Archive for June 2017
Cypress Tunnel at Point Reyes National Seashore. Photo by Nick Steinberg. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 4/23/17.
Highly intelligent and resourceful, raccoons are one of the most widespread mammals in North America. They have adapted to live in forests, mountain areas, coastal marshes and even urban centers. In Native American legends, they are known as tricksters and mischief-makers. Their characteristic masks and dexterous paws make them seem cute and approachable, but never forget that they are wild animals. Photo by Gary Miller, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Posted on Tumblr by the US Fish & Wildlife Service, 3/15/17.
Green Tree Frog at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Craig McIntyre. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 5/4/17.
When temperatures warm up and food is available, brown bears slowly begin to leave their dens. After 4-5 months of sleep and limited activity, male bears emerge first, usually from early to mid-March, followed by solitary females and females with yearlings or two year olds. The last to leave their dens are females with newborn cubs. Spring greens and winter carrion are first on the menu for these hungry bears. Photo of brown bears from Alaska’s Katmai National Park & Preserve by Gavin Danapong. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 4/21/17.
Like this:
Like Loading...
America’s national parks are beyond beautiful. Sunset at Utah’s Zion National Park. Photo by Shay Blechynden. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 5/2/17.
Sunset over Maine’s Acadia National Park. Photo by Ian Barin. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 4/30/17.
Sunset over Washington’s Olympic National Park. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 5/5/17.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Be prepared for sunrise splendor at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. It’s a thrill watching the sun paint the sky from the park’s Pinnacle Overlook. Here you have views of Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee. On clear days, you can even see the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina – a sight that’s 100 miles away! Photo by Volunteer Harold Jerrell, National Park Service. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 4/28/17.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Male western tanager on Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Tom Koerner/USFWS. Posted on Flickr by the US Fish & Wildlife Service; taken 5/25/17.
A red necked phalarope (adult male) on Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Tom Koerner/USFWS. Taken 5/21/17 & posted on Flickr by the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
The American bittern is a rare sight…not because they are uncommon, but because of their secretive, solitary nature and streaky camouflage. They are more commonly heard than seen. Their call is an odd sound that could be described as “gulping”. Their nicknames include: “stake-driver,” “thunder-pumper,” “water-belcher,” “mire-drum, and “shy-poke”. They commonly eat fish, frogs, and insects, and have the ability to focus their eyes downward (making them appear cross-eyed at times). The bittern will stand completely still and point its bill into the air to blend in with the vegetation around it. This bittern is using a wetland protected by a FWS wetland easement in the Kulm Wetland Management District in North Dakota. Photo by Krista Lundgren/USFWS. Taken 5/16/17 and posted on Flickr by the US Fish & Wildlilfe Service.
Two of These Do Not Belong… This red-winged blackbird nest on the Baltzer WPA in the Kulm Wetland Management District has two eggs that don’t belong to the blackbird. The two white and brown speckled eggs are those of a brown-headed cowbird. Female cowbirds do not build nests of their own, but rather lay their eggs in other birds’ nests. Cowbirds are one of the most common “brood parasites”. Their young are then raised by the host parents, sometimes to the detriment of their own young. Photo Krista Lundgren/USFWS. Photo taken 6/8/17 and posted on Flickr by the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
Mountain bluebird on Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge Photoby Tom Koerner/USFWS. Taken on 6/15/17 and posted on Flickr by the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
Yellow headed blackbird on Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Tom Koerner/USFWS. Taken 6/8/17 & posted on Flickr by the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
Cinnamon teal on Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge Photo by Tom Koerner/USFWS. Taken 6/5/17 and posted on Flickr by the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Greater sage-grouse on Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge Photo by Tom Koerner/USFWS. Taken on 6/5/17 and posted on Flickr by the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
A Brewer’s sparrow perched on a Wyoming Big Sagebrush at Wyoming’s Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Tom Koerner/USFWS. Taken on 6/5/17 and posted on Flickr by the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
White-tailed prairie dog on Wyoming’s Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Tom Koerner/USFWS. Taken 6/5/17 and posted on Flickr by the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
Horned lark on Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge Photo by Tom Koerner/USFWS. Taken 6/8/17 and posted on Flickr by the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
As night falls on Devils Tower National Monument, it transforms from a place of darkness into a place of wonder. Thousands of twinkling, glittering stars dot the night sky over an astounding geologic feature that protrudes out of the rolling prairie surrounding the Black Hills. Stay for nature’s night show at Wyoming’s Devils Tower – it’s worth it! Photo by National Park Service. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 4/18/17.
Like this:
Like Loading...
The Painted Wall of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado is a stunning sight. At this location, the canyon is over 2,200 feet tall, almost twice the height of the Empire State Building. The stripes on the wall are like pages in a book. The rock layers of Black Canyon tell a story of past environments, ancient animals and dynamic processes of change. Photo by
Ryan McGinley. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 4/27/17.
More
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Like this:
Like Loading...
National Bison Range. Photo by a US Fish & Wildlife Service volunteer, Dave Fitzpatrick. Tweeted by the US Fish & Wildlife Service, 6/2.
Like this:
Like Loading...
The Board Chronicles is an ongoing series of articles about the adventures of Mrs M’s Handmade as a vendor at community festivals & craft fairs. Mrs M’s subsidiary, Mr M’s Woodshop, has been approved to create this chronicle for the good of vendorkind.
45,000 people come to the Montrose Arts & Crafts Festival.
They say.
Last year may not have been a good representation, though, with temperatures soaring over 100*. We still had an OK outing, though (read about our 2016 event, here). And this year, the forecast is better, with the high on both days projected at 83. In addition, we have the coolest booth on the street, with a giant shade tree.
Maybe our patrons will linger in the coolness that is our booth.
Last year, this was one of our most expensive events ever. This year, that’s no longer the case. The vendor fees aren’t cheap ($650 for a double booth with an open aisle on one side), but we’ve definitely paid more. We’ve also had much better sales at other events. This year, we’re hoping to do better than last year – and if we do, it’ll be the first event this year at which we’ve done better than in 2016.
It’s the end of the Spring Fling … think we can gather some momentum and have a very nice event?
New Ideas
- Back to our pop-up canopies this week; the early Saturday morning set-up has dissuaded us from doing the 10×20 Trimline canopy. It adds 30+ minutes to both the set up and the take down. It’s worth it … but when time is of the essence, we need to use the pop-ups.
- I don’t like leaving the trailer parked on public streets, and this event does not provide any off-street parking. At all. So, I drove the empty trailer home Saturday night and then back to the event Sunday morning. Velda especially loves the rattling & bouncing of the empty trailer.
Observations
- Spring Fling event # 7 of 7.
- 7 events, 7 weeks.
- Done.
- Just like last year, I’m across the aisle – about 10′ away – from a direct competitor. Exotic Chopping Blocks is the company name, and the woodworker is Glenn. His style is very different from mine, though we do make some similar boards (cheese boards, especially). We’re really OK being in close proximity – we both like our current booth locations, so we’re not moving. Not ideal, but we’re both OK. We enjoy the camaraderie, for sure.
- We both get comments, though: “Don’t you hate being right by that guy?” “Are you in business together?”
- This event is in downtown Montrose, and there’s a lot of early/late walkthru traffic with people going to get a coffee, going out to eat, or going to the farmer’s market. That business outside of the published hours of the event is significant … I sold the last chess board before we “opened” at 10am Saturday.
- Why do people touch a board, and then do a double tap on the surface with a finger? Are they verifying that the wood is an unyielding surface to a fingertip? I’ve seen so many people do this; it’s an odd human habit.
- A mother and daughter were having fun looking at boards, choosing which big board they wanted. Eventually, the daughter said, “we’ll do this next year.” The healthy-looking mother said, “I might be dead next year.” The daughter walked away. The mom did return to the booth later, but didn’t buy. No clue what that human drama meant!
- Saturday was down 20% from prior year. Not looking good….
- Overheard: “I pocket dialed you? I don’t know how to do that. I’ve heard about it, but I don’t know how to do it.”
- Standing in the booth, we heard a pop and then a loud “SSSSSS.” We looked at each other … what was that? Someone passing by the booth told us: a branch had broken off the tree, landed on the canopy above our heads, and then slid down the canopy roof into the gutter between the canopy where it stopped. Odd sound for a random occurrence!
- Sunday picked up, thankfully, but still was short of last year’s “heat impacted” results. Is this just not that good of an event?
- Tear down was at 5pm, and we started promptly.
- A mom & 2 teenagers wandered by at 5:25pm:
- She said: “I really like this board.”
- Son said: “You should get it.”
- I said: “I like your kids.”
- She said: “Do you have anything in Walnut?”
- I said: “I do. Here’s a Cheese & Cracker Server in pure Black Walnut.”
- Daughter said: “You should get it.”
- I said: “I really like your kids.”
- Everyone smiled.
- She bought the Black Walnut Cheese & Cracker Server, plus a couple of soaps for the kids. That $92 walk-up transaction with a lady that had no idea the event was happening, over 30 minutes after the event “closed,” put us over the top. For the first time this year at a repeated event, we beat last year’s number! But, even better, by an eyelash ….
Best. Spring. Fling. Ever.
- Requests were for a fleur de lis-shaped board, a board with plastic cutting board inserts, a cheese & cracker server with a larger glass dome, a board for cutting turkey (massive juice groove), a board with a meat hook to easily flip meat over (huh?), a big lazy Susan/compartmentalized serving piece and another request for a board with an over-sized juice groove. Oh, and the # 1 requested item? Yup. Chess boards.
The Food
Saturday Breakfast: Jack In The Box # 23. I’m moving JITB off of my approved list for breakfast.
Saturday Lunch: Velda’s cheese & cracker plate, with a fruity assist from our friend, Jan.
Saturday Snack: Nope
Saturday Dinner: A chicken burrito at Margaritas, still our go to for Mexican food in SCV
Sunday Breakfast: Hello, old friend.
Sunday Lunch: Soupy pizza from the joint down the street … easy, but very disappointing.
Sunday Snack: Paradis ice cream. Yum. There’s another reason why we like this booth location!
Sunday Dinner: Chicken Parm at the best Italian restaurant in the SCV: Bella Cucina.
The Facts
- Total miles driven: 140
- Booth cost: $650
- Food cost: $227
- Travel cost: $73
- Total sales: $2,150
- Net Revenue (does not include product cost): $ 1,127
- # of people we met during the event from the producer: 1
- Visits in our booth by a promoter’s representative: 1
- Saturday alarm: 4:30a
- Sunday alarm: nope
- # transactions: 35+
- # soap & lotion vendors: Several, though none had the range of products that Mrs M offers. Together, though, there were many competitors
- # woodworking vendors: Several, including 1 cutting board maker … and, I believe, 1 cutting board importer at this “exclusively” handmade event
- Edge grain vs. end grain: 9:0
- Returning next year? Probably.
Boards sold: 20
Magic Bottle Openers: 6
Lazy Susans: 3
Cheese Boards: 3
Cheese & Cracker Servers: 2
Cutting Board: 1
Large Cutting Board: 1
Small Surfboard: 1
Medium Surfboard: 1
Wine Bottle Holder: 1
Chess Board: 1
Chess 17 – 302. Purpleheart & Cherry, proud of the Black Walnut frame. 18″ x 18″ x 1″.
Magic Bottle Opener 16 – 155. Purpleheart, Hard Maple & Yellowheart. Single Magic.
Lazy Susan 17 – 04. Black Walnut, Cherry & Mahogany. 18″ diameter.
Magic Bottle Opener 16 – 02. Yellowheart, Purpleheart & Hard Maple. Approximately 5″ x 10″ x 3/4″.
Cheese Board 16 – 048. Purpleheart, Caribbean Rosewood, Jatoba & Black Walnut. 7″ x 11″ x 3/4″.
Cutting Board 16 – Edge 018. Black Walnut & Hard Maple. 12″ x 16″ x 1-1/2″. This board was one of 2 that I made as a set that I was going to cut apart & do something unusual with … until I discovered that this board had a piece with a void in it. That piece had to be replaced, which means my original plan never got done. The matching board was sold long ago; now this one finally makes it to the finish line.
Magic Bottle Opener 17 – 902. Purpleheart, Hard Maple, Cherry & Yellowheart. Single Magic.
Small Surfboard 16 – 21. Hard Maple, Canarywood & Jatoba. 7″ x 16″ x 3/4″.
Magic Bottle Opener 17 – 626. Cherry, Bloodwood, Yellowheart & Bubinga. Double Magic.Magic Bottle Opener 17 – 6. Double Magic.
Surfboard # 15 – 10. Black Walnut & Cherry.
Lazy Susan 16 – 008. Teak, Black Walnut, Yellowheart, Red Oak & Hard Maple. 17″ diameter x 3/4″.
Cheese Board 16 – 046. Purpleheart, Birds Eye Maple, Goncalo Alves, Jatoba, Bloodwood & Yellowheart. 9″ x 11″ x 3/4″.
Cutting Board 17 – 426. Black Walnut, Bubinga, Purpleheart, Yellowheart, Hard Maple, Honey Locust, Goncalo Alves & Padauk. End Grain, Juice Groove. 16″ x 21-1/2″ x 1-1/2″.
Magic Bottle Opener 17 – 621. Purpleheart, Bubinga & Caribbean Rosewood. Double Magic.
Medium Surfboard 16 – 06. Canarywood, Jatoba & Hard Maple. 8″ x 20″ x 3/4″.
Magic Bottle Opener 17 – 634. Padauk, Hard Maple, Red Oak & Black Walnut. Double Magic.
Cheese Board 17 – 301. Chaos Board. 8″ x 11″ x 3/4″.
Lazy Susan 17 – 08. Red Oak, Padauk & Black Walnut. 18″ diameter.
Wine Bottle Holder 17 – 04. Purpleheart, Hard Maple & Bloodwood.
Cheese & Cracker Server 16 – 03. Black Walnut. 12″ x 19″ x 1-1/4″.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park is one of the few places on Earth where visitors can safely get an upclose look at an active volcano. Witness powerful natural forces at work as Kīlauea and Mauna Loa (two of the world’s most active volcanoes) continue to add land to the island of Hawaiʻi. Photo by Janice Wei, National Park Service. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 4/18/17.
National parks preserve some of the most unique landscapes in America. Visitors to Badlands National Park in South Dakota are often shocked at the sudden appearance of these colorful formations rising out of the surrounding green plains. The rock formations and amazing fossil beds give us important evidence of the dramatic natural history of the area. Just another reason why national parks are great outdoor classrooms! Photo by Andreas Eckert. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 4/19/17.
Trumpeter Swans. Tweeted by the US Fish & Wildlife Service, 6/2/17.
An underwater view of the coral and fish at National Park of American Samoa. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 5/28/17.
Arizona’s Grand Canyon. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 4/21/17.
Great horned owl owlet on Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Tom Koerner/USFWS. Photo taken on 5/30/17 and posted on Flickr by the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
Scenes like this from Crater Lake National Park in Oregon remind us of the beauty and fragility of nature. Clear skies, fresh air, pure water and the serene sounds of breezes and birds inspire us to experience the natural world and protect it for future generations. Sunrise photo by Helen Kehrt. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 4/22/17.
National Bison Range. Photo by Dave Fitzpatrick / USFWS. Photo taken 4/18/17 and posted on Flickr by the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
Photo of Yosemite’s Half Dome from Glacier Point by Kevin Perez. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 4/21/17.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Say hello to the second tallest mountain in America: Mount St. Elias in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve in Alaska. Standing over 18,000 feet tall, it towers over Icy Bay, which gets its name from the glaciers that run down Mount St. Elias’s slopes. It’s just one of the many amazing natural sights in America’s largest national park. Photo by Bryan Petrtyl, National Park Service. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 4/25/17.
More
Wrangell-St Elias National Park
Like this:
Like Loading...
