Did you look for comets last night?

Image courtesy of freedigitalimages.net

I could simply copy and paste my whole blog entry from "my other blog" : 4000 Days (4000dayz.blogspot.com), but I do not want to rob you of the opportunity of discovering other posts you might enjoy!

Here is my post from yesterday (11 November 2013) about comet hunting and backyard astronomy: There are four comets visible with binoculars in the early morning just before dawn for the next several days: Comet Lovejoy (C2013/R1), comet LINEAR X1, comet ISON, comet 2p/Encke.
http://4000dayz.blogspot.com/2013/11/day-290-year-of-comets.html

I am sad to report to you that I did not wake before daybreak this morning, and I did not check my directions... but, "they look good on paper..." =)

Summer Recap

Where to start? This summer has gone by so quickly! Time really does fly when you are having fun! Here are some of the cheap hobbies I took advantage of this summer. I am ready for cooler days and less humid nights! 

My Charity Pals are gaining some friends in My Little Crochet Shop! I have the yarn and stuffing to make A LOT more, I just need to get busy!

I took my crochet crafts to the Saturdays at Saxapahaw outdoor festival several of the Saturdays. If afternoon thunderstorms popped up, I opted to stay home.. even if the storm may not reach the festival, I wasn't taking any chances!

My spread at the local craft fair

Chalk art

Chalk art was a staple activity when babysitting. "Chalk is cheap," and creativity is limitless! We even tried to chalk our hair! (pastel chalks work better... they are brighter!)

Swatting tennis balls at the park
is fun exercise!

Tennis anyone? While I have never played the sport, and have no clue how to keep score, it is exciting to connect with the ball and watch my opponent go scrambling after it! Not to worry, I chased my fair share of runaway balls!

Free exhibit at the local Arts Council!

The Art of the Brick is a free exhibit of Lego sculptures by Nathan Sawaya. Graham Arts Council included an activity tent where youngsters can play and discover new ways to assemble cool inventions.

New items in Shop

Amigurumi Pal - each one unique-ish

I have started making Amigurumi Pals for My Little Crochet Shop. My idea is to donate proceeds from Pal sales to my local food pantry. After learning how many children rely on free school lunches for their ONE MEAL A DAY, I want to do something to help. A local church has started a multi-stream food drive and fundraising campaign to raise awareness of hunger in our communities and offer meals to needy families, especially those with children.

My nephew has started making Para-cord bracelets and key-fobs to earn money for his college fund. He just turned 16, so the college fund may be preempted by a 'car fund.' Either way, he is working generate income for himself while learning the ropes of time management and a good work ethic. During the warm months, he also mows grass for a few neighbors.

I've started taking my wares out to a local craft fair/farmers' market on Saturdays. My cousin makes wire-wrapped jewelry, and set me up with him at the market. I am making a lot of contacts.

That's the news. Thanks for checking in! =)

It's that time of year again! The Great Backyard Bird Count is going on all weekend - and this year it has gone global! The online submissions allow birdwatchers to enter their data no matter where they observe these feathered wonders! Unfortunately, there was a mess of snow and rain in my backyard today, and not too many birds ventured out into the miserable weather. Hopefully, the sun will come out tomorrow... (were you just singing? LOL)... and the birds will flock to the feeder! I even added a birdbath basin under the tree (the squirrel kept knocking off the pedestal, so I put it on the ground). It hasn't attracted any new species to the hub, but my regular visitors seem to like it.

In other news of my cheap hobbies, I have been successful with My Little Crochet Shop on Etsy.com. I have crocheted lip balm cozies, dishcloths, scarves, shawls, coaster sets ("mug rugs").. and now I am working on an amigurumi design for an alien doll. I gave upcycled tshirts to my nephews for Christmas in the form of "ugly dolls" - free form monster dolls with button eyes and crude embroidery mouths and stuffed with poly-fill. They LOVED them! .. I should make more! I can make monsters faster than I can crochet! LOL

All right, you guys (and gals!)... It's 1am and I promised myself I would not stay up until 3am (again!). So, I am off to dream of springtime when I can get back to panning for precious yellow flakes buried in the sand. Until next time.....

Happy New Year - 2013

photo courtesy of www.freedigitalphotos.net

Well, well, well... and I sincerely hope you ARE well! Thanks for reading! - Today is January 1, 2013... the first day of the new year... time to revisit and revise the bucket lists.. the short term and the long term lists.

photo courtesy of www.freedigitalphotos.net

One thing that keeps popping up on my list: SAVE MONEY... as in "PUT MONEY IN SAVINGS" ! That should get crossed off at least once, one would think? Somehow, I maintain a level of pent-up demand such that when I do acquire (earn or receive) a bit of cash, I can immediately find a use for it! Nothing goes to savings, or at least, not for long. So, today, I began reading personal finance articles online to realign my thought patterns with a savings attitude. I learned a few things...

(1.) It is totally possible that I sabotage my savings attempts! There are multiple vices at work, including but not limited to procrastination, weak goal-setting, and lack of accountability.

(2.) I am hoping for a miracle... lotto, Publishers' Clearing House Sweepstakes, super job opportunity, gold strike, etc... when what I really need to focus on is securing a steady income.

(3.) I don't have a budget. Well, honestly, I shunt responsibility on this one, claiming that without a steady income, budgeting is impossible... yet, I still have bills to pay like car insurance and cell phone!

photo courtesy of www.freedigitalphotos.net

What to do? I have a nice little crochet business going on Etsy.com. I even call it My Little Crochet Shop.  I have one, maybe two, textbooks I can sell on Amazon... might rustle up a few items for eBay, but those are only short term shots. With a steady check, those extra shots could go to savings... did you notice I said "could" ... phooey. Am I still not on board?

So, my most promising hobby right now, until the US government again makes it unlawful to do so, is gold panning. It produces only a little every day I pan (no where near an ounce per week), but with patience, practice and persistence, those little bits will add up. Location is not the limiting factor, oddly enough... but self-discipline.

I just had that AH-HAH! moment... when I've finally put my finger on the problem... I need an accountability partner!

New Year for Birdwatching

Phoebe
Picture was taken January, 2012.

You've read about last year's birdwatching adventures in my own backyard. Today marks the beginning of a new saga. My super companion, Phoebe, passed away suddenly in late October.

Today, I noticed a little Carolina Wren drinking from the "rain barrel" (actually, it's an 8-gallon office wastebucket I leave under the eave of the house so that rainwater collects). I watched the wren flutter across the surface, barely getting her bottom wet as she safely perched on the far side. Afterwards, she moved to the cement porch and scraped her beak along the edge and preened herself. That gave me an idea:  I need a birdbath near the feeder!

The birdbath is actually just the cement bowl of a pedestal set. I learned quickly that squirrels will set the bowl off balance if I put it on the pedestal! Setting the bowl on the ground near the feeder allows me to keep an eye on it for maintenance needs without worrying about it crashing from a height. After rinsing it out with a scrub brush, I put about a quart or so of filtered water in the bowl. I added a cup of birdseed to the feeder and waited for my usual suspects to come scope it out.

It wasn't long before I saw my first visitor! A gorgeous red Northern Cardinal flew to the maple tree and patiently observed the feed and water stations. When he was sufficiently certain there was no trick,  he hopped down to drink water from the bowl! =D Flying back up to a branch, he spied the seed in the feeder. Waiting to see if some neighboring sparrows were on the prowl, he then nibbled some seed from the feeder. Awww! Cardinals are so smart! I just hope he gets the word out! =)

Gold Digger :D

That's me grinning at my first pan... every pan's a winner!
(Photo by R.Way of Eureka Gold Panning)

How's this for a cheap hobby? Hook up with a local prospecting outfitter and ride out with them to a well-known gold producing creek and pan all day and keep what you find! That's what I did over the Labor Day holiday! I learned to improve my panning technique and even picked up some new ideas for coaxing gold out of the creek bed. There are more uses for a turkey baster than the original designer ever imagined! LOL

 

Here's a look at my first pan. Yes, we hit pay dirt on the first try!
(Photo by R.Way of Eureka Gold Panning)

The Sunday evening thunderstorms had scared away many would-be Monday morning prospectors. I am glad I do not scare too easily! The gold was practically jumping out of the creek into our pans! 

(Photo by R.Way of Eureka Gold Panning)

 Here is what the lead prospector coaxed out of the heavy concentrates after the excursion. One day, I will have my own extraction to get the microgold out for myself. For now, he gladly obliges himself to do it. Amazing what is not readily visible to the naked eye! He uses magnets to draw away the iron compounds and a microscope to see what he's working with. Not a grain gets by... :)

My "naked eye" picks are in the vial. Another panner's finds are in the top of the pan. See the gold chain in the corner of the pan? That is what we want! 

(Photo by R.Way of Eureka Gold Panning)

In addition to the gold in my little pill bottle (vial), this is what was recovered from my concentrates. Nice artistic expression he has! LOL

(Photo by R.Way of Eureka Gold Panning)

I shared all this on Facebook, and now my friends want to get in on it! There's plenty for everyone, but few will put in the work to get it.. I won't lie, it is work.. you have to find a sweet spot, dig under and around submerged rocks and shake that pan filled with mud and rock to get it down the the workable paydirt... you will get a backache, your legs will hurt from squatting for long periods of time... you will be nursing sore muscles the next day (or two)... and that doesn't cover the snake hazards, bears-deer-mountain lions-bobcats-foxes-coyotes that are meandering through the woods, the sudden downpours from summer thundershowers that leave you wetter than if you had gone swimming, falling in the mud, water filled boots, no phone reception, backpack & contents soaked from rain.....

BUT IT WAS ALL SOOOOOO WORTH IT! I am definitely going to do this again!

Many thanks to Eureka Gold Panning of Greensboro, NC, for an adventure I will remember and repeat!
(Website: http://eurekagoldpan.com/ or LIKE them on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EurekaGoldPanning )