2010-2011 HICOP Blog
WE WON!
Gordon Williams Lodge, Camp Nemo's New Program Centre was presented with a cheque for $25,000 by The Keg Steak House and Bar.
We would like to thank everyone who supported us and especially The Keg Steak House and Bar. Because of their generosity we will be able to offer more program than ever and we will be centred in a wonderfully renovated and fully accessible nature centre. Thank you to everyone who has helped make this happen but a special thanks to Sharon Miller who started the whole process and made sure that all deadlines were met.
I will be starting a web page for the renovation and move so stay tuned.
June 26, 2011
It was another relatively quiet day at the HICOP.
Marty helped a group of Scouts with their forestry badge. The group was made up of Scouts from 1st Binbrook, 7th Milliken and Dunville.
13th Hamilton had a birthday party at camp. It wasn't anyone's birthday so they celebrated anything close. It gave them an excuse to party and more importantly an excuse to have cake and ice cream. Parents and friends were invited to camp for the party and quite a few came down to the HICOP for a visit.
I spent down time in the afternoon painting and photographing birds and the very friendly chipmunks. I managed to get a photograph of a yellow bellied fly catcher and lots of the chipmunks. I also got a not very clear picture of a mother downy woodpecker feeding a fledgling. She kept flying down to our feeder and then back up to feed the baby.
Normally I would find this time of year a bit depressing. It is the beginning of the best camping weather and Scouting shuts down. However, this year we have our move from Hencher Den into the much larger and more accessible Gordon Williams Lodge to look forward to. We will be keeping the HICOP open until Gordon Williams is ready to move into so if anyone wants to visit the HICOP we can open it but it will be by appointment only.
June 14, 2011
I am taking outdoor landscape painting classes at the DVSA and I hosted my class at Camp Nemo for two Tuesday afternoons and evenings. I had a great time painting in camp and the instructor and students loved the camp almost as much as I do. Normally when I am in camp I am in Scouting mode and it was exciting to look at it from an artistic point of view. It truley is a paradise.
June 11, 2011
It was another fine day in camp. The weather definitely cooperated. The predicted rain didn't materialize and temperatures were perfect.
It appears that the Cubaree was a huge success. The camp was full of very happy looking Cubs and very tired looking leaders. There were lots of good activities to keep everyone very busy. We didn't see as many patrols down at the HICOP as we would have liked. Hopefully that will change next year when we are closer to the action in Gordie Williams.
It is hard to believe that another Scouting year is coming to an end. It has been another fantastic year in camp. It seems that every year more and more volunteers are getting involved in the camp. Maintaining the camp is a lot of work and it is currently being done by a handful of volunteers. The most time consuming jobs are ones such as cutting grass, emptying fire pits, splitting wood and clearing deadfall and new growth from trails. If you have some time we can use the help.
The renovations and the move of the HICOP into Gordon Williams Lodge are going to make this a very busy summer for us. You will be able to follow our progress here.
June 4, 2011
Oh what a day! We knew there was a good chance of rain today but we had no idea that a huge storm was brewing. The camp was as full as it has been in a long while. International camp was this weekend and there were about 125 from 1st Bolton.
The HICOP volunteers were doing program with 68 youth from the Bolton Group when the storm hit. We had Beavers under a tarp, Cubs in the creek, Scouts up in the bird field, and Venturers up on Mount Nemo caving.
The Venturers and Scouts were well prepared both mentally and equipment wise so they had no problem with the storm. It was however pretty dramatic for the Cubs and Beavers and very traumatic for some of the youth and leaders. I was more concerned about hypothermia than the lightening.
We weren't as prepared as we should have been for the storm. We also need to communicate better to visitors that we do our programs rain or shine and we do consider the safety of the youth in all our activities. Leaders need to have youth prepared for bad weather.
We didn't find much in the way of benthic macro invertebrates in the creek. It is hard to have the patience to check your net when it is pouring rain. We did find a new fish in our creek. We aren't positive but we think that we had a pumpkin seed minnow in one of our traps. I would like the Scouts that were in the HICOP to know that Scouter Marty's water aeration trick with the cups totally revived the minnow and he was released relatively unscathed into the creek. He happily swam away home.
I don't know about the others but the 28 Cubs who came down to the HICOP all smiles for the afternoon program seemed to have a great time. They did a fantastic job of building 9 more bird boxes for us. I am sure that they will make some bird families very happy. Unfortunately we didn't have time to hang the boxes but we did hike up to check out four of the boxes in one of the fields. They got to see some Eastern Bluebird chicks that are getting quite big and are fully feathered. They also got to see a new born Tree Swallow chick and in another box some Tree Swallow eggs.
I am sure that a few years down the road they will be saying "Remember Camp Nemo when we had that incredible storm?" Life memories were forged this weekend. Some good, some not so good.
I learned a lot about the resilience of Cubs and I would like to thank 1st Bolton for their understanding.
I would also like to thank Pete Macintosh for the fantastic Luna moth image. This was taken at camp on the weekend.
May 28, 2011
It was another fantastic day in camp. Lots of mud. Not many Hamilton groups because they were all at the parade but there were a few outside groups which kept us busy. Bailey, my granddaughter came to camp with me to help out so that was a treat.
Scouter Marty spent the morning with the 1st Brant and 10th Richmond Hill Scouts doing Fish and Wildlife badge work. They all came back covered in mud but smiling broadly.
Scouter Linda didn't get to camp until about noon because she was in the parade. She helped 10th Richmond Hill Scouts work on their environmental project. They learned all about garlic mustard and picked about 160 pounds of it. I knew that there was no way that we could remove garlic mustard from camp but with the help of an army of youth we are managing to eliminate most of it.
Scouter Marty spent the afternoon doing Nestwatch with 10th Richmond Hill Cubs and Beavers in tow. Most of our boxes have nests, many have eggs and one has Eastern Bluebird chicks. The youth loved getting to see the eggs and the chicks.
Scouter Linda came back from the garlic mustard just in time to take the 81st Hamilton Beavers on a long muddy hike. I wish that I had gone with them because they looked like they found some really serious mud.
I didn't take any pictures because Bailey was having way too much fun with my camera for me to even think of taking it from her. She has a better eye than I do anyway so I am hoping that she will get some images to me. Next time I will insist that she use my Sd card.
As much as I love the mud it would be really nice to see some sun and to get the camp dried up a bit.
May 21-22, 2011
We had perfect weather for the Victoria Day Camp. It clouded over and rained a bit on Sunday but it wasn't enough to dampen spirits. Confed field was very muddy, as usual, but since my motto is "no mud, no fun" that wasn't an issue for me. Of course I wasn't camping in it.
The Scouts picked 692 pounds of garlic mustard this year. This is down from the previous years but considering how hot it was and the fact that everything close to the HICOP has been almost eradicated in previous years I am very impressed. They had to carry their bags of this very invasive weed a fair distance to get them weighed. I would like to congratulate 1st Dundas. They were not about to come second again this year. They did a fantastic job and so earned the Scouts Canada pocket knives and the first aid kits. I will have 1st Dundas put on the trophy ASAP.
I didn't get out and about much this weekend. Sharon Miller and I set up a table with two laptops in front of the Stockade. We asked everyone, who looked 13 or older, if they had voted and if they would like to. We managed to get over 60 people to vote and a lot of them were first time voters. It gave us a chance to discuss our plans with people and to clear up a number of misconceptions.
It seems a lot of people still believe that the camp can't afford the HICOP. The HICOP has been self supporting from the beginning. It actually brings money into the camp. There was less than two weeks between when the camp committee found out about the Keg grants and when the proposal had to be submitted. The HICOP staff were the ones who had a project ready and could put the proposal together that fast.
Victoria Day camp has always been very energizing for me. The camp is full of young people with huge smiles and lots of laughter. This year was no exception. A camp like this requires a lot of hard work by some very dedicated volunteers and I would like to thank all those involved. It is a wonderful thing that you are doing.
May 17, 2011
Voting started yesterday and we are ranked number one. We need to work very hard to stay there. It is easy to gain momentum but difficult to regain it when it is lost so lets keep the votes coming. Spread the word. We know that Camp Nemo is special. Lets show the world.
May 14, 2011
What an amazing day. It was very wet and very muddy but who cares. There were a lot of youth in camp and a lot in the HICOP.
The morning started off very slowly for me. Marty was out helping 4th Clarkson with their Fish and Wildlife badge work and at 10:30 am I had not seen a soul. The upside is that it gave me a chance to watch the birds at our feeders. There was the usual crowd of Chickadees, Goldfinches, Cardinals and Blue Jays but much to my delight two of my all time favourite birds showed up. The Red Bellied Woodpecker and a Rose Breasted Grosbeak both made an appearance. The Grosbeak stuck around for most of the day so I am hoping that we will see more of him. I am also posting the image of the Black and White Warbler that I forgot to upload last week.
Sharon Miller and Allen Eden came by to discuss our fantastic news (above) but 4th Clarkson Beavers showed up right behind them so I didn't get to chat. I didn't get much of a chance to sit down for the rest of the day but that is okay because I would much rather be playing with youth than talking with adults. As I said to one of the leaders "Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional".
A large group were in camp for the day and were relieved to find out that our fire pit (under a tarp) was available for them to cook their lunch. Hot dogs over a fire would not have been fun in the rain. Especially after spending the morning hiking. It only started raining as they finished their hike but they were pretty wet, muddy and tired all the same.
Our trails are getting used more and more which is a good thing because they are starting to get packed down and easier to follow. It is a lot of work to maintain the trail system and it is good to see it used.
Scouter Marty wowed about 20 youth with his fire lighting demonstration. He even wowed me because it is sometimes very difficult to get char or bark to light with a spark when you are fighting with 100% humidity.
1st Bronte Scouts were in the Pines this week. They went trout fishing just as the Venturers did last week. When they got back from fishing they came down and invited us to come up for some Trout. They were leaving about 4:00 and we were too busy to get away from the HICOP. It got quiet in the centre about 4:30 and Scouter Marty and I were sitting at our campfire lamenting missing out on trout again when two Scouts showed up with a foil wrapped gift for us.
I came home from camp very tired and with the taste of fresh caught and cooked trout lingering in my mouth. Another perfect day in paradise.
May 7, 2011
Is it May already? Another Scouting year is winding down far too early.
It was another beautiful day in camp. Not a busy day visitor wise for us in the HICOP but the camp was full. There were lots of activities.
1st Bronte Venturers were in The Pines. They did a day trip to a trout farm and came back with three trout for supper.
3rd Streetsville Scouts were on Belfry campsite. They made benches and a table and had a wonderful cooking fire with a grate over it. They were all sleeping under tarps most of which were an unobtrusive green. All their wood was cut with a saw which is much safer than an axe. They informed us that when they left there would be no sign that they had been there. I am planning on checking on Saturday. Not because I have a need to check up on them but because I am curious to see how well they did. This is after all a minimum impact site so perfection isn't necessary.
1st Binbrook decided to take on Tetonka. It is in the process of being torn down but is proving to be much tougher than anyone expected. It is sad to see this building go. Not only is it the oldest building in camp but I believe that the back section is actually "Ram Inn" which was converted from a chicken coup into the camp's first building. They also discovered just how hot natural fibre rope burns.
Royal Canadian Air Cadets often book buildings in camp to do trainings. It is a good reminder of how great Scouting is and the skill that we are teaching youth. The cadets were using our HICOP campfire for a session. The trainer impressed me with her skill splitting wood with an axe and then she tossed the axe on the ground. Oopsie!
I went with Scouter Marty when he did his rounds of the bird boxes. There were a great number of Tree Swallows in the bird field. They are very tolerant of us. I got so close to one that I couldn't focus my camera and had to step back. There were many nests started but no eggs yet.
One of the boxes in Harvester field had an Eastern Bluebird nest with three eggs in it. This is two years in a row now that we have had Eastern Bluebirds back in camp. Yahoo! There is however a pair of cowbirds flitting around so they may be a problem for the bluebirds.
We saw a Baltimore Oriole in the top of one tree. Their colour is magnificent. Migratory birds are passing through right now so we get a fleeting glimpse of some migrant visitors. I managed to get a picture of a Black and White Warbler. I have never seen one before.
It was another great day to be in camp but then again every day is.
April 30, 2011
It was another beautiful day in camp. The weather was perfect. Sunny and warm.
The birds are starting to nest in our boxes and I understand that tadpoles where seen in Matthewville. Spring is here in full force.
We have a new toy in the HICOP. Thanks to a very kind donation from Bell Canada and Scouter Pat Hall we now have a brand new digital discecting microscope. This means that whatever is put on the microscope can be displayed on a monitor or projected onto a screen. A group of youth can all see what we are looking at instead of lining up to look one at a time.
The 97th Hamilton Cubs brought in a worm and we put it under the microscope. We could see its heart beating and watched as it produced a little clump of dirt. It was pretty cool.
They also brought a bucket containing some bones that they found in camp. Scouter Marty sat at a picnic table with them and help them deduce that they were likely from a raccoon.
We are starting a collection of images from the microscope. When we get enough interesting ones I will create a web page and we will have a contest to see who can do the best job of figuring out what they are. We even have prizes so stay tuned.
I really do love my job.
April 16, 2011
The weather didn't co-operate for camp cleanup. It was very wet and very muddy and too wet and muddy to do a couple of projects that we hoped to get done.
I am always amazed at the number of people who come out to help spruce up our camp. I was even more amazed considering the weather. I didn't get up above to see what was going on in the buildings but I am sure that there were hard working crews in all of them.
31st Hamilton was unable to do their annual fleur-de-lis weed and paint because the hill was too slippery to be safe to work on.
The trail up to the bird field has slumped to the point that is difficult to climb. We hoped to have some Venturers with shovels to repair it but it made no sense to work on it because any loosened soil would have immediately washed away.
Nick Spino was in camp with his chain saw again this year. We appreciate having him there because it is hard to find Scouting members certified to use chain saws. Nick and the Venturers have spent the last few camp clean ups cutting standing deadwood to help keep our trails and buildings safe. The 31st Scouts and the Venturers, who would have worked with us, all pitched in to help move all the cut wood up to the wood shed.
The poor Scouts were using wagons to haul the wood up the hill. Not only were the wagons heavy when they were loaded but the ground was very soft so it was a very tough go. Add to that the rain and most of them should have been miserable. All I saw was smiles and laughter. I am sure there were some complaints to their leaders but they kept soldiering on. My hat is off to them. Well done team.
Where there is mud there is always fun. Right?
When it came time for the Venturers to haul wood up the hill they cheated with a truck. Scouts are "Wise in the use of all resources" and the Venturers were wise in the use of Advisor Tom's resources.
All in all, other than the weather, it was a great day. I would like to send a special thank you to all who braved the weather to support Camp Nemo.
Would those who didn't manage to get out to help please at least give someone who did a pat on the back. The camp wouldn't be usable without them.
Now I am off to wash my muddy clothes. I certainly had fun.
April 9, 2011
It was another gorgeous day in camp. The sun was shining, the birds were singing the youth were laughing.
We have put signs along the creek to increase awareness that this is not a good time to play in the creek. Fish are spawning and if we stir up a lot of mud it will smother the roe. We love to play in the creek and think that youth should get wet and muddy but now is not a good time.
Birds are starting to nest so please don't disturb them when they are around our bird boxes. We collect data from our boxes and send it to Cornell University for their nestwatch program.
A leader gave their youth eggs to take outside and break. A fun activity except they decided to use camp bird boxes for egg target practice. Not only is this disturbing to the birds but the egg will attract raccoons we may now have to put raccoon baffles on the boxes. We also found a box with a stick stuck in the opening. Please educate your youth to respect the wildlife in camp.
1st Carlisle Cubs came down to the HICOP for a visit. There were 23 Cubs so it was a bit hectic but they were a fun group and it was great to make some new friends. They came inside in three well behaved groups so it was easy on us and they asked some great questions.
I was a bit torn. I had to leave camp early which I didn't like to do on such a gorgeous day but I was heading to my grandson's first birthday party so I wasn't too upset.
Next weekend is Camp Cleanup and we hope to see as many work crews out as possible. Lunch is provided if you register ahead at the Help Desk (905-528-5711). This is our camp and it is only as good as the volunteers that help maintain it. I love Camp Nemo so spending time working out there is a joy. It is, in my very biased mind, the best camp in South Western Ontario so lets work together to make it even better.
Wednesday April 6, 2011
What a fantastic evening. The 1st AFC Cubs and Scouts (24 youth) came to camp on their meeting night. They arrived shortly after 7:30 PM and started hiking with Scouter Marty shortly after that. They started off in daylight but by the time they got back to the HICOP it was very dark. Apparently it is hard to see the mud in the dark and there was lots of mud. There were also lots of smiles.
When they got back to the HICOP Debbie and I had hot chocolate and a campfire waiting. I would have liked to show them how to perfectly brown a marshmallow over the coals but with 24 youth there was no way for me to get even close to the fire and they were having so much fun that I wouldn't have been able to get their attention anyway.
They seemed to have a great time, we definitely had fun and we raised some money for the HICOP. All in all a very successful night.
April 2, 2011
It was a very quiet day at the HICOP. We really miss having youth around but it gave us a chance to get some work done on some projects.
Jennifer Potter was with us all day working on her outdoor skills badge work and helping out in the centre. She spent the morning hiking with Scouter Marty and learning to identify trees. That's much easier when there are leaves on them but she seemed to do just fine. She spent the afternoon feeding the chickadees and cutting up paint swatches to make colour squares for a colour scavenger hunt activity.
I spent most of the day sitting outside in the sun drawing and colouring. Three of my favourite activities. I was working on a pirate map. This map is an orienteering activity for Cubs. It is in eight pieces and looks like an old treasure map that has been cut up. Each piece leads to the next piece and at the end there will be a buried treasure chest full of gold doubloons (chocolate coins). We still have some clues to make and install around the course but this should be usable soon.
Last week I forgot to thank Peter Macintosh for removing a huge section of log from the path going up to the bird field and Lookout campsite. We have been trying to get this cleared up for a long time. Thank you Peter for a job well done.
Spring is in the air. The birds are getting frisky, the chipmunk is out of his hole and the coltsfoot and snowbells are blooming. I love this time of year when everything starts to come to life. I can't wait to get to camp again.
March 26, 2011
Oh what a day it was. The sun was shining and the temperature got up to 4 degrees Celsius. The camp was almost full so there were lots of smiling faces around. Elaine Priest came to spend the day with us and she was a great help.
Marty spent the morning taking the 79th Hamilton Cubs on a hike and they came back looking pretty tired.
Elaine and I had a busy morning with guests in the HICOP and youth looking for seed to feed the chickadees. 75th Hamilton Cubs were there first thing because they wanted to do the orienteering course. We also had visits from 58th Hamilton Beavers and 75th Hamilton Beavers.
At lunchtime Ancaster Scouting youth dropped in to tell me that they had something that I had lost in Harvester if I wanted it. I had misplaced my camera (I hope that Debbie doesn't read this) and suddenly remembered exactly where I had left it. Sitting on a log outside the KYBO at Gordie Williams. Last weekend. I headed up there with my fingers crossed. Sure enough an Ancaster Cub, Ben Hamilton, had spotted my camera sitting covered in snow and had given it to his leaders. I would like to thank Ben and the Ancaster Group. It is reassuring to be reminded of just how trustworthy youth in general and Scouting youth in particular are.
The 58th Hamilton Beavers came back down to do pine cone bird feeders in the afternoon. At one point the HICOP was packed with youth and a Cub came up to me and said "I can't wait until Monday". I asked her why thinking maybe she wasn't having fun at camp. She said that she was and "I can't wait to tell my friends that I patted a coyote, touched a red tailed hawk and lifted a moose antler. How cool is that?" I really do love my job.
We also had visits from Sylvie Charette (and her fiance Aaron) and Jennifer Potter who we suspect was escaping cooking duties. Sylvie did our woodlot survery in 2009 and it was great to see her again. Jennifer is working on some badge work and she is becoming a friend of the HICOP. We find it exciting that youth are interested in helping out.
March 19, 2011
Weather-wise it was another gorgeous day in camp and since most campers are away for March Break we had an opportunity to sit in the sun and chat about where we are headed and about our pending move to Gordie Williams.
We are very excited about being able to be in a more accessible and visible location. We will also have much more space. We will, however, need help. The HICOP has been staffed, for the most part, by three people and we would love to have the occasional Saturday to spend with our families. We would love to see some new faces helping out in the centre with new ideas. We are looking for leaders or senior section youth who wouldn't mind helping out the occasional Saturday. All that is required is love of Camp Nemo and a willingness to learn about the camp environment. We will provide all the training needed.
Having free time this week also meant that we could wander around camp a bit. It is a good thing that camp cleanup is soon because some areas of camp are in need of some work. Someone left the tables in Confed a sticky mass of jam and maple syrup. We had outside guests in camp for a couple of days during March Break and it was embarrassing.
There were also a pile of cigarette butts outside the kitchen door at Confed. These butts send two messages to youth. Adults at camp smoke and adults at camp litter; so it must be okay to do both. Butts do not biodegrade so this mess does not go away until someone else cleans it up. We are Scouting. We are better than this.
The third thing that got my attention was the fire pit in front of Gordie Williams. It is full of charcoal, from people putting fires out with water, to the point where is has been overflowing and the area around the pit is a blackened quagmire. There is even a big chunk of angle iron in the pit. This pit is going to have to be dug out by someone and the charcoal dealt with. Charcoal does not biodegrade either. It is forever. If you have a fire in camp please burn it down to ash and do not use the fire pits as garbage dumps.
Okay enough ranting. Back to the good stuff. The ground is soft and so there are lots of animal tracks. There 13th Hamilton Cubs were out casting tracks and it must have been perfect for them. There were good prints all over.
We had a good visit by the 63 Hamilton Cubs. Another really engaged and curious Pack that it was fun to have around. The 13 Hamilton Venturers dropped by for a fire lighting demonstration. If a Scout only gets one match to light a fire then I do feel that a Venturer should know how to light a fire without matches. This Company does now.
I left my camera at camp and was holding off posting this until I picked it up tonight. Our meeting at camp was cancelled because of the weather so here is the posting with no new images.
I seem to have lost my spring fever. Does anyone know where I might find it?
March 12, 2011
It was a quiet day in the HICOP. Our only visitors of note were four leaders from 1st Bolton who were checking the camp out. We are looking forward to hosting them in June when they return with about 70 youth.
Marty spent the day with the 13th Hamilton Scouts. Megan, one of their patrol leaders, made arrangements with us for her Troop to come and spend the day working on their Naturalist badges. They are a great group and Marty enjoyed their company. They managed the mammals and birds no problem but learning to identify all the trees was a bit of work since there were no leaves on them. They did manage it and they all went home with one of the toughest badges to earn.
I neglected to take pictures again this weekend.
March 5, 2011
I was unable to be in camp on the weekend and that is a shame because my favourite grandson, Jack, came to visit with the East Burlington Scouts. Five of the Scouts spent the day with Marty earning their Fish and Wildlife and Forestry badges. The rest spent the day skiing at Glen Eden. Only Scouts could have a great time skiing in the pouring rain. Marty said that the five with him kept smiling, despite the rain, too.
Marty was accompanied by Jennifer Potter who is working to complete her outdoor skills. Marty's comment to me was "Did I ever mention that
I love hanging around with bright teenagers." so I presume that she had a good day too.
Linda was visited in the centre by 1st Dundas Beavers who had a good long visit. They are a fun group and always a pleasure to be around. 1st Tainsley Cubs visited in the afternoon and apparently made a valiant effort to feed the chickadees in the rain. Linda also said that many friends and supporters took the time to drop down for a visit.
Neither Marty nor Linda managed to get pictures so I am hoping others will get some to me. I have no doubt that some of Jack at the HICOP will show up.
I obviously missed a great but wet weekend.
February 26, 2011
This is eight Saturdays in a row that it has snowed and that there has been decent snow on the ground. It is much better than last year when we had almost no snow.
Scouter Rob came down to demonstrate proper winter camp attire. I get cold just looking at his bare knees. He came down with the 74th Hamilton Beavers who roasted marshmallows over our fire.
Marty did his fire lighting demonstration in the morning for the 4th Clarkson Scouts. They then borrowed six of our fire pans to light fires and cook their lunch.
6th Erin Mills Venturers came down to see Scouter Marty's fire lighting demonstration at 1:30 and had a good visit inside. Beavers are fun and cute in the centre but Venturers are fun and cute and they ask some good questions.
We are going through a lot of sunflower seed this winter. The birds are feeding like crazy and because the chickadees see a hand as just another feeder more and more people are stopping by to feed them.
What a wonderful winter. What a wonderful job.
February 12, 2011
Another Saturday with fresh snow. I think that this is five weeks in a row that we have had fresh snow on the weekend.
The chickadees are getting very easy to hand feed. A hand with seed in it is just another feeder to most of them now. The nuthatches sit in the tree looking at us but they won't come to a hand.
The coyotes are continuing to elude our camera. We have pictures of almost every animal in camp except the coyotes. I think that Scouter Marty is starting to believe me when I say that they are playing with his head. Every week they seemingly purposefully avoid where the camera is.
63rd Hamilton Beavers came for a visit. That group has been to the HICOP many times but they never seem to tire of it and there are a few new faces each time. We went through a lot of seed but they were having a great time feeding the birds. The adults say that they are there for the youth but they can't resist holding a hand with seed out too. Thank you Sharon for the great pics.
The 1st Hamilton Rovers were trying to find a spot to do their polar bear dip next weekend. They spent the whole afternoon finding out just how thick and how hard the ice in the creek is.
This afternoon Scouter Marty helped three Scouts from Seton 44th Toronto earn their Fish and Wildlife badge. They were a fantastic group. They spent the day building quinzes to sleep in and four of them elected to sleep in the shelter that we built last weekend. I would love to know how their night goes. I got curious about Seton and where it is. It was exciting when my name popped up in the research. It seems their community borders on Christie Street and Christie Park which were named after Mr. Christie as was I.
It was another fantastic day in camp. Have I said how much I love my job.
February 5, 2011
Oh what a weekend! Debbie and I came out to camp yesterday afternoon and made first tracks up to the bird field. The sun was shining, the air was still, there were animal tracks heading in all directions and there was no sign of another human being. The first image is Debbie standing in front of the white spruce that became the ridge for a shelter.
Today was the opposite but could we ask for anything better for Klondike weekend. The sun was shining this morning. Marty took 5th Hamilton Cubs on a hike and Linda and I hiked up to the bird field to run our Klondike activity.
Linda and I enlisted the participating Scouts to help us build an incredible survival shelter. Scouts love to cut trees and we are still in the process of cutting white spruce to open up the upper meadow so the shelter was built with spruce boughs. It was huge and probably the nicest that I have ever seen. It would likely sleep four Scouts in warmth and comfort. A number of youth asked if they could sleep in it.
I want to re-iterate that we are cutting white spruce only and white spruce because they do not grow naturally this far south. We planted these trees in the nineties because the Ministry of Natural Resources gave them to us free of charge. The ministry planted them because they grew fast and could be turned into framing lumber for houses. Unfortunately they were the wrong trees for our property. Within 10 years our field became a forest and all our meadow birds disappeared. We went from over 150 birds fledging from our boxes down to about 25 as the trees grew. With the work that we have done removing white spruce trees and opening up the meadow we have that number up to just over 80.
We would like to thank the Klondike kitchen staff for providing us with a hearty lunch of homemade soup and biscuits. It was perfect after a morning in the bush.
Just after lunch John Edwards, chair of the national SCENES committee, dropped by for a chat. Unfortunately we were too busy to chat long but John is very supportive of what we are doing and he brought us a bag of Altoids tins which we use for fire lighting kits. It was good to see him.
Between Marty, Linda and I we managed to run the activity up top and keep the HICOP open. Both areas were hopping all afternoon. We cut more trees than we needed for the shelter so we made some more bunny piles. The rabbit populations should rise even more as they use the protection offered by these piles.
The Venturers who tried to clear the log from the path going up to the bird field worked their tails off. They didn't manage to clear the log but they sure made a valiant attempt at it. Nice try.
We would like to thank Elaine Priest and her team for running another Klondike camp to remember. Great job everyone. I would love to see a three peat. 
We would also like to thank all the participants who made the day special for us. It is your smiling faces that keep bringing us back to camp.
January 29, 2011
It was another great weekend. This was the third Saturday in a row that it was snowing when I drove to camp. Three weekends of snow. The chickadees are so used to people now that they will come to a hand for seed even when the feeders are full. They are very curious and friendly little birds.
1st Bronte were camped in Pod two and they came by to feed the birds and for a visit. They came back later for Marty's fire lighting demonstration.
I had my camera at camp but unfortunately the battery was at home in the charger so I have now new photos. I must thank Marty for the photo of 1st Bronte feeding the birds.
The coyotes are playing head games with Scouter Marty. He is trying very hard to get a photo of the coyotes with the wildlife camera. Two weeks ago there were lots of coyote tracks around the HICOP so he set the camera up just outside. When he came back last weekend there were no new tracks or photos. He found a well used path with lots of tracks going up the hill by Pod 2 so he set the camera up there. When he retrieved the images from the camera this weekend he discovered that the coyotes had started going up and down the hill off to the side. They would approach the tree with the camera from the side and walk right under the camera. At least one coyote even peed on the tree below the camera but out of its range. They triggered the camera but all Marty got were images of trees.
We spent our spare time hiking up to the bird field to plan our event for next weekend's Klondike Camp. Klondike has always been one of my favourite camps so I am really looking forward to next weekend. It should be a blast.
January 22, 2011
It was another very slow day in the HICOP but not in camp. It was Mohawk Trails sub-area camp and the camp was full of laughing youth. They had their own activities planned for the day so we didn't see any of them in the HICOP. It is our hope that eventually people will think of us when planning camp activities. We do have a lot to offer.
We did wander over to visit with the 55th Hamilton Scouts who were tobogganing. Scouter Jess showed them how to do it.
I was excited because Debbie, my wife, came and spent the day with us. She spent most of the day either feeding the birds or sitting watching them at the feeders. There are so many birds flitting about that it is sometimes mesmerizing.
The pair of red bellied woodpeckers visited again this weekend so they will probably be around all winter. I also got a decent photo of a tree sparrow for the "Birds of Nemo" page. Marty is teaching me that sparrows are not just sparrows. We had a wonderful debate over whether one at our stump feeder was a tree sparrow or a song sparrow. It had barring on its upper breast but it was very faint. The white bars on its wings were the deciding factor.
For weeks we have seen lots of coyote tracks down around the centre. We now have a new wildlife camera and guess what. No tracks. Nada. Not a one. Scouter Marty went out on a mission to find a promising place to hang the camera. Hopefully next weekend we will have some good images.
January 15, 2011
It is a winter wonderland at camp again. It snowed during the night and it has been snowing all day. Three groups have passed by the HICOP on their way to tobogganing.
The birds are feeding like crazy and two groups of Cubs had them coming readily to their hands for seed. It is just above freezing now so it is comfortable holding seed in your bare hand.
Our count today is:
12 chickadees
6 goldfinches
2 juncos
2 white breasted nuthatches
2 downy woodpeckers
1 hairy woodpecker
1 red bellied woodpecker
1 blue jay
1 tree sparrow
I am excited that the red bellied woodpecker showed up again. He is one of my favourite birds.
There are lots of youth in camp this weekend but with all the fresh snow they would rather be outside so it has been very quite in the centre. Lots of bird feeding activity outside though. Hopefully we will have some inside visitors this afternoon.
27th Burlington Cubs came for a visit. What a great group. 20 Cubs and an assortment of adults were in the HICOP. This is more than the centre can comfortably hold at once but there were no problems. Lots of intelligent questions were asked which makes us feel useful.
January 8, 2011
Happy New Year!
What a fantastic start to 2011. When I left Dundas this morning there was no sign of snow but by the time I got to camp it was like a blizzard. I think that we probably got close to 15 cm of snow at camp this morning. What fun. It was especially great because the Venturer Survival Camp is this weekend.
The birds were visiting in full force and we are very excited that the pair of red bellied woodpeckers were at our stump feeder again. They are beautiful birds and we would love to see them hang around all winter.
We would like to thank Clive Sheppard for donating a very good microscope. We now have a microscope powerful enough to look at water samples and other objects too small for the dissecting microscope.
Because it is mostly senior sections in camp and most of them had been to the HICOP it was very quiet in the centre. That gave Marty and I a chance to wander around camp. The sun came out and gave me some fantastic photos of the snow hanging in the trees. I want to turn some of them into paintings but there is no white paint in watercolours so it is very tricky.
The Venturers seemed to be having a great time. All they are allowed this weekend is their emergency kits and they have to light a fire with a fire bow. That is very difficult to do. It requires a lot of stamina and patience but most of them managed it. Kudos to those who did.
They had some very interesting looking debris shelters. Some of wood and others of grass but none of brick. Rather than cut evergreen trees in camp they dragged in Christmas trees. What a great idea.
We hope that this snow is a sign of things to come. We are dying to try out our snow snakes. Our fingers are crossed.
December 18, 2010
It was another very slow day in camp but we expected that. Christmas seems to get in the way of camp.
Marty balanced our books and hiked around camp and I painted and photographed birds at our feeders. I was really excited to discover a red bellied woodpecker coming to our feeding stump but even more excited when I realized that it was a pair of them. The mail hairy woodpecker hogged one of the feeders for most of the day.
The chickadees are not at all wary of us and are very curious so they are always flitting around us. The downy woodpecker is getting less cautious of us but still won't let me within about three feet.
The hairy woodpecker, red bellied woodpecker, cardinals, juncos and blue jays are all still very leery of us. They leave the feeders as soon as we open the door.
I was going to make a smart comment about how there were two groups of Venturers in camp and how they were both in buildings with indoor facilities and how we didn't see any of them or even any signs in the snow of them ever coming outside. I elected to sit inside and paint from a photo instead of sitting in the cold to paint so I figured it would be unfair to criticize them.
Even though I was at camp and painting an image taken by me at camp I don't paint as well as I do when I am outside experiencing the camp. We can enjoy the wilderness from pictures but there is nothing quite like being there and experiencing the sights, sounds and smells.
On behalf of the HICOP staff I would like to wish everyone who celebrates it a very Merry Christmas and to those who don't a happy holiday season. We look forward to seeing everyone out at camp in the New Year.
December 11, 2010
It was a very slow day in the HICOP today. Not ever one group visited the centre. That was okay because the camp was almost full but with groups having a Christmas camp. They were all way too busy to visit us which is okay. It gave Marty and I a chance to hike some of the trails, do some trail maintenance and just chill at camp.
97th Hamilton Scouts were were having fun, out by the corner stone, building debris shelters. Four patrols each gathering deadfall, bark and leaves to build a cosy shelter.
I got some decent photographs of the hairy woodpecker on our feeder and of the gold finches. I found time to stand out there feeding the chickadees and at one point I had three chickadees on my hand at the same time. That is way too cool.
I even managed to find time to sit and paint in my journal. My fingers were a bit cold and stiff when I finished but it was great to get time to just sit and chill at camp.
We found a pile of charcoal down by pod 4. Someone kindly emptied the fire ring which is a good thing however charcoal does not decompose so that ugly black pile will sit there until someone removes it. The proper way to empty a fire ring is to burn all the wood down to ash and then sprinkle the ashes. If a fire is put out with water before it is burned to ash it will take a long time to burn down the wet charcoal.
Please always burn your fire down to ash.
December 4th note:
My sincere apologies to 55th Hamilton Cubs for getting their group number wrong. It is nice to know that someone actually reads this. If you find mistakes please let me know. I am not perfect. Very close but not quite.
December 4, 2010
There was definitely frost on the pumpkins this morning. It was -4 C when we got to camp.
The chickadees are hungry. They are easy to hand feed provided everyone is very still. 55th Hamilton Cubs discovered that with 13 youth it isn't easy to have everyone still at the same time. Once the lively youth came inside the HICOP those feeding the birds had much more luck.
Rick Provo was in camp for a visit. It was fantastic to see him looking so good. Without Rick's hard work the HICOP still would be just a dream.
When we arrived in camp our big bird feeder was on the ground down by our fire pit. We spent the day scratching our heads trying to figure out how it got down there. When Donna Albert came to pick us up she pointed out the hoof marks on the wall. A deer must have leaned up against the HICOP and popped the feeder off the hook with its nose.
Marty spent the afternoon in the bush helping the 55th Hamilton Scouts earn their Fish and Wildlife badges and Linda and I waited for the 88th Scouts to come down to the HICOP. They wanted us to discuss environmental sustainability and explain what we are doing to protect the camp.
We had a good discussion with the Scouts. They seemed interested in Camp Nemo and what we are doing to ensure that it will be a good place for our animal friends to live.
No painting this weekend because the paint froze as soon as it hit the cold paper. I tried painting using a substitute for water that wouldn't freeze but alas it was a failure. Sorry Donna W.
Next weekend the camp is full but we have nobody booked for program so maybe we will get a chance to get out and about. We have been busy and it has been a while since I got a chance to just wander the camp.
November 27, 2010
It is a blustery blustery day. It was -2 and snowing when I arrived at 9 this morning and it didn't warm up much.
Marty spent the morning helping 8th Oakville Cub Scouts with their Naturalists badge. Linda and I spent our time with other visitors. Venturers in camp for the Focus sessions came down for a visit and stayed for quite a while. It was interesting because they were from all over. They spent about an hour out in the cold and blowing snow hand feeding chickadees.
Marty is out on a hike, with the Ancaster Cubs, looking for tracks to cast. Linda is cleaning the HICOP and four 13th Hamilton Scouts are messing it up as fast as she can clean. I am sitting chuckling and typing.
The birds are hungry today. At our feeders we have had:
8 chickadees
2 nut hatches
2 downey woodpeckers
2 junkos
1 gold finch
1 blue jay
We are sure there are more than 8 chickadees but they flit around so fast it is hard to count them.
A mink also wandered by the HICOP. Unfortunately I didn't manage to get a great picture.
The Venturers came back down for another visit. They had a half hour break with nothing to do so they came to visit us again and brought some more first timers. Scouts and older are always welcome to drop in without their leaders.
I was asked to keep posting paintings and since my very big ego loves being massaged I am adding another.
November 20, 2010
It was another very busy day in the HICOP.
Marty took 1st Dundas Cubs on a hike in the morning and in the afternoon he did his fire lighting demonstration twice. His normal 1:30 PM session and a private session for 1st Glen Abbey because there were 18 of them.
It was a gorgeous day and we had close to 100 visitors to the centre.
We would like to thank the 74th Hamilton youth who brought us the birch bark. It was perfect timing because we were very close to being out of it.
November 6, 2010
It was cool but bright in camp today. It was a quiet day in the HICOP because there was a Woodbadge Part I training and so very few youth in camp.
The HICOP staff would like to send our best wishes for a speedy recovery to Rick Provo. Your absence leaves a huge hole in the camp so take care and get strong.
We would also like to thank Bob Miller for his wonderful gift. We were overwhelmed.
Eriks and Bruce were hard at it again this weekend. They are in the process of catching up on the grass cutting, pruning and weeding around the buildings starting with the Factor's Lodge. You are turning the upper section of the camp into the resort that it should be. It is volunteers like you that make the camp the place that we love so much. I hope that you find more help because it is a big job. We applaud you for your efforts.
The goldfinches are arriving at the feeders again. They are a beautiful bird. We had a chickadee visit us inside the centre but apparently he didn't see much that interested him because he didn't stay long.
It was a good day but we miss having lots of youth around.
October 30, 2010
It was another wonderful fall day in camp. Very busy but that is how we like it.
Marty did Scout Basics fire lighting with about 24 Scouts. They all seemed to enjoy his demonstrations and had fun making sparks with his assortment of strikers.
1st Waterdown Beavers dropped in for a visit. All 23 of them. What a great group. Lots of energy and lots of questions. They split into two groups. One group made pine cone bird feeders while the other group visitied the center and then they switched. Some of the Beavers were trying to hand feed the chickadees. I told one of their leaders that it was too noisey with the crowd and too early in the season for the chickadees to land on a hand. They proved me wrong.
We haven't seen our friendly chipmunk for a couple of weeks now. There is one still coming around but he is pretty timid and has no idea what a peanut is.
We saw our first junkos under the feeder. They were a reminder that we need to start collecting "Feeder Watch" data next weekend.
The only downers of the weekend were missing equipment. Last weekend we loaned our shovel and trowel to a group and they never came back.
Someone also absconded with out wildlife camera. It was strapped to a tree up above Pod 4 and when we went to retreive it this weekend it was gone. Our HICOP funds are very limited and we can't afford to have items like cameras go missing.
We were so busy that I didn't manage to paint again but busy is good. It is shaping up to be a fantastic year. The HICOP staff are looking forward to it.
More and more volunteers are spending time helping with camp chores. There is a group that call themselves the Camp Nemo Care Bears that are helping to pretty up around the buildings. I noticed on my way out of camp that the grass was cut around the factors lodge. Great job.
October 23, 2010
What a day! Today was Cub fun day and the camp was full of smiling faces. We didn't manage to find time to get out and about to check out all the activities but judging by all the happy and excited youth I would guess that there were a lot of great things to do.
At the HICOP, we had "Super Chickadee" watching over the Cubs who were making pine cone bird feeders. We only had a couple of dozen visitors in the morning but they had fun and hung their feeders on bushes around the HICOP. We were worried that we would have a ton of shortening and oatmeal left over but we needn't have worried. The slow morning allowed us to get a routine that saved us in the afternoon.
We tried to keep a count of at least the youth but it was impossible to do. We were all much too busy to worry about numbers. At one point Linda had a dozen or so Cubs making feeders and I counted 24 in the HICOP. Marty was down at our fire pit doing his amazing fire lighting demonstration for a group of Scouts. It was absolute bedlam but virtually everyone that I saw was smiling. I would have loved to have gotten a picture but there was no chance.
I would like to thank my son Alex for helping us out for most of the day. He unfortunately had to leave just as we started to get busy. I would also like to thank the kitchen staff for feeding us. Lunch was excellent.
I would also like to thank Allen Eden. He dropped by bearing gifts for us. We now have 5 compasses that can be used on our compass course. Thank you Allen.
By the end of the day Linda, Marty and I were exhausted but feeling really good about the day. Just as the last group was leaving Linda's wonderful husband Doug came down the path with Tim Horton's tea and coffee for us. It was a perfect way to wind down. We sat sipping our hot drinks and watching the birds feeding on out feeders and boy do we have a lot of feeders. Some cubs took their feeders home but we estimate that there were somewhere between 150 and 170 made so they are hanging everywhere.
Thanks to all who helped make this another amazing Cub Fun Day.
October 16, 2010
The colour in camp isn't as bright as last weekend but the escarpment as viewed from camp was still glorious. Most of the reds are gone but still lots of oranges and yellows. I have mixed feelings about posting my paintings here but they show how I feel about the camp better than my photographs do.
Today is "Apple Day" and we are cheering because of the weather. Camp Nemo relies on Apple Day funds for most of its operating capital and as costs increase it becomes a bigger struggle every year. Hopefully the good weather this year will help us out.
Because of Apple Day it was very quiet in camp. The 779 Black Night Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Cadets were in Confed for the weekend. They had a huge group and they were using most of the camp as a training ground. It is good to see them in camp. Especially on a weekend when the camp is normally empty.
1st Bronte Scouts were also in camp. They left camp to fulfill their Apple Day commitments and then came back for supper. They invited Marty and I to wander over to the Pines to check out what they were up to. We could smell their Dutch oven stew from the parking lot so we headed over for a visit. They had about four Dutch ovens on the go with stew, biscuits, lasagne and a cake for desert. They proudly informed us that they even lit their fire with no matches. Way to go 1st Bronte. Scouting at its best.
We are looking forward to next weekend and cub fun day. It is always loads of fun.
October 9, 2010
It was a very quiet day at the HICOP. All the conservation area trails were packed and ours were virtually empty. I have do understand that most families have a lot going on Thanksgiving weekend but it would have been a perfect day to have a family day at camp. Youth and parents enjoying the perfect weather and hiking our trails.
The colour in the valley was amazing. Mother nature at her absolute best. All those complimentary colours in juxtaposition. Reds of the maples beside the greens that are left, yellows of the aspens beside the purple of the ashes and the blue sky beside the orange in the maples meant that the whole camp just glowed. The view of the escarpment from the south west side of camp was breathtaking.
There was only one group in camp and we would like to thank the 74 Scouts all their hard work. We now have a bark chip path from the HICOP to about half way back to the tractor path. That was a lot of wheelbarrow trips down and up the hill. Your hard work it much appreciated. The camp belongs to the members and we all need to take ownership of it.
The 74th Beavers came into the centre for a visit. They are a great group and always a pleasure.
The quiet time gave Marty and I a chance to go walk about. I never cease to be amazed at how inconsiderate some campers can be. The fire pit in the pines was a mess. Half burned plastic candy wrappers, aluminum foil and a lot of firewood that was part wood and part charcoal. Only paper garbage should ever go in a fire pit and all wood put on a fire should be burned down to ashes. The 74th graciously offered to clean it up and burn the wood so that it would be in good shape for the group coming in next weekend. Fortunately there are only a couple of very inconsiderate groups and also fortunately there are a few like the 74th Hamilton that have taken ownership of the camp and are willing to clean up after them. Most groups are rather indifferent. They clean up after themselves but that is the extent of their bond with the camp.
On a brighter note we did get a chance to check out the trail clearing work done by the 88th Hamilton Venturers last weekend. You did a fantastic job.
The quiet time gave me another chance to get my paints out. I should have painted the escarpment but I couldn't find a comfortable place to sit up there and I was too lazy to go back for my chair. I instead painted three of the 74th Scouts hard at work. Or at least two hard at work and one resting on the wheelbarrow.
It was another fantastic day in camp even if it was a bit lonely.
October 2, 2010
It was cool and wet at camp this weekend but that didn't seem to dampen the spirits of the youth. Some of the adults were looking a little sodden but the youth just kept smiling and trucking on.
55 youth visited the HICOP and for many it was the first time. Some like the 13th Hamilton Scouts are becoming very familiar friends.
The fall colours were magnificent and I couldn't resist getting my paints out. I try not to let my painting hobby interfere with my responsibilities at camp but I ended up discussing watercolours and painting techniques with some interested youth so maybe there is a place for my paints at camp.
A very small crew split a lot of wood and restocked the wood shed. It isn't hard work if you have enough people but volunteers are hard to come by in the good weather and the dampness seems to have kept everyone away. Thanks to Gerry and Harold and anyone that I missed for keeping campers in firewood. Without your hard work we would have to find the funds to buy wood for camp.
A very special thank you to the 88th Hamilton Venturers who spent the afternoon, in the rain, clearing trails for us. That is another job that we need lots of help with.
The fawns, as seen on our Stealth Cam, are getting big and have lost their spots. I didn't realize that they grew so fast. It is nice to see them doing so well. Camp Nemo is not only a wonderful place for us to visit but it is a good home to the many creatures that live here.
September 25, 2010
It was another fantastic day in camp. A bit windy and rainy at times but all in all a wonderful day.
The Venturer rock climbing camp was this weekend. We haven't spoken with anyone who was there but we hope they had a great weekend.
75th Hamilton Cubs came in for a visit and Alex S. brought us a gift. It was a section of trunk with a woodpecker hole in it. It looked like a squirrel had chewed it a bit too but we liked it and decided that it would make a much better mount for our downy woodpecker. By the time we left camp the log was hanging in the corner with our as yet unnamed woodpecker clinging tenaciously to it. Thank you very much for both donations.
1st Dundas Cubs dropped in after their Mount Nemo caving hike. They have been wonderful supporters of the centre and we are always happy to see them. Even if they came 25 strong all at once.
Dale (or is it Chip) is getting very bold. He will occasionally go in Marty`s pocket for peanuts and will let me pat him while he is stuffing them in his pouches. He is still very nervous when others are around so we will have to work on that.
We found a cute little caterpillar that looked like a test tube cleaner. We have no idea what it is. We really do need a bug person on staff.
We managed to get some maintenance issues out of the way and I even found some time to hike down to Pod 4 to do some sketching.
All in all it was a great day.
September 12, 2010
It was a shame that there were no campers this weekend. We couldn't ask for a nicer day. Having the camp empty did mean that we could get a lot done.
The five numbered discs on posts at the north end of Confederation field are for a compass bearing course. More information can be found here or come and ask us about it in the HICOP.
We have also plotted and confirmed gps co-ordinates for all of our orienteering markers so we now have a gps orienteering course. More information and sheets with the co-ordinates may be found here.
One of our four neighbourhood chipmunks has become very friendly again. I can pet it and it has started going into Marty's pocket for peanuts again. It is bolder because it is maddly stashing away food for the winter and it loves peanuts.
September 9, 2010
Marty and I were working at camp today and we found a few nice surprises.
We would like to thank whoever left the yellow shafted flicker feathers. They are wonderful specimens and one that we don't have. We assume that they were found in camp and we think that we know who left them because our stealth camera takes pictures of people near the centre. As it turns out the motion sensor on the camera is very sensitive so we have lots of pictures of chickadees at the feeder.
We also noticed that the spars have been moved from Tetonka to the new rack on the side of Stockade. We can now remove that job from our "to do" list. A huge thank you to whoever moved them.
Cooler weather is fast approaching and we will start needing massive amounts of bird feed. We are looking for good quality sunflower seeds, shelled peanuts and suet squares that will fit in our suet feeders.
We are in the process of building a compass bearing course at the Rover Chalet end of Confed field. You start at a numbered post and follow a set of directions. For example 20 metres at 95 degrees and then 15 metres at 122 degrees and so on until you complete the set and hopefully end up at the correct place. We hope to finish it on Saturday.
August 28, 2010
Summer is back. Was it ever hot in camp. It must have been miserable for the hawthorn cutting team again. They are slowly but surely getting the hawthorns along the road cleared out. Awesome job.
Last month we had a visitor from Sweden. Doc met Martin Eliasson at the SCENES conference in Kandersteg Switzerland. He is trying to turn their camp, which is a Swedish island into a SCENES camp and he visited us looking for ideas. Marty gave him the grand tour and explained what we were doing at Camp Nemo. Martin took many photos at Nemo, including the field sparrow eggs used here, and he used some in an article that he wrote for their web site. You can see the article which is in Swedish here and the pictures here. Their camp is huge and they appear to be way ahead of us when it comes to program. Maybe one day one of us will be able to visit his camp.
777th Mississauga Scouts were in camp again this weekend. Marty went through the requirements for the fish and wildlife badge with them in the morning and as part of the program they helped us install four new bird boxes in Harvester field. We are sure that they will be every bit as successful as the four that went up in the spring.
On our way back from hanging the boxes Marty noticed a little brown bat with its wings all caught up on a thistle bush. The scouts watched as he used my T-shirt to protect his hand while he gently peeled the poor little bat off the plant. It was too weak to fly so we left it hanging on a branch. It was gone when Marty and I went by later on.
Another visitor passing through camp this weekend was the monarch butterflies, lots of them, which are probably attracted to our milk weed. Lots of them.
We must have lots of bees in the valley this summer because we have a bumper crop of apples on the apple tree down by the HICOP.
We found a large beetle in the HICOP. It looked very agitated so Marty put it under the microscope. It turns out that the beetle had about a dozen little parasites crawling around on it and trying to drill into it. It was pretty gross looking. Bugs with bugs. Yuck. We took it out into the sunlight so I could get a picture of it and they all promptly died in the heat and fell off. Oopsie.
August 20, 2010
My summer vacation is over and it's time to get cranked up again for a new Scouting year. If we had our way Camp Nemo would be busier in the summer than in the winter. There did, however, seem to be more summer usage this year.
It looks to be another great year for Camp Nemo. Last weekend 10 members of the new Hamilton Rover Crew showed up at camp to meet with us. We need help, at camp, with everything from clearing trails, to building maintenance, ecological monitoring, helping staff the center and running programs. We are very excited about the chance to have a Crew attached to camp and they seemed interested in the idea. There were certainly lots of intelligent questions asked. It seems there could be as many as forty Rovers in the Crew. If each of them only spent one Saturday every month or two in camp that would still mean that there would be a good Crew helping out every weekend.
Hamilton-Wentworth's new field executive was with the Rovers. Marty and I met Catriona Forrest for the first time and I must say we are impressed. Elizabeth's shoes will be hard to fill but Catriona is young, friendly, intelligent and energetic and those are the qualities that served Elizabeth so well. We are looking forward to working with Catriona.
A crew has been working very hard removing hawthorn trees along the camp road. The plan is to plant memorial maple trees in the open spaces. My hat is off to the volunteers on that team. I saw lots of blood, sweat and tears. Blood from the hawthorns, sweat from the summer heat and tears from the smoke from the burning fire. There was also an abundance of smiles and laughter. It was wonderful to see some new (younger) faces working alongside the diehard camp volunteers.
Last year about 25 chicks made up of a mixture of tree swallows and house wrens fledged from our nest boxes. This year, with the addition of the four new boxes in Harvester field and the removal of spruce trees to open up the meadow, that number rose to 90 eggs in our boxes and 82 chicks that fledged. Better still bluebirds were added to the mix. We haven't seen nesting bluebirds in camp for a number of years so it was a much welcomed return.
Our motion activated camera (wildcam) has given us some remarkable images of wildlife in camp. It has also proven to us that we have at least two does with fawns in camp. One with a single fawn and one with two.
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Last year we cut a new trail out to Bronte Creek and we have a volunteer who has agreed to lead fishing activities and has already gathered together some fishing gear. From what I have heard the fishing in the creek can be pretty good too.
We need to stock up on feed. Last winter we went through a full galvanized garbage can of sunflower seed and with the chipmunks becoming tamer we will need a lot more peanuts this year. If anyone has a good cheap source of good quality sunflower seed and/or peanuts in the shell please let us know. We can use suet blocks too.
We have plans to build a permanent compass bearing course in Confed field in the near future. Watch the activities page for more information.
I love my job.
Last year's blog can be found here.