Girl Scouts Rock the OC Fair

We went to the OC Fair on Friday ... It was OC Girl Scouts (100th Birthday Celebration) Rock the Fair!  $3 tickets $2 taste of the Fair til 4pm ..  Foxhound Bridged with over a 1,00 other girls - We sawa piglets that were just one day old.  Always amazes me how animals like that can WALK already!  Foxhound discovered Krispy Kreme Chicken Sandwiches she let me have two bites - it was surprisingly good! 
Just a short blog this time.

Cinco de Mayo 2012

Foxhound & I went to the Norman P Murray Center in Mission Viejo, CA yesterday for Breakfast with Gary & Kelly (KSBR 88.5FM radio show on Saturday mornings) It was a Live Broadcast!  Their special guest was Michael Lington - Sax-man from Denmark.  I have loved saxophone since about 5th grade!  Michael is great!  These live shows are SO fun - the artists are always so personable so real so down to earth! I took my KSBR hat that has Craig Chaquico's autograph already and had Michael add his!  


There was an event at the Center this weekend too & I just learned that we MISSEDKori Linae Carothers! The event was Arts Alive. we walked around a bit then left to do some waymarking and geocaching in Dana Point & Aliso Beach.


First we went to the Ocean Institute in Dana Point - the EarthCache there was part two of the San Onofre Breccia.  This is a formation that is 15 to 20 million years old. It is a sedimentary rock composed of angular fragments (clasts) embedded in a fine grained matrix (glue that binds the clasts together) We had to compare the two outcroppings by visiting both in one day.  


At Dana Point - Foxhound decided that we MUST visit the tide-pools too.  At least the parking HERE is FREE!


Off to Aliso Beach we go.  Here there are parking meters but, gladly plenty of parking still available!  


Two weeks ago we came to Laguna Beach on the 5th annual Record Store Day to visit The Sound Spectrum to add it to the category for Independent Music Stores. But, since we were there - we figured we would cache & waymark as well.  There was a Webcam listed as being there! Webcams are FUN because you need to have a friend at a computer to "catch you" on the webcam and then save that image for you to post on the waymark site for that camera. Sadly, we discovered that the posted coordinates were no where NEAR the actual camera. We did learn where the camera was.  AT ALISO BEACH!


Since the second part of the EarthCache was here and there were two other waymarks AND a geocache - it was well worth the $2 we feed the metered parking boxes.  We phoned our friend - Cepheus7 - and he caught us!  The thing about the webcams is usually they are far enough away that you can not REALLY tell who is in the picture. We took a sign which barely looks like a white square!   


Missions accomplished!  I let Foxhound play in the waves - and get very nearly completely soaked!  We saw a dolphin out in the breakers.  


Beautiful day!

Hail

Yesterday was St Patrick's Day - Foxhound & I went to a Geo-Event the tried and failed to find a cache nearby... Failed.  It was a rainy day and night. Then today we had hail twice. Storm breaking up so I suggest we try to find a cache or two - FAILED both.... it is windy and cold - Foxhound not liking either one...

Reggae Showcase is playing on KSBR...that's good
But, my Firefox keeps crashing... that is bad.

posted our Geocaching Fails.... someone else at the Geo-Event found the cache near there - they must be stronger than us - we found something but, just couldn't get it open...

Doggie Romeo keeps bugging me - thinks he needs treats & pets more than the computer needs me. Silly dog! 

busy week coming- Girl Scout Delegate Meeting and our Troop Meeting (we are geocaching!)

What is Traffic - How Much do I get - How do I tell?

I was doing a survey today - it asked if I had my own blog - what did I write about? - how much traffic did I get?...  I don't know - I did find something - will add it from home - but, the traffic gizmo they asked about - I have no clue - tried to find out more - closed the window before I clicked the more link - opps...

better luck next time.

Waymark Visit... Geocaching and Girl Scouts

We received a Waymark visit from  gemeloj in St-Mathias - Montreal... and thought we should update again...  We just get so busy and I forget to blog.

Anyway - this visit from the Waymarker prompted me to add this - seems the Waymarker is also a Geocacher and a "decoder" - hmmmm we wonder.... we NEED a lifeline for a new cache... it is STUMPING everyone - or - if someone has solved and found - they aren't posting... sent a lifeline request - we shall see....

Yesterday Foxhound and I grabbed a rare FTF (YEAH HAPPY DANCE) - see the cache/post here>>> http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=f1adf5b9-ca68-46d9-8a98-adccfdc9c50a 

also we grabbed a cache we have just been driving by nearby - without the coordinates... We knew the general location - but, just never stopped to look - THIS time we were on foot - it was much easier!

 Girl Scout Cookie Time!  
Our troop still has several cases left and NO booth sales this year.  

Our Service Unit Meeting is this Wednesday - February 22nd - World Thinking Day - Tradition - Ceremonies -  yes - I am presenting something at the meeting. Usually, I do a "Training 20" but, this time - a World Thinking Day Ceremony - one that many others have used - Tradition! since 1926 - the Birthday of BOTH Lord and Lady Baden-Powell - the founder of Scouting (in Europe) & his wife - He was 36? years her senior.... has been celebrated as World Thinking Day - when Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around the World think about their sister scouts...

Today is a holiday - Presidents' Day - I go to work - Foxhound gets to stay home.

til next time.... 
hope I get here more often.
thank-you gemeloj for reminding me that I forgot - again - about our blog!

Ontario

Offices merged - Toll Road is TOO expensive - I hope someone has been listening.

It's July Already

We made a Black Forest Dump Cake this past weekend - for 4th of July - first time that Dad ever actually had any - cuz it is always gone when we make it for Girl Scouts!

Using the little red wagon and box oven right next to the BBQ is funny - but, the box oven is cool - Foxhound wants to do the Vagabond and Buddy Burners - maybe this weekend - just to practice - they aren't as efficient - but, I remember making breakfast on them during camp-outs - and I remember them getting really hot and someone getting burned!

I really should be getting something ready for dinner - but - blogging is more fun - and besides everyone else in the house is either chillin watching videos - or playing games on the xBox   - why should I be "working" in the kitchen - besides - it is too warm for cooking!

Happy SUMMER!

June 3-5 CAMP-OUT!

Well, that Junior Troop did not make the camp-out but, THREE Cadette Troops did! Our troop - 1126, Troop 1576 - who was with us on our last camp-out and Troop 32 form Capo Valley - their first time tent camping!  
It was SO much fun meeting new friends 
- cooking on Charcoals 
- making DUMP CAKES 


- the Black Forest Cherry Cake is definitely the favorite.  


Dutch Ovens and Box Ovens are truly amazing pieces of camping gear.  Next time - I want to try CHICKEN! 
Each troop shared a craft or project - we shared Wire Pant Hanger Cooking Skewers - which we used for the dinner (and S'mores - we also gave the first time campers "John Wayne" can openers to take with them, to always Be Prepared (and to never be without a can opener) plus a Whisk Broom for their tent.


The birds woke me up each morning around 5:30 - WOW are they loud! SO many different species too.  Phoebes, Acorn Woodpeckers, Flickers, CROWS, Ducks?! Red-Shouldered Hawks and one I couldn't recognize - maybe a Whip-poor-will? 


It was a great weekend! 

May 2011

Mother's Day last week end - I asked to go check on some of our Caches - and to find one without coordinates. I love finding caches - without the coords! We took GeoPup Romeo and he had to SNIFF everything - too much sniffing causes SNEEZES!

Busy week and it is gonna get worse - next weekend a GeoEvent for Girls in SU RT2
Foxhound is one of the Cadettes helping Dopey - she went with Dopey yesterday to grab coordinates for the event. She needs to put together a cache by next Sunday - she claims she is TOO BUSY with homework - she is playing Minecraft & chatting on Skype with a friend right now - so - where is the "TOO BUSY"????

Still need to get more film canisters for CITO kits for the event - gonna try a few more Targets - and our favorite Photo store one more time before Sunday. They are SO difficult to find now with nearly everyone going "DIGITAL"


First weekend in June is our second multi-troop camp-out - we need to do a practice day with the Junior troop - haven't heard for sure that they can meet with us - and our troop needs to plan their dinner - thoughts are to do the same as last time - they have done it once - and it was easy - they pretty much handled it on their own - while I was busy with the Dump Cakes - Dutch Ovens and Box Ovens!


that's it for now.

Happy Resurection Sunday

Is that the new "politically correct" name?

Well, another busy Girl Scout week ahead - and Sara just told me she's  not sure she wants to continue... disappointed in the troop turn out for the meetings - says "we're not a "troop" two of the girls of our total of five are rarely if ever there. and they keep changing the formats and the new journeys are"cheesey"..."  - I told her that she and I could be Independents - We aren't sure if our oldest girl will be continuing - she's graduating to High School - I am not happy.

Yesterday - I used a gift card three places: first, to get my car a much needed oil change, about $30 @ Target  & last, a new cabin air filter - (which replaced one that was only about 6 months old ) because the guy @ Jiffy Lube told me (and SHOWED me) that the one I had was full of junk... and "grey" - which is by the way the color it STARTS out!!! - Some of the "junk" was RAT droppings~!???????!!? Not so sure I believe them there - but, even @ the store I got the filter at - they say it actually happened to them  a SQUIRREL got into the engine and chewed the wires & made a nest!

Crazy.

well, Girl Scout Spring Renewal is happening soon - on-line this year - we'll see - I really do not want Sara to quit...  next year is our 100 year anniversary!

So many blogs so little time

I mean to blog way more often than I ever do...
meant to way back in October.. when nut sales started and we had a four troop camp out and that flew by - then other weekends and those flew too - then cookie sales and a friend's passing - it ALL flew by.



Now - it seems pointless to post the old news

Tonight daughter and husband are playing Laser Tag with other Girl Scouts - they are both XBox (360) gamers so Sara was REALLY excited to do a LIVE game.... 

I am making a promise to try to get here once a week - I will try to do my best!

Long Time no Post

Will try to post something real this weekend - just keep forgetting....

Kohl's Cares on Facebook (33)

Kohl's Cares on Facebook (33)


I really don't know how this works....

please help my daughter's school get some votes - you can vote five times

Cacophany

Well, not exactly – “disharmonic” or even “dissonance”.

But, definitely very loud! Every morning dozens of birds sing their lungs out – Sparrows (probably house), Finches (we see mostly House), Hummingbirds, Orioles, Mocking Birds, Mourning Doves, sometimes Crows and even Geese! Always, they begin before the first alarm, 5:30am or earlier.  I wish I could identify them all by their calls… I know people who can. I only know for sure the Oriole, Mourning Dove, (Anna’s) Hummingbirds, and Crows.

This morning I decided to “get up with them". I needed to check things on the computer. There are two benchmarks that may or may not be “discovered by us later today when we go to the Outdoor Center behind Irvine Regional Park for the Orange County Girl Scout Recognition Picnic; I have been told to attend; as I am one of the recipients of the “Spot Light Award” this year. I don’t trust the listed coordinates. I use Google Earth and the “to reach” descriptions. One matches – one does not – so – it is a “we’ll see” kinda thing – I have two other sets of eyes to help.

and

Memorial Day 2010 –  

Last weekend was a Saturday that I work half day. Afterward, Foxhound and I went to the Villa Park Towne Centre to grab six Waymarks and add two or three more. Then – there were four more benchmarks I wanted to find and add to www.waymarking.com. THREE of them along Santiago Canyon Road outside Holy Sepulcher Cemetery. I had told Foxhound that parking inside the cemetery was safest – then walk to the three benchmarks. We discovered a sea of American Flags at the Cemetery!!! One stood out as it was MUCH larger than all the others and Foxhound insisted we go to that one.

There, we met Joel K Brattain – Bronze Star and Purple Heart – 21 ½ year old Hero. I took a picture of Foxhound there – it might just replace my favorite picture of her and the white rose…

Tushita Heaven

On the Fridays we don't have Girl Scouts - usually I just come home - but, DJ posted on FB that Kori Linae Carothers would be the guest Artist - and we'd met her last time we were there to see Scott August - so I told Sara that I'd swing by home and we'd race over there - for Kori. John Luttrell was there too - and they played together - it was amazing.

till next time...

Scott August!

last night Sara and I went to Tushita Heaven http://www.tushitaheaven.com/ in San Juan Capistrano to see our favorite Native American flute player - Scott August http://www.cedarmesa.com/lostcanyons/index.html He had a great turn out of people to listen to him - and as a bonus - we also met Kori Linae Carothers and John Luttrell were in the audience! Scott play music from his new album - Radiant Sky - it was an amazing night

Rainy Saturday

Saturday February 6, 2010 - It is raining- so no hike at O'Neill Regional... We had to take care of some Girl Scout errands - Bank to deposit Cookies Now Money and the Post Office to get Over Seas Stamps - then what??? Sara ALWAYS wants to know what we are doing AFTER.

So while I was waiting for her to get up - I farmed my FarmVille Farm... noticed a new sign - It was probably a glitch that caused the sign to be from "?" but I knew from that message - it came from a friend who works at a "REAL" farm - in San Juan Capistrano!! She had some REALLY exciting news... THEN - DJ on KSBR says that Scott August will be at a store called Tushita Heaven next Friday (02.12.10)... I had never heard of the store - so - I Google-Earthed it. In the intersection by Zia Jewelers, the Mission and Starbucks??? - must go in person to find it....

I raced up-stairs and said to Sara; "I know what we're going to do today Ferb" - that's from Disney's Phineas and Ferb for those who might not know... I told her - we had to do the GS stuff - then San Juan - had to re-new our Annual Pass at the Mission too - and of course there are the Blueberry Bagels with Berry Cream Cheese and a "new Store" and ~ZOOMARS~

took care of the Girl Scout stops and got DRENCHED in the down pour while I was getting gas for the car...

Down Antonio to San Juan! This time - since there is a new park (Los Rios Park) near the Mission and Zoomars.. we parked there instead of our normal lot - besides with the weather - we'd get less wet - First, we went to the Mission to do the renewal thing - They had an awesome book about the Mission this time when you re-newed! We walked around a little bit - the fish were nearly swimming out of their fountains! water was to the very brim! One golden Koi kept putting its nose (?) and chubby cheeks - yes - it has chubby cheeks! - out of the water!

We left the Mission to find the "new" store - I told Sara that Google Earth had it in the Starbucks building - wrong... and it wasn't in the Zia Building either - no store there is big enough for Scott August to play and people see him... What about the Ruby's building?? hadn't been there in a really long time - and there are several levels to that one... up stairs - around and THERE - there's the sign - around and down! Open the door - WOW! this place is BIG! and zoom - a white and brown blurr races past us! A "dog" store!! We spent at least a half hour there - a really cool place - "Enlightened Living" is the rest of the store's name. Sara's first spot - (besides the dog) was the polished stones - we ended up getting two - mine - a Kyanite - her's, she doesn't remember it's name but it is teal in color. The dog - he lives for visitors to play tennis ball with him - which - we both did...

next - Sara is hungry - she wants one of those bagels... thankfully the rain is holding off and we walk to the parking lot where we usually park - and The Bagel Shack! These bagels are really good! Next time tho I want to try one of those sandwiches!

I was figuring that Zoomars might not be open due to the rain -- but there was that sign at my FarmVille.... we walked down Los Rios and towards Zoomars... it's OPEN! and my friend is at the entry booth - I ask her about the triplets... and she grabs some feed baskets says "You saw the sign! - they are behind the shed go see them" We got to go in their pen with their mom and three other expectant goats. OHHHH so cute!! And Mommy goat - she was the biggest of the four and nearly pure white - was SOOO hungry! She ate almost all the carrots and other veggies. The three babies were jumping and falling and climbing and falling and getting on top of the other mommy-to-be's backs and falling and shaking it off to do it all over again! They went to Mom and nursed - and back to playing. I spent most of my time petting one of the other goats - she just stood there leaning her head into me. It is relaxing to pet any animal - especially when the animal needs to relax too.

We left the goats - back to the car - and Sara insists that we play on the playground - I let Her do all the playing. The Clouds are rolling in (fast) - Sara we gotta go.... and we still have a few more stops to make! We stopped by Michael's and Chick-Fil-A (bought 3 sandwiches to-go/one was free!) on the way home - enjoyed the afternoon rain from inside the house.

Hoffman Homestead Trail -

with the Jewish Hikers group.

I kinda forgot about my blog - been busy and some times - thot of blogging - that sidetracked...

Anyway - today we (Sara and I) went with this group that I used to hike with often. They were heading out of O'Neill Regional Park to the Monastery at the end of Hoffman Homestead Trail - we'd never been actually IN the monastery and had heard about their shrine to the Major Religions and told Sara that I wanted to see it. http://www.vedanta.org/vssc/centers/tours/trabtrail.html for their website - It was a long hike for Sara but, she did it - and several of the adults - talked to her - one - Barbara - a professional artist from Montana - quite a bit - Sara enjoyed that.

We dodged the rain, it started several hours after we came home - beautiful cool day for the hike! and - no cougars.

ROMEO: Staffordshire Bull Terrier - Australian Shepard - Boxer -

SO I ordered a DNA test from PetCo for Romeo our "Beagle-Whippet" per the Mission Viejo Shelter. All were listed in the "in-the-mix" category meaning he is a Full-Blooded Mutt. But, we knew that, and I knew there was NO Beagle there. Boxer??? Sure he always seemed to especially like them at the dog parks and Boxer owners say their dogs KNOW other boxers from other dogs (??) But he looks nothing like a boxer. And that Australian Shepard thing... lots of people have guessed that about Romeo - but WHERE is the LONG fur???? He didn't get the fur!!!

Staffordshire Bull Terrier... I can see the hind quarters - strong and similar to the Whippet and Greyhound - built for speed and running - yes - that I can agree with - 100% but, his legs and feet... Romeo's feet are sleek and slender and he has longish toes like the whippet and greyhound. He is not so stocky - barrel chest - yes - always I saw that - THAT for sure - but wow - maybe we'll go with the extend version - it can tag nearly 100 breeds - maybe.

Saw something about the Staffordshire that they particularly like children - again lots of dogs do - and Romeo has always tended towards them - "asking" for pets from them first....


From the Westminster Kennel Club: The first impression of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier is that of strength, intelligence and tenacity. The alert stance, big smile and wagging tail with which he welcomes all human visitors confirm the breed standard's call to show its "...affection for its friends and children in particular, its off-duty quietness and trustworthy stability." Although originally bred for the pit many years ago, the Staffordshire is best known today as a foremost all-purpose family dog with a steady and dependable nature, outstanding athletic ability in the performance sports of agility and flyball, and the intelligence to be successful in the obedience ring.

Read the "NAture of the Beast" on the SBTCA site - and even if it is "in the mix" much of the description of that breed fits Romeo - so again - maybe - DNA doesn't lie on CSI...

El Pollo Loco

Yeah I could use a year's free anything - might as well be Flame-Grilled Chicken!