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321 Monteray Avenue, North Vancouver Listing #: R2299253
Gorgeous house sitting in a private street with water views and swimming pool! Easy access 5 minutes driving to brand new community cetnre, shopping mall & Grouse Mountain. Fully renovated in 2012. Spacious South facing living room with access to a large sundeck. Open kitchen with stainless appliances, quartz countertops & custom wood cabinets. Oak hardwood floor, 2 fireplace on main floor. 4 bedrooms upstairs. Oversized master bedroom with downtown views, private deck and ensuite. 2 other bedrooms with walk-in closets. Lower level set up for entertainment with media room, games room, sauna & bathroom. Walkout basement access to 2,000 SF sunny deck and swimming pool. Lots of Storages. A quality luxury house in Upper Delbrook.
Taxes (2017): $8,349.73
- ClthWsh
- Dryr
- Frdg
- Stve
- Disposal - Waste
- Smoke Alarm
- Swimming Pool Equip.
Site Influences
- Cul-de-Sac
- Private Setting
- Private Yard
- Recreation Nearby
- Shopping Nearby
- Ski Hill Nearby
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Listed By: Sutton Group-West Coast Realty
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Kate Distin is an independent scholar based in England.
She read History and Philosophy of Science at Clare College, Cambridge University, where her final year dissertation, prepared under the supervision of the late Peter Lipton, concerned the relationship between mind and brain.
From there, after a brief and risibly inappropriate attempt to train as a chartered accountant, Kate went on to join the Philosophy Department at Sheffield University. Under the supervision of George Botterill and Peter Carruthers, she completed her doctoral thesis, Mental Evolution.
After leaving Sheffield Kate qualified as a teacher and spent some time teaching both Religious Education and Philosophy in secondary schools. Her interest in memes persisted, however, and eventually The Selfish Meme emerged from the ideas in her original doctoral thesis.
Kate has also spent several years as a volunteer counsellor for the National Association for Gifted Children, and since leaving the Association she has edited and co-written a book about the needs of gifted children and their families.
In recent years, her interest in cultural evolution was revived, and has broadened to produce a book that explains human cultural evolution as the product of our capacity for natural and artefactual languages.
Copyright ©2005-17 Kate Distin. All Rights Reserved.
Website errors to email@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


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Now here comes the Ron Paul camp, claiming to have raised $5 million in campaign funds. That's nothing to sneeze at. And it seems to have been a result of an odd chain-reaction. Paul famously got dressed down by Rudy Giuliani at one of the debates for saying our international policy created 9/11. The press jumped all over it. Republican bloggers jumped all over Paul, largely to make fun of him. Then Paul's supporters jumped into the fray, claiming the major bloggers were off base and that Paul's performance had touched a nerve in the American people, moving him up in (internet) polls (in real-world polls, he was coming in right at ... well ... zero). Sites were created, tough-sounding e-mails were sent and it all seemed to be the makings of one of those fringe campaigns that were fun to check in on from time to time -- the Republican version of the Mike Gravel campaign, if you will.
But it seems that the Ron Paul base was motivated enough to cobble together $5 million. If the numbers are accurate -- IF -- that puts Paul within reach of John McCain.


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Woho! Finally vacation!
I've dreamed about the sun and blue skyes for so many cold, dark swedish months and now we're here! It's even better than I imagined – lazy days with snorkeling, sunworshiping, beach yoga and hanging out with friends, wonderful bungalow hotel and I'm sold. Could'nt ask for more. And the Thai-people are so nice! This break is just what I need before reality kicks in.
When we get back home me and my fiance are moving to his hometown Karlstad and starting our first jobs as doctors. Ofcourse I'm excited for this new period in our lives but I'm also sad to leave all our friends, my family and Uppsala behind. For me it's a big step and two weeks break in Thailand to catch my breath could'nt have come with better timing. Hanging out on the beach has had me thinking. Life is a bundle of memories and thoose I remember the most are the new experiences that came with both new great things but also pain and worries over what your leaving behind. Even the not so positive experiences have always served a purpose for me and helped me grow in to the person I am. That thought calms me a little bit and makes me think that there is no point in worrying about this new change, whatever comes with it will have a purpose in my life in some way.
So I lean back a bit more in my sun-chair, take a sip of my fruitshake and smile, enjoying the present and definitly looking forward to the future!


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Donkey Tonto for iPhoneFree
Free Luo Zhi En iOS Version 2.1 Full Specs
Publisher's Description
From Luo Zhi En:
"A quick, cute, and warm puzzle." -Apps24h.com "Great Game!" -Bendrew, App Store reviewer Donkey picks his nose because he can't deliver the package. Help Donkey by running, jumping, throwing, and *thinking* your way through these puzzles. JUST WATCH OUT FOR THE POOP! Donkey Tonto is a physics puzzle game. It is inspired by the classic Chinese tale, "Colt Crossing River." The goal of Donkey Tonto is to deliver packages, avoid the poop, and collect the envelopes. Making deliveries requires creative use of the objects around Donkey. There are multiples ways of passing levels, but you should find the fastest one. Bear in mind that sometimes a Donkey's mind is more powerful than his muscles. Donkey Tonto has a vibrant, hand-drawn style, combining exaggerative animation with a humorous plot. The result is one of the best games of 2012. So go help Donkey! Give him imagination! And when you succeed, congratulations! You made it! You are a genius.
read more +


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XYREM® (sodium oxybate) oral solution, 0.5 g/mL is a prescription medicine used to treat the following symptoms in people who fall asleep frequently during the day, often at unexpected times (narcolepsy):
XYREM may only be given to patients enrolled in the XYREM REMS Program.
WARNING: This medicine can have very serious side effects and has been misused and abused. Do not use with other medicines that slow your breathing or mental activity, or cause sleepiness.
XYREM has caused changes in alertness (or consciousness) and trouble breathing (respiratory depression). Call your doctor right away if you have any of these serious side effects. These effects happened even when XYREM was given in recommended doses. In studies, almost all of the patients with narcolepsy who were given XYREM were also taking medicines to help them stay awake during the day.
XYREM is a form of gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB). Abuse of GHB alone or with other drugs that cause changes in alertness (or consciousness) has caused serious side effects. These effects include seizures, trouble breathing (respiratory depression), very low levels of alertness (or consciousness), coma, and death.
Because of these risks, you have to go through the XYREM REMS Program to have your prescription for XYREM filled. The XYREM REMS Program uses the central Certified Pharmacy. For further information, go to www.XYREMREMS.com or call 1-866-XYREM88® (1-866-997-3688). Both patients and their doctors have to join this Program.
Do not take XYREM if you take other sleep medicines or sedatives (medicines that cause sleepiness), drink alcohol, or have a rare problem called succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency.
XYREM is a controlled substance (CIII) because it contains sodium oxybate that can be a target for people who abuse prescription medicines or street drugs. Never give your XYREM to anyone else because it may cause death or harm them. Selling or giving away this medicine is against the law.
Do not drive a car, use heavy machinery, fly an airplane, or do anything that is dangerous or that requires you to be fully awake for at least 6 hours after you take XYREM. You should not do those activities until you know how XYREM affects you.
XYREM can cause serious side effects, including the following:
Tell your doctor if you are on a salt-restricted diet or if you have high blood pressure, heart failure, or kidney problems. XYREM contains a lot of sodium (salt) and may not be right for you.
The most common side effects of XYREM include nausea, dizziness, vomiting, bedwetting, and diarrhea. Your side effects may increase when you take higher doses of XYREM. XYREM can cause physical dependence and craving for the medicine when it is not taken as directed. These are not all the possible side effects of XYREM.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see full Prescribing Information, including BOXED Warning, and Medication Guide.


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On the first day of the Khmer New Year, Cambodians across the Kingdom are quick to turn on their TV sets when Television Kampuchea (TVK) broadcasts the live selection for the year's new Angel.
This year, the Angel is traditional Khmer dancer Sang Phorsda – who has been selected and looks forward to her debut as the upcoming Angel.
"About a month ago, TVK contacted my school to find an actress for the New Year show, and I was selected because of recommendations from my teachers," 23-year-old Phorsda says.
"I was very proud and excited to be the new Angel because this might be the biggest thing to happen in my life, and I'll always be known as an Angel."
This is certainly not Phorsda's first time taking the spotlight.
"I've been the star actress in two Khmer movies, Banana Tree Ghost and Blue Betel Nut Evil," she said.
As she showed her Angel photos, Phorsda explained that acting the part was no easy task – even with her experience.
Acting as an Angel, she said, doesn't come naturally – so it's a matter of believing the part.
"I take it seriously – I told myself that I'm an Angel, and that I'm no longer a human – in order to be good at acting the part."
Phorsda is skilled in performance art across the board, including traditional singing and opera.
"I'd loved dancing since I was young, so my father sent me to school for it in 1998," she said.
Phorsda's talent has brought her to twelve different countries from Asia to Europe.
"I know that I'm not the best dancer at my school," she said. "But my teachers gave me this opportunity because I'm the most hard-working."
Regardless of the few opportunities available for traditional dancers, Phorsda persevered and never questioned her passion for the art.
"Some people might not value dancers because they don't earn much, but I remind myself of my importance to Cambodia's cultural preservation," she reflected.
As she plans for her future, Phorsda wants to continue the art of traditional dancing by becoming a teacher and spreading her skills to the upcoming generation of students.
"Traditional dancing is a means for expressing our identity as Cambodians to the world," she said.


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In the article "Young academics' research 'elegant but not interesting' " (News, 23 February), Richard Robison, discussing the increasing "conservatism" of young scholars' papers, says: "Ironically, the people who are writing the most outrageous stuff tend to be older academics who've got nothing to lose, who can publish in these journals simply because of their reputation."
There is no irony here: it is precisely the condition that a two-tier research culture, split between tenured and precarious academics, is designed to create. It should also be noted that the peer review process can iron out the radical as a condition of publication.
Bold research is being done, but it might not get into mainstream journals, so it is disseminated via alternative venues including open access platforms, blogs and other less traditional outlets.
Via timeshighereducation.com
What is happening in journals reflects what is happening in universities themselves. I am lucky to have some astonishingly radical tutors and to be surrounded by similarly radical, critical peers.
However, universities are run increasingly like businesses, which creates an environment that discourages genuinely important work and research and instead valorises what will make the beneficiaries of our universities a quick buck. Researchers infected with this mindset will often curtail their own thought in order to succeed in their field. Universities are meant to be for critical thought.
Via timeshighereducation.com
Send to
Letters should be sent to: firstname.lastname@example.com
Letters for publication in Times Higher Education should arrive by 9am Monday.
View terms and conditions.


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Kevin Cantwell is the author of two poetry collections, One of Those Russian Novels and Something Black in the Green Part of Your
Eye. His poems have appeared in Commonweal, Paris Review, The New Republic, Shenandoah,Antioch Review, Southwest Review, Metre, Poetry, and Irish Pages. His anthology, Writing
on Napkins at the Sunshine Club: An Anthology of Poets Writing in Macon, was published by Mercer University Press in 2011, and in 2012 he won the James Dickey Poetry Prize from Five Points. He chairs the Department of Media, Culture, and the Arts at Middle Georgia
State College. Read more about him at


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The Dubai police chief Dahi Khalfan has warned of an "international plot" to overthrow Arab states with Western ties by Islamist organizations, including the Muslim Brotherhood. The Jerusalem Postreport comes as questions linger regarding connections between the Obama administration and the Muslim Brotherhood. In a recent article in National Review, terrorism prosecutor Andrew McCarthy documented ties between Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's aide Huma Abedin and the Muslim Brotherhood.
Michelle Bachmann recently expressed concern for possible U.S. government infiltration by the Islamist organization in a memo sent to Muslim Congressman Keith Ellison. The Minnesota Congresswoman's inquiry into the nature of any ties Ellison might have with the organization ignited a left-wing media political backlash.
The comments of the police chief presiding in Dubai, United Arab Emirates show the high national security and foreign policy stakes of such potential connections.
There's an international plot against Gulf states in particular and Arab countries in general…This is preplanned to take over our fortunes," Khalfan told reporters at a gathering late on Wednesday marking the Muslim holy month of Ramadan."The bigger our sovereign wealth funds and the more money we put in the banks of Western countries, the bigger the plot to take over our countries…The brothers and their governments in Damascus and North Africa have to know that the Gulf is a red line, not only for Iran but also for the Brothers as well."
The warnings come as the aftermath of the so-called "Arab Spring," when numerous Islamist parties gained power and influence across the Middle East. This is particularly the case in Egypt, where Obama personally intervened in the removal of former President Hosni Mubarak and thereby helped to usher into power the Muslim Brotherhood-connected Mohamed Morsi.
The Obama White House earlier this year hosted the Muslim Brotherhood and bypassed Congressto send $1.5 billion of American taxpayers' dollars in military aid to the organization. FBI DirectorRobert Mueller has stated on the record that the Muslim Brotherhood supports terrorism and has significant ties within the United States.
Please SHARE this if you want your fellow citizens to be alert about potential Muslim Brotherhood ties to the Obama administration!
The American Thinker reported:
In this YouTube video from Walid Shoebat's site, Tom Trento, of United West, describes the recent collusion of the president of the United States with the terrorist group known as the Muslim Brotherhood. Besides heading United West, Tom Trento is the executive director of the Florida Security Council; both organizations "specialize in international terrorism research and grassroots activism."
Mentioned in the YouTube presentation, The ISNA or Islamic Society of North America has been described by Islamic scholar Stephen Schwartz as "one of the chief conduits through which the radical Saudi form of Islam passes into the United States." Furthermore, "according to terrorism expert Steven Emerson, ISNA 'is a radical group hiding under a false veneer of moderation'; 'convenes annual conferences where Islamist militants have been given a platform to incite violence and promote hatred' (for instance, al Qaeda supporter and PLO official Yusuf Al-Qaradhawi was invited to speak at an ISNA conference); has held fundraisers for terrorists (after Hamas leader Mousa Marzook was arrested and eventually deported in 1997, ISNA raised money for his defense); has condemned the U.S. government's post-9/11 seizure of Hamas' and Palestinian Islamic Jihad's financial assets; and publishes a bi-monthly magazine, Islamic Horizons, that 'often champions militant Islamist doctrine.'"
One of the authors of the in-depth book entitled Shariah: The Threat to America, Tom Trento helped to expose the infiltration of the Muslim Brotherhood and its offshoots into the United States. In this well-documented text available to read online here, the Muslim Brotherhood's tactics and ultimate desire for global sharia implementation are described. The Muslim Brotherhood's "mission in the West is sedition in the furtherance of shariah's supremacist agenda, not peaceful assimilation and co-existence with non-Muslim populations."
And yet, Barack Hussein Obama not only invites this group which should be put on a terrorist watch list, but also writes out a check for $1.5 billion of American taxpayer money to assist their regime in Egypt. What conclusion can be made when a president gives money to a group bent on the destruction of the very country giving this money to them?
According to Israel Elad Altman in his 2009 research monograph entitled "Strategies of the Muslim Brotherhood Movement," the Muslim Brotherhood, otherwise known as the Ikhwan:
... believes that its purposes in the West are, for the moment, better advanced by the use of non-violent, stealthy techniques. In that connection, the Muslim Brotherhood seeks to establish relations with, influence and, wherever possible, penetrate government circles in executive and legislative branches at the federal, state, and local levels; the law enforcement community; intelligence agencies; the military; penal institutions, the media; think tanks and policy groups; academic institutions, non-Muslim religious communities; and other elites. The Brothers engage in all of these activities and more for one reason: to subvert the targeted communities in furtherance of the Muslim Brother's primary objective -- the triumph of shariah.
Is this why Mr. Obama is giving moral and financial assistance to the Muslim Brotherhood? Is this why he surrounds himself with people who ardently support sharia implementation? Why is he never questioned by news reporters about his support of a terrorist organization and the implications for American security of such a strategy?
Tom Trento also runs the site WatchObsession.org, which highlights the ongoing terror tactics that have been used in countries as far away as Bali to those closer to home in the United States. This film underscores the violence of the Muslim Brotherhood offshoots such as Hezb'allah and Hamas. In fact, in "the Muslim Brotherhood's own Explanatory memorandum the following groups are listed as 'friends.'"
- Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)
- Muslim Student Association (MSA)
- Muslim Communities Association (MCA)
- Association of Muslim Social Scientists (AMSS)
- Association of Muslim Scientists and Engineers (AMSE)
- Islamic Medical Association (IMA)
- Islamic Teaching Center (ITC)
- North American Islamic Trust (NAIT)
- Foundation for International Development (FID)
- Islamic Housing Cooperative (IHC)
- Islamic Centers Division (ICD)
- American Trust Publications (ATP)
- Audio-Visual Center (AVC)
- Islamic Book Service (IBS)
- Muslim Businessmen Association (MBA)
- Muslim Youth of North America (MYNA)
- Malasian [sic] Islamic Study Group (MISG)
- Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP)
- United Association for Studies and Research (UASR)
- Occupied Land Fund (OLF)
- Mercy International Association (MIA)
- Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA)
- Baitul Mal Inc (BMI)
- International Institute for Islamic Thought (IIIT)
- Islamic Information Center (IIC)
In fact, every terrorist attack sponsored by the jihadists is not a separate event but a well-coordinated declaration of war in the global attack against Western democracy and Judeo-Christian values.
Trento explains the anti-Christian, anti-Jewish philosophy of the Muslim Brotherhood and exhorts his "Jewish brothers and sisters" to please take note of the deadly intentions of the Muslim Brotherhood and their front organization, the ISNA.
This is particularly important as a new American Jewish Committee survey indicates that Obama's Jewish numbers are on the rise. It is frankly inconceivable that three-fifths of American Jews still support this man, and while observers remain cautious about these AJC poll results, one wonders why they are at this level at all. Is it ignorance, indifference, or lack of perception that, given Obama's anti-Jewish connections, Jews still adhere to the ideology of "Vote Democrat" no matter what?
In May 2011, three authors of Shariah: The Threat to America joined a new coalition entitled Israel: You're Not Alone. Frank Gaffney, Gen. Jerry Boykin (ret.), and Tom Trento "addressed different points about America's relationship with Israel." A comment at this site was made by a respondent named Ron. He writes "that [he] Stand[s] With Israel and will support Israel in any and all ways that [he is] able. However, [he has] one question about Jews.....Why do Jews continue to support democrats just because their liberal views are more aligned with them. They voted 78% for Obama in 2008 and it appears they may support him again. Ron wonder[s] why [he] should even support Israel when the American Jews won't help their own people by crossing over and voting for the republican party who will support and defend Israel? They didn't learn a lesson when Obama just spit in their face? Geeez [sic]."
Geez, indeed! I wonder, too.
Read more: http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/05/muslim_brotherhood_wants_to_re-elect_barack_hussein_obama.html#ixzz25eK1QNcd
There is so much showing Obama's close ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.


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I spent the last year observing and analyzing the approaches being used to tackle the growing problem of childhood mistreatment. As the old saying goes, when you know what you are currently doing is not working, and you continue to do more of it in hopes that it will ultimately work, you are involved in insanity. Not exactly the original wording, but you get the idea. I think the time has come for society to reassess its child advocacy agenda, and for new options to be placed on the table. With that in mind, the Angel Heart Foundation will be refocusing its efforts in this arena. We are rewriting our mission statement and will be redesigning the website.
I will keep you up to date on our progress!


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Luckily I spied the gorgeous new woodgrain and doily set which made it slightly less traumatic to get texture paste on my hands, desk, shirt and face... seriously that stuff seems to spread when you're not looking.
TIP | The stencils are quite pliable in comparison to other brands which make them ideal when you want a bit of flexibility to your design. So when it comes to washing your stencil and placing it back onto the clear plastic sheet I suggest that you lie the stencil down on a hard surface and have the backing sheet in your hand as it is stiffer and much easier to manoeuvre into position.
The sticky reverse side was wonderful for keeping the stencil in place when I added texture paste to my cardstock and it pealed off again without any problems at all. And because the stencil is wafer thin you get a lovely crisp image.
Using my current favourite colour combination of Mint and Tangerine I stamped and heat embossed two different doily designs then mounted them on top of each other using foam pop dots to create a bit of dimension.
SUPPLIES | Hampton Art
Hampton Art/Jillibean Soup - Stamp & Stencil Set (Doilies & Woodgrain) JB0279
Hampton Art/Jillibean Soup - Kraft Cardstock
Hampton Art/Jillibean Soup - Placemats (White Mini Journaling Frames) JB0148
Hampton Art/Jillibean Soup - Heart Healthy Red Bean Soup Flash Cards
Hampton Art/Jillibean Soup - Wood Sprinkles (Birthday) JB0272
Colorbox/Doodlebug Pigment Ink - Swimming Pool
Colorbox/Doodlebug Pigment Ink - Tangerine
SUPPLIES | Other
Doodlebug Sprinkles, Texture Paste, Embroidery Thread


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At 92, Jack Warner is one of the last Bomber Command boys standing.
Today his memory is as sharp as ever and he's keeping the memory of the RAF Bomber Command alive through painting.
The Almondbury widower has had several of his oil paintings – many of the Halifax bombers he flew – accepted for the forthcoming International Bomber Command Centre museum.
The museum, which is set to open near Lincoln next year, commemorates the achievements and the losses of the RAF Bomber Command which operated between 1936 and 1968.
As one of the last living World War Two bombers, keeping the memories of the courageous servicemen alive is important to Jack.
The grandfather-of-two volunteered at 17 and received training at 18.
By 19, he was a co-pilot aboard a Handley Page Halifax carrying out bombing raids on Nazi targets.
As part of a seven-man Royal Canadian Air Force Crew he took part in raids over Germany as well as Nazi-occupied France and Norway in 1943 and 1944. The RAF Bomber Command suffered much heavier losses than the Fighter Command, which took part in the Battle of Britain.
Flying a colossal aircraft in a straight line so the bomb aimer could make sure the payload hit its target was an extremely risky business.
Jack said: "We must have been easy meat for the guns so you were really glad when the bomb was dropped.
"Then you could get out of the stream of bombers and fighters and go home."
Most missions were 'just a job' to Jack and his seven-strong crew, led by Canadian pilot John Sinclair.
But on one mission over Oslo nearly went catastrophically wrong.
Their Halifax was tasked with dropping sea mines to pen the German navy in the Norwegian fjords.
But on their bombing run one of the Halifax's four engines was hit and the bomb doors jammed.
The crew, however, wasn't leaving without dropping the mine and so Sinclair went for another pass.
Jack said: "The inner port engine had been hit and I heard: 'round again' through the intercom.
"I thought: 'bloody hell!'
"But John managed to the feather the engine (rotate the propellor blades parallel to the airflow to reduce drag) and we went round to do the bombing run on three engines.
"We managed to drop the mine right where it should have been dropped.
"We got out of the vicinity of the guns and came back to base no problem."
But Jack saw some horrendous things.
One aircraft flying behind them over Coutances, in June 1944, was hit in the bomb bay causing the device – and the aircraft – to explode.
And being 'coned' – when the enemy fixes its searchlights on your plane – meant almost certain death.
But it happened to Jack's Halifax.
He said: "Being coned was the worst thing.
"If you could come out of cone you were lucky.
"You didn't escape a cone unless you pulled did some violent manoeuvres.
"We did it twice only because of John Sinclair's great manoeuvres."
But not everyone was as lucky as Jack who saw a fair few of his comrades perish.
The next day in the mess hall their absence would be conspicuous.
But Jack and his crew remained stoic thanks to some mental training Jack calls 'brainwashing.'
He said: "You just took it as you saw it.
"You just thought: 'poor b****r'.
"I should have cared but I was 19 and I didn't."
Jack added: "Nobody thought about getting hit and dying.
"Other people did get hit – but we didn't and we got away with it!"
Jack flew his last bombing mission of the war over Brest, Brittany, on June 10, 1944.
He trained others pilots at RAF Wymeswold, Leicestershire, before he was demobbed.
Jack returned to Huddersfield and continued working at Brook Motors.
He later worked as a sales manager and sold plants from his back garden in Almondbury before retiring.
Aged 25, he married Margaret who died 12 years ago.
Jack kept in touch with his former crew which included a trip to Vancouver, Canada, to see John Sinclair.
He remains the last surviving member of his crew after gunner George Pratt died more recently.
Jack was approached by a representative from the International Bomber Command Centre who visits him every six weeks.
As a prolific painter, Jack is more than happy to donate his war inspired works to the museum, which he hopes to be able to visit next year.


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I had posted earlier that I had a bushel and a half of peaches but we were up to two bushels and a half. That is a ton of peaches and even more so in the camper. The truck that brought the peaches up from Southern Illinois had a flat tire on the way up so the half bushel we bought was mushed. They offered to replace the whole bushel and a half but we only took an another bushel. I know only right. I really wanted something to do with the peals and pits and I came across the idea of cooking them down to make juice. I took that idea a step further and made syrup and jelly from the juice I made.
As we cut and peeled the peaches (because they were bruised) the peels and pits when into the slow cooker. Later we blanched the peaches and those peels and pits when into the slow cooker as well. I then added in about 3 cups or so of water to cover most of the peach peels. I left room for the peach peels and the really bruised peaches to cook down. I let it cook overnight on low in the slow cooker and in the morning I turned it off to cool a bit. I used a slow cooker instead of slow cooking them on the stove because it has been 100 degrees or higher here in Central Illinois and I don't turn the stove on at all if I can help it.
Peach Jelly
12 cups of peach juice from your slow cooker
4 boxes of classic pectin
9 cups of sugar
Combine the peach juice and the classic pectin and bring to a boil that you can't stir down. Add in the sugar and mix well to combine. Bring the mixture back to a boil, stirring all the time for one minute. Remove from heat and skim any foam off the top. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes for pints.
|The one on the left is jelly and the right one is syrup!
3 cups sugar (sweeten to taste)
8 or 9 cups of juice
Strain the peaches reserving the liquid. If you want a syrup that is not dark and cloudy, strain again using cheese cloth. I did not do this which is why my syrup is dark and has small bits of peach in it. Add the strained peach juice into a stockpot along with the sugar. Heat over medium high heat until it comes to a boil, stir often to dissolve the sugar. The longer you let the syrup boil the thicker it will become. I left ours on the thin side to use for snow cones. To can process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes for pints.
Are you going to look at your peach scarps differently now?
This post is also linked to Frugally Sustainable on Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways #36.


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Monday, January 2, 2012
Clutter Attracts Clutter
1 comment:
For like the millionth time, I LOVE your house! I received my copy of better homes and gardens a week or two ago and still haven't really looked at it. But after reading your post and looking at my desk that barely fits my computer right now I think maybe I should read about getting organized. Clutter does attract clutter, if you could see my room you would die. But I try to tell myself I only have this much stuff because I tried to fit the things from my days of living in an apartment into this one room in my parent's house. Your organizational skills and thriftiness are amazing and you make me want to be organized. Another person I know always tells me "a cluttered home is a cluttered mind" or something like that and it's true. Whenever my space is completely picked up and organized I feel so much better about everything in life.ReplyDelete


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giovedì 30 giugno 2011
Spring procession of Ljelje/Kraljice (queens) from Gorjani
The Procession of Queens is performed by the young girls of the village of Gorjani in the Slavonia region of north-east Croatia every spring. The girls in a group are divided into ten ''kraljevi'' (kings), who wear sabres and mens hats, and about five ''kraljice'' (queens), who wear white garlands on their heads like brides. On Whitsunday (a feast in the Christian calendar), they process from house to house, performing for the families they encounter.
Pubblicato da Francesco Scanagatta a 14:34
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On Tuesday, March 29, 2016, the Alliance for Global Health and Competitiveness hosted an Ambassadors' Forum. In attendance was Kenya's Ambassador to the US, Robinson Githae, and Peru's Ambassador, Luis Miguel Castilla Rubio. Both previously served as their countries' ministers of finance.
The Ambassadors spoke of the keys to building strong public health systems, which in turn support sustainable and inclusive development and job creation. Both ambassadors discussed the pressing need for capacity building to ensure more effective and efficient healthcare delivery systems.
Participants in this Forum included representatives of major healthcare businesses and nonprofit healthcare organizations.
The Alliance for Global Health and Competitiveness, LLC is a multi-stakeholder initiative (MSI) of the Business Council for Global Development, LLC.
© 2019 Alliance for Global Health and Competitiveness (AHC)
Tel: 202.296.8100


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Howl | May 3, 2017 | 3:35
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Add de-liciously deep pockets and that pert bow...
When all of these elements coincide, I think it is safe to label the resulting concoction perfection in a skirt.
I nearly fell over when the first two tulle skirts flew off the shelves! I always find myself flabbergasted, thrilled, and vociferously cheering on the individual who joined me on my journey each and every time I'm given a sale. (Sometimes I jump up and down in my chair ridiculously, too, but we won't go there, will we?) I don't think that feeling will ever grow stale. I also get that feeling every time I interact with all of you through a comment or email - I can't tell you how much actually connecting with you means to me. It's such a tremendous privilege.
Speaking of tulle skirts, one of my relatives (not naming names) has decided to call them spider-getter-tool skirts. I suppose along the lines of a feather duster? Anyway, it cracked me up. Who knew those delightful garments were so useful?
May I talk about this song for a moment? (be sure to start the music player up at the top of the post.) It makes me so very happy. Sophie Madeline is a genius on the ukulele.
There are people in my life because of whom the rhythm that beats in my heart will never be the same. But when I listen to this song (over and over and over again, it seems), the first thing that comes to mind is Someone, my Saviour, who took the beat of my heart and forever replaced it with melodies indescribably beautiful. I love that imagery.


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For students with little or no college experience, the recommended path is to pursue the Associate of Arts degree (AA) and then to continue working towards the Bachelor of Arts degree. All coursework for the A.A. rolls forward and applies towards the bachelor's degree. Students earn their Certificate in Paralegal Studies upon the completion of the requirements for the 60-semester hour Associate of Arts degree.
To receive the Associate of Arts degree with a major in Paralegal Studies, students must complete a total of 60 hours of coursework. Nine paralegal courses plus an internship (which has a classroom component) are required to complete the major. Students begin with the six core paralegal courses (see above). In addition students must complete three advanced elective courses and the internship course. Advanced elective courses are paralegal courses at or above the 400-level, a selection of which are offered on a rotating basis each semester. The core courses must be taken before registering for any of the advanced electives. Generally, the internship course is taken in the last semester of enrollment. To successfully complete this degree, the student must maintain a 2.000 grade point average in all paralegal courses taken as well as a 2.000 grade point average overall.
There is a trend in paralegal employment to prefer a four-year degree. Many graduates of the two-year program are gainfully employed in the field, but students pursuing the two-year Associate of Arts degree should be aware that they may need to complete their bachelor's degree to advance within the profession.
Requirements for the Associate of Arts, the Bachelor of Arts, and the Certificate in Paralegal Studies include the following sequence of 6 core courses:
Before registering for courses, new students must consult with the Paralegal Studies adviser. It is both important and required that students acquire a grounding in general education courses before enrolling in paralegal coursework. The adviser completes a degree worksheet with each student charting a path for successful completion of the degree.


text: Music stores can be a lot of fun to shop in if you are a musician. But not everyone wants to hang out in a music shop just browsing around; some people know exactly what they are looking for and simply want to get in and get out. Not all places carry things like Fender Custom Shop Guitars but you can now shop for musical instruments online, including custom builds.


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The Canyon
Loop Backpack including the Southernmost section of High Sierra Route, connecting to the John Muir Trail and looping back to trailhead via Bubbs Creek Trail. Strenuous backpack of 66.6 miles total, approx 25 miles off trail, 18,009 feet elev gain (18,009 elev loss of course too)
When people start hiking off trail by map and compass, just about anything can and probably does go wrong that can possibly go wrong. By the time Gary and I decided to hike the southernmost section of the High Sierra Route, including about 25 miles off trail, we had had quite a few short sections of off trail hiking under our belts. Understandably smug in our ability to take on an undertaking of this magnitude, due to our experience, we were not prepared to be humbled quite so much by this journey. In retrospect, we can now both laugh at our audicity in feeling so over confident back then….at the time of this journey, we were quite chagrined at discovering the pitiful reality of our then compass and map reading skills.
The book, The Sierra High Route: Traversing Timberline Country is the brainchild of Steve Roper, an old time Sierra hiker that came up with the idea of paralleling the John Muir Trail. Steve had decided that the famous John Muir Trail was not quite as spectacular as it could be, as it dropped from the crest of the High Sierra range and often took it's travelers through lower, less spectacular areas. The High Sierra Route as proposed by Steve Roper remedied that lack and took those hardy souls capable of navigating through extended off trail travel in the mountains into higher, far less traveled, and much more phenomenal country than it's cousin, the JMT.
As I look back on our original map of this journey, I see handwriting smeared by sweat and pictures taken by the handful of backpackers who at that time had broken trail before us painstakingly researched and pasted onto the map. I see the map is creased and recreased from the many folds as we refolded the map during our journey over and over while keeping the section we were currently navigating visible thru our baggie. Almost every fold has been shredded by use allowing long gaping holes to puncture our precious guide. I also see the hours we spent poring over the contour lines picking the best way over each ridge and around each lake. I see yellow highlighter fading with time that once stared brightly back from the face of a once sparkly clean map. Our highlighted route now lying dully smudged by the high Sierra dirt soiling the surface of the map. I also see the consternation on Gary's face as we stand on the edge of a precipice looking a thousand feet down into the canyon that should have been a near vertical cliff face in front of us.
|Our original map
That canyon was near the beginning of our 9 day journey and a humbling start of the many off trail miles still to be navigated in the next few days!
There are many reasons why backpackers head to the backcountry to hike. Number one I suppose is the beckoning of the beauty of the wildflowers, views and wildlife to be experienced that are really not available any other way than by donning a pack and paying your dues of blood, sweat and tears in the wilds. Another reason for extended hikes is the feeling of accomplishment of miles hiked, trails traveled and earning the knowledge that you can live for an extended period of time with nothing more than what you can carry on your back. And last but not least, is the ability to experience nature on her own terms. And not that I am anti-social, as I am not, but….that last reason to backpack is best experienced without the hordes of people you find in cities and towns. Backpackers seek lesser traveled trails for that brief period of time they have to live in nature. And, off trail is the best of that world. So, for all of the above reasons, Gary and I decided to spend the better part of a week of our 9 day backpack in Aug of 2000 off trail in the High Sierra.
The choice of the southernmost part of the High Sierra Route was obvious for us simply for the reason that we had not hiked it before. Most backpackers go to great lengths to find places to travel that they've never been to before, and Gary and I had hiked very little in the area we were about to journey. So, after making our maps at home and packing, we headed off to the Copper Creek Trailhead in Kings Canyon National Park. Our first night's camp was at Tent Meadows. There are lower and upper tent meadows, and for any backpackers reading this….you have two choices for a first night. Either you stay at Lower Tent Meadows which I think is about 4 miles up on the way up to the Crest, and sleep on a slope in the trees in a well used camp spot, or, you climb close to 5,000 feet in one day to get up to the Crest. I've done both….I would opt for the Crest were I to do it again probably….but that is one nasty first day! If you opt for Lower Tent Meadows, you then get half the climb, and will look forward to a choice of lovely campsites for your next night….Grouse Lake, Granite Lake…or anyplace beyond. Our first night this trip we did share our night at Lower Tent Meadows with a huge herd of deer whose youngsters were galloping around and playing delightfully for a couple of hours nearby.
Staying at Lower Tent Meadows, our first day was entirely on trail of course. And following Secor's book closely the next day (I had actually taped photocopies of certain pages to the back of my map), we really had no major problems finding our landmarks. Notice the use of the word major. Grin. Once the Copper Creek trail leveled out, we knew Grouse Lake would be just North of us. We went for the suggested half mile, and found no creek, no lake, no water. Maps don't lie however, so we knew the direction we had to go to find the lake. And we had to find the lake, as the "trail" we wanted would climb out of the lake bowl up a ridge….without finding that lake, we would not have the ability to take the next leg of our journey. Eyeballing a ridge and dense forest to the north of us where the lake was supposed to be, Gary suggested we climb the ridge above the trees to get a better view. Surely we'd be able to see the lake from the top of the hundred foot ridge in front of us. As we climbed, I started realizing this was a bad idea. We were getting higher and higher, and still no lake view. Gary had pulled ahead of me, and was almost out of sight. But finally, I heard his yell…. "I see water!" Once down at the lakeshore, we were quite chagrined to realize we could simply have walked through the forest and obtained the lakeshore…hindsight is always 20/20!
Water in the backcountry is generally a welcome sight, but when your navigation depends on finding it, it is downright exhilarating! Excited about navigating our first hurdle, and enjoying a light snack at Grouse, nevertheless, we bemoaned the fact that we hadn't climbed all the way to it the first day and spent our night there. That was the seed that was planted encouraging us to later climb all 5,000 feet in one day in a later trip! Ultimately though, we congratulated ourselves on a job well done in finding this hidden lake…and our route out. For, the next leg of the route would take us straight up the lake bowl to the North side of the Lake to the top of 11,320 ft Grouse Lake Pass or Grouse Lake Saddle. Picking our way fairly easily up and around chunks of granite to the top of the pass took awhile, but we finally allowed ourselves the luxury of stopping for a leisurely lunch in the sun once on top. Taking in the outstanding views, we saw a series of three tiny tarns west of the pass, most definately a great place to stop for our next night. So we made our way to the tarns and had lovely views back down canyon onto unvisited Granite Basin, a sneak preview of a spot we'd visit in a later trip.
|Dee Down climbing from Goat Crest in a heavier pack than she'd have in a few days, and certainly heavier than she'd use in later trips! Off trail hiking makes you want to shed those pounds!
Towards the bottom though, the "climbing" got much easier and we "strolled" down to Glacier Lake.
|Gary strolling down to Glacier Lake
Glacier Lake was lovely with a nice sandy beach to explore and enjoy….snack time again.
|Glacier Lake is the quintessential "High Mountain Lake"…notice the distant peaks just slightly higher than the lake level!
Being so early in the day though, we couldn't justify staying a night there so we begrudgingly left the idyllic beach and headed on down valley There was one point at which the guide book had said to veer a certain direction. Looking impassable, we chose to veer the other way. We ended up doing some pretty serious bushwhacking and learned to follow Roper's advice! Finally though, passing another of the Glacier Lakes, we obtained lower Glacier Valley at about 9,900 feet and found ourselves in the trees, and for a couple short miles actually walking a real honest to goodness trail again!
Sauntering on a trail was a pleasant diversion from our off trail boulder hopping, bushwhacking and steep ups and downs. We strolled to and around first State Lakes, and then trailless once again, made our way to Horseshoe Lakes which were quite easy to find.
From Horseshoe Lakes our real navigation began in earnest. The previous off trail was just a warm up. From Horseshoe Lakes we'd be going over 4 passes with no trail, Gray, White, Red and Cartridge Passes and be exploring miles of drainages and basins and lakes on our way back to any signs of civilization. Thus, it was rather disconcerting as we hiked away from Horseshoe Lakes presumably to hike up a 1,000 foot cliff face, that we could see no cliffs in front of us through the trees. However, there was no mistaking we were at Horseshoe Lakes….their shapes so distinctive on our map, that they might as well have had a trail sign by them. So, we just kept going in the direction our compass and directions said to go and took it on faith that the cliff would present itself sooner or later. We did do some climbing….about 300 feet up a gentle slope. But, not the vertical cliff face we searched for. Both of us were starting to get more than a little concerned, for when you are off trail you depend heavily on landmarks like cliff faces to let you know you are going the right way. Finally though, late afternoon was upon us, meaning we had traveled the necessary distance to have gone beyond the cliff face, and we had advanced as high as we could go. Standing on a barren lonely plateau with far reaching views in almost every direction, it was clearly obvious something was quite wrong! Standing on the edge of a steep precipice, suddenly it hit me! I started laughing… and to this day don't know how I managed to get the words out to tell Gary what I had done. For it was I who had researched and planned the route and studied the map so closely and knew the cliff should have been where we stood. When Gary came and stood next to me, looking at me quizzically, I pointed at the map, and then pointed down at our feet. For far below us directly under our feet, was the missing 1,000 foot cliff. We stood with our toes pointed over a 1,000 foot precipitous drop off into Windy Canyon. My cliff face was 1,000 foot vertical drop, not a 1,000 foot climb up! Those squiggly contour lines do not tell all. We learned that day that you must look at the tiny little elevation numbers to know whether those lines are taking you up or down! Both Gary and I were quite chagrined as he had studied the map as frequently as I had all that afternoon while we searched to find our way. As it turned out though, following compass alone, at least we had correctly found ourselves on Windy Ridge exactly where we needed to be! Finding a lovely little tarn on that ridgetop, we pulled out our gear and enjoyed a wonderful camp and an unobstructed starry sky that night.
|Camp atop Windy Pass
Many fellow backpackers wouldn't dream of sleeping outside without their tent. Gary and I relish sleeping sans tent. There is nothing quite like the gentle night breezes soughing across your face, or waking up in the middle of the night cozy and warm while snuggled in your fluffy down bags as you watch the meteors streak across the night sky. In fact, most folks don't realize just how many shooting stars streak over their heads undetected every single night. On an average, while in the high country of the mountains with no city lights to damage the view, we probably see a shooting star every 2-3 minutes all night long! Sleeping outside under a starry sky is half the wilderness experience for me. Unless it's raining or it's early season and the mosquitos are driving us mad, we sleep out under the wide open night sky enjoying the thick blanketing of stars normally not visible in town.
Come morning, well rested after a cozy night on Windy Ridge…which had just enough wind to lightly blow the mosquitos away…we packed up and headed towards our next landmark. For that is how one hikes off trail, from landmark to landmark. And, we soaked in some lovely views as we made our way the length of the ridge.
We took turns guessing at which way we'd be making our way down from the ridge. As it turns out, neither of us were correct as the landscape herded us into a narrow hidden defile next to the cliffs we had been flanking. As we oohed and ahed over the ingenuity of those who had passed before us, we were astounded at what they had accomplished. For in 1935 the Sierra Club had brought about 100 people this way along with enough stock to supply those folks on one of the largest backcountry expeditions of the Sierra Nevada the Sierra Club ever accomplished. Only by traveling in their "footsteps" can one truly appreciate the magnitude of their feat. Once off the easy traveling Windy Ridge, there were times when Gary had to lend me a hand, and even take my pack and boost it up before I could get up an occasional little cliff face. And being an owner of a very agile horse, yet I cannot imagine getting my horse down some of the huge skirts of granite several feet high those early travelers got their stock down and up. These early travelers had to spend extra time laboriously building sections of trail to safely get their stock through. The care and patience and creativity they had to have had to travel where we were traveling was mind boggling to us. And a couple of times we benefited from tiny pieces of trail still existing, that they had engineered way back in 1935.
Soon off of Windy Ridge though, we worked our way down to the South Fork of Cartridge Creek. A sample of some of the material I found about this area's traveling: "The route drops down into the South Fork of Cartridge Creek. Follow the stream up until a small lake about 10,500 is reached. From here, veer left up to a series of smaller lakes under Marion Peak." That sounds so easy from the comfort of home. Once you are "out there" however, reality is much different. Every few minutes as you climb with sweat forming under your hat brow and forming rivulets down the sides of your face, you wonder how far you are to climb. Was that little mosquito pond you passed 10 minutes ago the pond the previous hiker was talking about? If you have an altimeter, are you calculating the inevitable errors of your altimeter correctly? My husband's altimeter seems to lose or gain 60 or 80 feet every thousand feet. At each landmark you find, your spirits are buoyed immeasurably. You are found! Then as you make your way to the next landmark, doubts assail you unmercifully. Just one or two in the beginning…."hey, can I look at the map again real quick?" Then if you don't find your next landmark as soon as you thought you should the doubts start crescendoing upon you. Until finally, one or both of you calls a halt to regroup and really restudy the map. We did however successfully find that pond at 10,500 feet this trip and climb up a rocky gully past a series of tarns enroute to Gray Pass. The hiking was relatively easy for quite some time as we climbed from granite bench to granite bench. Eventually we did come to Gray Pass and enjoyed the wonderful views and exhilarating feeling of knowing exactly where we were!
|Looking back at Gray Pass….obvious Gray Mountains!
|Dee quite tired from not eating enough!
Our next landmark, White Pass, would cause us no little consternation however! Traveling from one pass to the next, sounded so easy at home. Go over a pass, walk down to the valley on the other side and climb up to the next pass. However, by the time we had passed over Gray Pass and taken the stroll down into the basin at the foot of Marion Peak….we realized there were a couple of obvious saddles …and to be honest, we weren't one hundred percent certain we were even actually looking at Marion Peak! Gary was still going strong, I had not eaten enough and was flagging quite a bit. When you are backpacking, it is very wise to carry snacks handy in an easily
accessible pocket and actually eat a bit every 90 minutes or so to keep up your pace! I had not done that and was mentally, emotionally and physically drained! Worried about our navigation and getting lost on top of being tired and hungry was a bad combination. As I was rapidly approaching meltdown status, Gary had me take off my pack, sit at the bottom of the basin studying my map….and eat! Meanwhile, he left his pack with me and was actually fresh enough to take off at a jog up to the top of what we possibly thought was the correct pass for a quick look around. The country around us being above treeline was quite wide open and so I could see him most of the time we were separated. All but when he was at the top of the pass…and had stepped to the far side of it. Each minute Gary was out of sight at that point was like an hour. When we separate in the backcountry, I am always quite concerned. By the time he came back in sight though, I had eaten enough to replenish my energy….and studied the map enough to be pretty sure the peak at my feet that rose high above my head was indeed Marion Peak. And by the time Gary returned he was able to confirm my map study. He had indeed actually climbed White Pass and verified we were on the right path. My rest was extended while Gary had his lunch, and then off we went to climb our next pass that day.
|Gary checking out the route …
|Red Point with Red Pass on the right shoulder of the Point
Once on top of White Pass, our next goal, Red Pass, was all too obvious as it would lie just south of the Red Peak in this picture. Elated at spotting Red Point and thinking it would be an easy stroll to the pass….off we went. And, the going was relatively easy. Walking on loose but gentle granite slabs and benches, we moved pretty quickly. One mishap occurred in that section that I have paid for dearly in later years though. We had come upon a granite shelf that necessitated we go over the top of it, rather than around. A pretty good vertical drop off at the edge of the granite block convinced us climbing over the top of it was the wiser and only choice really. So, Gary climbed up first. I was a little slower, placing my feet so as to be able to have enough leverage to give myself a boost up. Nevertheless, the ledge was just high enough that I just could not quite get myself up on the shelf without either taking off my pack and shoving it up ahead of me, or getting help from Gary. Gary was ready to help, so I stretched out my arm for him to grab. He grabbed and pulled, but our timing was off and because I was not quite ready to boost myself up at the same time that he pulled my arm, he very nearly dislocated my shoulder. In years since, we have never done that maneuver again without a verbal "one, two, three, go!" But, I squeezed the tears of pain away and kept walking.
|Red Pass finally in view, still an hour's walk away….
|Dee standing at the pass, notice the Granite in the background and the red metamorphic rock of Red Pass
|On the East side of Red Pass, notice Marion Lake just popping to view to the right of Gary's feet mid picture.
|Piece of trail bottom foreground
On the East side of Red Pass enroute to Marion Lake, we were pleasantly surprised to find pieces of old trail guiding the way. This country was so lightly traveled when we first hiked it, that we presumed these little bits of trail were left over from the 1935 Sierra Club expedition rather than being "use trail" sections.
By now, the day was aging and thoughts of camp started popping up. We had one last hurdle to jump before being able to take our packs off for the night however. The dreaded Marion Lake chutes! Actually, since we hadn't been there yet, we didn't really dread them yet. We would in future trips though. Looking at the picture above, you can see Marion Lake mid picture, and see the lake is in a granite bowl with sides. As you approach Marion, it becomes more and more obvious that the side of the lake you are approaching presents nothing more than a sheer vertical drop of 50-100 feet into the lake! Almost. The steep granite skirt on that side of the lake does however have several fingers lined with tiny talus and powder which you can see in the picture below. The instructions I remember finding, say to take the far left chute. Further, the instructions claim that the chute is not obvious and to go to the last obvious chute on the left, and then look for one more. In neither that trip, nor the following trip a few years later did we ever find "the easier" left chute. Taking what we thought was the correct left chute, Gary started down first and my heart was in my throat as I took the first tentative steps behind him. For at the top you are truly taking it on faith that the route is passable as all you see when you take those first steps is near vertical sand with water at the bottom! In fact, the reality is not much different from that! It is however, passable. From time to time I started sliding, but was able to halt my slides. And at one point as I slid into Gary I thought we were both goners, but he was able to both halt my slide and keep his feet. And, by the time we neared the bottom, we found we could actually bushwack around the granite chunk of cliff on our left and finally obtain the shoreline!
|Marion Lake Chutes, Red Pass on the far top right
Marion Lake was not too shabby a camp for the night and we enjoyed exploring the area. Any tips for future hikers to the area, I probably would not camp there again. The only places to camp were just too close to the shoreline….and beautiful Lake Basin is just a hop, skip and a jump away anyway.
|First glimpse of Lake Basin
In the morning, we gleaned our first look at Lake Basin. We had seen Lake Basin on maps for years….but had never ventured there. Lake Basin is stunning. Early season wildflower displays must be simply stunning….nevertheless, even in August we felt we were still strolling through paradise! We took our time strolling through this lovely basin. Enjoying the many lakes dotting the landscape under the deep blue sky. We spied the route we'd be taking if we were to continue on the High Sierra Route North. Alas, that would be for another trip….we needed to loop back south and begin our journey back to the trailhead. Still several days of backcountry ahead of us though, and the rest of our off trail navigation ahead of us, Gary and I were discussing just where exactly we should be headed in Lake Basin to access Cartridge Pass. Deep in discussion, neither one of us at first noticed the movement across the Basin. Not sure which of us saw it first, nevertheless we both stopped and stared….what was coming towards us? A few long seconds passed before we realized it was another human! Having not seen a human in several days now, it took us quite by surprise! Another hardy hiker was picking his way in our direction. We would not pass close enough to say hi to him as we would be farther up valley by the time he made his way to our present location, and I'm not sure either of us wanted to! Normally backpackers are quite friendly and neighborly types. As you wander down a trail and pass another backpacker, you are sure to ask about the trail ahead and answer the same questions to the hiker going in the direction you just came from. Here in Lake Basin though, after having had the wilderness to ourselves for days, it was actually quite an intrusion to find another hiker in "our" valley. I am sure the other hiker felt the same as he never lifted his head to gaze at us much less lift an arm to wave. We all just simply quietly passed as ships in the night enroute to our respective destinations. Gary and I have since been back to Lake Basin, in fact we have hiked this section of the High Sierra Route again, and I am sorry to say word had gotten out and we maybe encountered 25-30 people taking this same journey. I am glad that so many are able to enjoy the wilds as we do, but it most definately is a different journey when you travel to high, wild places that not too many others have not discovered yet, and I'm glad we got to experience it when spotting one single person was a huge surprise!
|V Lake. Red Pass on back right is where we came from
|Distances are deceiving….notice Gary strolling along at the base of the cliffs!
As we made our way to the highest lake in the Basin, our first glimpses of the cliffs Cartridge Pass were to go over gave us both not a little trepidation for what we were about to attempt!
|Appearing very steep, our first glimpses of Cartridge were nervewracking!
But, as we neared the base of the cliffs, the pass appeared more and more doable. Heights in the backcountry always appear steeper from a distance! However, two words still could not be minimized on this steep several hundred foot climb…."loose rock." No other way to find out though how doable it was, than simply by doing it. So we proceeded to the base of the cliffs.
|The finer looking talus lines in the cliffs across the water is Cartridge Pass
Once we reached the base of the climb, I realized I needed to eat. At the bottom of a steep climb however, is not when you want to fill what will turn to a chunk of lead in your stomache during a workout. So, I satisfied myself with a couple of pieces of dried fruit to sustain me for the climb. As we started out, I quickly realized this was not a climb I wanted to look down on. Being afraid of heights means you can climb anything as long as you don't look down! And though Cartridge is not really what you would call "exposed," meaning you are not in danger of falling off the cliff face if you lean the wrong way, nevertheless, the climb is quite steep. My characteristic way of dealing with steep climbs are to scramble up as fast as I can. So, I just put my legs in gear and started climbing. Gary took up the rear in an effort to give me a false sense of security, bless his heart. Moving very rapidly, I just wanted to get it over with. No enjoying the views til I am safe on the top. But a pleasant surprise presented itself on this climb in the form of a nice little flat bench midway up the cliff!
|Tired after a fast scramble up the pass, Dee rests on a little bench half way up Cartridge
Having made "the halfway bench," the rest of the climb is less steep and less exposed and much more relaxing! From the top of Cartridge Pass we had wonderful views back on Lake Basin as well as views south to Arrow Peak, Bench Lake and across towards Pinchot Pass on the John Muir Trail.
|Dee on Cartridge. Bench Lake mid left, Arrow Peak behind Dee
Heading down Cartridge Pass we were once again reminded of the old Sierra Clubbers, and old time sheepherders as well, while we followed in their footsteps down an old narrow spotty piece of trail! The bits of trail were quite welcome even if they were steep and not very well engineered. This old trail managed to get a lot of pioneering folk down the steep canyon walls to the South Fork of the Kings River. This old forgotten trail also served Native Americans well as evidenced by the obsidian chips and arrowheads Gary and I found back on our journey. We left them where we found them so if any of my readers happens on to them also, please leave them for the next lucky hiker! In fact on this trip we found two spots where the Piutes had camped and made arrowheads while hunting or gathering or doing whatever else the backcountry afforded them on their journeys. Both the Piutes and the Mono Indians frequented the High Sierra and would meet in the Sierra to trade things like Salt for Obsidian.
Our next leg would take us down to the South Fork of the Kings River from which we would follow it's wandering path out to the John Muir Trail and find ourselves traveling a well marked route again. However, we were allowed one last backcountry slice of heaven to enjoy while off trail. A little lake part way down from Cartridge that we like to call Dee's lake. In otherwards, it has no name on a map. I am sure every off trail adventurer has special names for nameless lakes they find ….we have one for my daughter too, that she found for us one trip…but that's another story for later! Coming upon this particular lake, we realized how little time in the real backcountry we had left. Soon we'd be joining the hordes on the John Muir Trail. As we discovered in the next couple of days though, there aren't that many out on the John Muir Highway either as it's frequently called…in reality we would see only a couple of folks on our way back to our car. We didn't know that at the time though and wanted to savor what true solitude we had left, so we actually took a half day off and set up camp a few hours before we normally would. Good choice on our part as this lovely little lake had just enough views to help us thoroughly enjoy the afternoon taking a cold water dip, reading and exploring. At night we had the most absolute flat spot to sleep on….ah heaven!
|View of last lake before dropping down to the river, we followed the left shore and got to the outlet shown mid left of pic, and dropped off the edge of the world…and down about 1,200 ft to the river
|Not too shabby a place to spend our last "off trail" night.
|Lovely hillside of Bigelow's Sneezeweed
In the morning light, we packed up and headed on down to the South Fork of the Kings River. As we dropped off the cliff, we initially shared the trail with magnificent fields of Bigelow's Sneezeweed.
Then the "trail" got hot, dusty and steep as we crisscrossed down multiple switchbacks in the hillside. As it turns out, we had a bit longer than we thought til we hit trail. Not only did we have more elevation drop to negotiate getting down to the river, but once at the river, we encountered the dreaded talus fields. Any backpacker with any miles on their feet knows the term "talus field." Talus is large chunks of granite piled high and wide, oh my. Hopping from boulder to boulder, balancing on the balls of your feet, grabbing with your hands and hoisting yourself over huge boulders and slabs of granite pack and all for hours at a time is not exactly fun. Well, in the beginning it is, but when you go for loooonnnngggg stretches of talus….then get through the dreaded field and in a few minute start another one….it's a lot of work. Getting from where you hit the river til you get out to the John Muir Trail gives you lots of practice on talus fields as you hit several large ones! Finally though, we came through the last talus field and were meandering through lightly forested flattish terrain following a faint use trail, when suddenly in front of me my path was blocked! Oh no, did I go the wrong way? I looked up quickly trying to puzzle out what someone was obviously trying to tell me, and realized the message was not for me…it was for travelers on the John Muir Trail, trying to keep them on the JMT and not sidetracked onto the "trail" I was on! Hallelujah! After over 25 miles of off trail travel, getting slightly lost at least once, climbing terrain fit only for a mountain goat at least once, misreading my topo map at least once and sliding almost out of control on steep loose scree while being somewhere I probably shouldn't have been at least once….we were back on a real marked trail!
|See the faint use trail mid pic and the blockade keeping folks from sidetracking accidentally
The rest of our trip was thankfully anticlimactic. It was wonderful being back on a marked trail. Not having to navigate constantly and search for landmarks and check map and compass every few minutes was incredibly relaxing. Of the 3-4 days we had left to hike, we enjoyed amazing views most every foot of the way back, extravagant pockets of wildflowers, and lovely well engineered maintained trails. No more routefinding mishaps, no more sliding down steep chutes trying not to fling off into space and drop into a lake pack and all, no more meltdowns caused by hunger and exhaustion, no more endless talus fields to wear us out. What we had instead was an incredible feeling of exhilartion for accomplishing all that we accomplished and a few days more to unwind and enjoy the comforts of trail hiking while still in the wilderness before we had to face the real challenges of being back in the rat race of traffic and deadlines.
|Gary drinking in the view
|Camping in a windbreak with fabulous views facing out
|Storm brewing that gave us a great show!
|A real trail to follow….
|Dee on Pinchot, happy to beat the storm over the pass
|Looking back at Pinchot and happy to be lower down
|Views every step of the way back
|A trail engineered John Muir Trail style….with a suspension bridge!
Hope you enjoyed reading this tale as much as I enjoyed writing it!


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Wokingham in Berkshire is the greatest devote England and Wales to boost a family group, based on brand-new study.
The historical market town in Berkshire arrived top thanks to its high average wages, exceptional schools and reasonable criminal activity rate.
The annual report by monetary firm OneFamily scoured England and Wales for the greatest locations to create up children, learning sets from training, safety and childcare expenses to regional amenities, inexpensive residential property and green rooms.
Situated near to learning and merely 33 miles from London, it is the 2nd time Wokingham features secured top spot when you look at the Family Hotspots Report after first taking the coveted name in 2012.
This current year the city smashed the 50 percent nationwide average of GCSE results between A* and C at 66.80 % and the normal income is £27, 362 which over £5, 000 above the nationwide average of £21, 982.
Wokingham has additionally been known to produce the best Brits. It absolutely was the birthplace of singer will likely Young in addition to home of Olympic rowing champion Anna Watkins.
PAKnown son: will most likely teenage is from Wokingham
Even the landscape has caught the attention of TV producers and also the town has actually featured in Primeval, Superman and Vicar of Dibley.
As soon as best known for the Bell Foundry, town is a spot for regular commuters, with regular trains to London.
The report unveiled a return in favor for south-western towns. Families can utilize the Family Hotspots calculator to discover the best places in The united kingdomt and Wales to live.
Analysis discovered the South West of the country made a comeback, with a number of cities in Somerset and Devon scoring very in a number of of this 70 criteria.
Four cities in Deveon - Shebbear, Cullompton, Crediton and Colyton - all made it about the top 20 listing of places for people to call home the very first time this year.
Scooping 2nd invest the Family Hotspots Report, had been the tiny town of Winscombe in Somerset.
Olympic hero: Anna Watkins additionally lives in Wokingham
Set in the side of the Mendip mountains and near to the famous Cheddar Gorge, the town boasts of 40 % of their Early many years Childcare centres ranked 'outstanding' by Ofsted.
The little village, recognized for its Michaelmas fair presented each September, has low crime rates and above normal wages.
Coming in at third was Oxfordshire market town of Faringdon, which scooped 3rd place thanks to its exceptional supply of pre and preparatory schools with above average secret phase 2 outcomes.
In 2004 the city became the very first Fairtrade Town within the South East of England as well as hosts a yearly arts event every summertime.
OneFamily state in 2010 had been the first occasion that there has been a marked change in the positioning with only seven cities maintaining their top 20 condition.
These included Wokingham, Faringdon and Lower Earley tucked among the M4/M40 corridors, Clitheroe and Longridge in Lancashire, Cheadle in Staffordshire and final year's champion, St Bees in Cumbria, which this year slipped to eighth position.
Holland Brown ArchitectsTop markings: Stonyhurst University near Clitheroe
Unlike previous years, into the 2015 Family Hotspots Report the very best 20 locations are uniformly distributed appropriate across the UNITED KINGDOM. Last year the North of The united kingdomt dominated the leader board, nevertheless this current year the south-west, which performedn't appear at all in 2014, has actually crept back into the most effective 20 with areas in Somerset and Devon scoring extremely.
Philip Mirfin, Town Mayor, Wokingham Town Council, stated: "i will be undoubtedly pleased that when once more Wokingham has-been named as a good option for families to reside in britain. Our company is extremely lucky to take pleasure from excellent schools at every Key Stage, together with some breathtaking open rooms and a safe city which includes a real neighborhood spirit.
"We pleasure ourselves inside arts and tradition we offer which varies from our May Cultural month right through to family members fun times, theatre in the park and enormous scale yearly activities for instance the Food Festival, May Fayre and Winter Carnival."
Karl Elliott, spokesperson at OneFamily, said: "Life's milestone moments tend to be interesting nevertheless they can be stressful, and moving household is right-up indeed there with the most tough.
"That's why among the biggest shared insurers in UK, which has been helping families for more than 40 years, we have created an easy way to help them find a very good place to stay. This consists of our report in addition to Family Hotspots calculator. Any person visiting the website can simply enter a postcode and discover just how various places fare.
"It helps answer the important thing concerns when you're searching for the proper residence, including, tend to be we close to the correct school for the kids? Will it be safe? Do we now have everything we would like nearby?"
Top 20 most useful locations to boost a family group
- Wokingham, Berkshire
- Winscombe, Somerset
- Faringdon, Oxfordshire
- Oakham, Rutland
- Lower Earley, Berkshire
- Longridge, Lancashire
- Shebbear, Devon
- St Bees, Cumbria
- Middlewich, Cheshire
- Cheadle, Staffordshire
- Carterton, Oxfordshire
- Cullompton, Devon
- Clitheroe, Lancashire
- Crediton, Devon
- Fleet, Hampshire
- Colyton, Devon
- Bury, Lancashire
- Shotley Gate, Suffolk
- Driffield, Yorkshire


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Old Enough to Know
Children use colors and words to demonstrate the awareness of sin within their lives.
Accountability, Discernment, Salvation, Sin
Activity pages 1 [PDF] Click here
Approximately 12 minutes
Before class, print or make copies of both activity pages for each child. Bring a large clock with a second hand so everyone in the class can count the seconds. Children can also use a wristwatch if they have one.
Pair up the children. Then give each child a copy of Activity Page 1 and read the instructions at the top. Have one child of each pair use the clock to time how fast his or her partner can name all of the colors in order. Then switch and have the second child time the first. Be sure to tell the children to write their name at the top, and record the number of seconds at the bottom of the page.
Next, give each child a copy of Activity Page 2, and read the instructions at the top. Have the children time each other as before on how fast they can say the color, not read the word.
Children will immediately see how much longer it took to complete the second page. You will compare how reading complicated the task, just as sin in our life gets in the way of our relationship with God.
When we were young, we could not read, but we could name the different colors. It was easy to tell our mom or dad something was red, green, or yellow. We even had fun naming the different colors. When we were young, we also did not know too much about sin. We knew when we did something wrong. However, we did not know the full consequences of our sin.
It is sort of like learning to read. After we learn to read, words take on meaning. They become important. With the second page, it was more difficult to say the color because our ability to read the words interfered with our ability to focus only on the color.
That is the way sin is. Now that we are older, we can feel sin as a real presence in our lives and not merely doing something wrong. We begin to see sin for what it really is: disobedience to God. We begin to see how sin affects our relationship with God. The Apostle Peter gave us a strong message: "As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance." (1 Peter 1: 14)