Well that was quite the storm over the weekend. How did you make out? Are you running out of places to pile it up? I am hoping some of this melts into the ground before we get hit with anymore. However, it is a nice amount of snow and hopefully we will get even more before winter comes to an end. Luckily the roads are nice and clear so you can get out and about. The forecast for the coming week looks fairly nice and some temps as high as the 50's. That will help some of it start to melt. This has certainly been and odd winter with a little bit of everything. Rain, warm temps, dry and snow. It is hard to tell what is yet to come!
But soon enough, winter will be over and this will all be a distant memory. We will all but forget the cold temps and the huge piles of snow as summer concerts, picnics, hiking, gardening and other warm weather activities take over our lives. As temperatures rise, we will begin to forget about snow, shovels, boots and trees dripping snow on us as we walk by.
We are incredibly lucky to be living here in Pine Cove and experience all four seasons. It keeps life interesting and just as we tire of one season, it is onto the next. To everything there is a season and this too shall pass. As we get ready to go into March, the end of winter can't be far off. It is about now that I get tired of being indoors all the time and long for the warmer days of spring and summer.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Are you ready?
They are calling for more snow on Friday night. I don't know if I am ready for more just yet, but ready or not, it will come and I can't do a thing about it. How about you? Are you ready for more snow so soon after this last storm? Luckily, my misery is eased by the fact that all this snow will melt into the ground and provide water for a the trees and hopefully our wells, which is a very good thing!
So when I am outside trying to shovel out a path for my little dogs so they don't sink down into the snow and disappear, I try to tell myself I am really watering the pine tree next to the path where I am shoveling. It doesn't make the shoveling any easier, but it does make it a more satisfying activity knowing that the snow I am piling up on the ground will eventually melt, soak into the ground and go to the tree roots. Keeping this in mind makes me a little more of an enthusiastic shoveler! So as this next storm approaches, I will try to keep in mind how much we need the moisture and I will try not to complain, no matter how cold it gets and no matter how high we have to pile up the snow!
So when I am outside trying to shovel out a path for my little dogs so they don't sink down into the snow and disappear, I try to tell myself I am really watering the pine tree next to the path where I am shoveling. It doesn't make the shoveling any easier, but it does make it a more satisfying activity knowing that the snow I am piling up on the ground will eventually melt, soak into the ground and go to the tree roots. Keeping this in mind makes me a little more of an enthusiastic shoveler! So as this next storm approaches, I will try to keep in mind how much we need the moisture and I will try not to complain, no matter how cold it gets and no matter how high we have to pile up the snow!
Due Date Approaching
A quick reminder to let everyone know that the due date for the February bills is fast approaching. They are due on February 25. If you cannot pay by that date, please give Becky a call and let her know. She tries to be very flexible as long as you are keeping in touch with her. Our number here at the office is 951-659-2675 and we are open from 9 am until 4 pm, including lunch. We thank you for diligence in this matter.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
March Board Meeting
Just a quick note to let you know that our next board meeting will be on March 9, 2011 at 10 am. Everyone is welcome to attend and we would encourage you to try to come to a board meeting if you have never been to one. I, for one, had no idea how a water district was run, prior to my employment here. I had the attitude that as long as I could turn on the faucet and got good, clean water, I didn't care how they ran the place. However, since I have come to work at the water district, I have learned a lot. It is very interesting how a special district operates and we are lucky enough to live in a country where meetings such as our board meetings, are open to the public. Why not take advantage of that and come see what goes on?
In case you don't know, we are governed by a Board of Directors. It is a 5 member board and at least 3 of them have to show up in order for a board meeting to take place. Our current board members are: Tom McCulloough, President, Mike Esnard, Vice President, Lou Padula, Secretary Treasurer, Joel Palmer and Dan Fandrich. These are all elected positions and they generally serve a 4 year term, although occasionally someone will serve a 2 year term. They also have to be a resident of Pine Cove.
They Board of Directors sets our policies and we here at the office, have to follow them. Many people mistakenly think that the office manager or the district manager are the ones who make the rules, but that isn't so. We are lucky that our board members are very thorough and try to see all sides of an issue before making a policy on any given situation.
Please feel free to join us at any of our board meetings and see how our water district works.
In case you don't know, we are governed by a Board of Directors. It is a 5 member board and at least 3 of them have to show up in order for a board meeting to take place. Our current board members are: Tom McCulloough, President, Mike Esnard, Vice President, Lou Padula, Secretary Treasurer, Joel Palmer and Dan Fandrich. These are all elected positions and they generally serve a 4 year term, although occasionally someone will serve a 2 year term. They also have to be a resident of Pine Cove.
They Board of Directors sets our policies and we here at the office, have to follow them. Many people mistakenly think that the office manager or the district manager are the ones who make the rules, but that isn't so. We are lucky that our board members are very thorough and try to see all sides of an issue before making a policy on any given situation.
Please feel free to join us at any of our board meetings and see how our water district works.
Roads are Clear
In case any of our part time homeowners are wondering, the roads to and around Pine Cove are clear. If you are wondering if you can make it there shouldn't be any problem doing so. We have a link on the sidebar of the blog to check on road conditions if you would like additional information. We get a lot of people calling the office for this information so I thought I would go ahead and post it here as well, just in case. So come play in the snow! We received 18 inches of fresh, new snow over the past weekend.
5,000 Page views
Wow, we hit another milestone over the long weekend. We now have over 5,000 page views on the website. I can't believe it. We hope you are all enjoying the blog and if you have any suggestions on topics you would like to discuss, please let us know. If it is appropriate and relevant, we will do a post on it. We are hoping this blog with all it's links provides a good source of information for anyone who lives in or comes up to the Pine Cove area. If we are overlooking something, again let us know. You can email me (Vicki) directly at PCWD2675@yahoo.com. We would love to have more pictures to share on the blog as well.
Thank you to everyone who has made our blog such a success.
Thank you to everyone who has made our blog such a success.
Monday Musings on Tuesday
If you recall my post from last Friday, I mentioned that I had seen two weather reports with varying snow amounts predicted. One was calling for 4 inches and another one said about a foot. Well, they were both wrong! About 18 inches actually fell here in Pine Cove. Wow! Does the saying when it rains it pours, apply to snow as well? After several dry weeks this winter, this is a welcome sight. I hope you were all prepared. One good thing is that they seemed to get the roads cleaned off very quickly this time. There didn't seem to be any waiting around for the plow to come down the street. That was a good thing!
So we will have a few days of sun before the next storm comes through. They are calling for a possibility of snow this coming weekend. That will give us a chance to get dug out from this last storm. I am hoping some of this melts off, otherwise I may not be able to see out of my windows!
As always, if you have any pictures you would like to see posted here, just email them to me at PCWD2675@yahoo.com and I will post them. We love to see what is happening around Pine Cove, especially after a big snow. So don't be shy, send your pictures in.
So we will have a few days of sun before the next storm comes through. They are calling for a possibility of snow this coming weekend. That will give us a chance to get dug out from this last storm. I am hoping some of this melts off, otherwise I may not be able to see out of my windows!
As always, if you have any pictures you would like to see posted here, just email them to me at PCWD2675@yahoo.com and I will post them. We love to see what is happening around Pine Cove, especially after a big snow. So don't be shy, send your pictures in.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Friday Reminders
Just some quick reminders for you today. The water district will be closed on Monday, February 22 for President's Day. However, we always have someone on call for emergencies. We will be open on Tuesday, February 23 from 9 to 4, as per usual.
We are expecting snow today. I have read wildly varying reports though, so I am not sure what is accurate and what isn't. One report calls for over a foot of snow here in Pine Cove and another one predicts just a few inches. Hmmmm..... which one to believe. I don't know, but it is better to be safe than sorry, so I will prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
No matter what happens, stay safe. Don't go out and drive in the storm unless it is absolutely necessary. The older I get, the more I realize that there really is very little that is urgent enough to make me drive in a storm. In my younger days I didn't think much about it. I even got stranded once in the middle of a snow storm and it really didn't faze me much. I got a ride home and the tow truck eventually found my car. If I had the good sense then that I have now, I would not have even set foot outside that evening. Live and learn! As they say, "Youth is wasted on the young", but that is whole 'nother post.
Luckily, I know better now. So don't be out driving in the storm unless it is absolutely necessary. Also if you are off the hill, please wait until the storm has subsided and the roads are cleared before making your way up the hill.
As always, frozen pipes are a concern when we have the cold temps like we have been experiencing the past few nights. Make sure all your outside hoses are disconnected. We have several winterizing tips on the left side of the blog, down the page towards the bottom. Frozen pipes are never fun, so act now to prevent them.
If you are leaving your mountain home, please turn the water off at your customer valve!
This is the single most important thing you can do to protect your home while you are away. January's leaks were proof positive that turning off your water can prevent disastrous leaks from occurring while you are away from your mountain home. We had two customers experience very large leaks and several others experience smaller leaks. But a leak is a leak and they are no fun to deal with. Prevention is easier than the cure in this case. It only takes a couple minutes. Just remember as you are leaving to turn off that water valve.
If you do not know where your customer shut off valve is, please call us at 951-659-2675 and we will be happy to come out, during normal business hours, and show you where it is and how to turn it off. I know we keep reiterating this point and sound like a broken record, but January's leaks just prove our point. So until everyone complies and turns off their water when they leave, we have to keep singing the same song.
We are expecting snow today. I have read wildly varying reports though, so I am not sure what is accurate and what isn't. One report calls for over a foot of snow here in Pine Cove and another one predicts just a few inches. Hmmmm..... which one to believe. I don't know, but it is better to be safe than sorry, so I will prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
No matter what happens, stay safe. Don't go out and drive in the storm unless it is absolutely necessary. The older I get, the more I realize that there really is very little that is urgent enough to make me drive in a storm. In my younger days I didn't think much about it. I even got stranded once in the middle of a snow storm and it really didn't faze me much. I got a ride home and the tow truck eventually found my car. If I had the good sense then that I have now, I would not have even set foot outside that evening. Live and learn! As they say, "Youth is wasted on the young", but that is whole 'nother post.
Luckily, I know better now. So don't be out driving in the storm unless it is absolutely necessary. Also if you are off the hill, please wait until the storm has subsided and the roads are cleared before making your way up the hill.
As always, frozen pipes are a concern when we have the cold temps like we have been experiencing the past few nights. Make sure all your outside hoses are disconnected. We have several winterizing tips on the left side of the blog, down the page towards the bottom. Frozen pipes are never fun, so act now to prevent them.
If you are leaving your mountain home, please turn the water off at your customer valve!
This is the single most important thing you can do to protect your home while you are away. January's leaks were proof positive that turning off your water can prevent disastrous leaks from occurring while you are away from your mountain home. We had two customers experience very large leaks and several others experience smaller leaks. But a leak is a leak and they are no fun to deal with. Prevention is easier than the cure in this case. It only takes a couple minutes. Just remember as you are leaving to turn off that water valve.
If you do not know where your customer shut off valve is, please call us at 951-659-2675 and we will be happy to come out, during normal business hours, and show you where it is and how to turn it off. I know we keep reiterating this point and sound like a broken record, but January's leaks just prove our point. So until everyone complies and turns off their water when they leave, we have to keep singing the same song.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Overnight Snow
The weather station has recorded .71 inches of rain for the month of February. Last night's freezing temperatures brought some snow and a lot of ice to Pine Cove. From what we have heard, Idyllwild, Mountain Center and Garner Valley were spared the snow part. Lucky them! If you have to go out, be very careful. The roads are icy around Pine Cove. Hopefully the sun will come out and melt off some of the ice.
Here is the latest from the CA Dept. of Transportation.
SR 243
[IN THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA]
CHAINS OR SNOW TIRES ARE REQUIRED FROM PINE COVE TO LAKE FULMER
(RIVERSIDE CO)
So if you have to go down to Hemet or the desert, you are good to go. If you are heading down to Banning, you will need your chains or snow tires. Not too bad.
The night time temperatures are expected to continue to be in the 20's for the next few nights with more snow possible tomorrow night. With these freezing cold temps, please be sure to provide a warm, dry shelter and fresh water and food for any animals you might keep outside.
Also remember to disconnect any outside hoses. You can cover your outside faucets as well. The hardware stores sell insulated covers for them for around $5. It is worth the price not to get up in the morning and have a frozen pipe.
Please, please, please remember that if you are leaving the hill, turn your water off at your customer shut off valve.
This is the best way to prevent a broken or frozen pipe and catastrophic water loss while you are away from your mountain home. Remember that all water that runs through your meter is your responsibility, no matter the reason. There is a big misconception that if you have a leak or pipe break, that you will not have to pay the water bill. This is not true, but we hear it time and time again. It is so much easier to prevent a catastrophe than it is to repair the damage afterwards.
Here is the latest from the CA Dept. of Transportation.
SR 243
[IN THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA]
CHAINS OR SNOW TIRES ARE REQUIRED FROM PINE COVE TO LAKE FULMER
(RIVERSIDE CO)
So if you have to go down to Hemet or the desert, you are good to go. If you are heading down to Banning, you will need your chains or snow tires. Not too bad.
The night time temperatures are expected to continue to be in the 20's for the next few nights with more snow possible tomorrow night. With these freezing cold temps, please be sure to provide a warm, dry shelter and fresh water and food for any animals you might keep outside.
Also remember to disconnect any outside hoses. You can cover your outside faucets as well. The hardware stores sell insulated covers for them for around $5. It is worth the price not to get up in the morning and have a frozen pipe.
Please, please, please remember that if you are leaving the hill, turn your water off at your customer shut off valve.
This is the best way to prevent a broken or frozen pipe and catastrophic water loss while you are away from your mountain home. Remember that all water that runs through your meter is your responsibility, no matter the reason. There is a big misconception that if you have a leak or pipe break, that you will not have to pay the water bill. This is not true, but we hear it time and time again. It is so much easier to prevent a catastrophe than it is to repair the damage afterwards.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Sustainable Living
It has been a while since I posted anything on sustainable living, so I thought I would do it today. I was over at reusit.com reading through some of their articles. I really like that website because it not only has lots of wonderful, re-usable items to buy, but they also have a ton of information as well.
It continues to amaze me that so many people are still using bottled water. I thought by now we would all have our water bottles and fill them up at home. Here is a recent article I found on reusit.com that discusses this very thing.
Fast Facts on Disposable Bottles
2,480,000 tons of plastic bottles and jars were thrown away in one year (2008).
Tap water is cleaner, cheaper and healthier than store-bought water.
60 million single-use drink containers were purchased in 2006, and 3 out of 4 were thrown out directly after use.
Plastic bottles are among the most prevalent source of pollution found on our beaches.
Plastic trash absorbs pre-existing organic pollutants like BPA and PCBs.
The Problem
An estimated 2,480,000 tons of plastic bottles and jars were disposed of in 2008. (EPA)
Store-bought bottled water is a rip off. Tap water is often subject to more stringent regulation and testing than bottled water. It costs a fraction of the cost from the tap. It is cleaner, cheaper, and thus healthier. (Natural Resources Defense Council)
As of 2006, and estimated 60 billion PET single-use beverage containers were bought. Approximately 45 billion of these were discarded after use. (Container Recycling Institute)
Another estimation put bottled water spending at a collective $100 billion in the US for 2006. (OneWorld.net)
Every square mile of the ocean has 46,000 pieces of floating plastic in it. (UN, 2006)
Ten percent of the plastic produced every year worldwide winds up in the ocean. 70% of which finds its way to the ocean floor, where it will likely never degrade. (UN, 2006)
The Impact
Along with plastic bags, plastic bottles are among the most prevalent sources of pollution found on our beaches. (Ocean Conservancy)
The extremely slow decomposition rate of plastic bottles leaves them to drift on the ocean for untold years.
When plastics break down, they don't biodegrade, they photo degrade. This means the materials break down to smaller fragments. These readily absorb toxins which contaminate soil, waterways, and animals upon digestion.
Refuse plastic absorbs pre-existing organic pollutants, including Bisphenol A (BPA) and polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs).
On PCBs: "Animals that ate food containing large amounts of PCBs over short periods of time had mild liver damage and some died. Animals that ate smaller amounts of PCBs in food over several weeks or months developed various kinds of health effects, including anemia; acne-like skin conditions; and liver, stomach, and thyroid gland injuries." (The Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry)
One study involving the Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction and a National Toxicology Program (NTP) Expert Panel has reported on effects of BPA on development. They found cause for "some concern" related to behavioral, neural, and prostate function effects on mammals. On the NTP's concern scale, "some concern" rates 3 out of 5.
The Solution
Hope is not lost; 2008 marked the first year since their introduction that fewer PET bottles and jars were discarded than the previous year (from 2,140,000 tons in 2007 to 1,950,000 tons in 2008). The same can be said for HDPE bottles (590,000 tons in '07 to 530,000 tons in '08).
The solution is to embrace a cultural shift away from use-and-toss mentality: Each high-quality reusable, BPA-free bottle can eliminate hundreds (if not thousands) of disposable bottles.
New technologies have been developed in Singapore that will allow manufacturers to use organic chemicals called ionic liquids to pull C02 from the atmosphere (in much the same way plants do) and use these gasses to make non-toxic, BPA-free bottles that are 40% C02 by weight. Not only would such bottles be healthy for consumers, they would in fact remove harmful emissions from the environment.
New research published in Biomacromolecules has found that by treating BPA-containing plastics with ultraviolet light and heat, we may in the near future be able to dispose of the persistent pollutant much more safely and reliably. After treating BPA-containing plastics with light and heat, they are exposed to a fungus (which is already used for environmental cleanup) and burie. In one year's time the fungi had completely consumed the plastic and left no trace of BPA. While it is not yet in wide use, this treatment and other related research marks the start of a new, greener future.
I don't know about you, but I find some of these facts to be very scary. And the really bad thing about all of this is that it is totally unnecessary. We have excellent water quality here in Pine Cove and so we should all be taking our own water from home with us where ever we go. I do! In fact, I now take a gallon insulated jug filled with ice and water with me on trips off the hill. There is nothing better than having a nice, cold sip of Pine Cove water when I am off the hill. So do the environment a favor and start taking your own water with you. You will not only help to save our oceans and landfills, but you will be saving money as well.
It continues to amaze me that so many people are still using bottled water. I thought by now we would all have our water bottles and fill them up at home. Here is a recent article I found on reusit.com that discusses this very thing.
Fast Facts on Disposable Bottles
2,480,000 tons of plastic bottles and jars were thrown away in one year (2008).
Tap water is cleaner, cheaper and healthier than store-bought water.
60 million single-use drink containers were purchased in 2006, and 3 out of 4 were thrown out directly after use.
Plastic bottles are among the most prevalent source of pollution found on our beaches.
Plastic trash absorbs pre-existing organic pollutants like BPA and PCBs.
The Problem
An estimated 2,480,000 tons of plastic bottles and jars were disposed of in 2008. (EPA)
Store-bought bottled water is a rip off. Tap water is often subject to more stringent regulation and testing than bottled water. It costs a fraction of the cost from the tap. It is cleaner, cheaper, and thus healthier. (Natural Resources Defense Council)
As of 2006, and estimated 60 billion PET single-use beverage containers were bought. Approximately 45 billion of these were discarded after use. (Container Recycling Institute)
Another estimation put bottled water spending at a collective $100 billion in the US for 2006. (OneWorld.net)
Every square mile of the ocean has 46,000 pieces of floating plastic in it. (UN, 2006)
Ten percent of the plastic produced every year worldwide winds up in the ocean. 70% of which finds its way to the ocean floor, where it will likely never degrade. (UN, 2006)
The Impact
Along with plastic bags, plastic bottles are among the most prevalent sources of pollution found on our beaches. (Ocean Conservancy)
The extremely slow decomposition rate of plastic bottles leaves them to drift on the ocean for untold years.
When plastics break down, they don't biodegrade, they photo degrade. This means the materials break down to smaller fragments. These readily absorb toxins which contaminate soil, waterways, and animals upon digestion.
Refuse plastic absorbs pre-existing organic pollutants, including Bisphenol A (BPA) and polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs).
On PCBs: "Animals that ate food containing large amounts of PCBs over short periods of time had mild liver damage and some died. Animals that ate smaller amounts of PCBs in food over several weeks or months developed various kinds of health effects, including anemia; acne-like skin conditions; and liver, stomach, and thyroid gland injuries." (The Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry)
One study involving the Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction and a National Toxicology Program (NTP) Expert Panel has reported on effects of BPA on development. They found cause for "some concern" related to behavioral, neural, and prostate function effects on mammals. On the NTP's concern scale, "some concern" rates 3 out of 5.
The Solution
Hope is not lost; 2008 marked the first year since their introduction that fewer PET bottles and jars were discarded than the previous year (from 2,140,000 tons in 2007 to 1,950,000 tons in 2008). The same can be said for HDPE bottles (590,000 tons in '07 to 530,000 tons in '08).
The solution is to embrace a cultural shift away from use-and-toss mentality: Each high-quality reusable, BPA-free bottle can eliminate hundreds (if not thousands) of disposable bottles.
New technologies have been developed in Singapore that will allow manufacturers to use organic chemicals called ionic liquids to pull C02 from the atmosphere (in much the same way plants do) and use these gasses to make non-toxic, BPA-free bottles that are 40% C02 by weight. Not only would such bottles be healthy for consumers, they would in fact remove harmful emissions from the environment.
New research published in Biomacromolecules has found that by treating BPA-containing plastics with ultraviolet light and heat, we may in the near future be able to dispose of the persistent pollutant much more safely and reliably. After treating BPA-containing plastics with light and heat, they are exposed to a fungus (which is already used for environmental cleanup) and burie. In one year's time the fungi had completely consumed the plastic and left no trace of BPA. While it is not yet in wide use, this treatment and other related research marks the start of a new, greener future.
I don't know about you, but I find some of these facts to be very scary. And the really bad thing about all of this is that it is totally unnecessary. We have excellent water quality here in Pine Cove and so we should all be taking our own water from home with us where ever we go. I do! In fact, I now take a gallon insulated jug filled with ice and water with me on trips off the hill. There is nothing better than having a nice, cold sip of Pine Cove water when I am off the hill. So do the environment a favor and start taking your own water with you. You will not only help to save our oceans and landfills, but you will be saving money as well.
Web Cam
Unfortunately, our web cam seems to be out today. We aren't sure why. We had a snafu with the website yesterday and while it is back up and running, there seem to be a couple of glitches and we don't know why. Becky is checking into this and hopefully it will all be straightened out very soon.
If you are off the hill, it is raining pretty hard up here at the moment and according to the weather station we have received .16 inches of rain so far today. This is a nice relief after the recent dry spell. As always, please be careful when driving in the rain or the snow. Slow down and allow lots of extra time to get to where you are going.
If you are coming up to visit, please do not drive up in the storm. Wait until it passes and then come on up. We would hate to see a fun day turn into a tragedy. It is better to be safe than sorry. At this point in time we have no snow, however, we are expecting it later today. The temperature is currently 37 degrees, so it is still a little too warm to snow just yet.
We will let you know when the web cam is back up and running and in the mean time we appreciate your patience.
If you are off the hill, it is raining pretty hard up here at the moment and according to the weather station we have received .16 inches of rain so far today. This is a nice relief after the recent dry spell. As always, please be careful when driving in the rain or the snow. Slow down and allow lots of extra time to get to where you are going.
If you are coming up to visit, please do not drive up in the storm. Wait until it passes and then come on up. We would hate to see a fun day turn into a tragedy. It is better to be safe than sorry. At this point in time we have no snow, however, we are expecting it later today. The temperature is currently 37 degrees, so it is still a little too warm to snow just yet.
We will let you know when the web cam is back up and running and in the mean time we appreciate your patience.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Winter Weather Alert
Looks like Old Man Winter is back. They are calling for snow tomorrow night. Today is cloudy as the storm begins to arrive. So it is good we get a little time to prepare. I haven't heard that it will be a bad storm, but it is always better to be prepared. Weather reports have been known to be wrong on occasion, so I tend prepare for the worst.
Please remember your animals. If you have an animal that lives outside, please make sure you have provided for it's needs. Give them a warm, dry place to get out of the weather and make sure they have fresh food and water. If it is a dog, try to bring in indoors during the worst of the weather. And please make sure your pets are secure. Every time there is a storm, it seems that pets somehow get out and get lost. We have seen several here at the district walking around in the rain or the snow looking for their homes. Your dog should never be left to run loose!! This is dangerous for everyone. Your dog runs the risk of getting hit by a car or attacked by another animal. So please, be a responsible pet owner.
Please remember your animals. If you have an animal that lives outside, please make sure you have provided for it's needs. Give them a warm, dry place to get out of the weather and make sure they have fresh food and water. If it is a dog, try to bring in indoors during the worst of the weather. And please make sure your pets are secure. Every time there is a storm, it seems that pets somehow get out and get lost. We have seen several here at the district walking around in the rain or the snow looking for their homes. Your dog should never be left to run loose!! This is dangerous for everyone. Your dog runs the risk of getting hit by a car or attacked by another animal. So please, be a responsible pet owner.
Blog Stats
As we get close to 5000 page views, we want to thank everyone who takes the time to come here and read. If you have any ideas about topics for the blog, we would be interested in hearing what they are. If they are appropriate for this blog, then I will research them and do a posting on that topic. We hope we are keeping you informed of what is going on around the water district here in Pine Cove.
One thing I find very interesting about this blog are the stats. For those of you who don't have blogs or websites, the stats tell us not only how many people have come to visit the site, but what topics they read, what country they are in, what browser they used and what type of operating system they used.
In today's stats we have had visitors from Russia, Germany, South Korea, Maylasia, Brazil, Columbia, Greece, Slovenia, France, China and the Netherlands. Over the course of the time this blog has been up we have also gotten views from the United Kingdom and Poland and Sweden. It is amazing that our little blog is being read world wide!
Our stats also tell us what browsers our hits are coming from. We know what percent of our hits come from Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Chrome and so on. We are also able to see what operating systems are being used to view our blogs. We have started getting hits from people using their iPads, iPhones and BlackBerries.
We can also see what time people viewed our blog in addition to how many have visited. It is all very interesting and will help us determine what type of posts are the most popular. We can also see what search words were used to find us and what websites referred us.
So remember, if there is anything you would like to see discussed, let us know. And you can still send in your pictures from around Pine Cove and I will post them.
One thing I find very interesting about this blog are the stats. For those of you who don't have blogs or websites, the stats tell us not only how many people have come to visit the site, but what topics they read, what country they are in, what browser they used and what type of operating system they used.
In today's stats we have had visitors from Russia, Germany, South Korea, Maylasia, Brazil, Columbia, Greece, Slovenia, France, China and the Netherlands. Over the course of the time this blog has been up we have also gotten views from the United Kingdom and Poland and Sweden. It is amazing that our little blog is being read world wide!
Our stats also tell us what browsers our hits are coming from. We know what percent of our hits come from Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Chrome and so on. We are also able to see what operating systems are being used to view our blogs. We have started getting hits from people using their iPads, iPhones and BlackBerries.
We can also see what time people viewed our blog in addition to how many have visited. It is all very interesting and will help us determine what type of posts are the most popular. We can also see what search words were used to find us and what websites referred us.
So remember, if there is anything you would like to see discussed, let us know. And you can still send in your pictures from around Pine Cove and I will post them.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Monday Musings
Well it is a good thing we got our gardening talk in last week as we are about to get some more snow and rain this week. I knew it was too early to be spring, but it was fun to talk about gardening projects for a few days anyway. Hopefully we will get a lot more snow and rain before winter is officially over. While the bad weather does get tiresome, it is necessary. Drought is a fact of life here in southern California, and the snow and rain provide us with much needed moisture to get through the dry summers. Forecasters are sticking to their La Nina predictions, so we really have to be grateful for whatever rain and snow we do happen to get over the next couple of months.
Unfortunately, a few nice days or weeks right in the middle of winter, always serves to remind us what we are missing. For some reason, once the holiday season is over, I tire of winter. I try not to complain about the weather because it is an exercise in futility. We can't change it, so why complain about it? But it is human nature I suppose, to complain when Mother Nature makes being outdoors unpleasant. So I try to tell myself, come summer, I will be glad we had this weather.
Winter is hard work though. Summer is so much easier. No coats, boots, hats, gloves, scarves or umbrellas are necessary. And all of that is just to go out and clean off the car! If you are lucky enough to have a garage or car port, count your blessings! For those of us who have to park our cars alfresco, there is the cleaning off of the car ritual that must take place prior to actually leaving to go anywhere. It's not like summer when you can just grab your keys and go. Instead of looking at the snow and thinking how much work it will be to shovel it, I am trying to look at it and think that it is recharging the water wells. That way it doesn't seem so bad.
Well water levels are one of the many subjects discussed at our board meetings. If you want to know what is going on drought wise with the wells, please feel free to attend one of our monthly board meetings. Many people aren't familiar with the water district or how or where we get the water from. The board meetings are very informative and keep everyone up to date on what is happening here at the water district.
You can also read the minutes from past board meetings on our website ate http://www.pcwd.org/.
Unfortunately, a few nice days or weeks right in the middle of winter, always serves to remind us what we are missing. For some reason, once the holiday season is over, I tire of winter. I try not to complain about the weather because it is an exercise in futility. We can't change it, so why complain about it? But it is human nature I suppose, to complain when Mother Nature makes being outdoors unpleasant. So I try to tell myself, come summer, I will be glad we had this weather.
Winter is hard work though. Summer is so much easier. No coats, boots, hats, gloves, scarves or umbrellas are necessary. And all of that is just to go out and clean off the car! If you are lucky enough to have a garage or car port, count your blessings! For those of us who have to park our cars alfresco, there is the cleaning off of the car ritual that must take place prior to actually leaving to go anywhere. It's not like summer when you can just grab your keys and go. Instead of looking at the snow and thinking how much work it will be to shovel it, I am trying to look at it and think that it is recharging the water wells. That way it doesn't seem so bad.
Well water levels are one of the many subjects discussed at our board meetings. If you want to know what is going on drought wise with the wells, please feel free to attend one of our monthly board meetings. Many people aren't familiar with the water district or how or where we get the water from. The board meetings are very informative and keep everyone up to date on what is happening here at the water district.
You can also read the minutes from past board meetings on our website ate http://www.pcwd.org/.
March Board Meeting
For those of you who like to plan ahead, our next board meeting will be held on March 9, 2011 at 10 am in th board room at the water district office. You can mark your calender now. We hope you can attend.
Board meetings are always held on the second Wednesday of each month. If you would like to see the minutes from the past meeting, Becky posts them on our website at http://www.pcwd.org/.
Board meetings are always held on the second Wednesday of each month. If you would like to see the minutes from the past meeting, Becky posts them on our website at http://www.pcwd.org/.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Frugal Friday!
I know it is only February and winter could be far from over, but perhaps we will get an early spring this year. So we might as well be ready, just in case. It is time to get our creative thinking caps on and figure out some great ways to re-use things in our gardens that would probably end up in the land fill other wise.
Since I am not all that creative myself, I looked for some new inspiration online. And I found it. Check out this great website. They not only have great garden recycling and project ideas, but they also have sections for many other things like Christmas, doors, shutters and so on. I am always amazed at other people's creativity. The great thing is that they are kind enough to share these ideas with us, the less creative so that we too might do some good and recyle or re-use something.
I was particularly inspired by one of the projects in the yard art section. Since I love chickens, I am particulary fond of the planter made out of an old set of nest boxes. Since a nest box is generally about 12" to 15" wide, deep and high, this makes for a nice planting area. Six together would give you a good amount of space to plant in. This could be hung on the side of a house, shed or put on top of an old table or bench. You could attach some small legs or feet to it and sit it on the ground. Or how about sitting it on some stumps in your garden. And just think of all the ways you could paint one of these up.
In fact, why keep this just outside? Wouldn't this would make a cute storage unit inside your house as well? Think of all the things you could stash in there. Winter gear like hats and gloves, how about books, magazines, newspapers. Or if you have kids, this make a great organization unit. Just paint each child's name on each nest box and when they get home from school you could corral all their papers from school in this.
After seeing this, my mind is just reeling with ideas. Sometimes all it takes is a little inspiration to get your own creative juices flowing. So check out some of the garden projects and then let you mind run wild. If we all save one thing from going into the landfill, just think how much trash that saves. It is amazing what we throw away, so lets stop and think twice before we throw something out. Is there another use for it? Could it be re-purposed? Anyone with a lot of money can have a beatuiful garden, but it takes an extremely creative person to create a garden on a budget or with recycled items.
Let's hear from you. If you have a garden project that you used recycled items or re-purposed something, let us know. I would love to post a picture of it so that we can inspire others as well.
Since I am not all that creative myself, I looked for some new inspiration online. And I found it. Check out this great website. They not only have great garden recycling and project ideas, but they also have sections for many other things like Christmas, doors, shutters and so on. I am always amazed at other people's creativity. The great thing is that they are kind enough to share these ideas with us, the less creative so that we too might do some good and recyle or re-use something.
I was particularly inspired by one of the projects in the yard art section. Since I love chickens, I am particulary fond of the planter made out of an old set of nest boxes. Since a nest box is generally about 12" to 15" wide, deep and high, this makes for a nice planting area. Six together would give you a good amount of space to plant in. This could be hung on the side of a house, shed or put on top of an old table or bench. You could attach some small legs or feet to it and sit it on the ground. Or how about sitting it on some stumps in your garden. And just think of all the ways you could paint one of these up.
In fact, why keep this just outside? Wouldn't this would make a cute storage unit inside your house as well? Think of all the things you could stash in there. Winter gear like hats and gloves, how about books, magazines, newspapers. Or if you have kids, this make a great organization unit. Just paint each child's name on each nest box and when they get home from school you could corral all their papers from school in this.
After seeing this, my mind is just reeling with ideas. Sometimes all it takes is a little inspiration to get your own creative juices flowing. So check out some of the garden projects and then let you mind run wild. If we all save one thing from going into the landfill, just think how much trash that saves. It is amazing what we throw away, so lets stop and think twice before we throw something out. Is there another use for it? Could it be re-purposed? Anyone with a lot of money can have a beatuiful garden, but it takes an extremely creative person to create a garden on a budget or with recycled items.
Let's hear from you. If you have a garden project that you used recycled items or re-purposed something, let us know. I would love to post a picture of it so that we can inspire others as well.
New Bills
We mailed out the February bills last Friday on Feb. 4th. You should have received your new bill by now. If you have not, please give us a call at 951-659-2675. The new bills are due by February 25th.
The new rate increase went into effect as of February 1, 2011. Many people seem surprised by this, however, in November of 2010, we sent out a news letter that contained this information as well as the date for the public hearing that was held on this proposal in January. We would encourage all our customers to please read any information that we send out, as it generally contains important information. We would also like to invite you all to attend our monthly board meetings as well as public hearings. These are matters that concern our customers and we encourage everyone to attend and find out what is going on.
If you have any questions on your new bill, please feel free to stop by the office between the hours of 9 and 4, Monday thru Friday, give us a call or email us at info@pcwd.org and we will be happy to answer your questions.
We also sent out a notice that we are now able to accept Visa, MasterCard or Discover cards as a payment method. There is a $2.50 convenience fee that is charged by the company that processes these transactions for us. We do not get that money. Our billing system is NOT online and we can not set up automatic payments on one of these cards for you. We apologize for any confusion there may be in this matter. If you would like to use a credit card to pay, you may do so over the phone or come into the office.
As a reminder we encourage everyone to TURN YOUR WATER OFF AT YOUR CUSTOMER VALVE when you leave your mountain home. Leaks can occur at any time of the year, even in nice weather.
The new rate increase went into effect as of February 1, 2011. Many people seem surprised by this, however, in November of 2010, we sent out a news letter that contained this information as well as the date for the public hearing that was held on this proposal in January. We would encourage all our customers to please read any information that we send out, as it generally contains important information. We would also like to invite you all to attend our monthly board meetings as well as public hearings. These are matters that concern our customers and we encourage everyone to attend and find out what is going on.
If you have any questions on your new bill, please feel free to stop by the office between the hours of 9 and 4, Monday thru Friday, give us a call or email us at info@pcwd.org and we will be happy to answer your questions.
We also sent out a notice that we are now able to accept Visa, MasterCard or Discover cards as a payment method. There is a $2.50 convenience fee that is charged by the company that processes these transactions for us. We do not get that money. Our billing system is NOT online and we can not set up automatic payments on one of these cards for you. We apologize for any confusion there may be in this matter. If you would like to use a credit card to pay, you may do so over the phone or come into the office.
As a reminder we encourage everyone to TURN YOUR WATER OFF AT YOUR CUSTOMER VALVE when you leave your mountain home. Leaks can occur at any time of the year, even in nice weather.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Great News!
We will be participating in the Idyllwild Earth Fair again this year. It is free for information on booths such as ours and it is a great way to get out there and mix and mingle with everyone. Hopefully we are providing some useful information to the community. We are planning some nifty demos and will have lots of information available. You can check out more on the Earth Fair by going to their website at http://www.earthfair.com/. This is a one day event held each May and we hope to see you there.
Board Meeting Today
Just a quick reminder that our month board meeting is being held this morning at 10 a.m. Everyone is welcome to attend. For minutes from past board meetings, please visit our website at http://www.pcwd.org/.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Board Meeting Tomorrow
Just a quick reminder that there is a board meeting tomorrow morning at 10 am. We hope to see you there!
Monday, February 7, 2011
Garden Watering
Ok, here is what I am going to try this year. Ollas. Yes that is right. I am going to go back in time and use an old method of watering plants. Here is a link to a website describing them.
I am intrigued by this idea of burying clay containers to provide water for plants. It makes so much sense. These days with all of our technology, we sometimes forget that the olds ways can work just as well or better than some new fangled gadgets. I like how this is very low tech and easy to maintain as well. Put them in the ground come spring and take them out in the fall. Fill with water inbetween. What could be simpler?
Purchasing ready made ollas is an option, but if you are like me and on a budget, spending up to $30 per olla isn't feesible. At least not for the amount of them I will need. So I will make mine out of clay pots instead. Here are some very easy instructions to make your own out of two clay pots, a 2 x 2 tile and glue. This looks like a fun, inexpensive and easy project that won't take a lot of time to do. I know I should have saved this fr
The great thing about making your own ollas, is that you can make them as large or as small as you want since clay pots come in dozens of sizes from teeny tiny to extremely large. You can put them directly in the ground or in containers. Just be careful not to put them next to a plant with an aggressive root system as it could break the olla. I will start off with making them for my veggie garden and some hanging baskets and a wheelbarrow I plant with annuals each year. I am even going to make a couple small ones for my window boxes! I am thinking these ollas will save me time, water and money.
I will be keeping a note book through out the gardening season on how often I have to fill each olla. I will take photos of the vegetables and flowers and post their progress here on the blog once summer gets here. I am thinking this is going to be an incredibly easy way to water my garden and save water in the process. Just fill each olla up and go. I will also give a comparions of my water usage from last year and from this year. If my experiement turns out as well as I predict it will, then this will open up a way to have a cottage garden while conserving water.
If you try this, just be sure to put a rock over the hole on the top pot to keep out mosquitos, bugs, dirt and rodents. And remember these will probably have to be dug up and stored before winter, but that is not a big deal. As you are cleaning out your garden each fall, just dig the ollas up and stack them in a shed or garage.
If you want to try it as well, please feel free to keep me posted on your progress as well.
I am intrigued by this idea of burying clay containers to provide water for plants. It makes so much sense. These days with all of our technology, we sometimes forget that the olds ways can work just as well or better than some new fangled gadgets. I like how this is very low tech and easy to maintain as well. Put them in the ground come spring and take them out in the fall. Fill with water inbetween. What could be simpler?
Purchasing ready made ollas is an option, but if you are like me and on a budget, spending up to $30 per olla isn't feesible. At least not for the amount of them I will need. So I will make mine out of clay pots instead. Here are some very easy instructions to make your own out of two clay pots, a 2 x 2 tile and glue. This looks like a fun, inexpensive and easy project that won't take a lot of time to do. I know I should have saved this fr
The great thing about making your own ollas, is that you can make them as large or as small as you want since clay pots come in dozens of sizes from teeny tiny to extremely large. You can put them directly in the ground or in containers. Just be careful not to put them next to a plant with an aggressive root system as it could break the olla. I will start off with making them for my veggie garden and some hanging baskets and a wheelbarrow I plant with annuals each year. I am even going to make a couple small ones for my window boxes! I am thinking these ollas will save me time, water and money.
I will be keeping a note book through out the gardening season on how often I have to fill each olla. I will take photos of the vegetables and flowers and post their progress here on the blog once summer gets here. I am thinking this is going to be an incredibly easy way to water my garden and save water in the process. Just fill each olla up and go. I will also give a comparions of my water usage from last year and from this year. If my experiement turns out as well as I predict it will, then this will open up a way to have a cottage garden while conserving water.
If you try this, just be sure to put a rock over the hole on the top pot to keep out mosquitos, bugs, dirt and rodents. And remember these will probably have to be dug up and stored before winter, but that is not a big deal. As you are cleaning out your garden each fall, just dig the ollas up and stack them in a shed or garage.
If you want to try it as well, please feel free to keep me posted on your progress as well.
Monday Musings
Now that it is February, it is time to start thinking about our gardens. I harp on gardens here a lot because that is the one place where the most water is used and it can be difficult to cut back on outside watering and expect things to live. And yes we can plant natives, but what if you want to grow your own vegetables?
It is my goal to find a compromise between using excessive amounts of water outdoors and landscaping with gravel. There has to be a happy medium I think. Most of us move here because of the outstanding beauty of the forest only to find out we can't plant much in our gardens because we don't want to use water unnecessarily.
So how do we combine water conservation and gardening? Both are important. Gardens add beauty and give us a place to relax. They can provide food for us and nourish our souls as well. They provide food and shelter for the local wildlife as well. I do not know anyone who doesn't enjoy sitting out in the garden reading, snoozing or sipping iced tea. I love to just sit outside and watching the comings and goings of the birds and the squirrels. It is very relaxing and I think necessary to our mental health.
Last year I tried a product in my own garden called Dri Water. I have varying results with it. I used it according to their instructions. Some plants did well with it and others did not. So I am not sure I would invest in it. It would probably be good for someone going on vacation, but to use it regularly, I am not sold.
So now I am on a quest to find another way to save water while still having a garden here in the mountains. I am constantly adding compost to my garden so the soil will be able to absorb as much water as possible. I am mulching to keep the moisture in the soil from evaporating out. So what is the next step?
I thought about installing a drip irrigation system, but frankly it is a lot of work and I have seen the damage the squirrels do to other peoples systems and I don't want to be out there repairing it all the time. Add to the the cost and work of installing it and I don't think this is for me.
Option two would be soaker hoses. They can be put under the mulch and work pretty well. But I have personally found that if you have a lot of plantings, it can be a challenge to get them around each plant that needs watered. I end up running it longer to make sure that enough water is soaking in to the ground to reach the plants furthest from the hose. So, I don't think this is the greatest option either.
Hand watering can be effective, but it is very time consuming and hard to judge if you watering too much or not enough. So what is the solution? I will tell you in my next post.
It is my goal to find a compromise between using excessive amounts of water outdoors and landscaping with gravel. There has to be a happy medium I think. Most of us move here because of the outstanding beauty of the forest only to find out we can't plant much in our gardens because we don't want to use water unnecessarily.
So how do we combine water conservation and gardening? Both are important. Gardens add beauty and give us a place to relax. They can provide food for us and nourish our souls as well. They provide food and shelter for the local wildlife as well. I do not know anyone who doesn't enjoy sitting out in the garden reading, snoozing or sipping iced tea. I love to just sit outside and watching the comings and goings of the birds and the squirrels. It is very relaxing and I think necessary to our mental health.
Last year I tried a product in my own garden called Dri Water. I have varying results with it. I used it according to their instructions. Some plants did well with it and others did not. So I am not sure I would invest in it. It would probably be good for someone going on vacation, but to use it regularly, I am not sold.
So now I am on a quest to find another way to save water while still having a garden here in the mountains. I am constantly adding compost to my garden so the soil will be able to absorb as much water as possible. I am mulching to keep the moisture in the soil from evaporating out. So what is the next step?
I thought about installing a drip irrigation system, but frankly it is a lot of work and I have seen the damage the squirrels do to other peoples systems and I don't want to be out there repairing it all the time. Add to the the cost and work of installing it and I don't think this is for me.
Option two would be soaker hoses. They can be put under the mulch and work pretty well. But I have personally found that if you have a lot of plantings, it can be a challenge to get them around each plant that needs watered. I end up running it longer to make sure that enough water is soaking in to the ground to reach the plants furthest from the hose. So, I don't think this is the greatest option either.
Hand watering can be effective, but it is very time consuming and hard to judge if you watering too much or not enough. So what is the solution? I will tell you in my next post.
Board Meeting Reminder
Just a quick reminder that there is a board meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 9th at 10 am. Hope to see you there!
Friday, February 4, 2011
February Board Meeting
Just a quick reminder that our next board meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 9 at 10 am in the board room at the water district. For those who don't know, we are located at 24917 Marion Ridge Rd., right next to the fire station. If you have never attended one before, we would love to have you attend. They are very informative.
There are pictures of our board members located down the right side of the blog. If you don't know them, feel free to come to the monthly board meeting and introduce yourself. Hope to see you there.
There are pictures of our board members located down the right side of the blog. If you don't know them, feel free to come to the monthly board meeting and introduce yourself. Hope to see you there.
New Billing Look
Just a reminder that water bills are being mailed today. They have an new look! Instead of the old post card style bills, you will now be getting a bill on a full sized paper bill in a business sized envelope. We hope you like the new style of bills and if you have an questions or comments, please let us know! We would like to hear what you think of the new bills. We can get more information on them and we are hoping they won't get lost as much as the old post card style bills. We look forward to hearing from you.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Still reading meters
Reading the meters is taking longer than usual. Sunday's snow means that many of the meters have to be dug out by hand. Yesterday, many of them were frozen as well as needed dug out. Today, the bitter cold wind is making for slow going as well. We expect the boys to be reading the meters all day today and into tomorrow as well. We will still try to get the bills out by the end of the week.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
February Board Meeting
It's that time again! The February Board Meeting will be on Wednesday February 9th at 10 am in the board room here at the water district. These meetings are open to the public and everyone is invited to attend. If you are interested in the agenda from past meetings, please visit http://www.pcwd.org/ for all that information. We hope to see you there.
Meter Reading Today
With Sunday's storm, we weren't sure we would be able to read meters, however, the boys got out yesterday and were able to make a start on it. They will be out today as well, although this morning is a little challenging, since things are frozen over. Hopefully, every thing will thaw out in short order this morning and we are not expecting any further problems.
Bills will be sent out later this week and will be in the new format. We hope everyone likes the new billing style and finds them easier to deal with than the old postcard style bills. We are anxious to hear your feed back on this.
There is still a possibility of leaks that have not been detected. If we notice any unusual water use on any one's account, Becky will be calling to notify the property owner. Several were found in January, but there could be more that have not yet been discovered. If you are not a full time resident, please make sure you have turned your water off at your customer valve.
Bills will be sent out later this week and will be in the new format. We hope everyone likes the new billing style and finds them easier to deal with than the old postcard style bills. We are anxious to hear your feed back on this.
There is still a possibility of leaks that have not been detected. If we notice any unusual water use on any one's account, Becky will be calling to notify the property owner. Several were found in January, but there could be more that have not yet been discovered. If you are not a full time resident, please make sure you have turned your water off at your customer valve.
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