DO NOT CALL list information

Cell Phone Numbers Go Public this month.

Cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies. In addition to being a nuisance, these calls can be costly when cell phone accounts are charged for calls received. These calls can be prevented by placing your cell phone number on the National DO NOT CALL list.

You can do this either by calling the National DO NOT CALL list at 888-382-1222 or going on line at this address: www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx The call to put your phone number on the list must be made from the phone you want listed.

A Beginner's Beekeeping Class

Beginning with Bees
A Beginner's Beekeeping Class
presented at

Cayuga Nature Center
1420 Taughannock Boulevard Route 89
Ithaca NY 14850-9510

Saturday April 17 9 AM

The Finger Lakes Beekeepers Club announces a Spring workshop to help people begin keeping bees. The workshop is designed for people who wish to start a bee hive, whether to raise some honey or for pollination. Finger Lakes Beekeeper Club members will be on hand to present displays and workshops, host informal conversations with beekeepers and a visit to the Club Apiary.

Light refreshments will be provided. Participants should bring a brown bag lunch.

People may find more information by visiting the website, www.flbeeclub.com or by sending an email to twelder62@yahoo.com

Because there is a limit of 80 persons, preregistration is required by April 9. The cost is $8.00 person, $12 family. Checks should be made out to “Finger Lakes Bee Keepers Club” and mailed to FLBC, c/o Tammy Fazzi, 4 Hanford Drive, Dryden NY 13053

Dutch Cheese Press

Drying recycled plastic baggies

A friend of mine remarked "hey, how useful" when she saw baggies hanging to dry on the fridge - so in case you do not want to buy a professional plastic bag dryer - this system works perfectly!

I got the magnet clamps at Target, about $5 for four if I remember correctly. Make sure to fluff up the bags to prevent trapping moisture inside.

other uses for above ground swimming pool...

Last year we successfully used the blue plastic surround to house our baby ducks and geese in outside - it's both weather proof and draft free! - and this year it's the sunroom playpen for our baby goat.

We have a dog crate in the pen, with a heat lamp on top and a heated cat bed inside to keep the little guy warm at night when he's all alone. It works real well and both the blue plastic surround and the towel around the dog crate keep the little guy out of drafts (the sunroom windows do not completely close).

Oh, the ladder is so my 32+ lbs toddler can go in and out by himself!

Goat Diaper for bottlefed goat kid.

One diaper for a baby goat made from one of our toddler diaper covers... cheap, easy and works surprisingly well! The inserts are newborn prefolds (locally for sale at Mama Goose, downtown Ithaca) which I launder together with my toddlers' diapers. The diaper cover is slightly altered: I cut off the two velcro side taps (saved some of the border to sew around the cut edge), removed the velcro pieces and sewed those back on along the top edge. This way it is a wrap - or as the male wrap I got at PetSmart for $20 said; it nicely covers the male countours...

As you can see, it is comfortable enough to be able to have nice, long naps in front of the woodstove...

DIY Cat Scratching Post

This home made cat scratching and climbing post is made of two electrical wire spools from our local electricians dumpster, leftover fabrics and saved baling twine.

To make, measure the diameter of the two large wooden discs and make fabric slip covers. I sewed a tunnel and used a piece of road to tighten the fabric, a piece of elastic would do the same trick. Measure the small top disc and make a slip cover for it. I used fake fur fabric, several of the disk have circles of regular carpet underneath the cover. Regular carpet does not curve / bend and thus can not be used to cover cat furniture.

Put fabric over small disk. Drill three holes for metal bolts in top disc of large spool. Put fabric over large disc. Attach the small disc and tube to the top disc with the metal bolts that come with the spool. Put fabric over the last large disk and attach all pieces together. Wrap bailing twine or any other cheap, rough twine around the cardboard tubes.

The post is surprisingly sturdy, used extensively (over our store bought one) and even our two year old thinks it's a great climbing toy. Enjoy!