  
  
Â
Scoutmaster Musings
  Â
Archives:
2023 Â 2022 Â 2021 Â 2020 Â 2019 Â 2018 Â 2017 Â 2016 Â 2015 Â 2014 Â 2013 Â 2012 Â 2011 Â 2010 Â 2009 Â 2008 Â 2007 Â 2006 Â 2005 Â
Â
YAES
Yet Another Eagle Scout - yesterday was his ceremony and I gave him this fire piston which I carved. The kit is from wildersol.com.You remember Hannibal Smith's favorite line on A-Team? "I love it when a plan comes together." You usually hear it right after everything goes completely wrong and things finally just plop into place, resulting in an unimaginable success. That happens so often in Scouting!
This Eagle went through three or more project ideas, hitting dead ends along the way until Presto! he found a perfect one and nailed it. A couple years ago, he almost couldn't finish a backpacking trip - but the other guys pulled his gear and they all supported him to the end of the trail. Seven years ago, he almost didn't even go on to Boy Scouts. And, now he's an Eagle - and will most likely get a palm next month before he ages out.
Every path taken by a scout is full of failures, from poorly cooked meals to cut fingers to cold feet to slipping knots. Fortunately, the plan of Scouting is very flexible and adapts to unforeseen challenges. After all, the personal challenge really is the plan.
Most new scouts, when I ask them, will readily say their goal is to be an Eagle. No idea how they'll do it, or what it entails, but that's what most of them want. I tell them they can absolutely reach that goal as long as they do two things. First, make a plan - look over what's required and set smaller milestones of how to reach their goal. Second, remember that no plan is ever followed exactly - things will come up, things won't go right, people will let you down, you will make mistakes. As long as they modify and adapt rather than get discouraged, no setback in Scouting will be big enough to stop them from reaching their goal.
It hasn't failed me yet, when looking back over the Scouting career of the Eagles I've known, that every one had obstacles, bumps, detours, and apparent catastrophes. None of them have breezed right through. But in the end, the plan came together because that scout had a goal and kept at it - and THAT is probably the most valuable thing they'll get from that Eagle medal.
Scout On
| Leave Comment |
Posted: 19:19 12-12-2011 716
New-Skin Sweepstakes
This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of New-Skin for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
FCFY - Free Contest For You
Read to the end for the bonus
This Sunday, a scout that I've known since Tigers will be having his Eagle ceremony. Even though I'm not the scoutmaster any longer, he called and asked if I'd say something at his ceremony. I said, "Sure, what would you like me to say?" :-)
Being fairly literal, he said I could mention how he cut himself three years in a row. That's a running joke between the two of us - three years at summer camp he cut his hand or finger with his pocketknife. I've used him as an example in my wilderness first aid courses and when presenting first aid merit badge.
But, he's not unique in his ability to get injured. With 70 scouts in the troop, we've been fortunate to have no serious injuries, but tons and tons of nicks, scrapes, cuts and small wounds that are great for scouts to practice first aid. I bet you have your share of stories from your scouts, too.
Bandaids get sweaty, dirty, soggy, and just plain gross, especially at camp. Besides that, they really get in the way when doing woodwork, cooking, or knot tying.
Here's three products from New-Skin® that are very useful for common scouting problems.
- Liquid Bandage - a super easy, clean alternative to bandaids. Just paint it over a cut and you're good to go. Keeps out dirt and helps the wound heal. It's also useful for preventing blisters by making a protective layer.before the blister forms.
- Poison Ivy Treatment - a foaming soap that lifts, captures, and removes the oils that cause the rash. It also soothes the itching for quick relief.
- Scar Fade™ Gel - for those injuries that leave a mark. Twice daily application helps minimize the visible scar as the wound heals and is much less intrusive than pads that are often used. I know boys like to show off their scars as they get older (remember Jaws?) but making them less obvious is a good thing.
No matter how careful we are, and how well scouts stay on trails, stuff still happens and having these simple products in your troop first aid kit can make life much better on campouts, hikes, and even at meetings. A 1 ounce bottle takes up little room, but can provide quick, safe care immediately.
There's a cool New-Skin sweepstakes until December 22 where you could win a 4-day adventure. Depending on what you like, it could be the ski slopes of Breckenridge, CO or the warmth of the Botanical Gardens in Atlanta, GA or (my favorite) a hiking trip in Yellowstone! You might need the liquid bandages skiing, but not the poison ivy treatment. In the gardens, the poison ivy treatment might come in handy. But, I'd take them both to Yellowstone.
You must be at least 18 to enter, but it doesn't cost anything.
Please leave a comment here after you enter the contest and say why you want to win the sweepstakes and how you might use New-Skin® products. You can post the url of your sweepstakes page too, if you made one - I'll click on it to give you a vote.
You can get New-Skin® stuff at Wal-Mart and other local drug stores, so it's not a big deal to add them to your home first aid kit, too.
So, you wanna hear the bonus? On Dec. 24, I'll randomly choose one of the comments here from people that entered the sweepstakes and send that person a little whittling knife from whittlerbob.com.
Scout On
| Leave Comment |
Posted: 19:03 12-07-2011 715
Scout Pack Troop Gifts
Need a unique gift for a scout or for the Pack/Troop? Here's a few items I've tried out this past year that might fit the bill. Just click the name to read more about the product.
Woody Dutch Oven - As I've used my aluminum Woody dutch oven this year, I've come to really appreciate the lighter weight, easy clean-up, and rectangular shape. My favorite enchiladas fit much better in the rectangular shape.
Since the aluminum doesn't rust, seasoning and oiling isn't so crucial and the low weight makes it easier for scouts to handle. Oh, they also stack nicely and hold coals well.
EZ Grill - good idea for an occasional outdoor cooking need. Packs that have a summer cook-out can use a few EZ Grills instead of gathering messy personal grills, charcoal, and fluid, and then cleaning and returning everything.
These disposable grills just light, cook, and recycle the lightweight aluminum shell and bit of paperboard packaging. We had a patrol use one for their open fire cooking and they made great hamburgers.
FireLight Fire Piston - Wilderness Solutions has had wooden fire pistons for years and I've carved them for Eagle gifts. They came out with composite pistons a couple years ago and now have a transparent version so you can see the flash of ignition - way cool!
Plus, it has a hidden fire steel inside the piston shaft for a 2nd fire starting method bonus.
Indoor Campfire - a great prop for winter Pack meetings, den meetings, or any other time when simulating a camping setting is desired.
Our troop just used one for their overnight lock-in just there'd be a flickering light after 'lights out' time. There's no heat because it uses a huge array of LEDs, but the fluttering cloth flame looks hot.
GeoPalz Pedometer - Since I'll be hiking a couple thousand miles next year, I thought it would be fun to know how many steps I hike. I got a GeoPalz because their website lets you track your steps and win prizes. The goal is to have incentives for youth to get out and be active, and take steps towards a goal. It's small, easy to operate, and very accurate. Wouldn't it be fun to know how many steps a Philmont trek really is?
Scout On
Woody Dutch Oven - As I've used my aluminum Woody dutch oven this year, I've come to really appreciate the lighter weight, easy clean-up, and rectangular shape. My favorite enchiladas fit much better in the rectangular shape. Since the aluminum doesn't rust, seasoning and oiling isn't so crucial and the low weight makes it easier for scouts to handle. Oh, they also stack nicely and hold coals well.
EZ Grill - good idea for an occasional outdoor cooking need. Packs that have a summer cook-out can use a few EZ Grills instead of gathering messy personal grills, charcoal, and fluid, and then cleaning and returning everything. These disposable grills just light, cook, and recycle the lightweight aluminum shell and bit of paperboard packaging. We had a patrol use one for their open fire cooking and they made great hamburgers.
FireLight Fire Piston - Wilderness Solutions has had wooden fire pistons for years and I've carved them for Eagle gifts. They came out with composite pistons a couple years ago and now have a transparent version so you can see the flash of ignition - way cool!Plus, it has a hidden fire steel inside the piston shaft for a 2nd fire starting method bonus.
Indoor Campfire - a great prop for winter Pack meetings, den meetings, or any other time when simulating a camping setting is desired. Our troop just used one for their overnight lock-in just there'd be a flickering light after 'lights out' time. There's no heat because it uses a huge array of LEDs, but the fluttering cloth flame looks hot.
GeoPalz Pedometer - Since I'll be hiking a couple thousand miles next year, I thought it would be fun to know how many steps I hike. I got a GeoPalz because their website lets you track your steps and win prizes. The goal is to have incentives for youth to get out and be active, and take steps towards a goal. It's small, easy to operate, and very accurate. Wouldn't it be fun to know how many steps a Philmont trek really is?Scout On
| Leave Comment |
Posted: 10:25 12-07-2011 714
Cairns
I'd like to elaborate on two points that came up in the comments of my last post - and thank you for all your thoughts.Cairns vs. Art
Some people mentioned that rock cairns are useful for marking the trail so the rock stack I found should be left alone. The rock stacks were most definitely NOT cairns. The trail is manicured and so encompassed by forest that a person would need to work at getting off the trail.
Rock Art does not adhere to the ethics of Leave No Trace. Some of the specific LNT items to consider are:
- Use a map and compass to eliminate the use of marking paint, rock cairns or flagging.
- Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.
- Do not build structures, furniture, or dig trenches.
- Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience.
If a person subscribes to the LNT philosophy, then piling rocks isn't something that person would do. It is something we should be teaching youth not to do when we have the opportunity.
There is certainly a place for rock art, and nature art in general. Some people make a living from it - see Andy Goldsworthy. But, we shouldn't be building artworks in the wild, or on public lands, and leaving them for others to observe after our hike.
Building Cairns
Cairns are definitely useful in some areas. Many land management groups build and maintain cairns to mark the trail, similar to blazes on trees. For example, see this cairn construction page. A group spends time removing unofficial cairns and rock art to improve the usefulness of the maintained cairns.
In a pristine environment, hikers should have the opportunity to feel like they are the first explorers. No trail markings are needed through an area with no trail. Cairns in a pristine area may concentrate traffic to a specific path, creating a trail counter to LNT philosophy, rather than dispersing traffic to keep the area pristine.
In an area with established trails, cairns or blazes made by the responsible land agency are adequate. Individuals adding to them can cause confusion and unneeded visual impact.
Here are a couple other pages you might review - Leave what you find, LNT Blog
If you are a proponent of LNT, please take care in how the philosophy is shared with others. You can do it reasonably in an effort to help others understand the value, or this way - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jdfr9x8M8Vw
Scout On
| See 1 comment | Leave Comment |
Posted: 11:00 12-05-2011 713
Appropriate Art?
After my hike last weekend, I'm pondering something. I found this, and a few more, balancing rock formations that someone created along the trail. I think they look pretty neat and I've seen them done as art before.The quandry comes from the location of this person's efforts. It is in a state park and along a well-trafficked trail. Most people come here, I believe, to walk through the woods and enjoy the natural beauty around them. None are expecting man-made artistic structures along the trail.
So my perceived dilemma is, should I admire the rock pile and leave it as I continue my hike, or should I take off each rock and toss it out into the woods?
The first response recognizes the efforts of the person and leaves the art for others to enjoy because it really does look pretty cool. The second puts more importance on the natural beauty and feeling that the wilds are unspoiled, and also supporting the minimal impact and leave no trace ethics.
If I were to encounter this in a wild area, my choice would easily be made to dismantle the structure. In my view, the wilds should remain as natural and wild as possible and man-made impacts should be removed.
But, this was along a frontcountry trail where folks hike for an hour or so and there are rest benches, toilets, water fountains, and picnic tables in the area. For all I know, it's possible this art was approved by the land manager to make the trail more interesting. After all, lots of other people have walked past them and left them there.
In this case, I left them alone but have sent an email to the Department of Natural Resources contact to ask what they would prefer to have done with them.
Whatever the response (I'll let you know), I do hope we all agree that it is not our place to create artistic sculptures, structures, drawings, or whatnot out in the public wild places. Minimizing our impact and allowing future visitors to experience as wild and natural a place as we enjoyed is our duty.
Would you have taken the rock piles apart or left them for others to enjoy?
Scout On
| Leave Comment |
Posted: 22:18 11-30-2011 712
First Steps
After just researching, planning, and training for the past few months, I finally set foot on one of the national scenic trails I plan to thru-hike in 2012. Over Thanksgiving break, I got a taste of the trail by hiking the Kewaskum and West Bend segments of the Ice Age Trail plus the connecting routes between them. It was just 14 miles with on-and-off drizzle but was a wonderful hike!The volunteers that maintain those segments have done a great job. Along the way, there were four or five placards that described the terrain from the glaciers, the people that created the trail, and other interesting tidbits. If the rest of the trail has such kiosks, and well-marked routes, it will be a wonderful trek.
I did notice that someone had vandalized some of the trail signage - what a shameful way to waste money, effort, and time put out by volunteers to improve life for all of us.
Not all the trail blazes are easy to find, though.Walking down a sidewalk in West Bend, I could have easily walked right past this pole if not expecting the cut-off into the forest. I found that I got tuned into keeping an eye out for yellow blazes and had no problems.
I stopped at a gas station for a Snickers bar and almost asked the clerk if he knew about the Ice Age Trail just to see. I can see I'll have to work on being a bit more outgoing with strangers to get the most fun out of these hikes. Just a bit over 3 months before I start for real.
Scout On
| Leave Comment |
Posted: 13:42 11-29-2011 711
Team Activities
When the dreary drudgery of indoor scout meetings during the long winter months start getting to your scouts, remember that poor weather means a perfect opportunity to develop teamwork. Sure, it's discussed at Troop Leader Training and the Patrol Leader Council agrees that it's important, but how about incorporating some team development activities into those gatherings when it's too dark, too cold, and too wet to enjoy being outside?They don't have to be complicated to be fun. Here's a few that the SPL might want to give a shot:
- Knot Tying
- Glow Rings
- First Aid Relay
- Silly Olympics
- Exercise Relay
- Telephone adn Bullhorn
- Group Push Up
- Newspaper Basketball
- Bowline Race
- Chair Building
- Eye Witness
- Group Morph
- Hidden Route
- Ball Horde
Scout On
| Leave Comment |
Posted: 13:50 11-22-2011 709
Deer
I was planning on hiking 6 miles this morning, but when I hit 3 miles it just seemed like I needed to go further. I'm glad I did.Click the image to see a short video of the three deer I saw, plus one. They were beautiful. And, they were at about 7 miles of my 11-mile hike.
This week I've been trying to identify at least 10 animals on each hike. Today, I got eight - deer, crow, goose, duck, red squirrel, grey squirrel, cardinal, robin. We've had exceptionally nice weather since summer, but that's due to end tomorrow with rain/snow right around 35° all day. But then we're right back to sun for another week.
So, it's not too late to invite some folks out on a hike and stretch your legs.
Scout On
| Leave Comment |
Posted: 15:48 11-18-2011 708
OA in Space
I think this one image is probably the best promotion of Order of the Arrow and Boy Scouts to come around in a loooong time. Click the image to see it full size or View Gallery on facebook.Mike Fossum ( Meechgalane Sakima ) took his Vigil OA sash into space this summer aboard the space station! What a great symbol of a scout accomplishing great things by setting goals and perservering.
Maybe you can use this image in a scoutmaster minute for your troop, or to help explain what the Order of the Arrow is about.
Read Mike's story in the OA Natl Bulletin.
By the way, in the full size picture, you can see a signature on the sash - it's E. Urner Goodman's, a founder of the OA. Pretty cool.
Scout On
| Leave Comment |
Posted: 20:08 11-17-2011 707
Rodent Rescue
I personally appreciate this service project by scouts of Troop 747 out of Tucson, Arizona. The project involved making and installing wildlife escape ramps in livestock water troughs. This lets rodents climb out rather than drowning and rotting in the water.This is obviously better for livestock using the trough, but hikers that refill their water bottles benefit as well. There's a good chance I might need to use one of these water troughs while I'm hiking the Arizona Trail next spring, so "Thanks, Scouts!"
See this page.
Scout On
| Leave Comment |
Posted: 12:25 11-16-2011 706
Camping Gear Winner
Back at the beginning of October, I posted about a contest being sponsored by the BSA to promote the Be A Scout website where interested parents can find a local pack, troop, or crew. The 1 minute opening video on the site is waaay cool with lots of action and some neat stop-motion scenes - you should check it. There's short videos in each of the sections as well.
I've been told that Kevin S. has been chosen as a winner for his tweet about the post. I'd like to thank the many visitors that commented on the post and tweeted about it, and congratulate Kevin.
Scout On
I've been told that Kevin S. has been chosen as a winner for his tweet about the post. I'd like to thank the many visitors that commented on the post and tweeted about it, and congratulate Kevin.
Scout On
| Leave Comment |
Posted: 12:58 11-14-2011 705
Training Weekend
Spent yesterday and today presenting Red Cross CPR/AED and Wilderness First Aid training to scouters getting ready for Northern Tier, Sea Base, Philmont, and troop-planned treks over the coming year. One participant was a Cubmaster preparing for pack camping which I thought was pretty cool. It was a good group of folks, but a long weekend.I enjoy hearing what plans various troops have for their outings. It's always exciting to talk with folks looking forward to their first high adventure trip and help them prepare. November is the month to enter the Philmont lottery for 2013, so I hope your troop is taking care of that now - and don't wait until May to think about required training.
Scout On
| Leave Comment |
Posted: 22:14 11-13-2011 704
Previous PostsComments:
Â
Feb 25, 2023 - Joe Patterson
Just out of curiosity, are the Rockwell paintings  on exhibit anywhere
Mar 16, 2023 - Adam John
Great question Joe! Â Have you checked out the Norman Rockwell Museum in
Stockbridge MA? Â (nrm.org) There is also the Rockwell Museum in Corning
NY. Â (rockwellmuseum.org) I believe the latter has more art. Â Hope this
helps!
Jan 21, 2024 - Johnna Downing
The Scouting museum at Philmont, Cimmaron, NM hopefully has the ones that
used to hang at the museum in Irving, TX. Â Good luck. Johnna
Scouting 2024  -  Ask a Question  -  Add Content
Just for Fun: Socializing merit badge
This site is not officially associated with Scouting America
Â
Â
Â
Â
Find more Scouting Resources at www.BoyScoutTrail.com
 Follow Me, Scouts
Recent Comments