No Kvetching on Mother’s Day

Fortunately I don’ t have the “typical Jewish mother”… but for mother’s day… select don’t settle with these possibilities from Jewtee.com Only a mother can love. No kvetching on mother’s day… have a glass of wine, not whine. Here’s the timeless “If Famous People Had Jewish Mothers” joke:

MONA LISA’S JEWISH MOTHER:
“This you call a smile, after all the money your father and I spent on
braces?”

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS’ JEWISH MOTHER:
“I don’t care what you’ve discovered, you still should have written!”

MICHELANGELO’S JEWISH MOTHER:
“Why can’t you paint on walls like other children? Do you know how hard
it is to get this junk off the ceiling?”

NAPOLEON’S JEWISH MOTHER:
“All right, if you’re not hiding your report card inside your jacket,
take your hand out of there and show me!”

ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S JEWISH MOTHER:
“Again with the hat! Why can’t you wear a baseball cap like the other
kids?”

GEORGE WASHINGTON’S JEWISH MOTHER:
“Next time I catch you throwing money across the Potomac, you can kiss
your allowance good-bye!”

THOMAS EDISON’S JEWISH MOTHER:
“Of course I’m proud that you invented the electric light bulb. Now
turn it off and go to sleep!”

PAUL REVERE’S JEWISH MOTHER:
“I don’t care where you think you have to go, young man,midnightis long
past your curfew!”

And then these two, who really did have Jewish mothers:

ALBERT EINSTEIN’S JEWISH MOTHER:
“But it’s your senior photo! Couldn’t you have done something
about your hair?”

MOSES’ JEWISH MOTHER:
“That’s a good story! Now tell me where you’ve really been for the last
forty years.”

Now pick up the phone and call the womb from whence you came. As daddy used to day “if you didnt have a parent, we’d have to go out and buy you one. .” Shalom ya’ll

 

The Blessing Way of Horses

The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.
- Carl Jung

All there is is now not what happened yesterday’s ride or what will next weekend’s ride be like. Everytime we take off I say “here we go , best ride ever”.

.We all strive for this promising moment where we find that true bond that is stronger then love. Only horses can give us the fulfilling magic. This magic can be instant; it may be discovered the second your eyes meet their devoted eyes. Or it may not be realised until you first make it through that tough show. Such was the case with Alle

Whenever or wherever it is revealed, treasure it forever, for you may not find the special magic with every horse you affectionately ride or take care of. Take every breathtaking chance you have to live these excitedly shared moments. Memories of magic

Through the eyes of a horse, you learn all your horse wants is love. In the eyes of a horse, you see it wants to be near you always. You know that you’re not alone when you’re lonely. You know that your horse will give you a hug without physically touching. And you know he touches your soul. During hard times, you look in his eyes and feel better.

Just another way of communicating… look in his eyes.. what’s he saying? Have you looked into your horses eyes lately? Next time you go to see your loving mount, give him or her a loving hug. The measure of greatness is not found in your accomplishments. Its in how much discouragement it takes to stop you.

So today we celebrate both the birthday of Israel and our first endurance ride together. Do I hear a serious amen? Keep us in the prayer that we finish with G-man feeling healthy , fit and fast.. See you on the other side.

 

Opening the Barn Door

Maria: When the Lord closes a door, somewhere He opens a window.
From one of my all time favorite movies:
- The Sound of Music

As GaZi and I had an “team Gazi ride” just he and me.. Open doors…I’ve prayed for open doors many times and perhaps you have too. I’m stressing about next weekend’s endurance ride… and pray that the door is open for a successful ride.. even a successful start. I’m worrying what if he doesnt pass the “pre ride veteterinary check”? And while I’ve heard that it’s a common worry among endurance riders, regardless of “time in seat” as it were.. worry comes down to … loss of faith. So I prayed to the Heavenly Father whilst on GaZi The longer I walk or in this case ride this Christian life, however, I learn that everything we need…we already have. That goes for open doors as well.

So I went back t ot he beginning as it were and re-read Genesis 1 again. My first thought earlier that morning had been “Open Doors”, In Gen: 1:2 when the Lord spoke…”Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there IS and open door. Quit looking for an open door…I am the door.” Whoa! (pardon the pun)My mind raced to that scripture in Revelation 3:8, “See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut…”

In the Old Testament when the children of Israel were to follow the cloud by day? When the cloud would move…they loaded up their goods and followed. The Spirit of the Lord moved those millions of people from place to place so that they would be provided for. Had they not moved, they would have died in the desert and on their tombstones would have been written…”Failed to follow the Spirit of God”.

So what does all of this have to do with doors? Where the Spirit of the Lord is…there IS an open door. Following that spirit is the key that unlocks our ability to see  open doors. He sees open doors and knows which doors are closing before it even happens. If we will listen, He will position us in just the right spot. This has to do with going when He says go, and staying when He says stay.

A recent horsey example was when Picken was for hte first time since I got her .. unrideable due to some injury she’d sustained we guessed running in the pasture. She wouldn’t tell us THe same day we took her to the vet for x-rays etc came on the email photogs of what was to be be my purchase of GaZi.  A “g-dincidence ” if ever there were one. Everything just lined up for his arrival here. And while Picken was on “rest and rehab”, it was GaZi and my time to start to learn each other.

As we finished our ride back to the barn I dropped my reins and lifted my hands and eyes skyward as I prayed. And I was filled with such a peaceful spirit. Yes, and in the next instant the “monkey mind” kicks in with doubts So, when you are looking for open doors, remember,G-d is the door …Genesis 1:1…In the beginning God. All we need to do is ask, look and listen. The hills are alive.

Do I hear an amen?

 

A Housewife on Steroids

Or a day in the life of an innkeeper.

Forget what you saw on Newhart, that ’80s sitcom about an innkeeper who seems to spend most of the day lounging. Dan and I have found our complementary strengths, so we wear all the hats”. Still you’res on the go 12 hours a day and is lucky to get six hours of sleep a night.

I’ve found the key to productivity for me… is the more i do , the more I do… Have a plan and then it’s go with the flow chart time

First Up: Perfunctory run with Manker.. .we both need to get out… get the horses in for their morning breakfast.. .thisis a bed and breakfast after all.

Second up: fixing the washer.

Dan and I (OK, Dan alone, with me watching) take the machine apart and discover the culprit: a ripped hose. We’ll need a replacement, and soon Dan races north to the closest store that has one — 20 miles away.

I’m left behind to arrange fresh flowers for the dining room. Already, I’m falling behind on the day’s chores. By now, I should have prepared registration cards for check-ins. And at some point I must get into the kitchen for the weekly menu “fire up the ovens” routine. Still waiting for Dan to come back, I instinctively go re-clean the toilets… cathartic.

As an aside, we remodeled the inn, can you say “gutted it and started again” and just before we moved in we had a well known local cleaner come in and give it a top to bottom cleaning. Nothing worse than moving all your belongings into a new home only to have to get into everything and clean it. Best to clean an empty nest. To this day, I owe her a debt of gratitude. Periodically we have some of her staff in here prior to or apres guests for a clean up. “It’s not too bad,” she says when asked what it’s like to work at a bed-and-breakfast. “I guess this is what it’s like to be a housewife.”

A housewife on steroids, maybe. I go over the “game plan” for when each breakfast item needs to go in the oven (critical, , when serving up to 14 people a day). And there’s another chart showing the dietary constraints of each guest. Tomorrow, one guest is a vegetarian. Another doesn’t eat eggs.

Excuse me, just had to take that last phone call; a reservation .. folks coming from Boston .. .via Yellowstone and staying for two nights. Pre-requisite and fun schmoozing and yes… booked. They too are looking to transition their jobs and lifestyle to Montana. I’m telling you this really is the last best place

Guests or no guests, kitchen cleaning is non-ending. You also have to be a part time fix-it type since Murphy tends to rear his head at most inopportune time. Here’s thirteen enlightening cleaning tips

Tip 1: DOOR LOCKS If a room clearly can’t be whipped into shape in 30 days, much less 30 minutes, employ the Locked Door Method of cleaning. Tell anyone who tries to go in the room that you accidentally locked the door and can’t find the key. Of course, the locksmith can’t possibly come until tomorrow. CAUTION: It is not advisable to use this tip for the bathroom. Time: 2 seconds

Tip 2: DUCT TAPE No home should be without an ample supply. Not only is it handy for plumbing repairs, but it’s a great way to hem drapes, tablecloths, clothes, just about anything. No muss, no fuss. Time: 2-3 minutes

Tip 3: OVENS If you think ovens are just for baking, think again. Ovens represent at least 9 cubic feet of hidden storage space, which means they’re a great place to shove dirty dishes, dirty clothes, or just about anything you want to get out of sight when company’s coming. Time: 2 minutes

Tip 4: CLOTHES DRYERS Like Secret Tip 3, except bigger. CAUTION: Avoid hiding flammable objects here. Time: 2.5 minutes

Tip 5: WASHING MACHINES & FREEZERS Like Secret Tip 4, except even bigger. Time: 3 minutes

Tip 6: DUST RUFFLES No bed should be without one. Devotees of Martha Stewart believe dust ruffles exist to keep dust out from under a bed or to help coordinate the colorful look of a bedroom. The rest of us know a dust ruffle’s highest and best use is to hide whatever you’ve managed to shove under the bed. (Refer to Secret Tips 3, 4, 5.) Time: 4 minutes

Tip 7: DUSTING The 30-Minutes-To-A-Clean-House method says: Never dust under what you can dust around. Time: 3 minutes

SECRET TIP 8: DISHES Don’t use them. Use plastic or paper plates and you won’t have to. Time: 1 minute

Tip 9: IRONING If an article of clothing doesn’t require a full press and your hair does, a curling iron is the answer. In between curling your hair, use the hot wand to iron minor wrinkles out of your clothes. Yes, it really does work, or so I’m told, by other disciples of the 30-Minutes-To-A-Clean-House philosophy. Time: 5 minutes (including curling your hair)

Tip 10: VACUUMING Stick to the middle of the room, which is the only place people look. Don’t bother vacuuming under furniture. It takes way too long and no one looks there anyway. Time: 5 minutes, entire house; 2 minutes, living room only

Tip 11: LIGHTING The key here is low, low, and lower. It’s not only romantic, but bad lighting can hide a multitude of dirt. Time: 10 seconds

Tip 12:: BED MAKING Get an old-fashioned waterbed. No one can tell if those things are made up or not, saving you, oh, hundreds of seconds over the course of a lifetime. Time: 0

Tip 13: SHOWERS, TOILETS, AND SINKS Forget one and two. Concentrate on three. Time: 1 minute

There’s a lot more to running an inn than baking muffins, That’s why it’s great to be a husband/wife team where while Dan does alot of cooking I do the housekeeping, bookkeeping, marketing and ranch stuff. (except for the real heavy duty work that needs to get done around a ranch) . except when I’m cleaning.

Trot on friends, trot on.

 

Walk With The Animals

This is not an original story, and the author is unknown but it’s an old Cherokee Native American tale. I found it originally at Serious Things. It says a lot of what I’ve been wanting to share but haven’t known exactly how. I hope you enjoy it.

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, “My son, the battle is between two “wolves” inside us all.

One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: “Which wolf wins?” The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

Today, as I rush around in the flurry of last preparations for our first endurance ride this weekend, (our first together, since Gazi’s a veteran of 21 rides) I thought about my fears and what “wolf” am I feeding? I sat down and wrote out a pretty good list of exactly what tmy horsey goals are. These are not in any particular order, and most of them are synergistic - in other words, they work together, and build on each other.

• I want the horse to like me and want to be around me.
• For the horse to like having me touch it and direct it anywhere I want it to go.
• To have the horse trust me implicitly, completely, joyfully.
• For the horse to understand that my desire is to have FUN with the horse, and that I am constantly improving the horse’s skills and personality as well as my own, because I want what is best for the horse.
• To have the horse willing to do whatever I want.Get to the point where we start a ride and despite the “excitement” at the start..
• For me to be consistent so that the horse expects to have to behave, but also a job that’s fun and desirable, and safe - - trust.
• To pick up on the horse’s slightest signals to know what it is thinking and to anticipate its needs/desires.
• For the horse to do the same for me, so that it looks like we think the same thoughts.
• For the horse and I to be as ONE. especially as we embark on our endurance rides together.. Talk about mile sto go before I sleep.. And despite the “excitement” start of the ride, I can look down and say “Gazi, my partner let’s git ‘r done”… and we’re a team

Tis a work in progress and to paraphrase the legend horse trainer Ray Hunt .. you have a vision and you keep correcting til you get as close as possible to those goals. The challenges are what make it interesting, and the successes, the moments where things just “flow” between you and a horse, are nothing short of being “of G-d”

I see the work of the L-rd in each ride , be it on Picken, Gazi or Alle . God has been showing me the last few months that this is His attitude towards me! He has blessed me with three perfect choices .. they each teach me such different lessons.. apparently ones I need to learn Through Picken, G-d teaches me,courage patience and acceptance. Despite the fact she’s 15 , she’s a Thoroughbred and will always want to be first and running.

He wants me to trust Him completely. He wants me to like being with Him. He wants me to know that He knows me better than I know myself. He wants me to learn to pick up His small signals to anticipate our next direction.

In the last months, I’ve realized why I have this love for horses. God knows I can be a stubborn, fearful person with control issues, born out of fear of the future. He knew I would have a hard time knowing that He is good and only wants good for me, even if I have to go through hard stuff sometimes to get to where He is taking me. He knew I would be someone who likes directing my own life.

So, among the many not so “G-dincidences” and blessings, He directed our path of a kid’s dream to move to Montana and a a fascination with horses I can see, through the horses, just how much He loves me and what He wants for me. And as I expect a lot from my horses, because that is what’s best for them, God expects a lot from me because that is what is best for me.

Git ‘r done and git ‘r slung .. safely whereever the journey takes you. Do I hear an amen?

 

Go Green to save Green

It’s no coincidence that most frugal people are environmentally conscious, and vice versa. Frugal lifestyle choices tend to be environmentally friendly choices. What a win - win.. for your pocketbook and the planet. It’s almost impossible to be concerned about the environment without taking actions that lessen your own impact on the enviro.. Ah grasshopper, the circle of life, it’s all connected . True frugality is not just about saving money, although that’s often the most noticeable benefit and the reason people initially “go frugal.” To me frugality involves reusing whatever I can. Frugality also involves turning the water off when I brush my teeth, doing most of my laundry in cold water, hanging it up to dry, keeping my thermostat turned down, combining my errands to save on gas, keeping lights off if at all possible, and using fluorescent light bulbs whenever I can. By doing these things both my purse and the planet can hopefully see a “darker shade of green”.

So how easy is it to improve the environment and your bottom line simultaneously? Here are ten frugal changes you can make that also benefit the environment.

1. Use homemade cleansers rather than commercial preparations: Commercial cleansers are overpriced, over packaged, and full of harsh chemicals. There are very few cleaning projects that baking soda, vinegar, and water cannot handle. These ingredients are inexpensive and easy on the environment. Recipes are widely available online and in books about frugality.

2. Switch to cloth whenever possible: Reusable cloth napkins, diapers, and cleaning rags are all kinder to the environment than disposable. Cloth creates less waste and requires fewer resources to manufacture than disposable or paper products. Cloth items are also less expensive over the life of the item than their disposable counterparts. Take reusable cloth bags to the store.

3. Buy used whenever possible: Buying used from yard sales, thrift shops, and consignment stores means that no additional resources went into making your item, and you’ve prevented the used item from ending up in a landfill prematurely. Used items are generally much less expensive than new, saving you money. Want to take this one step further? Borrow or rent items rather than buying when possible. Organize a neighborhood tool or craft supply swap, visit your local library and borrow books, or rent movies and games rather than buying. You’re helping the environment by using existing items, and you’re saving yourself even more money by not buying. Can you say “Goodwill”? Pun intended!

4. Use Mother Nature’s free utilities: If you’re allowed to have a clothesline, get one and use it. Let the sun dry your clothes for free. Even if you can’t have a clothesline, indoor drying racks work just as well. Use nature to your advantage in other ways. Open your windows for air rather than cranking up the AC. In the winter, open your blinds to get some free heat. Collect rainwater and use it for watering your garden and flowers. You’ll be using fewer resources and lowering your utility bills in the process.

5. Take up “>gardening, but don’t use commercial pesticides or fertilizers: Growing some of your own food will save you money and result in healthier, less processed food. You’ll save even more money by composting for fertilizer and using natural pest control techniques, such as introducing repelling insects and plants into your garden. These methods are both frugal (almost free, even) and environmentally friendly.

6. Consume fewer resources: There are many ways to conserve electricity, water, natural gas, and gasoline. Simply turning off unused lights and checking for leaky faucets are good places to start with electricity and water. Driving the speed limit and maintaining your car are simple ways to save fuel. Check online, in books about frugality, and with your utility for more conservation ideas. Each idea you implement not only conserves more resources, but saves you more money as well.

7. Innkeeper’s Tip: Learn to cook from scratch: You’ll eat healthier without all the preservatives, and homemade foods are much less expensive than processed foods. The guests appreciate it too ! And think of all the packaging you’ll keep out of the landfills if you cut down your use of over packaged, individually wrapped foods.

And Time is on your side, for 51 more things you can do to save the environment

 

Fear is your Friend

If you fell down yesterday, stand up today.” - H.G. Wells

Fear can actually be a stepping stone in our growth And while I’m not a horse whisperer , I am a thinker. Here’s how I got there. I’ve now had the dubious distinction of coming off all the mares. Most times are due to spooks and I just didnt keep the balance.. I wasnt aware enough of the warning signs. And then there’s the most recent one when Patrick’s dog Jack took off after a rabbit. Picken didnt spook at the rabbit, but rather I was riding left at a trot and looked over right A combination of my shifting balance and her opposite direction. She was expecting one thing and I offered another - inadvertently. And she wasnt having any of it.

And Picken just stood there waiting for me, ears pricked forward. As we looked at each other, I realized that if I got on her and asked got going again, she’d do it: IF I started doing my share of the work load. Horses are an ongoing lesson in “be here now” I readjusted her saddle and dusted myself off , checked her condition and remounted. Picken had waited for me. She hadn’t gone high-tailing up the road She was standing there waiting for me. Waiting for me to get a clue, but still–waiting. For me. So where am I?

1. Im nervous about falling and getting hurt again. [This is where you look sympathetic and say, “So, you must have had a really bad fall and broken a lot of bones or something, right?” And I look sheepish and say, “No, not exactly.” While I hate to justify the constant small but naggingly painful muscle injury periods I go through, everyone understands a broken bone.
2. The fear is not the problem.
3. The problem is that I don’t address that fear.

So I should just address it right? Ah. But there’s a catch. You didn t think it was that easy!:

So… if I force myself to address my fear and Or but in the meantime do I ride in “safe” places etc., I continue my passive non-addressing of my fear issues, which leaves me exactly where I am now.

The third possibility, of course, is that I overthink these things and I’m a psychologist’s dream come true. I’ve been accused of this plenty. But avoidance is an approach that clearly doesnt work for me.. .I know i’m dogging it.

So what do we do when a horse gets the best of us?  Whether it’s a bad spill or a “dust ‘em off and get back on”, again an ongoing lesson with horses(and in life) is that control is an illusion. At the risk of interjecting faith based preaching, I believe G-d is ultimately in control.

What I’ve discovered is that coping with fear is just another part of learning to ride. I know that having Picken as a first horse for a green rider, I’ve learned so much more than if Alle ‘d been my first horse; though definitely would have been a smarter choice. If you are facing this issue, there is hope and help available.

It also helps to be blessed with coaches that understand and guide and I can speak “of the heart to”. Patrick’s particularly great in knowing how far to push me , that it’s a stretch and achievable. And wow.. it’s such a great feeling to be on the pathway of stepping stones to ever greater successes. I also recommend really highly Susan Jeffers Feel The Fear and Do It Anyway. It’s one of those books that you can read and again and again and glean something new.

Share my fears and I stopped trying to face them by myself, I slowly began to find that although I was still scared, my fears didn’t seem to scare me as much any more. I find the strength to face my fears by admitting I was scared. ‘ve had more “unforced dismounts” learning to ride the arabian GaZi in three months than I have on Picken, Alle and Brady combined in three years. I’m not a sports psychologist.. but I am a thinker. As my running buddy used to say “fear is your friend”. I’ve found pooh poohing them dont work , they are real. Panic, nervousness and fear are involuntary responses and need to be dealt with, I have to keep reminding myself it’s okay..and remember that fear is a natural instinct designed to protect us from harm, and a little fear can be a good thing if it prevents us from taking risks we are not prepared to handle.

That’s the secret. We are all scared, just like Pooh. But when we tell people about our fears, those fears seem a lot smaller. You can start right now. Try taking one small fear, doesn’t matter what it is, and write it down. If you want, you can share it by writing about it in the comments after this post. Write down whatever comes to mind when you think of the fear. Give it a try. I will bet that you will notice a difference, even if you only write about a “little” fear.

I guess this is one of the challenges of my horses.. It returns myself to me as it requires a determined spirit, sweat, and energy well beyond what we think is possible. I’m learning… “patience grasshopper” and acknowledge the successes along the way. It may not happen over night, but commitment combined with action will eventually achieve results. You just have to take the first step. So here we go… off for I another Arabian adventure at Patrick’s on my GaZi as I get ready for this weekend’s endurance ride… a marriage of head, hand and heart.

So where are you afraid of falling?

Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.

Christopher Robin to Pooh - A. A. Milne - Winnie the Pooh

 

Team Canter Prepares to hit the trail

As Gaynor and I (aka Team Canter) make our final equine preparations for our endurance ride at roundup Montana in the next weekend, we also have the “camping” extravaganza to prepare for too

As with weddings and tax-evasion, an journey to a backwoods trail demands that attention be paid to what seems like a myriad of details. Even among seasoned outdoors folks  there is no such thing as immunity to forgetfulness, while for the novice, simple lack of experience necessitates a near-compulsive attentiveness while planning, as often enough, even seemingly obvious points of note can go woefully overlooked. I know getting ready for this ride, I’ve printed out the quintessential “what to bring to a ride list” only to read and re-read til I have it indelibly etched in my brain. And still I worry I’m gonna for get something important.

That Hill Looked Flatter on Paper . . .

Never fails to happen. he problem though, is that when most initiate backpackers first pour over a park map, they focus on the indicated length of the trail, and not the terrain it runs over. Always remember: Most park-maintained trails are designed to offer the path of moderate resistance, and that winding red line measures the distance from A to B as the crow flies – while you’ll be walking.

A 10-mile trail traversing a park’s hill-strewn highland region can easily be more difficult than a than a 15-kilometer (9.3 miles) route through gently rolling terrain. Attention must be paid to the topographic contour lines that overlay the indicator for the trail itself, yet they are so often and easily overlooked by someone judging a trail’s difficulty on horizontal distance alone.

Cutting Weight Versus Cutting Corners

Anyone who’s ever carried so much as a schoolbag on their back knows that lighter is the way to go, but some kit pieces are unquestionably worth the extra poundage. This is particularly important to keep in mind, as a few of these are often among the heavier items you’ll need along with you. Back to my original theory… “less is more”.

Forgetfulness isn’t so much a problem here as is inexperience – know what’s mandatory and when looking to shed weight, give a thought toward Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: Food, water and shelter above all else, followed then by what’s required for basic safety. In other words, whatever you do away with, adequate food, a means of producing heat (matches, flint, etc.) water and a pot to boil more in, clothing, tent and sleeping roll suited for nighttime temperatures and a first-aid kit all form the immutable core of your gear – look elsewhere when lightening the load.

Partners In Crime

The larger the group the better, and where a two-member party is the minimum, four would be truly ideal. This offers numerous advantages, including the dispersal of weighty communal items (cookware, tents, etc.) an increased party-presence that will help ward-off unwanted wildlife, and the reduced chance that a disaster along the trail will leave one member alone and immobilized while another goes back for help.

The Three Most Neglected Items . . .

Knife: There’s a reason why the first tools ever wielded had cutting edges. For all intents and purposes, a sturdy, sharpened knife will be one of the most oft-reached for items in your pack.

Matches: It’s the worst feeling in the world to sit hunched before your carefully included stove or readied kindling, only to realize you’ve forgotten a means of igniting it. On their first trip beyond car-camping, no one wants to find themselves re-enacting Quest for Fire . . . or Alive, for that matter.

Rope: You’ll be setting lines for your tent, binding things to the outside of your pack, stringing food high up in the trees at night, erecting tarps between fire and falling rain, replacing severed bootlaces . . . in short, you’ll need rope, preferably about 100 feet worth of the polypropylene variety.

Perhaps most important of all things to remember is that when embarking on any journey into great outdoors, camping, care and consideration are paramount, as barring that of Nature, the most common Law in the life of a hiker, trail rider or runner is, often enough, that of Murphy.

Camping checklists can vary depending on the length of the camping trip, size of the group, and your priorities … but here’s where you can find more than the ABC’s of camping and your outdoor extravaganzas.

Time to hit the road and git ‘r done. See you on the other side. Happy trails

 

Mom’s Day in the Kitchen

Kitchen gadgets aren’t just for cooking experts. Sure you can go overboard; after all, there are virtually thousands of contraptions to choose from. But here’s a list of some really useful kitchen gadgets you can buy for mom—and each one is under $50!

1. Silicone Oven Mitt: These babies are hot in kitchens right now. They can withstand temps up to 500 degrees and you can toss them in the dishwasher for an easy cleaning. Target these babies by Orka You will also find trivets made out of the same silicone, too. So useful!
2. Pepper Mill: If you’re still shaking pepper out of a plastic jar, you are missing out on a whole world of spice with fresh milled pepper. There’s tremendous variety to choose from: some are tiny and also sport a section with salt, others are 2 feet tall , and a bunch are even battery powered and do the milling for you. I prefer manual grinding with a simple twist of the wrist in a see-thru acrylic material that is easy to clean
3. Knife Sharpener: If you keep wondering why you’re ripping your tomatoes apart when slicing them, it’s because your knives are dull. I love this particular knife sharpener because it’s simple to use and it has no moving parts such as little wheels. Just three or four flicks of the blade through this and you’ll be slicing pretty again.
4. Wine Bottle Opener: Forget those crazy old fashioned corkscrews that leave you wrecking the cork and leaving bits of it in your wine. This full-proof opener works with a simple flick of the handle.
5. Silicone Basting Brush: This handy brush is wonderful when you’ve got to brush olive oil on a chicken, sweep egg white on a pie shell or a whole host of other important little tasks. Tons better than using one of those wooden brushes with bristles. Those darned bristles always shed and are nearly impossible to keep clean. Just pop the silicone brush into your dishwasher and you’ve got zilch to worry about.
6. Automatic Sugar Dispenser: If you drink coffee every day you’ll love this thing. No mess, no fuss—just push the button and an exactly measure ½ teaspoon falls into your cup of brew. Want more? Just push the button to clean; that’s it. And it’s easy to refill, too. Kinda fun for the person that needs a little taste of sugar each day, but doesn’t want to go overboard!
7. The Teastick: Perfect for that afternoon spot of tea. It holds loose tea leaves tight and allows them to steep in hot water. Must be some scones out there somewhere.

Don’t forget the flowers… especially when you see a large company like Sam’s Club get behind the Fair Trade program. They’re now offering Fair Trade flowers for sale on their website. You can read all about Fair Trade flowers here, but the important thing to know is that in addition to labor and environmental standards, a portion of the purchase price goes directly to the workers for a community development project (like a microlending program, a program to supply families with livestock, computer education, etc.)It seems that more “high-end” farms that participate, meaning that you may be getting higher quality flowers from Fair Trade farms. Really, this is a winning situation for everybody, and the fact that Sam’s Club is participating means that some very big buying decisions are being made that reward these farms that really make a difference. Check the Fair Trade Flowers website for more sources of Fair Trade flowers. Yeehaa.

And yes. there are some scones bakin’ for that afternoon tea (or breakfast for that matter!) right here from Recipezaar

Ingredients
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup cold butter
1 cup raisins
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg white, additional sugar for top

1. Combine dry ingredients.
2. Cut in butter to coarse crumbs.
3. Stir in raisins and buttermilk.
4. Stir just until moistened.
5. Place on floured surface,knead a few times (6-8).
6. Pat into an 8in circle,cut into 12 wedges.
7. Place on greased cookie sheet.
8. Beat egg white until foamy, brush scones.
9. Sprinkle with sugar.
10. Bake at 400* for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Top with jam of choice

Tons more kitchen gadgets and tools here.. you’re only limited by your imagination.. or your budget and storage room.

Trot on friends, trot on.

 

The 10 Commandments of Fiscal Fitness

Ah now that warmer weather is finally poking its head out to stay… thoughts always turn to fitness.. .Whether it’s running a trail, running a business or heck running your life… fiscal fitness will have you foot loose and fancy free. Another in your intrepid innkeeper’s 10 Commandments Series..

The 10 Commandments for Fiscal Fitness

1. Thou shalt be physically fit.
2. Thou shalt have gratitude
3. Thou shalt nott waste free time.
4. Thou shalt be frugal.
5. Thou shalt maintain one’s wheels (aka the automobile.) Neglect and/or procrastination almost always costs you more in end
6. Thou shalt seek freebies . Seek online and ye shall find tons of free offers
7. Thou shalt be loving.
8. Thou shalt be productive.
9. Thou shalt have fun. Take yourself uh..lightly
10. Thou shalt be rational about all of this.

Fiscal fitness doesn’t have to mean lots of sacrifice .. rather an opportunity to live more simply Then you wont be running on empty…

Fiscal fitness goes hand in with physical fitness. Are you a sports enthusiast and an environmentalist? RecycledRunners.com helps runners around the world find an alternative solution to tossing your old running shoes.

If your running shoes are “gently” used, RecycledRunners helps you find locations throughout the country where you can donate them to people in need. Feet dont fail me now

Trot on friends, trot on.