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Merit Badge Awardees - Woo-hoo Sisters!:  Farmgirl Sisterhood Merit Badge Awardees |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 21 2021 : 11:16:26 AM
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Cindy Kinion (AussieChick, #6058) has received a certificate of achievement in Cleaning Up for earning an Intermediate Level Shopping Green Merit Badge!
“Single-use plastics and polystyrene takeaway containers are now banned in Queensland. The new law ending the use of plastic straws, stirrers, cutlery and plates was passed in March and came into effect on 1 September 2021. The ban is part of Queensland’s plan to tackle plastic pollution and follows strong support from the community, retailers and industry organisations. Due to this change in law, it has been easier to purchase products that have recyclable and/or biodegradable packaging.
The Queensland government also banned single use lightweight plastic shopping bags back in July 2018, so I have been taking my own canvas and fabric bags to the grocery store since 2018.
I like to use reusable mesh produce bags from Activated Eco when buying my fruit and vegetables to avoid plastic bags, and I have reusable beeswax wraps as an alternative to plastic food wrap.
Some of the eco-friendly household cleaning products that I use include vinegar for cleaning windows and mopping floors. I also add a few drops of Eucalyptus oil when mopping our timber floors – it leaves a refreshing smell around the house. I have been using soap nuts to wash my clothes for quite some time now, and I like to use Oil of Clove when cleaning the bathroom – it is great for mould removal. Baking soda is a great product to clean stubborn stains on the oven and on saucepans or baking trays.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2021 : 11:17:19 AM
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Cindy Kinion (AussieChick, #6058) has received a certificate of achievement in Cleaning Up for earning an Expert Level Recycling Merit Badge!
“My husband and I have been participating in the Containers for Change program now for just over 2 months. Most aluminium, glass, plastic, steel and liquid paperboard beverage containers between 150ml and 3L are eligible for a 10-cent refund. Our church has a collection point for the containers and the refund is donated to CRI (Christian Religious Instruction) in our local schools. This program takes care of a lot of our recycling.
We have encouraged other members of our church community to participate in the program too. Larger pieces of cardboard, scrap metal and our garden waste can be taken to our local transfer station where it is recycled by our local Council. There is no cost for us to take these items to the transfer station.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2021 : 11:18:22 AM
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Cindy Kinion (AussieChick, #6058) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning an Expert Level Birds Merit Badge!
“My husband and I joined some friends on a trip out to Carnarvon Gorge last weekend. We planned to hike about 25km of the trails through the gorge, so I took this as the perfect opportunity to do my expert level bird watching expedition at the same time. We camped for 2 nights and also met some friendly bird characters in the campground.
10 species that we found along our hike included:
Apostle Bird (Struthidea cincerea);
Yellow-tailed black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus funereus);
Singing honeyeater (Gavicalis virescens);
Eastern yellow robin (Eopsaltria australis);
White-browed scrubwren (Sericornis frontalis);
Laughing kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae);
Rainbow lorikeet (trichoglossus moluccanus);
Pale-headed rosella (platycerus adscitus);
Dollarbird (Eurystomus orientalis);
Red-backed Fairy-wren (Malurus melanocephalus);
Some of the birds where easily heard, but tricky to spot in the trees and shrubs. I did manage to photograph most of them. The easiest to photograph were the friendly creatures that came to our tent cabin each afternoon. I have attached a photograph of the Laughing Kookaburra.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2021 : 11:20:55 AM
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Cindy Kinion (AussieChick, #6058) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning an Expert Level The Good, Bad, and Ugly ... Bugs Merit Badge!
“I've tried to mix up my garden plantings to include both exotics and natives: the idea is to produce a cornucopia of forage that will suit all sorts of beneficial insects. Just about anything that flowers can be a good for all sorts of pollinators, and my aim is the have at least two plants flowering in the garden all year round – not just spring – to provide a continuous food supply. Recently I have added Cornflowers, False Queen Anne’s Lace, Cosmos and Sage to attract more beneficial insects. We are entering our spring months, so there are flowers starting to emerge on many of my native shrubs. The lavender and rosemary are also flowering and I would definitely say that I am noticing more of both the European honey bees and the smaller native bees. I have also added another bird bath to ensure a good water source for both insects and birds. The birds are my organic pest controllers, so it is important to make the garden bird-friendly aswell. Adding the water source has not only increased the amount of birds, but also the variety of birds that are visiting our garden.
The importance of diversity within the garden cannot be overstated. While we have areas dedicated to vegetables, fruits and flowers, the garden is its totality contains many different species, each playing a different role: attracting different birds or insects, adding different nutrients to our compost heaps and influencing the surrounding plants in subtle ways.
I read a quote by Julian Blackhirst (Head Gardner at The Garden of St. Erth) that stated: “If we create and plant our gardens as a gift to nature we discover the joy of growing plants, not just to feed us, but to feed the soil, the birds and the multitude of life too small for us to see. Nature will find her balance in the garden and fertility, abundance and beauty follow as our reward”.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2021 : 11:22:35 AM
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Cindy Kinion (AussieChick, #6058) has received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning a Beginner Level Bustin' Out Merit Badge!
“As part of my "Know Your Food" intermediate badge, I increased the amount and variety of organic foods that we were eating, particularly fruits and vegetables. I started with the "Dirty Dozen" list which are those fruits and vegetables contaminated with the highest levels of pesticides. These include: strawberries, spinach, kale, nectarines, apples, grapes, cherries, peaches, pears, capsicums, celery and tomatoes. Often the fruits and vegetables with the thinnest outer skin are more susceptible to higher levels of pesticide absorption.
I've been aiming to purchase only organic items from the "Dirty Dozen" list for the past month. There is a designated organic section in our local grocery store, otherwise, I can usually find them at the Organic Market on Campbell St in Toowoomba. It's a nice feeling to know that we're not only supporting organic growers, but also nourishing our bodies with healthier food options.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2021 : 11:25:33 AM
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Rea Nakanishi (Lacey, #8284) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning an Intermediate Level Civic Heritage Merit Badge!
“In the city in which I live is a little museum that I've passed many times in the downtown square. I've always wondered about this little museum, so finally I decided to visit the Hattie Weber Museum. This was a great experience and I learned more about the town and this little museum.
Hattie (Harriet Elisha) Weber was the first paid librarian in Davisville. In 1906 she began volunteering as librarian of the Davisville (now the city is named Davis) Free Library, then housed in the Buena Vista Hotel. On November 17, 1910, she began receiving a salary of $10 as the librarian. When the Davisville Free Library became the first branch of the Yolo County Free Library system she saw the library grow from a circulation of 200 books in 1906 with a population of about 700 people to a circulation of 23,144 books in 1953 when she retired after 42 years.
Davis now has a much larger library now named after the librarian Mary L Stephens. Mary served as a librarian for 37 years. Hattie Weber and Mary Stephens were two very influential librarians that helped the school children of Davis to enjoy the art of reading.
This was a fun badge. I finally learned more about the museum. I have lived in Davis for the last 20 years but never took the time to explore this little gem in my town. It made me do more research about the this town and the university.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2021 : 11:27:39 AM
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Rea Nakanishi (Lacey, #8284) has received a certificate of achievement in Cleaning Up for earning a Beginner Level Home Insulation Merit Badge!
“For home insulation I know the walls in my house are R-19 and the attic is R-30. I installed the R-30 in my garage roof to keep out the heat as well as a solar attic fan. The windows are vinyl double pane widows with reflective coating. Metal widow frames might be more durable but they can corrode and will have more issues with fading and pitting.
With my power company there is no current rebate for insulation. The rebate that I would able to claim this year is for the new roof. The roof is cool tile which helps with your energy use for cooling and heating your home.
When the upgrades in the garage and roof were added my neighbor inquired. They are in need of a new roof and insulation as well.
You learn that when you make small upgrades to your home they reflect in money saving projects. The insulation and roof have definitely cut down on air conditioning this summer. The windows being double pane and coated help with the California sunshine.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2021 : 11:29:07 AM
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Rea Nakanishi (Lacey, #8284) has received a certificate of achievement in Cleaning Up for earning an Intermediate Level Home Insulation Merit Badge!
“Today was a good day to check for air tightness in my home. There was just enough of a breeze to find the leaks in my patio door frame. The plumbing fixtures are all insulated as well as all the electrical boxes. I checked the attic hatch which was sealed tight. I purchased some weather stripping and fixed my patio door.
This was a good test and I think I will do this again when winter starts. Sometimes with a lot of rain the ground settles and new air leaks might appear.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2021 : 12:32:36 PM
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Carrie Williams (Carrie W, #147) has received a certificate of achievement in Outpost for earning a Beginner Level Rocks and Minerals Merit Badge!
“I learned that “rock” is a rather generic name for hardened portions of the earth’s crust. They can be made up of minerals, pieces of crystal formations, shells of dead organisms, and compressed plants. They are classified into three groups:
Igneous—formed from solidified magma or lava, usually are the basic makeup of most mountains and used in construction as in granite countertops, sculptures, paving materials, and railroad beds.
Sedimentary—formed from mineral material and fossils of once living organisms, used in construction and energy production.
Metamorphic—formed by physical or chemical changes to the igneous and sedimentary rocks, or other metamorphic rocks (comes from the word metamorphosis) and can be caused by temperature, pressure, and other influences. Marble is a metamorphic rock used in everyday life for home flooring, countertops, sinks, etc, as well as art such as statues and cemetery markers.
Minerals, on the other hand, are defined as “naturally occurring, usually inorganic substances that have definite chemical composition and a crystaline structure.” Eight areas of diagnostic properties help us to label and classify minerals: crystal habit, luster, hardness, cleavage, fracture, color, streak, and specific gravity (density). Minerals are absolutely necessary for all living matter. They are the building blocks of our body organs and bones and neural pathways. They are also used in the building of electronics, batteries, and transmitting electricity around the world! I learned a lot from this badge.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2021 : 12:33:34 PM
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Carrie Williams (Carrie W, #147) has received a certificate of achievement in Outpost for earning an Intermediate Level Rocks and Minerals Merit Badge!
“The best local display for rocks and minerals is The Natural Stone Bridge and Caves, about an hour north of me. I have taken my kids there every summer for years because the weather is reliably cooler there on summer days, and there is so much to do that it never gets boring. We wander the trails and caves, seeing rocks and minerals in the natural world, and then they also offer a Dino Dig, gemstone mining. Geode popping, and wire wrapped jewelry making. This is one of the best ways to get kids interested in rocks and minerals, and to teach them to pay attention to the world around them at home and wherever else they go.
I am a rock hound, and I have a very hard time not leaving the beach or the woods without a pocket full of stones and shells and collectibles. I have found some different ways to use them in crafts that allow me to display my precious findings without them becoming just heaps of “stuff” in my life. I sometimes write dates or proverbs on my stones as reminders of trips and I have a few items that were gathered on canoe trips by an elderly woman that I cared for until her death in 2018. She, too, had a hard time leaving a natural area without a collection of unique little stones and bits of wood or other natural findings. At her memorial service, her family placed bowls of these stones and findings out on all the tables and they encouraged us to find some pieces to take home in memory of her. What a great idea!”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2021 : 12:34:41 PM
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Carrie Williams (Carrie W, #147) has received a certificate of achievement in Outpost for earning an Expert Level Rocks and Minerals Merit Badge!
“I used a Rock Identifier app on my phone to help me determine what kinds of rocks and minerals I have in my collection. These are mostly from Florida, Maine and New Hampshire, where I visit on vacations and spend time rock and shell hunting on the shores. So I have a pretty decent collection with a rock from each group and several minerals.
Rocks: Sedimentary—chert, sandstone
Metamorphic—quartzite, amphibolite
Igneous—obsidian
Minerals: labradorite, milky quartz, calcite, amethyst quartz, chalcopyrite, fluorite,
orbicular jasper, crackle quartz, aventurine, hematite, jadeite
I've sorted my collection into bags with the name and description of each one so that later when I get my shadow box built I can add the collection with labels. Unfortunately, I do not know which ones came from where, so in the future I will get better at taking note of those details along with dates.
I don’t have any fossils yet but I keep looking!”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2021 : 12:36:04 PM
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Carrie Williams (Carrie W, #147) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a Beginner Level Weather Merit Badge!
“Atmosphere is the “gaseous envelope of a celestial body (such as a planet)” consisting mostly of nitrogen, oxygen, argon, and carbon dioxide. It extends about 500 km from earth and is divided into four layers: troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere. In the troposphere we have the clouds and most of our weather happens. The stratosphere is beyond the troposphere and contains “ozone” which absorbs ultraviolet rays, protecting life on the surface of earth. The mesosphere is where meteorites that enter our atmosphere usually burn up, meaning that they do not end up striking the earth. There is very little air in the thermosphere, and the exosphere beyond this final layer has a pressure that is only slightly more than that of a vacuum.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2021 : 12:37:21 PM
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Carrie Williams (Carrie W, #147) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning an Intermediate Level Weather Merit Badge!
“Clouds are simply water vapor and charged particulates that are drawn together in the lower portion of the atmosphere. Some of them indicate rain, some don’t. The four basic types of clouds are cirro, cumulo, strato, and nimbo. Nimbus clouds are a combination of the other types and usually mean rain is coming. Cirrus clouds are high and wispy and do not cause rain. Cumulo clouds are fluffy like cotton candy and indicate moisture that is condensing as the air cools in a higher part of the troposphere. Stratus clouds form in sheets or layers along warm fronts. Then there are multiple combinations of these cloud forms.
In doing this badge, I started tracking the clouds each day and then compared the forecast in my weather app to the “cloud forecast” that I was seeing in my skies. Sure enough, it was on point!”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2021 : 12:38:23 PM
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Carrie Williams (Carrie W, #147) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning an Expert Level Weather Merit Badge!
“I paid attention to the weather each day for a month, noting the specifics into an excel sheet. I then made a couple of graphs to show the trend for that time period. Unfortunately, New York has been having a lot of rain, which was great for cloud watching, but didn’t really make for interesting weather patterns. We had mostly damp, rainy, high-pressure days with high humidity and high dew points—my least favorite weather.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2021 : 12:39:52 PM
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Carrie Williams (Carrie W, #147) has received a certificate of achievement in Make It Easy for earning a Beginner Level Emergency Preparedness Merit Badge!
“The greatest concern for where I live is storm damage or a fire, since I have tall trees near me and winter means heaters and always a chance of malfunction. In the last couple years, however, we have had three tornados touch down very close to my house, so that makes for another emergency concern. Most people in the northeast are used to keeping a certain number of supplies on hand for power outages since we often have ice storms or large snowstorms that mess with the grid. So, I have always kept extra groceries on hand and I usually run bucket of water before big storms for the purpose of washing and flushing toilets. I also keep an eye on the retired couple next to me and make sure that their furnace is running and that they get plowed out as necessary. I know that the church that I work at would immediately open as a place for refuge in an emergency, so I am mindful of keeping certain amenities on hand there, as well.
My family has, in recent years, created an emergency plan in case of a large emergency such as wildfire, major flooding, or other catastrophe. We have a “rendezvous” spot at a farm to the north of us where we would be safe from flooding and also outside city limits in case of major rioting event as we saw in 2020. We also have a meeting place south of us in case the emergency approaches from the north. We may never have to use these plans, but I do get comfort just from knowing that if catastrophe hits, we will all head to the same place. (Emergency Preparedness checklist is from www.readyrating.org)”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2021 : 12:41:05 PM
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Carrie Williams (Carrie W, #147) has received a certificate of achievement in Make It Easy for earning an Intermediate Level Emergency Preparedness Merit Badge!
“I've never had a “bug-out” bag before, but with a rapidly changing world and threat of rioting and hate crimes, I've decided that it was time to put together a bag that I could grab quickly if I need to flee my home. I also have my camping supplies in a single location where they could be loaded into my car easily if given enough time. This gives me peace of mind during these tumultuous days. I'm grateful for the many online resources that I found because there are some items I would not have thought to add to my bag otherwise, like copies of important documents. Getting this ready has also forced me to organize my files and documents, too.
I also purchased a Jackery battery and solar charging panel this year which gives me the capability of charging phones, running a light, and even keeping my small refrigerator running for several hours. It will come in handy for my rustic camping trips as well, so it was a good investment.
Since I live alone, I only had to make up emergency contact cards for myself, but I made many copies, laminated them, and they are stashed in my glove box, my purse, my bug-out bag, and on my fridge. I also put a sticker on my laptop with emergency contact information. This is another little detail that I did not really think about until doing this badge. (Checklist found on www.abolist.com)”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2021 : 12:42:49 PM
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Carrie Williams (Carrie W, #147) has received a certificate of achievement in Make It Easy for earning an Expert Level Emergency Preparedness Merit Badge!
“I've always been somewhat prepared for an emergency, simply because I used to be an avid camper and so I always had my camping supplies “at the ready” for a spontaneous trip into the woods. Therefore, for this badge, I brought out my tote of supplies, emptied it out, and repacked it more neatly and thoughtfully. I used the BugOut Bag supplies list to help me cover all my needs. Now it is all packed back into the tote and stored in my spare bedroom for easy access. I used to carry it in my trunk but the new car doesn’t have a trunk and the dogs wouldn’t like it taking up their space, but at least it is ready to go when I am.
I also have supplies for Sheltering-At-Home that include extra canned foods and dry goods. I’m already pretty good at “roughing it” so I’m not too worried about creature comforts but I have extra batteries and plenty of flashlights etc.
I'm hearing that we will have some days of disruption to both the power grid and internet service in our near future. I hope that I'm ready.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2021 : 12:45:04 PM
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Carrie Williams (Carrie W, #147) has received a certificate of achievement in Cleaning Up for earning a Beginner Level Home Insulation Merit Badge!
“My 1995 Skyline mobile home has 4” of fiberglass insulation in the walls, ceiling, and floor. I have moisture barrier on all sides, as well. I have an underbelly wrap that keeps the heat ducts and plumbing insulated, too.
My fiberboard interior walls have R-value of 3, the ½ inch plywood exterior wall has an R-value of .63, and the 4” fiberglass batt has R-value of 15. My ceiling/roof is slightly better as there is a layer of shingles over the plywood, adding another R-.44. This is good, though not as good as a well-built, non-pre-fab home, which can have a total R-value of 13-23 for the walls and R-30-49 for ceilings. My windows are two layers of glass separated by 5” of airspace. This values at R-3. My rear door has no storm, R-3.03, and the front door has a storm and value of R-4. Both the windows and doors on my home fall just a little lower than half the R-value of high grade materials.
New York ran a program for rebates and credits about a decade ago, for those who upgraded appliances or upgraded their home’s insulation, but no longer has rebates for residential buildings. They do, however, offer free materials such as plumbing wraps and switch plate insulation.
My home is old so it needs some TLC now and then to continue to keep me warm and dry.”
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MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2021 : 12:46:22 PM
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Carrie Williams (Carrie W, #147) has received a certificate of achievement in Cleaning Up for earning an Intermediate Level Home Insulation Merit Badge!
“I purchased my home in March of 2014, just after this badge was developed. I had issues with my furnace and my pipes froze (but didn’t burst!!) two times in those first couple months. So, I got busy right away and started tightening things up. I used some caulk and weather stripping in the two doors, and placed draft blocks at the base of the two doors. Since that first winter I have installed insulation in the switch plates that are on exterior walls, caulked around window frames, and wrapped pipes with free materials from National Grid. My pipes have never frozen again! My heat runs a lot on cold nights, but fortunately I have excellent southern exposure, and if the sun is shining at all during the day, my furnace does not run! I keep curtains and shade all the way open to make sure to take advantage of the passive heating. In the summer, however, this is not good, so I purchased reflective panels that are sold for RV homes. I have two large windows and two half windows that I place these panels between the outer (storm) and inner panes of glass each summer to keep the sun out. This has reduced my need for air conditioning tremendously! On cooler days I can just push them up into the space between the panes and let the sun in and open the window for air. This has been the best solution I've found for summertime because the reflective material is pressed up against the glass, reflecting the heat so that it doesn’t come into the house much at all, as opposed to blinds or curtains that block the sun but allow the heat to build up between the glass and the blind/curtain, which then rises and comes into the house anyway.
The only other option that I think could be better would be to install working shutters on the outside of the house that could be closed on hot summer days and any heat trapped between the shutter and the glass would rise into the outdoors. I may try adding these someday.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2021 : 12:47:45 PM
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Carrie Williams (Carrie W, #147) has received a certificate of achievement in Cleaning Up for earning an Expert Level Home Insulation Merit Badge!
“This fall I am getting full-on ready for winter! I have six of my eight windows sealed with plastic, since this is where I get the greatest drafts. Each window project included moving all furniture in that area, vacuuming/mopping the floor, washing the curtain, wiping down the walls and window jambs, pulling the glass panels out and cleaning all the glass, and washing the blinds!! So not only do I have six windows ready for winter, I have six areas that are completely clean! I also pulled off the old disintegrating weather stripping on my two doors and installed new stripping and sealed the sun roof in my guest bathroom where the plastic had released and fallen away. My last two windows are being left unsealed so that I can use them with fans for these last few days of nice weather. I may not bother to seal them since I love to have fresh air on nice days and hate to cut myself off completely.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2021 : 1:12:05 PM
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Cindy Kinion (AussieChick, #6058) has received a certificate of achievement in Make It Easy for earning an Intermediate Level Make It Pretty Merit Badge!
“I really enjoyed this merit badge and with spring in the air it was the perfect time to get back into some painting. My friend Mel & I participated in a "Spring Watercolour Workshop in the Garden". The day consisted of walking through the beautiful flower garden and picking a bunch of flowers, we were then treated to some delicious morning tea while our artist host gave some demos and tips on watercolour painting (specifically flowers). We were then left on our own to paint under the shade of the trees with some coaching from the host. Some of my results are attached in the photograph. It really reignited my interest in watercolour painting. I hadn't really done a great deal since high school. I mainly concentrated on acrylics, so this was a great way to spark my interest again.
For the second component of this badge, my sister and I visited the Brisbane Art Gallery to see the European Masterpieces exhibition. Spanning 500 years, ‘European Masterpieces from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York’ offers a breath-taking journey from the 1420s and emerging Renaissance to conclude at the height of early twentieth century post-impressionism. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity also allowed visitors to experience works by painters such as Rembrandt, Rubens, Turner, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, and Monet, direct from The Met’s collection – one of the finest collections of European painting in the world, the majority of which rarely leave permanent display in New York.
Earlier in the year, I also toured the Maryborough Mural Trail. The work of a volunteer community committee which launched its first project in 2015, it has now reached 36 murals and installations and has become a popular tourist attraction. My favourite mural in the collection was "Milking Time" by artist Brian Tisdall. The building featured in this mural, known locally as the Butter Factory, was constructed in 1910 on land purchased by the Maryborough Co-operative Dairy Association. For the next 80 years it produced cream, milk, butter and cheese for the surrounding district. During these decades' milkmen went out in trucks to meet customers who filled their glass jugs from the tap on the tank. By the 1970s and 80s, milk was packaged in glass bottles with foil caps. The factory was closed in 1989 and sold the following year.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2021 : 1:14:16 PM
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Cindy Kinion (AussieChick, #6058) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a Beginner Level Sew Wonderful Merit Badge!
“My nieces are on school holidays, so I decided to make them each a sewing kit. My mother taught me to sew when I was in primary school, so I have accumulated a lot of sewing equipment over the years. I contributed some of the materials that I no longer needed and bought the items that we needed to complete the kits. We included scissors, thread, bobbins, buttons, needles, pins, a tape measure, a few pieces of fabric (and my mother also has a lot of scrap fabric that they can practice on), and a cane basket to put their items in.
They managed to sew together a pin cushion with ease. Basic straight stitch to make a square. We zig zagged the raw seam edges. We then put stuffing into the square, hand-stitched the one side closed and then stitched a button through the top. My older niece quite enjoys sewing and is now making hair scrunchies to sell to her friends.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2021 : 1:15:07 PM
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Cindy Kinion (AussieChick, #6058) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a Beginner Level Nellie Will-do Merit Badge!
“I decided to do clothing construction for this merit badge. I followed a New Look pattern to make a winter skirt. It consisted of panels sewn together, a zipper in the back, and a waistband with decorative buttons. I used a polyester/wool blend fabric.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2021 : 1:16:43 PM
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Cindy Kinion (AussieChick, #6058) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning an Intermediate Level Nellie Will-do Merit Badge!
“For this intermediate badge, I continued with some of my sewing projects, this time making a summer dress. It is a New Look pattern consisting of a fitted bodice sewn to a pleated skirt with an interfaced midriff. There is binding in the armholes and neckline. I used a cotton blend fabric.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2021 : 2:25:43 PM
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Allison Clark (Allison Clark, #8292) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning a Beginner Level Families Forever Merit Badge!
“I hosted a family game night for eight nights in a row. We played dominoes, cards, and puzzles together. We also read magazines to each other. We did this without the TV on. We made popcorn and had Diet Peach Snapple. It turned out good.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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Merit Badge Awardees - Woo-hoo Sisters!: Farmgirl Sisterhood Merit Badge Awardees |
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Farmgirl Sisterhood Merit Badge Awardees
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