We have written before about using what you already have rather than buying new, whether that is reclaimed timber or a scrap of wood nobody else saw a use for. The same logic runs through a sewing basket. Most households have a bag of fabric offcuts, an old flannel shirt with a worn collar, or a pillowcase that has outlived its set.

One of the most useful things you can do with that pile takes about twenty minutes and goes around a dog’s neck.

Why Bother Making One

A bandana on a trail dog is not only decoration. A bright one makes a dark-coated dog visible in undergrowth and, during hunting season, tells anyone at a distance that the shape moving through the brush belongs to somebody. Blaze orange is the sensible colour for autumn walks in country where people are shooting.

It is also a good use for material that is otherwise heading for a bin bag. Textiles are one of the fastest-growing waste streams there is, and a quarter yard of cotton is not going to save the planet, but it is the kind of small habit that adds up across a household.

The Two Patterns Worth Knowing

The tie-on version is simply a large square folded corner to corner, hemmed, and knotted around the neck. It is the easiest thing a beginner can sew and it fits any dog, which makes it the right choice if you are making several as gifts.

The over-the-collar version is better for a dog that actually goes anywhere. It is a triangle with a folded channel along the top edge that the collar threads through, so it cannot be pulled off on a branch or worked loose in water. It takes ten more minutes and it is the one worth learning. A clear dog bandana sewing pattern with a free printable template saves the guesswork on sizing, which is the only fiddly part.

Watch: How to Make a Dog Bandana – Beginner Sewist Friendly (YouTube)

Fabric and Fit

Use quilting cotton or a lightweight flannel. Both wash hot, dry fast and soften with use. Avoid anything with a stiff coating or a loose weave that will snag on brush. Prewash before you cut, because cotton shrinks and a bandana that fit last month will not after its first wash.

For sizing, measure the dog’s neck over the collar and add a couple of inches. A rough guide: small dogs want a finished top edge of about twelve inches, medium around sixteen, large around twenty. Err generous, since a bandana that is slightly too big just sits lower.

The Point of Making Things

There is nothing here you could not buy for a few dollars. That is not really the argument. The argument is that a person who can hem a triangle can also patch a jacket, take up a pair of trousers and get another five years out of things that would otherwise be replaced.

Start with the dog. He will not judge your stitching, and you will have used up something you were going to throw away.

When people go off into the woods for family camping trips and hunting excursions, they like leaving a lot of the modern world behind. However, there are some things that no one is willing to sacrifice. Hunting and fishing camps have to accommodate, which can be difficult in the most remote areas where power lines may not be relevant. These campgrounds have to rely on another power source and many choose small off-grid, portable power options.

Why Campers Seek Power

It may seem odd that campers enjoy power. After all, its the idea of getting out of the “real world” that appeals to camping and hunting lovers. However, even those most devoted to the idea of it still want some modern conveniences. They want to be able to charge their phone’s GPS, especially when hiking or exploring new areas. They want hot showers during the winter months or after exceptionally long hikes. They enjoy having lights when the campfire’s glow has faded away.

These basic necessities may not require a lot of power, but each one can be very valuable in the right situation. If you look at RV campers, they like knowing that they do not have to give up everything to be away from it all. Campgrounds, hunting camps, and more have to keep up so that the people will keep coming.

Major Problems, Easy Solutions

High up in the mountains, deep in the woods, in National Forests, and other areas off the beaten bath, campgrounds are found. The further out in “No Man’s Land” they are, the more people enjoy it. The problem for these campgrounds and hunting lodges, fishing camps, and more is that the nearest power lines may be miles away.  How do they keep up with the demands of visitors without sacrificing the “natural” aspect of the camp.

The easiest solution is to have a portable power option for those that want to charge their phones, have a hot shower, or turn on the lights in the middle of the night. Many look for a 2000 watt generator here: https://generatorpowersource.com/best-2000-watt-generator/. They may also choose solar power options and larger generators for areas that require a more powerful solution.

A Little Piece of Home Away from Home

When people leave their home to explore the world’s deepest areas, they do it to get away. However, no one in today’s world really wants to be completely apart from their daily life. It is an allusion. We go out hunting and fishing, camping in the woods, but we still like to sip on a cold one at the end of our day. We go RVing and though we love our home away from home, we still want to know that we can step out of the RV and mingle with others, perhaps in a lodge while eating dinner. Power makes it possible to live the way we want to live, even off the grid somewhat.

Woodworkers are forever looking for new project ideas. They are willing to tackle all types of fun, beautiful projects and see potential in virtually every scrap piece of wood that they can find. The perfect knot, the most symmetrical grain patterns, and even an imperfect cut can open the gateway of their creative juices. Perhaps it is this mindset that makes custom woodworking such a popular hobby in rural areas. Regardless of the “why”, a woodworker’s dream epoxy project is always just a beat away from becoming a reality.

The Beauty of Woodworking

In woodworking, there is no end to the possibilities. Woodworkers create everything from simple jewelry boxes to cedar hutches, and lavish coffee or dining tables. Their creative mind is the pencil and wood is their canvas. They can make wooden rocking chairs that never “bump” or wobble. They carve faces into tree stumps and turn it into a part of their landscaping. Some of their creations involve a lot of detail and creativity. Other creations are simple in design. Both are truly beautiful because of the “natural” beauty that comes from only wooden projects.

Most Popular Wood Projects

Every wood crafter has a favorite type of project and favorite techniques that they may use to achieve a desired “look”. Some of the most popular things to build from wood include wooden toys, plant boxes or birdhouses, and of course furniture. If a woodworker wants to make money with their creations, they may lean more toward the furniture since some people will pay top dollar for a custom made piece.

The idea of creating custom furnishings is made easier by the fact that stain may bring out the woods natural beauty. This is only more enhanced by the use of epoxy which allows them to add images to the wood and highlight colors as well. This is where river table creation comes in. Each pour is unique and each color blend from light to dark blue is outstanding on every piece. The woodworker has only to decide which is best in casting vs coating resins. The rest, with a little practice, will simply “flow” together.

What Will You Create Today?

Even if you have never touched a piece of wood before, you can create something truly amazing to see. You just have to look at a piece of wood and try to envision what it can become. Beyond that, a few simple tools can make it possible. You can wood burn an image into it, sand it down, cut it into smaller pieces and coat them in epoxy to make coasters or anything else your mind sees. There are no rules. No single best “right way” to tackle it. If you are no stranger to woodworking, you can push yourself a little further to see what you may be able to come up with. Just ask yourself, “What will you create today?” and see where you go from there!

To grow olives, you have to consider what they need the most. Much the same as all other plants and trees, they grow best in certain areas and environments. Olives are more forgiving than most. This means that they can grow in a variety of different areas. However, growing olives up on the mountain may be a little tricky sometimes.

The Best Climate for Olive Trees

Olive trees generally prefer a dry, well-drained area to thrive in. For this reason, the most perfect area for them is going to be places that do not see a lot of rain. They also prefer areas that have a mild winter, short-lived winter season. However, this can be tricky as well.

Olive trees should be planted in the spring. April to June is considered their bloom-season. During this time, there should be very little rain and not uncomfortably hot temperatures. During the bloom season, no rain is optimal because it can interrupt their pollination, which will hinder their blooms. Basically, they do not thrive in areas that are considered more tropical because of the amount of heat and rain that these areas may see during the summer months.

As winter comes, they do need some cold weather. They need the temperatures to drop below 45 °F, but this can change depending on the species of olive tree you have. This cooler weather is what enables the tree to bloom. The thing is, temperatures that drop near 22 °F (−6 °C) can harm smaller branches on the tree. A temperature of 15 °F can kill large branches and the tree as a whole. If you get lucky and the tree does not die, you may still have damage. A single heavy frost can affect the flavor of the olives and the oil can be compromised as well.

Other Considerations for Growing Olives

For olive trees, the pH balance has to be right. The soil has to be moderately acidic with a pH that is greater than 5, but less than 8.5. If you ask some growers, 6.5 is ideal. Because of this, you will need to have your soil tested if you want to grow trees.

If you do not have the proper pH levels, you can increase it with limestone or sphagnum moss. If you have too much, then sulfur or pine needles can lower it.

For anyone who wants to eliminate as much of the guesswork as they can, an olive tree soil mix is available. This can help to provide you with a good base for your tree, but you may still need to monitor it to make sure that the right levels are maintained throughout the seasons. You will also need to put more effort into draining the soil properly, especially if you plant your trees in a “bed”.

Where the Olives Grow Best

As a general rule, olives can be grown the best in zones 8-9 in the U.S. However, because there are a variety of species that can be a little more resilient, zones 11-12 are not completely out of the question. If you are unsure whether you live in an area that can grow olives, you may want to visit a farmer’s market or a plant nursery. There are some olive tree species that can grow in the northern U.S. and even mountainous areas.

It is said that our Earth is about 70% water and 30% forests and trees. It is true that humans have to get in where they fit in, but each year it seems that we are taking away from our forests more and more. In 2018, it was reported by the WWF that on average we are losing about 18.7 million acres of forests per year. We need to start doing more to keep our forests safer from manmade destruction.

The Importance of Forests

Often, we look at a forest as something that is renewable and therefore can be sacrificed. However, this is not true. We need forests as much as we need water, sun, and moon. The oxygen that we and every living thing needs, stems from the forests. It keeps the soil in place so that we are free to live on Earth without requiring houseboats and cities built on a barge. The animals we love call it our forests home and it is just a continuation of the circle of life that we all depend on.

Trees and forests, absorb the greenhouse gases that are responsible for climate change. Trees clean water so that we can use it in our homes. It provides food and jobs to people all over the world. It protects us against natural disasters. And shelters more than half of the creatures that live specifically on land.

If Forests Disappear

What happens if we lose every tree and every forest? It would be devastating. It wouldn’t happen quickly, but it would be the beginning of the end if all the plants died instantly.

First, we would lose the Earth’s clean air. Carbon dioxide would start to build. Within about 5 minutes, you would start to feel stressed by even little things because you get certain mood enhancers from the trees that fill our world.

In about seven weeks, you will likely see rains begin to fall. Flooding and erosion would be prevalent. If you survive it, then you would get to enjoy a drought at about seven months. No water could be enjoyed. Your food would disappear cause all the animals would die.

At around 50 years, only carnivores that eat dead meat would be thriving. Within 700 years, the air would be poisonous, the food would be gone, the water would be dried up, and the world we call home today will be changing even more drastically. Culminating in the fact that after 3,000 years of no plant life, only a few lucky water-dwelling creatures would exist. Though it is unlikely that they would.  Most of our water would be evaporated in the desert.

Protection Needs to Start Now

In a world that is so dependant on forests, why would we ever want to risk losing more of the forests? We are killing the animals we depend on and ultimately ending life by destroying the forests and streams. You have to start now. You have to protect where we live. If you cut down trees, plant more. Just remember that for every one tree cut, it can take 20-30 years to get another one just like it, if not longer.

With all that we lose each year, how much effort will we have to put in to make it better?