SequoiaWDL

Marie Calendar pie tin with hole punched in the lip. WalMart lexan utencils, with holes drilled in handle, one little can opener thingie, all looped together with one of those hinged paper rings. For backpacking I add a #10 can with a bailing wire handle.

keoki12, see what you started?

Yeah Mafaking, that was what my boy expected. Maybe, just maybe, since my some made his little list presentation after the troop meeting, and the TI (actually he's not a TG as I had said earlier) may have been in a hurry to get home, he'd be willing to hear my son out at a more convenient time. Splitting hairs aside....

We do have a picture of some bear dung. Actually it was taken on a family trip to the Central Oregon coast back in 2005... It was in the middle of a busy trail, a MAGNIFICENT purple statue that was still steaming. Knowing the bear was still nearby was enough to elevate the heart rate a tad.

eagle1977, Them's called smart pills.

5. Identify or show evidence of at least 10 kinds of wild animals (birds, mammals, reptiles, fish, mollusks) found in your community.

Last weekend tenderfoot son made a list of wild animals he had observed either in our neighborhood or while on camping trips in nearby environs. He followed up by figuring out the specific species with some online research (and yes, with my help). He presented the list to the Troop Guide, who indicated that physical evidence would be needed for proper completion. Fine. We brainstormed on the way home how the boy could accomplish this: pictures of native birds would be easy. But a snapshot of the elusive red fox that hangs out on the edge of town may be nearly impossible, or if we could find his nest, get a picture from a distance without disturbing it. And maybe stopping on the trail to collect bear dung on our backpacking trip may have been a bit much to expect(LNT?). So what's the threshold here? I'll pass any ideas on to little anxious tenderfoot scout.

The cross-over ceremony is just that: a ceremony. Until they fill out the transfer paperwork form to join the troop, they are still Webelos, and still a member of the pack.

"BUT I dont want religious folks telling me who to vote for. I am FINE with discussing it among fellow church members, or on church property, but if I wanted to know about your religion I would go to your church."

So, in other words, you believe in tolerance so long as all in attendance agree with you. Typical. It's amazing how much that line of thinking has in common with the religious folks you complain about.

Yeah, Eagle92, we actually have one of each. Our Webeloree is held at our Council Camp, and is run by boy scout camp counselors. It's held the Th-Fr-Sat before the regular camp scheduele begins. It says "Here's a little taste of summer camp."

We have another event similar to the Webelos Woods others are talking about here in the fall. Well, actually it's been held the first weekend of December the last couple years so attendance has been a little thin. Webelos camp with their parents in one area, while the hosting boy scouts camp with their patrols about 1/4 mile away. The scouts form the Webelos into their own patrols, and lead them through a series of scoutcraft lessons, similar to the Troop Guide-New Scout Patrol model.

Two campouts. Two ideals.

Make em... 1/4" red oak dowel, feathers from Tandy, and have your favorite metalworker friend cut up sheet metal for arrowheads. Our arrowhead guy actually uses some copper-y alloy from an artillery shell, but it doesn't need to be that exotic. Beat it with a ball peen hammer to give it some character, wire brush for contrast, and you have a work of art.

10b. Show improvement in the activities listed in requirement 10a after practicing for 30 days.

The key words here are "show improvement." The "practicing" helps you "show improvement." The word "regularly" appears nowhere in the achievement text, only as guidance (and sound advice) in the BS Handbook.

So my fellow scouters, how many threads have been spectacularly hijacked today?

I've heard of Ginger Ale working in the same capacity. With a roast I've used Pepsi, chili sauce, and onion soup mix with good outcomes.

GW, that reminds me of some humor about our neighbors to the north... Canada, land of French know-how, American culture and British cuisine...

and another...Heaven is where the police are British, lovers are French, mechanics are German, cooks are Italian, and it's all organized by the Swiss. Hell is where the police are German, lovers are Swiss, mechanics are French, cooks are British and it's organized by the Italians.

About that coffee...CM and I were drinking mass produced swill at our Webeloree, when our Dist. Training Chair pulled us into his camp. He had the Coleman stovetop with some fresh brew, and we had life again. Next campout CM had his brand new Coleman out and ready to please the grouchy masses. I used the teabag coffee when my family went camping in our subcompact, and space was limited, but that was desperation.

"...the Webelo's can't camp in tents under 40 deg. F though cabins would be fine."

Wha? Huh.. Just checked G2SS and saw no such rule, guideline, suggestion or otherwise.

That would eliminate a lot of high sierra campouts in these parts.

Just guessing here, but I'm betting you don't have a "big brother" troop connected to the same CO, or feeder troop, one where your Webelos traditionally bridge over to. We are in the same boat. These would be your first place to look.

Next place to look is at Council or District events. At our district Spring Camporee, Webelos can attend during the day, and if they secure their own campsite and appropriately trained leaders, can camp overnight. We have a troop that hosts a Webelos Activity Pin college, most of which takes place out of doors.

Next, ask your DE. CS-BS events help bridge the gap, keep younger boys interested, which helps with youth retention. DE's like retention, it helps them keep their jobs. So it would be in his best interest to see your boys bridge over smoothly to the next level. He should get you in contact with a nearby troop who's future is dependent on Webelos moving up.

I know these are vague ideas, but I don't know specifics about what your Council/District or nearby troops offer.

What council, district?

My family was in Yosemite Valley on Saturday, and from the time we got there around noon, until we left after sunset, emergency crews were constantly in motion. Most of the trails were covered in ice, although the park spokesperson said ice nor snow wasn't the cause.

In light of this immense tragedy, I realize that this is minor issue, but don't you think the phrase "wandered off" was a bit of irresponsible journalism? Going a little faster than the rest of your group, especially on such a strenuous trail, is common.

Video Production editor for the last 15 years or so. Most of the time I cut commercials, but I also piece together a medical news magazine style show, plus instructional and corporate informational bits.

And no, the commercials really aren't louder...we're just good at making you think that

I like the idea of a separate night for Crossover. So does our District Event Chairman. He planned a district-wide event at a cool outdoor venue. The Council planning folks liked the idea so much they trumped his plans with their own little shindig, or so I heard. But neither event appeared on the council calendar, so we were left with none. I could attempt to plan our own event, but I'm afraid no one would bother to show.

Continuing...

The OA crew chief told me all he needs is some space and about 20 or so minutes, but since I've sort of been blown off when I've talked to the committee and other leaders, and even my Webelos parents have been indifferent, should I just relieve myself of the stress, call the OA thing off, and let the highlight of the B&G be our DE and his FOS speech? I want this to be a big deal, but I keep getting the impression no one else cares.

Thanks for letting me vent a little.

I am in the process of hand-making AOL career arrows for my Webelos II, as Blue & Gold and crossover season approaches quickly. I've also arranged for the OA ceremony team to perform, and do whatever it is they do at our B&G. We've haven't had any Webelos earn AOL or go on to Boy Scouts since my son joined as a Wolf 3 1/2 years ago so this, at least in my mind, is a big deal. The problem? The apathy and lack-of-communication bug seems to have struck the den and pack.

Out of a den of 7 (six have been together since Wolf) I have three who have earned AOL, and going on the the same troop. I have 2 boys who just need to clear up some paperwork have a Scoutmaster Conference, and recite Scout Law to earn AOL, but they are dragging their feet on this. Both have said they want to go on, but their parents have expressed doubts. Boy #6 has been marginally active and lacks 2 required pins and practically everything else for AOL. The boy says he wants to go on, even though he hates camping. Dad chuckles and shakes his head. Boy #7 joined last May, and hit the ground running. But he's since slowed down, been in some big trouble at school now and then, and participation has dropped off. He needs Readyman, but he's very close on most of the other required Activity Pins, so it will be close, but if he stays committed he can do it. He and his guardian want him to continue scouting and would like to cross over with the rest of the den at the end of the month even though I gave him the option of staying through till May.

So do I present all the boys with career arrows, with appropriate markings, or only those who have earned their AOL? The parents of the boys "on the bubble" have kinda blown me off when I try to get info about the boys' future. I'm just trying to plan and keep the OA crew informed. I like the boys and want to be able to give them fair recognition, but unless I can light a fire under the parents' butts so I can know what's going on, I'm in the dark.

My second issue is with the B&G planning. I've been talking about the OA AOL & Crossover ceremony with other leaders for months. I stepped down as CC at the end of 07, and after 4 years of the same people running the pack we have new blood finally. I happy about that, after trying to recruit our "replacements" for the past year-and-a-half. But now I feel a little too far out of the loop, particularly with B&G planning which has been delegated to a new parent who doesn't even know what OA or AOL or Crossover even is.(This message has been edited by SequoiaWDL)

My son memorized the Scout Law by repeating it in twos. Day one : trustworthy, loyal. Day two: trustworthy loyal helpful friendly....and so on. In a week he had it memorized. A week later, when proud daddy had him repeat it at the den meeting, of course he had regressed to stage one.

Our pack does a January trip up to a Sno-Park and snowmobile trailhead up past Shaver Lake NE of Fresno. We take anything that will slide on snow... plastic sleds, inner tubes. Three years ago there was so much snow, we could hardly climb out of the parking lot. Two years ago it snowed on us, then turned to icy rain and cut our BBQ short. Last year was bone dry and the boys were sledding on sheets of ice dodging exposed rocks.

CA Scouter, Grover Hot Springs was a summer vacation spot a few times for my family when I was a kid. There was a massive rock pile in the campground where I spent hours climbing, hiding, crawling. I remember the rattlesnake warning signs nearby and seeing snake trails all around. And the heated springs pool with the brown walls...my mom wouldn't let me swim in it... she said it was for old people.

I was happy to see GHS SP avoid the budget ax, unlike another favorite childhood campground, Plumas Eureka State Park. But then it was closed every other year it seems because of Bubonic Plague. (BTW if only one person gets the disease, is it still technically a plague?)

So, I'm supposed to believe Saddam shipped his last desperate line of defense to a quasi-friendly country while cowering in a spider hole?

Surely you jest.

And best wishes to all my fellow Scouters and scout parents