Sometimes on a snowy morning, my mother would enter my bedroom, shake me awake, and shush me. We would tip toe to the window to watch a deer in the back yard. Though they occurred occasionally, these visits were random and spaced far enough apart that they were a real treat for us.
These days, the woods have shrunk, and the deer prowl housing developments. My sister finds piles of deer doodles all over her front lawn in a bustling D.C. suburb. My friends and neighbors complain that their landscapes and vegetable gardens are nibbled to death by the deer. This spring, when the ground was soft, I found deer prints everywhere.
I always thought deer were gentle creatures that spooked and ran at the slightest noise. Last night I met someone whose dog was attacked by a deer. The dog's wounds were pretty serious.
So how do we avoid the deer? Here are some methods:
1. Landscape with deer resistant plants. Lowe's and Home Depot clearly mark their deer resistant plants and shrubs. As a rule, deer dislike lilacs, evergreens, black eyed susans, lavender, things with hairy or spiny leaves, or highly aromatic plants.
2. Scare them away. If you do this, you have to change your method every couple of weeks. You can hang CD's in trees, flash lights, or purchase a machine that emits ultra sonic noise.
3. Use deer repellent. Commercial repellents are available, but they are expensive. One home remedy is to hang Dial soap in trees and bushes. I think you would have to pierce the soap through the middle, so it doesn't fall to the ground as it dissolves. It will last a long time.
You can also make home made deer repellent. Here's the recipe:
1 cup milk
1 egg
A few tablespoons of cooking oil
1 tablespoon liquid soap
1 quart water
1 teaspoon hot chili oil
Mix in a blender (I think you can probably just shake vigorously). Spray every 5 - 7 days.
4. Put black, plastic drainage pipe around trees if deer are using your tree trunks to shed their antlers. For some reason, they don't like to cross the pipes. I think a better idea is to string fishing line around trees. It's invisible and scares the deer when it makes contact with their hides.
5. Take advantage of the deer's fear of predators. Scatter dog or human hair clippings. Buy a dog decoy and sit it in the garden. You could also make a scare crow and move it around. Your scare crow should wear light colored clothing that deer can see at night. Another alternative is buying blood meal or predator urine to place at the perimeter of your property, but it's cheaper to let your dog do it's business around the edges of your yard. I don't know if this is against the law in Hainesport, but Organic Gardening magazine recommends that the man of the house have a beer with his dinner. After dinner he should take a stroll in the garden and mark his territory!
6. If you are growing a vegetable garden, cover small plants with cages.
7. Remove bird feeders. Deer like corn and bird seed.
8. You could try fencing, but deer can jump as high as nine feet. Some people use electric fencing to zap nocturnal visitors.
http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Deer
http://www.getridofthings.com/pests/varmints/get-rid-of-deer.htm
If all else fails, you could try a tree stand! Just kidding.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Monday, July 2, 2012
Mill Race Village Craft Shows
I was lucky enough to participate in the Mill Race Village craft show on Saturday. In spite of the heat, I had a good day. I met some nice people, met some nice dogs, and sold some flip flops. The next craft sale will be held on July 28th. That day is also Hollystock - Mt. Holly's version of Woodstock. If you thought Pillage the Village was crazy with fair maidens and knights-errant running around, wait until the hippies show up.
The craft show dates for the rest of the year are 7/28/12, 8/25/12, 9/29/12, 10/27/12, and 11/24/12. If you make crafts, come and sell them. Spaces rent for $30.00. They have a nifty referral (or discount) program. If you bring in a new crafter, you'll get a $10.00 discount on your space. If you aren't crafty, come and see what local artists are making.
Here are some pictures of a few of Saturday's vendors.
The craft show dates for the rest of the year are 7/28/12, 8/25/12, 9/29/12, 10/27/12, and 11/24/12. If you make crafts, come and sell them. Spaces rent for $30.00. They have a nifty referral (or discount) program. If you bring in a new crafter, you'll get a $10.00 discount on your space. If you aren't crafty, come and see what local artists are making.
Here are some pictures of a few of Saturday's vendors.
 |
| She calls herself Crazy Dog Lady. If you miss the craft show, you can buy her creations at Petallica Pet Boutique located at 37 White Street. |
 |
| Fido will be puttin' on the dog in one of these frocks. |
 |
| Holly Doyle, owner/operator of Jersey Made, sells the work of 40 local artists in her shop. She also sells locally produced honey, and yes, she lets you have free samples. Jersey Made is located at 33 White Street. |
 |
| I'll be teaching a kumihimo class at Jersey Made on Thursday evening, July 26th, from 7:00 p.m. till 9:00 p.m. |
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| These ladies had some nifty items. |
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| The family that crafts together lasts together. The husband is known as Bottle Stopper Guy, but he does lots of other wood crafts. His wife makes way cool wine charms. |
Friday, June 29, 2012
Eye of the Beholder
They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I'd like to add that ugly is also in the beholder's eye. A recent Yahoo article features photographs of ten buildings so ugly they should be demolished. These ten buildings were selected by "architects (and other people with opinions)." One of those buildings, Meadowlands Xanadu, is in New Jersey and has been described by our Governor Chris Christie as, "... the ugliest damn building in New Jersey, and maybe America." http://realestate.yahoo.com/news/10-buildings-that-should-be-demolished.html I have to agree with the Gov. That's one ugly building. I also never liked Barbie's Dream Home, even as a kid. The other eight buildings on the list aren't so bad in my opinion. In fact, I really liked the Trump Tower.
There is no shortage of ugly or unusual. Hainesport is one of the finest places on earth, but there are some structures around town that could win a prize for being unique. I got a group of "people with opinions" together, and this is our list of some of Hainesport's remarkable architecture:
There is no shortage of ugly or unusual. Hainesport is one of the finest places on earth, but there are some structures around town that could win a prize for being unique. I got a group of "people with opinions" together, and this is our list of some of Hainesport's remarkable architecture:
 |
| This geodesic dome home (or the igloo) is probably Hainesport's most unusual residence. |
 |
| So, why does Aziza's Restaurant have a Mexican flair? Back in the late 1950's and early 1960's it was a diner called El Toro's. |
 |
| The kids on the school bus called this the butterfly house because the roof looked like flapping wings. |
 |
| This little cottage could be the smallest house in Hainesport. |
 |
| Well, this house was not selected for it's architecture, but for it's lawn ornaments. |
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| My parent's referred to this tidy row of homes as "the barracks." Originally, they were army barracks from Ft. Dix or McGuire. They were purchased by someone in the Sokolowski family, moved to Hainesport, and rented out. |
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Lumberton and the Cold War
Do you remember the days of air raid drills? As elementary school kids, we assembled in the auditorium and lined up along the walls facing the cinder blocks. We folded our arms, leaned against the wall, and placed our heads on our folded forearms. This must have been the Hainesport variation of the duck-under-the-desk move.
Do you remember these signs?
Placer High School in Auburn, California discovered a fully stocked air raid shelter during recent renovations to the school's weight room. Evidently, the powers that were thought people would need toilet paper, crackers, and water in the event of nuclear disaster. There doesn't seem to be much more in the shelter's larder.
http://news.yahoo.com/video/sacramentocbs13-15751210/preserved-cold-war-bomb-shelter-discovered-at-placer-high-school-29757207.html#crsl=%252Fvideo%252Fsacramentocbs13-15751210%252Fpreserved-cold-war-bomb-shelter-discovered-at-placer-high-school-29757207.html
Those crackers brought an old memory to the surface. I remember my father bringing home several cans of stale crackers in the 1970's. Somehow, he had gotten hold of them because the Nike base, located on Eayrestown Road in Lumberton, was being deactivated. The government's trash became snacks for our chickens.
The Lumberton base was one of twelve bases that surrounded and provided protection for the cities of Camden and Philadelphia. The base at Lumberton was unique because it was one of two dual installations that could, in the event of a nuclear attack, track and engage two targets simultaneously. Today, some parts of the Nike base serves as Lumberton township offices. You can even place advertisements on the missile tower.
This site contains some very interesting pictures. http://flickriver.com/photos/42444189@N04/sets/72157624526917061/
Here's some more info: http://alpha.fdu.edu/~bender/PH25.html
And: http://alpha.fdu.edu/~bender/N-A-lumberton.html
Do you remember these signs?
Placer High School in Auburn, California discovered a fully stocked air raid shelter during recent renovations to the school's weight room. Evidently, the powers that were thought people would need toilet paper, crackers, and water in the event of nuclear disaster. There doesn't seem to be much more in the shelter's larder.
http://news.yahoo.com/video/sacramentocbs13-15751210/preserved-cold-war-bomb-shelter-discovered-at-placer-high-school-29757207.html#crsl=%252Fvideo%252Fsacramentocbs13-15751210%252Fpreserved-cold-war-bomb-shelter-discovered-at-placer-high-school-29757207.html
Those crackers brought an old memory to the surface. I remember my father bringing home several cans of stale crackers in the 1970's. Somehow, he had gotten hold of them because the Nike base, located on Eayrestown Road in Lumberton, was being deactivated. The government's trash became snacks for our chickens.
The Lumberton base was one of twelve bases that surrounded and provided protection for the cities of Camden and Philadelphia. The base at Lumberton was unique because it was one of two dual installations that could, in the event of a nuclear attack, track and engage two targets simultaneously. Today, some parts of the Nike base serves as Lumberton township offices. You can even place advertisements on the missile tower.
 |
| A sign for Sam's Lawn Service. Photo courtesy of merchantcircle.com. |
This site contains some very interesting pictures. http://flickriver.com/photos/42444189@N04/sets/72157624526917061/
Here's some more info: http://alpha.fdu.edu/~bender/PH25.html
And: http://alpha.fdu.edu/~bender/N-A-lumberton.html
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
A Ponytail for a Ponytail
I'm always poking my nose in on the subject of children. I just read an article that started me thinking about the topic of appropriate punishment. A team of girls in Utah, one age 11 and one age 13, befriended a three-year-old at a McDonald's, then got some scissors and cut off the toddler's ponytail.
The authorities became involved, and the two older girls ended up in court. The 11 year old was told to cut her hair off as short as the judge's hair (traditional man's haircut length). She was permitted to go to a hairdresser and report back to the judge for his approval on the length of her hair. The thirteen year old, Kaytlen Lopan, was ordered to serve 30 days in a detention center, pay restitution to her victim (just what is the monetary value of a three-year-old's ponytail?), and perform 276 hours of community service. The judge offered to reduce the community service by 150 hours if Kaytlen's mother, Valerie Bruno, would cut off Kaytlen's ponytail, right there in the court room. Ms. Bruno cut off her daughter's hair. She had to cut it all the way back to the rubber band since the little victim's mother would not approve of her attempt to leave it longer.
Now Ms. Bruno has filed a complaint against the judge saying she felt intimidated by him. She states that she would not have taken the judge up on his offer to reduce the community service hours if she had known her rights and had consulted a lawyer before going to court.
There is a word that sums up what happened here - talion. It means a punishment identical to the offense. The Latin phrase lex talionis (and lawyers have a Latin phrase for everything) is the principle of "an eye for an eye." In English, it's the law of talion. This concept goes back to the earliest civilizations. One theory of how the principle took hold is that it was a more orderly way to resolve disputes than the feuds and vendettas that threatened the social order. An eye for an eye justice was practiced in Judiaism and in Islamic cultures. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_for_an_eye
Christianity took a different approach to punishment. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus advised his followers to stop seeking vengeance. Instead they should "turn the other cheek" - practice forgiveness. Mahatma Ghandi said, "An-eye-for-an-eye-for-an-eye-for-an-eye...ends in making everyone blind."
So, what was the right thing to do with Kaytlen Lopan? She will go to a detention center for 30 days, where (hopefully) she will have her psyche probed. During the trial, Kaytlen also admitted that she made threats of rape and mutilation, over an eight month period, in phone calls to another teenager. It seems to me that this hair cutting prank was much more than childish high jinks and bad judgement. It makes me wonder if this incident was practice for worse acts to come, a la Leopold and Loeb. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopold_and_Loeb If Kaytlen is capable of feeling shame, guilt, and remorse, then community service might be the best thing for her. I would suggest that she work on a cancer ward with lots of people whose chemotherapy has made their hair fall out. I think it's safe to say that Kaytlen should be watched very closely in the future.
I also think three-year-olds should be watched very closely. An adult hanging around toddlers, and displaying a bit too much interest, would raise red flags immediately with any mother. Maybe we should also be wary of older children. Kaytlen should have been in the mall giggling about boys, not victimizing a toddler.
The three-year-old's hair will grow back. I hope Kaytlen grows a conscience.
The authorities became involved, and the two older girls ended up in court. The 11 year old was told to cut her hair off as short as the judge's hair (traditional man's haircut length). She was permitted to go to a hairdresser and report back to the judge for his approval on the length of her hair. The thirteen year old, Kaytlen Lopan, was ordered to serve 30 days in a detention center, pay restitution to her victim (just what is the monetary value of a three-year-old's ponytail?), and perform 276 hours of community service. The judge offered to reduce the community service by 150 hours if Kaytlen's mother, Valerie Bruno, would cut off Kaytlen's ponytail, right there in the court room. Ms. Bruno cut off her daughter's hair. She had to cut it all the way back to the rubber band since the little victim's mother would not approve of her attempt to leave it longer.
Now Ms. Bruno has filed a complaint against the judge saying she felt intimidated by him. She states that she would not have taken the judge up on his offer to reduce the community service hours if she had known her rights and had consulted a lawyer before going to court.
There is a word that sums up what happened here - talion. It means a punishment identical to the offense. The Latin phrase lex talionis (and lawyers have a Latin phrase for everything) is the principle of "an eye for an eye." In English, it's the law of talion. This concept goes back to the earliest civilizations. One theory of how the principle took hold is that it was a more orderly way to resolve disputes than the feuds and vendettas that threatened the social order. An eye for an eye justice was practiced in Judiaism and in Islamic cultures. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_for_an_eye
Christianity took a different approach to punishment. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus advised his followers to stop seeking vengeance. Instead they should "turn the other cheek" - practice forgiveness. Mahatma Ghandi said, "An-eye-for-an-eye-for-an-eye-for-an-eye...ends in making everyone blind."
So, what was the right thing to do with Kaytlen Lopan? She will go to a detention center for 30 days, where (hopefully) she will have her psyche probed. During the trial, Kaytlen also admitted that she made threats of rape and mutilation, over an eight month period, in phone calls to another teenager. It seems to me that this hair cutting prank was much more than childish high jinks and bad judgement. It makes me wonder if this incident was practice for worse acts to come, a la Leopold and Loeb. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopold_and_Loeb If Kaytlen is capable of feeling shame, guilt, and remorse, then community service might be the best thing for her. I would suggest that she work on a cancer ward with lots of people whose chemotherapy has made their hair fall out. I think it's safe to say that Kaytlen should be watched very closely in the future.
I also think three-year-olds should be watched very closely. An adult hanging around toddlers, and displaying a bit too much interest, would raise red flags immediately with any mother. Maybe we should also be wary of older children. Kaytlen should have been in the mall giggling about boys, not victimizing a toddler.
The three-year-old's hair will grow back. I hope Kaytlen grows a conscience.
Monday, June 25, 2012
What Would You Do for Five Dollars?
A while back, I learned about a web
site, http://fiverr.com/gigs/search?query=dance+in+hot+dog+costume&x=19&y=20. The site bills itself as, “The place for
people to share things they’re willing to do for $5.” One seller is willing to draw a picture for
five dollars. Another will write a 30
second jingle. Still others will
translate short documents from, for example, Chinese to English or from English
to Polish. One enterprising individual
offers to provide a wake-up call for five dollars. On the
sillier side, a seller named haleylujah will perform a two minute dance to the music of your choice while wearing a hot dog costume. What if you’re a little down
and don’t feel like dancing? Morningmist will send you an encouraging letter. It’s
going to cost you five dollars, though.
What if you don’t find what you want?
Simply post your desire, and someone out there might be willing to supply
your demand for the going rate.
So all this got me thinking. What would I do for five dollars? On a creative day, I might write a limerick for a fin. However, my offerings, like haleylujah’s would likely fall into the silly category. I would cut my toenails while singing “Sweet Georgia Brown” for anyone who would ante up the fee. Would I eat a worm for a fiver? No, but I would eat escargot for five bucks. Or liver and onions. What about one hundred dollars? I would let a daddy long legs spider walk on me for one hundred dollars. But I wouldn’t touch a cricket for one thousand dollars. Or ten thousand dollars. Crickets make my insides quiver. They terrify me.
So all this got me thinking. What would I do for five dollars? On a creative day, I might write a limerick for a fin. However, my offerings, like haleylujah’s would likely fall into the silly category. I would cut my toenails while singing “Sweet Georgia Brown” for anyone who would ante up the fee. Would I eat a worm for a fiver? No, but I would eat escargot for five bucks. Or liver and onions. What about one hundred dollars? I would let a daddy long legs spider walk on me for one hundred dollars. But I wouldn’t touch a cricket for one thousand dollars. Or ten thousand dollars. Crickets make my insides quiver. They terrify me.
Reality show contestants do all sorts of crazy things for million dollar
prizes. I’ve seen them eat worms for
that sum. Could I eat a worm for a
million dollars? I think for a million
dollars (that’s two hundred thousand five dollar bills) I would stand in a
phone booth filled with crickets while singing “Sweet Georgia Brown” and
chomping on a worm – naked. Any takers?
Friday, June 22, 2012
Keepin' It Clean
Now that I'm a housewife I spend less time cleaning than when I worked. I think that's because I developed all sorts of short cuts over the years. Maybe you already know these things. In case you don't, I'll tell you some of my secrets.
Of course, a good vacuum (and its attachments) is your best friend when it comes to cleaning, but have you ever thought of adding a yard stick to your dirt busting arsenal? I use a yard stick to pull dust bunnies and the occasional piece of kibble from under the stove, frig, washer, and dryer. I also wrap the end of the yard stick with a damp paper towel, secured with a rubber band. The damp towel really grabs the dust, just be careful that you have enough clearance under the appliance so the towel doesn't catch and get stuck.
Who needs to spend money on those Swiffer dusters? I prefer to use old socks. I wet a sock, wring it out really tightly, and put my hand inside. I can dust everything from flat surfaces to curlicues just by rubbing my hand over the surface. When the sock gets dirty, I can turn it inside out for a clean surface, or get a fresh sock. I have even cut the pockets out of sweat pants to use as dusting mittens though they are not quite as good as socks.
If you have stainless steel appliances, you know that they look cool, but they are a b---- to keep shiney. Every finger print and doggie nose print shows. The easiest way to keep stainless steel clean is to dip a soft cloth in vinegar, wipe, and dry with another soft cloth.
Do you dread window washing? Try Windex Outdoor and one of those soft brushes on a telescoping pole. If you wet the window with the Windex solution, brush, and rinse, the windows will dry without water marks. I work my way around the house washing the siding and the windows. Once you buy the Windex dispenser, you can refill it with homemade solution.
Here's a recipe for fake Windex, the kind you would spray on a mirror and wipe with a paper towel:
1/8 cup ammonia
1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
1/4 teaspoon dish washing detergent
1 quart water
I make my fake Windex Outdoor solution a little (but not much) stronger because the water from the hose dilutes it.
Mike says I can get any kind of stain out of his clothes. What he really means is that I can get greasy dribbles from pizza and hoagies out of the front of his shirts. I don't buy expensive detergent. Whatever is cheap and on sale to boot, is my choice. It's the spot cleaners that are important.
I buy Zep Citrus Degreaser by the gallon. I spray it on collars and greasy food stains. I use dog destinkerizer, Simple Solution or Nature's Miracle, to remove many organic stains. It desolves grass stains, blood, and many food stains. Rubbing alcohol removes ball point pen ink. There is one really big gun that I'll bet most people don't know about - WD-40. Depending on the fabric, WD-40 might be a last resort for removing an impossible, greasy stain, like motor oil. Spray the stain with WD-40 and scrub the area with a soft brush. If the stain is loosening, add laundry detergent and scrub some more. Rinse and check the results. If you are able to get the stain out, you will be left with an oily WD-40 mark on the fabric. Saturating the area with citrus degreaser and/or detergent, letting it sit for a while, and rewashing should do the job. A friend once asked me to remove a greasy stain from her son's favorite Philadelphia Eagles jersey. After the WD-40 treatment, I had to wash the jersey five times to get the WD-40 out! In the end, it saved buying a new football jersey, and my reputation for being able to clean anything remained intact.
I can only think of one situation where dirt should remain untouched. Check out this funny Dutch TV commercial (it's subtitled):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ym-oPuVkj8
Of course, a good vacuum (and its attachments) is your best friend when it comes to cleaning, but have you ever thought of adding a yard stick to your dirt busting arsenal? I use a yard stick to pull dust bunnies and the occasional piece of kibble from under the stove, frig, washer, and dryer. I also wrap the end of the yard stick with a damp paper towel, secured with a rubber band. The damp towel really grabs the dust, just be careful that you have enough clearance under the appliance so the towel doesn't catch and get stuck.
Who needs to spend money on those Swiffer dusters? I prefer to use old socks. I wet a sock, wring it out really tightly, and put my hand inside. I can dust everything from flat surfaces to curlicues just by rubbing my hand over the surface. When the sock gets dirty, I can turn it inside out for a clean surface, or get a fresh sock. I have even cut the pockets out of sweat pants to use as dusting mittens though they are not quite as good as socks.
If you have stainless steel appliances, you know that they look cool, but they are a b---- to keep shiney. Every finger print and doggie nose print shows. The easiest way to keep stainless steel clean is to dip a soft cloth in vinegar, wipe, and dry with another soft cloth.
Do you dread window washing? Try Windex Outdoor and one of those soft brushes on a telescoping pole. If you wet the window with the Windex solution, brush, and rinse, the windows will dry without water marks. I work my way around the house washing the siding and the windows. Once you buy the Windex dispenser, you can refill it with homemade solution.
Here's a recipe for fake Windex, the kind you would spray on a mirror and wipe with a paper towel:
1/8 cup ammonia
1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
1/4 teaspoon dish washing detergent
1 quart water
I make my fake Windex Outdoor solution a little (but not much) stronger because the water from the hose dilutes it.
Mike says I can get any kind of stain out of his clothes. What he really means is that I can get greasy dribbles from pizza and hoagies out of the front of his shirts. I don't buy expensive detergent. Whatever is cheap and on sale to boot, is my choice. It's the spot cleaners that are important.
I buy Zep Citrus Degreaser by the gallon. I spray it on collars and greasy food stains. I use dog destinkerizer, Simple Solution or Nature's Miracle, to remove many organic stains. It desolves grass stains, blood, and many food stains. Rubbing alcohol removes ball point pen ink. There is one really big gun that I'll bet most people don't know about - WD-40. Depending on the fabric, WD-40 might be a last resort for removing an impossible, greasy stain, like motor oil. Spray the stain with WD-40 and scrub the area with a soft brush. If the stain is loosening, add laundry detergent and scrub some more. Rinse and check the results. If you are able to get the stain out, you will be left with an oily WD-40 mark on the fabric. Saturating the area with citrus degreaser and/or detergent, letting it sit for a while, and rewashing should do the job. A friend once asked me to remove a greasy stain from her son's favorite Philadelphia Eagles jersey. After the WD-40 treatment, I had to wash the jersey five times to get the WD-40 out! In the end, it saved buying a new football jersey, and my reputation for being able to clean anything remained intact.
I can only think of one situation where dirt should remain untouched. Check out this funny Dutch TV commercial (it's subtitled):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ym-oPuVkj8
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