A bird feeder covered in snow.
The coyote from the original Tree Monument sits quietly in the snow while Zoe looks on.
Hopefully this will inspire the rest of you to get out there and take some pictures of this beautiful snow and send them in to me!
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Pine Cove Pictures
Our first pictures from one of our customers. Thank you so much for sending them in. They are beautiful! Great job.
A bird feeder covered in snow.
The coyote from the original Tree Monument sits quietly in the snow while Zoe looks on.
Hopefully this will inspire the rest of you to get out there and take some pictures of this beautiful snow and send them in to me!
A bird feeder covered in snow.
The coyote from the original Tree Monument sits quietly in the snow while Zoe looks on.
Hopefully this will inspire the rest of you to get out there and take some pictures of this beautiful snow and send them in to me!
Happy New Year!
Just a reminder that the water district office will be closed tomorrow, January 31, 2010. We will be back in the office Monday morning at 9 am as per usual. We can still be reached in case of an emergency by calling 951-294-8282.
The sun is shining today, but it is bitterly cold out and all the rain and snow from yesterday is ice today. Highway 243 is fairly clear, but there are some patches of black ice, so be extra cautious if you will be out driving. The side roads may or may not be as clear.
The weather station up at the Rocky Point tank site has registered a whopping 11.61 inches of rain for the month of December. Wow, winter is off to a wet start. I don't know what the rest of the winter will be like, but hopefully it will continue to be wet.
It is hard to imagine in weather like this, but we are still in Stage One conservation. The drought is not over, so diligence with regards to water use is still a good idea. Conserving water should be a year round habit. The more we save now, the more we will have for later. And since we never know what Mother Nature is going to hand us, it is best to err on the side of caution and keep conserving.
So this will be my last post for the year 2010. I hope you enjoy reading it and I hope you find some helpful tips or information on it. I will continue the blog in 2011 and I hope that more of our customers will let us know their thoughts and opinions. We thank you for supporting us thus far.
Don't forget to check out the Water District's Website for minutes from the board meetings, rates, billing information and the webcam. Lots of information to be had there.
We hope all of our customers and visitors here in Pine Cove have a very happy, healthy and wet 2011. Happy New Year to everyone from the staff of the Pine Cove Water District.
Jerry H., Becky, Vicki, Jerry J., Jeremy and Stitch
The sun is shining today, but it is bitterly cold out and all the rain and snow from yesterday is ice today. Highway 243 is fairly clear, but there are some patches of black ice, so be extra cautious if you will be out driving. The side roads may or may not be as clear.
The weather station up at the Rocky Point tank site has registered a whopping 11.61 inches of rain for the month of December. Wow, winter is off to a wet start. I don't know what the rest of the winter will be like, but hopefully it will continue to be wet.
It is hard to imagine in weather like this, but we are still in Stage One conservation. The drought is not over, so diligence with regards to water use is still a good idea. Conserving water should be a year round habit. The more we save now, the more we will have for later. And since we never know what Mother Nature is going to hand us, it is best to err on the side of caution and keep conserving.
So this will be my last post for the year 2010. I hope you enjoy reading it and I hope you find some helpful tips or information on it. I will continue the blog in 2011 and I hope that more of our customers will let us know their thoughts and opinions. We thank you for supporting us thus far.
Don't forget to check out the Water District's Website for minutes from the board meetings, rates, billing information and the webcam. Lots of information to be had there.
We hope all of our customers and visitors here in Pine Cove have a very happy, healthy and wet 2011. Happy New Year to everyone from the staff of the Pine Cove Water District.
Jerry H., Becky, Vicki, Jerry J., Jeremy and Stitch
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Snow Pictures
Ok, I posted my snow pictures from around the office here, so how about sending me yours? We would love to see the beautiful snow from around the Pine Cove area. Take a few and send them over to me at pcwd2675@yahoo.com. I will put them up on the blog so everyone can see our beautiful area. Please include the location and the time you took the photo and your name if you would like to be credited for the photo. I know we have some really good amateur photographers here in Pine Cove, so go ahead and put your skills to good use and share your pictures with your neighbors. If you send them by noon, I will put them up today. After that, they will go up tomorrow. Thanks!
Speaking of beautiful shots, don't forget to mosey on over to the Pine Cove Water District website and check out the webcam. It is located at the Rocky Point tank site and points out towards Garner Valley. You can't see much due to the clouds, but it is very beautiful to watch the snow fall.
Warm Winter Wishes to all our customers from everyone here at the water district.
It's Snowing!
Well just in case there is anyone out there who hasn't looked out their window yet, it is snowing.
I have read several weather reports and frankly, I think they are way off base. One said 1/2" accumulation possible. I am not believing that because between 7:30 am and 8:30 am, I had to shovel off my deck and side walk twice. I cleaned off my car around 8:30 to come to work and by 8:45, it was covered again. So it is safe to say that weather forecast is out the window.
The next one I read said 3 to 8 inches and called for snow levels to drop to 4,000 feet later today. There was already snow in Mountain Center by 8 am this morning, so I think that one is wrong as well.
As for the total amount of snow we are going to get, I don't know. It seems to be coming down pretty fast and steady, so I can see us getting the full 8 inches with no problem. My personal opinion is that we are going to get more snow than they are predicting and the snow levels will be lower much sooner than they predicted. But what do I know?
This is a good time to remind you to turn off your water at your customer valve if you are leaving your mountain home. Also make sure your outside hoses are disconnected. Once you turn off your water at your customer valve, it is a good idea to go back inside and turn your faucets on to remove any standing water in the pipes. Be sure to turn them off again once they have drained out. This prevents the water from flying out of the faucets when you turn the water back on. Turning off your water is the easiest way to prevent water loss from frozen or broken pipes.
While the snow is beautiful, please be mindful of any pets you have outside. Be sure to provide them with a warm, dry shelter so they can get out of the snow. Warm water is especially appreciated during these cold days.
If you have to go out on the roads, be extremely careful. When I came in at 9 am, the side roads had not been plowed and Highway 243 was getting covered over again. It is best to just stay put if possible. There are not many things worth risking your life for.
To all our customers, stay warm, stay safe and enjoy this beautiful snow!
I have read several weather reports and frankly, I think they are way off base. One said 1/2" accumulation possible. I am not believing that because between 7:30 am and 8:30 am, I had to shovel off my deck and side walk twice. I cleaned off my car around 8:30 to come to work and by 8:45, it was covered again. So it is safe to say that weather forecast is out the window.
The next one I read said 3 to 8 inches and called for snow levels to drop to 4,000 feet later today. There was already snow in Mountain Center by 8 am this morning, so I think that one is wrong as well.
As for the total amount of snow we are going to get, I don't know. It seems to be coming down pretty fast and steady, so I can see us getting the full 8 inches with no problem. My personal opinion is that we are going to get more snow than they are predicting and the snow levels will be lower much sooner than they predicted. But what do I know?
This is a good time to remind you to turn off your water at your customer valve if you are leaving your mountain home. Also make sure your outside hoses are disconnected. Once you turn off your water at your customer valve, it is a good idea to go back inside and turn your faucets on to remove any standing water in the pipes. Be sure to turn them off again once they have drained out. This prevents the water from flying out of the faucets when you turn the water back on. Turning off your water is the easiest way to prevent water loss from frozen or broken pipes.
While the snow is beautiful, please be mindful of any pets you have outside. Be sure to provide them with a warm, dry shelter so they can get out of the snow. Warm water is especially appreciated during these cold days.
If you have to go out on the roads, be extremely careful. When I came in at 9 am, the side roads had not been plowed and Highway 243 was getting covered over again. It is best to just stay put if possible. There are not many things worth risking your life for.
To all our customers, stay warm, stay safe and enjoy this beautiful snow!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Almost 3,000 hits!
As you can see, we are closing in on 3,000 hits on our blog! Wow, that is fabulous. We started the blog as a way to communicate with all the Pine Cove Water District customers. We are now getting hits from all over the world and that is very interesting.
We try to keep the blog interesting without getting to far off the main topic, which is water. Of course we are always interested in things like the weather and other happenings that affect life here in Pine Cove. We also like to post about things that we think people will find interesting, educational, helpful or informative.
We noticed we get lots of calls from people who live off the hill and need to know about road conditions and other happenings prior to coming up. So if you look in the sidebar of the blog, you will find lots of helpful links to many things here in the area such as the local paper, weather conditions, road closures and even inns.
So come in and look around. If you have any comments, plese feel free to post them. We love getting feedback from everyone who visits here.
We try to keep the blog interesting without getting to far off the main topic, which is water. Of course we are always interested in things like the weather and other happenings that affect life here in Pine Cove. We also like to post about things that we think people will find interesting, educational, helpful or informative.
We noticed we get lots of calls from people who live off the hill and need to know about road conditions and other happenings prior to coming up. So if you look in the sidebar of the blog, you will find lots of helpful links to many things here in the area such as the local paper, weather conditions, road closures and even inns.
So come in and look around. If you have any comments, plese feel free to post them. We love getting feedback from everyone who visits here.
After Hours Emergency
Just a reminder that we can be reached in case of emergency by calling 951-294-8282.
Office Hours for this week
Just a reminder that the water district will be closed on Friday, January 31. Normal office hours will resume on Jan. 3, 2011. We are now open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. We are no long closed during lunch, so feel free to stop by anytime now.
January Board Meeting
Our first board meeting of 2011 will be held on January 12, 2011 at 10 a.m. in the board room. The board meetings are open to the public and we love to have our constituents attend them. Come and join us. The district office is located at 24917 Marion Ridge Road, right next to the fire station. We hope to see you there.
Monday Musings a day late!
Ok, I know it is Tuesday and not Monday, but we were closed yesterday, so it feels like Monday even though it is Tuesday. We hope everyone had a very happy holiday weekend. The weather stayed pretty nice so that was a good thing. I guess we are in for another storm tomorrow.
We hope you are all ready for the cold and snow. Insulate your pipes if possible and disconnect your outside hoses. You can also find nifty little insultated covers for your faucets online and at hardward stores. They just slip right over the faucet and help keep it from freezing.
Remember to turn your water at your customer shut off valve when you leave your mountain home.
We hope you are all ready for the cold and snow. Insulate your pipes if possible and disconnect your outside hoses. You can also find nifty little insultated covers for your faucets online and at hardward stores. They just slip right over the faucet and help keep it from freezing.
Remember to turn your water at your customer shut off valve when you leave your mountain home.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Water Pics
With all of this rain, the creeks are running like rivers. Here is a picture taken from Highway 243 on the property where the Black wells are located.
If you have any pictures of the water flowing around Pine Cove, please send them to me at pcwd2675@yahoo.com along with a description of the picture and I will post them here on the blog. Be sure to leave you name if you want credit for the picture. We would love to see your pictures of what is happening around Pine Cove.
If you have any pictures of the water flowing around Pine Cove, please send them to me at pcwd2675@yahoo.com along with a description of the picture and I will post them here on the blog. Be sure to leave you name if you want credit for the picture. We would love to see your pictures of what is happening around Pine Cove.
Holiday Office Hours
Just a reminder that the office will be closed on Friday, December 24th and on Monday, December 27th, and on Friday, December 31st. We can still be reached in case of emergency by calling 951-294-8282.
Everyone here at the Pine Cove Water District hopes that each one of you has a very joyous, happy & safe holiday season and a happy and healthy 2011!
Jerry, Becky, Vicki, Jerry, Jeremy and Stitch
Everyone here at the Pine Cove Water District hopes that each one of you has a very joyous, happy & safe holiday season and a happy and healthy 2011!
Jerry, Becky, Vicki, Jerry, Jeremy and Stitch
Sunshine and Snow
It is great to see the sun out this morning! Coupled with the dusting of snow we got, it makes for a very bright morning! Hope you all made it through the deluge unscathed. Today we will have to dodge the dripping trees, but at least we can see the sky and the sun. The weather station has recorded 10.83 inches of rain for the month of December. Perhaps next time, Mother Nature can see fit to space the rain out just a little bit.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Blue Bird Houses
We now have blue bird houses back in stock! If you missed out on getting yours the last time, stop on by the district office, located at 24917 Marion Ridge Rd and ask for your FREE blue bird house. The boys, Jerry and Jeremy, make them out of old fence boards. It is a great way to do some recycling and provide shelter for our feathered friends all at one time. Be quick as they usually go fast! If you pick one up now and hang it up, it will be all ready for the birds to move in come spring.
We also have free wood chips if you are still in need of those. They are behind the workshop on Marion Ridge and you can just help yourself. If you need an exceptionally large amount, please check in at the office first.
We also have free wood chips if you are still in need of those. They are behind the workshop on Marion Ridge and you can just help yourself. If you need an exceptionally large amount, please check in at the office first.
Weather
Ok, where is the ark? This is the 6th straight day of rain. I don't know if this is a record breaker or not, but it sure feels like an unusual event to me. The weather station has registered 10.47 inches of rain for December. They are calling for some snow and if you haven't seen it yet, here is the messasge from the Nation Weather Service in San Diego.
Winter Storm Warning
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
556 PM PST TUE DEC 21 2010
...PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOWFALL POSSIBLE IN THE MOUNTAINS THROUGH
WEDNESDAY...
.A FLOW OF MOISTURE FROM THE SOUTHWEST WILL BRING PERIODS OF
LIGHT SNOWFALL TONIGHT. FOR LATE TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...A
STRONGER...COLDER TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE FROM THE NORTHWEST WILL
BRING NUMEROUS SNOW SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY
SNOWFALL POSSIBLE ABOVE 6500 FEET.
CAZ055-056-221200-
/O.EXP.KSGX.WW.Y.0010.000000T0000Z-101222T0200Z/
/O.EXT.KSGX.WS.W.0010.101222T0800Z-101223T0200Z/
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...BALDWIN LAKE...
BIG BEAR CITY...BIG BEAR LAKE...FAWNSKIN
556 PM PST TUE DEC 21 2010
...WINTER STORM WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO
6 PM PST WEDNESDAY...
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WILL EXPIRE AT 6 PM PST THIS EVENING...
THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WILL EXPIRE AT 6 PM PST THIS EVENING.
THE WINTER STORM WARNING ABOVE 6500 FOR HEAVY SNOW IS IN EFFECT
FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM PST WEDNESDAY.
* ELEVATION: ABOVE 6500 FEET.
* SNOW LEVELS: 6500 FEET TODAY...MAY RISE BRIEFLY THIS
EVENING...BEFORE LOWERING TO 5000 FEET OR LOWER WEDNESDAY.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 2 TO 4 INCHES ABOVE 6500 FEET EARLY TONIGHT.
FOR LATE TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY...12 TO 24 INCHES ABOVE 7000
FEET WITH 4 TO 12 INCHES FROM 6000 TO 7000 FEET.
* TIMING: LIGHT SNOWFALL TONIGHT. NUMEROUS SNOW SHOWERS AND
ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS LATE TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING
WITH HEAVY SNOWFALL POSSIBLE...DECREASING WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
AND ENDING WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: BALDWIN LAKE...BIG BEAR CITY...BIG BEAR
LAKE...FAWNSKIN
* WINDS: SOUTHWEST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH EARLY TONIGHT.
SOUTH WINDS 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH LATE TONIGHT...
BECOMING SOUTHWEST ON WEDNESDAY.
* VISIBILITY: AREAS OF NEAR ZERO VISIBILITY AT TIMES IN BLOWING
SNOW AND AREAS OF FOG.
* IMPACTS: A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE
WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT
AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS.
ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA
FLASHLIGHT...FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN
EMERGENCY.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF
SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN
AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...
FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.
WHITLOW
We have sand and sandbags here at the water district office. If you need sandbags, please stop by the office during normal business hours and we will be happy to give you some. We have sand located behind the workshop.
If you are going to be out on the road, please take the appropriate precautions. It is better to arrive somewhere late, but safe and sound, than to not arrive at all. If you don't have to be out on the roads, then stay home. That is the best way to assure you will stay safe.
We hope everyone in the Pine Cove/Idyllwild area is staying warm, safe and dry. Don't forget to provide for your pets in this weather as well. They too appreciate a warm, dry place to hunker down while this storm plays out.
If we are all careful, we can make it through this.
Winter Storm Warning
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA
556 PM PST TUE DEC 21 2010
...PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOWFALL POSSIBLE IN THE MOUNTAINS THROUGH
WEDNESDAY...
.A FLOW OF MOISTURE FROM THE SOUTHWEST WILL BRING PERIODS OF
LIGHT SNOWFALL TONIGHT. FOR LATE TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...A
STRONGER...COLDER TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE FROM THE NORTHWEST WILL
BRING NUMEROUS SNOW SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY
SNOWFALL POSSIBLE ABOVE 6500 FEET.
CAZ055-056-221200-
/O.EXP.KSGX.WW.Y.0010.000000T0000Z-101222T0200Z/
/O.EXT.KSGX.WS.W.0010.101222T0800Z-101223T0200Z/
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS-RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...BALDWIN LAKE...
BIG BEAR CITY...BIG BEAR LAKE...FAWNSKIN
556 PM PST TUE DEC 21 2010
...WINTER STORM WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO
6 PM PST WEDNESDAY...
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WILL EXPIRE AT 6 PM PST THIS EVENING...
THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WILL EXPIRE AT 6 PM PST THIS EVENING.
THE WINTER STORM WARNING ABOVE 6500 FOR HEAVY SNOW IS IN EFFECT
FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM PST WEDNESDAY.
* ELEVATION: ABOVE 6500 FEET.
* SNOW LEVELS: 6500 FEET TODAY...MAY RISE BRIEFLY THIS
EVENING...BEFORE LOWERING TO 5000 FEET OR LOWER WEDNESDAY.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 2 TO 4 INCHES ABOVE 6500 FEET EARLY TONIGHT.
FOR LATE TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY...12 TO 24 INCHES ABOVE 7000
FEET WITH 4 TO 12 INCHES FROM 6000 TO 7000 FEET.
* TIMING: LIGHT SNOWFALL TONIGHT. NUMEROUS SNOW SHOWERS AND
ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS LATE TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING
WITH HEAVY SNOWFALL POSSIBLE...DECREASING WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
AND ENDING WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: BALDWIN LAKE...BIG BEAR CITY...BIG BEAR
LAKE...FAWNSKIN
* WINDS: SOUTHWEST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH EARLY TONIGHT.
SOUTH WINDS 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH LATE TONIGHT...
BECOMING SOUTHWEST ON WEDNESDAY.
* VISIBILITY: AREAS OF NEAR ZERO VISIBILITY AT TIMES IN BLOWING
SNOW AND AREAS OF FOG.
* IMPACTS: A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE
WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT
AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS.
ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA
FLASHLIGHT...FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN
EMERGENCY.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF
SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN
AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...
FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.
WHITLOW
We have sand and sandbags here at the water district office. If you need sandbags, please stop by the office during normal business hours and we will be happy to give you some. We have sand located behind the workshop.
If you are going to be out on the road, please take the appropriate precautions. It is better to arrive somewhere late, but safe and sound, than to not arrive at all. If you don't have to be out on the roads, then stay home. That is the best way to assure you will stay safe.
We hope everyone in the Pine Cove/Idyllwild area is staying warm, safe and dry. Don't forget to provide for your pets in this weather as well. They too appreciate a warm, dry place to hunker down while this storm plays out.
If we are all careful, we can make it through this.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Flooding
With all this rain, we thought now might be a good time to share some information on flooding with everyone.
Flooding at Home
Flooding at Home
Sandbags
The wild wet weather is continuing. According to the weather, if we make it until Thursday, we will get a break for a few days.
If you are in need of some sandbags, we have them available here at the water district office. We are located at 24917 Marion Ridge Rd. Just stop by the office between 9am and 4pm and we would be happy to help you out. We also have a pile of sand behind the work shop so you can fill them up. So if you are in need, come on by and we will hook you up.
If you are in need of some sandbags, we have them available here at the water district office. We are located at 24917 Marion Ridge Rd. Just stop by the office between 9am and 4pm and we would be happy to help you out. We also have a pile of sand behind the work shop so you can fill them up. So if you are in need, come on by and we will hook you up.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Monday Musings
Hope you all made it through our wet weekend safe and dry. As we start the week, we are experiencing our 4th day of rain. I don't recall getting this much rain at one time in the 15 years I have lived up here. It will be interesting to see what the final totals are once this storm moves out of the area. I know many records in other areas are being broken left and right. As of right now, our weather station says we have received 9.53 inches in the month of December. Can you imagine if all this rain was snow?
We hope you are all staying warm and dry. Use caution if you are going to be out on the road. I know this is a busy time with Christmas fast approaching. People will be off to visit relatives, shopping or driving up here to spend the holidays on the hill.
Please make sure your outdoor pets have shelter to get in out of this rain. Provide them with some nice warm, dry bedding as well. It is up to us to take good care of our 4 legged companions.
We hope you are all staying warm and dry. Use caution if you are going to be out on the road. I know this is a busy time with Christmas fast approaching. People will be off to visit relatives, shopping or driving up here to spend the holidays on the hill.
Please make sure your outdoor pets have shelter to get in out of this rain. Provide them with some nice warm, dry bedding as well. It is up to us to take good care of our 4 legged companions.
November Minutes
The November minutes are now posted on the website. If you would like to read them, go Here.
The next board meeting will be held on January 12, 2011 at 10 a.m. Hope to see you there.
The next board meeting will be held on January 12, 2011 at 10 a.m. Hope to see you there.
Friday, December 17, 2010
New Office Hours!
Just a reminder that we are now open during lunch! That's right. We are now open straight through from 9am until 4 pm. Stop on by!
Blog Make Over
Since the new year is fast approaching, I thought it might be nice to give the blog a little face lift. I hope you like it! I also hope in the coming year to have lots more pictures of the things going on here at the Pine Cove Water District.
If you have any suggestions on things you would like to see on the blog, please feel free to leave a comment here or email me at pcwd2675@yahoo.com. We will continue to post about conservation both inside and out and other things we think might be beneficial to our customers.
If you have any suggestions on things you would like to see on the blog, please feel free to leave a comment here or email me at pcwd2675@yahoo.com. We will continue to post about conservation both inside and out and other things we think might be beneficial to our customers.
Water Rate Increase
You have all received your newsletter about the rate increase. If you have any comments on this, please feel free to leave a comment here on the blog. You can also email us at info@pcwd.org or pcwd2675@yahoo.com. Or you can call us at 951-659-2675 or stop by the office which is located at 24917 Marion Ridge Rd. We love to hear from our customers and are available to listen to your concerns, questions and suggestions.
The Public Hearing on the rate increase will be held as part of the regular board meeting, which will be held on January 12, 2011. We hope you can attend.
The Public Hearing on the rate increase will be held as part of the regular board meeting, which will be held on January 12, 2011. We hope you can attend.
Other Blogs
I was sent a list of other water blogs the other day, that I thought was very informative. I have been trying to read through several of them, which is no small task as the list contained 30 blogs to peruse. I try to keep this blog on the lighter side and not get too political or preachy or delve into the more serious side of water issues.
However, water is a huge issue, not only here on the hill, but worldwide. So if you would like to read some blogs that are a little more in depth and discuss the many different facets of the world of water, I will post a new blog each Friday and you can decide for yourself if you want read them or not.
Here is the first one: Water For The Ages
If you enjoy it, please leave a comment and let us know if you are interested in other blogs and water related articles.
However, water is a huge issue, not only here on the hill, but worldwide. So if you would like to read some blogs that are a little more in depth and discuss the many different facets of the world of water, I will post a new blog each Friday and you can decide for yourself if you want read them or not.
Here is the first one: Water For The Ages
If you enjoy it, please leave a comment and let us know if you are interested in other blogs and water related articles.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Holiday Office Hours
Our office hours for the upcoming Christmas season are as follows. We will be closed on December 24th, 27th and 31st. We can be reached for emergencies by calling our after hours emergency number which is
951-294-8282.
Everyone here at the Pine Cove Water District hopes that each one of you has a very joyous holiday season and a happy and healthy 2011!
Jerry, Becky, Vicki, Jerry, Jeremy and Stitch
951-294-8282.
Everyone here at the Pine Cove Water District hopes that each one of you has a very joyous holiday season and a happy and healthy 2011!
Jerry, Becky, Vicki, Jerry, Jeremy and Stitch
It's Snowing!
I was surprised to see it snowing this morning. I heard it rain during the night and thought that was all we would get. However, when I looked out the window it was snowing. It has now turned to rain but not before leaving a dusting of white. Perfect weather to put you in the Christmas spirit!
If you are going to be out driving, please be careful. Wet, slick roads mixed with fog can spell trouble for mountain drivers. If you are planning to come up the hill for the holidays, please be sure to check road conditions and weather reports prior to heading out. Make sure you have all the necessary equipment for driving in snow or rain. Don't let being unprepared put a damper on you mountain visit.
As always, please be mindful of your pets in this weather. Please provide an adequate shelter for any animal you keep outside. Dry bedding that helps keep them warm is greatly appreciated. Fresh food and water daily is a must. A healthy animal is better able to withstand the harsh weather than one that is not in his prime. If your pet has a condition like arthritis, please consider keeping them indoors if possible. Remember it is your responsibility to provide for your pet's needs.
Don't forget to go to our website at www.pcwd.org and check out our webcam. You can see what is happening with the weather on our real time weather webcam.
If you are going to be out driving, please be careful. Wet, slick roads mixed with fog can spell trouble for mountain drivers. If you are planning to come up the hill for the holidays, please be sure to check road conditions and weather reports prior to heading out. Make sure you have all the necessary equipment for driving in snow or rain. Don't let being unprepared put a damper on you mountain visit.
As always, please be mindful of your pets in this weather. Please provide an adequate shelter for any animal you keep outside. Dry bedding that helps keep them warm is greatly appreciated. Fresh food and water daily is a must. A healthy animal is better able to withstand the harsh weather than one that is not in his prime. If your pet has a condition like arthritis, please consider keeping them indoors if possible. Remember it is your responsibility to provide for your pet's needs.
Don't forget to go to our website at www.pcwd.org and check out our webcam. You can see what is happening with the weather on our real time weather webcam.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Pets and Cold Weather
If you have pets that live outside, please make sure they have what they need to endure the cold weather. Most animals need some sort of shelter so they can get out of the elements. Even in the cold and wet, they still need fresh drinking water daily. Mine enjoy nice hot water as it helps warm them up a little bit. Make sure they have some where to eat where their food will stay dry. Please make sure they have the appropriate bedding so they can stay warm and dry when the wind starts blowing and the rain and snow starts falling. It is up to us to provide for our pets and to make sure they are as comfortable as possible. Winter is hard on everyone, but especially on the animals that are kept out in the elements. If we are going to have pets, then it is our responsibility to provide them with what they need. Please be a responsible pet owner.
Weather Change
Well, we all knew it was too good to be true. Our luck has run out and this week we will return to more winter like weather. If you haven't already done so, disconnect your outside hoses and insulate the faucets. This will help prevent frozen pipes. Thursday's low is expected to be 29 degrees so it is better to be safe than sorry. And as always, please turn off your water at your customer valve when you leave your mountain home. This is the best way to avoid a problem. Remember that the water that runs through your meter is your responsibility, so it is best to err on the side of caution and turn your water off when leaving.
Don't forget to check out our webcam that is on our website. Just go Here and you will see the link on the home page. If the picture isn't moving, just go to the second box at the top of the picture and click on Active X and then apply. It is a neat way to see what is going on with the weather.
Don't forget to check out our webcam that is on our website. Just go Here and you will see the link on the home page. If the picture isn't moving, just go to the second box at the top of the picture and click on Active X and then apply. It is a neat way to see what is going on with the weather.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Monday Musings
Can you believe how beautiful this weekend weather has been? My vinca is blooming and my butterfly bushes are leafing out. Yikes! This beautiful weather really gets the plants confused. I hope it doesn't do any damage to anything. It looks like the weather will be cooling off soon and hopefully the plants will go back to their dormant state. Otherwise, it is a nice break and a chance to open the windows and get some fresh air into the house.
Don't forget to check out our weather web cam located on the Pine Cove Water District website at pcwd.org.
Don't forget to check out our weather web cam located on the Pine Cove Water District website at pcwd.org.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Board Meeting!
This morning is our monthly board meeting. It starts at 10 am sharp. Hope you can join us!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Board Meeting Reminder
Just a quick reminder that tomorrow is the month board meeting. It starts at 10 am sharp and is held in the board room at the water districts office located at 24917 Marion Ridge Rd. Everyone is welcome. Hope to see you there.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Monday Musings
Here we are in December already. Time is flying right on by. We know it is December here in the office because the Christmas cactuses are blooming! Every year these cactuses bloom so beautifully. This year I thought I would share them with you.
We really enjoy caring for these cactuses all year long because we know that every year about this time, we are going to be rewarded with a beautiful show.
We really enjoy caring for these cactuses all year long because we know that every year about this time, we are going to be rewarded with a beautiful show.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Frugal Friday!
Here we are at the end of the week already. It is amazing how fast the time seems to fly. I was reading the Winterizing Guide put out by the Town Crier and I noticed there was an article on getting your trees ready for winter. It said a layer of mulch 2 to 3 inches thick is helpful. Well luckily, we still have FREE MULCH! That's right. It is free to anyone here on the hill. Many people have already taken advantage of this, but we would like to see even more people jump on the mulching bandwagon.
Now that we have the first snow under out belt, and it is melting, this is a good time to talk about doing some composting. The ground is a little moist and that makes it perfect to start adding some compost to your trees or garden. I have a very simple method.
You will need a container for your kitchen counter. You can buy a fancy, schmacy one, but I use an old stainless steel mixing bowl and an extra pot lid. As I cook through out the week, everything for the compost goes into the bowl. Onion peels, egg shells, coffee grounds, tea bags, banana peels and so on. You know the drill. You can even put a little card board in there like the rolls from your toilet tissue.
Once your container is full, go out to your yard and dig a hole large enough to hold the contents of your bowl. Be sure it is deep enough that nothing can come along and dig it up easily. I usually try to go down about a foot or so. Dump the contents of your container into the hole. I then chop it up with the shovel a little bit and then cover with dirt. That's it, you are done. The contents will slowly decompose and provide nutriets for the plants and you can wash out your container and start all over again.
This is a simple, easy, cheap and quick, way to provide wonderful compost for your trees and garden without the hassel of keeping a large compost pile somewhere in your yard.
So there are two things you can start doing right away to help your garden and they will cost you nothing but a little time.
Now that we have the first snow under out belt, and it is melting, this is a good time to talk about doing some composting. The ground is a little moist and that makes it perfect to start adding some compost to your trees or garden. I have a very simple method.
You will need a container for your kitchen counter. You can buy a fancy, schmacy one, but I use an old stainless steel mixing bowl and an extra pot lid. As I cook through out the week, everything for the compost goes into the bowl. Onion peels, egg shells, coffee grounds, tea bags, banana peels and so on. You know the drill. You can even put a little card board in there like the rolls from your toilet tissue.
Once your container is full, go out to your yard and dig a hole large enough to hold the contents of your bowl. Be sure it is deep enough that nothing can come along and dig it up easily. I usually try to go down about a foot or so. Dump the contents of your container into the hole. I then chop it up with the shovel a little bit and then cover with dirt. That's it, you are done. The contents will slowly decompose and provide nutriets for the plants and you can wash out your container and start all over again.
This is a simple, easy, cheap and quick, way to provide wonderful compost for your trees and garden without the hassel of keeping a large compost pile somewhere in your yard.
So there are two things you can start doing right away to help your garden and they will cost you nothing but a little time.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Boring Blog?
Blogs are great. But they can get boring without some great pictures to spice things up. Do you have any great pictures taken in Pine Cove that you would like to share with us? Perhaps you caught the perfect sunset this summer while sitting on your deck. Or how about that cute squirrel that lives in your yard. Or maybe you had some great flowers this summer. Whatever it is, if it happened in Pine Cove, we would be interested in posting it. It would be fun to show everyone what is happening around Pine Cove. I know we have some beautiful sights around so come on, use your amateur photographer skills to show us what is happening.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Pine Cove Cam
Not sure if most of you are aware of this or not, but we have a Pine Cove web cam available on our website. Just go to www.pcwd.org and click on the link that says Click Here for Live Pine Cove Cam. The camera is installed up at the Rocky Point tank site and has a wonderful real time video of the view from up there. You can just click on and watch the wind blow, or a storm move in or even a plane fly by. If you haven't checked it out yet, please do. We also have a link to the latest weather up here as well. We hope you find these two things to be useful.
December Board Meeting
The next board meeting will be held on December 8th at 10 am here at the water district in the board room. Everyone is welcome to attend and we would love to see you there!
Turn your water off!!!!
Just wanted to issue a not so subtle reminder that if you are leaving your mountain home, PLEASE TURN YOUR WATER OFF AT YOUR CUSTOMER SHUT OFF VALVE. This is the single most important thing you can do to prevent water damage from a broken or frozen pipe.
Please remember that all water that goes through your meter is your responsibility. Even water lost due to frozen or broken pipes. Turning your water off while you are away from your mountain home, can help prevent a diaster.
We recently sent the Winter Newsletter out and included in with the Newsletter you will find a brochure entitled Winterizing Tips. It has some good information on how to prepare for the cold winter months ahead. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us here at the water district. Our number is 951-659-2675 and there is someone in the office Monday thru Friday from 9 am until 4 pm. We will be happy to answer your questions for you.
Please remember that all water that goes through your meter is your responsibility. Even water lost due to frozen or broken pipes. Turning your water off while you are away from your mountain home, can help prevent a diaster.
We recently sent the Winter Newsletter out and included in with the Newsletter you will find a brochure entitled Winterizing Tips. It has some good information on how to prepare for the cold winter months ahead. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us here at the water district. Our number is 951-659-2675 and there is someone in the office Monday thru Friday from 9 am until 4 pm. We will be happy to answer your questions for you.
Monday Musings
It is beautiful Monday morning. Cold, but clear and sunny. After a long holiday weekend, it is nice to get back to the daily routine. While holidays are nice, I always feel like I am living in a dream world for those few days. Once Monday hits, it is back to reality and I find that comforting. Since I am very routine oriented, I am always happy to be back at my desk here at the water district.
All the employees here at the Pine Cove Water District, hope that each of our customers had a very enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday. But now it is back to the business of running the water district. You will notice the boys, Jerry and Jeremy, out and about reading meters. New water bills will be out shortly.
We would like to remind everyone that we bill every other month on the even months. So we will be sending out December's bills in a few days. Remember that water bills are due on the 25th of the month. If you have not paid your bill by the due date, you will receive a late notice reminding you that the bill is due and that a late charge will be added to your account should it not be brought current.
We would also like to remind our customers that we now accept Visa, Mastercard and Discover cards. You can stop in and pay with your card or you can phone us and pay over the phone. There is a $2.50 processing fee that is charged by the company who processes the credit card payments for us. This money goes to them and not to us! We hope this option helps you manage your water bills.
If you need more information on our billing policies, please feel free to call the office at 951-659-2675 during regular business hours, which are now Monday thru Friday from 9 am until 4 pm.
All the employees here at the Pine Cove Water District, hope that each of our customers had a very enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday. But now it is back to the business of running the water district. You will notice the boys, Jerry and Jeremy, out and about reading meters. New water bills will be out shortly.
We would like to remind everyone that we bill every other month on the even months. So we will be sending out December's bills in a few days. Remember that water bills are due on the 25th of the month. If you have not paid your bill by the due date, you will receive a late notice reminding you that the bill is due and that a late charge will be added to your account should it not be brought current.
We would also like to remind our customers that we now accept Visa, Mastercard and Discover cards. You can stop in and pay with your card or you can phone us and pay over the phone. There is a $2.50 processing fee that is charged by the company who processes the credit card payments for us. This money goes to them and not to us! We hope this option helps you manage your water bills.
If you need more information on our billing policies, please feel free to call the office at 951-659-2675 during regular business hours, which are now Monday thru Friday from 9 am until 4 pm.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Winter is here!
Well, it looks like Old Man Winter has arrived a little early this year. While the moisture is wonderful, I was hoping for a few more weeks of some beautiful fall weather before we were thrust into the throes of winter. But, I have no say in the matter and Mother Nature will have her way. So, ready or not, here comes winter. Perhaps we will get lucky and have a break every now and again throughout the long, cold months. Let's hope we have a season that is full of adequate moisture. We are off to a good start with October's rain and now November's rain and snow, but we are no where near being ahead of the game moisture wise.
We encourage our customers to continue doing the superior job they are doing with conserving water. To that end, we would like to remind you that we still have Water Saving Kits availabe free of charge, for all Pine Cove Water District customers. Just stop by the office at 24917 Marion Ridge Road and ask for one. It is as easy as that.
Everyone here, Jerry Holldber, Becky Smith, Vicki Jakubac, Jerry Johnson and Jeremy Potter, and Stitch the dog, wish each and every one of you a very Happy Thanksgiving!
We encourage our customers to continue doing the superior job they are doing with conserving water. To that end, we would like to remind you that we still have Water Saving Kits availabe free of charge, for all Pine Cove Water District customers. Just stop by the office at 24917 Marion Ridge Road and ask for one. It is as easy as that.
Everyone here, Jerry Holldber, Becky Smith, Vicki Jakubac, Jerry Johnson and Jeremy Potter, and Stitch the dog, wish each and every one of you a very Happy Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Office hours this week
The Pine Cove Water District Office will be closed on Thursday and Friday, November 25th & 26th, for the Thanksgiving holiday. We will be open during our normal business hours of 9 to 4 on Mon., Tues, and Wed. We hope all of our customers have a most pleasant and enjoyable Thanksgiving Day.
Happy Thanksgiving!
As the Thanksgiving holiday fast approaches, everyone here at the Pine Cove Water District wishes each and every one of our Pine Cove neighbors a happy and blessed Thanksgiving Day. Please stay warm, dry and safe throughout this 4 day holiday. I am sure with all the activites in the village this weekend, the roads will be busy. If you are going off the hill for the Thanksgiving holiday, please drive carefully. We are thankful for all the wonderful people that we are blessed to know here in Pine Cove.
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Jerry H., Becky, Vicki, Jerry J., Jeremy and Stitch
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Jerry H., Becky, Vicki, Jerry J., Jeremy and Stitch
Monday, November 8, 2010
Monday Musings
I cannot believe this. I woke up to rain again this morning. I was very happily surprised that we were blessed with more moisture today. I do hope this trend continues, even though the powers that be are predicting a dryer than normal winter. We may not be breaking any precipiation records, but in my book, some rain is better than no rain. I do hope this pattern keeps up.
The trees are turning colors and it is really looking like fall here on the hill. Add to that the cooler, foggy weather this morning and it adds up a perfect autumn day here on the hill. Of course, the weekend was beautiful as well. It seems that everyday is a beautiful day here on the hill no matter what the weather is doing.
We still have free mulch available for those who want to get some mulch down prior to the snow flying. Just come on up and help yourself. The mulch pile is located on Marion Ridge Road right behind our workshop/garage. You can't miss it!
The trees are turning colors and it is really looking like fall here on the hill. Add to that the cooler, foggy weather this morning and it adds up a perfect autumn day here on the hill. Of course, the weekend was beautiful as well. It seems that everyday is a beautiful day here on the hill no matter what the weather is doing.
We still have free mulch available for those who want to get some mulch down prior to the snow flying. Just come on up and help yourself. The mulch pile is located on Marion Ridge Road right behind our workshop/garage. You can't miss it!
Board Meeting Reminder
Just another quick reminder that our monthly board meeting is being held on Wednesday, November 10 at 10 am. We hope you can come and we look forward to seeing you there.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Frugal Friday
Let's talk about frozen pipes. According to State Farm, approximately 250,000 families have their homes ruined and their lives disrupted each winter by water pipes that freeze and burst. When the outside temperature drops below freezing, water pipes with little or no insulation can freeze and break.
Now, what does this have to do with Frugal Friday you might ask? Well, think of the cost of preparing your pipes for winter vs. repairing the damage done when they freeze and break. This is obviously a no brainer. Why would anyone want to deal the mess and disruption of frozen, broken pipes when it is so simple to prevent it? While it might mean a small cash outlay initially, the time, money, worry and inconvenience you will save is priceless.
Before the cold weather hits:
Insulate pipes in unheated areas and those that run along outside walls, floors or ceilings. There are several types of insulation available for this job and you can decide which one will work best for your situation.
Seal leaks that allow cold air inside near where pipes are located.
Disconnect garden hoses and cover faucets with special insulated faucet socks.
Once the mercury drops, you can open your cabinet doors to allow heat to get to the piping under sinks and vanities.
If you do experience frozen pipes or a leak, call a plumber immediately and turn your water off at your customer valve. Do not try to thaw the pipe with a torch or other open flame and do not use electrical appliances in areas of standing water because you could be electrocuted.
The biggest thing you can do to prevent frozen pipes, is to turn your water off at your customer valve anytime you leave your mountain home. This is the single most critical step you can take in preventing frozen and burst pipes.
Don't let water damage dampen your life this winter. Spend a few minutes protecting your water pipes to save time and money down the road. Remember it is cheaper to prevent a problem than it is to repair one. And remember that there does not have to be snow on the ground for it to be cold enough for pipes to freeze.
Now, what does this have to do with Frugal Friday you might ask? Well, think of the cost of preparing your pipes for winter vs. repairing the damage done when they freeze and break. This is obviously a no brainer. Why would anyone want to deal the mess and disruption of frozen, broken pipes when it is so simple to prevent it? While it might mean a small cash outlay initially, the time, money, worry and inconvenience you will save is priceless.
Before the cold weather hits:
Insulate pipes in unheated areas and those that run along outside walls, floors or ceilings. There are several types of insulation available for this job and you can decide which one will work best for your situation.
Seal leaks that allow cold air inside near where pipes are located.
Disconnect garden hoses and cover faucets with special insulated faucet socks.
Once the mercury drops, you can open your cabinet doors to allow heat to get to the piping under sinks and vanities.
If you do experience frozen pipes or a leak, call a plumber immediately and turn your water off at your customer valve. Do not try to thaw the pipe with a torch or other open flame and do not use electrical appliances in areas of standing water because you could be electrocuted.
The biggest thing you can do to prevent frozen pipes, is to turn your water off at your customer valve anytime you leave your mountain home. This is the single most critical step you can take in preventing frozen and burst pipes.
Don't let water damage dampen your life this winter. Spend a few minutes protecting your water pipes to save time and money down the road. Remember it is cheaper to prevent a problem than it is to repair one. And remember that there does not have to be snow on the ground for it to be cold enough for pipes to freeze.
Board Meeting
Just a quick note to let you know the the monthly board meeting is coming up. It is on Wednesday, November 10, 2010 at 10 a.m. Everyone is welcome to attend. Hope to see you there.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Sustainable Thursday
Even though we are currently experiencing Indian Summer here on the hill, I know that Old Man Winter is lurking just around the corner. Yes it was beautiful on Halloween this year, but memories of my daughters Trick or Treating in snow linger in the back of my mind. It seems I get complacent during nice weather and tend to forget how it is all winter long. However, this year, I have been trying to plan and think ahead to the long, cold winter months when many of my sustainable practices have to change due to the weather.
The biggest change that the winter brings for me, is not being able to hang clothes outside to dry. Since I do this with a large majority of my laundry, winter presents a challenge when it comes to drying my clothes all indoors! In order not to just throw everything into the dryer, I have come up with the following solutions.
Since I normally use my shower curtain rod to hang wet clothes, I decided to add another shower curtain rod parallel to, but up higher than the one that holds the shower curtain. This has doubled my space to hang wet clothes. Since I put all my shirts on hangers to dry, this gives me double the space to hang them up to dry. These rods can also be used for large items such as table clothes, quilts or sheets.
The next problem I had to solve was for things like sweaters that need to be laid flat to dry. During summer, it is easy enough to lay a clean sheet or quilt on the ground and put things on that to dry in the sun. But with the onset of cold weather, the amount of sweaters being worn goes up and I quickly run out of drying space on the kitchen table. Plus we do like to eat there once in a while. So a quick trip to Amazon dot com helped solve my problem. They now make nifty little contraptions that can be laid over your tub and then folded back up when you are done. So after purchasing a couple, I had another problem solved.
Then came the real challenge. Pants, jeans, pillow cases and so on. Where was I going to dry them? They take up too much space on my shower curtain rods and were hard to move should anyone actually want to take a shower. I thought fleetingly about hanging a couple of clothes lines up in my living room, but I didn't think my husband would prefer that, so I ended up purchasing a very old fashioned drying rack. It is made out of stainless steel and works great! It is extremely light weight and I can move it around or fold it up and put it away. I can sit it in the bathtub if I have something that is dripping wet or put it in front of the heater, or just off to the side behind the sofa. On nice days, it can even be toted outside to the deck.
It holds anything and everything. Jeans to delicate hand washables. Come winter it will be a lifesaver when my husband comes home from work soaking wet from delivering gas in the snow or rain all day long. His previous solution was to hang his work coat on a dining room chair and put it in front of the heater and then spread the rest of his gear around the heater on the floor. Needless to say, this wasn't a great solution and my wooden chairs were taking a beating from it.
Now I can just put the rack in front of the heater and all his outerwear fits on it! Oh happy day. Plus when the grandkids come up, all their snow gear will be happily accomodated on this one rack. No more hats, mittens, coats and snow pants strewn all over my house!
So that just left one more problem to solve. Little things like plastic bags, socks and so on. Once again, Amazon came to my rescue. I found a nifty little plastic frame that comes complete with clothes pins and a hook for hanging. It fits right over my shower rod and has close to 2 dozen pins on it. So now all winter long I can continue to wash and re-use my freezer bags and I now have a place to hang them to dry.
With a little creativity, a little research, a little effort and a little money, I solved all my laundry problems. Living sustainably might take a little extra effort, but I just think of all the electricity and propane I am saving, which then translates into money saved, and the good I am doing for the earth and I am happy to exert the extra effort.
So, what clever solutions have you come up with to living sustainably throughout the winter months when it can become challenging?
The biggest change that the winter brings for me, is not being able to hang clothes outside to dry. Since I do this with a large majority of my laundry, winter presents a challenge when it comes to drying my clothes all indoors! In order not to just throw everything into the dryer, I have come up with the following solutions.
Since I normally use my shower curtain rod to hang wet clothes, I decided to add another shower curtain rod parallel to, but up higher than the one that holds the shower curtain. This has doubled my space to hang wet clothes. Since I put all my shirts on hangers to dry, this gives me double the space to hang them up to dry. These rods can also be used for large items such as table clothes, quilts or sheets.
The next problem I had to solve was for things like sweaters that need to be laid flat to dry. During summer, it is easy enough to lay a clean sheet or quilt on the ground and put things on that to dry in the sun. But with the onset of cold weather, the amount of sweaters being worn goes up and I quickly run out of drying space on the kitchen table. Plus we do like to eat there once in a while. So a quick trip to Amazon dot com helped solve my problem. They now make nifty little contraptions that can be laid over your tub and then folded back up when you are done. So after purchasing a couple, I had another problem solved.
Then came the real challenge. Pants, jeans, pillow cases and so on. Where was I going to dry them? They take up too much space on my shower curtain rods and were hard to move should anyone actually want to take a shower. I thought fleetingly about hanging a couple of clothes lines up in my living room, but I didn't think my husband would prefer that, so I ended up purchasing a very old fashioned drying rack. It is made out of stainless steel and works great! It is extremely light weight and I can move it around or fold it up and put it away. I can sit it in the bathtub if I have something that is dripping wet or put it in front of the heater, or just off to the side behind the sofa. On nice days, it can even be toted outside to the deck.
It holds anything and everything. Jeans to delicate hand washables. Come winter it will be a lifesaver when my husband comes home from work soaking wet from delivering gas in the snow or rain all day long. His previous solution was to hang his work coat on a dining room chair and put it in front of the heater and then spread the rest of his gear around the heater on the floor. Needless to say, this wasn't a great solution and my wooden chairs were taking a beating from it.
Now I can just put the rack in front of the heater and all his outerwear fits on it! Oh happy day. Plus when the grandkids come up, all their snow gear will be happily accomodated on this one rack. No more hats, mittens, coats and snow pants strewn all over my house!
So that just left one more problem to solve. Little things like plastic bags, socks and so on. Once again, Amazon came to my rescue. I found a nifty little plastic frame that comes complete with clothes pins and a hook for hanging. It fits right over my shower rod and has close to 2 dozen pins on it. So now all winter long I can continue to wash and re-use my freezer bags and I now have a place to hang them to dry.
With a little creativity, a little research, a little effort and a little money, I solved all my laundry problems. Living sustainably might take a little extra effort, but I just think of all the electricity and propane I am saving, which then translates into money saved, and the good I am doing for the earth and I am happy to exert the extra effort.
So, what clever solutions have you come up with to living sustainably throughout the winter months when it can become challenging?
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Board Meeting
We will be having our monthly board meeting next Wednesday, November 10th at 10 am. The public is welcome to attend and we hope to see you there!
Monday, November 1, 2010
Monday Musings
Well, another month has gone by. What a beautiful weekend we had to end October with. Rain on Saturday then giving way to the most beautiful autumn day on Sunday. Very pleasant weather for trick or treaters to prowl around Idyllwild. With weather predictions being sunny and mild for the next few days, I am looking forward to getting out into the garden and finishing up my end of summer chores.
One thing I always try to do at this time of year is to add compost and/or manure to the garden so it can sit all winter long. I have noticed that sometimes when I add it in the spring, it is a little to potent and by letting it sit all winter, it mellows out just a little and my little seedlings love it.
With winter fast approaching, now is the perfect time to get the garden ready to go to sleep for the long winter months ahead. With predictions of a dryer than normal winter ahead, it is also the perfect time to get your trees and plants all mulched in as well. This not only protects the roots, but helps the soil to retain what ever moisture we do happen to get. We have to make the most of the moisture we do receive, so being that we have FREE mulch available, why not take advantage of the situation and do your garden a favor?
You can also mulch down your veggie garden, even though there is nothing growing in it right now. This helps prevent it from getting water logged through out the winter. The snow will gently melt down through the mulch and into the soil, rather than sitting on top of it and melting and creating mud puddles.
Remember we have FREE mulch for anyone to help themselves too and we also have bags of manure available for Pine Cove Water District customers as well. Each customer can have one bag for free. Just come in and ask for it!
One thing I always try to do at this time of year is to add compost and/or manure to the garden so it can sit all winter long. I have noticed that sometimes when I add it in the spring, it is a little to potent and by letting it sit all winter, it mellows out just a little and my little seedlings love it.
With winter fast approaching, now is the perfect time to get the garden ready to go to sleep for the long winter months ahead. With predictions of a dryer than normal winter ahead, it is also the perfect time to get your trees and plants all mulched in as well. This not only protects the roots, but helps the soil to retain what ever moisture we do happen to get. We have to make the most of the moisture we do receive, so being that we have FREE mulch available, why not take advantage of the situation and do your garden a favor?
You can also mulch down your veggie garden, even though there is nothing growing in it right now. This helps prevent it from getting water logged through out the winter. The snow will gently melt down through the mulch and into the soil, rather than sitting on top of it and melting and creating mud puddles.
Remember we have FREE mulch for anyone to help themselves too and we also have bags of manure available for Pine Cove Water District customers as well. Each customer can have one bag for free. Just come in and ask for it!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Therapeutic Gardening Continued
I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.
~ John Burroughs
continued from previous post......
So we now know that being a gardener is therapeutic. It gets you out in the fresh air, clears your head, gives you some physical exercise, helps you to socialize, provides beauty to you and your neighborhood and gives the birds and wildlife food and shelter. But what about people who can't get out and garden or who have no place to garden? Well, they should visit a garden of course! The garden shares it benefits not only with those who plant and tend her, but with everyone who comes in contact with her.
I am constantly amazed at the amount of people who see me out and about and stop me to tell me how much they enjoy my garden. At first I thought that odd, but then it dawned on me that I am gardening not only for myself, but for everyone else as well. My garden touches everyone who looks at it. It is my hope that my garden will bring joy to everyone who sees it. Personally I can't think of anywhere I would rather go than a garden.
So the moral of this story is that if you are feeling poorly or stressed out, get outside and into a garden. Talk a walk in the woods and let nature work it's magic on you. Consider taking up gardening. If you live off the hill, do you really need all that grass? Dig it up and start a wonderful, therapeutic garden for yourself. With so many plant options, there is a style of garden for every person and every climate. So give it a try and see if it doesn't put your senses in order!
~ John Burroughs
continued from previous post......
So we now know that being a gardener is therapeutic. It gets you out in the fresh air, clears your head, gives you some physical exercise, helps you to socialize, provides beauty to you and your neighborhood and gives the birds and wildlife food and shelter. But what about people who can't get out and garden or who have no place to garden? Well, they should visit a garden of course! The garden shares it benefits not only with those who plant and tend her, but with everyone who comes in contact with her.
I am constantly amazed at the amount of people who see me out and about and stop me to tell me how much they enjoy my garden. At first I thought that odd, but then it dawned on me that I am gardening not only for myself, but for everyone else as well. My garden touches everyone who looks at it. It is my hope that my garden will bring joy to everyone who sees it. Personally I can't think of anywhere I would rather go than a garden.
So the moral of this story is that if you are feeling poorly or stressed out, get outside and into a garden. Talk a walk in the woods and let nature work it's magic on you. Consider taking up gardening. If you live off the hill, do you really need all that grass? Dig it up and start a wonderful, therapeutic garden for yourself. With so many plant options, there is a style of garden for every person and every climate. So give it a try and see if it doesn't put your senses in order!
Therapeutic Gardening
I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.
~ John Burroughs
This is one of the truest statements I have ever read. And considering where we live, this does not come as a surprise. There is something extremely therapeutic about being here in the forest. I also think it is why so many people come up from below to visit. To be soothed and healed and have their senses put in order. Living off the hill will definitely mess up your senses. At least it did mine!
After doing a little research, I found out that gardening can actually be classified as therapeutic. Of course, those of us who garden, already know this. It is probably what draws people out into the garden. A need to get back to basics, to nature, to put their hands into the dirt and to grow something.
Gardens have been around since Adam and Eve. God chose to put the first man and woman in a garden, so perhaps that should be our first clue as to how wonderful gardens are for us. I think gardens and outdoor spaces are essential to the well being of us humans. Gardening is therapeutic not only for the person doing it, but for everyone who comes in contact with the garden. A garden touches everyone.
My garden at home is in it's very early stages. When we bought our house, there was nothing there but a few pine trees. My new plants are small and sparse. The trees still look like bushes and at times I wonder if I will live to see them get big and provide the shade and privacy I desire in my garden. But I keep working at it any way. I keep expanding it, planning it and caring for it. While it is starting to take shape, I only see what is left to be done and not how much I have accomplished so far. I forget how it used to look before I started. However, I am constantly reminded by others how wonderful it is. This really makes me stop and think how much a garden is appreciated, even though it doesn't yet look the way I want it to.
When I am working in the garden, it is rare that a passerby does not stop to chat and talk about the garden. I have been given compliments on it, asked questions about how I get things to grow, how to amend the soil and what my future plans for the garden are. My garden opens up lines of conversation that probably would go unspoken other wise. Working in the garden gets you outside and into your neighborhood. As other pass by either walking or in their cars, they feel comfortable stopping to say hi and chat about the garden. It allows me to get to know neighbors that otherwise I might not ever meet! My garden is not only good for my soul, it is good for other people's souls as well. It helps me to socialize as well and get back to the days when everyone sat out on their front porches and watched the world go by.
continued in the next post
~ John Burroughs
This is one of the truest statements I have ever read. And considering where we live, this does not come as a surprise. There is something extremely therapeutic about being here in the forest. I also think it is why so many people come up from below to visit. To be soothed and healed and have their senses put in order. Living off the hill will definitely mess up your senses. At least it did mine!
After doing a little research, I found out that gardening can actually be classified as therapeutic. Of course, those of us who garden, already know this. It is probably what draws people out into the garden. A need to get back to basics, to nature, to put their hands into the dirt and to grow something.
Gardens have been around since Adam and Eve. God chose to put the first man and woman in a garden, so perhaps that should be our first clue as to how wonderful gardens are for us. I think gardens and outdoor spaces are essential to the well being of us humans. Gardening is therapeutic not only for the person doing it, but for everyone who comes in contact with the garden. A garden touches everyone.
My garden at home is in it's very early stages. When we bought our house, there was nothing there but a few pine trees. My new plants are small and sparse. The trees still look like bushes and at times I wonder if I will live to see them get big and provide the shade and privacy I desire in my garden. But I keep working at it any way. I keep expanding it, planning it and caring for it. While it is starting to take shape, I only see what is left to be done and not how much I have accomplished so far. I forget how it used to look before I started. However, I am constantly reminded by others how wonderful it is. This really makes me stop and think how much a garden is appreciated, even though it doesn't yet look the way I want it to.
When I am working in the garden, it is rare that a passerby does not stop to chat and talk about the garden. I have been given compliments on it, asked questions about how I get things to grow, how to amend the soil and what my future plans for the garden are. My garden opens up lines of conversation that probably would go unspoken other wise. Working in the garden gets you outside and into your neighborhood. As other pass by either walking or in their cars, they feel comfortable stopping to say hi and chat about the garden. It allows me to get to know neighbors that otherwise I might not ever meet! My garden is not only good for my soul, it is good for other people's souls as well. It helps me to socialize as well and get back to the days when everyone sat out on their front porches and watched the world go by.
continued in the next post
Wet Winter Ahead?
The weather station has recorded a whopping 2.52 inches of rain so far for the month of October. Wow, that is great. Is this a sign of things to come for the winter? I keep hearing a drier than normal winter is in our future, but who knows for sure? I sure wasn't expecting this much rain in the past week.
I do hope that we will get at least a normal amount of moisture this winter. With October typically being a bad fire month, I am also hoping that all this rain will at the very least eleviate some of the fire danger that we normally have to deal with at this time of the year.
Another good thing is that if you have done any fall planting this you, you didn't have to do any watering recently. Plants always prefer rain water over tap water, so this is a really nice start to anything you may have planted. I personally transplanted a bunch of cedar trees. I am hoping they take root and grow. They were in an area that was way over crowded with cedar saplings, so I hope to give some of them a chance to grow big and tall by moving them. They seem to have enjoyed the rain as they are all still alive!
Soon the leaves will be turning in full force and the Thanksgiving holiday will soon be upon us. As fall turns to winter, I hope we are blessed with more precipitation, expecially in the form of snow, so that we can continue to be fire free and the trees and wildlife will continue to prosper.
I do hope that we will get at least a normal amount of moisture this winter. With October typically being a bad fire month, I am also hoping that all this rain will at the very least eleviate some of the fire danger that we normally have to deal with at this time of the year.
Another good thing is that if you have done any fall planting this you, you didn't have to do any watering recently. Plants always prefer rain water over tap water, so this is a really nice start to anything you may have planted. I personally transplanted a bunch of cedar trees. I am hoping they take root and grow. They were in an area that was way over crowded with cedar saplings, so I hope to give some of them a chance to grow big and tall by moving them. They seem to have enjoyed the rain as they are all still alive!
Soon the leaves will be turning in full force and the Thanksgiving holiday will soon be upon us. As fall turns to winter, I hope we are blessed with more precipitation, expecially in the form of snow, so that we can continue to be fire free and the trees and wildlife will continue to prosper.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Great News!
The lost Bassett Hound found her humans yesterday evening. They were reunited and everyone was happy to be back together. Her name is Penny and she wondered away from her home on Tuesday morning. We are so happy to have helped out in this situtation. It also serves as a reminder to be sure our pets have name tags. Had Penny been wearing a current name tag, she would have been reunited with her owners in a matter of minutes, rather than days. I am sure it would have been a lot less stressful for her as well.
ARF has temporary name tags that they will give you for free or you can pick them up at the pet stores in Hemet. Thank you to all who helped me in my search for Penny's humans.
ARF has temporary name tags that they will give you for free or you can pick them up at the pet stores in Hemet. Thank you to all who helped me in my search for Penny's humans.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Help! I lost my human!
On Tuesday morning as I sat at my desk watching the rain, I spotted not one, but two loose dogs running up and down Marion Ridge in front of the water district office. So of course Becky and I had to go out and see if we could help them. One had a tag on his collar, but wouldn't come near us. The other one, however, was extremely grateful to see a human and be taken in out of the rain. She is a Bassett Hound and is extremely sweet natured. She had a collar on, but unfortunately, no tags. She was soaked to the bone and very dirty. She was just walking up and down the road as if she knew she left her house somewhere, but didn't know where. My daughter came and got her and took her to our house. She gave her a warm bath, some lunch and a nice soft rug in front of the fire. Once she was cleaned up, she was just beautiful. Maria from ARF has scanned her, but she has no microchip.
We don't know what her name is, but she comes when you talk to her. She seems to have house manners and to be housebroken. Not sure of her age, but she is extremely docile and gentle. She is not the least bit bothered by my two pugs or my other little dog. She is not aggressive with food and walks nicely on a leash. She is content to sit with her head on your lap for as long as you'll let her.
Someone has to be missing this sweet girl. If she is your dog, or you know whose dog she is or if you would like to adopt her if no one claims her, please call Vicki at 951-659-0160 or call me here at the water district, 951-659-2675. You can also call Maria at ARF. Her number is 951-663-6466. We would love to get this girl back with her family. She is extremely docile and sweet natured and deserves to be back with her family. Please help us find her humans.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Town Crier meeting
The local meeting of the Idyllwild Town Crier was held this morning at the Water District Office. We had a wonderful turn out. Breakfast, consisting of breakfast enchiladas and apple cobbler, tea and coffee was served. It was a great meeting and Grace and JP were issued Certificates of Appreciation from us here at the Pine Cove Water District. We think they do a great job!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Lost Dogs
It seems there are two lost dogs wondering around in the vicinity of the Pine Cove Water District office. One is a multi colored Basset Hound. Very friendly. Has a collar but no tags. The other dog is medium sized gold color dog. It has a collar and a tag but will not come to anyone so we can read it. If you know who these dogs belong to, please let them know. They are both soaking wet and just wondering back and forth up and down Marion Ridge and Rockmier. You can call us here at the district. 951-659-2675 and we can tell you when and where they were last spotted. Thank you.
Driving safely in the elements
Just a note to remind people to please slow down if they are out driving in this rain today. There is no where you have to go and no appointment so urgent that you have to risk life and limb by flying up and down the hill at unsafe rates of speed. If you are bleeding from an artery or about to give birth, then call 911 to get help or go to the clinic. There is absolutely no scenario I can think of that would necessitate someone driving up and down the hill at the speeds which I have, on many occasions, witnessed people driving at. Where are you going in such a hurry anyway? I for one, will not risk my life or the life of my child, who is usually in the car with me, just to get down the hill 5 minutes faster. When we have rain or snow, it is even more imperative that you slow down, take your time and drive carefully so you get to where you are going in one piece!
Wow, it is raining!
I am sitting here at my desk in the water district office. It is very dark outside and it is pouring down rain. And just for fun, Mother Nature is throwing in a little bit of hail as well. Such a lovely day. In my book anyway. I just love the rain. Rain gives a whole different feel to the day. On a dark, rainy morning, it suddenly seems acceptable to stay in your jammies and just curl up on the couch with a hot cup of tea, your favorite soft bathrobe and the remote control. My pugs are fully aware of this and have spent the morning curled up on the couch with their favorite blanket, sound asleep, even though they just got done sleeping all night. No matter, a dark, dreary morning will to that to man and beast.
Unfortunately, it has decided to rain on a Tuesday which is a work day, so we here at the water district have stoically risen from our nice warm beds, gulped down our tea or coffee and reluctantly got ready for work. We then valiantly braved the elements to get to the office, leaving behind the comfort of our couches, the warmth of our soft bathrobes and hot beverages. We sit here in our office chairs and try to stay focused on our tasks at hand. We diligently plug away at our work while outside, Mother Nature continues her show. The good news is that our desks sit right under windows, which I am extremely grateful for. Being able to see outside all day long is such a wonderful thing. I simply cannot imagine sitting in a cubical not being able to see outside all day long. So even though I am not all snugly at home, I am able to watch this glorious display while I work.
Many days I get to witness the antics of the squirrels, birds, bees and butterflies that frequent the small garden that my window looks out on. It is so refreshing to turn my tired eyes from the computer to watch a couple of squirrels chasing each other around the garden and up and down the pine tree. There is nothing more relaxing than being in or looking out onto a garden. So on this wet, wild weathered morning, I have the privilege of at least being able to see all that glorious rain coming down.
Unfortunately, it has decided to rain on a Tuesday which is a work day, so we here at the water district have stoically risen from our nice warm beds, gulped down our tea or coffee and reluctantly got ready for work. We then valiantly braved the elements to get to the office, leaving behind the comfort of our couches, the warmth of our soft bathrobes and hot beverages. We sit here in our office chairs and try to stay focused on our tasks at hand. We diligently plug away at our work while outside, Mother Nature continues her show. The good news is that our desks sit right under windows, which I am extremely grateful for. Being able to see outside all day long is such a wonderful thing. I simply cannot imagine sitting in a cubical not being able to see outside all day long. So even though I am not all snugly at home, I am able to watch this glorious display while I work.
Many days I get to witness the antics of the squirrels, birds, bees and butterflies that frequent the small garden that my window looks out on. It is so refreshing to turn my tired eyes from the computer to watch a couple of squirrels chasing each other around the garden and up and down the pine tree. There is nothing more relaxing than being in or looking out onto a garden. So on this wet, wild weathered morning, I have the privilege of at least being able to see all that glorious rain coming down.
Monday, October 18, 2010
New Office Hours!
We are happy to announce that our office hours have changed! Instead of being open from 9 to 12 and from 1 to 4, we will now be open through lunch! So our new hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. We hope these new hours make things much more convenient for you.
Monday Musings
Mondays are sometimes given a bad rap as the day no one wants to see come. I don't mind them though. There is a certain rhythm to live, especially when one is working at a job or going to school, and sometimes the weekend can leave me feeling a little at lose ends as I have no set schedule to abide by.
Come Monday, things seem to settle back into place and my schedule is set for me. No guess work as to what I am going to be doing and when. I can plan my work and work my plan.
Starting on Monday, October 4, we are now open during lunch. Previously, the office was closed from 12 until 1 for lunch. But now, I will be working a set schedule in which I will be here during the lunch hour. We hope this works out well for those of you, who have in the past, called or stopped by only to find us "out to lunch." No more. I will be here usually from 9 until 1 or from 12 until 4. So come on by, the door is open!
Come Monday, things seem to settle back into place and my schedule is set for me. No guess work as to what I am going to be doing and when. I can plan my work and work my plan.
Starting on Monday, October 4, we are now open during lunch. Previously, the office was closed from 12 until 1 for lunch. But now, I will be working a set schedule in which I will be here during the lunch hour. We hope this works out well for those of you, who have in the past, called or stopped by only to find us "out to lunch." No more. I will be here usually from 9 until 1 or from 12 until 4. So come on by, the door is open!
Friday, October 15, 2010
It's Frugal Friday!
Ok, here we are in the middle of October and the weather has been beautiful so far. This is wonderful news for gardeners and their gardens. Working in this beautiful weather makes even garden chores seem pleasant. This is also a great time to plant trees, bare root roses or shrubs and bulbs. Fall planting gives plants a chance to establish roots and eliminates the need to water during the winter months. Come spring, your plants have had a head start and reward you by springing to life.
Since we are trying to be frugal while gardening, now is the time to clean, oil, sharpen and put away those garden tools. By taking care of them, they will last much longer than if you don't. Who wants to keep spending money on the same things over and over again just because you let them sit outside all winter long?
If you do have some tools that have seen their better days, why not recycle them into the garden? Even household items that have outlived their usefulness indoors, can find their way into the garden to continue being useful. Old tool handles can become stakes for vines. Metal headboards can also be used as supports for climbing plants. Clam shell contains, like the kind muffins come in, can be re-purposed into mini greenhouses for winter seed sowing.
Old pantyhose and T-shirts can be used to tie up plants and old shower curtains can find a new use as tarps out in the yard. They are great to lay out on the ground when you are raking leaves and need to move them to the compost pile. Simply pile them up on top of the shower curtain and then pull it over to the compost pile. If you use your imagination, I am sure you can come up with lots of uses.
Now is also a perfect time to add a layer of mulch to your garden if you haven't already done so. And guess what? We are giving it away, free of charge! What could be more frugal than getting something great for your garden for free? Adding mulch to your garden will help it retain moisture over the winter months as well as protect plant roots from harsh winds and freeze and thaw cycles. The mulch will also slowly decompose over time, enriching your soil with wonderful compost. Compost rich soil retains water better as well, thereby reducing your need to water as often come summer.
So get out there and enjoy this beautiful weather and get some autumn gardening done before it is too late!
Since we are trying to be frugal while gardening, now is the time to clean, oil, sharpen and put away those garden tools. By taking care of them, they will last much longer than if you don't. Who wants to keep spending money on the same things over and over again just because you let them sit outside all winter long?
If you do have some tools that have seen their better days, why not recycle them into the garden? Even household items that have outlived their usefulness indoors, can find their way into the garden to continue being useful. Old tool handles can become stakes for vines. Metal headboards can also be used as supports for climbing plants. Clam shell contains, like the kind muffins come in, can be re-purposed into mini greenhouses for winter seed sowing.
Old pantyhose and T-shirts can be used to tie up plants and old shower curtains can find a new use as tarps out in the yard. They are great to lay out on the ground when you are raking leaves and need to move them to the compost pile. Simply pile them up on top of the shower curtain and then pull it over to the compost pile. If you use your imagination, I am sure you can come up with lots of uses.
Now is also a perfect time to add a layer of mulch to your garden if you haven't already done so. And guess what? We are giving it away, free of charge! What could be more frugal than getting something great for your garden for free? Adding mulch to your garden will help it retain moisture over the winter months as well as protect plant roots from harsh winds and freeze and thaw cycles. The mulch will also slowly decompose over time, enriching your soil with wonderful compost. Compost rich soil retains water better as well, thereby reducing your need to water as often come summer.
So get out there and enjoy this beautiful weather and get some autumn gardening done before it is too late!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Sustainable Thursday
It has been a while since I posted anything for Sustainable Thursday, so I thought I better get back into the saddle. I found this article and thought it was very interesting.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-559580/The-real-Good-Life-An-entire-village-turns-supermarkets-grows-food.html
This article makes me wonder what would happen if more places did this? Can you imagine how wonderful it must be to live in this village and go to the village hall each Saturday to shop for homegrown veggies, honey and meat? They are going to be adding dairy and beef to their offerings as well. This would be a dream come true for me. We are so dependent on supermarkets and stores to feed us. While supermarkets can't be eliminated altogether, we could substantially reduce our dependence on them if we tried. Living in a remote area, we should always be mindful of how just how dependent we are on supermarkets and how we would pretty much be left to fend for ourselves should a disaster occur.
If delivery trucks couldn't get up here, how long do you think it would be until all the markets and restaurants up here would run out of food? I would hate to think it would happen up here, but in cases of emergency, people with the most money would be able to buy up what supplies are available, leaving nothing for those who don't have as much at their disposal. Then once they are all gone, what would happen?
If we lived sustainably, chances are we would have some chickens to provide eggs, a couple of small goats for milk, which could then be used to make a variety of other things such as yogurt, cheese and omelets. You might have food growing in your garden or have canned the fruits of your labors and that could provide for your needs. Knowing a few basic skills, such as bread baking, and having a pantry well stocked with staples, such as flour and sugar, would mean that you could be self sufficient for a period of time. Being 100% dependent on a supermarket for our food needs will leave us in trouble should that chain of deliveries be interrupted for any length of time.
Buying local, organic vegetables, fruits, eggs, milk, honey and meat would not only support local farmers, but the food would be so much healthier and tastier. I applaud this town's efforts and wish them much success.
Climbing down off my soapbox now.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-559580/The-real-Good-Life-An-entire-village-turns-supermarkets-grows-food.html
This article makes me wonder what would happen if more places did this? Can you imagine how wonderful it must be to live in this village and go to the village hall each Saturday to shop for homegrown veggies, honey and meat? They are going to be adding dairy and beef to their offerings as well. This would be a dream come true for me. We are so dependent on supermarkets and stores to feed us. While supermarkets can't be eliminated altogether, we could substantially reduce our dependence on them if we tried. Living in a remote area, we should always be mindful of how just how dependent we are on supermarkets and how we would pretty much be left to fend for ourselves should a disaster occur.
If delivery trucks couldn't get up here, how long do you think it would be until all the markets and restaurants up here would run out of food? I would hate to think it would happen up here, but in cases of emergency, people with the most money would be able to buy up what supplies are available, leaving nothing for those who don't have as much at their disposal. Then once they are all gone, what would happen?
If we lived sustainably, chances are we would have some chickens to provide eggs, a couple of small goats for milk, which could then be used to make a variety of other things such as yogurt, cheese and omelets. You might have food growing in your garden or have canned the fruits of your labors and that could provide for your needs. Knowing a few basic skills, such as bread baking, and having a pantry well stocked with staples, such as flour and sugar, would mean that you could be self sufficient for a period of time. Being 100% dependent on a supermarket for our food needs will leave us in trouble should that chain of deliveries be interrupted for any length of time.
Buying local, organic vegetables, fruits, eggs, milk, honey and meat would not only support local farmers, but the food would be so much healthier and tastier. I applaud this town's efforts and wish them much success.
Climbing down off my soapbox now.
Leaks again....
I know I just posted about leaks, however, this cannot be stressed too much. It is not the water district's responsibilty to find your leaks. If we do discover a leak, we try our best to get in touch with you to let you know. However, many leaks go undetected until we read the meters for billing. While doing the billing, if Becky sees an unusual jump in your water usage, she will try to contact you to let you know. However, it is ultimately your responsibility and as always, the best defense is a good offense. Turning your water off when you leave your mountain home will prevent a lot of problems. Things can go wrong at any time and if you are not on the hill for long periods of time, this can result in a lot of water loss.
So always remember and don't ever forget. When you leave your mountain home, TURN YOUR WATER OFF at your customer valve. This way you can rest assured that you won't return to a problem or get that dreaded phone call from Becky! Once the water runs through your meter, it is your responsibility. If you do not know where your customer shut off valve is, please call us at 951-659-2675 during our regular business hours, which are 9 to 4, Monday thru Friday, and we will be happy to help you locate it.
So always remember and don't ever forget. When you leave your mountain home, TURN YOUR WATER OFF at your customer valve. This way you can rest assured that you won't return to a problem or get that dreaded phone call from Becky! Once the water runs through your meter, it is your responsibility. If you do not know where your customer shut off valve is, please call us at 951-659-2675 during our regular business hours, which are 9 to 4, Monday thru Friday, and we will be happy to help you locate it.
Applications for water service
We would like to thank all of you who have been so co-operative in signing and returning their applications for water service. We have been working on this project for quite a while and finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. We greatly appreicate everyone's efforts in getting these signed and returned to us.
Having a current application on each customer will help us keep your records updated and will provide us with your current contact information, enabling us to get in touch with your should the need arise. So thank you again for all your co-operation. We appreciate it very much!
Having a current application on each customer will help us keep your records updated and will provide us with your current contact information, enabling us to get in touch with your should the need arise. So thank you again for all your co-operation. We appreciate it very much!
Water Bills Sent
Water bills were sent out on Monday, Oct. 4th. If you don't receive your bill, please feel free to call us at 951-659-2675 or stop in the office at 24917 Marion Ridge Rd.and we can tell you how much you owe. There are occassional reports of bills that go missing after we mail them. We have no way to know which ones don't arrive and we have no way to track them.
If your bill doesn't arrive, please don't wait 5 or 6 weeks to check on this. Some people mistakenly think that not receiving a bill relieves them of the responsibility to pay it. This is not true. The bill is due on Oct. 25 and is subject to a late fee if not paid on time. So please keep these dates in mind and if your bill doesn't arrive, please call or stop in so we can let you know the amount of your bill. Thank you!
If your bill doesn't arrive, please don't wait 5 or 6 weeks to check on this. Some people mistakenly think that not receiving a bill relieves them of the responsibility to pay it. This is not true. The bill is due on Oct. 25 and is subject to a late fee if not paid on time. So please keep these dates in mind and if your bill doesn't arrive, please call or stop in so we can let you know the amount of your bill. Thank you!
Board Meeting Reminder
Just a quick reminder to let you know that the next board meeting will be held on Wed. October 13, 2010 at 10:00 am. We hope you can attend.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Brrrrrr.......
Ok, who turned off the heat? Yesterday and today are serving as a reminder that winter is coming. Wasn't it just a couple weeks ago we were sweating it out with temperatures in the high 80's? At that point, I couldn't imagine it would ever be cold again. Oh the difference a couple weeks can make!
Now for a little discussion that is off topic. If you have animals that you keep outside, please be sure you are providing for their needs. Now is the perfect time to go out and make sure they have adequate shelter that will keep them warm and dry in the up coming cold and wet months. Provide them with extra bedding and be diligent about keeping their accomodations clean. Some animals, such as chickens and goats, can become ill if their housing isn't kept clean and dry. Ammonia build up inside their housing, can be very harmful. If possible, position their shelter where it will get some sun during the cold winter months. Be sure to keep the snow shoveled away as well, so they can get in and out of their shelter.
Be sure to check on your animals a couple times a day in severe weather. Many animals enjoy warm water when the temperatures begin to plummet and might benefit from some extra nutrition as well. Keeping vigil on their health and their housing is the best way to ward off a sick animal. Winter is hard on them and as a responsible animal owner, you will want to do what is best for your animals.
Animals don't have a choice in who adopts them or how they are kept. Please be a responsible animal owner and make sure your animals are provided for adequately. Before taking on the care of an animal, be sure you have the time, the energy and the resources to do it properly. Remember, they are depending on us to keep them warm, dry, and healthy.
Now for a little discussion that is off topic. If you have animals that you keep outside, please be sure you are providing for their needs. Now is the perfect time to go out and make sure they have adequate shelter that will keep them warm and dry in the up coming cold and wet months. Provide them with extra bedding and be diligent about keeping their accomodations clean. Some animals, such as chickens and goats, can become ill if their housing isn't kept clean and dry. Ammonia build up inside their housing, can be very harmful. If possible, position their shelter where it will get some sun during the cold winter months. Be sure to keep the snow shoveled away as well, so they can get in and out of their shelter.
Be sure to check on your animals a couple times a day in severe weather. Many animals enjoy warm water when the temperatures begin to plummet and might benefit from some extra nutrition as well. Keeping vigil on their health and their housing is the best way to ward off a sick animal. Winter is hard on them and as a responsible animal owner, you will want to do what is best for your animals.
Animals don't have a choice in who adopts them or how they are kept. Please be a responsible animal owner and make sure your animals are provided for adequately. Before taking on the care of an animal, be sure you have the time, the energy and the resources to do it properly. Remember, they are depending on us to keep them warm, dry, and healthy.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Weather Station
In case you don't know, we have a weather station available on the front page of our website, www.pcwd.org. It is located up at the Rocky Point site, so it is accurate, current Pine Cove weather. We also have a web cam up there so you can also click onto that link and get a real time picture of what the weather is doing. If you haven't already checked it out, I would suggest doing so.
More Rain!
According to the weather station, we have received 1.14 inches of rain so far in October! This is great. 4 days into the month and we have over an inch of rain on the ground. Saturday's storm was fairly heavy and at my house we even got some hail. More rain is a possibility this week.
Now might be a good time to get out the old umbrellas and rain coats and make sure they are in good condition as we slowly move into the autumn and winter months. And remember to drive carefully if you find yourself on the road during one of these downpours. I had to drive to Hemet on Friday afternoon and there were times when my windshield wipers could not keep up with the pouring rain. Also remember to slow down as rain can make the roads very slick. Better to get where you are going a little late, than to not get there at all.
We hope you are enjoying these pleasant cool days and the refreshing rain showers. Hopefully, we will be blessed with many more rain storms over the next several months. Stay dry and stay safe!
Now might be a good time to get out the old umbrellas and rain coats and make sure they are in good condition as we slowly move into the autumn and winter months. And remember to drive carefully if you find yourself on the road during one of these downpours. I had to drive to Hemet on Friday afternoon and there were times when my windshield wipers could not keep up with the pouring rain. Also remember to slow down as rain can make the roads very slick. Better to get where you are going a little late, than to not get there at all.
We hope you are enjoying these pleasant cool days and the refreshing rain showers. Hopefully, we will be blessed with many more rain storms over the next several months. Stay dry and stay safe!
Friday, October 1, 2010
LEAKS!
Please be aware that you can develop a leak at any time of the year and not just during the winter months. Water heaters, washing machines, dish washers, refrigerators, irrigation systems and toilets can all be sources of leaks. Anything in your home that uses water should be considered a possible source for a leak to develop.
This can happen to any one at any time. Washing machine hoses are notorious for suddenly breaking and causing leaks or flooding. It isn't just frozen pipes that burst that can cause water leaking and flooding in a home. One must be diligent at all times.
If you do develop a leak, turn your water off at your customer valve until you can get it repaired. Once water runs through your meter, you are responsible for paying for it. If a leak goes unchecked for a long period of time, this could amount to hundred's or thousand's of dollars worth of water. No one wants a bill like that!
We cannot say this enough, if you are leaving your home, turn your water off at your customer valve.
This can happen to any one at any time. Washing machine hoses are notorious for suddenly breaking and causing leaks or flooding. It isn't just frozen pipes that burst that can cause water leaking and flooding in a home. One must be diligent at all times.
If you do develop a leak, turn your water off at your customer valve until you can get it repaired. Once water runs through your meter, you are responsible for paying for it. If a leak goes unchecked for a long period of time, this could amount to hundred's or thousand's of dollars worth of water. No one wants a bill like that!
We cannot say this enough, if you are leaving your home, turn your water off at your customer valve.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Water Bills
Just a reminder that your water bills should be arriving in your mail box early next week. They will be due on October 25. If you have not received your bill by the
10th of the billing month, please call the office at 951-659-2675 and Becky or Vicki will be more than happy to look up your account and let you know how much your bill amount is.
Please remember that once we mail the bills, we have no idea what becomes of them and we cannot track them. Just because your bill doesn't arrive, does not mean you are relieved of your responsibility to pay it. We use post card type bills and once in awhile they get waylaid at the post office or stuck in a magazine or some other fate befalls them prior to them arriving in your mail box.
So remember, should your water bill go missing, please call us or stop by the office and we will be happy to assist you. We now accept Visa, Mastercard and Discover if you wish to pay by credit card. We are able to take credit card payments over the phone as well, so feel free to just give us a call and we will be happy to take care of that transaction for you.
As always, we like to remind everyone to please turn your water off at your customer shut off valve anytime you leave your mountain home. Once water has gone through your meter, it is your responsibility to pay for it. Turning your water off is the best way to assure you don't come home to a disaster.
10th of the billing month, please call the office at 951-659-2675 and Becky or Vicki will be more than happy to look up your account and let you know how much your bill amount is.
Please remember that once we mail the bills, we have no idea what becomes of them and we cannot track them. Just because your bill doesn't arrive, does not mean you are relieved of your responsibility to pay it. We use post card type bills and once in awhile they get waylaid at the post office or stuck in a magazine or some other fate befalls them prior to them arriving in your mail box.
So remember, should your water bill go missing, please call us or stop by the office and we will be happy to assist you. We now accept Visa, Mastercard and Discover if you wish to pay by credit card. We are able to take credit card payments over the phone as well, so feel free to just give us a call and we will be happy to take care of that transaction for you.
As always, we like to remind everyone to please turn your water off at your customer shut off valve anytime you leave your mountain home. Once water has gone through your meter, it is your responsibility to pay for it. Turning your water off is the best way to assure you don't come home to a disaster.
Meter Reading Today
Just a quick reminder that the boys are out and about reading meters today. Hope they don't get too wet!
Rain, rain don't go away!
This morning I heard a strange sound on my roof. What was that noise I wondered? Well I'll be, it is raining! What a refreshing way to start the day! I hope you are all enjoying this change of weather.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Board Meeting
The next board meeting will be held on October 13, 2010 at 10:00 am. Everyone is invited to attend.
Garden chores
Hopefully, autumn will soon be upon us. With that in mind it is time to get out into the garden an get going on autumn chores. Any work you do now will be less you have to do come spring. While there is a lot to be done in the fall, the cooler temps make working outside pleasureable once again.
Now is an excellent time to add compost to your soil. It helps the soil retain moisture and this in turn conserves water. If you have oak trees in your yard, you can rake up the leaves and add them to your compost pile. Don't have a compost pile? Make one. You can be very low tech and just make a pile in the corner of the yard somewhere. Pile you leaves up, wet them down and Mother Nature will quietly work to turn those leaves into compost.
Once your soil is amended with compost you will want to add a layer of mulch to help protect it. This is esepcially beneficially to plants and trees as it helps reduce water loss. Plants transpire water through their leaves and evergreens will continue to lose water this way during the winter. Moisture must then be taken up by the plants' roots. The roots will will continue to absorb moisture when it is available, but when you aren't watering, when the ground is frozen or there is a dry spell, the necessary moisture is not availabe. The plants will continue to transpire water but at this time it draws moisture from living cells. If too much water is give off from this source, the cell dies leaving brown out. Adding compost to the soil and then a layer of mulch, helps retain moisture in the soil enabling the plant to continue to absorb moisture through it's roots and give it off through it's leaves or needles. This will result in healthier, better looking plants and trees come spring.
Of course, you can take that one step further and get a compost bin and compost not only your leaves, but your kitchen scraps as well. You can get fancy composters that spin around, 3 section composters or a basic bin that you toss your thinks into. No matter how you go about it, composting is a good thing to be doing.
Now is a good time to trim up your hardwoods and plant bulbs, bare root roses, shrubs and trees. A little effort now will be rewarded come spring as everything you planted in the fall burts to life in the spring. Plus it will give you peace of mind all through the winter knowing that you prepared your garden for winter and will not be faced with a garden mess come spring.
It is also the perfect time to clean out your rain gutters or add them if you don't already have them. You can set up a rain harvesting system now as well. The more snow and rain you collect over the winter months, the less water you will have to use to irrigate your garden come summer.
Once done with your garden chores, clean off your tools, oil them or have them sharpened if necessary and put them away. It would be a good idea to dig out your snow shovels and put them where they can be easily reached. If you have a snow blower, check it over and make sure it is in good operating condition and that you have gas for it if it is gas powered. Waiting until the snow is falling fast to find your cold weather equipment is never a good idea.
Fall seems to come and go quickly some years and there is much to be done before winter settles over us. As your garden sleeps you can rest easy knowing you prepared it for it's long nap and come spring you will already be one step ahead of the gardening game.
Now is an excellent time to add compost to your soil. It helps the soil retain moisture and this in turn conserves water. If you have oak trees in your yard, you can rake up the leaves and add them to your compost pile. Don't have a compost pile? Make one. You can be very low tech and just make a pile in the corner of the yard somewhere. Pile you leaves up, wet them down and Mother Nature will quietly work to turn those leaves into compost.
Once your soil is amended with compost you will want to add a layer of mulch to help protect it. This is esepcially beneficially to plants and trees as it helps reduce water loss. Plants transpire water through their leaves and evergreens will continue to lose water this way during the winter. Moisture must then be taken up by the plants' roots. The roots will will continue to absorb moisture when it is available, but when you aren't watering, when the ground is frozen or there is a dry spell, the necessary moisture is not availabe. The plants will continue to transpire water but at this time it draws moisture from living cells. If too much water is give off from this source, the cell dies leaving brown out. Adding compost to the soil and then a layer of mulch, helps retain moisture in the soil enabling the plant to continue to absorb moisture through it's roots and give it off through it's leaves or needles. This will result in healthier, better looking plants and trees come spring.
Of course, you can take that one step further and get a compost bin and compost not only your leaves, but your kitchen scraps as well. You can get fancy composters that spin around, 3 section composters or a basic bin that you toss your thinks into. No matter how you go about it, composting is a good thing to be doing.
Now is a good time to trim up your hardwoods and plant bulbs, bare root roses, shrubs and trees. A little effort now will be rewarded come spring as everything you planted in the fall burts to life in the spring. Plus it will give you peace of mind all through the winter knowing that you prepared your garden for winter and will not be faced with a garden mess come spring.
It is also the perfect time to clean out your rain gutters or add them if you don't already have them. You can set up a rain harvesting system now as well. The more snow and rain you collect over the winter months, the less water you will have to use to irrigate your garden come summer.
Once done with your garden chores, clean off your tools, oil them or have them sharpened if necessary and put them away. It would be a good idea to dig out your snow shovels and put them where they can be easily reached. If you have a snow blower, check it over and make sure it is in good operating condition and that you have gas for it if it is gas powered. Waiting until the snow is falling fast to find your cold weather equipment is never a good idea.
Fall seems to come and go quickly some years and there is much to be done before winter settles over us. As your garden sleeps you can rest easy knowing you prepared it for it's long nap and come spring you will already be one step ahead of the gardening game.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Autumn, where are you?
Here it is, the end of September and we are having a heat wave. Anyone who knows me, knows I loath the heat or any temperature extremes. Winter and summer are both too intense for my delicate sensibilities and I could live happily with just spring and autumn year round. Maybe a week of snow around Christmas for ambiance and a week of heat in the summer for beach going. Other than that, I could do without the extreme seasons. By the end of August, I feel like a wilted flower and have had more than enough of summer. Once September arrives, I happily looking forward to the cooler days and chilly nights of fall and wait with great anticipation for the changing of the leaves.
Autumn brings even more delights as the cooler days mean I can turn my oven on again! During the dog days of summer, my kitchen seems to go on hiatus with the exception of salad, sandwich and iced tea making. The oven sits idle and even cooking something on top of the stove is avoided for fear of making the house hotter than it already is. Even with the ceiling fan running full tilt, it still seems to be too hot to do anything but open the fridge. In this hot, non cooking state, ice cream suddenly seems to be an acceptable dinner entree!
Eventually though, one does grow weary of the no cook, pick something out of the garden or eat a Popsicle diet. Even ice cream looses it's appeal once you have eaten several gallons of the stuff. I grow weary of cleaning the ice cream maker and I am tired of making a gallon of tea each and every day.
The onset of autumn is a welcome relief because it means fully cooked meals are on the menu again. Things we haven't tasted in months are suddenly appearing on our plates. Meatloaf, stews and casseroles are bubbling away in the oven. Zucchini and bananas are magically transformed into delicious breads and tomatoes are baked up into pies. Beans and other garden delights are canned and put away for later. Hot tea in the tea pot replaces the gallon pitcher in the fridge and ice remains in the freezer for more than a few hours. In the fall, the kitchen seems to suddenly spring back to life!
Cooler autumn nights mean throwing a blanket or quilt on the bed and digging out that nice fuzzy bathrobe that has been in hiding for many months. That chill in the air as you rise in the morning is invigorating. Sleep is much more comfortable and the pugs are content to snuggle up in their doggy beds with their blankets instead of walking around most of the night constantly trying to find a cool spot under the ceiling fan.
As you make your way to the kitchen, you know that first cup of hot coffee or tea is going to taste so good. It is a bit chilly and don't break into a sweat by the walking into the kitchen. Instead of cold cereal, you can actually entertain the thought of cooking something for breakfast. What could be better on a chilly autumn morning than coming down to the kitchen, turning on the oven and baking up a batch of cinnamon rolls or biscuits? The heat from my 1950's O'Keefe and Merritt oven takes the chill off the house and the smell of coffee perking in the percolator and cinnamon rolls baking in the oven permeates the air. It is on these mornings that I know why I moved to the hill and why I love autumn so much. So Autumn, where are you?
Autumn brings even more delights as the cooler days mean I can turn my oven on again! During the dog days of summer, my kitchen seems to go on hiatus with the exception of salad, sandwich and iced tea making. The oven sits idle and even cooking something on top of the stove is avoided for fear of making the house hotter than it already is. Even with the ceiling fan running full tilt, it still seems to be too hot to do anything but open the fridge. In this hot, non cooking state, ice cream suddenly seems to be an acceptable dinner entree!
Eventually though, one does grow weary of the no cook, pick something out of the garden or eat a Popsicle diet. Even ice cream looses it's appeal once you have eaten several gallons of the stuff. I grow weary of cleaning the ice cream maker and I am tired of making a gallon of tea each and every day.
The onset of autumn is a welcome relief because it means fully cooked meals are on the menu again. Things we haven't tasted in months are suddenly appearing on our plates. Meatloaf, stews and casseroles are bubbling away in the oven. Zucchini and bananas are magically transformed into delicious breads and tomatoes are baked up into pies. Beans and other garden delights are canned and put away for later. Hot tea in the tea pot replaces the gallon pitcher in the fridge and ice remains in the freezer for more than a few hours. In the fall, the kitchen seems to suddenly spring back to life!
Cooler autumn nights mean throwing a blanket or quilt on the bed and digging out that nice fuzzy bathrobe that has been in hiding for many months. That chill in the air as you rise in the morning is invigorating. Sleep is much more comfortable and the pugs are content to snuggle up in their doggy beds with their blankets instead of walking around most of the night constantly trying to find a cool spot under the ceiling fan.
As you make your way to the kitchen, you know that first cup of hot coffee or tea is going to taste so good. It is a bit chilly and don't break into a sweat by the walking into the kitchen. Instead of cold cereal, you can actually entertain the thought of cooking something for breakfast. What could be better on a chilly autumn morning than coming down to the kitchen, turning on the oven and baking up a batch of cinnamon rolls or biscuits? The heat from my 1950's O'Keefe and Merritt oven takes the chill off the house and the smell of coffee perking in the percolator and cinnamon rolls baking in the oven permeates the air. It is on these mornings that I know why I moved to the hill and why I love autumn so much. So Autumn, where are you?
Meter Reading
Well folks, it is that time again. Later this week, the boys, aka Jeremy and Jerry, will be out and about reading water meters. Remember if you don't know where your customer valve is located, now is the time to locate it. If you need help, please call the office at (951)659-2675 on Monday through Friday between 9am and 4pm. We will be happy to send someone out to help you locate your valve and show you how to turn it off. We are happy to do this while the weather is nic
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Winterizing
It is not too soon to start thinking about winterizing. Preparing now can prevent problems down the road. One thing that is very important to do now while the weather is good, is to be sure you know where your customer valve box is and that you know how to turn your water off. Turning your water off when you leave your mountain home, is the single biggest thing you can do to prevent water damage from frozen pipes. It is a good habit to get into any time you leave your mountain home, but it is especially important in the winter. Leaks can occur at any time of the year and sometimes go undetected for long periods of time. In freezing temperatures, pipes can freeze and possibly burst. If this happens while your water is on and you are away, you will have a real problem on your hands. Turning your water off at your customer valve can prevent these types of things from happening to you.
Other things you can do to prepare for winter is remove hoses from outside spigots and cover the spigots with faucet socks. These are inexpensive and easily obtainable. This is a simple solution that can help keep your pipes from freezing up. Insulate water pipes in crawl spaces and and basements. There are many different types of pipe insulation available so you should be able to find something that suits your situation and your budget. Remember the saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." This is very true when it comes to your water. It is much easier to prevent a problem than it is to fix one after it has occured.
Many people are under the false impression that if they have a water leak or a pipe burs,t that they do not have to pay for the water that is lost. This is not true. Remember, you are responsible for every gallon of water that goes through your meter. Having a leak or a frozen pipe does not absolve you from this responsibility.
If you have any questions at all about how to winterize you water pipes, please feel free to give us a call at 951-659-2675, during normal business hours and we will be more than happy to give you some suggestions. If you cannot find your customer valve or do not know how to turn it off and on, call us and we will be happy to send someone out to help you, during normal business hours. It is your responsibility as the property owner to make sure you are protecting yourself as much as possible against a possible water problem. While all leaks and pipe breaks cannot be prevented, the damage from many of them could be minimized or even prevented, had the water been turned off.
Other things you can do to prepare for winter is remove hoses from outside spigots and cover the spigots with faucet socks. These are inexpensive and easily obtainable. This is a simple solution that can help keep your pipes from freezing up. Insulate water pipes in crawl spaces and and basements. There are many different types of pipe insulation available so you should be able to find something that suits your situation and your budget. Remember the saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." This is very true when it comes to your water. It is much easier to prevent a problem than it is to fix one after it has occured.
Many people are under the false impression that if they have a water leak or a pipe burs,t that they do not have to pay for the water that is lost. This is not true. Remember, you are responsible for every gallon of water that goes through your meter. Having a leak or a frozen pipe does not absolve you from this responsibility.
If you have any questions at all about how to winterize you water pipes, please feel free to give us a call at 951-659-2675, during normal business hours and we will be more than happy to give you some suggestions. If you cannot find your customer valve or do not know how to turn it off and on, call us and we will be happy to send someone out to help you, during normal business hours. It is your responsibility as the property owner to make sure you are protecting yourself as much as possible against a possible water problem. While all leaks and pipe breaks cannot be prevented, the damage from many of them could be minimized or even prevented, had the water been turned off.
Autumn
Well another summer has flown by and as autumn quickly approaches, we need to start thinking about preparing for winter. Autumn is a wonderful time to add compost to you yard and garden. The single most important thing you can do to help your soil retain water, is to amend it with compost. If your soil is able to retain moisture, it will help your plants and trees and reduce the amount of water you need to use for outside watering. Amending your soil prior to winter's arrival ensures that your plants and trees will be able to absorb and retain moisture throughout the winter season, which in turn will keep them healthier and enable them to fight off disease and pests.
If you are a gardener, then you probably already realize the benefits of adding compost to the garden. Once you have your garden all cleaned out, it is the perfect time to add some compost.
Autumn is also a wonderful time to add a layer of mulch to your garden as well. Adding mulch or topping off what you have, will help to protect your plants as well as slowly decompose, adding valuable nutrients to the soil without you having to do anything at all. It will help retain moisture and prevent runoff. If you are in need of mulch, we have bark chips available for FREEto anyone who lives on the hill. Just stop by and help yourself. They are located behind the workshop/garage on Marion Ridge Rd.
If you are a gardener, then you probably already realize the benefits of adding compost to the garden. Once you have your garden all cleaned out, it is the perfect time to add some compost.
Autumn is also a wonderful time to add a layer of mulch to your garden as well. Adding mulch or topping off what you have, will help to protect your plants as well as slowly decompose, adding valuable nutrients to the soil without you having to do anything at all. It will help retain moisture and prevent runoff. If you are in need of mulch, we have bark chips available for FREEto anyone who lives on the hill. Just stop by and help yourself. They are located behind the workshop/garage on Marion Ridge Rd.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Transparency
For all those who are not aware of how the water district operates, the Pine Cove Water District is governed by a 5 member Board of Directors. The General Manager, Jerry Holldber reports to the Board of Directors. Each Board member receives a check for $50 for each meeting attended.
Our current Board consists of Tom McCullough who is our Board President. Mike Esnard is our Board Vice President. Lou Padulla serves as our Secretary/Treasurer. Joel Palmer and Dan Fandrich are Board Members. Their pictures are posted on the side bar of the blog. If you see them out and about, please do not hesitate to stop and introduce yourself or say hello to them. They are all respected members of our Pine Cove community and do a wonderful job making decisions in the best interest of the District.
Our Board meetings are open to the public and are held on the second Wednsday of each month. We look forward to seeing many of you at the meetings.
Our current Board consists of Tom McCullough who is our Board President. Mike Esnard is our Board Vice President. Lou Padulla serves as our Secretary/Treasurer. Joel Palmer and Dan Fandrich are Board Members. Their pictures are posted on the side bar of the blog. If you see them out and about, please do not hesitate to stop and introduce yourself or say hello to them. They are all respected members of our Pine Cove community and do a wonderful job making decisions in the best interest of the District.
Our Board meetings are open to the public and are held on the second Wednsday of each month. We look forward to seeing many of you at the meetings.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Customer Corner
In appreciation of our customers, we are announcing a new feature here on the blog. Our Customer Corner will feature customers of the Pine Cove Water District who have gone out of their way to do something special for the district. We appreciate our customers very much and spotlighting them on this blog is just one of the things we will be doing to thank them for their special actions.
We are grateful to be in living and working in such a wonderful place as Pine Cove and we want our customers to know how special we think they are. Check back often to see who will be the first person to be spolighted in our "Customer Corner"!
We are grateful to be in living and working in such a wonderful place as Pine Cove and we want our customers to know how special we think they are. Check back often to see who will be the first person to be spolighted in our "Customer Corner"!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Chickens and Salmonella
We have all heard of the recent egg recall due to a salmonella outbreak. Personally I haven't followed this story very closely because I do not buy eggs from the store. I have my own flock of backyard chickens and have since 2001. I cannot bear to think of how these factory farms keep their chickens cooped up 4 to a cage, de-beak them and never let them out into the sunshine. The spend their whole, miserable lives in a cage and their feet never touch the earth. To me, this is just not acceptable. Now with this latest news of salmonella, it makes you wonder if eggs are even safe to eat.
So what is the solution? Well, it is quite simple really. Raise your own chickens. I know, many people have an aversion to livestock, especially in residential areas, however, chickens are really quite easy to care for, do not have to be an eyesore, are quieter than dogs and are a lot of fun to watch. Plus they earn their keep by providing you with wonderful, fresh, healthy, delicious eggs.
If you do not keep a rooster, then there will not be that much noise from the chickens. Yes, they make some noise when laying an egg, but if you had to go through labor and delivery every day or so, you would yell too! The only other time they make a fuss, is if they feel threatened by a dog or coyote, which is actually a good thing as it alerts me that something is outside the coop. They are much nicer to listen to than a barking dog and when they do make noise it is for a reason. Normally they just go about their business looking for bugs, eating, drinking and taking dirt baths,
Chickens are pretty self sufficient and just need a little care from their human each day. They need fresh, clean water, food and a safe, fenced in place they can stratch around outside. The amount of space needed depends on how many chickens you have. Of course, the more chickens you have, the more space you will need for them.
You will need a shelter for them. If you search online, you will find some pretty imaginative set ups. These can be simple or elaborate. Some communities now have a chicken coop tour each summer and some chicken owners take this whole coop buisiness very seriously. If you are only going to have a few chickens, a dog house would work. Just make sure it has good ventilation and protects them from predators and the elements.
Daily care consists of feeding them, giving them water, gathering the eggs and I try to clean out the nest boxes ever day or two. There is always one or two chickens who decide the nest boxes make great beds and settle in one each evening. A couple times a year you will need to clean out the entire coop. A clean coop makes for healthy chickens. This takes and hour or two to accomplish and I usually do it in the spring after winter is over and in the fall right before it begins again. When I clean out the coop in the spring, the droppings and shavings all go into to the compost bin. When I clean it out in the winter, it goes directly into the garden to compost over the winter months. You can also hose down the walls and the floor once the coop is all cleaned out.
In the evening, the chickens will put themselves to bed with no coaxing from you. Just be sure they have a place to go that is secure from preditors. Chickens like to perch at night and it is easy to provide them a place to perch. Wooden closet rods work very well as perches as do tree branches. What you use will depend on your coop set up and what sort of materials you have available to you
They will need a good chicken food formulated for laying chickens and some scratch, which is just cracked corn. You can also provide grit and oyster shell for them. The great thing about chickens though is that they can eat your kitchen scraps. They will eat a wide variety of food from your kitchen, there by eliminating a lot of wasted food. Just don't give them any meat, potato peels or citrus. Fruits, veggies, salad, bread, pasta, they love it all. Even certain plants from the garden are safe to give them. I keep a chicken bowl in my fridge and that is where I put all my scraps throughout the day. Come dinner time, they get their treat. The means there is almost no waste in my kitchen.
Keeping chickens has been such a wonderful and rewarding hobby for my family. There is nothing like going out to the coop and gathering the eggs. I never will tire of that ever. It is still so amazing to me that they do that. The eggs from your chickens will taste so much better than the ones from the store and you will wonder how you ever ate the store bought eggs. You will notice that the yolks are a bright orange rather than a pale yellow. The more fruits and veggies you feed them, the darker and more flavorful the yolks will be come. You can also add flax seed to their diet and there by increase the Omega 3 fatty acids in your diet. Eggs from a backyard flock of chickens that are well cared for can be extremely healthy for you.
There are a couple of schools of thought on how to store eggs once you gather them from the coop. Some wash and refrigerate others do not. That is a decision you will have to make for yourself. Do some research and see which method is right for you. Eggs do have a protective coating on them when they are laid and washing them will remove that coating. I do minimal washing and follow this rule. If there is poo on them they get washed and if there isn't, they do not. I do refrigerate my eggs, although others do not.
If you haven't considered raising your own chickens, think about it. Here is a wonderful link to start your research with.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/eggs.aspx
There are many sites online that have a wealth of information about raising chickens and what the benefits are. In this day and age, it might be wise to go back to some of the old ways, because apparently the new ways are working out so well, but don't get me started on that!
So what is the solution? Well, it is quite simple really. Raise your own chickens. I know, many people have an aversion to livestock, especially in residential areas, however, chickens are really quite easy to care for, do not have to be an eyesore, are quieter than dogs and are a lot of fun to watch. Plus they earn their keep by providing you with wonderful, fresh, healthy, delicious eggs.
If you do not keep a rooster, then there will not be that much noise from the chickens. Yes, they make some noise when laying an egg, but if you had to go through labor and delivery every day or so, you would yell too! The only other time they make a fuss, is if they feel threatened by a dog or coyote, which is actually a good thing as it alerts me that something is outside the coop. They are much nicer to listen to than a barking dog and when they do make noise it is for a reason. Normally they just go about their business looking for bugs, eating, drinking and taking dirt baths,
Chickens are pretty self sufficient and just need a little care from their human each day. They need fresh, clean water, food and a safe, fenced in place they can stratch around outside. The amount of space needed depends on how many chickens you have. Of course, the more chickens you have, the more space you will need for them.
You will need a shelter for them. If you search online, you will find some pretty imaginative set ups. These can be simple or elaborate. Some communities now have a chicken coop tour each summer and some chicken owners take this whole coop buisiness very seriously. If you are only going to have a few chickens, a dog house would work. Just make sure it has good ventilation and protects them from predators and the elements.
Daily care consists of feeding them, giving them water, gathering the eggs and I try to clean out the nest boxes ever day or two. There is always one or two chickens who decide the nest boxes make great beds and settle in one each evening. A couple times a year you will need to clean out the entire coop. A clean coop makes for healthy chickens. This takes and hour or two to accomplish and I usually do it in the spring after winter is over and in the fall right before it begins again. When I clean out the coop in the spring, the droppings and shavings all go into to the compost bin. When I clean it out in the winter, it goes directly into the garden to compost over the winter months. You can also hose down the walls and the floor once the coop is all cleaned out.
In the evening, the chickens will put themselves to bed with no coaxing from you. Just be sure they have a place to go that is secure from preditors. Chickens like to perch at night and it is easy to provide them a place to perch. Wooden closet rods work very well as perches as do tree branches. What you use will depend on your coop set up and what sort of materials you have available to you
They will need a good chicken food formulated for laying chickens and some scratch, which is just cracked corn. You can also provide grit and oyster shell for them. The great thing about chickens though is that they can eat your kitchen scraps. They will eat a wide variety of food from your kitchen, there by eliminating a lot of wasted food. Just don't give them any meat, potato peels or citrus. Fruits, veggies, salad, bread, pasta, they love it all. Even certain plants from the garden are safe to give them. I keep a chicken bowl in my fridge and that is where I put all my scraps throughout the day. Come dinner time, they get their treat. The means there is almost no waste in my kitchen.
Keeping chickens has been such a wonderful and rewarding hobby for my family. There is nothing like going out to the coop and gathering the eggs. I never will tire of that ever. It is still so amazing to me that they do that. The eggs from your chickens will taste so much better than the ones from the store and you will wonder how you ever ate the store bought eggs. You will notice that the yolks are a bright orange rather than a pale yellow. The more fruits and veggies you feed them, the darker and more flavorful the yolks will be come. You can also add flax seed to their diet and there by increase the Omega 3 fatty acids in your diet. Eggs from a backyard flock of chickens that are well cared for can be extremely healthy for you.
There are a couple of schools of thought on how to store eggs once you gather them from the coop. Some wash and refrigerate others do not. That is a decision you will have to make for yourself. Do some research and see which method is right for you. Eggs do have a protective coating on them when they are laid and washing them will remove that coating. I do minimal washing and follow this rule. If there is poo on them they get washed and if there isn't, they do not. I do refrigerate my eggs, although others do not.
If you haven't considered raising your own chickens, think about it. Here is a wonderful link to start your research with.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/eggs.aspx
There are many sites online that have a wealth of information about raising chickens and what the benefits are. In this day and age, it might be wise to go back to some of the old ways, because apparently the new ways are working out so well, but don't get me started on that!
Bills Due!
Today is August 25th which means that water bill payments are due today! If you haven't already paid, please do so in order to avoid a late charge. Thank you.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
A Kitchen Garden
When I hear the term Kitchen Garden, it conjurs up all sorts of images of a lovely, large picket fenced garden which sits right outside the kitchen door of a quaint little cottage and is just teeming with all sorts of herbs and vegetables. A large willow baskest sits at the ready just outside the garden gate and when I arrive back inside the kitchen, the basket is overflowing with just picked goodies.
But then I wake up and I realize I am still in Pine Cove and that gardening just isn't that easy. While gardening here in the mountains can be challenging for sure, it is not impossible. A lot of gardening success or failure depends on what you are trying to grow. Obviously there are always going to be certain plants that we can't grow due to their water requirements, light requirements or other things that perhaps can't be provided during out short growing season. But there are some things that will grow well up here given the right care and conditions.
I, personally have noticed that herbs seem to do fairly well up here. So that leads me to believe that a Kitchen Garden might be a really great way to start gardening, since it pretty much guarantees some gardening success. While herbs do require sun, they also do great in pots, making it easy to put the garden where the sun is. So instead of saying my yard is too shady to grow anything, you can put a container garden where ever you have some sun. That problem is solved.
Over the past several years I have noticed in my own garden, that rosemary and lavender seem almost indestructable. They pop up in the spring no matter how much snow has been piled on them over the winter and they seem to grow no matter how sporadically I water them. Since both rosemary and lavender like more arid conditions than some other plants in the garden, it makes them an idea choice for here in Pine Cove. It also makes them good to plant in the same area since they have similiar sun and water requirements.
Plus you may not realize that rosemary can be used for more things than just flavoring that chicken you are making for dinner tonight. It can actually be used as ground cover or for topiaries. This makes it not only a fragrant, edible addition to your garden, but a decorative one as well. There is no need to keep this herb only in the kitchen garden. It can go anywhere it will get a fair amount of sun and it will thrive.
Some other things I have had success with is basil, parsely, oregano and sage. These all grow fairly well and I have been able to harvest them and dry them for use throughout the winter. If you have ever stopped to figure out the cost per pound of those little jars of herbs they sell in the grocery stores, you would be flaberghasted at the price. For a few dollars spent on plants and seeds, you can create a wonderful, organic herb garden for all your cooking needs.
A Kitchen Garden can can be as small as a few herbs in pots or as large as a vegetable garden or anything in between. How about a salad garden? A few varieties of leaf lettuce, a couple cherry tomatoe plants and a cucumber vine set the stage for some really yummy summer salads. Remember that a lot of things can be grown in containers making gardening much more portable and attainable for a larger amount of people. So when next spring rolls around, why not give a Kitchen Garden a try?
But then I wake up and I realize I am still in Pine Cove and that gardening just isn't that easy. While gardening here in the mountains can be challenging for sure, it is not impossible. A lot of gardening success or failure depends on what you are trying to grow. Obviously there are always going to be certain plants that we can't grow due to their water requirements, light requirements or other things that perhaps can't be provided during out short growing season. But there are some things that will grow well up here given the right care and conditions.
I, personally have noticed that herbs seem to do fairly well up here. So that leads me to believe that a Kitchen Garden might be a really great way to start gardening, since it pretty much guarantees some gardening success. While herbs do require sun, they also do great in pots, making it easy to put the garden where the sun is. So instead of saying my yard is too shady to grow anything, you can put a container garden where ever you have some sun. That problem is solved.
Over the past several years I have noticed in my own garden, that rosemary and lavender seem almost indestructable. They pop up in the spring no matter how much snow has been piled on them over the winter and they seem to grow no matter how sporadically I water them. Since both rosemary and lavender like more arid conditions than some other plants in the garden, it makes them an idea choice for here in Pine Cove. It also makes them good to plant in the same area since they have similiar sun and water requirements.
Plus you may not realize that rosemary can be used for more things than just flavoring that chicken you are making for dinner tonight. It can actually be used as ground cover or for topiaries. This makes it not only a fragrant, edible addition to your garden, but a decorative one as well. There is no need to keep this herb only in the kitchen garden. It can go anywhere it will get a fair amount of sun and it will thrive.
Some other things I have had success with is basil, parsely, oregano and sage. These all grow fairly well and I have been able to harvest them and dry them for use throughout the winter. If you have ever stopped to figure out the cost per pound of those little jars of herbs they sell in the grocery stores, you would be flaberghasted at the price. For a few dollars spent on plants and seeds, you can create a wonderful, organic herb garden for all your cooking needs.
A Kitchen Garden can can be as small as a few herbs in pots or as large as a vegetable garden or anything in between. How about a salad garden? A few varieties of leaf lettuce, a couple cherry tomatoe plants and a cucumber vine set the stage for some really yummy summer salads. Remember that a lot of things can be grown in containers making gardening much more portable and attainable for a larger amount of people. So when next spring rolls around, why not give a Kitchen Garden a try?
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