Lessons of the Passover Bread. Christ’s Fervent Desire. You Also Ought to Wash One Another’s Feet. Update.

For “Scripture Sunday”:

Lessons of the Passover Bread

“On the night before His death, Jesus Christ shared unleavened bread with His disciples, telling them to repeat this every year in remembrance. What did this bread symbolize? What lessons are Christians to learn from it?

Marina Moshkovich/Hemera/Thinkstock

When you come to understand all that the bread represents, you will understand the deepest, loving intentions of God toward humankind.

For more than 50 years, I have annually observed the New Testament Passover as instructed by Jesus Christ. Each time I have marveled at the significance of what Christ taught His followers and how meaningful each of the elements and symbols are for my life today.

In a way, Jesus Christ’s entire ministry for mankind is condensed into what happened on that evening! Let’s take a closer look. The Gospel writer Luke shares this account of what happened that evening:

“I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”

“When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. Then He said to them, ‘With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’

“Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, ‘Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’ And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me’” (Luke 22:14-19).

The apostle Paul later explains what he had been personally taught by Jesus Christ:

“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes’” (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

Key symbols of Christianity

The very heart and core of Christianity is wrapped up in the symbols of the bread and the wine that Jesus shared at the Passover the night before His death. Christ established a practice for Christians to follow and carefully examine today.

The Passover evening began with Jesus washing each of the disciple’s feet, as recorded in John13:1-17. This showed His humility and service to humanity and the need for Him to cleanse us while also setting an example for us to follow. He followed up with the symbols of the bread and wine. Drinking the Passover wine represented accepting Jesus’ shed blood as payment for our sins that we may be forgiven as part of the New Covenant He offered.

The prophet Isaiah eloquently described this meaning: “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:4-6).

When we take part in the Passover service today we reenact the solemnity, the intimacy of our relationship with God through Jesus Christ, with one another and with ourselves. We leave the past behind as we reach out towards immortality and the Kingdom of God.

As Christians, we are admonished to examine ourselves prior to the service: “Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body” (1 Corinthians 11:27-30).” Continued at: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-magazine/lessons-of-the-passover-bread

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Christ’s Fervent Desire

Luke 22:15

Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.”

“Jesus Christ knew the terrible things He would suffer in the day ahead, but still He focused His mind on His disciples and using this last opportunity to teach them as much as He could. Much of His teaching on that Passover night is recorded for us in each of the Gospels, and especially in John 13 through 17. He set us an incredible example by focusing on God’s festival and God’s plan even when He had every excuse to focus on His trials and Himself. How can we do any less than to “do this in remembrance” of Him (verse 19), with fervent desire?”

Study more about Passover in “Passover: What Did Jesus Do for You?” and “Why Jesus Had to Die.”

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You Also Ought to Wash One Another’s Feet

John 13:14

“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”

“Washing feet was a sign of kind hospitality, generally assigned to the lowest slave. It was dirty work considering the dusty roads of the Holy Land. Yet our Creator and Savior was willing to lower Himself yet again as a powerful lesson we are to copy.

Washing feet as part of the New Testament Passover reminds us to always look for ways to serve, whether menial or major. The Christian life is a life of service, with a foot-washing attitude.

Study more about Passover in our article “Passover and Forgiveness” and our booklet “From Holidays to Holy Days: God’s Plan for You.”

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Update.

As my last post was just three days ago, not much has gone on since then.  Zack, my neighbor who helps me, and I, went over to the horse pasture where travel trailer that I bought last week is stored, and pressure washed it. It looks a lot better. It needs some work and I wish it was outside my side door where all my tools are in the workshop, but I don’t have permission to bring it here just yet.  Mostly it needs new countertops in the kitchen and bathroom because it was built when they thought particle board was OK.  I make them out of 3/4 inch plywood which doesn’t rot like particle board, and then cover them with Formica.  I don’t need granite or anything heavy and hard like that, because I am used to using cutting boards.  The propane water heater is shot, so I will install an instant propane or electric one as they are more economical and widely used in Europe where utilities are much more expensive than here in the USA.

Most of my time on Thursday and Friday was getting things ready for the Holy Day at church, and playing hostess to several visitors.  A former foster-mom of my foster-cat Oreo came to see me, she was just as upset about Oreo’s demise as I am.  We knew that there was something else wrong with that old kitty other than her thyroid and heart. Oreo enjoyed a lot of love here with me, and I miss her. 

For the church Passover Service, I made a Gefilte Fish and organic veggie loaf, and the left-overs went home with different people. I also made the Charoset for the Sedar Plate with apples, walnuts, honey, cinnamon, and ground cloves, etc.  One thing that always goes down well is my Unleavened Almond Bread, I knew to make a lot as the folks want to take some home with them:  https://www.ucg.org/members/recipes/unleavened-recipes/jewish-almond-bread , but we agreed that there should only be about 1/4 cup of sugar, unless you are trying to make a dessert.  My Rutabaga Baked Fries got eaten up in a hurry. We also had the tradional lamb, hard boiled egg, parsley, etc.  We did it just like Jesus and the Disciples did all those years ago.

We had to have the service during the day instead of the previous evening, because some of us are getting old and can’t drive in the dark, so it started at 11.00 am on Saturday with the washing of each other’s feet. The Bible readings were Luke 22:14. The wine represents His blood, Luke 22: 19, The bread represents His body, John 13:1-17 about Jesus washing the feet, John 5:25-58, 1 Cor. 1:7-29, and 23:26, “Do This In Remembrance of Me” , Exo 6:6-8, the 4 cups of wine. The fifth cup, Elijah’s, cannot be drank yet.  We all enjoyed the day.

Questions About Heaven Answered From the Bible. Feast of Trumpets. Update

For “Scripture Sinday”:

Questions About Heaven Answered From the Bible

“There are many ideas about what happens after we die. But the best place to find the truth is in the Book inspired by the One who knows the most about heaven. 

A lot of people have ideas about heaven, but no human being has been there except Jesus Christ. Let’s see what God says about it in the Bible.

Am I going to heaven when I die?

No Bible passage speaks of heaven as the destination of “saved souls.”

No. Quite the contrary. Your future is right here on planet earth.

Yet many people believe that when they die they will go to heaven. That’s what the Holy Bible says, doesn’t it? Well, there are indeed plenty of books on library shelves that say that, but amazingly, the Bible isn’t one of them.

Scriptures forecasting the earth’s future put the King of Kings, Jesus Christ, not in heaven, but rather on earth in the holy city Jerusalem, governing the many nations of this planet (Revelation 5:10; 11:15; 20:4; Matthew 5:5).

The holy instruction manual provided by the Architect of the cosmos, Jesus Christ, makes it clear: We’re not going to heaven. Rather than all of us being transported up there; Jesus Christ is coming down here (see John 3:13; Zechariah 14:9).

But what about the many references to “heaven” in the Bible?

Many of those refer to the place where God’s throne is now. It is His headquarters, where many of His angelic staff serve Him, and it will be relocated to the earth in the future (Matthew 6:10; Revelation 21:1-4). Most of the biblical references to heaven are about earth’s atmosphere or about the starry skies.

No Bible passage speaks of heaven as the destination of “saved souls.” Going to heaven or hell is one of the cardinal teachings of mainstream Christianity. If the teaching really came from the Bible, wouldn’t we expect to find many references explaining about heaven clearly?

Astonishing as it may seem, not one Bible verse says outright that your, my or anybody else’s immortal soul (if we had one) will go there when we die.

Do a search yourself for these common phrases in a reputable, word-for-word translation of the Bible (like the King James Version or the New King James Version):

• Going to heaven.
• When I get to heaven.
• Those in heaven.
• Getting to heaven.
• Men in heaven.
• Souls in heaven.
• Heavenly gates.
• Pearly gates.
• Our future in heaven.
• Eternity in heaven.
• Saints in heaven.

Not one of those catchphrases—so popular in most Christians’ faith experience—appears in the King James Version. They’re not in the Bible. The Bible does use the phrase “kingdom of heaven,” but it doesn’t refer to people going to heaven. To learn why, read our article “The Kingdom of Heaven.”

Continued at: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/god/blog/questions-about-heaven-answered-from-the-bible/?

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Feast of Trumpets

“The progression of the biblical festivals throughout the year vividly portrays the glorious plan of God to bring many children to glory in His family.

The Bible lists seven festivals that God gave to the nation of Israel for them to celebrate each year (Leviticus 23). The New Testament shows many examples of Jesus, His apostles and the Church of God observing them as well. Each festival is full of rich Christian symbolism, pointing to God’s plan for humanity and Jesus Christ’s role in each step.

Most of the festivals are also special annual Sabbath rest days, which are observed in addition to the weekly Sabbath day.

The fourth festival of God is the Feast of Trumpets . The Bible describes the day as a “memorial of blowing of trumpets.” In Israel, trumpets were used as a way of announcing special, very important messages. 

Jesus Christ reveals that before His return to the earth, seven trumpets will be blown, announcing the downfall and overthrow of this world’s kingdoms and the return of Christ to take possession of the earth and establish the Kingdom of God. Christ’s return is announced by the seventh and final trumpet. This day also pictures the ultimate fulfillment of every Christian’s hope: the moment when faithful Christians will be resurrected to receive the gift of eternal life at the sounding of the seventh trumpet. A Christian’s eternity with God begins with the opportunity to reign on earth with Jesus Christ for 1,000 years.

(See: Leviticus 23:24-25; Numbers 10:1-10; Revelation 8:2; Revelation 11:15; Revelation 20:4-6; 1 Corinthians15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16)” 

From: https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/how-do-christians-observe-the-biblical-festivals-guide-god-holy-days

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Update:

Last Sunday I drove quite a way to see a senior who was having some problems.  They convinced me to bring them over here, which was OK, but as they have some dementia, they and their relatives kept on calling each other on my phone.  I had to dial the number for them.  It was obvious that they really needed to be back in familiar surroundings, so I took them home.  But they left me a fully stuffed down jacket to wash, as they didn’t know how to do that.

Monday, Zack, my neighbor and I worked on a few things like re-connecting a refilled 5 gallon propane tank so that my cook top will work.  I can manage quite well without it as I have many electric cooking things, but I like to have the propane just in case of a power failure.  We also tried out the two flat TVs that I had bought, and they both worked.  Now maybe I can find someone who wants four tube-type TVs!  We also sanded the floor in the mini-house where we had patched it.

Tuesday, on my way to a chiropractor appointment and to deliver the washed down-filled jacket, my van started sputtering, backfiring and died.  It took 3-1/2 hours for the wrecker to arrive to take it to the mechanic.  My friend Chris came and picked me up at the mechanics, so we delivered the jacket at the Seniors Center, stopped for some groceries, then she took me home.  I still don’t have my van.

Wednesday was a Holy Day, The Feast of Trumpets, so Lauri from church who lives down the road, took me and my food for the potluck.  I had made Roasted Cubed Potatoes with Onions and Bell Peppers, Sliced Bison and Gravy, and also Sautéed Cabbage, so I took three crockpots that day.

The Bible readings were Gen 21:1-34 about Isaac, 1 Sam. 1-2":10 about Saul and the Teaching was about “Are We Just Waiting, Or Are We Looking for Him?”  We need to be ready.  One of the elders, Jeff, sounded the shofar, (ram’s horn) and did the blasts like they would have done on that day.  Jeff is really good on the horn, and better than Dr. Schneider on TV, http://discoveringthejewishjesus.com/ .  We all enjoyed the service, food and fellowship.

Thursday, Zack and I finished washing my vintage motor-home, and he mowed. 

Friday, I spent cooking and studying.  Hans, the German gentleman from down my street stopped by, wondering where my van was.  As I had already bothered Chris and Lauri this week, I asked him if he would take me to church on Saturday.  I know he likes to go to my church once in a while.  It is easier for me to go in Hans’ car, because I can’t wear cologne or hairspray when I ride with Lauri.  So I brushed my hair up into a banana clip, sprayed it so it wouldn’t drop, and had several compliments.  I took Turkey in Tomato Sauce, and gluten-free, organic, Spaghetti Pasta in separate crockpots.  Don’t forget that I come from Europe, and we don’t mix the two until we get on our plates because some folks want more sauce and some want more pasta.  I made one little dish of organic sauce for Lauri because she says she has to eat organic or she will get a migraine.  The pastor’s wife had made organic ground beef, and organic refried beans for the tacos, so Lauri had some of that, too.

The Bible readings were Psa. 100, Deut. 31:1-30, Isa. 55:6-56:8 and Rom. 10:14-18. And the Teaching was about “Trumpets”, not the feast, but the times in the Bible where it says that the trumpets will sound when He arrives, and we had better be ready.  Also the trumpets will sound when we are getting ready for The Feast of Taberbacles which we will be celebrating soon.  Different people calculate from different new mons, that is why this church is a month behind some of the others.  We will be keeping the only fasting feast, The Day of Atonement, on Friday.

Short Bed? Payment Trap. Short Hose. Floor Vents. 5 Stupid Things. Wasps Like Gas. Surge Protector. Stow Stuff. RV Tips. Deadline in Iraq.

 

For 'tRaVersing Thursday", or RV Day

How to lengthen an RV bed

"A bed in an RV can often be too short for tall RVers, who have to scrunch up to fit in — not good for a restful sleep. This video shows you how to fix that problem for about $30 — a lot cheaper than a new bed!"

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The Payment Trap / The Illusion Of Freedom...

"Many people are making payments on their recreation vehicles thinking that they are free to travel and live off the grid when in actuality they are tied to the system and a slave to their wages. Their possessions end up owning them, they do not own their possessions. Many people are just one paycheck away from repossession and losing everything.."

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Carry an extra hose?

"Carrying an extra, specially sized water hose, can be a godsend for the traveling RVer. Here's why.

Keeping a long water hose in the rig is always a given, particularly if you frequent RV parks with hookups. But a short coupled water hose, just a few feet long, can make life a whole lot easier when on the road."

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A tip about heating vents in your RV

"Jim Nelson shows you a way to cover one or more of your RV's heating vents to keep debris from falling in and to help control your heating comfort."

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5 Stupid Things I Have Done To Damage My RV

"Here are 5 Stupid Things I Have Done To Damage My RV plus One *Bonus Stupidity Not Done by Me. When You travel enough time in your RV you are bound to eventually do some stupid things. These are my top doh! moments."

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Flea collars keep wasps out

"Wasps like the smell and sweet taste of propane, and will turn the pilot light areas in the refrigeration and water heater compartments into their next home. If too many wasps move in, their condo will clog up the pilot light area and the system won’t work. When the propane is turned on, it could result in not only frying the wasps but also the RV wiring, meaning a potentially expensive service call to the repair shop.

Cut a flea collar in half and lay each half on the bottom of one of the compartments. Wasps don’t like the smell of flea collars and will congregate elsewhere.

Other solutions, such as commercial wasp traps to keep wasps out are available. If wasps have already invaded these compartments, one-shot solutions to get rid of them include dousing them with a cup of soapy dish detergent in water. Wasps reportedly like the smell of beer better than they do propane, so place a half-full can of beer in the compartment. The wasps will crawl into the can to get at the beer and drown."  by Cheryl Probst

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Are surge protectors needed in RVs? And what about extended service plans?

"Dear Gary,
A friend told me about how his 120-volt appliances in his RV fried at a campground in AK. He said a surge protector probably would have prevented a huge bill to replace what was destroyed. Is it a good idea to have a surge protector? Also what are your thoughts on extended service plans?" —Jim G. (Seattle, WA)

Read Gary's response. Posted by The RV Doctor, Gary Bunzer

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A Sometimes Overlooked Motor Home Safety Tip

"All motor home owners observe certain procedures prior to taking off from a camp stay. Things like, disconnect all connections, slides in, jacks up, antennas down, and more, are standard rituals they are all accustom to. A vehicle walk around after everything is set, is a good policy and hopefully is done by every RV’er. These often reveal issues that need attention such as open compartments, obstacles beneath the coach or wheels, awnings not locked, etc. A little time spent completing this can save a lot of time and possibly costly repairs later.

Okay, all checks out as ready for the road, but, what about loose items within the coach? Those items like toasters, coffee pots, cutlery and other personal things that we all carry, are they safe? They create little or no danger while driving down the road outside of possibly rattling in harmony with the bumps on the road surface. However, in the case of a sudden deceleration caused by a collision or even a panic braking action, these items can become lethal. The sink with several dishes, knives and forks, can be tossed up and become ballistic household shrapnel.

Many makes of class “A” RV’s do not fair well in a collision, and in some impact instances, the body may practically disintegrate, offering little or no protection for the occupants.  Unlike automobiles, trucks and even buses made today, RV’s do not have to meet the same crash test safety regulations.

But, even if they did, they still pose an added danger that the others generally do not. That is, loose cargo items throughout the interior. These normally harmless pieces will continue their forward travel speed should the vehicle be caused to stop instantly.

So, if you are lucky enough to survive the impact moment of a bad collision, you may still be seriously injured, or worse, from this flying debris. So what can we do to reduce this potential danger? Well, cleaning off the counter and removing items in the sink is a good start. Look for items that would be unimpeded from travelling in a forward motion to the front passenger area.

Be sure any heavy items are secure and would be blocked by a wall or bulkhead towards the direction of travel. If there is nowhere else to store that blender, place it on the floor, preferably without a clear path forward. If you have any forward facing cupboards, use a tie of some type to prevent them from opening in a sudden stop event. These are just some ideas, but each rig is different, as are what people carry with them. Use common sense in how items are stored while travelling.

Now, don’t forget your seatbelts! While your motor home may seem like sitting in a living room, you are travelling in a vehicle that is, not only less maneuverable than your car, but also may possess other possible dangers. Drive safe!"   With an Eye on Safety – Lug_Nut – Peter Mercer

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From me:  This includes your pets. Keep them safe in strapped-down carriers or in a seat belt harness.  A man had his neck broken by a large dog being thrown forward, and beloved animals have escaped through broken windows, never to be seen again.  It is also easier for the medics to tend to passengers if the animals are restrained.

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RV Tips:

Use big enough leveling blocks
"Got leveling blocks for under the tires? Make sure the blocks are big enough that the tire sits completely on the block — not overhanging it. Dually rig owners, BOTH the tires must be supported, not just one."

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Keep your RV food safe

"Food borne illnesses can stop your RVing fun in a big hurry. How can a RV foodie keep this nastiness away? The food safety experts at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center provide a few tips to keep the food fun going."

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Prep your rig to be sales-ready before upgrading to a new RV 
"Is it pristine clean? Do the appliances work? Does it have any off-putting odors? Look at your rig as a new buyer sees it — and take care of its shortcomings before they turn off a prospective buyer. These tips will tell you how."

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Treat your campground neighbors as you would want to be treated.

"Don't play your music so loud that they are forced to listen to it — they may not share your love of Conway Twitty. Would you want to listen to their music? Always be considerate."

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From me:  Standard size sheets v. RV sheets?

Get some sheet grippers.  Available at most dept. stores.

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Adjust the hitch ball height
“Towing with the tongue high (or low) can overload one of your trailer axles.  Set your ball height to level the trailer when attached to the tow vehicle."

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Cleaning the RV shower, sinks and toilet
"Remember that whatever you use to clean the sinks, showers and toilet ends up in the RV holding tanks. Never use any cleaners that could possibly damage the holding tanks. Clean these surfaces with a non-abrasive mild detergent, water and a soft cloth.

Never use any harsh detergents or abrasive cleaners that can scratch or damage ABS, plastic and fiberglass finishes. Some wet wipe products work well on these surfaces, but avoid using bleach." Tech Tips from Mark Polk

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On This Day:

Benny Goodman brings jazz to Carnegie Hall, Jan 16, 1938:

"Jazz has been called "America's classical music," a label that does more than just recognize its American origins. The label also makes the case that jazz is worthy of aesthetic consideration alongside music usually thought of as "classical." In the current era, when programs of Duke Ellington and J.S. Bach often draw the same highbrow crowds, that argument hardly seems controversial. In the 1930s, however, the notion was almost laughable, which is what made Benny Goodman's January 16, 1938, concert at New York City's famed Carnegie Hall so revolutionary. Goodman and his supporting cast claimed a new place for jazz on the American cultural scene that night, in what has come to be seen as the most important jazz concert in history."

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Bush waits for deadline in Iraq, Jan 16, 1991:

"On this day in 1991, President George Herbert Walker Bush waits to see if Iraq will withdraw from Kuwait by midnight, a deadline mandated by the United Nations, or if war will ensue.

On November 29, the United Nations Security Council authorized the use of all means necessary to remove Hussein's forces from Kuwait, giving Iraq the deadline of midnight on January 16 to leave or risk forcible removal.

Just after midnight in the U.S. on January 17, Bush gave the order for U.S. troops to lead an international coalition in an attack on Saddam Hussein's army. U.S. General Norman Schwarzkopf led Operation Desert Storm, which began with a massive bombing of Hussein's armies in Iraq and Kuwait.

Following an intense bombing of Baghdad, U.S.-led coalition ground forces marched into Kuwait and across the Iraq border. Regular Iraqi troops surrendered in droves, leaving only Hussein's hard-line Republican Guard to defend the capital. After pushing Hussein's forces out of Kuwait, Schwarzkopf called a ceasefire on February 28 and accepted the surrender of Iraqi generals on March 3."

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Yesterday:

It was a good time to go shopping, mostly for fresh green veggies and pet food.

As Jay is in his own little world of getting drunk, I went by myself.  Ray was taking his son to the doctor. 

After I had dropped off the paper recycling, I  stopped at several thrift shops as I was looking for a food processor.   All I found was a very bulky old one that would not be very practical.  Anyway, it didn't have all the attachments. My small one is great, but lately it seems to have lost it's oomph to mix some things.

Maybe Nala is missing Misty, or maybe she just likes a different bed.  After I put laundered Misty's beds back in place, I found Nala asleep in the one under my bed.  She and Ava actually got within two feet of each other without Ava hissing, so we are making progress.  Nala was here first so she should, in theory, be alpha cat, but senior Ava wants that title.  She doesn't seem to realize that shy, gentle Nala wouldn't want to defend her title, she's a lover not a fighter.

It was a nice sunny day, but very windy. At Kroger's I really had to hang onto my door to stop it from hitting the car next to me, yesterday.

Top 12 Nat. Pk CG. Used RVs. Redneck Airlines. Hand Crank RV Slide. Totaled RV. Propane. Invertors and Generators. 55 mph.

 

For "tRaVersing Thursday" or RV Day:

Top 12 National Park campgrounds

"This list might surprise you, especially when Channel Islands NP, with no road access, is on the list. But it will give you something to ponder — and motorhome and trailer access is possible at most of the parks. See the list here."

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RV tech shows "watch outs" for used RV buyers (video)

"If you're shopping for a "good deal" on a used RV, don't let your heart get ahead of your head. Here's an interesting video from an RV technician who walks you through someone's "great deal" that really turned out to be a lemon.

This is a guy you might like to take with you when you're considering buying a used RV — even one that's touted as that "great deal that you just can't pass up." Watch the video, and you might save yourself a major headache."

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Redneck Airlines offers RV discount

"Some airlines are desperately trying to lure back RVers who've discovered that RVing beats the pants off airline travel. If you are unsure whether you are on Redneck Air, peek into the flight deck and observe the pilot's flight check."

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How to hand crank an RV slide out

"What to do when the slideout jams while you are on location. Here's how to hand crank it back into place."

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How a paper cup can save the day at an RV sewer hookup

"Every once in awhile, typically in older RV parks, you can run into a problem with a sewer hookup. Here's an easy way to handle this uncommon situation. This is so simple you'll say "Why didn't I think of that?""

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An RV horror story. Don't let this happen to you!

"What happened to one RVer couple should never happen to anyone. Nobody was hurt — it was not that kind of an incident. But the RV was totaled. And imagine the horror the couple felt when they returned to their fifth wheel trailer to find it ruined by . . . well, watch the video."

From me: Remember to turn off the water at the spigot anytime you go anywhere.  You never know what leaks can spring up.

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Fifth wheel travel trailers — invertors and generators

"Dear Gary, 
Do fifth-wheel travel trailers have inverters? If they do not, then I need one with a generator, right?" Robert P. (Avon, IN)

"Robert, many 5th wheel travel trailers are indeed equipped with an inverter. In some cases, however, they may not power all 120-volt AC loads in the same manner as an on-board generator. Some trailers are equipped with both an inverter AND a generator. It just depends on that manufacturer. No hard and fast rule here..."  More at: http://www.rvdoctor.com/2011/05/5th-wheel-travel-trailers-inverters-and.html

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A hot idea for gauging LP in your cylinders

"Take your kettle, fill with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, pour the hot water in one place over the tank — where the tank collar meets the tank. After the kettle is empty, place your hand at the bottom of the tank where the hot water ran down the tank. If there’s any propane in the tank it will absorb the heat from the water and the tank will be cold. From that start point, run your hand upwards along the hot water path. When you reach the point where the steel of the tank gets hot, you’ve reached the level of the propane in the tank. You now know if you’re good to go or if you need to top-off or completely refill your propane tank."   by George Bliss

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Propane Co's Under-Fill Tanks

"Propane companies are saving money by under-filling the tanks they sell."

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Leveling an RV

"How level must an RV be for everything to work properly?

Many RVers wonder what the magic solution may be for a perfectly level RV. The technical experts from betterRVing.com weigh in and help make the magic a reality.  The answer to the importance of leveling an RV may surprise you."

CLICK THE VIDEO TO SEE THE TIP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fG2Jrb7av5I

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RV Tips:

Leveling an RV

"How level must an RV be for everything to work properly?

Many RVers wonder what the magic solution may be for a perfectly level RV. The technical experts from betterRVing.com weigh in and help make the magic a reality.  The answer to the importance of leveling an RV may surprise you."

CLICK THE VIDEO TO SEE THE TIP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fG2Jrb7av5I

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Coach-Net adds RV tire protection program
"This new option for RVers, in addition to the usual towing, battery jumping, fuel delivery services, etc., will include a tire protection plan that offers tire and wheel hazard protection from nails, potholes, debris and more."   More at: http://www.coach-net.com/News/071513_HazardProtect.aspx

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Show your support for nationwide farmers markets

"The best organic food is what's grown closest to you. Use our website to find farmers' markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area, where you can buy produce, grass-fed meats, and many other goodies.

Support the concept of farmer direct to the consumer markets across the country. What could be better for an RVer to find these markets wherever we travel."  http://www.localharvest.org/

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RV refrigerators are different

"RV refrigerators are much different than the one in your house. They don’t have compressors and they work off the principle of absorption. You should turn the RV refrigerator on several hours before putting food in it. It is best to leave it on overnight and put your food in it just prior to leaving. Always keep a small thermometer in your RV refrigerator so you can monitor the temperature. Food can begin to go bad at about 40 degrees." Tech Tips from Mark Polk

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Lock your freezer and fridge doors
“There are usually mechanical locks for the freezer and main refrigerator doors.  Use them always, and make sure they are on your check-off list before leaving camp.  Without the locks both doors will fly open on bumpy roads and in hard turns.” Bill's Hints

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Off-roading in an RV? Really?
"There are some amazing, beautiful places that an RV can get to ... some are slightly off the road. Off-roading in an RV? What if you get stuck? Find out all about it this week from Rich Miller, "The Wanderman.""

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On This Day:

Nixon signs national speed limit into law, Jan 2, 1974:

"On this day in 1974, President Richard M. Nixon signs the Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act, setting a new national maximum speed limit.

Prior to 1974, individual states set speed limits within their boundaries and highway speed limits across the country ranged from 40 mph to 80 mph. The U.S. and other industrialized nations enjoyed easy access to cheap Middle Eastern oil from 1950 to 1972, but the Arab-Israeli conflict changed that dramatically in 1973. Arab members of the Organization for Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) protested the West's support of Israel in the Yom Kippur War by stopping oil shipments to the United States, Japan and Western Europe. OPEC also flexed its new-found economic muscle by quadrupling oil prices, placing a choke-hold on America's oil-hungry consumers and industries.

The embargo had a global impact, sending the U.S. and European economies into recession. As part of his response to the embargo, President Nixon signed a federal law lowering all national highway speed limits to 55 mph. The act was intended to force Americans to drive at speeds deemed more fuel-efficient, thereby curbing the U.S. appetite for foreign oil. With it, Nixon ushered in a policy of fuel conservation and rationing not seen since World War II.

The act also prohibited the Department of Transportation from approving or funding any projects within states that did not comply with the new speed limit. Most states quietly adjusted their speed limits, though Western states, home to the country's longest, straightest and most monotonous rural highways, only grudgingly complied. Even after OPEC lifted the embargo in March 1974, drivers continued to face high gas prices and attempted to conserve fuel by buying revolutionary Japanese economy cars. For many, a desire for fuel-efficient automobiles became the standard until the trend toward gas-guzzling sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) emerged in the 1990s. In 1987, Congress authorized states to reset speed limits within their borders, but proponents of the national maximum speed limit law claimed it lowered automobile-related fatalities, prompting Congress to keep it on the books until finally repealing it on November 28, 1995.

Today speed limits across the country vary between 35 and 40 mph in congested urban areas and 75 mph on long stretches of rural highway. U.S. drivers now drive almost as fast as their European counterparts, who average between 75 and 80 mph on the highway. On some roads in Italy, it is legal to drive as fast as 95 mph."

From me:  I suppose some folks here think they are in Italy!

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Yesterday:

I didn't take Misty when I went to get Jay, as he wanted to get a plank out of the lake.  Jim, the mechanic still hasn't been well enough to finish working on my little Puddle Jumper.  If I leave blind Misty alone in the van, she might fall off the seat, which is a lot higher up. If I take her out of the subdivision in the van, she has her seat belt harness on, or in a carrier.  We looked at the plank, and realized that we would have to have a longer rope than the one I carry in the van.

When we got back here, we knew that for the cross fence to be in line with the existing fence that we would have to move three posts, or it would look awful.  We ran a string line from end to end, and we got two posts out and reset one.  So that Misty couldn't get out of the back yard, we put temporary barriers up until we could finish it. 

We drove down to the lake before I took Jay home.  Armed with a longer rope with a rock tied to the end, Jay threw it over the 2x12x16, and steered to to the shore.  I put the ball mount in my receiver hitch, tied the rope to the ball mount, and pulled it out of the lake.  They have just finished rebuilding the fishing dock, and this board must have got away from them.

As it was wet and too long to put in the van, I carefully towed it to Jay's house.  I had that hitch put on 4 years ago, but it's the first time it's been used until yesterday.

Propane Retaining Bar! Steam Power. RV Refrigerator Troubleshooting. Fitted Sheets. Prohibition Ends. Bermuda Triangle.

 

For "tRaVersing Thursday", or RV Day:

Stop fiddling with that *$#&! propane retaining bar!

"If you are like me, you fuss with that pesky propane retaining bar, squirreling it around until you can get at your tanks. When you come back with the bottle refilled, it's just another hassle trying to hold onto the bottle and rack up the retaining bar to get the cylinder back in place. Enter Frank Bailey.

Frank has been a full-time RVer for over six years. He retired from Case Tractors, where he worked in the engineering lab, so you won’t be surprised that he has developed some innovations to make his RV lifestyle a bit easier.

Frank, like most of us, was frustrated with the propane tank retaining bar assembly because it is awkward to handle. He decided to make life easier by placing a tension spring under the retaining bar. He used about a 1½- to 2-inch spring (not so stiff as to make the wing nut hard to twist) and mounted it on top of a large washer held in place with the locking nuts. This holds the retention bar up against the wing nut while you easily remove the tank for service. On the return trip, you'll find it a breeze to get things back in place.

Thanks to Frank for his great idea!" by Jim Twamley

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Steam Generator

How would you like to have this bad boy powering your RV?

From: http://www.otherpower.com/steamengine.shtml

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How Absorption Refrigeration Works

"Learn how your RV refrigerator works so you know what to do if your unit ever experiences problems."

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RV refrigerator running too cold? Tips for adjusting the temperature

"Over-cooling in RV refrigerators (temperature gets too cold) is a common problem. Learn how to resolve the issue by testing the circuit board."

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Insufficient RV Refrigerator Cooling Troubleshooting

"Learn how to fix any cooling problems that your RV's refrigerator may experience."

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RV Tips:

How to handle speed bumps
"If you take your RV across a speed bump, you may find it pops open cabinet doors. Alleviate this issue by taking on the speed bumps "dead-on" and slow, rather than hitting them at an angle — an angle approach causes more coach rocking."

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Folding Fitted Sheets

"Most of us have, at one time or another, given up frustrated after the terrible ordeal of trying to fold a fitted sheet!"

From me:  Remember to always put the fitted sheet firmly on BOTH of the top ends of the bed first.  Then pull it down to go over the bottom ends.  This will keep it anchored better.

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On This Day:

Prohibition ends, Dec 5, 1933:

"The 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified, repealing the 18th Amendment and bringing an end to the era of national prohibition of alcohol in America. At 5:32 p.m. EST, Utah became the 36th state to ratify the amendment, achieving the requisite three-fourths majority of states' approval. Pennsylvania and Ohio had ratified it earlier in the day.

The movement for the prohibition of alcohol began in the early 19th century, when Americans concerned about the adverse effects of drinking began forming temperance societies. By the late 19th century, these groups had become a powerful political force, campaigning on the state level and calling for national liquor abstinence. Several states outlawed the manufacture or sale of alcohol within their own borders. In December 1917, the 18th Amendment, prohibiting the "manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors for beverage purposes," was passed by Congress and sent to the states for ratification. On January 29, 1919, the 18th Amendment achieved the necessary three-fourths majority of state ratification. Prohibition essentially began in June of that year, but the amendment did not officially take effect until January 29, 1920.

In the meantime, Congress passed the Volstead Act on October 28, 1919, over President Woodrow Wilson's veto. The Volstead Act provided for the enforcement of Prohibition, including the creation of a special Prohibition unit of the Treasury Department. In its first six months, the unit destroyed thousands of illicit stills run by bootleggers. However, federal agents and police did little more than slow the flow of booze, and organized crime flourished in America. Large-scale bootleggers like Al Capone of Chicago built criminal empires out of illegal distribution efforts, and federal and state governments lost billions in tax revenue. In most urban areas, the individual consumption of alcohol was largely tolerated and drinkers gathered at "speakeasies," the Prohibition-era term for saloons.

Prohibition, failing fully to enforce sobriety and costing billions, rapidly lost popular support in the early 1930s. In 1933, the 21st Amendment to the Constitution was passed and ratified, ending national Prohibition. After the repeal of the 18th Amendment, some states continued Prohibition by maintaining statewide temperance laws.  Mississippi, the last dry state in the Union, ended Prohibition in 1966."

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Aircraft squadron lost in the Bermuda Triangle, Dec 5, 1945:

"At 2:10 p.m., five U.S. Navy Avenger torpedo-bombers comprising Flight 19 take off from the Ft. Lauderdale Naval Air Station in Florida on a routine three-hour training mission. Flight 19 was scheduled to take them due east for 120 miles, north for 73 miles, and then back over a final 120-mile leg that would return them to the naval base. They never returned.

Two hours after the flight began, the leader of the squadron, who had been flying in the area for more than six months, reported that his compass and back-up compass had failed and that his position was unknown. The other planes experienced similar instrument malfunctions. Radio facilities on land were contacted to find the location of the lost squadron, but none were successful. After two more hours of confused messages from the fliers, a distorted radio transmission from the squadron leader was heard at 6:20 p.m., apparently calling for his men to prepare to ditch their aircraft simultaneously because of lack of fuel.

By this time, several land radar stations finally determined that Flight 19 was somewhere north of the Bahamas and east of the Florida coast, and at 7:27 p.m. a search and rescue Mariner aircraft took off with a 13-man crew. Three minutes later, the Mariner aircraft radioed to its home base that its mission was underway. The Mariner was never heard from again. Later, there was a report from a tanker cruising off the coast of Florida of a visible explosion seen at 7:50 p.m.

The disappearance of the 14 men of Flight 19 and the 13 men of the Mariner led to one of the largest air and seas searches to that date, and hundreds of ships and aircraft combed thousands of square miles of the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and remote locations within the interior of Florida. No trace of the bodies or aircraft was ever found.

Although naval officials maintained that the remains of the six aircraft and 27 men were not found because stormy weather destroyed the evidence, the story of the "Lost Squadron" helped cement the legend of the Bermuda Triangle, an area of the Atlantic Ocean where ships and aircraft are said to disappear without a trace. The Bermuda Triangle is said to stretch from the southern U.S. coast across to Bermuda and down to the Atlantic coast of Cuba and Santo Domingo."

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Yesterday:

Ray and I readied the place for Mindi's dogs to be boarded here for a few days, while she and her husband go on vacation.  The dogs stay in my Grooming Room, except when I take them outside to the back yard, to do their thing.

Jay never came to replace the back gate with my metal framed chain link one, so we had to do, what we had to do to, the wooden framed one. It wouldn't close properly, and was hitting the post.   Jay likes doing stuff like that, but there was no way that Ray or I were in the mood to get out the post hole diggers to put in a new post for the metal gate.  We took the wooden gate off at it's hinges, and sawed about 1/2" off the side, and screwed some reinforcing boards on each corner.  But when we reinstalled it, it was still bowed at the bottom.  If those dogs saw that gap, they would investigate, whereas Misty wouldn't.  We cut a 4x4 to lay across the ground so the dogs couldn't push on the gate, and put a door bolt near the bottom of the gate. That kept the bottom shut tight.  I have to keep her dogs safe, just like I have for the last 15 years that I have boarded them.

Then we moved a cage into my house, for the few times that Peekers and Nala will have to be locked up.  I didn't want to keep them caged all the time for the few days that the dogs will be here.  The foster cats usually have the run of the house.  They wouldn't want to be in the Grooming Room with Mindi's Caesar, who is constantly barking, "Me!  Me!  Look at Me!  I want some attention!"  He drives me nuts, so I don't know what that would do to sweet Peekers or shy, worried Nala. 

The two cats don't have to be locked up very often, but when we are running in and out of the house, the cats like to try to get in the attached garage-workshop.  That would be a disaster if the doors were open, which they are, when we are working in the mornings.  I can't even put the foster cats in my bathroom, as Ava is in there. 

Speaking of Ava, my 'new', old, longhaired, black cat.  I find that every time that I go into my bathroom that I get short of breath. This happened to me once before when I was taking care of a long haired cat who had to be brushed all the time, too. As it was at the same time that they were burning that stuff in Mexico, we thought that was the cause.

So now, the doctor's are thinking that I had allergy-induced asthma, as it wasn't a heart attack, and that I am allergic to her. She is a sweet little old lady-cat, and I hate to give her up, but I can't live like this.   I won't know for sure until I go to the doctor on the 19th, but her previous foster mom is supposed to pick her up on Saturday.

RV Tank Monitors. Leaky Tank. Flushing WH. High Altitude. Solar Panel Care. Laptop Table. RV Tips. General Robert E. Lee. Great Train Robbery. Nixon Resigns.

 

For “tRaVersing Thursday”, or RV Day:

HOW TO: Calibrate RV Tank Monitors

“Since we're sometimes pretty serious boondockers (that's camping without hook-ups for you RV newbies), we want to know the exact level in all of our holding tanks - fresh water, grey water and black water - and our propane level too.”

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Ways to repair a leak in a fresh water tank

“The RV experts at Trailer Life explain options for repairing a leak in a fresh water tank.”

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Flushing the RV hot water tank

“Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing shows you how to do essential RV maintenance by cleaning out the hot water tank.”

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RV appliances at high altitude: Do they really work?

“An RVer studying his rig's appliance manuals and came across a statements that suggested his LP appliances might not work at higher elevations. How big a concern is "at elevation" operation?

 
Traveling in high places with your rig can mean a few changes, but the drama of "no shower, no cold beer" may be a bit overblown. Both from personal experience of our own, and "as told by" RVers around the country, heading for the hills in the RV isn't a huge problem. ”  More at:  http://www.rvboondockingnews.com/2013/07/rv-appliances-at-high-altitude-do-they.html   By R & T De Maris

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Solar panel maintenance is easy

“Those new to RV solar sometimes wonder: What kind of maintenance routine do I need to perform? Happily, maintaining the RV solar system is easier than taking care of a goldfish. Much easier!”  More at: http://www.rvboondockingnews.com/2013/08/solar-panel-maintenance-is-easy.html

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Laptop desks make RVing easier

"Sizing down" for the RV lifestyle can be tough. Where do you put your laptop — other than on your lap — when you have some serious computing to do? Enter the laptop desk.

There are a couple of different approaches: Simply put a more solid platform under your computer and set the whole works down in your lap. Some are wide enough to use a mouse in conjunction with your laptop. All of them help to keep you from getting "laptop burn." One such desk that retails for less than $30 is marketed by LapWorks (www.laptopdesk.net). This one uses a folding hinge trick, allowing you to set your laptop on a table; the device then gives a bit of an angle to the laptop making for easier typing. One problem: When you need to move, you'll need to set the desk and laptop aside.

A similar system, but one that gets the  laptop off your lap entirely, is to use a "bed table." These little stands take a flat platform and add legs, usually folding ones. Many have room for a mouse and also prevent burnt laps. But what to do when you need to move and don't want to disrupt your work in progress? The one pictured right is from Sam's Club. Careful though — those handy drink and silverware holders could create issues with free mouse movement.  (So preferably, find one that doesn’t have them.)

Here's another idea: Coupling the flat and stable platform with "full-to-the-floor legs," the "Table Mate II" is made with lightweight plastic and is adjustable in height and platform angle. There aren't any side braces, allowing users to slide their legs in and out from under the rig without fear of banging knees or legs. The whole rig slides right up over your lap, bringing the computer into reach and at precisely the right height. They're adjustable so you can use it with more than one chair or even the sofa.

We snagged a two-pack of these from Walmart for $50, drop shipped to a nearby store. We found we could use the second Table Mate as a printer stand.  Set for the correct height, we could roll our plastic file cabinet right underneath the stand, saving even more floor space. Right now Walmart says they're out of stock on these; but try Google "shopping" for "Table Mate" and you'll find many sellers offering single packs for around $30.”  by Russ and Tiña De Maris

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From Me:  Or look for “couch table”, and get one like mine. The legs can go under the couch so you can pull it towards you, are adjustable, and it can be tilted or horizontal.

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RV Tips:

Drying swimsuits inside an RV

“Where do you hang all those swimsuits to dry? Get thee to the local hardware store and grab a spring-loaded closet rod. Expand it and hang it in the shower stall. After all those suits are drip-dried, you can stash the rod away in any skinny slot.”

Zip-locks to the rescue
“You can save a lot of space in the RV refrigerator (and elsewhere) through the clever use of zipper storage bags. Dump whipped topping in the bag, snip off a corner of the bag and squeeze out topping — saves on spoons and space. Store the "cut out" bag in an intact bag. Freeze popcorn kernels in a zip bag. Stores in a tight space in the freezer and doubles as a "cold pack" for owies. Put cold cereal or crackers inside — saves space and keeps 'em fresh.”

Draining fresh water tank
“Whenever you return from a trip you need to drain the water from the water heater tank. This not only will prevent stale and musty water, but it will prevent costly damage that could occur if water were left in the tank and it froze, causing it to expand and split the water heater tank.”  Tips from Mark Polk

Dumping holding tanks
“Jacks greatly facilitate the dumping of holding tanks. Just tilt the rig toward the sewer connection.”   Bill's Hints

“Always put your campfire totally out before leaving your campsite. Stir up the ashes with water until they're like mud. A fire is totally out if you can touch a piece of paper to the ashes or charred wood without any visible heat effect to the paper.”

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Get long life out of your RV tow bar system

It could be every motorhome owner's nightmare: A runaway towed car because of a faulty tow bar. Imagine looking in the rearview mirror and seeing traffic behind you trying to avoid your toad. What causes tow bar failure? Most often abuse, and sometimes age. Folks in the tow bar industry say the most common form of tow bar abuse is. . . Read more.

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Does your RV need a slideout topper?
First, what is a slideout topper? Imagine an RV awning that extends itself, not over your "patio area" but over the top of your RV slideout. Most are constructed of heavy-gauge vinyl; but unlike standard RV awnings, these automatically deploy and retract as you deploy or roll in your slideout. So, do you need one? Some thoughts.

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RV toilet sprayer alternatives
“RV toilets, by their design, at times don't flush quite as cleanly as we might hope. To that end, manufacturers often provide a spray nozzle to assist cleaning the bowl. But what if your biffy doesn't come equipped with the spray nozzle — are you stuck with stickies? Not at all — you can often add your own spray nozzle.”  Read more.

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Need more water in your RV? Think horse tank!
“For some boondockers, there's never enough water. Perhaps they haven't been able to make the jump to "Navy showers." How can they get enough water if the fresh water tank is too small?”  How about a horse tank?

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Drippy RV faucets   The RV Doctor

Dear Gary,
“How do you repair a bathroom faucet? I have a two-handle faucet in the bathroom that looks to be all metal and it constantly drips. How and what do I replace?” —Mike R. (Richmond, B.C.)     Read Gary's response.

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On This Day:

Lee offers resignation, Aug 8, 1863:

“In the aftermath of his defeat at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Confederate General Robert E. Lee sends a letter of resignation as commander of the Army of Northern Virginia to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.

Lee not only seriously questioned his ability to lead his army, he was also experiencing significant physical fatigue. He might also have sensed that Gettysburg was his last chance to win the war. Regardless, President Davis refused the request. He wrote, "To ask me to substitute you by someone... more fit to command, or who would possess more of the confidence of the army... is to demand an impossibility."”.

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Land Rovers used in famous Great Train Robbery, Aug 8, 1963:

“On this day in 1963, the 15 thieves involved in the Great Train Robbery, one of the most famous heists of all time, escape in an ex-British Army truck and two stolen Land Rover four-wheel drive all-terrain vehicles, making off with some $7 million in stolen loot.

The mastermind of the Great Train Robbery was Bruce Reynolds, a known burglar and armed robber. Inspired by the railroad heists of the Wild West in America, Reynolds and 14 other men wearing ski masks and helmets held up the Royal Mail train heading between Glasgow, Scotland, and London, England. They used a false red signal to get the train to stop, then hit the driver with an iron bar, seriously injuring him, in order to gain control of the train. The thieves loaded 120 mailbags filled with the equivalent of $7 million in used bank notes into their Land Rovers and sped off. The vehicles had been stolen in central London and marked with identical license plates in order to confuse the police.

In their hideout at Leatherslade Farm in Buckinghamshire, England, the robbers divided their loot. Viewed as folk heroes by the public for the audacious scale of their crime and their flight from justice, 12 of the 15 robbers nevertheless were eventually captured. In all, the gang of thieves received a total sentence of some 300 years.  The two Land Rovers used in the robbery were discovered at the thieves' hideout; a car enthusiast still owns one of them today.”

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Nixon announces that he will resign the Presidency, Aug 8, 1974:

“Richard Nixon announces that he will resign the office of the President at noon the next day, August 9. He had been engulfed by a major political scandal that began with the bungled burglary and wiretapping of the Democratic Party's campaign headquarters in the Watergate apartment complex in Washington, D.C., on June 17, 1972. Senate investigations eventually revealed that the President had been personally involved in the subsequent cover-up of the break-in; additional investigation uncovered a related group of illegal activities that included political espionage and falsification of official documents, all sanctioned by the White House. On July 29 and 30, 1974, the House Judiciary Committee approved three articles of impeachment, charging that Nixon had misused his powers to violate the constitutional rights of U.S. citizens, obstructed justice, and defied Judiciary Committee subpoenas. To avoid almost certain impeachment, Nixon announced that he would resign from office.”

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Yesterday:

As the contractors are coming today, Ray and I pressured-washed the part of the house where the screen porch ties in.  It would be difficult to get to it later, after they have built the framework for the new roof.  We also washed all the porch framework, window sills and floor, ready for painting.  Then we washed the front of the shed and the ‘algae’ side of the vintage motorhome, Pugsy.  That makes the place look better.

The gentleman arrived from San Antonio and bought the two horizontal propane tanks, so that’s two more items out of the way, today.

Golden-plumed Parakeet. Brick Bird House. Glazing Treatments. Kid’s Garden. Cardinals. White-headed Woodpecker. Zebra Finches. BirdNote Weekly Preview. Kon-Tiki. Desert Shield.

 

For “Winged Wednesday”:

Golden-plumed Parakeet

“A distinctive, long-tailed parrot of high elevations in the Andes, the Golden-plumed Parakeet is the only member of its genus.

Golden-plumed Parakeets populations face a slew of man-made threats. Much of their home range has been cleared for agriculture, logging, and mining. In Colombia, over 90 percent of montane forests have been felled, and in Peru, road construction cuts through the center of prime habitat.

In Ecuador, wax palms—an important nesting tree and food source for this parakeet—are cut to provide leaves for church services. Cattle also eat tender wax palms seedlings, so palms are frequently not replaced at the rate at which they are harvested. These parakeets are also trapped for pets and killed as pests.

ABC’s South American partner, the Jocotoco Foundation, is working to help save Golden-plumed Parakeets by reducing the unsustainable harvesting of wax palms and by installing nest boxes on its reserves. Jocotoco’s Tapichalaca Reserve is a great place to see this bird, as well as the endangered Jocotoco Antpitta and the vulnerable Bearded Guan, Rufous-capped Thornbill, and Masked Saltator.

Another of ABC’s partners, Fundación ProAves, has developed a Threatened Parrots Program and supports the Golden-plumed Parakeet through its Artificial Nest Initiative, which is showing great success with this and several other threatened parrot species.”

See the Golden-plumed Parakeet in action:

 

 

 

Photo by Fundación ProAves; Range Map by NatureServe.  Help ABC conserve this and other birds and their habitats!

Can't click the link? Copy and paste this URL: https://www.abcbirds.org/membership/donate.cfm

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A Brick That Lets Threatened Birds Build Nests Directly Into Walls

The Bird Brick is a fire-clamped cavity brick that can be built into walls and buildings to provide a sustainable nesting site for sparrows. Image: Aaron Dunkerton

“Birds build nests in the oddest of places. “You often find them nesting under loose tiles or in old broken vents in the side of buildings,” says Aaron Dunkerton, an England-based designer. But as buildings are patched up to improve insulation and green space disappears due to urbanization, sparrows are losing a sizable chunk of their nesting options. Over the last three decades, the U.K. house sparrow population has decreased around 70 percent, and the bird has found itself on the growing list of endangered species. Dunkerton, a student at Kingston University in England, aimed to solve the problem with the Bird Brick, a fire-clamped cavity brick that could be built into walls and buildings to provide a sustainable nesting site for the birds.”  More at: http://www.wired.com/design/2013/07/these-bricks-are-made-for-birds-to-nest-in/

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Making your home a no-fly zone: Architects, cities try new ways to help birds avoid buildings

OAKLAND, Calif. — “Birds and buildings can be a fatal combination. The American Bird Conservancy cites studies estimating that hundreds of millions of birds die each year as a result of colliding with walls and windows.

The new Visitors Center at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens was designed with birds in mind. The special, striped pattern incorporated into the glass looks elegant, but also provides a signal to birds that a barrier exists.

A big issue is glass. Just as many a human has taken a nasty smack walking into a clear glass door, birds often come to grief when confronted with transparent picture windows or glass-sided buildings. Unlike humans, birds don’t pick up on architectural cues; they don’t see a window frame and realize it implies a window.

Glazing treatments, such as making glass opaque or using etching to make it more noticeable, can deter collisions. And research is being conducted into the efficacy of glass patterned with vertical or horizontal lines.”   More at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/making-your-home-a-no-fly-zone-architects-cities-try-new-ways-to-help-birds-avoid-buildings/2013/07/31/77573946-f9e2-11e2-89f7-8599e3f77a67_story.html

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“Taking steps to keep birds safe is more than just kindness.  Birds have an ecological impact dispersing seeds and eating harmful insects.  People should care about birds, because we need birds."

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Create a garden that provides wildlife with food, water and shelter and a place to raise young.

“Here are a few tips to "get growing" with kids today!

1. Pick the right spot. Let your kids help choose your garden's location. Choose a small plot of land—no wider than a yardstick—that can be easily managed—or even window boxes or containers.
2. Choose fast growers. Children are typically eager to see the results of their labor, so sow fast-germinating seeds or introduce transplants that are quick to flower or fruit. Include kids in selecting plants so they can feel ownership.
3. Find their niche. If digging and planting isn't their thing, let children paint a pot for a toad home, create a brush pile for shelter for small mammals or help construct a bat house.
4. Visit the garden with your kids every day. Ensure you don't miss seeing its rewards: flowers opening, butterflies sipping nectar, ladybugs eating aphids.

Gardening for wildlife is entertainment that will last all summer—and even all year—long. Creating and maintaining a wildlife-friendly garden is a fun way to get kids outdoors, spend quality time together and learn cooperation, patience and see the fruits of their labors.

Not only will the kids in your life benefit from your garden, wildlife will too!

Imagine how excited your kids will be to see a hummingbird visit a flower planted by them, or visit a sapling that grows to a strong tree frequented by songbirds over the years.”  Don't wait til summer is over—certify your balcony, yard or garden today!        From: http://online.nwf.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=140001.0&dlv_id=141965

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What's wrong with these cardinals?

“Northern Cardinals (and Blue Jays, too) sometimes go bald around this time of year. BirdNote's Ellen Blackstone explains why >>”

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White-headed Woodpecker

“Don't all woodpeckers peck on wood to find food?   Nope, some species don't, including this White-headed Woodpecker. Learn more about this fascinating species >> "

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Singing New Songs

An Amazing Fact: “Zebra finches are teaching scientists about how humans learn to sing. Like human babies, new finches start out babbling. Through trial and error they eventually learn the rhythms and syllables of their parents’ vocalizations. Almost all animals make sounds instinctively. A cat raised by a dog will still meow. A deaf dog will still bark. But some animals must learn to sing.

Some animals must learn their vocalizations. These include bats, whales, and three types of birds (parrots, hummingbirds, and songbirds). Zebra finches songs are easy to study because they are short and simple and do not change. When a zebra finch is hatched, it has about 4 to 12 weeks during a “sensitive” period in which to learn “Dad’s” song (only the males sing). It listens to the song and then babbles. After awhile it begins to piece together parts of the song correctly but still has errors. Eventually, it will sing the song perfectly and will never change its tune.

But if a zebra finch is raised by a bird from a different species (cross fostering), it will learn a new song, though it will have an “accent” similar to its own species. There is some genetic influence, but experience shapes the wiring of the brain. The finch can learn to sing a new song. Of course, the younger you are, the easier it is for your brain to re-wire itself.

Our heavenly Father has songs to teach us. Our personal experiences with God provide a rich new repertoire of music that we can use to praise the Lord. David writes, “Sing to the Lord a new song, and His praise in the assembly of saints. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the children of Zion be joyful in their King” (Psalm 149:1, 2).”

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BirdNote Weekly Preview: One Square Inch of Silence?

 

Upcoming Shows

The Hoh Rainforest. SUNDAY One Square Inch of Silence featuring Gordon Hempton, QuietPlanet.com LISTEN NOW ►

American Goldfinch. MONDAY August Molt by Bob Sundstrom  LISTEN NOW ►

Steller's Jay. TUESDAY Fake Marbled Murrelet Eggs Cause Jays to Vomit by Ellen Blackstone  LISTEN NOW ►

Eurasian Tree Sparrows. WEDNESDAY Nesting and Roosting by Bob Sundstrom LISTEN NOW ►

THURSDAY Deep-diving Emperor Penguins --featuring Jessica Meir by Eileen Bolinsky LISTEN NOW ►

Bonaparte's Gull. FRIDAY The Bonaparte's Gull Chorus-line by Chris Peterson  LISTEN NOW ►

Betty, New Caledonian Crow. SATURDAY A Crow that Makes Tools by Bob Sundstrom  LISTEN

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On This Day:

Wood raft makes 4,300-mile voyage, Aug 7, 1947:

“On this day in 1947, Kon-Tiki, a balsa wood raft captained by Norwegian anthropologist Thor Heyerdahl, completes a 4,300-mile, 101-day journey from Peru to Raroia in the Tuamotu Archipelago, near Tahiti. Heyerdahl wanted to prove his theory that prehistoric South Americans could have colonized the Polynesian islands by drifting on ocean currents.

Heyerdahl and his five-person crew set sail from Callao, Peru, on the 40-square-foot Kon-Tiki on April 28, 1947. The Kon-Tiki, named for a mythical white chieftain, was made of indigenous materials and designed to resemble rafts of early South American Indians. While crossing the Pacific, the sailors encountered storms, sharks and whales, before finally washing ashore at Raroia. Heyerdahl, born in Larvik, Norway, on October 6, 1914, believed that Polynesia's earliest inhabitants had come from South America, a theory that conflicted with popular scholarly opinion that the original settlers arrived from Asia.

Heyerdahl made his first expedition to Polynesia in 1937. He and his first wife lived primitively on Fatu Hiva in the Marquesas Islands for a year and studied plant and animal life. The experience led him to believe that humans had first come to the islands aboard primitive vessels drifting on ocean currents from the east.

In 1977, he sailed the Indian Ocean in a primitive reed ship built in Iraq to learn how prehistoric civilizations in Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley and Egypt might have connected.

While Heyerdahl's work was never embraced by most scholars, he remained a popular public figure and was voted "Norwegian of the Century" in his homeland. He died at age 87 on April 18, 2002, in Italy. The raft from his famous 1947 expedition is housed at the Kon-Tiki Museum in Oslo, Norway.”

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Bush orders Operation Desert Shield, Aug 7, 1990:

“On this day in 1990, President George Herbert Walker Bush orders the organization of Operation Desert Shield in response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait on August 2. The order prepared American troops to become part of an international coalition in the war against Iraq that would be launched as Operation Desert Storm in January 1991. 

U.S. General Norman Schwarzkopf led "Operation Desert Storm," which began with a massive bombing of Hussein's armies in Iraq and Kuwait.

Following an intense bombing of Baghdad, U.S.-led coalition ground forces marched into Kuwait and across the Iraq border. Regular Iraqi troops surrendered in droves, leaving only Hussein's hard-line Republican Guard to defend the capital, which they were unsuccessful in doing. After pushing Hussein's forces out of Kuwait, Schwarzkopf called a ceasefire on February 28; he accepted the surrender of Iraqi generals on March 3.”

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Yesterday:

Ray couldn’t come over here right away, he had a problem with his ignition switch and went to a locksmith to get it sorted out.  So I used that time to finish grooming Misty.  She is such a joy to groom, she just stands still and lets me scissor her pattern.

When Ray returned he said it was a problem with the cable that tells the ignition switch whether the car is in neutral or not, and it needs a new cable. 

We unhooked the second horizontal propane tank from my house, as I have someone coming to look at them.  My brother couldn’t ship his truck camper back to England without getting the tanks certified ‘empty’, so he bought new tanks and gave the full ones to me.  It is only used for my gas cooktop, so that propane has lasted a long time, in fact ever since my brother and sister-in-law left in Oct 2010, and one tank still has some propane in it.  Ray hooked up a regular upright tank that I had already had filled, so now I am cooking with gas again.

Buy the way, when you swap out tanks at a rack outside a store, you don’t get as much propane as if you get it filled at a propane place, and it usually costs less, too. 

We cleaned the two horizontal tanks, as they were dusty, and I hope they both get sold today.