Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Earth Fair 2011
The Earth Fair will be held on Saturday, May 21, 2011. The Pine Cove Water District will have a booth there this year with lots of information and some demonstrations. We hope you will stop by and say hi to us. We will be there all day long and Vicki will be manning the booth. We hope to provide a lot of helpful information, not only on water conservation, but on some other subjects as well. Please drop by the Earth Fair and say hi. See you there.
Board Meeting!
Just a reminder that our monthly board meeting will be held next Wed. May 18 instead of today. It will still be held at 10 am in the board room here at the water district office. We hope to see you there.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
This Weather, Yikes!
Well, I thought it was spring, but surprise, not yet. This is very discouraging. There is something very wrong about snow in May. It is depressing! I don't want cold and snow and ice chunks falling off the trees. I want sun and 60 degree days and to be out in the garden planting vegetables. Luckily, I did get a lot of work done in my garden on Saturday, before this storm moved in, so it is getting a nice watering at least. But, I was just getting started and now have had to put everything on hold. With each storm, I think, OK this is the last one! However, Mother Nature always has the upper hand and I can never seem to out guess her. So I guess we will just have to live with it. The good news is that we are getting more moisture! So that is wonderful. Now if only the temperatures would rise we would be in good shape! Hope everyone stays warm and dry.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Frugal Friday!
It's time for Frugal Friday again folks. I wanted to share a little story with everyone today. I admit, I am a lazy composter. I read and read and read about it, I know it is good to do and I know how to do it. However, I find at my home it is easier to just pile it up and let nature take it's course regardless of how long it takes. So my pile has been sitting there for a couple of years now. I just keep piling stuff in on top and it seemed to be just sitting there doing nothing.
So last week my daughter decided she wanted to add some new soil to her pot of chives. Well, I didn't have any bags of top soil around, so she went out to the compost pile, dug around and low and behold, what did she find? Black Gold! That's right, the whole bottom half of my compost pile has now turned to black gold, or compost. She was so excited as she was in the same camp as my husband as far as my so called compost pile, aka, garbage pile goes. I kept telling them it would turn to compost, but I think they were skeptical as nothing much seemed to be happening.
So this weekend I will be removing all the compost from my pile and turning what is left and adding more to it! It is so exciting to have free compost to use. The best thing about making your own compost is that it comes from stuff you were going to throw out anyway. So why not put it to good use?
Speaking of composting, I have mentioned this before, but I think it bears repeating. If you aren't into having a compost pile and don't want to buy a composter, you can use what is called the trench method. Simply go out into your yard or garden, dig a hole or a trench, what ever you have room for, and bury your kitchen scraps in the dirt. Just be sure to dig down deep enough that it isn't easily dug up by the critters. Your done. It will decompose and turn to compost and enrich the soil right where you buried it. You don't have to do anything. This is an excellent way to provide extra nutrients to your existing plants and trees.
I would like to encourage everyone to try composting. It doesn't matter if you do it actively or passively, just do it! It keeps a lot of waste out of the landfills and is good the the soil and the vegetation growing there. Plus, soil that is amended with compost retains moisture much better than uncomposted soil. So there is no down side to being a composter. Stop by our booth at the Earth Fair on May 21st to find out more about composting.
So last week my daughter decided she wanted to add some new soil to her pot of chives. Well, I didn't have any bags of top soil around, so she went out to the compost pile, dug around and low and behold, what did she find? Black Gold! That's right, the whole bottom half of my compost pile has now turned to black gold, or compost. She was so excited as she was in the same camp as my husband as far as my so called compost pile, aka, garbage pile goes. I kept telling them it would turn to compost, but I think they were skeptical as nothing much seemed to be happening.
So this weekend I will be removing all the compost from my pile and turning what is left and adding more to it! It is so exciting to have free compost to use. The best thing about making your own compost is that it comes from stuff you were going to throw out anyway. So why not put it to good use?
Speaking of composting, I have mentioned this before, but I think it bears repeating. If you aren't into having a compost pile and don't want to buy a composter, you can use what is called the trench method. Simply go out into your yard or garden, dig a hole or a trench, what ever you have room for, and bury your kitchen scraps in the dirt. Just be sure to dig down deep enough that it isn't easily dug up by the critters. Your done. It will decompose and turn to compost and enrich the soil right where you buried it. You don't have to do anything. This is an excellent way to provide extra nutrients to your existing plants and trees.
I would like to encourage everyone to try composting. It doesn't matter if you do it actively or passively, just do it! It keeps a lot of waste out of the landfills and is good the the soil and the vegetation growing there. Plus, soil that is amended with compost retains moisture much better than uncomposted soil. So there is no down side to being a composter. Stop by our booth at the Earth Fair on May 21st to find out more about composting.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Due Date Approaching
April's water bills were due on April 25th. Late notices have been sent out and if a bill isn't paid by May 10th, we will have to add a $15 late fee to your account. So if possible, please get your payment in before may 10th to avoid a late charge.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Earth Fair 2011
Just wanted to let you all know that the Pine Cove Water District will have a booth at the Earth Fair again this year. Last year we did a quick set up to see if there would be enough interest to warrant doing a booth again this year and there was! Happily, people are interested in saving water and other sustainable living ideas. So we will be back bigger and better this year!
Our focus for this year will be compost, mulch and water in the garden. While many of you are familiar with soaker hoses, drip systems and so on, we will be showcasing an very old idea that isn't used much any more but should be! We will have samples of easy to make compost bins and will have samples of the 3 stages of compost as well as ideas on what to compost.
There will be some other things there as well and lots of information. So we hope you will stop by and visit us and see what Pine Cove Water District is doing to promote water conservation.
Our focus for this year will be compost, mulch and water in the garden. While many of you are familiar with soaker hoses, drip systems and so on, we will be showcasing an very old idea that isn't used much any more but should be! We will have samples of easy to make compost bins and will have samples of the 3 stages of compost as well as ideas on what to compost.
There will be some other things there as well and lots of information. So we hope you will stop by and visit us and see what Pine Cove Water District is doing to promote water conservation.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Leaks again....
Even though the weather is warming up, there is still the chance of developing a leak. While freezing pipes aren't an issue at this time of the year, other things can and do go wrong. Now is a good time to check your outdoor irrigation system if you have one. In fact, why not have a look at all your exposed pipes? Better to spot a problem early on and fix it than to have a leak develop.
As always, we recommend that you turn your water off at your customer valve if you leave your mountain home. This is the single most important thing you can do to prevent a catastrophic water loss due to a leak. I know we sound like a broken record by saying this, but it never fails that someone develops a leak and doesn't find out about it until after the fact. One never knows when a pipe is going to break or develop a leak and while you are away is not the time you want that to happen. If you water is turned off, then no water damage can be done. Remember, you are responsible for all the water that runs through your meter, regardless of why. Many people mistakenly feel that if they develop a leak, they shouldn't have to pay for the water that was lost. I am not sure where that idea comes from, but our board has not adopted a policy to forgive water bills for catastrophic losses. So even if you have no other motivation to turn your water off when you leave, think of it as a financial decision!
We are still giving a reward of a $25 gift certificate to anyone who finds and reports a leak to us. We have had several awarded so far this year, so keep your eyes peeled. It is beneficial for all of us to be water aware. While there are springs popping up all over Pine Cove due to the wet winter we had, it is best to call us and let us go check it out if you aren't sure. Who knows, you could be having lunch on us!
As always, we recommend that you turn your water off at your customer valve if you leave your mountain home. This is the single most important thing you can do to prevent a catastrophic water loss due to a leak. I know we sound like a broken record by saying this, but it never fails that someone develops a leak and doesn't find out about it until after the fact. One never knows when a pipe is going to break or develop a leak and while you are away is not the time you want that to happen. If you water is turned off, then no water damage can be done. Remember, you are responsible for all the water that runs through your meter, regardless of why. Many people mistakenly feel that if they develop a leak, they shouldn't have to pay for the water that was lost. I am not sure where that idea comes from, but our board has not adopted a policy to forgive water bills for catastrophic losses. So even if you have no other motivation to turn your water off when you leave, think of it as a financial decision!
We are still giving a reward of a $25 gift certificate to anyone who finds and reports a leak to us. We have had several awarded so far this year, so keep your eyes peeled. It is beneficial for all of us to be water aware. While there are springs popping up all over Pine Cove due to the wet winter we had, it is best to call us and let us go check it out if you aren't sure. Who knows, you could be having lunch on us!
Monday Musings
What a beautiful weekend. I think spring has well and truly arrived. Even though there was a lot of work involved, it was nice to get out into the yard and start cleaning it up. I noticed that many people had the same idea this weekend and were raking up their pine needles. It is amazing how good it feels to get outside and work in the sun after a long winter. Even though it is hard work, it still feels good to be out there doing it.
As we know, fire season doesn't necessarily take a break and so we must be vigilant at all times. If you own a property here in Pine Cove, please be responsible and do your fire abatement. When you don't, it doesn't just affect you. It affects every single house around you and your whole block. Not only from a safety standpoint, but from an aesthetic one as well. There are homes of all shapes and sizes and from old to new here in Pine Cove, sometimes side by side and that is one of the wonderful things about living here. No cookie cutter neighborhoods for us! And while vintage and rustic is charming, old, derelict or unkempt is not. There is a difference between rustic and rundown. We love rustic, but rundown becomes a fire hazard as well as attracts rodents and rodents then attract snakes. While snakes have their purpose in nature, I don't think most people prefer them living in the yard next door. And I am pretty sure no one wants rodents around either.
If we all do our part, then Pine Cove will continue to be the lovely, idyllic community it is meant to be. So as we enter into the spring and summer season, please be a good neighbor and take care of your fire abatement sooner, rather than later. Everyone will be safer and Pine Cove will continue to be the enchanted forest community that we all know and love. So let's all get out there and do our part now, so we can enjoy the summer months ahead in peace and safety.
As we know, fire season doesn't necessarily take a break and so we must be vigilant at all times. If you own a property here in Pine Cove, please be responsible and do your fire abatement. When you don't, it doesn't just affect you. It affects every single house around you and your whole block. Not only from a safety standpoint, but from an aesthetic one as well. There are homes of all shapes and sizes and from old to new here in Pine Cove, sometimes side by side and that is one of the wonderful things about living here. No cookie cutter neighborhoods for us! And while vintage and rustic is charming, old, derelict or unkempt is not. There is a difference between rustic and rundown. We love rustic, but rundown becomes a fire hazard as well as attracts rodents and rodents then attract snakes. While snakes have their purpose in nature, I don't think most people prefer them living in the yard next door. And I am pretty sure no one wants rodents around either.
If we all do our part, then Pine Cove will continue to be the lovely, idyllic community it is meant to be. So as we enter into the spring and summer season, please be a good neighbor and take care of your fire abatement sooner, rather than later. Everyone will be safer and Pine Cove will continue to be the enchanted forest community that we all know and love. So let's all get out there and do our part now, so we can enjoy the summer months ahead in peace and safety.
May Board Meeting
This month's board meeting will be held a week later on May 18th at 10 am in the board room. We hope you can attend.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
More Frequently Asked Questions
OK, I know it is Wednesday, but since I had to take Monday off, I am a day late on all my postings. So let's get back to our Frequently Asked Questions.
Q. Are we still in a drought and in a conservation stage?
A. We are no longer in Stage I conservation because we currently do not meet the criteria set forth by the board of directions. It is difficult to say if we are still in a drought. Water levels are up everywhere. Area lakes are full and natural springs are popping up everywhere. So it "looks" like the drought is perhaps over or at least easing up. However, we are never out of the woods when it comes to water. Conserving water should be a way of life for everyone because the less we use today, means the more we will have for tomorrow.
Q. I am renting out my cabin. Why won't you put the water bill in the renter's name?
A. All water accounts are put in the name of the property owner. When it comes to rentals, people move in and out and often times do not leave a forwarding address. Some have left without paying the water bill and the property owner does not want to pay the water bill for their tenant. That left us holding the bag. We provided water service, but received no payment. So, due to a few bad apples, we had to change our policy and we can now only put a water bill in the owner's name. It is up to the owner to work out a payment agreement with the renter and decide who will pay the bill. If the owner doesn't send the bill to the renter, they are welcome to stop in and we will be happy to give them the information they need to pay the bill.
Q. Where does our water come from anyway?
A. Our water comes from a series of ground wells. We are not connected to the Colorado River or any other water source. We provide water to Pine Cove residents from Pine Cove wells. That is why conservation is so important. There is not an infinite supply of ground water and during times of drought when we continue to remove it without it being replenished, levels can get low. Hence the 3 Conservation Stages. Wells are currently rising due to all the moisture we received this past winter, so that means the aquifer is being replenished. That is a good thing.
Q. Why is there a $2.50 fee to pay with a credit card?
A. In order to provide this service without incurring the costs of having a merchant account, we use a company that processes credit card purchases for us for a fee of $2.50. Pine Cove Water District does not get a single cent of that money. It goes directly to the credit card processor. If we were to establish a merchant account, we would be charged a percent of each purchase as well as other fees. We felt it was best not to take on this type of debt at this time.
Q. Are you ever going to have automatic payments?
A. We don't know. At this time, our billing program is not online, which we think is very smart. In order to have automatic payments, we would have to put it online and then worry about internet security. As it stands now, no one can hack into our computer and steal any one's information. We think this is a good thing!
Well I think that is enough for this week. I know enquiring minds want to know, so we are here to answer. If you think of any questions that I have not addressed, please feel free to drop me an email at pcwd2675@yahoo.com and I will be happy to address them.
Q. Are we still in a drought and in a conservation stage?
A. We are no longer in Stage I conservation because we currently do not meet the criteria set forth by the board of directions. It is difficult to say if we are still in a drought. Water levels are up everywhere. Area lakes are full and natural springs are popping up everywhere. So it "looks" like the drought is perhaps over or at least easing up. However, we are never out of the woods when it comes to water. Conserving water should be a way of life for everyone because the less we use today, means the more we will have for tomorrow.
Q. I am renting out my cabin. Why won't you put the water bill in the renter's name?
A. All water accounts are put in the name of the property owner. When it comes to rentals, people move in and out and often times do not leave a forwarding address. Some have left without paying the water bill and the property owner does not want to pay the water bill for their tenant. That left us holding the bag. We provided water service, but received no payment. So, due to a few bad apples, we had to change our policy and we can now only put a water bill in the owner's name. It is up to the owner to work out a payment agreement with the renter and decide who will pay the bill. If the owner doesn't send the bill to the renter, they are welcome to stop in and we will be happy to give them the information they need to pay the bill.
Q. Where does our water come from anyway?
A. Our water comes from a series of ground wells. We are not connected to the Colorado River or any other water source. We provide water to Pine Cove residents from Pine Cove wells. That is why conservation is so important. There is not an infinite supply of ground water and during times of drought when we continue to remove it without it being replenished, levels can get low. Hence the 3 Conservation Stages. Wells are currently rising due to all the moisture we received this past winter, so that means the aquifer is being replenished. That is a good thing.
Q. Why is there a $2.50 fee to pay with a credit card?
A. In order to provide this service without incurring the costs of having a merchant account, we use a company that processes credit card purchases for us for a fee of $2.50. Pine Cove Water District does not get a single cent of that money. It goes directly to the credit card processor. If we were to establish a merchant account, we would be charged a percent of each purchase as well as other fees. We felt it was best not to take on this type of debt at this time.
Q. Are you ever going to have automatic payments?
A. We don't know. At this time, our billing program is not online, which we think is very smart. In order to have automatic payments, we would have to put it online and then worry about internet security. As it stands now, no one can hack into our computer and steal any one's information. We think this is a good thing!
Well I think that is enough for this week. I know enquiring minds want to know, so we are here to answer. If you think of any questions that I have not addressed, please feel free to drop me an email at pcwd2675@yahoo.com and I will be happy to address them.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Monday Musings a day late!
Well I didn't get to post yesterday, so here I am today. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed the holiday, if you celebrate. The weather was not so good, but at least there was no snow! For some reason, snow just seems really wrong at Easter time. But the rest of the week looks pretty good. Hopefully it won't be long until spring is here in full swing.
Next month will bring the Earth Fair and Pine Cove Water District will again have a booth there. I would encourage you to stop by and say hi and see what we have to show you. As you all know already, we are leaving Stage I, however, that doesn't mean you should stop conserving water. So part of our focus at the Earth Fair will be on how to conserve water in the garden. If we get into good habits of conserving water, then even when we have dry years, we will be able to still enjoy our gardens.
There are a few tricks we can all do to help make our gardens retain water throughout the summer months. We will be demonstrating examples of how to do this at the Earth Fair. We hope you can stop buy and say hi.
Next month will bring the Earth Fair and Pine Cove Water District will again have a booth there. I would encourage you to stop by and say hi and see what we have to show you. As you all know already, we are leaving Stage I, however, that doesn't mean you should stop conserving water. So part of our focus at the Earth Fair will be on how to conserve water in the garden. If we get into good habits of conserving water, then even when we have dry years, we will be able to still enjoy our gardens.
There are a few tricks we can all do to help make our gardens retain water throughout the summer months. We will be demonstrating examples of how to do this at the Earth Fair. We hope you can stop buy and say hi.
Friday, April 22, 2011
More Frugal Friday
Here is a Frugal Friday gardening tip for all the gardeners and cooks out there. Grow your own herbs! I have been doing this for years so I was not up on the prices of buying them in the little jars in the grocery stores. Once I had a look, I was shocked! Wow, if you figured out the cost per pound, it would be astronomical!
Luckily, I have been growing my own herbs for several years now. The good news is that they are fairly easy to grow and just about anyone can grow some herbs. You can grow them in your garden, in containers or even on your window sill. What I do is grow them over the summer out in the garden, then harvest them, dry them and then use them throughout the winter. However, I didn't realize how much money I was saving. Even though some of my herbs I buy as potted plants, such as basil, it is still worth it to grow your own. Several can be easily grown from seed as well and some, such as rosemary, mint and chives, come back year after year. So this works out really well for me.
Another benefit is that the fresh, home grown herbs taste incredible and smell fabulous out in the garden. I love being able to go out my back door into the garden and gather a sprig of rosemary for my chicken, some basil leaves for my spaghetti sauce and a leaf of mint for my iced tea. And in the dead of winter, I love being able to cook with herbs that I grew over the summer and dried. It brings memories of those summer afternoons in the garden during the cold winter days.
Luckily, I have been growing my own herbs for several years now. The good news is that they are fairly easy to grow and just about anyone can grow some herbs. You can grow them in your garden, in containers or even on your window sill. What I do is grow them over the summer out in the garden, then harvest them, dry them and then use them throughout the winter. However, I didn't realize how much money I was saving. Even though some of my herbs I buy as potted plants, such as basil, it is still worth it to grow your own. Several can be easily grown from seed as well and some, such as rosemary, mint and chives, come back year after year. So this works out really well for me.
Another benefit is that the fresh, home grown herbs taste incredible and smell fabulous out in the garden. I love being able to go out my back door into the garden and gather a sprig of rosemary for my chicken, some basil leaves for my spaghetti sauce and a leaf of mint for my iced tea. And in the dead of winter, I love being able to cook with herbs that I grew over the summer and dried. It brings memories of those summer afternoons in the garden during the cold winter days.
It's Frugal Friday!
I guess by now most of you already know we are going out of Stage I into no stage of water conservation. However, this does not mean we should use water like there is no tomorrow. The residents of Pine Cove have been doing an excellent job of conserving water and we would like to see that continue. I found a frugal, water saving tip today that I never thought of before.
Many times I would save my bath or shower water for watering outside, however, in the winter, that doesn't work out so well and if you dont' have much to water outside, it seems like more of a chore than anything. So what is a good, year round way to re-use this water before it goes down the drain? How about using your bath water to either flush your toilet or wash your clothes? Everyone has to do both of these things and neither the toilet or the washer will care if the water has been slightly used by you in the shower.
You could let the water sit in the tub after your morning shower and just scoop out what you need to flush with each time. Or your could scoop it all out and fill up your washing machine and then do a load of laundry. I think these are both excellent ideas as neither one requires such pristine water as what comes out of the faucet. Especially the toilet!
I also purchased a gallon pitcher which I will use in the kitchen to save the water that runs out of my kitchen faucet while waiting for it to get hot. With summer coming, ice tea making becomes a daily activity in my house. While waiting for the water to get hot to do dishes, I can just fill up my pitcher and use that water to make iced tea, coffee, cook pasta or vegetables or water plants. It is perfectly good water that is being wasted.
Even though we are not in a conservation stage currently, it is still a good idea to conserve water because we never know when the next dry spell will hit. Just because water is plentiful now, doesn't mean it will be plentiful down the road. Plus the less water you use, the lower your water bill will be. Everyone likes lower bills!
Many times I would save my bath or shower water for watering outside, however, in the winter, that doesn't work out so well and if you dont' have much to water outside, it seems like more of a chore than anything. So what is a good, year round way to re-use this water before it goes down the drain? How about using your bath water to either flush your toilet or wash your clothes? Everyone has to do both of these things and neither the toilet or the washer will care if the water has been slightly used by you in the shower.
You could let the water sit in the tub after your morning shower and just scoop out what you need to flush with each time. Or your could scoop it all out and fill up your washing machine and then do a load of laundry. I think these are both excellent ideas as neither one requires such pristine water as what comes out of the faucet. Especially the toilet!
I also purchased a gallon pitcher which I will use in the kitchen to save the water that runs out of my kitchen faucet while waiting for it to get hot. With summer coming, ice tea making becomes a daily activity in my house. While waiting for the water to get hot to do dishes, I can just fill up my pitcher and use that water to make iced tea, coffee, cook pasta or vegetables or water plants. It is perfectly good water that is being wasted.
Even though we are not in a conservation stage currently, it is still a good idea to conserve water because we never know when the next dry spell will hit. Just because water is plentiful now, doesn't mean it will be plentiful down the road. Plus the less water you use, the lower your water bill will be. Everyone likes lower bills!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
May's Board Meeting
The board meeting for May is scheduled for May 18th, 2011 at 10 am and will be held in the board room at the Pine Cove Water District office located on 24917 Marion Ridge Road. Hope to see you there.
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| Scene's from March's Board Meeting |
Due Date Approaching
The due date for this month's water bill is fast approaching. They are due on the 25th. Paying on time avoids the dreaded late charge. If you are having problems, please call the office at 951-659-2675 to let us know.
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