]]> http://www.pcwd.org/blog/2012/05/23/memorial-day-rememberances/feed/ 0 http://www.pcwd.org/blog/2012/05/23/holiday-closings/ http://www.pcwd.org/blog/2012/05/23/holiday-closings/#comments Wed, 23 May 2012 17:58:36 +0000 admin http://www.pcwd.org/blog/?p=206 Just a quick note to remind everyone that the water district will be closed on Monday, May 28, in order to celebrate the Memorial Day holiday.  We will resume our normal schedule on Tuesday and will be open from 9 to 4 as per usual.  Hope you and yours enjoy this first long holiday of the summer.

]]> http://www.pcwd.org/blog/2012/05/23/holiday-closings/feed/ 0 http://www.pcwd.org/blog/2012/05/23/garden-wednesday/ http://www.pcwd.org/blog/2012/05/23/garden-wednesday/#comments Wed, 23 May 2012 16:25:17 +0000 admin http://www.pcwd.org/blog/?p=194 Wow, is it Wednesday again already?  Sure is.  How is your garden growing?  Is it planted yet or are you still holding off?  According to the National Weather Service, we will be having a cool off this weekend.  Friday night it is supposed to dip down to 32 over night.  That is a bit chilly for new veggie plants.

If you have planted yours already, you might want to cover them up for the night to protect them.  If you are like me and haven’t planted them yet, you might want to hold off for just a couple days.  I knew you couldn’t trust that Mother’s Day planting rule.

By Sunday, we will be back up in the 60′s again and hopefully we will be good to go then.  So just a small little bump in our gardening path.

Here it is, the week after Mother’s Day.  Ever since I moved to the hill,  I have heard over and over not to plant anything until after Mother’s Day.  I did that one year and the next day it promptly snowed on all my newly planted plants.  So while there may be some truth to waiting until after Mother’s Day to do your planting, I wouldn’t necessarily put all my eggs in that one basket.  I think a better plan is to check the weather forecast and decide for yourself if it is time to put your plants out into the garden.  A back up plan such as row covers or cloches might be in order as well.  You could also use cold frames or a greenhouse prior to actually planting your plants in the garden.

So the question remains, when to plant things outside?  Do you trust Mother Nature not to throw you a curve ball if you plant at the beginning of May or do you wait until June?  Our growing season up here is incredibly short, so I like to put my plants out as soon as possible, which is usually early in May and try to protect them should unfavorable weather befall us.  Many times, autumn sets in and puts an end to the garden long before I have harvested the full bounty, so I am always looking for ways to start a little sooner rather than later.  After all, it is much easier to try to cover and protect small plants that it is to cover and protect a 5 foot tall tomato plant.

From my personal gardening efforts, I have come to the conclusion that soil temperature plays a big roll in how well the plants do once they are set out into the garden.  I am considering putting down black plastic over the garden several weeks prior to planting just to see if it helps to raise the soil temperatures a bit.  I could be way off the mark here, but it just seems the years when it is warm earlier and the soil has a chance to warm up, the plants do much better than the years when it stays colder later and I then have to rush to get things in the ground by the end of May.

One thing is for sure, gardening at 6200 ft in these mountains is a challenge.  But it is one that I plan to overcome.  I love growing some of my own food and I think the results are well worth the effort it takes to do so.  How about you?  What are your gardening efforts like this year?  How are you planning to outfox the weather and get a longer growing season?  Perhaps someday my yard will look like this!

Create a disaster-preparedness plan.

Will everyone in your household do the right thing during the violent shaking of a major earthquake? Before the next earthquake, get together with your family or housemates to plan now what each person will do before, during and after.

Once the earthquake is over, we will have to live with the risk of fire, the potential lack of utilities and basic services, and the certainty of aftershocks.  By planning now, you will be ready.  This plan will also be useful for other emergencies.

Plan NOW to be safe during an earthquake:

• Practice “drop, cover, and hold on.” (See Step 5)
• Identify safe spots in every room, such as under sturdy desks and tables.
• Learn how to protect yourself no matter where you are when an earthquake strikes.

Plan NOW to respond after an earthquake:

• Keep shoes and a working flashlight next to each bed.
• Get a fire extinguisher for your home. Your local fire department can train you and your family to use it properly.
• Teach everyone in your household to use emergency whistles and/or to knock three times repeatedly if trapped. Rescuers searching collapsed buildings will be listening for sounds.
• Identify the needs of household members and neighbors with special requirements or situations, such as use of a wheelchair, walking aids, special diets, or medication.
• Take a Red Cross first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training course. Learn who else in your neighborhood is trained in first aid and CPR.
• Know the location of utility shutoffs and keep needed tools nearby.  Make sure you know how to turn off the gas, water, and electricity to your home. Only turn off the gas if you smell or hear leaking gas.
• Install smoke alarms and test them monthly. Change the battery once a year, or when the alarm emits a “chirping” sound (low-battery signal).
• Work with your neighbors to identify who has skills and resources that will be useful in an emergency, and who may need special attention (children, elderly, disabled, etc.)
• Check with your city or county to see if there is a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) in your area. If not, ask how to start one.

Plan NOW to communicate and recover after an earthquake:

• Select a safe place outside of your home to meet your family or housemates after the shaking stops.
• Designate an out-of-area contact person who can be called by everyone in the household to relay information.
• Provide all family members with a list of important contact phone numbers.
• Determine where you might live if your home cannot be occupied after an earthquake or other disaster.
• Know about the earthquake plan developed by your children’s school or day care. Keep your children’s school emergency release card current.
• Keep copies of essential documents, such as identification, insurance policies, and financial records, in a secure, waterproof container, and keep with your disaster supplies kits. Include a household inventory (a list and photos or video of your belongings). Financial recovery planning resources are listed at www.daretoprepare.org

Have occasional earthquake “drills” to practice your plan. Share your plan with people who take care of your children, pets, or home.

So how about your family?  Do you have a plan?  If not, make one!  Once the ground starts shaking, it is too late to get ready.