Camp Winton and Jo-ann and yellowjackets

We found this under the eaves of our house.

It's beautiful, to see how the colony builds something like this, without instructions, plans or school. Totally amazing, and it makes me sad to have to kill it, but it's dangerous. There are so many places they can and do build, close by, but up away from homes.

Our Boy Scout left yesterday morning for his big week long camp out at Camp Winton.

There was the usual last minute panic over packing, what to take. He had to carry his backpack about a mile in, so I kept telling him weight was important. He kept thinking of something else he needed. Halfway through his mile hike, I knew he would be thinking of reasons he needed fewer pairs of underwear and socks, and maybe he should have decided to wear the same pair of jeans more days, and maybe even wishing for a smaller bar of soap. And the extra ball point pen..... it's gotta go! Next time he's taking a 3cm pencil stub. Unfortunately, this is one of those learn-by-doing things.

Next Saturday, we pick him up and see how it went. He is doing the rifle shooting merit badge and so he will sign up for extra practice sessions. Sometimes he says he hates scouts and doesn't want to do it. Other times he would give anything, DO anything to get to learn how to shoot a rifle.

Plans were that he was going to share a tent with Sahil, also of Pine Tree patrol. Colin and Andrew, also of Pine Tree, are going too, but they get a different tent. He was comfortable with that, so I hope it didn't change at the last minute.

The only fabric store left around here, besides the cotton only quilt shops, is a Jo-ann mega-store. Every time I go, it is for something I can't live without. Every time I go, the huge warehouse size, the impersonal atmosphere that makes other shoppers nearly hostile, the limited amount the employees can help, sometimes due to limited knowledge(they look at me like I'm a nut) and sometimes to corporate policy...every time, I get discouraged and feel uninspired and buy nothing.

Carolyn's blog made me feel very inspired, then Jo-ann made me lose it