints and verify answers. All Puzzled Pint events are free to attend. Puzzled Pint players solve puzzles for fun — there are no prizes. Teams are encouraged — solving is more fun with friends! You may use this meetup as a forum to try and put a team together or you may show up the night of and pick a random table of people to join. *Please note we are not responsible for putting teams together.

Yes, it's already approaching that special time of year... time for the Massanutten Death March! After consulting Jen and a few others, I'm putting up this placeholder with dates, and more details can be added or amended later. To quote Michael: "DCUL's annual spring lap around Massanutten... is always a good test of your backpacking chops and your fitness coming out of the winter." To quote me, "You might cry. You might develop the largest blisters you ever had! Aaaaand... you might come back next year for more torture..." I'm sticking with the classic version. So, we'll do the trip clockwise, Elizabeth Furnace to Veach Gap on Thursday (roughly 10m), Veach Gap to Waterfall Mountain on Friday (24m). Waterfall to Edinburgh Gap on Saturday (21m), and then back to the Signal Knob Parking lot (15m). NOTE: These splits are copied from last year's event and they do not match the Caltopo below, partly because the Sat/Sun splits show camping at Mudhole Gap but I'm going with Edinburgh Gap. We can make an updated Caltopo later. And, I know not everyone likes the Edinburgh campsite, but I don't want to add an extra 5 miles to Mudhole Gap on Saturday. We'll tag a few volunteers to reserve spaces. If anyone would like to post a complementary Half-a-nutten (is that canonical language?) or LM trip for the same weekend, feel free! I'll start group size at 10 plus myself, as Michael did last year. But we may add more spots later. You should be a veteran member to undertake this! It's always a memorable weekend! Caltopo: https://caltopo.com/m/HNED

**If you plan on attending lessons or borrowing equipment please let us know in the comments below. If you do not comment for a spot in lessons or for equipment by Thursday we will ask you to come back another day.** YOU KNOW THE DRILL!!! We'll have our usual practice at Needwood Lake at 1pm until we get tired. And as per usual, dinner will follow to whoever wants to come! Just walk right up and say hi! We'll be having our introductory lesson starting promptly at 2pm going until 4pm. You can bring your own equipment, or are welcome to borrow some. Though our arsenal is limited, we will do our best to get a bow into everyone's hands during this period. Availability is is first-come-first serve, with priority going to new attendees and people participating in lessons. If you are bringing a +1 please include their name in the comment. If you, or your +1 are under 18 years old, please include the ages of the participant(s) in the comments.* Latecomers to lessons will be asked to come back another day. Groups of 4 or more, or for private parties, please message Natasha and Stefani directly. Although we do not charge for lessons or equipment use, we highly encourage a $10-$20 cash donation to the Club's Equipment Maintenance & Tasty Snack Fund (aka. The George Jar), or if you don't have cash, you can Venmo your donation to @GeorgeDCA. All members and participants are encouraged to pitch in to the Tasty Snack Fund. We highly recommend that everyone reads and understands our club policies and range etiquette found on our message board here: https://www.meetup.com/DC-Archery-Club/messages/boards/ Questions? Just ask! See you at the range! *Minors are required to have a parent/legal-guardian present at all times, or they will not be allowed to participate.

WQC has weekly Thursday night social nights at the Westerville Java Central. Come and grab a coffee and connect with the community: low stakes, chill environment, and tasty drinks. No registration is required; come as you are.

Come assist Van Buren Shelter (https://ymcacolumbus.org/locations/vanburen) staff in serving dinners and cleaning up on the 3rd Tuesday of each month. Dinner for the women is 5-6 pm and for the families is 6:15-7:15 pm. There is ample free parking available in the shelter's lot. The recommended area to park is in green in the image above. There will be a new entrance for the time being. We are asking all volunteers to enter through the Donation Dock door, the orange mark on the image above. This door is located between the Single Adults and Family Shelter. You will see 2 large garage doors with a large green trash compactor in the center. Please head to the closest garage door to the building wall, with a ramp leading up. There, you will see a door with a sign stating instructions on how to enter the building. Please ring the doorbell, and a staff member will come and escort you into the building. If a staff member takes longer than 5 minutes, please call the front desk at 614-689-2020. This is a new process for us, and we do not want to keep you waiting! We appreciate your patience as we navigate this temporary change. The shelter needs a volunteer count the day before the event so sign-up ends Monday at 4:50 PM. Afterwards some of us go to the Omnipresent Atheists Weekly Meetup in progress to have a bit to eat or drink (http://www.meetup.com/omnipresentatheists/). Volunteers must be 14 or older. Since we will be working around families, the YMCA does not permit volunteering by individuals with convictions for violent or sexual crimes. The YMCA reserves the right to run background checks on volunteers. For questions, comment on this page or contact: Andrew, awhit12@yahoo.com, (614)937-5802 (cell). Please let Andrew know if you volunteer anytime other than our COUNT events so that he can count your hours toward our service record.

**We are expanding our creative programming opportunities with Queer Quills, a quiet writing and sharing space. Queer Quills features some prompts, supplies and friendly faces to help get some inspiration or feedback for your writing. Hope to see you there!**