Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Salt Marsh Safari

We were able to get a few days off and visit Ocean City, NJ last week for a wonderful time! You can check out our photo album at http://picasaweb.google.com/renewcomer/2009OceanCityNJ#. A good number of the photos are of a great tour through the salt marsh near Cape May with folks we got to know at this year's ANJEE conference. Captain Ginny said come down some time, so we did. We enjoyed over two hours with Captain Ed and crew piloting us around visiting Osprey, lots and lots of gulls, crabs, and all kinds of wildlife. Check them out at www.skimmer.com.
That's Jolene in the middle of the picture in the hat and binoculars.

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Sunday, February 01, 2009

Jeff's Children and Nature Blog


Jeff Hoagland is a good friend even though our contact is limited to once or twice a year at Environmental Education conferences. You may have met him if you go to PAEE or ANJEE events. If you did and got to talking you know that he is thoughtful and thought-provoking. Long-time Education Director of Stony Brook Millstone Watershed Association, Jeff now has a blog on "sharing the joy and wonder of nature with children" at http://www.packetinsider.com/blog/kids_nature/. Check it out. Like me, you'll be able to enjoy conversations with Jeff more than twice a year and benefit from his own overwhelming joy and wonder of nature.

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Saturday, January 31, 2009

2009 ANJEE


We're on the road again with our annual visit to Princeton, NJ for the Association for New Jersey Environmental Education conference. Having a great time as usual catching up with friends and being inspired by the stories of what they're doing. This is our first bookselling since last Spring, so it felt a little bit like a rebirth. More to follow...

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Sunday, May 11, 2008

Sustainable Living Resources


Check out www.nwei.org the Northwest Earth Institute for some great resources on Sustainability, Global Warming and other HOT (sorry, had to say that) topics. I'm going to take a look at getting some folks together for a discussion course or so. Why don't you check it out.

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Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Make Your Own USB Telescope from Camera Telephoto

Here's a great idea for that old telephoto lens for your outmoded 35mm that you just haven't been able to throw away. Recycle it in minutes to a very good and inexpensive telescope for your computer.



40$ USB Spy Telescope - video powered by Metacafe

Sunday, July 29, 2007

Geological Adventures in Bedford County

So Jolene and I had a bit of time to kill Friday on our way back from Somerset. Well we killed more than we should have and were late for the retirement party we were attending in the evening at the Allenberry Resort. What did we find so interesting?

Well first we stopped at the Jean Bonnet Tavern along Route 30 just west of Bedford. We ate in the tavern where we both had the Bison Burgers which feature bison from the nearby Bison Corral which we did not have time to visit. The food was great and they had a good selection of microbrew and small brewery beer. Since this was a geology trip we also were entertained by some roadwork just outside our window (mineral resource activity). After a quick stop with the goats, chickens, herb gardens, and gift shop just outside we headed on.

Our next stop was Coral Caverns in Mann's Choice, PA. We had some trouble finding it and I spent too much time swapping information with the operator so it's probably to blame for us being late for the party. It was a small cave by most public tour standards, but fun and well worth it particularly for the unique fossilized coral wall.

As you can tell by the misty photo of me standing at the cave's entrance it was a damp and drippy day. Next we travelled just a bit to the north to Gravity Hill. I arrived pretty skeptical after reading about this phenomenon on its own very nicely designed web page, but I was soon won over. If you go to the web page and print the very helpful directions it leads you to this very remote narrow country road. Pass the first GH on the road and proceed downhill to the Start line. There you put your vehicle in neutral and it will begin to very distinctly drift backwards up the hill. There was another vehicle waiting, so we didn't go the whole way or we would have eventually reached a pretty good speed. We also didn't get out and pour water on the road which is also suggested on the web page. We did however go up the road to a second such spot and experience it again. It was a real hoot and a must visit if you are in the area. It didn't make me a believer, but was alot of fun for free!

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Saturday, July 28, 2007

Promised Beach Pictures... sort of


Hey it's Mister Taffy! Well you can tell what I do at the shore. You didn't think is was lie on the beach in the sun was it?
Well, Jolene wouldn't pose with Mr. Taffy. Maybe if it had been someone in a Macks Pizza costume.
Anyway, I promised a photo that I took at the beach the other week and here it is. We've been on some other adventures that I'll need to report on, so I had to get this one out of the way.
Stay tuned for Gravity Hill and other adventures with geology!

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