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I was introduced to camping when I first got married many years ago. It was a delightful experience until one occasion when we were camping on Cape Cod and were surprised by an approaching hurricane!

We had returned to using a tent. A word of advice to people who hang their towels to dry over the frame of the tent … DO NOT do this. As the wind picked up the towels were blown on top of the tent and this negated the waterproof properties and the rain began pouring inside the tent. We had suitcases filled with wet clothing and everything else inside the tent was pretty soaked. It was a long uncomfortable drive back to Providence, RI. We looked liked pathetic drowned rats when we stopped to get breakfast (take out, of course) at McDonald’s. At this point I vowed never to go camping again!! Of course that is not true. I have since gone camping with my daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren.

Once our daughters were born we changed from “tenting” to a Cox Pop-Up Tent Trailer. Being off the ground was easier with the children.

You need to develop a system to make life easier when going camping. A system will save you a lot of time and confusion and help you get on the road without raising your blood pressure!

We had a large basket that perfectly fit between the two fold out beds (with room to spare) where we kept cookware, dishes, silverware and miscellaneous items such as salt and pepper and other items that would keep well left in the camper outdoors. This made our weekly packing a lot easier.

Strip your beds when you are folding up the camper and wash the bedding when you get home and it will be ready for your next trip. Items that needed more rigorously cleaning was removed and cleaned. The floor was swept and washed and we were basically ready for our next weekend. We actually camped almost every weekend.

I would go shopping and slide the food bags and clothing bags right in the camper. We packed an ice chest in the trunk of the car to hold items that needed to be refrigerated. My husband got home from work, changed his clothes, hooked up the camper and off we went for another exciting weekend. At the time we were living in an apartment and we really looked forward to our weekends away.

We camped in many different areas from Cape Cod, to Vermont and Canada. It was great fun. We had best friends who had three children that usually packed up their tent camper and went with us. What a great experience for the children.

There is nothing quite as wonderful as the smell of coffee brewing on the camp stove and breakfast cooking. The smell of bacon and eggs awakens any sleepy appetite.

Before we purchased our Cox Camper we had a couple occasions to camp with the girls when they were quite young. I must admit that the tent camper was a lot easier.

As you become proficient at camping you will learn many useful tips. One time in particular the temperatures were cooler than we had expected. With the girls in their flannel pajamas, and sleepers we were concerned that they might not be warm enough in their sleeping bags. An older seasoned camper gentleman told us a wise old tip. He told us to be sure the girls, or anyone for that matter, are warm to make sure they are wearing socks and eat a candy bar before going to bed. It worked like a charm every time.

Before you leave on your camping trip check out the park you are planning to go to. Nowadays, with the internet, it is easy to preselect your desired site, or at least get an idea of where you want to stay. If you have small children, it is a good idea to plan to stay nearer the bathrooms! My daughter is a real pro at choosing the “best” site.

Although I personally enjoy just getting away from the everyday rat race and just spending time with my family, you might want to take into consideration activities in the area where you will be camping. Make a list of “things to do and places to go” and in this way you will be ready to have a lot of fun.

Board games, cards, bubbles, and balls are good things to pack. If camping with older children you may want to make sure the MP3 (or whatever digital sound device you have) is well changed and packed. By all means do not forget to take sunscreen and bug spray. Take along a camera (batteries charged/charger to charge) to capture all those special moments.

It is a good idea to make a list of things you will need. The following list will grow as you continue to camp and realize items that you “miss” from home. In addition to those things mentioned above here are a couple of suggestions:

Tent/tent camper
Sleeping bags
Hammer
Towels,
First Aid Kit
Sunscreen
Bug Spray
Toiletries
Benadryl (just in case you encounter some poison ivy)
Cleaning spray
Salt and pepper
Cookies and crackers
Packages of oatmeal
Coffee
Coffee French Press (we enjoy the finerthings even when camping!)
Marshmallows
Candy bars
Graham Crackers (anyone for s’mores?)
Skewers
Cocoa
Cereal
Citronella candles
Table cover (plastic or cloth)
Plates, silverware, cups
Paper towels
Napkins
Dish detergent
Dishpan to wash dishes
Container to carry water
Charcoal
Lighter Fluid
Matches
Bathing suits
Rain Ponchos
Appropriate clothing and shoes
And whatever else you think you will need

With technology being what it is today, you will be able to take a TV, but I would suggest enjoying being away from those types of things that demand your attention at home and just enjoy spending time with your family.

I was amazed at all the new camping equipment that is on the market. Fancy coffeemakers, and really great collapsible water carriers and double dish washing basins and even portable toilets!! You can decide for yourselves how rustic you want your experience to be.

I wish you a fun filled camping trip that will supply you with memories for years to come.

Judy Conway

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Category: Camping, Children, family, Helpful Hints, Mother Nature, Uncategorized | Tags: Amazon, become a proficient camper, Camping, camping equipment, clothing, Judy Conway, Outdoors, Sleeping bag, tent camper, water | Leave a Comment

Things You Should Know About Poison Ivy

Author: Judy Conway

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In writing articles we are encouraged to write on subjects we are passionate about. As I sit here with my right eye half swollen shut, I am VERY passionate about poison ivy. I would like to start this article by quoting the saying, “Leaves of three, let them be.” My goal is to provide you with information on the things you should know about poison ivy.

Here is a picture of poison ivy climbing a tree to help you identify the plant that can cause you a great deal of pain and money. Poison ivy also be a free standing plant.

Poison Ivy on a Tree

In my entire 64 years I have never been allergic to poison ivy. That was until about two years ago. I was using the weed whacker in my back yard. I was wearing shorts and upon cutting through numerous poison ivy plants and flinging these pieces of plant up and down my body.Let me tell you I ended up being covered in a severe poison ivy rash. I never traveled far from my spray bottle of alcohol. It took several trips to the doctor, a shot and then a two week regimen on steroids before I began to find comfort.

For this reason, I am extremely careful trimming around this area in my yard. I was working at eliminating new growth the other day when the end of one of the vines hit me in the face under my eye. I had gloves on, long pants and a long sleeved shirt and was still attacked by this obtrusive plant. I instantly came in the house and took off the gloves and put those in the trash, put my clothes in the washing machine and began washing my face and body with cool water. The are various schools of thought on washing to rid the skin area of the urushiol oil that causes the rash. Some advocate the use of soap and water, while others say the soap just spreads the oil on your skin.

I really thought I had been successful until the next morning when I got up and saw a bright read blotch under my eye. Before long the blisters appeared. I am including below some facts on the rash:

The poison ivy rash typically starts one or two days after exposure, though the delay between contact and its onset can be longer, up to several days. This may lead to confusion over where the exposure took place. The first signs of the rash are curved lines of red, itchy bumps or blisters. These continue to appear for many days, depending on how much resin touched the skin at a given point. This makes it seem as though the rash is “spreading,” although the fluid in blisters is just part of the allergic reaction and contains no chemicals or bacteria. It also makes it appear that there may still be poison ivy in clothes and/or on pets. Although this is theoretically possible, repeated washing of these often produces no improvement.

I am thankful that I escaped with only the one area being affected. Not being able to totally see out of one eye is the biggest inconvenience as I work on the computer. It was good to read that poison ivy is not contagious, neither from one person to someone else nor from one part of the body to another.

I would like to insert a word of caution here. Even though you do not make contact with the poison plant yourself, the oil can get on your dog or cat’s fur and they can bring you the gift of this lovely rash without your even knowing it.

The best precaution you can take against this is to be certain you do not have this plant in your yard. There are a few products that are good at eliminating the plant from your yard all together. Make sure you read the label to see if it will destroy any of your other plants. I used the spray a couple of years ago and I eliminated all of my blackberry bushes!

Glyphosate- The product is sold under the trade names of Roundup, Roundup concentrate and Kleenup. It is applied to the foliage of poison ivy but is trans-located throughout the plant, including the roots. Glyphosate has no soil activity. It will kill or injure all plants contacted by the spray, including grasses. Applications near the foliage of desirable ornamentals should be made with extreme caution. Glyphosate should not be applied when rain is expected within six hours of application because its effectiveness will be reduced. After treatment, the vegetation should not be disturbed for several days. Remember, dead poison ivy still contains poisonous oils and should be handled with care if the soil in a treated area is to be worked. When glyphosate is the active ingredient listed on the label it is identified as Isopropylamine salt of glyphosate.

Amitrole - Amitrole is sold under the trade names of Amitrol-T, and Weedazol. It is applied to the foliage and is translocated throughout the plant. It is nonselective, therefore it will kill or injure any plants to which it is applied. It also remains active in the soil for several weeks after application, therefore it is important not to use it near other desirable plants. The soil activity also prevents the planting of new vegetation for several weeks.

It should not be used in areas where food crops will be raised or animals grazed. When amitrole is the active ingredient listed on the label, it is identified as 3-Amino-1,2,4-triazole.

2,4-D - This product is sold under many trade names and is often mixed with 2,4-DP to improve its effectiveness on woody plants. Weed-B-Gon Jet Weeder is a 2,4-D product for use around the house that can be purchased at most lawn and garden centers. It is not the most effective treatment for controlling poison ivy, but it does not kill grass.

I am taking Benadryl and a triple strength antibiotic ointment with pain reliever. Here are some other suggestions for treatment of the rash:

Once it begins, the rash will usually clear on its own by 14-21 days. Treatment is directed at controlling the itching. Oral antihistamines (like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) may help the itch somewhat, but often they do no more than make people drowsy. Cortisone creams, whether over-the=counter or by prescription, are only helpful if applied right away, before blisters appear, or much later, when the blisters have dried up. Compresses with cool water or Burow’s solution (available without prescription) can help dry the ooze faster.

When the rash is severe, such as when it affects the face or causes extensive blistering, oral steroids (for example, prednisone) can help produce rapid improvement. This course of therapy should be maintained, often in decreasing doses, for 10-14 days or even longer in some cases, to prevent having the rash rebound and become severe again. Patients who are given a six-day pack of cortisone pills often get worse again when they complete it, because the dose was too low and administered for too short a time.

Here are some cases where you may be best to consult your physician. Far more powerful agents are available by prescription for the rash and itching of poison ivy.

Facial or genital involvement. The skin in these areas is easily damaged and scarred, and swelling from rhus dermatitis can be dramatic.

Involvement of large areas of skin. Ten percent of the body’s surface, or about the size of the entire front abdomen. This is too large of an area to self-treat.

Signs of infection. These include pain and tenderness, growing redness around the rash, or pus. Clear or slightly yellow transparent fluid is common from poison ivy blisters and is not a sign of infection. Be cautious if you find yourself scratching the rash as dirt and bacteria can be under your nails and cause infection.

Extreme itching. Itching which disturbs sleep or normal daily activities despite using OTC treatments should be treated by a physician.

I hope that you will find this information on poison ivy helpful. Ideally, I hope that you will never have to use it. The internet holds a plethora of information on this topic.

Happy gardening and I wish you a summer that is poison ivy rash free!

Judy Conwway

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Category: Children, family, gardening, health, Helpful Hints | Tags: 2, 4-D, alcohol, Allergy, Amitrole, Benadryl, Blister, Conditions and Diseases, Cortisone creams, Glyphosate, health, Itch, Judy Conway, physician, Poison ivy, Roundup, Urushiol, water | Leave a Comment

Tips on Creating a Raised Planting Area

Author: Judy Conway

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: Image via Wikipedia

Creating a raised planting area may be the answer to your drainage problems. If your current planting goals involve sufficient water drainage, I am sure you are aware of how frustrating it is to have a yard that has soil that just won’t cooperate. A few plants can deal with the surplus water that occurs from existing in an area that doesn’t drain appropriately. In some cases, it might just prompt them to bloom more lushly. On the other hand, other plants don’t cope as well, and it will make them to die a ghastly, bloated death. You should always find out about the drainage necessary for every plant you purchase, and ensure that it will be appropriate for any of the areas you are considering planting it in.

In order to test how much water your chosen patch of soil will hold on to, dig a hole around ten inches deep. Fill it with water, and check back in a day when all the water had left. Fill it back up once more. If the 2nd hole full of water hasn’t drained off in 10 hours, your soil has a low saturation point. This means that when water soaks into it, it will stick around for a long time before dissipating. This is unacceptable for almost any plant, and you are going to have to do something to fix this situation if you want your plants to last.

The typical way for improving drainage in your plot is to build a raised bed. This entails making a border for a small bed, and adding sufficient soil and compost to it to boost it above the rest of the yard by at least 5 inches. You’ll be very surprised at how much your water drainage will be enhanced by this small modification. If you’re setting out to build a raised bed, your potential area is either on grass or on dirt. For each of these cases, you should build it to some extent differently.

If you desire to start a raised garden in a non grassy spot, you won’t have much difficulty. Just acquire some sort of border to retain the dirt you will be adding. I’ve found that there is not anything that works quite as good as a few two by fours. After you’ve formed the wall, you must put in the right amount soil and steer manure. Depending on amount of time you plan to wait before planting, you will possibly want to regulate the ratio to allow for any wasting away that may occur.

If you’re setting out to set up a raised bed where sod already exists, you will have a tad more difficult time. You will want to cut the sod around the perimeter of the garden, and flip it over. This may sound uncomplicated, but you will require something with a very sharp edge to trim the edges of the sod and get under it. Once you have turned it all upside down, it best to add a layer of straw to discourage the grass from growing back up. After the layer of straw, simply add all the soil and steer manure that a ordinary garden would require.

Planting your plants in your new spot shouldn’t present many problems. It is essentially the same procedure as your normal planting session. Make certain that the roots don’t extend too far into the first ground level. The whole point of setting up the raised bed is to keep the roots out of the soil which saturates easily. Having very long roots that extend that far totally destroys the project.

Once you have plants in your new bed, you’ll see an almost direct improvement. The added soil facilitates better root growth. Simultaneously, evaporation is prevented and decomposition is halted. All of these things added together makes for an ideal environment for almost any plant to grow in. So don’t be intimidated by the thought of adjusting the very topography of your yard. It is an uncomplicated task as I’m sure you’ve come to realize, and the long term results are gratifying to say the least.

Happy planting in your new raised planting area. I wish you prosperous crops or beautiful blossoms, whatever the case may be!

Judy Conway

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Category: gardening, home, Uncategorized | Tags: Drainage, Garden, plants, Raised bed gardening, soil, soil drainage test, summer garden, water | Leave a Comment

In the Absence of Money We Can Pray for Haiti!

Author: Judy Conway

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: Image via Wikipedia

Primarily our blogging efforts are for creating traffic to our websites, sharing personal notes, and overall social activities. There are those times when I use mine to share what is on my heart. This is one of those times.

I know that the world is aware of the total devastation that the country of Haiti has suffered as a result of the recent earthquake. Without actually being there it is truly difficult to imagine what those people are feeling.

Just think what it would be like to all of a sudden have your world, your possessions (few as they are in Haiti), your children, your parents, family members, food, water, limbs, etc. ripped from under you. Just the thought of this horrific occurrence brings tears to my heart.

I realize that with our economy the way it is, some of us are having difficulty meeting our expenses and would find it hard to give for the relief cause for Haiti. I was in the grocery store the other day and they asked me if I wanted to “round up” my bill for the Haiti Relief program. I said yes, of course. I looked at the register screen and was sad to see it was only four cents. But even that meager amount, when coupled with other people’s four cents will add up and make a difference. I am retired and on social security and find it a challenge to make ends meet. This brought to my mind the story in the Bible of the widow’s mite. (Mark 12:41-44) God will honor your giving, no matter how small it may be. He knows what is in our hearts.

The Haitian people need everything. Perhaps a look in your closet will reveal clothes that you are no longer using. Maybe your children have grown out of some of their clothes. There are organizations that are collecting clothing items to send to Haiti. Whatever you can give, I know will be appreciated.

The enormous lack of all things in Haiti is something that has been going on for many years and will continue in the future. This earthquake has only intensified the situation. They will need our help for many months to come.

I personally know of people whose family members have been killed in this earthquake, while other family members are still among the missing.

If we have come to the bottom of our pockets and what we can financially contribute to Haiti there is still something that we can do. We can make intercessory prayer on behalf of these people. We can cry out to God for them to have the courage they need to go through these times, peace and understanding for the loses, especially for little children that have lost their parents and home and now find themselves living in the street with no food or water, and the list goes on. We can pray that God will provide people to make great sacrifices and go to Haiti to help. We need to keep all those people who have gone to Haiti to provide their services in our prayers as well. Whatever is on your heart can be given to God.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Please join with me in remembering Haiti in your prayers.

Blessings,

Judy Conway

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Category: Children, Christian, Haiti, Inspirational, Prayer, Uncategorized | Tags: Business and Economy, Children, clothing, devastation, Earthquake, family, food, Haiti, intercessory prayer, pray, Religion and Spirituality, sacrific, water | Leave a Comment