Valley Highlands Area – Scouts Canada January 2006

Happy New Year

Notes’N’News

Volume two #4 Editor: Scouter Chris Tyler Firstscoutkim@aol.com

January is the first month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. The name is derived from Janus, the Roman God of gates and doors, and hence of openings and beginnings. On January 1^st the Romans offered sacrifices to Janus so that he would bless the New Year. In the middle ages most European countries used the Julian calendar and observed New Years Day on March 25^th, called annunciation day and celebrated as the occasion on which it was revealed to Mary that she would give birth to the son of God. With the introduction of the Gregorian calendar in 1582, Roman Catholic countries began to celebrate New Years Day on January 1^st. Scotland accepted the Gregorian calendar in 16oo, Germany, Sweden and Denmark in 1700; and England in 1752. Traditionally the day has been observed as a religious feast, but in modern times it has become an occasion for spirited celebration and the making of personal resolutions. The Jewish New Year is called Rosh Hashanah, or the feast of trumpets, and is prescribed by the Old Testament as a holy Sabbath. The ten-day penitential period before Sukkoth starts with Rosh Hashanah and ends with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. It is celebrated (generally in September) on 1^st & 2^nd days of Tishri. The Chinese celebrate New Year’s Day sometime between January 10^th and February 19^th of the Gregorian calendar. It is their most important holiday. Having said all that I trust you found time between the parties to make your New Year Resolutions and make every endeavor to keep them.

Talking of New Beginning’s….

We have just one year to go before we start our 100^th anniversary celebration of Scouting, it is not too soon to take a look at some ways we can celebrate. One excellent suggestion is a cooking competition. So, in the remainder of this year’s Notes’N’News we will have some recipes for camp cuisine which are well within the capabilities of the patrols. We invite you to try them out and if need be make some minor adjustments to your preferred taste. Let me know how you get along and what adjustments you make.

Cooking has been everything from bare necessity to state of the art cuisine. From beans on toast to roast of Peacock Brains. From Great Banquets of Europe, using tons of fuel to simple Chinese foods cooked over the smallest of fires because of the shortage of fuel. From Roman, Greek, Italian, French, and other European master Chef’s down through the ages the art of cooking has developed to dizzying heights. But of these, only the great chefs of France gave us both Cuisine Bourgeois – Home Cooking, and Haute Cuisine - the aesthetic pursuit of cooking as an art, with miniscule servings on a huge plate with a huge price tag. We are only interested in Homestyle cooking, but there is no reason why it should not be carefully prepared, properly cooked, decently presented, and above all, pleasing to the pallet, while filling the needs of the working mans stomach.

So let’s get started with a delicious….

Fruit Soup; Beef Stroganoff; Strawberry Swizzle; Tea, coffee, or cold beverage.

For the Fruit Soup, (serve hot as starter or chilled as a desert) you will need 11 ounce package Dried mixed fruit, ½ cup seedless raisins, 4 cups water, 1 Orange unpeeled, but cut into six slices – then cut slices into quarters. (Remove any pips) 1 can unsweetened pineapple juice, ½ cup currant jelly, ¼ cup sugar, 2 Tablespoons quick cooking tapioca, and ¼teaspoon salt.

Preparation. Combine mixed fruits, raisins, and water. Bring to boiling, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes until fruits are tender. Add remaining ingredients, bring to boiling then simmer covered for a further 15 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Serve both fruit and liquid. Makes 8 – 10 servings.

For the Stroganoff, You will need (for a patrol of six) 1 lb. Stewing beef. 3 or 4 tablespoons sweet & sour sauce. 1 can condensed Mushroom soup. Half can of water. 1 can of French cut green beans. Six large baking potatoes loosely wrapped in tin foil tightly sealed. 2 Tablespoons cooking oil. 4 medium yellow onions finely chopped. 1 small can mushroom stems and pieces.

Preparation. Slice the meat into ¼” (4mm) slices and arrange in a heap on a large plate. Pour on the sweet and sour sauce, and set aside to marinate turning occasionally, for fifteen minutes. Put one-tablespoon oil into a heavy skillet and cook onions over a fairly high heat until softened but not browned. Push aside, add rest of oil and the meat/marinade mixture, and brown the meat until no pink shows. Next add mushrooms and mix soup and water and pour over ingredients in pan. Mix well and bring to a smooth boil. Reduce heat and simmer for fifteen minutes or until meat is soft. Top up sauce with warm water if needed.

Heat green beans in own water separately. Serve with baked potato lathered with butter or margarine and sour cream.

Still need a desert? Try making Strawberry swizzles.

You will need 2 packages of strawberry Jell-O, 2 cups hot water, 1-cup cold water, 4 cups ginger ale, 1-quart vanilla ice cream. 12 mint leaves.

Preparation: Dissolve the Jell-O in hot water, add cold water; chill until syrupy (about 1 hour)

Into each of six 16-ounce tall glasses pour ½ cup of the Jell-O, add half of the ginger ale into the six glasses, stir. Divide ice cream into the glasses, top up with ginger ale. Top off with whole strawberries and mint leaves.

Just remember that the potatoes could take at least 45 minutes – 1 hour and 15 minutes to cook, so get them in early.

The fruit soup takes just as long, so if you plan to serve it as a dessert you will need at least an hour to chill before serving. Therefore you will need to start your creation about two hours before serving time; Remember – it is discourteous to be late. The Strawberry swizzle’s will not take more than a few minutes to make up, so leave until immediately before serving, or the ice-cream will melt, and you will end up with a mess.

Also Remember, – the secret to a good cup of tea is to ensure that the water is BOILING. Pour boiling water over Tea (or Tea bags) and allow to soak for several minutes. Stir and serve, with a dash of milk and sugar according to taste.

You can buy paper tablecloth and napkins at the dollar store – cost $2.00 to add that final touch of elegance. Enjoy.

Now having enjoyed your meal and cleaned up, its time to entertain at the Campfire.

Campfire Songs, skits and yells:

Song. How Peculiar. Tune; Battle hymn of the republic.

1^st verse. When one sly snake slid up the slide, the other sly snake slid down.

When one sly snake slid up the slide, the other sly snake slid down

When one sly snake slid up the slide, the other sly snake slid down

When one sly snake slid up the slide, the other sly snake slid down

Chorus.

Glory, glory, how peculiar.

Glory, glory, how Peculiar.

Glory, glory, how peculiar.

When one sly snake slid up the slide, the other sly snake slid down.

2^nd verse. When one drunk duck dropped into the ditch, the other drunk duck dropped dead.

(As in verse one repeat this line four times)

Chorus. Glory, glory, how peculiar.

Glory, glory, how Peculiar.

Glory, glory, how peculiar.

When one drunk duck dropped into the ditch, the other drunk duck dropped dead

3^rd verse. When one black bug bled blue-black blood, the other black bug bled too.

(repeat four times and as last line of chorus.)

The Yell or cheer. Out of the window it must go,

It must go, It must go,

Out of the window it must go,

It was c-o-r-n-y.

The Skit: Measurement Problem.

Cast of three (Two people come into the area carrying a long pole. They prop it up (or get someone to hold it) then stand back and look at it.

First, “Now there several ways we can figure out the height of this pole. How do you want to start?”

(The two unsuccessfully try various methods of estimation to calculate the height of the pole)

First: “Well, according to my calculations, that pole is two meters high.”

Second: “No way it has to be shorter than that. Just look at it.”

(This kind of banter continues several times, as they obviously become more and more exasperated. A third person strolls onto the stage)

Third: “Hi” (He watches for short time then asks) “What are you trying to do?”

Second: “We’re trying to measure the height of this pole.

First: “We haven’t had much luck yet, but were getting there.

Third: “Why don’t you just lay it on the ground and measure its length?”

First: (scornfully) Huh!

Second: (to Third) I say, didn’t you hear right? We want to know how tall the pole is, not how long it is!

With Camp Zero just around the corner…

Here are some tips about keeping warm.

The body looses heat in five ways. By understanding these, it is relatively easy to determine how we are becoming cold and what to do about it.

Radiation. As we produce heat, it is given off from all parts of our body. Our head, our trunk, and our groin are the areas of greatest heat loss. In fact we lose nearly one-half of our body heat from an uncovered head at near-freezing temperatures. When we dress appropriately, we allow the heat that isn’t needed to radiate into space.

Convection. Our clothing acts like a wick, carrying heat away from our bodies to the outer layers, which are then cooled by the surrounding cool air. When exposed to wind, this convected heat loss is more rapid. Wind is also responsible for the infamous wind-chill. When the temperature drops to 0° F the effects of the accompanying 20mph wind take the temperature down to about -40° F.

Conduction. Heat flows rapidly from our body when we are in contact with rocks, logs, cold car seats, the ground or water. We should stay as dry as possible and drink hot liquids to help maintain internal body warmth. Wear gloves and a hat. Wool is best as it retains its insulation value even when wet. Water can extract heat from our bodies more than twelve times faster than air. Use rain gear.

Evaporation. When we get too hot we sweat. Sweat soaks the inner layers, and evapourates through the outer layers of clothing, then cools down very rapidly when we stop sweating. You can avoid sweating by adjusting your clothing before work so as to avoid sweating, but re-adjust when you have finished working.

Respiration. Heat is lost every time we breathe. Inhaling cold air and exhaling warm air accounts for a substantial loss of body heat. Wearing a scarf or long stocking cap to cover your mouth saves a surprising amount of body energy.

Make sure that your clothing is loose enough to allow adequate circulation of the blood.

Stay active to keep circulation going.

Avoid alcohol.

Acclimatize slowly.

Add or discard clothing to maintain good balance of body heat.

Don’t forget to email the names of youth that attend your winter camps for the FREEZIE AWARD.

The Legend of Dick Whittington…

Richard Whittington was born in 1358 to a poor Knight. He grew up without formal schooling and at the age of ten he ran away to London to try and better his lot. He lived rough for a while but eventually found work as a scullion, doing rough, dirty and heavy work in the scullery, an extension of the kitchen in a large house. It was here that a baby kitten with which he shared his food and taught many tricks adopted him. After four years he became depressed at his prospects and decided to return home. He set at dawn one morning in 1372 on the long journey. After several miles, he sat down on the roadside to rest and was surprised to hear the bells of St. Mary-le-bow Church. The bells seemed to say “Turn again Whittington, thou worthy citizen, Lord Mayor of London.”

Dick took heart and returned to London then finding work with a tailor who would not allow Dick to keep his cat. Dick heard of a ship’s captain that was in need of a cat; He took his kitten to the dockside and gave it over to the captain but was so distraught at losing his only friend, he ran from the ship so that none should see his tears. Now it happened that in 1374 the Captain sold the cat to a Barbary prince in Tripolitania for a huge sum of money. On his return to London, the Captain sought out Dick and gave him the fortune. Dick continued to prosper and made cash loans to Kings Richard II, Henry IV and Henry V. In 1303 became an alderman, then in 1397 and again in 1406 and 1419 was elected Mayor of London. At his death 1423 most of his fortune was given to charity including the rebuilding of Newgate Prison, and the founding of Whittington College which lasted for more than a 100years,

Smile a while….

A doctor had a problem with a leak in his bathroom plumbing that became bigger and bigger. Even though it was 2 a.m., the doctor decided to phone the plumber.

“For Pete’s sake, Doc,” the plumber wailed “This some time to wake a guy.”

“Well,” the doctor answered testily, “You’ve never hesitated to call me in the middle of the night with a medical problem. Now it just happens I’ve got a plumbing emergency.”

There was a moment’s silence. Then the plumber spoke up, “Right you are Doc.” he agreed. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

The Doctor explained about the leak in the bathroom.

“O.K. I’ll tell you what to do,” the plumber offered. “Take two aspirins every four hours and drop them down the pipe. If the leak hasn’t cleared up by morning, phone me at the office.”

Best Headlines of 2004.

I keep a lot of clippings for possible use and while looking through an old file came across these headlines which have dual meanings. Take a look…

“Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says”

“Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jay Walkers”

“Panda Mating Program Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over”

“Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant”

“War Dims Hope For Peace”

“If Strike Isn’t Settled Quickly, It May Last A While”

“Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges”

“New Study Of Obesity Looks For Larger Test Group”

“Astronaut Takes Blame For Gas In Spacecraft”

“Local High School Dropouts Cut In Half”

“Hospitals Are Sued By 7 Foot Doctors”

“Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery, Hundreds Dead”

…Which just goes to prove “It’s not what you write it’s how you write it!”

The Numbers Game.

Want a game to keep your youth amused for hours on end, try this one.

Take ten wooden cubes and label them 1 through ten. Jumble them up and put them in a shoebox.

Now blindfold your youth and ask them to randomly pick out one block at a time and place them in order (i.e. 1-10)

on the table. What do you think the chances of pulling blocks 1 through 10 in numerical order on their first try would be? Answer – 3,628,800 to 1

Want some program ideas? How about a look at the science badges, or just plain fun with Nature for the Naturalists, Agriculture, and Horticulture badges.

Water, “an extraordinary substance.”

Raining outside! Or possibly snowing? It makes you feel quite miserable yet it is the very essence of life.

Water, common name applied to the liquid state of the hydrogen-oxygen compound H₂O. The ancient philosophers regarded water as a basic element typifying all liquid substances. Scientists did not discard that view until the latter half of the 18th century. In 1781 the British chemist Henry Cavendish synthesized water by detonating a mixture of hydrogen and air. However, the results of his experiments were not clearly interpreted until two years later, when the French chemist Antoine Laurent Lavoisier proved that water was not an element but a compound of oxygen and hydrogen. In a scientific paper presented in 1804, the French chemist Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac and the German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt demonstrated jointly that water consisted of two volumes of hydrogen to one of oxygen, as expressed by the present-day formula H₂O. Pure water is an odorless, tasteless liquid. It has a bluish tint, which may be detected, however, only in layers of considerable depth. Under standard atmospheric pressure (760 mm of mercury, or 760 torr); the freezing point of water is 0° C (32° F) and its boiling point is 100° C (212° F). Water attains its maximum density at a temperature of 4° C (39° F) and expands upon freezing. Like most other liquids, water can exist in a supercooled state; that is, it may remain a liquid although its temperature is below its freezing point. Water can easily be cooled to about -25° C (-13° F) without freezing, either under laboratory conditions or in the atmosphere itself. Supercooled water will freeze if it is disturbed, if the temperature is lowered further, or if an ice crystal or other particle is added to it.

The earth contains vast quantities of water. It is more abundant than any other substance. Among its many advantages is that it occurs as a gas (water vapour) as a liquid (water) and as a solid (ice) – all within the earth’s temperature range. Too, the thousands of raw materials that humans, animals, and plants need must be transported in a fluid, such as blood or sap. Water is most ideal for this because it will dissolve more substances than any other liquid. Without water, nutrition could not continue, since living organisms depend on water to dissolve the substances on which they feed.

Water is also extraordinary in the way it freezes. As water in lakes and seas cools, it becomes heavier and sinks. This forces the lighter, warmer water to rise up to the surface. Yet, as water approaches freezing point, the process reverses! The colder water now becomes lighter and rises. When it freezes into ice, it floats. The ice then acts as an insulator and keeps deeper waters underneath from freezing, thus protecting marine life. Without this unique quality, every winter more and more ice would sink to the bottom where the sun’s rays could not melt it the following summer. Soon, much of the water in rivers, lakes, and even oceans would become solid ice. The earth would turn into an icy planet that would be inhospitable to life.

Extraordinary, too, is the way that regions far from rivers, lakes and seas get life-sustaining water. Every second, the sun’s heat changes thousands of millions of gallons of water into vapour. This vapour, lighter than air, floats upwards and forms clouds in the sky. Wind and air currents move these clouds, and, under the right conditions, moisture drops as rain. But generally speaking raindrops only grow to a certain size, falling gently, seldom hurting even a blade of grass or the most delicate flower. Truly we sometimes get a deluge, but even then little harm is done. It is only when the deluge is accompanied by high wind, or when precipitation freezes as in an ice storm, or falls as very large hail, that damage really occurs.

50 – 90% of every living thing is Water. Water breaks down substances into nutrients and then carries these nutrients needed for life around the “body” – be it a giant 300ft-sequoia tree or single cell microbe, Insect, Animal or Human Being. Water also makes possible the complexities of photosynthesis, which convert poison gasses into oxygen, which we also need to sustain life.

So, the next time it rains when you are camp, or have just cleaned the car, or the windows, or simply get wet due to precipitation, don’t complain, but rather find a way to live with it. After all it is the lifeblood of every living thing – including you.

Next time… A look at some miraculous wonders. A chance to take a glimpse into Air conditioners, Airplanes, Aqualungs, Compasses, Electricity, Farming, Incubators, Paper making, Rotary engines, together with Sonar, Submarines and Thermometers. All in the natural world.

And Finally…. (Click on the green area’s and pull down the Center Square to reveal the answers.)

If a rooster laid an egg on top of a very steep hill, which side would the egg roll down?

Neither side…. A rooster can’t lay eggs

On which side does a chicken have the most feathers?

The Outside.

Ouch!!!