‘Thank you for all of the help you’ve provided me and my family as we’ve gone through this ordeal. I know you have gone above and beyond to ensure we’re OK. I don’t know what we would have done without your care. We are so thankful!’
Who am I?
I’m the woman you placed in a safe shelter.
I’m the grandparent raising my children’s children.
I’m the refugee that is trying to start over with your guidance.
I’m the child who gets to eat because of you.
I’m the co-worker you’ve encouraged all year long.
I’m the caregiver you provide respite for.
I’m the person you helped to navigate the system.
I’m the father you helped find a job.
I’m the chronically ill man who relies on you for transportation.
I’m the student you’ve mentored.
I’m the veteran you’ve counseled.
I’m the homebound widow you see every week.
I’m the neighbor you listen to.
Thank you helpers - you make a huge difference every day!
Much has happened with “The Edible Classroom” over the summer. By the end of October students at Peoria Elementary School in Peoria, Arizona will be have a new organic vegetable garden as part of their Science education.
This video is well worth the 10 minutes. Be sure to watch the last couple of minutes. You’ll learn a lot about why I do the things I do. Continue reading →
This past Monday we said goodbye to our wonderful dog, Jane. She had developed a cancerous tumor on her heart that was causing a myriad of health complications. She was not yet 6 years old.
When a magnificent creature becomes such a meaningful part of your life, there is no questioning whether or not there is a Creator. God has shown His love to us through this loving dog.
We miss her dearly.
Here’s a chance for you to meet Mellow Yellow Calamity Jane.
The concept of The Edible Classroom is to place sustainable, community-supported, organic, food gardens in elementary schools. The benefits of The Edible Classroom are to: Continue reading →
It would be easy to use “Community” as one of the seven C’s – so, I won’t.
I believe there are seven markers that can always be found in an effective, sustainable, family-friendly, ”I want to be a part of it” Community. Coincidentally, they all conmense with the consonant C.
They are: Compassion, Collaboration, Connectedness, Convening, Champion, Communication and Confidence. Oh yeah, leaders are needed too. Without community leadership, nothing good happens. Nothing.
I will unpack each of these Community Characteristics in the near future.
Outcome: the end result of an effort; the impact of an effort
How do we think about outcomes? Do we easily recognize outcomes or impacts of our work? Outcomes come in different shapes and sizes, and often times, Continue reading →
We can all complete the sentence, “it’s not what you know, it’s _____ you know.” This is one example of how we all naturally know that living life “disconnected” is Continue reading →
Networking: Intentionally building an extended group of people with similar interests or concerns who interact and remain in informal contact for mutual assistance or support
What is collaboration? Merriam-Webster Online defines it as ‘working jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor.’ Effective community collaboration is Continue reading →
We look at individuals and we see abilities, not disabilities. Do we do this with our communities? Communities, like individuals, have abilities and Continue reading →
The more I watch birds, the more I am amazed. In particular, I find the sheer variety of birds to be mind-boggling. We all know penguins can Continue reading →
This was a count for the ages. More than 60,000 checklists were submitted with 623 identified species. What am I talking about? I am talking about Continue reading →
Are you bored with walking around the neighborhood or hiking the same crowded trail? Are you looking to break out of your regular routine and Continue reading →
Any guesses on what the #1 sport is in the United States? Some might guess baseball. At this time of year with the big game at hand, many would say Continue reading →
There are shelves, aisles, stores and malls full of Christmas gifts. “We might be able to afford this one or maybe that one.” “He would love this or Continue reading →
I’ve been in-and-out of bird watching my whole life. I’ve just recently gotten back “in” the wonderful world of Bird Watching and have I ever missed it! There is something about birding that makes Continue reading →
Growing up in a small town in the Midwest, my idea of being outdoors usually had something to do with our heavily treed backyard or with one Continue reading →
If you’ve been a regular reader of mine, you can probably guess my favorite pieces of backcountry gear. I’ve written about having a good time while Continue reading →
I only know of one place on Terra Firma where I can see Casa Grande, Wickenburg, Apache Junction, Camelback Mountain and all of the Phoenix area and it is one of my favorite places in all of Arizona. Any guesses? It is smack-dab in the middle of our Continue reading →
Looking up into the night sky is our oldest recorded hobby. Thousands of years ago, people around the globe began recording their star gazing experiences. Many of these early journals are now Continue reading →
What could possible happen in six simple steps? That’s how far it is from my cabin’s front door to the propane grill. Six steps that I have taken countless times without any fanfare or concern. But things were different today Continue reading →
You don’t need to live in the southwestern part of the United States very long to understand the importance of water. Much of the area is desert and for the past Continue reading →
My favorite outdoor related quote comes from John Muir, the father of our national park system and founder of the Sierra Club. He said, “When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds Continue reading →
Are you looking for fresh ways to spend time with your friends and family? Outdoor activities getting a little boring are they? With your fast paced life Continue reading →
Camping is one of my favorite activities and my favorite type of camping is car camping. However, there are many other types of camping such as base Continue reading →
First aid is first aid is first aid – right? At first glance, providing first aid in the backcountry appears to be much like it is anywhere else. But if you look a little closer Continue reading →
The New Year has begun and you probably have a few New Year’s Resolutions under way. You’ll lose weight, lose a bad habit, add a good habit or even mend an old fence. But do you have any resolutions Continue reading →
Do you have a weekend without anything to do or a weekend when you don’t want to do anything? I know what I’d do. I would pack up the truck and Continue reading →
Does the thought of buying a gift for a friend or relative make you smile or does it stress you out? Is there a hiker or camper on your gift giving list? What can you give to the someone who already has everything? The secret of gift giving is Continue reading →
Every time I leave the pavement, I take along my trusty hiking pack – even if I have no intention of hiking. Doing this has become a habit rather than Continue reading →
Having a good time is pretty high on everyone’s to do list, especially when surrounded by awesome views and super-awesome friends. We hike, bike, climb, camp, Continue reading →
Time out of doors is a precious commodity to the outdoor enthusiast – but are we getting the most out of this time. One way to ensure maximum Continue reading →
If you spend any amount of time in the backcountry at all, it will rain on you. Remember this – rain is a good thing; without it there wouldn’t Continue reading →
As outdoor enthusiasts spend more and more time in our backcountry, a handful of skills become more and more essential. All of these skills are easy to learn and add considerably to Continue reading →
As an outdoor enthusiast you will at some point make a decision to learn how to navigate in the backcountry. Whether you use a map, compass, GPS receiver or all three, there are several things you should know Continue reading →
If you’re tired of hiking the same trail or picnicking at the same park, then Geocaching may be exactly what you’re looking for. Geocaching, pronounced gee- Continue reading →
