David L Ewell's
David L Ewell Office: 480-829-3460 Cell: 480-220-3001 www.americanassociatesaz.com
Dear Friends,
May is here! The smells of spring in full swing and the taste of freshly grilled burgers sets the mood for fun in the sun. So pack away your winter gear and prepare to soak up some sun, just don't forget the sunblock! This month Welcome Home magazine brings you camping and summer sleep away camps. All the hints and how to that you need to pitch the perfect tent. This Mother's Day pick up the perfect gift to ensure that you can't go wrong! We hope that you enjoy our magazine! If you have comments or suggestions please email us at welcomehome@activeezine.com , we love to hear from you! Also if there is a subject that you would like to see covered, let us know! We look forward to hearing from you!
Have a fantastic May, and as always, Welcome Home!
David L Ewell www.americanassociatesaz.com
480-829-3460 480-220-3001
Welcome Home! Table of Contents 4
Recipe And Design A tasty recipe and a stylish home design how to.
5 How To Choose A Tent For Camping Pick the perfect shelter for your camping trip.
6-7
How To Make Camping S’mores
Gooey marshmallow, melty chocolate, what’s not to love?
8 - 12
14 - 15
Gourmet Food Ideas For Camping Trips
Gone are the days of canned beans and vienna sausages!
Mothers Day Get the who and how on this most loved celebration of Moms.
15 - 16
Summer Camps!: What you need to know before enrolling your
child in and overnight summer camp.
16 - 17 Products To Love! Hot trends, technological wonders of tomorrow and so much more!
18 City Spotlight Seattle Washington. Beauty and Adventure on the West Coast.
19 Businesses That Make A Difference Walmart, Making saving easy and a better life possible for everyone.
Welcome Home is for entertainment purposes only. This magazine is not intended to solicit other brokersʼ listings. If you are currently working with another broker, please disregard this information. All pictures courtesy of sxc.hu unless otherwise noted. Thanks to Wikipedia for Random Fact information and aid.
Editor in Chief - Phly Jambor The information provided in this publication of Welcome Home or on any website maintained by U.S. Cybertek, Inc. or any of its subsidiaries, divisions, affiliates, agents, representatives, licensors, licensees or employees (collectively Publisher) is intended as a general guide illustrating common methods of common practices, and the publisher makes no warranty or guarantee whatsoever of the safety, effectiveness, or other characteristic of any methods or products described herein. Neither does the Publisher assume any liability for information published in any website or other publication to which reference may be made herein. Readers are cautioned to review and comply with all written instructions, safety bulletins, and other materials provided in connection with any of the products mentioned herein and all products used in connection with any of the methods described. Neither Published nor any of its subsidiaries, divisions, affiliates, agents, representatives, licensors, licensees or employees shall in any case be liable to you or anyone else for any loss or injury or any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special punitive or similar damages arising out of your use of or failure to use any of the methods and/ or products described in this publication or any other publication or websites to which reference may be made herein. Publisher disclaims all warranties, and any warranty or guarantee of safety, merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose lies solely with the manufacture(s) of any product described or recommended or used used in connection with any methods described or recommended.
Recipe and Design Easy Blackberry Cobbler
Make the easiest blackberry cobbler ever using fresh berries plus 5 more ingredients. To make it special, top with whipped cream and a mint garnish.
Ingredients • 4 cups fresh blackberries • 1 tablespoon lemon juice • 1 large egg • 1 cup sugar • 1 cup all-purpose flour • 6 tablespoons butter, melted • Whipped cream (optional)
Paper Mother’s Day Bouquet
Surprise Mom with a gorgeous bouquet of brilliant paper flowers that will last long after Mother's Day is over. What You Need: • • • • • •
Book pages Watercolor paint Water Scissors Craft glue Florist's wire
• Garnish: fresh mint sprig Preparation 1. Preheat oven to 375°. Place blackberries in a lightly greased 8-inch square baking dish; sprinkle with lemon juice. Stir together egg, sugar, and flour in a medium bowl until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle over fruit. Drizzle melted butter over topping. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream, if desired. Garnish with fresh mint sprig, if desired. 2. For a neat presentation, bake for the same amount of time in 6 (8-oz.) ramekins on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.
Instructions: 1. Use a watercolor wash (mix watercolor paint with water) to paint cast-off book pages. Let dry. 2. Cut petal shapes from the paper and crinkle them to make them more pliable, then straighten. 3. To make a petal, pinch the bottom of the cutout piece to create a curved shape. 4. Glue petals together one by one. Let dry. 5. Roll back the edges to open the bloom. 6. Insert florist's wire into the bottom of the bloom for a stem. Secure with glue.
Southern Living, JULY 2008
Courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens.com
How To Choose A Tent For Camping So you're going camping! Choosing a tent that fits your style, needs, and locations can be a fun task. Make sure you're not overwhelmed by bells, whistles, and deals. While those can all be great— you really need to concentrate on a few key points to ensure your home away from home will be everything you want and everything you need—even comfort! Over the River and Through the . . . ? No, that isn't how the song goes, but you really need to consider where you're going—the climate, the length of your trip, the seasons you plan on using the tent. For instance, would you use the same tent in Florida as you would in Canada? Depending on the time of year this may be true, but if you're looking for shelter from a snow dusting you're hardly going to pick the same tent you would pick for a humid Florida summer. Make sure your tent provides shelter from the elements and is made from a fire-retardant material—think of all the heaters or fire you may need to start if the evening gets cool. If you're looking for a one-size fits all tent then you need to go camping in the summer. Otherwise, take these pointers and let the research begin!
for camping you need to decide how much work you would like to do to set up the campsite. Depending on the size of the tent (base this on how many people will be sleeping inside your tent), you're able to get tents that are so small they're built in to a backpack! These are obviously smaller tents used for 1 or 2 people. The next type of tent is attached to the ground with ropes and pegs—these take more work, and are easier with two people helping (although one person is more than fully capable). Next, you have your pop-up tent, which does just that—it pops up with a few simple steps (follow the directions). So depending on the amount of labor you're interested, the number of folks you're taking camping, and how much room you have to haul the necessities—you're able to determine what your home away from home will look like. That Was Easy! So now you have all of the key components for picking a tent! You'll guide yourself through the process by answering all of the questions you've read here. This way, you can be answering more questions and delegating tasks like "who is finding the firewood?"
How Much Do You Want to Work? So you're either camping on a mission or camping for leisure, right? Either way, when choosing a tent
Written by Jon Tsourakis. Courtesy of Articlesbase.com.
How To Make Camping S’mores Before you head out on your next trip to the great outdoors you will need to check whether you have all the right camping gear to make the occasion a memorable one. Camping can be a wonderful experience and one that is enjoyed by people of all ages. Whether you are heading into the wilderness or planning to pitch a tent at an organized camp ground, having the correct equipment would ensure you are ready for any eventuality and situation. Although there is always the option of cooking on an open fire it is usually easier and somewhat safer to take a stove with you on your camping trips. We use two different types of stoves – the single burner propane stove, which we mainly use for heating water for hot drinks and dish washing and the double burner stove, which we use for cooking food in a skillet or pot. The size of the stove would depend upon how many people you will need to cook for. If there are only two people then a portable butane burner should suffice. Remember to choose suitable utensils, pots, and pans. You can buy special outdoor cooking equipment that is easy to carry and clean. One of the highlights of camping are meal times, especially when you cook over the campfire. We always prepare our meals together as a family, so everyone has ownership of part of the meal. This really helps to quell any complaining. It's also a great family bonding time. After the main meal is over and the clean-up is done, its time to think about a great treat. One camping dessert that has been around for generations is s'mores. Although this dessert takes some time to prepare, the process to get your marshmallows just right is half the fun. When your family has their sticks with marshmallows on the
end hanging over the coals, there's always competition to see who can roast the perfect marshmallow. The goal to roast it slowly and get it golden brown evenly all the way around the marshmallow, then it will be the perfect temperature to melt the chocolate sandwiched between the graham crackers. How to make camping s'mores: Ingredients: graham crackers, marshmallows, chocolate squares, sticks or skewers, and a campfire with good cooking coals. The process: Prepare your s'more sandwich makings first: break off 2 squares of graham cracker for the top and bottom of your s'more, then break off a square of chocolate and lay it on the bottom square graham cracker. Stick a marshmallow on the end of your stick or skewer and roast it over the coals of the campfire. Try not to char the marshmallow by rotating the stick in your hand to roast the marshmallow evenly all the way around. If it flames up, blow it out and continue or eat it and start over. Once you have the marshmallow roasted the way you want it, place it on top of the chocolate square and sandwich it between the 2 squares of graham crackers – let the chocolate melt a few seconds and enjoy. Written by My Camping Tents. Courtesy of Articlesbase.com, Picture by Collin Purrington.
Gourmet Ideas For When my family goes on a camping trip it often seems like we are more like a "meals on wheels" crammed into a Subaru station wagon. Preparing great meals on camping trips is really not that complicated when you pack the right ingredients before you leave. There is something special about eating on camping trips and for some reason, our food always tastes better. A lot of people seem to think that they have to eat things like hot dogs and canned chili on camping trips. This does not have to be the case. Whatever you can cook at home, you should be able to cook on the road if you improvise as long as you have the proper food storage and camp cooking equipment. We have all of our camp cooking supplies stored in plastic Rubbermaid see through storage bins. It's easy to prepare good tasting camping meals when you have a large cooler, adjustable cooking stove, a high quality pots and pans, and a well organized pantry.
Get Organized And You Can Prepare The Follow Foods On A Camping Trip Coffee Cake. We have the ability to bake desserts with a steamer that sits inside our wok. The delicious chocolate cake is remarkable! Gourmet Omelets. We make bistro quality omelets in a caste iron griddle. We get fresh organic eggs obtained from local farmers, yellow onions, peppers, and occasionally cut little pieces of sausage or bacon in addition to some grated cheeses. Organic Mixed Dried Fruit & Raw Nut Granola. For breakfast, I make granola in our wok. I can make it taste as good as the granola that is baked in the oven. I use old fashioned rolled oats, 100%Grade B Maple Syrup, dried coconuts, sun flower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chopped almonds, dried raisins, dried peaches, etc. Bone On Chicken Soup.We use an entire chicken in our pressure cooker. I highly recommend using a pressure cooker on your next camping trip if you have never tried using one. We use our pressure cooker to store silver ware, plates, cups, and loose items when traveling between camp sites. Hot popcorn There are times that we crave a salty snack and we have found that hot buttered popcorn made in the wok is the ticket for us. Do you have to be Asian to use a wok? Even though my wife is Filipino, she uses the wok
Camping Food for so many different food preparations. Stir fried rice. We use or pressure cooker to make rice as a side dish for many of our meals. After a day or two, my wife will make chicken fried rice. Grilled T-bone Steak. Grilled steak can be easily made on a flat Lodge Logic cast iron griddle in minutes. We eat T-bone steaks more on our camping trips than we at home. Pan Grilled Onions & Lamb Steaks On several occasions, we dined on grilled lamb shanks and baked potatoes. This may startle you, but the best foods to take on camping trips are foods that you are most comfortable with and will enjoy eating. I don't make it a practice to learn new culinary skills while camping unless someone happens to gift us with a side of elk or fresh salmon. These kinds of exceptions are welcomed because they are rare. If you tend to eat a lot of pasta at home, then it's going to be easy to make pasta dishes while camping out. My kids really enjoy eating a special dinner like hamburgers or pizza on a camping trip because it reminds them of our weekend meals at home. Give me a cup of coffee and a bowl of fruit for breakfast and I am happy.
Don't Leave Home Without These 7 Dry Foods For Camping Dried fruit & raw nuts. Make sure that you pack plenty of raw seeds, nuts, and dried fruits for your next camping trip. Raw nuts and seeds mixed with dried fruit are a great healthy trail snack that can be eaten anytime of the day. I take a bag of mixed sun flower seeds, raisins, dried apricots, dried coconut, raw almonds, pumpkin seeds, and crushed cacao nibs. It's one of the best emergency foods to keep on hand. The shelf life is long and it requires no refrigeration. Coffee & tea. Even though coffee and tea are not food, it sure is nice to relax with a cup of your favorite hot beverage. I never deprive myself of comfort drinks and food like coffee and tea. Don't spoil your camping trip with a stop at Starbucks to get you out of your routine. Leave Starbucks and Seattle's Best for the city boys. If you are not a coffee drinker, then you will think of something else that you enjoy so much at home that you need to bring it with camping. Comfort drinks will keep you from missing home. That is if you miss home. Many people go camping to escape the hustle and bustle of their home life.
Chia seeds-a super food that everyone should be eating. Chia seeds have become extremely popular after the release of Christopher McDougall's book "Born To Run" ranted about the benefits of chia seeds for endurance athletes. Chia seeds are so rich in antioxidants that they will not deteriorate and can be stored for long periods without becoming rancid. Chia has a pleasant nutty taste. Chia has the ability to absorb liquid and take on the taste of the liquid. I like to sprinkle chia seeds on my salads as a crunchy topping. I find them tasty and an interesting addition to my diet.I like to add fresh cream, milk, coconut milk, or nut milk to a 1/2 cup of raw chia seeds and let it sit for several hours. After the mixture gets firm like pudding, I will add a light sweetener like maple syrup or rapadura sugar. The mixture reminds me of tapioca pudding. When you add fresh or frozen fruits, the taste is off the hook! Dried black beans. I have never been on a camping trip where I did not pack dried beans. My boys insist that we make honest to God cowboy chili on every camping trip. Cooking beans is an easy task for us since we travel with a pressure cooker. A block of Romano cheese. The benefit of using a hard cheese like Parmesan is that it will remain fresh without being refrigerated. It's one of the best cheeses to take with on a back packing trip. Parmesan cheese will melt just like a soft cheese if you finely grate it and sprinkle it over hot pasta or hot chili. Whole wheat pasta. Pasta is probably the easiest meal to meal to make on camping trips. Simply boil the water and add your favorite pasta. I like to serve my pasta with an organic red marinara sauce and grate Parmesan cheese. Fresh pasta tastes great and is easy to prepare at your campsite. I am not fond of the typical grocery store variety pasta sauces. I will buy a decent marinara sauce from Trader Joes or Costco when we are near any of these stores. Canned chicken. Having a checklist for all your food items will save you a lot of time and money. A check lists prevents you from over buying and over packing. We do a majority of shopping on the road since we tend to enjoy fresh food as opposed to pre-packaged camping foods sold by REI. I must admit that the freeze dried dinners produced today taste as close to
gourmet food as you can get while camping. It's a good idea to throw a few freeze dried camping food packages in your storage bin as an emergency food source or when you are feeling lazy. What my family and I have found is that we like camping foods that are easy to prepare in our camp kitchen and can be taken on hikes or even leisurely inside the car order campsite. We enjoyed fresh fruits and vegetables. So guess what we do? We enjoy foraging for fresh berries and edible plants. Last summer while camping in Northern Oregon, we discovered a scenic route called "The Fruit Loop". We were able to pick our own organic blueberries and fresh cherries with a view of Mt. Hood and the beautiful Cascade Mountain range in the background. It was one of the most amazing camping experiences in her life. On the same trip, we finished for trout and were able to enjoy some excellent fresh fish dinners. Not too far away from the Fruit Loop was a beautiful remote campground located at Lost Lake. When we arrived at the lake, we noticed people filling small pails with beautiful berries. When we inquired what type of berries they were picking the young ladies explained to us that they were wild huckleberries. We spent the next 3 days eating as much huckleberries as we could. The Following 6 Spices Need To Be Included In Your Camping Pantry Camping food needs to be as tasty as it is at home or you will be heading for the nearest fast food restaurant or diner. • • • • • •
Salt & Pepper Hot red pepper Dried Onions Garlic flakes Chili powder Cinnamon
Pack cookware that has multiple uses like a wok and pressure cooker. Keep your meals simple and tasty so you can have more leisure time to enjoy other activities. On the other hand, if you love camp cooking, then bring it on with compact camping pantry and create unbelievable gourmet meals on the road.
Article by Mark Keeler. Courtesy of Articlesbase.com
Mother’s Day What would life be without mothers? They’re everything in our lives – as friends, mentors, critics, nurses, teachers… In the endless roles that mothers play so that we can feel safe, secure, and loved. Do you know how Mother’s Day began? It has nothing to do with candies, roses or all that “stuff” that we think of when we think of Mother’s day. You’ll be surprised to know that it started with the need for sanitation. Here’s how it happened…. It all started way back in 1858 in a small town called Webster in West Virginia. There was a woman who lived there by the name of Anna Reeves Jarvis who strived to improve sanitary conditions in the town by forming Mothers’ Day Work Clubs. The Clubs raised money to buy medicine and to hire help for mothers with TB (Tuberculosis), and inspected bottled milk and food. During the Civil War she extended the purpose of the Mothers’ Day Work Club to continuing her work for improved sanitary conditions for both sides of the conflict as well as actually treating the wounded. This somehow led to the reconciliation of several family members divided by the war, and she is credited with saving thousands of lives because of her teachings about sanitation. The daughter of that woman, Anna Jarvis, swore at her mother’s grave in 1905 to dedicate her life to her mother’s project and to work for the establishment of Mother’s Day. True to her word, she quit her job and dedicated herself full-time to campaigning for this special occasion we now observe. On May 10th, in 1907, the church of Grafton, West Virginia became the shrine of the first unofficial Mother’s Day. Her hard work finally paid off in 1914 as President Woodrow signed the resolution that officially established Mother’s Day in the United States. Ironically – in light of modern celebrations of Mother’s Day - as the years passed by Ms. Jarvis became disappointed with the increasing commercialization of the holiday. She even frowned on the practice of sending greeting cards and flowers, and later became
critical of many public figures that were associated with the celebration of Mother’s Day. Anna Jarvis died in 1948 with no children of her own and was buried beside her beloved mother. Similarly, another woman by the name of Julia Ward Howe who was also involved in the Civil War influenced the celebration of Mother’s Day. Ms. Howe was known best for being the author of the words to the “Battle Hymn to the Republic”. She was so appalled by the carnage of the Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War that she tried to issue a manifesto for peace at an international conference. In 1872, she began promoting the idea of a “Mother’s Day for Peace”. A year later mothers from 18 cities across America held a Mother’s Day for Peace Gathering. Some cities like Boston even continued to celebrate for many years, but the celebrations slowly died out once Howe was no longer paying for the costs. It’s amazing to think that one woman – Anna Reeves Jarvis - whose simple goal of improved sanitation was able to build such a powerful bridge that she continues to connect people with different beliefs even today. Modernly, Mother’s Day is celebrated in many countries around the world including Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, Philippines, and Belgium. In fact more than 40 countries officially celebrate a Mother’s Day. No matter who we are, how we grew up, or where we live, looking back at that time in our lives when we were still fragile, naive and curious, for most of us it was – and continues to be - our mother who safely guided us on our journey of life. Our deepest secrets, hurts, fears, and aspirations are all still kept in her locket of memories, and in ours. She nurtured our pain as hers; sometimes sacrificing the things she would have like to have bought for herself just to be able to buy us our latest whim. However Mother’s Day is celebrated, we just have to keep in mind that it’s not the things we buy for her that matters, it’s the counting of our blessings, the appreciation of the love in our loves, and the opportunity to create a truly memorable Mother’s Day this year – both for yourself – and for those special people in your life. Written by Tracy A. Phaup. Courtesy of Isnare.com
Summer Camps! What You Need To Know About Overnight Summer Camps
Some camps have a targeted focus like religious study, academics, and competitive sports. Camps often focus on specialties that include: adventure, art, computer, dance, music, religion, horse riding, sports, theatre, and many others. There are overnight summer camps with a focus on self-improvement, weight loss and grief counseling. Basically, if you can think of any subject of interest, there's probably a camp that specializes in it. The camp you choose for your child will provide a lifetime of good memories and will be truly rewarding. There are overnight summer camps that are co-ed camps, boy's camps, girl's camps or brother-sister camps where boys and girls may have separate venues and activities. Overnight summer camp is also known as a sleep-away camp when campers spend their nights at the camp; some camps do allow both daytime and overnight campers. There are popular overnight summer camps in every state in the U.S. and every province in Canada; there are camps in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and just about every country in the world. Selecting the right camp that fits into your child or teen's interests, special interests, needs, special needs and abilities will be one of the first steps Although camp counselor jobs don't usually pay very well, usually minimum wage or less, counselors receive free room and board; many take the job primarily for the camping experience. Camps should have at least a 40% to 60% return staff ratio, which shows that the camp is seen as a good place to spend a summer. There are many types of overnight summer camps with a focus on education that cater to students with differing ages and academic interests. Children or teens could typically explore subjects new to them like marine science, photography, creative writing, community service, drama, magic, scuba diving, video production, comic book design, crime scene forensics, cooking, yoga, rappelling, etc. Non-profit camps often range from $1200 to $3000 for four weeks and $2500 to $5000 for eight
weeks. Do you think, if you have more than one child, they would they benefit from attending the same summer camp together? The best overnight summer sports camps do much more than just improve a camper's soccer, tennis, lacrosse, or wrestling skills - they help each child become a more skillful athlete, a more gracious competitor, a more committed team player, and a more confident person. The reputation of an overnight summer camp can also be determined by asking what percentage of counselors returned from the previous year. Get to know the camp director from an in-person visit to your home if possible, phone conversations, email or other correspondence. Four weeks at a good private overnight summer camp or sleep-away camp will cost anywhere from $3500 to $6500, and eight weeks will range from $4000 to $7000. Some camps are often called adventure camps - having a very specific theme or interest; many of these programs emphasize skill development and personal growth through the adventures the offer. Consider these industry-recommended guidelines - for smaller children ages 7 and 8, there should be one counselor for every six campers; by age 15, there should be one counselor for every 10 campers. If you spend the time needed to research your options and include your child in all the decisions, he or she will most likely have a memorable experience that provides opportunities to grow while having a lot of fun and making new friends. Typically an overnight summer camp experience will leave a lot of wonderful memories for the child or teen camper. Homesickness is a frequent problem, but with a caring camp counselor most campers adjust easily. Choosing a camp close to home will save a lot of money on airfare and possible hotel or motel overnight stays for a parent, or other transportation costs; this is especially true if your child might get a case of homesickness and want to come home early from the overnight summer camp. Written by Jo Alelsto. Courtesy Written of Articlesbase.com, by Helen Hecker. Courtesy Photograph of Articlesbase.com by Dani Simmonds
Products To Love In May Oh the Pain! ...well hey, itʼs gone! Looking something to help with those muscles you have just finished abusing by hiking a giant mountain? I tested out these Advil Liqui-Gels-Ibuprofen Pain Relievers, and I have to say that they really do live up to their promise. After an exceptionally long day of climbing hills, jumping over logs, setting up tents, running back down the trail looking for dropped toys and looking after my 6 year old and 6 month old my everything was begging for mercy! Two of these and twenty minutes later and my legs love me again. Important Note: Please ask your doctor before taking any pain reliever and always follow all instructions on the bottle! Please click here for more information.
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Reviewed by Rural Jungle Testing
It’s Mother’s Day! Your love and appreciation for all she's done will shine through this beautifully detailed gift tower filled with an assortment of teas and gourmet treats. The set of 3 floral gift boxes make great keepsakes for collections, treasures and knick-knacks after all the fantastic fare is gone. Open each box to unveil a delicious assortment of treats to enjoy; Frosted Pretzels, Too Good Gourmet Cookies, Spring Flower Chocolate Cocoa Cookies, Butter Toffee Popcorn, Apple Cinnamon Herbal Tea, Green Tea and Ginger Ice Tea, Spring Mints, and an assortment of Pastel Spring Taffy. Each gift is carefully hand crafted crafted with attention to detail, tied with ribbon, and includes a personalized gift card message from you to convey your best wishes. Please click here for more information.
Tired of tents that promise a quick setup, but still have you puzzling over the shock-corded poles 10 minutes in? Turn to the Coleman eightperson Instant Tent, which assembles and collapses in one minute or less. The secret to the tent's seamless setup is the pole system, which comes pre-attached to the tent. As a result, assembly couldn't be easier: just unfold the tent, spread it out, extend the poles, click them together, and lock them into place. Before you know it, you'll have a full two-room tent that stands 14 by 10 feet, with a center height of 6 feet 5 inches. Please click here for more information.
Products To Love In May The Cloud Walker from Camelbak has all the right features to carry everything you need for your ride in total comfort. The 70-ounce Antidote Reservoir with Quick Link System makes hydration easy and accessible, while 1220 cubic inches of overall capacity allow you to carry all the essentials. Boasting a lightweight build with an air mesh back panel and full load support with an Independent Suspension harness and sternum strap, the Cloud Walker gets you there and back without loading you down. Equipped with an organizer pocket, a dedicated MP3 pocket, and additional cargo space for a layer, food, and any other necessities, the Cloud Walker is the ideal hike/bike hydration daypack. Please click here for more information.
Outdoor enthusiasts have made Mountain House freeze-dried food their first choice for 40 years because of its great taste. Other backpacking food brands consist of only a few freeze-dried ingredients, mixed with dried seasonings and ingredients, which are then blended, not cooked. Mountain House meals are cooked to give you the delicious homemade flavor you deserve. Please click here for more information.
Sure, there's no kitchen sink, but the Kitchen 23 includes just about every utensil you need to fix a meal in the great outdoors. This all-in-one, 23-piece kitchen set comes with a bunch of handy prep tools, including a Glacier Stainless whisk, a Glacier Stainless grater, a 9.5-by-6-inch cutting board, and two 2.3-ounce squeeze bottles that are ideally sized for your secret sauces. Serving your meals is easy thanks to the telescoping spoon and spatula, which break down for more efficient transport. The Kitchen 23 set keeps your salt and pepper safe and free of clumps thanks to the waterproof salt-and-pepper shaker, which is integrated into a single package for space-saving convenience. The set even includes a 12-piece silverware set for your meals, with four knives, four spoons, and four forks. And cleanup is a breeze thanks to the scrubby sponge and camp towel. No more cleaning up with your T-shirt or paper towels. The Kitchen 23 set stores inside an attractive carrying case made of closed-cell EVA foam. Please click here for more information.
City Spotlight Seattle, WA
If you’re heading to Seattle then there are some great sights and attractions you definitely shouldn’t miss. The top must-sees are: Pike Place Market: Go in the early morning when the market first opens for fresh-cut flowers, super-fresh fish, mouth watering food and lots more. An open-air shopping haven and Seattle institution, take your camera and be sure to watch the flying fish! Pike Place is also home to the original Starbucks and often has colorful street performers. If you need to have a mid-morning pause, there are plenty of cafes and restaurants in this area. Seattle Space Needle: The most iconic sight in the city, if you’re feeling energetic, climb the 520 feet to the observation deck for amazing 360 degree views of Seattle. Actually 605 feet tall, the space needle now has a new information system called SkyQ – an interactive plasma screen which allows visitors to search for and see different locations around the city. And for food-lovers, the tower’s rotating restaurant, SkyCity, turns one complete orbit per hour. Woodland Park Zoo: An award-winning Zoo, Woodland Park has over a thousand animals, the largest live collection in Washington State, just minutes from downtown. The zoo boasts a tropical rain forest, a Thai village, African landscapes, and the ‘Zoomazium’ an all-season nature play space where kids can connect with animals, habitats and more. For a trip down memory lane, children and adults alike can ride on the zoo’s historic carousel, and then stroll through the award-winning rose garden featuring more than 290 varieties of roses. The zoo’s new penguin exhibit is home to Humboldt penguins and for those who want to learn more, there are a host of zoo classes and programs year-round for all ages.
Safeco Field: Home of Mariners Baseball, sports fans will love that they can tour one of the premier ballparks in America. Tours include areas of the ballpark that are not normally open to the public: press box, luxury suites, field, visitors’ clubhouse, and much more. Cameras are welcome. Groups may schedule private tours at a discounted rate. Seattle Aquarium: With a beautiful location at Pier 59 on the waterfront, the Seattle Aquarium features creatures from the Puget Sound area and other underwater habitats. During public feedings throughout the day, visitors can watch trainers feed sea otters, harbor seals and diving birds. Their collection also includes a giant octopus, sea lions, and fur seals. In special exhibits, kids can feel a wolf eel's teeth or shake hands with an octopus, or they can find out what real starfish and sea urchins feel like in the touching pool. The IMAX Theatre is located next door to the Seattle Aquarium. If you plan to go to both, buy a combo ticket to save money. Museum of Flight: The home of Boeing, Seattle is lucky enough to have one of the world's largest air and space museums, with indoor and outdoor exhibits spread over 12 acres. The museum has a replica 1903 Wright Flyer, history's first successful powered airplane, on display. "Space: The New Frontier Gallery," is a 6,000-square-foot gallery featuring a fullsize walk-through Destiny module mock-up, moon rocks and a meteorite. The Personal Courage Wing highlights the stories of dedication and heroism of those involved in fighter aviation in both world wars, and visitors can participate in the exciting 3D flight simulators, with special effects such as wind and smoke, and plenty of motion. Written by Ina Rena, courtesy of Isnare.com Photo By Tim Kinght
Businesses That Make A Difference
Sam Walton said it best, “If we work together, we’ll lower the cost of living for everyone…we’ll give the world an opportunity to see what it’s like to save and have a better life.” Saving people money to help them live better was the goal that Sam Walton, our founder, envisioned when he opened the doors to the first Walmart.
Today, more than 40 years later with operations in 15 markets worldwide, we continue to deliver that promise to families around the globe. It’s the focus that underlies everything we do at Walmart. And for the millions of customers who shop in our stores and clubs around the world each week, it means a lot.
Environmental Sustainability, Health and Wellness. The Walmart Foundation has a particular interest in supporting the following populations: veterans and military families, traditionally underserved groups, the disability community and people impacted by natural. In all of our giving efforts, we strive to meet the unmet needs of underserved populations and support organizations that give individuals access to a better life. We believe in operating
The side of Walmart that most people don’t see, The Walmart Foundation, is the really impressive part of taking their “better life” motto to the next level. The foundation strives to provide opportunities that improve the lives of individuals in our communities including our customers and associates. Through financial contributions, in-kind donations and volunteerism, the Walmart Foundation supports initiatives focused on enhancing opportunities in our four main focus areas: Education, Workforce Development / Economic Opportunity,
globally and giving back locally. Check out www.walmart.com to find out more.
Random Facts
This month's random fact gives us the how it works on an essential camping tool: The Compass!
A compass functions as a pointer to "magnetic north" because the magnetized needle at its heart aligns itself with the lines of the Earth's magnetic field. The magnetic field exerts a torque on the needle, pulling one end or pole of the needle toward the Earth's North magnetic pole, and the other toward the South magnetic pole. The needle is mounted on a low-friction pivot point, in better compasses a jewel bearing, so it can turn easily. When the compass is held level, the needle turns until, after a few seconds to allow oscillations to die out, one end points toward the North magnetic pole.
A magnet or compass needle's "north" pole is defined as the one which is attracted to the North magnetic pole of the Earth, in northern Canada. Since opposite poles attract ("north" to "south") the North magnetic pole of the Earth is actually the south pole of the Earth's magnetic field. The compass needle's north pole is always marked in some way: with a distinctive color, luminous paint, or an arrowhead.
Instead of a needle, professional compasses usually have bar magnets glued to the underside of a disk pivoted in the center so it can turn, called a "compass card", with the cardinal points and degrees marked on it. Better compasses are "liquid-filled"; the chamber containing the needle or disk is filled with a liquid whose purpose is to damp the oscillations of the needle so it will settle down to point to North more quickly, and also to protect the needle or disk from shock.
In navigation, directions on maps are expressed with reference to geographical or true north, the direction toward the Geographical North Pole, the rotation axis of the Earth. Since the Earth's magnetic poles are near, but are not at the same locations as its geographic poles, a compass does not point to true north.
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