So in honor of the last Friday before school starts, I emptied the compost bin (holy crap, that was a big job!) and made two huge mounds in the garden. I also pulled up two of the zuchini plants (we’re drowning in zuchini right now) and re-tied the tomatoes. Oh yeah–and I harvested another 10 lbs of tomatoes. This batch of tomatoes is destined to become some slow-cook spaghetti sauce for freezing. Also some margherita (sp?) pizza, assuming I can still get some basil tomorrow at the Farmer’s Market.
Note to self: need basil, onions, green peppers and olive oil. Also milk, bread, brown sugar, oatmeal.
So anyway, on the two large mounds of fresh soil, Luke and I planted these. I’m hoping they turn into GIANT pumpkins for the kids for Halloween. It says they need about 110 days, so I’m cutting it *really* close…. Probably too close. But we can have great big scary Christmas pumpkins instead, right?
We also rescued a hummingbird yesteday. DH found a poor, exhausted hummingbird (a male Anna’s) on the sidewalk in front of his office. He brought it inside, and he and the Boy Scout Registrar (Hi Mrs. Hendra!) fed it some sugar solution and let it rest in the cooler office. DH brought it home, so Hannah fed it one more time, and then we took it outside. It flew and perched in the rosebush for a few minutes (during which time Hannah fed him again with a small straw filled with sugar solution), and then he flew up into the jacaranda tree in our back yard. It still has flowers, so that was an excellent place for him to go. He stayed there for a good hour, but then we left to go see the GI Joe movie and he was gone when we got back. Hope he makes it!
K, got to go read the Patrol Leader’s Handbook and the Senior Patrol Leader’s Handbook. Good stuff for a sunny afternoon. In the meantime, I leave you with the ten hints for being a good Patrol Leader person:
Ten Tips for Being a Good Patrol Leader
1. Keep Your Word. Don’t make promises you can’t keep.
2. Be Fair to All. A good leader shows no favorites. Don’t allow friendships to keep you from being fair to all members of your patrol. Know who likes to do what, and assign duties to patrol members by what they like to do.
3. Be a Good Communicator. You don’t need a commanding voice to be a good leader, but you must be willing to step out front with an effective “Let’s go.” A good leader knows how to get and give information so that everyone understands what’s going on.
4. Be Flexible. Everything doesn’t always go as planned. Be prepared to shift to “plan B” when “plan A” doesn’t work.
5. Be Organized. The time you spend planning will be repaid many times over. At patrol meetings, record who agrees to do each task, and fill out the duty roster before going camping.
6. Delegate. Some leaders assume that the job will not get done unless they do it themselves. Most people like to be challenged with a task. Empower your patrol members to do things they have never tried.
7. Set an Example. The most important thing you can do is lead by example. Whatever you do, your patrol members are likely to do the same. A cheerful attitude can keep everyone’s spirits up.
8. Be Consistent. Nothing is more confusing than a leader who is one way one moment and another way a short time later. If your patrol knows what to expect from you, they will more likely respond positively to your leadership.
9. Give Praise. The best way to get credit is to give it away. Often a “Nice job” is all the praise necessary to make a Scout feel he is contributing to the efforts of the patrol.
10. Ask for Help. Don’t be embarrassed to ask for help. You have many resources at your disposal. When confronted with a situation you don’t know how to handle, ask someone with more experience for some advice and direction.
