in other words
may16
2019
17
Celebrating Life: Plant Sex
By Korina Buehrer
How does an essential oil actually form? Let’s
talk about plant sex for a minute! I hope it doesn’t
offend you, because plant sex is vital to our planets
existence! You and I are part of the fertility process and
I’ll explain how.
Plants that reproduce sexually are known as
flowering plants. They have two distinct sex cells. Male
sex cells are in the pollen, and female sex cells are in
the ovaries. The start to an essential oil’s life begins
with these two.
How does the plant actually “do it,” resulting
in the production of essential oils? Let’s dive in.
Over the summer the sweet-smelling plants are
so irresistible you pluck the bloom right from it, lifting
the intoxicating smell close to your nose, taking in the
aroma, ohhhhh it is SO good.
Guess what? This innocent pluck dismembered
the reproductive organs of the plant. It’s ok, there’s
plenty of plant love in the works.
The “male” portion of the flower is the pollen-
loaded stamen. The reproductive parts have fancy
names like gametophytes. Pollen is grown in the
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Position: Cemetery Caretaker
Location/Department:
Vernonia Memorial Cemetery
Hourly Wage: $15
Description: This is a part-time position (avg
15 hrs/wk) with benefits that include retirement
and paid sick leave. Weekly hours will vary
dependent upon seasonal conditions and work
load. This position is non-exempt, non-union.
Position will include all duties necessary to
maintain the Vernonia Memorial Cemetery
under the direction of the Cemetery Manager
and Cemetery Clerk. Job duties include,
but are not limited to, mowing and basic
landscaping, trimming of trees and bushes,
leaf collection, placing of headstones, cleaning
headstones and special projects as directed.
Duties also include assisting in interments
such as setting up for service and interment for
urn burials and marking of graves for casket
burials. The successful candidate will be self-
motivated, possess good communication skills,
take pride in the appearance of the cemetery,
have the ability to take direction and be willing
to work flexible hours. This is a physically
demanding position and requires occasional
weekend shifts for interments.
Please visit our website at
vernonia-or.gov for full job description.
Interested applicants should forward
application cover letter & resume to:
Angie Handegard at City Hall or
financial@vernonia-or.gov
anther, which is found in the exterior of the flower.
Tube cells in the anther become pollen tubes, which
then burst open with pollen. Pollen can’t move on its
own so Mother Nature gets her matchmaking on by
using wind, animals, you, me, and water, to carry the
male sex cell, pollen, to a sticky female part of the plant
called the stigma.
The female gametophytes for flower plants are
the ovules, and they are located in the ovaries. Much
like the male sex cell, pollen, the ovules are produced
through meiosis and they contain half of the plant’s
genetic code.
Some flowers only have female
or male sex cells, while others have both
gametophytes. Hermaphroditic plants
are not uncommon. The egg-holding
pistil is the “female” part of the plant,
the ovaries. The ovaries make up the
gynoecium, the outward feature of the
flower. It’s made up of the stigma and
style along with the ovaries. This three
part unit is called the pistil or carpal. The
interconnected system creates a tube for
the pollen to work its way down to its
prize, its flower mama, the ovaries! This
intricate design of the carpal/stigma
is to protect the ovaries from external
elements.
Eventually, the pollen grains
bump into some eggs, and viola, little
baby seeds are born! This begins the
journey of a new life form, a baby plant,
and ultimately precious essential oils.
Brilliantly designed plants
replicate the human body’s physiological
makeup. It’s truly awe provoking. Our
systems have uncanny similarities. The
next article will dive into the basics of
plant chemistry, the birth of a new plant,
helping our readers understand where
essential oils come from and why they
work effectively within the human body.
Korina Beuhrer is the CEO of Celebrating
Life, Inc. For more information visit her
website www.mydoterra.com/korinab.
Application Deadline: May 23, 2019 3:00 pm
Don‛t worry.
We‛ll go to Meyer‛s Auto Body.
I hear they‛re out of this world.
Don’t Sell it!
Pawn it!
Vernonia School Board
Meetings are held on the
second Thursday of each
month. The next School
Board Meeting is scheduled
for June 13 at 6:00 pm in the
Schools Library.
For fast cash!
Meyer’s
Auto Body
Baseline
Pawn, Inc.
493 Bridge Street
VERNONIA • 503-429-0248
2245 Baseline St., Cornelius
(Across from Fred Meyer)
503-530-8119
State Licensed PB-0388
Open
everyday
at 10 a.m.
Vernonia’s Voice is
published twice each
month on the 1 st and 3 rd
Thursday. Look for our
next issue on June 6.
Church Directory
Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints
Sunday Schedule:
Sacrament Meeting: 10:00 am
Sunday School & Primary: 11:20 am
Relief Society, Priesthood and
Young Women: 12:10 pm
Roger Cook, Branch President
1350 E. Knott Street
503-429-7151
Grace Family Fellowship
Sunday School: 9:00 am
Worship Service: 10:30 am
Thursday Prayer: 6:00 pm
Greg “Mac” McCallum, Pastor
957 State Avenue
503-429-6790
Nehalem Valley Bible Church
Sunday School: 9:45 am
Worship Service: 10:45 am
Tues. Ladies Bible Study: 9:30 am
Wednesday Service: 7:00 pm
Sat. Men’s Prayer Meeting: 6:30 am
Gary Taylor, Pastor
500 North Street
503-429-5378
Open Door Gathering Place
Service: Sunday 6:00 pm
Grant Williams, Pastor
375 North Street
503-702-3553
Family Center: 11:00 AM
www.VernoniaChristianChurch.org
Sam Hough, Pastor
410 North Street
503-429-6522
St. Mary’s Catholic Church
Sunday Mass: 12:00 pm
Fr. Josh Clifton, Administrator
960 Missouri Avenue
503-429-8841
Vernonia Seventh-day Adventist Church
Sabbath (Saturday) Services
Sabbath School: 9:30 am
Worship Service: 11:00 am
www.VernoniaSDAC.org
Larry Gibson, Pastor
2nd Avenue and Nehalem Street
503-429-8301
Vernonia Christian Church
Sunday School: 9:45 am
Worship Service in Youth &