Who's Ready For Summer Camp 2015?

Recently, a friend shared this awesome post and it made me so happy!  I encourage you to read it. http://wellfesto.com/2013/06/13/if-our-daily-lives-were-more-like-summer-camp/

This post is truly relatable to me. I absolutely support and agree with everything stated here. The bonds really do come quickly. The friendships are magic and every one of them is important, from the past to the future. Exercise is better at camp. No one would care how you sound when you sing. Eating as a group is a cool deal. Written letters are treasures. The warmth of the sun is a great feeling. Friendly competition is the most amazing form of competition. Being ourselves is the best thing we can do. Money shouldn’t disrupt the amazing moments. Making stuff in arts and crafts should be enjoyed. The stars in the sky are worth looking at. Warm fuzzies would be a common occurrence, and that would be joyous. Hugs should be given, warm and heartwarming. We’d live out the Raggers Creed.

 But I believe there’s more to it.

1. We’d get to know one another and trust one another quicker.
2. We would embrace emotional moments.
3. We would graciously include new people, new cultures, and new possibilities.
4. We wouldn’t dress to impress.
5. We would take each other into consideration at every turn.
6. We would become comfortable in our personality and quirks.
7. We would challenge each other to become better.
8. We would help each other get past our fears.
9. We would encourage open conversation.
10. Resolutions to interpersonal issues wouldn’t be drawn out, but quickly and constructively.
11. We’d show compassion constantly.
12. We’d encourage and support one another’s choices.
13. We’d encourage each person to speak up and be leaders.
14. Appearance wouldn’t matter, but our attitude and intent.
15. We would enjoy one another’s crazy laughter.
16. We would compliment others sincerely.
17. Random dancing wouldn’t be uncomfortable.
18. We would enjoy children’s stories.
19. We wouldn’t rely on technology to feel connected.
20. We would use pranks as a form of appreciation.

There are so many things camp does for us that the real world would be enhanced by introducing. Camp builds people up and supports who people plan to be.

Camp is my safe haven. Three summers ago, I wouldn't speak. I didn't have the trust and friendliness to open up and be part of my cabin. Throughout the week, I went from not speaking to anyone to speaking to one camper and one counselor. That summer, I made goals and got my first rag. Two summers ago, I came back and I had trouble talking to my cabin mates and two new counselors. Eventually, the discomfort became friendship. Those counselors became more like mentors and I trusted them. Making more goals and getting my second rag, I went home changed and all the beauty of camp made everything better. This last summer, I went from being the shy and antisocial camper to the one that was invited back as a Counselor in Training. Staying 6 weeks instead of 1, I became someone those counselors could make use of. I hope I made them proud. Camp saved me from many situations that could have unfolded just by being safe and encouraging. I went home impatient for summer to come again, and I'm still waiting to go back to grow some more.

Last spring, I would go to girls’ group with my church and sit under a table or behind a chair during our movie time and now, after camp, I speak with a newfound confidence and in comfort with the people around me. Camp is what took the shy and uncomfortable person I had been, and transformed me into someone with no reservation in being myself.

For me, camp will always be my home away from home. I think of my favorite people I met there, and I smile. I can’t wait to go back and experience each special thing all over again countless times. Camp has been my life saver. I think the opportunities presented by camp are the best to learn from.  Camp gives independence in an open and accepting environment that provides room to grow and mature while still keeping the childlike nature that is important.

What’s your camp moment?

Water Harvesting Project, prototype one

One of the ongoing sustainability concerns for farming in the desert is water. This is a big issue, actually, with many large scale commercial farming practices using older methods of irrigation which often cannot be viable in the long term with the ever increasing number of people using the limited water supply.

Drought is commonplace, and extreme drought has brought frightening pictures and a concern for the future.  Some states have outlawed water harvesting in the hopes of recharging dwindling supplies in underground aquifers. 

I really feel that we can appropriately harvest water while recharging aquifers and responsibly reducing consumption, though it does require all of  to work together and not waste. 

We have put lots of research into making a water harvesting system for our veggies,  and as we get better, we will also apply this to our sprouting system within the livestock pens, which should also help with flooding concerns in the rainy season. 

This is our first prototype.  We began with a blue barrel. Even though it was considered food safe,  I soaked it three time with water and an ACE (apple cider vinegar) and water dilution before beginning. 

While my husband recommended a larger saw, I have issues with my hands,  and went for the smaller one! I used twine to set my line for cutting around the top. Despite the two holes already there, I know that I will need access to scrub the barrel out between seasons, as well as access for working on the bulkhead attachments.

Then I got to play with power tools. Off came the top of the barrel. That part was easy!

I had several of these blocks laying around- actually like five of them, so not enough for too much, but enough for this spot. I started off with two blocks- a single thickness, then added the additional since the overflow barrel is supposed to be a bit lower, and because I wanted plenty of clearance around the house bib.

Then it was time for MORE CLEANING. High power with the hose, then three more rounds with ACV, alternated with the hose. ACV is also great for keeping the algae down and the bugs away, so I put a little more in before I reassembled the while thing, too.

I just put the ACV straight in a spray bottle lots of uses for that!

Then I needed something to keep the top of the barrel on, so I improvised a little. I had some wooden dowels left over from another project, so I used roofing screws from yet another project to attached them to the outside. Note for future reference on this one- I put one of them right near a seam, and it is a little close to the lid top seam in that spot, so I have to be really careful putting the lid back on.

Here it is with the lid on, at the corner of the house. That is a pomegranate tree right behind, and there are several other plants along that edge of the porch.

I knew I neened a hole saw for the bulkhead that the hose bib would screw into. What I had was designed for wood. Rather than go crazy and buy another, I tried a test hole in the top first. It came out fine, so it was time to put the bulkhead hole in!

Fortunately, that was pretty easy. The sizes I had for hole saw bits were pretty close, and the first one I drilled was not quite big enough for the threads, so I ended up needing a second go round. That's okay, though, it worked.

The bulkheads are easily found at your neighborhood hardware store. Funny thing, these actually thread left handed. That was weird, but it went in easily, with a gasket to provide the seal from leaks on each side.

The outside was just as easy, too.

Then, with plumber's tape around the threads of the hose bib, it went in easily itself.  We chose for it to angle down and away fro the porch to make the hose work easier for me.

Then I needed something in the top to let water in and keep gunk out. That started with a hole around the area where the test hole had gone.

Things were starting to look almost functional by this point!

Here is the close up of the fancy-dancy hose bib and bulkhead work.

Okay, so at that popoint I took a break to actually get dinner on the table, and then came back to work on the screening. I decided to go a little crazy with the caulking. And to keep the mesh down, I went high tech with a plant from the porch.

Pretty fancy, huh?

In the end, that didn't stay very flat, so I may screw it down with washers. We will have to see on that one!

Well, here is the prototype. As I type this, a storm is threatening, so I am REALLY hoping to get to see how it works tonight! On that note, here is to reducing waste and reusing where we can, and farming sustain-ably!

What projects have you tried? We would love for you to share all you have learned so we can all learn together! Have a great night.

Today calls for a little reflection, and a dream for the future...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KwEuNapzt0&list=PLD7019FD242C5F51D

This might seem like an odd song choice for this post. Read on.

12 years ago today, the towers were attacked. I don't think about that once each year, it is a part of our daily life. That day, my husband was away on his annual elk hunt with his buddies. We didn't know what was truly behind the attacks at first, so the unit told the boys to finish their hunt, no one knew if or when they would get a chance to do it again, once they knew who had carried out the attacks.

We didn't know it, but Wyatt was already on his way into this world.

Charlie spent much of the next eleven years travelling, in support of the conflicts or the border mission, or whatever. We have been through lots if ups and downs, a bizarre economy, crazy bullying of our daughter at the hands of youth and adults who worked together to carry it out, but in the end acted with impunity, and learning to take charge of the children's education and stand up for what we believe in.

This afternoon I read a post from a friend on Facebook whose daughter had stepped in to stop some bullies on a school bus. What better way to create a better world than to stand up for what is right in simple evryday life.

My dream... that we raise our children to be leaders who know how to stand up for those who cannot, but without being pushed around themselves.  I hope that when we pass this world on to our children, that our world will have the opportunity to be still filled with promise and possibility, that they will take the lead  in the traditional prayer that recognizes that all our neighbors are a part of us. That life is a circle, where whatever someone does to someone else, they do to themselves.

There are good people, and scary unkind ones, in all walks of life. I dream that on a day like today, the good can lay down the expectations of what neighbors should be, and to be those people themselves.

Whether you believe in the same things as him or not, to essentially understand and to live by the commandment to "love one another", to also" Be the Change you wish to see in the world."