M122

I was at our monthly Girl Scout Service Unit Meeting a week ago.  We had a Guest Speaker from the Irvine Ranch Conservancy. She told us about the programs the agency offers, concentrating on the ones geared towards kids. On page 15 of their "Activity Guide" book "IRVINE RANCH Natural Landmarks ~Let's Go Outside!~"  was a box for OUR HIKES! Yes, the ones my daughter & I have lead for nearly 18 years. My daughter will be turning 18 in September and SHE has been on most of the hikes with me. She has never lead one but, she is always there to help out.

Well, I had to tell all the leaders that if they wanted to do THAT activity, that we are the Docents on the 2nd & 4th Saturdays. 

After the meeting one of the Leaders came over to me to get my information and to show me some pictures and a video that a friend of hers had posted to Facebook.  The video wouldn't play but, the pictures were of a collared (radio collar) cougar!  OH! MY! Her friend had set cameras out and captured this cat on video! 

Last September, we lost a dear Ranger and friend.  She had taught me almost everything that I know about these beautiful cats including how to read their tracks.  The weekend after she passed away my Girl Scout Service Unit was camping out in O'Neill Regional Park. I toll my troop on a hike to find a Geocache in the park. We took Hoffman Homestead Trail out to the Monastery.  Along the way, we found cougar tracks.  I have lost my calipers that I used to measure the tracks when I'd find them. So, I took pictures.

I felt the presence of Donna even thought it was a Cougar track.  I don't know but, perhaps these tracks are from that same cat.

At her Celebration of Life service we met some of her colleagues. Some who she worked with in the Cougar Studies that placed the collars on the cougars. 

I contacted one of them and asked him if he might know which cat had been captured on the camera.  He replied to me that he indeed knew.  M122.  He's a 2 to 2 1/2 year old male.  He covers long ranges trying to find a place to call "his own". 

I was able to get the guy with the camera connected with the guy who placed the collar. They are now exchanging information about M122. The data from his collar transmits about once an hour. Having him on video adds much to his information.
It was a great week.

Girl Scouts and Movies

GIRLS SCOUTS ROCK!

This weekend Sara and I led four short hikes for Service Unit RT2 - for their SU Camp-Out at O'Neill Regional Park... They gave us thank-you cards with a special treat for a movie! We went today to see Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

Very good - better than I expected! We started seeing the previews during our vacation in August at Tahoe.... Sara has read the book - she says, several times we even gave the book to the book drive thru Borders. Alan Parsons Project is featured in the soundtrack!!! I was enjoying the SIMON door-code-lock when all of a sudden there was Sirius playing in the background!!!

Something else in the movie made me think of Big Bang Theory and Sheldon.

I love Nerds!

Acorn Day October 18th - O'Neill Regional Park

I guess the Rangers wished it was bigger.

But I was very please with the showing of Girl Scouts!! Service Units from Garden Grove - Orange - Lake Forest - Aliso Viejo - RSM - and a few others too!

Our 10am hike was a blast -- nearly all Girl Scouts! I included a talk under my favorite Oak on the Water Tank Road. We had a smaller hike at 3:30 and it too was very well received.

Our groups always thank us and tell us were were great - but a Jackson Browne comes to mind - nearly every time "...Tonight the people were so fine, they waited there in line And when they got up on their feet, they made the show ... People you've got the power over what we do, You can sit there and wait or you can pull us through Come along, sing the song You know that you can't go wrong..."

I love when I can feel the groups connect and respond! Not saying what we do is "a show" but - the people make it for us - when a kid has a reaction to what I say - and I KNOW the kid "GETS IT" - I am blessed!


Thank-you to all who attended Acorn Day this year - YOU MADE MY DAY!

Henry Winkler and Betta Fish

Chase is airing "spotlight company" commercials - "-cause they're *NEW* to California" - this week was "Pacific Reef Tropical Fish" - I got the coupon - now where's the location? Hey - there's one on the way home from work! Tried Friday - but - they were all out and said another shipment was coming at 4pm - um - "tomorrow?" I ask - they said they should still have some - today after work - on our way to the Readers' Festival - I stopped by again -- this time with Sara - I told her I had wanted to surprise her yesterday but that they ran out of the fish. The coupon was for the fish and a "Disco Betta" starter kit. they said the fish had gone MUCH faster then they expected! We had to buy food and water conditioner - but I had just received a $25 gift card this week - SOO - FREE FISHY!

Now, as I said - "on our way to the Reader's Festival"
http://missionviejolife.org/2009/08/25/henry-winkler-headlines-mission-viejo-readers-festival/
- in Mission Viejo - to see Henry Winkler - he writes kids books (and I'll bet you thot he was just "the Fonz") - the Hank Zipzer: The World’s Most Amazing Underachiever series. We bought 3 of the books at Borders Wednesday for him to autograph today. To actually SEE him (he spoke) you had to get there early and get a wristband - but WE got in line for the Autographs about half an hour b4 he finished speaking inside. ten people tops - in front of us! Sara was beside herself to actually met an author - she is not too familiar with The Fonz (me - I remember those Happy Days) But, I also remember HOLES - and I loved him as Stanley Yelnats' dad - Stanley Yelnats - and "I don't smell anything" - couldn't talk to him tho as the line - oh the LINE! am I ever glad we got there when we did and hopped right in the line - and waited half an hour - very glad, it was VERY long!!! - Sara got a picture of him - and the three books are now autographed!

The Festival - nice job Mission Viejo - lots of great booths! Ideas for Girl Scouts - (Sara and I were wearing our NEW GS T-Shirts and people noticed) - like places for Service Projects! OH! and KSBR was there too - we stopped and talked to Gary - one of these days I am going to remember his name when I SEE him! We told him we heard about the event on KSBR - they are giving away trips to Catalina again - but I think this year - I will have to pass - can't listen at work - and when I am driving home- they have already finished announcing for the day...


and the fish - everyone was asking us where we got him - his name: "Henry W"

FaceBook and Girl Scouts!

Spent WAY too much time hunting HATCHLINGS - Way too much time...

I started a "group" for our Girl Scout Service Unit - and before it was even really ready a buddy requested to join!!

Set some more stuff up on it and sent invites to the Service Unit and - no one else :( But, it is a nice weekend - maybe in the coming week.

Went to the Orange County Girl Scout Council August kick-off this past Tuesday - Only one other person from our Service Unit went with me - funny thing - she's the buddy who is in the GROUP I started today! It was at the Kick-off that I heard to use FaceBook as the platform for the SU site - easier than setting up and entire site on my own, I was told. Boy, was it easy. Only thing is that I can make it fancy - but - the price is right - and for now - it will be great - IF I can get some response! Pictures, Events and other things can be added all right there for the group - EASY!

Tomorrow - I may have a new Daisy Leader to give Orientation to but, have not heard from her - no email replies and I don't have a phone number for her - I just have to show up - just in case - that is a bit frustrating when I don't hear anything... but - I never get tied of where I hold the Orientations - so if no one shows- my daughter and I will just enjoy the oaks for a while - and listen to the birds.

Girl Scout Cookie Sales Over

Well our little troop sold 213 boxes - 105 were "extra boxes" - if we'd done a booth - or two we probably could have done even more...

next is International Day - and we are representing (South) Korea. Our meeting is tomorrow and I have exciting news for the girls - I think...

Then - in May -we are to do a two troop camp out - That will be fun -

Tired - and need to do laundry and find something for dinner - everyone else in the house is busy playing "computer games" of one sort or another...

Scott August and similar streaming on Pandora.

Favorite Color

and the winner is BLUE

on the sign in sheet for our Girl Scout Service Unit Meeting tonight I asked for Favorite Color - Out of eleven attending (It was Ash Wednesday - so many were at Church instead of a Girl Scout Meeting) FIVE wrote BLUE.

Still trying to figure out HOW to get more leaders to come - having an older girl for the younger ones to do activities with - so far - a bust - just seems no one seems to think the "One representative from each troop is to be at Each Service Unit Meeting" really means anything... need to figure out an incentive... maybe that Yorba Linda Service Unit has ideas!

My Favorite Color is PURPLE!