So yesterday I blogged in epic fashion, only to have the google devices mess it up and not save or publish it! I will try to revisit it tomorrow or Friday...
Today we Have River Road Middle coming in ... about 90 challenge course participants! Some are climbing the wall, some swinging in the giant swing, and all eating lunch...
Yesterday, we did some timber thinning...I am sore, but not as sore as LEE!!!!! We have ample amounts of firewood and kindling, too. I even salvaged a couple of cypresses to make decoy blocks for CAMP CANVASBACK!!! It will take a lot of experimentation to get the blocks shaped into a flattened football, but we'll try. Would be great to send kids home with a traditional gunning decoy...I have a few, but rarely hunt over them. I prefer the foam Herter's which apparently quit selling last January. A true loss to traditionalists everywhere!
There is a top secret birthday party over the weekend...can't say who it is - it could be a surprise!
Enjoy the day...
March 31, 2010
March 29, 2010
New Technology
This past weekend at the 4-H Center, I had several new epiphanies. The North Carolina Wildlife REsource Commission hosted their annual district shooting sports tournament - Perquimans County came away the winner...the weather was beautiful, but the windchill made it feel ugly.
The Perquiman's Quilters also came for their "every 6 month" visit...these ladies are a wonderful time! They made some beautiful quilts, too - they even provided one to us to auction of for our annual "On the Dock of the Bay"...which is coming up very soon!
So anyway, with the onslaught of 4 Wheel Drive vehicles that visited our ballfield over the weeknd for the tournament, we managed to avoid the mud bog that has occured the last couple of years. The wind from the previous days dried out the parking areas, so it was nice not to be covered in mud...but meeting Lee at 6:00 in the morning is just to early. There aren't many things I want to see that early in the a.m., though. He just has a little more energy than me. But we put up parking cones and froze together, so at least I had some company.
The big story for the day was the number of dead batteries that we "jumped off". Apparently, car manufacturers have made it so that yo cannot "rev up" the engine to help charge another battery...all I did was burn some extra gas. But every battery we approached started sooner or later, which only gives me additional man-points.
Also - there has been a commercial for a cell phone lately...it advertises high speed texting. Says it the "fastest yet". One day I hope they can invent a phone that lets you text as fast as you can talk. Or a texting application that lets you talk to the phone...and it will inout the words automatically. That would be great! Then, one day, maybe they could invent a small rectangular device that you could actually call and talk to someone at normal speed! Nobody would even have to type or text anymore. Are you serious? If you need to text that fast, you really need to just call the person. Texting has only led to problems. Texting has never been a true benefit to me, and I might text 3 to 4 times a month. Texting is for folks who think that their life is to important to wait, and could care less about looking you in the eye and haveing a conversation. But internet on the cell phone is nice! Please do not text me!
We have River Road Middle coming for a visit on Wednesday...today is a big turnaround day, as we have to clean all the lodges and cabins from our weekend groups...
Enjoy the day...
The Perquiman's Quilters also came for their "every 6 month" visit...these ladies are a wonderful time! They made some beautiful quilts, too - they even provided one to us to auction of for our annual "On the Dock of the Bay"...which is coming up very soon!
So anyway, with the onslaught of 4 Wheel Drive vehicles that visited our ballfield over the weeknd for the tournament, we managed to avoid the mud bog that has occured the last couple of years. The wind from the previous days dried out the parking areas, so it was nice not to be covered in mud...but meeting Lee at 6:00 in the morning is just to early. There aren't many things I want to see that early in the a.m., though. He just has a little more energy than me. But we put up parking cones and froze together, so at least I had some company.
The big story for the day was the number of dead batteries that we "jumped off". Apparently, car manufacturers have made it so that yo cannot "rev up" the engine to help charge another battery...all I did was burn some extra gas. But every battery we approached started sooner or later, which only gives me additional man-points.
Also - there has been a commercial for a cell phone lately...it advertises high speed texting. Says it the "fastest yet". One day I hope they can invent a phone that lets you text as fast as you can talk. Or a texting application that lets you talk to the phone...and it will inout the words automatically. That would be great! Then, one day, maybe they could invent a small rectangular device that you could actually call and talk to someone at normal speed! Nobody would even have to type or text anymore. Are you serious? If you need to text that fast, you really need to just call the person. Texting has only led to problems. Texting has never been a true benefit to me, and I might text 3 to 4 times a month. Texting is for folks who think that their life is to important to wait, and could care less about looking you in the eye and haveing a conversation. But internet on the cell phone is nice! Please do not text me!
We have River Road Middle coming for a visit on Wednesday...today is a big turnaround day, as we have to clean all the lodges and cabins from our weekend groups...
Enjoy the day...
March 26, 2010
March Madness
March Madness will come to a head this weekend...we have the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Shooting Tournament...hopefully the ball fields and Range will not be the mudpit they were last year, despite the construction out there...
David Denton will have his crew out and about over the weekend facilitating the entire event. The Quilting retreat is in...they have set-up what appears to be a small factory in our Conference Room, which only speaks to the versatility of our facility.
Last night, Me, AJ, Casper, and Mea led a night hike for an Elementary School out of Asheville. We then did some s'mores...congrats to Mea for building her first fire...ever.
The school is at the Outer Banks today, but they are overnighting here at the Center. They set a record for pounds of spaghetti noodles consumed last night.
Summer Staffing is well under way...I only have a few more openings...which are Male Cabin Counselor positions...if you know someone who loves children - send them my way!
Enjoy the day...
David Denton will have his crew out and about over the weekend facilitating the entire event. The Quilting retreat is in...they have set-up what appears to be a small factory in our Conference Room, which only speaks to the versatility of our facility.
Last night, Me, AJ, Casper, and Mea led a night hike for an Elementary School out of Asheville. We then did some s'mores...congrats to Mea for building her first fire...ever.
The school is at the Outer Banks today, but they are overnighting here at the Center. They set a record for pounds of spaghetti noodles consumed last night.
Summer Staffing is well under way...I only have a few more openings...which are Male Cabin Counselor positions...if you know someone who loves children - send them my way!
Enjoy the day...
March 25, 2010
200 Posts
The blogging Climate has been tough lately...
The Cape Fear Wildlife Expo was great...tons of folks are in a new region are very excited about out camping programs!
Emmaus went really well over the weekend, too...hats off to the Kitchen Crew, Program Staff, and Lee (especially) for making the weekend great! Today, the Quilters, Advisory Board, and Hall Fletcher Elementary arrive...I'm cooking a little lunch today for the Advisory Board, then prepping for a Night Hike complete with campfire and s'mores tonight...it'll be lots of fun.
Lee is going to Greenville to speak at the Healthy Weigh Summit - he'll be telling lots of doctors about camp, which is always good...
Enjoy the day...
The Cape Fear Wildlife Expo was great...tons of folks are in a new region are very excited about out camping programs!
Emmaus went really well over the weekend, too...hats off to the Kitchen Crew, Program Staff, and Lee (especially) for making the weekend great! Today, the Quilters, Advisory Board, and Hall Fletcher Elementary arrive...I'm cooking a little lunch today for the Advisory Board, then prepping for a Night Hike complete with campfire and s'mores tonight...it'll be lots of fun.
Lee is going to Greenville to speak at the Healthy Weigh Summit - he'll be telling lots of doctors about camp, which is always good...
Enjoy the day...
March 19, 2010
Busy Friday and Weekend looms...
Shot blog today, here's why...
I report to Wilmington in t-minus 6 hours for the Cape Fear Wildlife Expo
Albemarle Emmaus is in the house...200 pieces of bacon, 150 pieces of sausage, 10 punds of eggs, and 80 biscuits served this morning...WHEW!
I also have to find a the Amish phonebook Lee says I had...
Enjoy the day...
I report to Wilmington in t-minus 6 hours for the Cape Fear Wildlife Expo
Albemarle Emmaus is in the house...200 pieces of bacon, 150 pieces of sausage, 10 punds of eggs, and 80 biscuits served this morning...WHEW!
I also have to find a the Amish phonebook Lee says I had...
Enjoy the day...
March 17, 2010
The Most Powerful Man in the World
I watch some TV from time to time. The television is usually full of foolishness. And I like foolishness, at least to keep me entertained. Last night, one station said that the U.S. President was the most powerful man in the world.
I don't know what powerful means, but my dad has a powerful Chevrolet. It is loud, tough, and strong. Most Presidents are a little too old to be tough and strong, in the physical sense. Maybe the term best used to describe our Presidents are influential. The most powerful man in the world is...
...the inventor of time. This blog might be to deep for me to write, but I am writing it, so I dare to make it coherent. What time is it right now? What does your watch, clock, or sundial read? Whose clock did you set your timepiece by? Most people keep and maintain time by the use of a watch or clock. They wake up by it, show up to work early, late, or on time by it, and make appointments by it.
There has to be an official time keeper for the world, but who is it...and what if he or she goes on vacation...is this person ever late for anything...would it be in that person's interest to be perfectly punctual - not early or late - for virtually everything. The keeper of time should have a clear understanding of time. Does his or her projects get completed on time? I have never "synched" my timepieces by "official time". I operate on my own schedule...my alarm clock runs 15 minutes fast...that way I can wake up early for an earlier start. I want to do all my living now, not when I am 90, so I wake up earlier. My wristwatch is a minute slow... I trick my mind in to thinking that I am already late.
Summer camp schedules are all about time...they have to be constructed so that activity transitions are fluid and fast. There's a bed time, meal times, a time to be quiet, and a time and a place for everything at camp. Night time is a time for night hikes. Pool time is a time to swim. The schedules of camp appear that we are taking it easy...swim for an hour, rock climb for an hour, kayak for an hour. However, the logistics of camp, and their time frames are highly scrutinized and strategized. When 150 people have to relocate from one activity to another, quite a deal of time and organization are required. Nevertheless, we don't use official time. Since the advent of the cell phone, more folks have access to "official" time...but folks are still just as late as always. Cell phones aren't allowed at camp, and people are virtually always on time. My challenge to Camp Staff is to put away their phone and buy a watch. A watch might be the easiest way to evaluate and judge someone. Do you know someone who wear a fancy watch? Odds are that that person believes that time is relative...and those folks are rarely rushed. How about someone with a practical and sturdy metal watch...time is important to them, and a reliable timepiece helps them to uphold that standard. Calculator Watches - those folks are nerds that can't count. Digital watches are for practical folks who want concrete results from their timepiece...
Enjoy the day...
I don't know what powerful means, but my dad has a powerful Chevrolet. It is loud, tough, and strong. Most Presidents are a little too old to be tough and strong, in the physical sense. Maybe the term best used to describe our Presidents are influential. The most powerful man in the world is...
...the inventor of time. This blog might be to deep for me to write, but I am writing it, so I dare to make it coherent. What time is it right now? What does your watch, clock, or sundial read? Whose clock did you set your timepiece by? Most people keep and maintain time by the use of a watch or clock. They wake up by it, show up to work early, late, or on time by it, and make appointments by it.
There has to be an official time keeper for the world, but who is it...and what if he or she goes on vacation...is this person ever late for anything...would it be in that person's interest to be perfectly punctual - not early or late - for virtually everything. The keeper of time should have a clear understanding of time. Does his or her projects get completed on time? I have never "synched" my timepieces by "official time". I operate on my own schedule...my alarm clock runs 15 minutes fast...that way I can wake up early for an earlier start. I want to do all my living now, not when I am 90, so I wake up earlier. My wristwatch is a minute slow... I trick my mind in to thinking that I am already late.
Summer camp schedules are all about time...they have to be constructed so that activity transitions are fluid and fast. There's a bed time, meal times, a time to be quiet, and a time and a place for everything at camp. Night time is a time for night hikes. Pool time is a time to swim. The schedules of camp appear that we are taking it easy...swim for an hour, rock climb for an hour, kayak for an hour. However, the logistics of camp, and their time frames are highly scrutinized and strategized. When 150 people have to relocate from one activity to another, quite a deal of time and organization are required. Nevertheless, we don't use official time. Since the advent of the cell phone, more folks have access to "official" time...but folks are still just as late as always. Cell phones aren't allowed at camp, and people are virtually always on time. My challenge to Camp Staff is to put away their phone and buy a watch. A watch might be the easiest way to evaluate and judge someone. Do you know someone who wear a fancy watch? Odds are that that person believes that time is relative...and those folks are rarely rushed. How about someone with a practical and sturdy metal watch...time is important to them, and a reliable timepiece helps them to uphold that standard. Calculator Watches - those folks are nerds that can't count. Digital watches are for practical folks who want concrete results from their timepiece...
Enjoy the day...
March 16, 2010
Spring on the way...
Spring is on the calendar...just not in the air. A couple of nights ago, we all had to spring forward. As I turned my clock up an hour, I openly wept at losing sleep for an hour. I really like to sleep, but only because I don't get as much...sort of like cake and cookies. I f I had sleep all the time, it might not be as great.
Spring brings lots of new life and excitement to the pocosin...the cypress trees sprout their scaly leaves, mosquitoes burrow out of the mud, and yellow flies burrow into my exposed skin. I hate a yellow fly.
Also - the waters finally begin to warm, which brings out the boaters, crabbers, and fishermen...when I was a teenager, I worked at a large marina on an Alabama lake...the first weekend of spring was the beginning of the busy season...and I hated it. Anybody that owns a boat is all too familiar with the problems that can arise with a boat, especially after it's been stored since Labor Day. Those mornings, me and other dockhands would deal with customers who were angry because their: batteries were dead, boat was dirty, they discovered a rodent carcass in the head - or galley. Listen folks - not my fault. Trust me. These customers could have completed "Wash Orders". It's like a work order, but for a wash - and work it was...
Keep in mind these boats weren't your little duck boats and party barges. The very first boat I ever washed was a 40 foot Sea Ray. A beautiful boat, with a stateroom, head, galley, satellite arch, captain's exhaust, and 100 billion of the most allergen infused cat hairs to be found. I had never been so sick...it was also about 90 degrees outside, so the interior was just as hot, but muggier. But I toiled away, in a fog of greased lightning, cat hair, and vinyl protectant, all while running a vaccum cleaner. In my time at those marinas (4 summers) I probably washed close to 3000 boats. Some well, others not. Bt I could clean a pretty boat...I couldn't work miracles on those 80's model Bayliners and Mastercrafts, but I tried. I climbed into many different mini-yachts, cigarrette boats, deck boats, pontoons, tri-toons, bass boats (the worst, by the way), and an occasional sailboat. I learned to understand people a lot by the type of boat they had...
Cigarrette Boats or racing-inspired boats were either owned by car dealers or "cougars"...and they were always cool folks...
Owners of the mini-yacht were generally lawyers...they could take their boat out, hide out for a day or two, then return to work...these folks were pretty cool, but not as cool as the aforementioned cigarrette boaters. They understood hard work, and understood how hard we worked...
Pontoons are driven by the family man or woman. They fill the boat with their extended family and pets. Gassing a pontoon was virtually impossible because of all of the air in the tank. I will never own, rent, or look at another pontoon, unless my job calls for it.
The gnarliest folks drove ski boats...the ones with wakeboard towers were even better. The wakeboard towers were also accented with giant speakers and subwoofers. They would play music - loud enough for everyone. They never filled their tanks, only their ballasts. They were a little too cool for me.
Run abouts, the standard boat of the lake, was like the SUV found on our highways...virtually everybody had one. The run about, like the SUV, was used to entertain lots of people at slow rates (even though it would never plane), or at high speeds - to excite the lady friends (but it wasn't fast). They thought they owned the waterways...more accidents happened in run abouts than personal watercraft. Just because you have a boat, doesn't mean you are Coast Guard Captain. Some would have even tipped us in negative integers...
But - I too, am a boat owner, and come with my own set of quirks...when I am aboard my vessel, I truly believe that it's the fastest, nimblest craft afloat. But it's not. It's not even pretty. It's the color of a burlap sack, only dustier. But I'll have fun in it...
Please keep these notes in mind when taking out your craft this spring. It would be a great idea to check your equipment - fire extinguisher, horn, whistle, PFD's, running lights, and the motor. Nothing can ruin a float trip more than a tragic accidents or a motor malady...and the Wildlife Resource Officers will certainly be about to check our craft...
Enjoy the day...
Spring brings lots of new life and excitement to the pocosin...the cypress trees sprout their scaly leaves, mosquitoes burrow out of the mud, and yellow flies burrow into my exposed skin. I hate a yellow fly.
Also - the waters finally begin to warm, which brings out the boaters, crabbers, and fishermen...when I was a teenager, I worked at a large marina on an Alabama lake...the first weekend of spring was the beginning of the busy season...and I hated it. Anybody that owns a boat is all too familiar with the problems that can arise with a boat, especially after it's been stored since Labor Day. Those mornings, me and other dockhands would deal with customers who were angry because their: batteries were dead, boat was dirty, they discovered a rodent carcass in the head - or galley. Listen folks - not my fault. Trust me. These customers could have completed "Wash Orders". It's like a work order, but for a wash - and work it was...
Keep in mind these boats weren't your little duck boats and party barges. The very first boat I ever washed was a 40 foot Sea Ray. A beautiful boat, with a stateroom, head, galley, satellite arch, captain's exhaust, and 100 billion of the most allergen infused cat hairs to be found. I had never been so sick...it was also about 90 degrees outside, so the interior was just as hot, but muggier. But I toiled away, in a fog of greased lightning, cat hair, and vinyl protectant, all while running a vaccum cleaner. In my time at those marinas (4 summers) I probably washed close to 3000 boats. Some well, others not. Bt I could clean a pretty boat...I couldn't work miracles on those 80's model Bayliners and Mastercrafts, but I tried. I climbed into many different mini-yachts, cigarrette boats, deck boats, pontoons, tri-toons, bass boats (the worst, by the way), and an occasional sailboat. I learned to understand people a lot by the type of boat they had...
Cigarrette Boats or racing-inspired boats were either owned by car dealers or "cougars"...and they were always cool folks...
Owners of the mini-yacht were generally lawyers...they could take their boat out, hide out for a day or two, then return to work...these folks were pretty cool, but not as cool as the aforementioned cigarrette boaters. They understood hard work, and understood how hard we worked...
Pontoons are driven by the family man or woman. They fill the boat with their extended family and pets. Gassing a pontoon was virtually impossible because of all of the air in the tank. I will never own, rent, or look at another pontoon, unless my job calls for it.
The gnarliest folks drove ski boats...the ones with wakeboard towers were even better. The wakeboard towers were also accented with giant speakers and subwoofers. They would play music - loud enough for everyone. They never filled their tanks, only their ballasts. They were a little too cool for me.
Run abouts, the standard boat of the lake, was like the SUV found on our highways...virtually everybody had one. The run about, like the SUV, was used to entertain lots of people at slow rates (even though it would never plane), or at high speeds - to excite the lady friends (but it wasn't fast). They thought they owned the waterways...more accidents happened in run abouts than personal watercraft. Just because you have a boat, doesn't mean you are Coast Guard Captain. Some would have even tipped us in negative integers...
But - I too, am a boat owner, and come with my own set of quirks...when I am aboard my vessel, I truly believe that it's the fastest, nimblest craft afloat. But it's not. It's not even pretty. It's the color of a burlap sack, only dustier. But I'll have fun in it...
Please keep these notes in mind when taking out your craft this spring. It would be a great idea to check your equipment - fire extinguisher, horn, whistle, PFD's, running lights, and the motor. Nothing can ruin a float trip more than a tragic accidents or a motor malady...and the Wildlife Resource Officers will certainly be about to check our craft...
Enjoy the day...
March 15, 2010
Program Staff
Today, 3 program staff begin working here...and work they will. We have lots of program groups, starting this past Friday. Beaufort County Joblink came up for a little mini-session and campfire...we endured the wind and rain and made smores of the Coleman Stove...I hold that I make the best roasted marshmallows in Tyrrell County. Turn'em, don't burn'em is my method - it produces and cinnamon colored blob of molten sugar.
Neverhtheless, Emmaus Walk 87 arrives this Thursday...We'll have a full facility and some great weather. I think winter has finally decided to relent. Soon enough, I'll be able to take the skiff about, but I'll wait till both the air temp and water temp, when added together, total 140 degrees farenheit, for 4 days consecutive. That's my rule to prevent hypothermia if and when I swim. However, my favorite swimming holes have been inundated with the American Alligator. I have seen to0oo many to swim in some of the places I like to frequent. But, the Sound, I am pleased to report, is free of gators.
Crabbers arestarting to drop pots in places...the surface of the Sond was pocked with bright orange and yellow buoys, which usually signifies that a wire trap sits at the bottom end of the line...can't wait to start eating those softshells.
This weekend, I'll be plugging our camps at the Cape Fear Wildlife Expo in Wilmington, NC. The Expo is in it's second year and appears to have grown significantly! Wilimington is also a great city!
Enjoy the day...
Neverhtheless, Emmaus Walk 87 arrives this Thursday...We'll have a full facility and some great weather. I think winter has finally decided to relent. Soon enough, I'll be able to take the skiff about, but I'll wait till both the air temp and water temp, when added together, total 140 degrees farenheit, for 4 days consecutive. That's my rule to prevent hypothermia if and when I swim. However, my favorite swimming holes have been inundated with the American Alligator. I have seen to0oo many to swim in some of the places I like to frequent. But, the Sound, I am pleased to report, is free of gators.
Crabbers arestarting to drop pots in places...the surface of the Sond was pocked with bright orange and yellow buoys, which usually signifies that a wire trap sits at the bottom end of the line...can't wait to start eating those softshells.
This weekend, I'll be plugging our camps at the Cape Fear Wildlife Expo in Wilmington, NC. The Expo is in it's second year and appears to have grown significantly! Wilimington is also a great city!
Enjoy the day...
March 11, 2010
Where have I been?
Here are my weekly stats:
Slices of Bacon - 450
Sausage Links - 300
Sausage Patties - 300
Eggs - 150
Biscuits - 150
Salads - 300
Gallons of tea - 75
Gallons of coffee - 50
Pounds of Roast - 85
Pounds of Pork Loin - 40
Nope I didn't eat it all, I cooked it all, and some more. Beaufort County Youth at Work comes in tomorrow for some fun challenge course - they'll get my best!
Enjoy the day!
Slices of Bacon - 450
Sausage Links - 300
Sausage Patties - 300
Eggs - 150
Biscuits - 150
Salads - 300
Gallons of tea - 75
Gallons of coffee - 50
Pounds of Roast - 85
Pounds of Pork Loin - 40
Nope I didn't eat it all, I cooked it all, and some more. Beaufort County Youth at Work comes in tomorrow for some fun challenge course - they'll get my best!
Enjoy the day!
March 8, 2010
Busy weekend...
The Center was bustling over the weekend. Albemarle Emmaus # 86 was in the house...by all reports, their weekend was full of fun, food, and fellowship.
This week the UNC School of Nursing Retreat is hanging out...yesterday, the students and nurse's spent some time in the Alligator Community. It is tough to describe directions on how to find the little town, but we did our best. All of the nurse's returned, so our directions must have been reasonable!
We are still trying to hire some good cooks for the Center...If you know anyone that's interested - send them our way!
Opening Doors, a diversity education program is on it's way for the weekend. Also - the Beaufort County Youth at Work program is arriving Friday for some teambuilding...
Enjoy the day!
This week the UNC School of Nursing Retreat is hanging out...yesterday, the students and nurse's spent some time in the Alligator Community. It is tough to describe directions on how to find the little town, but we did our best. All of the nurse's returned, so our directions must have been reasonable!
We are still trying to hire some good cooks for the Center...If you know anyone that's interested - send them our way!
Opening Doors, a diversity education program is on it's way for the weekend. Also - the Beaufort County Youth at Work program is arriving Friday for some teambuilding...
Enjoy the day!
March 4, 2010
Recycling
Recycling is important. And it costs money. I prefer to re-use when I can. Now, it's tough to re-use bottles and cans...but I have found a way. My favorite re-useable good is the wooden pallet. I have found a plethora of uses for these wooden atrocities. I will now tell the tale.
First of all - If you have a bag full of cans, please understand that by cutting out the entire opening of the can, one can create an appropriate domicile for small song birds...just simply staple it to the underside of a piece of small flat food, and attach it to a tree. Proble solved. You could have 200 birdhouses n your property in a matter of hours. But that's overkill. Spend the $10 in gas and go get $3.25 for bag of cans, if you prefer.
Back to pallets. Wooden pallets were created years ago when the age of containerization was ushered in...these things can handle up to a ton of weight, and are easily moveable by fork lifts, and less moveable, but moveable nonetheless, by pallet jacks. The Eastern 4-H Center receives shipments on pallets. Where most business discard, stack, or burn their pallets, we see them as free lumber. I have pulled the wood to construct birdhouses and other wildlife-favorable devices, yet the greates idea ever is the hangin wall shelf. Or the coffee table. Just pull the bottom boards away, fasten four legs and boom. The other night, Charles, our maintenance supervisor and I brought my coffee table concoction to fruition. Folks wondered of it would be stable and strong...
It held me, my 40 pound dumb bells, and a cup of coffee. It didn't budge. Some of the gaps in the top surface had to filled in with wood from other pallets to create a closed top (so the TV remote and National Geographics would fall through), but it made for a beautiful, weathered coffee table that will probably last as long as the staff house does. The rugged appearance might be "man-cave chic", but it was virtually free. Sure, the cost of the pallet was covered in the freighting charge, and the 25 or so screw cost about a dime a piece...but we could have burned the pallet, or just stored it to rot.
There are over 2 billion pallets in use right the minute in the U.S. That's a lot of coffee tables. Someone much more entrepreneurial than me will start a company peddling wares made of discarded pallets. They'll make millions of dollars and tables. But I'll never buy one...I can do it myself. With the abundance of wash-up after Tropical Storm Ida, theres a trove of goodies just waiting to be re-used and re-made. Speaking 0f, a sailboat washed up on our shores yesterday. I can't use that, though. It belongs to someone, and it survived the storm. lucky folks! The story of the craft has been on the radio. It'll certainly find space in the town paper, too. The crew was rescued, successfully, from the craft near the m outh of the Alligator River...glad to know they are OK.
Nevertheless, we at the Center re-use printer paper, pallets, cans, bottles, for all types of projects. You should try, too...
Enjoy the day...
First of all - If you have a bag full of cans, please understand that by cutting out the entire opening of the can, one can create an appropriate domicile for small song birds...just simply staple it to the underside of a piece of small flat food, and attach it to a tree. Proble solved. You could have 200 birdhouses n your property in a matter of hours. But that's overkill. Spend the $10 in gas and go get $3.25 for bag of cans, if you prefer.
Back to pallets. Wooden pallets were created years ago when the age of containerization was ushered in...these things can handle up to a ton of weight, and are easily moveable by fork lifts, and less moveable, but moveable nonetheless, by pallet jacks. The Eastern 4-H Center receives shipments on pallets. Where most business discard, stack, or burn their pallets, we see them as free lumber. I have pulled the wood to construct birdhouses and other wildlife-favorable devices, yet the greates idea ever is the hangin wall shelf. Or the coffee table. Just pull the bottom boards away, fasten four legs and boom. The other night, Charles, our maintenance supervisor and I brought my coffee table concoction to fruition. Folks wondered of it would be stable and strong...
It held me, my 40 pound dumb bells, and a cup of coffee. It didn't budge. Some of the gaps in the top surface had to filled in with wood from other pallets to create a closed top (so the TV remote and National Geographics would fall through), but it made for a beautiful, weathered coffee table that will probably last as long as the staff house does. The rugged appearance might be "man-cave chic", but it was virtually free. Sure, the cost of the pallet was covered in the freighting charge, and the 25 or so screw cost about a dime a piece...but we could have burned the pallet, or just stored it to rot.
There are over 2 billion pallets in use right the minute in the U.S. That's a lot of coffee tables. Someone much more entrepreneurial than me will start a company peddling wares made of discarded pallets. They'll make millions of dollars and tables. But I'll never buy one...I can do it myself. With the abundance of wash-up after Tropical Storm Ida, theres a trove of goodies just waiting to be re-used and re-made. Speaking 0f, a sailboat washed up on our shores yesterday. I can't use that, though. It belongs to someone, and it survived the storm. lucky folks! The story of the craft has been on the radio. It'll certainly find space in the town paper, too. The crew was rescued, successfully, from the craft near the m outh of the Alligator River...glad to know they are OK.
Nevertheless, we at the Center re-use printer paper, pallets, cans, bottles, for all types of projects. You should try, too...
Enjoy the day...
March 2, 2010
Bachelor is no more
ABC aired the season finale of the Bachelor last night...apparently he was on the wings of love. Whatever that means. Love has no wings...or feet. Nevertheless, he picked his soulmate. Whatever that means, too.
I have two problems with the Bachelor.
First and foremost, the show is dedicated to filming a man or woman's heartbreak, in digital format, to last forever and serve as a reminder of how miserable life can be to some folks. Cameras tend to pan in on exceptional tear flow or extreme angst. To make matters worse, the crew of the show searches in vain for some of the most romantic/beautiful.expensive places on earth so that the "falling in love" process can be expedited. This is always a good plan. When cooking barbecue ribs, always turn the heat up and cook them fast...right? Marriage and love is like barbecue, I think. I like the prospect of barbecue, much better, though. Last night as the Bachelor professed his love for the lady he actually dumped left me wondering how the "winner" would feel when watching the finale. Apparently, she didn't care.
The second major problem with the Bachelor, is that it is addictive. I will leave it at that.
Now, my wish, which may or may not be granted, is to have one of the "winning" couples come and get married at the Eastern 4-H Center. Heck, we could probably even serve as one of the locations where romance and love could be accelerated. Seriously! Have you seen our views? We have a great place for a helicopter to land. If the Bachelor was a Navy Admiral or Coast Guard Commander, they could boat right up to the shoreline - when the tide is in, anyway. That could cause some problems. Romantic dates? Sure...
How about Rock climbing together on our really high rock wall...I'll belay. We could lead the couple and the in-laws (or outlaws) through our team challenge course...I can guarantee to build a team out of 10 semi-normal people. We could also take them on a soundside kayak. It'd be nice if we could get the porpoises to swim in for that...or maybe have an eagle circle overhead - as long as the eagle doesn't swoop in on a ponytail. We can even arrange for private rooms...
Food - yep. Anything from seasoned collards with string of lean and string of fat to Ribeye steaks...but we don't do any of that food stacking. I never understood why chefs wanted to procure fine ingredients, masterfully prepare them, and them stack them on a triangular-shaped plate - all in the name of decor. Sure, you "eat" first with your eyes. But I am through eating when my smashed potatoes topple in to my lap. Our food is good. We prepare it honestly, and serve it humbly. How you attack it on camera is up to you, Mr. Bachelor...and Ms. Bachelorette - I can't guarantee that you act classy when you make a third trip to our scrumptious buffet. But I can understand why you would.
Weather - come in the spring or fall. Winter is cold and windy. Can't come in the summer either...it's hot, and frankly, I enjoy summer camp toooo much to have you out here gallavanting around.
Anyway - it's supposed to snow tonight. The weatherman is never, ever wrong, either. This week we have the Quilting group in...Emmaus come this weekend, then the UNC Nurse's Retreat, then Opening Doors, Then Beaufort County Youth at Work...its BUSY!!!! and that's great...
Enjoy the day...
I have two problems with the Bachelor.
First and foremost, the show is dedicated to filming a man or woman's heartbreak, in digital format, to last forever and serve as a reminder of how miserable life can be to some folks. Cameras tend to pan in on exceptional tear flow or extreme angst. To make matters worse, the crew of the show searches in vain for some of the most romantic/beautiful.expensive places on earth so that the "falling in love" process can be expedited. This is always a good plan. When cooking barbecue ribs, always turn the heat up and cook them fast...right? Marriage and love is like barbecue, I think. I like the prospect of barbecue, much better, though. Last night as the Bachelor professed his love for the lady he actually dumped left me wondering how the "winner" would feel when watching the finale. Apparently, she didn't care.
The second major problem with the Bachelor, is that it is addictive. I will leave it at that.
Now, my wish, which may or may not be granted, is to have one of the "winning" couples come and get married at the Eastern 4-H Center. Heck, we could probably even serve as one of the locations where romance and love could be accelerated. Seriously! Have you seen our views? We have a great place for a helicopter to land. If the Bachelor was a Navy Admiral or Coast Guard Commander, they could boat right up to the shoreline - when the tide is in, anyway. That could cause some problems. Romantic dates? Sure...
How about Rock climbing together on our really high rock wall...I'll belay. We could lead the couple and the in-laws (or outlaws) through our team challenge course...I can guarantee to build a team out of 10 semi-normal people. We could also take them on a soundside kayak. It'd be nice if we could get the porpoises to swim in for that...or maybe have an eagle circle overhead - as long as the eagle doesn't swoop in on a ponytail. We can even arrange for private rooms...
Food - yep. Anything from seasoned collards with string of lean and string of fat to Ribeye steaks...but we don't do any of that food stacking. I never understood why chefs wanted to procure fine ingredients, masterfully prepare them, and them stack them on a triangular-shaped plate - all in the name of decor. Sure, you "eat" first with your eyes. But I am through eating when my smashed potatoes topple in to my lap. Our food is good. We prepare it honestly, and serve it humbly. How you attack it on camera is up to you, Mr. Bachelor...and Ms. Bachelorette - I can't guarantee that you act classy when you make a third trip to our scrumptious buffet. But I can understand why you would.
Weather - come in the spring or fall. Winter is cold and windy. Can't come in the summer either...it's hot, and frankly, I enjoy summer camp toooo much to have you out here gallavanting around.
Anyway - it's supposed to snow tonight. The weatherman is never, ever wrong, either. This week we have the Quilting group in...Emmaus come this weekend, then the UNC Nurse's Retreat, then Opening Doors, Then Beaufort County Youth at Work...its BUSY!!!! and that's great...
Enjoy the day...
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