Re: [gardeners] Iced Tea Weather
penny x stamm (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Wed, 22 Apr 1998 16:43:49 -0400
Margaret, I am interested in the things you brought up.
Do you know the reasons for the controlled forest fires?
Do you feel that this procedure is necessary for the good
of the forests, and thus for the good of the nation? And
do you mind telling me near which city this is taking place?
Does it happen every spring?
....................................
Since my Missouri daughter was poisoned almost to the point
of death by a poisonous mushroom choice -- and she happens
to be a mushroom hunter -- I would like to know, if possible,
what kind of mushrooms people roam the woods for, in your
area. Almost all of the mushrooms here on the East coast come
from those delightfully fragrant barns down in Delaware and
Pennsylvania. We've been known to make the 3-hr run down
there, to pick up some spent mushroom soil. Of course, I am
aware that the "old folks" who knew what they were picking in the
"old country" will go wild mushroom hunting hereabouts. But
anything with good flavor comes to us from out of state.
.........................
Yes, I do know that National Forests have gone commercial, but
I thought that meant that they were getting government permits
to do logging, and/or access road building. I'm fighting that
situation as hard as I can...
As a family (5 kids) we spent 25 years tent and trailer camping
throughout the U.S. We've covered 30,000 miles this way. In the
forties, when we started, camping was primitive but rewarding.
There were no reservations at public campgrounds at all. By the
fifties, bicycles entered the campgrounds. My kids thought that
was great, but we sure didn't! By the sixties, other people brought
boom boxes, motor bikes, golf clubs, AIR CONDITIONERS, and
compressors which cycled the whole day and night through. We
finally gave up. Of course, camping was no longer as safe a
hobby as it had been in the past, which helped to tarnish the
enjoyment.
By the seventies, public camping at our beloved Lake George had
become bizarre. Forest Rangers heavily patrolled the large
campgrounds in order to maintain discipline amongst the college
kids who had discovered the place. And it was interesting to see
the Rangers throw the kids out of the park, if boy and girl were
found occupying the same sleeping bag out under the trees.!
Bet they don't bother today....... Reservations were made from
home, using the same system as one would use to order theater
tickets. It was the end of a dream..
Private campgrounds were always allowed to make their own rules,
of course. In many of them we were allotted enough space to fit a
20 ft trailer (not very big for a family) and car, a picnic table and
benches, a permanent fireplace, and a row of shrubs or trees as
separation. In the early days, folks always congregated around
each other's fireplaces, and the evenings were spent being friendly.
Not so towards the end -- once electricity was provided, folks
tended to stay inside and watch tv. It was obvious that their reason
for being there was simply to get out of the house in an inexpensive
manner, certainly not for the enjoyment of nature! And of course,
it amused but annoyed me that the public shower rooms all had
electric hair dryers... many also had large, shallow pools -- no
diving allowed. Not very rustic, but very sad, yes.
....................
Yes, I can see how you became a Grump. Let's hope that it is
only a temporary situation.
Penny, NY
_____________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com
Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]