TIMMMBBEERRRRRRRR!!!

It's drizzling  rain this morning, so I will take a break from campfire pit cleaning and write this blog.

Yesterday our camphosting site was the major hubbub of activity in the park!  At 8 a.m. volunteer Jeff came with all the gear and his truck to take care of a "widowmaker" on the lot right across the road from us.  See?

We noticed it last week and had to caution tape it off and relocate the folks who had this site reserved.  This big branch was dangling perilously overhead and the whole tree needed to come down.  Jeff is a real go-getter with the Friends of High Cliff group.  If something needs to get done at the park, and it's not in the meager state budget, call on Jeff. He will find a way to get 'er dun!  

Without the help of volunteers like Jeff and the Friends of High Cliff, very little extra stuff could ever be done around the park due to the steep budget cuts on the state end of things.  Instead of the expense of calling in a tree cutting company, we call on Jeff!

I managed to get a shot as the tree came crashing down----

TIIIIMMMBBBEEERRRRRR!!!!

And there it lays, ready to be cut up.

Soon to be many hours of campfire fun for park visitors! 

Now another volunteer came to help Steve and Jeff, this one named Ben.  While he was busy cutting up the rest of the tree into firewood (which the Friends Group sells to park customers to help fund their projects)  none of the firewood sales is state park revenue.  The money derived from the firewood sales by the Friends Group all stays here in the park. This is used for many great improvements like our Butterfly Pond, the restoration of the General Store and other wonderful enhancements we would not otherwise have.

Now, another project was needing attention! 

Steve and Jeff now brought out the "Big Boy Sandbox Toys"!   

Steve hauled out an ancient cement mixer that attaches to the tractor.  It hasn't been used in a long time, but he got it operational. Jeff started preparing the ground in front of the camphost site.

See, this is what was going to happen:  An eagle scout volunteer was making us a new kiosk sign for down by the Lime Kiln display. What a great donation to earn his badges!  Rather than just toss the old kiosk, it was being repurposed to a new location up here at the camphost site.

Originally, the legs of the kiosk were long and supported the sign well in the dirt down at it's original location.  But now up here at the camphost site, the shelf layer of limestone rock is only about 20 inches down in the ground, not enough to hold up the heavy kiosk.   This meant a base of concrete needed to be poured.

Jeff manned the big backhoe device to clear a spot, and then lifted the kiosk up into the air to move it into position.  The dogs were very excited to see this big stuff making noise right alongside of our motorhome.  It made their day!

Steve measured the needed depth on the legs and cut them to size.  Soon they had it leveled and into place, with the cement forms built around it.

The cement mixer operated well, and they got the cement poured into the form.  This is a good thing to know the cement machine works, because some people donated two commemorative park benches that needed to be set into concrete later today.  Now that Steve knows the machine works properly, it will save on park labor to mix the cement correctly instead of trying to use the instant bag post stuff.

  

Do you know how HARD it was for me to resist putting my initials in that fresh cement???  I had to slap my hands numerous times to keep myself away from it.  ARGGGHHH!!!!!

There.... done! 

Well, almost.   A volunteer is now making a row of bins to hold brochures along the bottom edges of the kiosk for information.

Ben finished up the wood cutting and hauling and loading... and soon our campsite was back to normal.  


The sun is starting to poke out now, so I am going out to finish cleaning the campfire pits in the campground today.  Maybe I will even get to the large ones in the group campsites too!  

Camphost Orientation and some furniture refinishing

I have neglected my blog again, sorry.... but since coming back from vacation, I have not had much RVing stuff to talk about. I guess I could just fill it up with grandtot stuff and what weaving or knitting I am doing.  But I do like to focus on RVing stuff.

Well------ Today I do!

High Cliff State Park has a new Camphost Coordinator ....  Steve's job description of Facilities Maintenance Repair Worker Advanced has now has evolved to incorporate a new task since Ranger Rob transferred to a new park.  Steve took on the added job of working with the camphost scheduling and training.  He started out planning an orientation for all of the scheduled summer's camp host volunteers to come to the park for a day.  His Ever-Faithful-Non-Paid-Assistant... known as EFNPA ... (or "me") has prepared all the paperwork, gathered up a meal and assisted with the program today.

The summer schedule is filled with camphosts taking a month at a time as their shift in the park.  We went over new changes, policies, contracts and shared ideas.  Camphosts offered feedback and ideas based on their accumulated years of experience as campground hosts at High Cliff as well as other parks.

Some of the hosts took a power point presentation on training for various pieces of equipment being used in their month working as hosts for the park.

While we munched on a luncheon of some delicious pulled pork sandwiches from Hilde's Deli and Bakery in Chilton, a pot of my famous calico beans, and some veggies and fruit.... followed up by an assortment of cookies from Hilde's.

The park naturalist Cindy presented a program on the history of High Cliff State Park, the lime kiln operation and some of the preservation efforts by The Friends of High Cliff Organization.  Their newest project is to restore the historic building that housed the general store and post office in years that the lime kilns operated.  Now it's a museum and nature center but needs a lot of upkeep and renewal to keep it functional.  

Steve and I will be doing our "stint" for the month of August as camphosts, with myself doing most of the hosting as Steve works full time days.  It's a fun job, and the rewards are worth it for giving of time and effort and energy to the park.


In other news, we did some furniture refinishing around the house....

My kind neighbors in the back yard, RC and Laurie, had an antique rocking chair, known as a "sewing rocker" because of the style with no arms.  Makes it easier to sew in!   They had done some remodeling in their home and didn't have a place for it any more.  So she asked I could kindly take it off her hands!   I offered to pay for it, but she said consider it a house-warming present! Awwwwww!

The chair is known as a "press back" chair because years ago they would soften the wood with steam and then press a metal form with ridges to stamp the design into the back cross pieces of the rocker!  I just love this pattern, it's so pretty!

The seat had a crack across the width of the chair.... and the finish was worn and old.  So it was time for a little make-over.

I was able to find an EXACT replacement of the same design of the seat panel ---- I ordered it from a company called http://www.vandykes.com/   They are still using the original stamps that were used to make the seats in the old days!   The seats are made from the same material as Spaulding basketballs.  Who knew?

The instructions were very clear. One just needs to carefully remove the old seat, trace the shape onto the new one and cut it with a strong scissors.  Using the same upholstery nails, I tacked it back into place but arranged the nails a bit differently to make new holes in the wood.  Easy peasy!

Once the seat was in place, it was time for a spiffy job of adding some rubbed in stain to the seat material.  That went easy.  Then the chair got an all-over covering of colored polyurethane by MinWax called Polyshades. I gave it two coats and now it has more of a reddish orange tone rather than straight brown.  It matches our woodwork in the house better.  

Here the chair got tested by a couple of grandtots, complete with a story book and some cuddles and rockabye baby songs.  (yes, even at ages 2 and 4, they still humor me and let me do some rockabyes!) 

When I had these grandtots for a couple days this week, I wanted to do another furniture refinishing project.  It was time to teach four year old Chelsea how to do this!   I had bought this cute little doggie stool from the gal who runs Critter Sitters Dog Grooming and Boarding in Stockbridge.  It needed a bit of sanding ...... and a new coat of polyurethane. (low odor fast drying)

 (just look at that concentration!) 

Little Chelsea was quite pleased with her creation.

It was a rainy icky snowy night, and we did  this project down in our basement. 

She was soooo excited the next morning to go down to the basement right away 

before breakfast and see if it was dry. 

That sure was one proud little girl of her workmanship and learning how to make something useful again instead of just throwing it away.  The stool is just perfect for the wee ones in our house to reach the kitchen sink---

See???

We had Clayton (2) and Chelsea (4) for three days this week.... and these are my most favorite pics out of the zillions that I took of them.  Please indulge me.

Hanging out in the front porch, sharing fruit snacks....

Playing in the "rainbows" 

on the stair case from the leaded glass window.+

And this one I REALLY like... they are exploring how the light plays off a blown glass flower paperweight and a leaded crystal snowflake paperweight I found at an antique shop in Florida.

I suppose that is enough for tonight.  I am planning on doing some weaving tomorrow.. or maybe some quilting.  Oh I will add some pics (as soon as I take them) of two vintage quilts I got from the thrift shop today on my way home from the park.  

Note-----  You know you are getting well known as a fiberholic when the thrift shop calls YOU on the cell phone to tell you of some fine treasure that came in ----- and could I use it in weaving or whatever fiber idea I might have for old quilts with real wool battings!   Seriously!  They called ME! 

Candlelight Ski and Hike at High Cliff State Park

 This blog post is selected to be featured on 

The Friends of Wisconsin State Parks blog website:

  http://friendswiparks.blogspot.com/

Steveio had to work at the park on the weekend (he is normally M-F 40 hr work week)  but it was well worth it!   The park has a great group of "Friends of High Cliff" organization that does a ton of work... all volunteer efforts to put on events and also take care of a lot of the improvements and needs in the park.  Their link:  http://friendsofhighcliff.org/

Steve started out the day attending their meeting and talking about some of the equipment needs in the park and what the long term goals are in the maintenance of the park.  With all the drastic cuts made by the governor again, things will be very tight on the budget and things will start to fall behind and get uncared for.  With organizations like The Friends of High Cliff, at least some things can be kept up to their original beauty, and improvements be made where necessary. 

The Friends group was busy with folks setting up for the annual Candlelight Ski and Hike for Saturday evening. People were grooming trails, setting up fundraising displays and a food booth for later in the pavilion for the tired, hungry and thirsty patrons.  Hundreds of people were expected to attend.  The weather wasn't the warmest (15 degrees) but in spite of the recent deep freezes, this weekend was almost tropical to our bodies and minds!  LOL I think people were getting cabin fever, so this warm up was enough to get them out of the house....  at least it was above zero! 

Steve and Ranger Jay had to put out over 100 kerosene filled lights on the trails and paths before dark, and light them as the darkness fell.  It took about an hour and a half just to light them all! 

They burn pretty hot, and melt the snow around the can in interesting shapes

and THIS is what the trails look like, criss crossing all over the park

for cross country skiers and snow shoe hikers.

Steve was able to come home for supper, but we went back to the park for the evening (Steve was not on the clock)  to enjoy the time in the pavilion.  Steve had gotten the fire going earlier in the day to warm up the building.   The camera was having a hard time focusing with a flash on the dimmed areas because it was seeing the smoke.  It wasn't as smokey as the pics make it look.....

As the fire burns, the copper or bronze metal chimney that soars way up to the roof, 

throws off enough heat to warm the entire room 

Here is Steve (his title is a Facilities Maintenance Specialist Advanced)  

In the summer he oversees an entire crew 

and helps coordinate all the volunteer efforts maintaining the park. 

But during the winter months he is the only one 

to do the maintenance and cleaning and most of the plowing. 

Standing along with Park Naturalist Cindy Mueller and Park Mamager Linda Guelig

 who is also the preforming the duties of the vacant Park Superintendent position.

The fire was going good.....  and warming everyone up

Of course, Steveio had to keep piling on the fireewood! 

The Friends of High Cliff had a nice food booth set up, with hot cocoa, hot cider, 

and some food and popcorn too!   I hope they made a lot of money! 

The Park Naturalist, Cindy had a table of fun stuff for the families to explore.  

Pelts to touch and a ground hog to talk about Groundhog Day coming on Sunday. 

Her display also featured information about the park,

and the snowshoe rental program

Quite a few people came into the pavilion to warm up, and enjoy the fire in the middle. 

A lot of families were in attendance.... 

I chatted with these folks a bit as they sat close to the fire and got rid of their chills.... 

Their zebra-donned daughter was plum tuckered out! 

I love the way the lights are dramatically aimed around the building at night.  

They highlight the limestone columns between the windows.  

I assume the stone is from the big limestone quarry in the park.

At one time the park was a limestone quarry 

and has preserved the historic big kilns used to cook it down to plaster and lime powder.

 We had rented this building for our family easter gathering last spring,

but that was in the day light and we didn't get this dramatic lighting effect.

Here is my blog post from that day:

Easter Weekend at High Cliff State Park

This is what the pavilion looks like during the day light:

We hung around late into the night.... and helped stow away all the stuff from the Friends food booth at the end of their sales.  Then one by one, the patron folks dispersed to their cars and trucks.... heading on home.  Ranger Jay and Volunteer Jim went out and extinguished all of the lights, so Steve got to stay inside warm and cozy by the fire with the rest of us!   We had some fun and laughter and enjoyment with the rest of the crew. 

Slowly the fire burned down----

and it was time to go home......