CHINESE DIRT CLASS

Before class starts

Mission accomplished! I taught my class on dirt today, and thanks to a few great helpers, both American and Chinese, it went off without a hitch. What fun it was to share my passion and love of collecting dirt with 20 enthusiastic students from China. They ranged in age from 11 to 18.

I had a great time, and I hope that they may have been inspired to start collections of their own. Be it dirt, stamps, leaves (one young lady already has several in her collection) or anything else, I hope they enjoy it as much as I do. I was again reminded how dirt really is the GREAT CONNECTOR OF US ALL!

I think the kids enjoyed eating the dirt the most! Here is the recipe for that:

1 Clear plastic cup

1 Hunt's snack pack pudding cup

20 Chocolate chips

3 T Crushed Oreo cookies

Gummy sour worms for texture and taste.

Bickey, wearing YELLOW in the above photos, is a young man with already 9 years of English classes under his belt, was very helpful. He not only wrote all of the words I used in my lesson into Chinese symbols, he volunteered to eat the dirt and actually believed the dessert to be real dirt. His reaction to taking a bite and calling it "OREO" made all of us smile!

*side note I called him yellow during class because I couldn't pronounce his Chinese given name.

Here are a few pictures from the events of the day. What a great time I had, and I am pretty sure I will be getting more samples from China shortly after the students return home. PeopleLink has been a great group of people to work with. A special THANK YOU to Megan who is in my ward for asking me to participate!

Dirt Collecting and SHARING via CHINA

It's that time again! Time to catch up on blogging about more collections of dirt that I have received this past few months. It's hard to believe I started this blog nearly 3 years ago.

The dirt is never ending and just when I think I am caught up, I find more dirt I didn't even remember I had.

Case in point:

I was recently asked to participate in a program here in Roseville, where students from China come to visit, live with host families, and spend two weeks engaging themselves in American culture.

What better way to do that than introducing them to DIRT COLLECTING?

Granted, it may not be every American's passion, but it certainly is mine. To be able to share that experience with others, no matter what their age, is always exciting for me. So I began to go through all of the samples that have been given to me over the years from China.

I had two for sure that came to the top of my head, The Great Wall of China and Xian China. However, I had two additional vials from Hainan and Shangzhou. All four of which I plan to bring to my class slated for tomorrow. I am so looking forward to talking about my love of collecting dirt, and also asking the students if they are familiar with these areas.

I have asked each of the host families to give their student a sample of dirt from their own yards so that the students can have a little something to take home with them to remember their experience here on American Soil. Of course, I have also given each of them a vial just like I have placed mine in with the label: Roseville, CA, USA.

Thank you to Specialty Bottle Company for sending me those so promptly.

I will keep you posted on how the entire class goes. I have brushed up on my Chinese Culture and language (both words) and feel very prepared to encourage these young minds to dig the dirt, love the land, save the soil, and all that good stuff!

In the meantime, I am back at my preparations for the big day. I am currently preparing edible dirt cups. I will definitely let you know how THAT turns out.

Folsom Lake Fun

Holli, Peyton and I cooling off after a great morning of fishing. TIME to find the DIRT!

Sand from the shore line of Folsom Lake. Near Granite Bay. The 5 Percent area to be exact.

Folsom Lake is near and dear to my heart for several reasons. I grew up just down the road from the lake in my hometown of LOOMIS. It is beautiful and I have seen it on so many different levels. I've been there fishing quite a bit in the last year and on this trip, took my daughter Holli, Joe's niece Peyton, and of course, Joe!

We started by fishing, but found a great little private cove that we decided to cool off in. This is where I chose to get a sample of dirt, which actually is sand from right under the lake. Next to it, actually ALL THROUGH IT... is fool's gold. I bottled some of it up as well. The lake is wonderful and I look forward to going back again very soon.

Bullard's Bar, CA

Centrally located in the Sierra Nevada foothills, Bullard's Bar is the ultimate in outdoor recreation. If you enjoy house boating, fishing, camping, water sports, hiking, mountain biking, or all of the above, Bullard's Bar is the place for you.

D. All of the above?

I enjoy all of these things, however, this vacation was not meant for me. I did, however reap the benefits of these two and their adventure because I got some dirt! It is a bright red in color and when their fishing expedition was complete and they washed the boat off, the bright red color was very evident on the side of the boat.

It was a great trip as far as the fishing goes, it was even greater for me in that I got this great dirt sample!

Fire Station # 22

While working another call back, Joe remembered to get me some dirt from the station. It got me to thinking that each time we make a collection of soil from somewhere, we always leave a small "divot" where the dirt once was.

This particular station had amazing landscaping and so we wanted to be extra careful and not just leave a gaping hole when we got the sample. Little did I know that the Captain that works at this station also loves getting his hands in the dirt and not only grooms all of the lawns, but also keeps the ivy that is growing neat and tidy.

He was already planning to "fill" in the area that we got the dirt from with these ice plants. They have a beautiful color to them when they bloom! They will look wonderful I have no doubt...especially when surrounded by all of that beautiful DIRT!

Firehouse 103

Here I go again! Trying to make another attempt at getting caught up on all of the blogging that I need to do. Sometimes it feels like the more I try to get it done, the nicer the weather becomes and the less time I find myself blogging about dirt and the MORE time I am out working in it! From my perspective, it is a bountiful payoff!

So, Joseph did another call back at this station. He did 15 calls in a 20 hour period, and sometime in between he even found some time to collect dirt from the firehouse for me. It is another station located in the Sac Metro Fire District. It was certainly busy!

I love that these firehouses are usually located smack dab in the middle of a residential area. (DUH!) Makes sense really... but it also makes it easier for him to help me collect my dirt. Remember, it was almost a year ago that I set a goal to get dirt from every firehouse in the district. One more down and MANY MANY to go! ***

Roseville... Ice Capital of the WORLD?

On a recent adventure through one of Roseville's parks, I came across this NOTICE located above a footbridge that I was visiting while waiting to have my taxes done. (The things I do to pass the time, I know)...

HOW STRANGE! Or at least it was until I saw the Roseville Historical Land Marker #2 on the other side of the bridge that explained why the sign hung there.

Turns out, Roseville CA located just north of Sacramento was once the Ice (as in FAKE) capital of the world.

WHO KNEW? I couldn't pass up the opportunity to snag some dirt. And thanks to my bff we scooped some up and marveled at how many times the places we go to on a regular basis turn out to have so much historical meaning.

It was a great day and I got a great sample of dirt. Who knows who may have walked...or skated...across these grains of dirt as well as this footbridge?

The sign reads as follows:

Across the footbridge situated high above the Southern Pacific Railroad yards, passed untold thousands of Pacific Fruit Express employees at the world's largest artificial ice plant. In disuse since 1974when the giant plant was razed this local landmark was moved in 1986 for use as a public footbridge across dry creek and as a memorial to those days when Roseville was the ice capital of the world.

Dedicated in March of 1987 as the Reuben E. Nelson footbridge in honor of Reuben Nelson, long time superintendent to the PFE and civic leader.

Alcatraz

WELCOME TO THE ROCK

Ha ha ha! I love when Sean Connery said that in the movie. Nick Cage learned a few things about himself when he portrayed an FBI agent and "side kick" of sorts to Sean in the movie entitled The Rock back in 1996.

And although I have never been to Alcatraz personally, I do have some great daughters that have visited there. (Thank you to the Man upstairs that it was only a day visit)

Thank you to Madi, Brady and Holli for snagging me this sample of dirt from the island of Alcatraz on a recent visit there. I have many dirt samples that are in these cute little magnetic fridge decorations. I always love getting them!

Alcatraz, also known as "The Rock" is the most infamous prison in United States history. It housed some of the most notorious criminals we have ever seen in our nations history. This prison was known amongst criminals as the worst place to go. Alcatraz is secluded on an Island off the coast of San Fransisco, with no one around for miles, these prisoners sat in this dark, foggy and dampened prison counting the days, trying not to go completely crazy. Alcatraz was opened back in 1934 and it closed it's doors in 1963. Alcatraz was considered one of the harshest prisons around. The prisoners had minimal privileges, if any, and some prisoners where even driven to complete insanity because of the conditions that were Alcatraz. This makes Alcatraz tours in San Fransisco, one of the most popular things for most tourists and even locals here to do.

Thank you again to my sweet family for thinking of me on their trip to San Francisco.

Long time coming...

So much has been going on since my last post. I am finally finding that I have time to sit down and update my blog. SHAME on me for neglecting dirt that way.

After my bout with the PCP, I decided that I was going to limit my association with dirt samples that have been sent to me from around the world. Sad but true. That having been said, my family still keeps me going on the different places that they visit and are sweet enough to send me dirt from their various journeys.

My oldest daughter Meagen is now using her blogging skills and is a contributor on this site: www.thecareereffect.com.

I guess that partly inspired me to start updating this blog again. That, and the fact that I have an incredible amount of time on my hands and....

I have been sitting on numerous samples that were received from others and collected by myself over the past several months but have had nowhere to store them othe

r than the bags in which they were received.

So today, I ORDERED MORE BOTTLES! Thank you to the Specialty Bottle Company for keeping such excellent records and reminding me of the exact size that I needed to keep them all the same!

I also have another plan to display all of my bottles but that little surprise will be posted at another time. I guess this is what one would call the "cliffhanger".

Stay tuned, the future has a lot in store, including an absolutely hilarious tale from a loved one that moved from California to Alabama and collected a TON of dirt samples (treasures) along the way. The trip includes a run in with the law for having dirt in the front seat as well as a visit with Barney Rubble's bff...Fred Flintsone!

Do you remember?

This date will come every year, and my emotions up until now, have remained the same. The story doesn't change, and like so many others around the world, especially in the family of firefighters and rescue personnel, I will pause and reflect on the events of that day.... On this day....every year.

Ground Zero World Trade Center New York City September 11, 2001

I would never have imagined that I would become part of the world of firefighters and have a new way of viewing and reflecting on the events of that day, which, truly, seem like so long ago.

I seemed to have watched from afar, but now, becoming "connected" has opened my eyes like never before at the risks that these individuals make every day and the heroic acts that they perform.

I am very HUMBLED each time that I look at these 2 jars and reflect upon the events that happened on September 11, 2001. I worked for a major scrapbook magazine at the time and can recall vividly every detail of the breaking news and the emotions that I and my family felt during the next days and upcoming weeks and months. My boss was scheduled for a business trip to NYC and even weeks after the event and in the midst of confusion and chaos collected these 2 jars. My thanks to Michael Randall. Not every event in our lives will be a positive one. The beauty of saving things like dirt, or creating a scrapbook page, or writing a song, or any other creative outlet one expresses, is that it gives us a chance to cope and accept negative events and use them as constant reminders to live for today. I have an incredible appreciation for life. I open these jars and still smell the sulphur from burning buildings. I feel pain and sorrow for those that lost loved ones. I feel gratitude that the Lord spared my family from such pain.

THANK YOU. May we all continue to heal and look to the future. May we never have to have an event such as this to bring us all closer together and remember what is important in life.

Sudwerk Restaurant & Brewery

This Sudwerk Restaurant and Brewery that I visited recently is located in Davis, California. My daughter, grandson and I enjoyed some time together over a great burger and brew. Okay, so we only had the burgers, but the dirt I got from there MORE than made up for the no-brewsky rule. Come on, the grandbaby is only 15 months old!

Sudwerk is a great place to catch a fast meal and some beer! Copper-colored kettles and huge circular structured seats make up the decor. The ambiance is very unruly, with noise levels touching the top of the decibel chart! The food is all German and you should give the sausages, burgers and sandwiches a try. While you're in the lobby gulping the food down, walk over to the bar for some exquisite Sudwerk beer. All the beer is brewed in accordance with "Reinheitsgebot"the German purity law. It can get boisterous in here, but that's the fun of it all!

We decided that Davis is the 1/2 way mark between the two communities we live in. I am pretty sure we will meet in the middle again soon. If (and when) we do, you can bet dirt will be on the menu for sure!

An Open Letter to Firehouse 50

Sac Metro Fire Station #50

Dear Captain Kurt Hudnall,

It has come to my attention as of late that the men assigned to your station, B shift, have been up to something that I think I should make you aware of. It may come across as sort of "dirty", but you will soon see that for me, that's a good thing!

In addition to the skill sets of rescuing, training, fire fighting, bbq-ing, inspecting, shopping, cooking, more training, eating, and being "clowns" in general...they also do several good deeds outside of the work place.

Hence, the dirt picture to the right...

One of your crew members took time out of his pre-work time and found it in his heart to collect me some of the dirt outside your station. How nice! It even inspired my daughter and I to come make a personal visit to see for ourselves, just what goes on down there.

While visiting, we were greatly impressed; not only with the professionalism displayed by all the individuals there, but we sensed a genuine gratitude as well.

Could it be that chocolate pudding cake was a good choice to bring? Regardless, know that the great spirit at the 50 was appreciated, as is the job that you and your crew do everyday for the community.

The dirt, was just the icing on the cake. (no pun intended)

Much thanks from,
Brenda

Land Lover, Sand Saver, Dirt Digger

Shasta Lake

Thank you Mr. Reyes for yet another great sampling of dirt.

Although he thinks the fish was the best "catch" on the trip, I beg to differ.

He and a buddy, Art Gonsalves went to a tournament recently and in their adventure remembered to "catch" some dirt for me! It is very, very dark and quite woodsy, for lack of a better word.

Information on Shasta Lake can be found at www.shastalake.org. It is a beautiful lake located at Mt. Shasta in California and has a tremendous amount to offer. The fishing is great...if you are into that sort of thing. But...

with a catch like this, who wouldn't want to go fishing? (for a little more dirt!) Thank you again!

And for the record...It's a 3lb. spotted bass. He caught it with his lucky bobber I am sure!

Nicaragua-Masaya

Continuing on the cruise, the Doxey family also returned with this sample from Nicaragua. Although, it seems much more of a ROCK sample, than dirt. But don't get me wrong! It's all coming from the ground, and it's all appreciated! What an interesting addition to my collection. Nicaragua is located between 11 and 14 degrees North of the Equator. for more information on the Tourism side of Nicaragua:

Tourist Office
Nicaraguan Institute of Tourism, Managua, Nicaragua: +505 222-3333 or www.intur.gob.ni/

Many cruises now tour the Panama Canal and include Nicaragua as part of that package. Thank you again to the Doxey family!

Costa Rica

Beautiful places bring beautiful sand, and in this case, beautiful dirt. The sample to the right was dropped off to my house quite some time ago, and I apologize that it didn't get posted sooner than this. But...that having been said, it has quickly become one of my favorite to look at. It's deep, rich colors fascinate me. *insert funny phrase here. (something shiny!) Thank you Lynette Doxey and family for once again, going on the trip of a lifetime and sharing part of it with me. You are always appreciated! I can only imagine what traveling through this country was like. According to Wikipedia, Costa Rica (Rich Coast) ranks first in the Happy Planet Index and is known as the "GREENEST" country in the world. Sounds like we could all use a trip there to learn how it is done the right way!

Horsen' Around in Loomis

A visit to my hometown for Father's Day achieved a number of things. Father's day greetings to 2 great men, and... more dirt samples! This friendly guy donated some of his "pasture" to help in my quest for dirt. Anita and Peyton, thank you for allowing me to present to the world, Lucy,( I mean) Thunder, (or was it) Nick?; your beautiful horse! Which ever pony it was, they didn't seem a bit camera shy. This dirt was fun to collect. I was also very pleased to hear a few stories from your childhood and even more pleased that the gopher agreed to let me sneak some of his homeland! Thank you again to your entire family for great food, great conversation, and of course, GREAT DIRT!

A New Adventure / Station 24

A recent move to California has created a lot of things for me. Some positive and sadly, some not so positive. But, even with all of the changes in my life, there is one thing that remains constant...my quest for dirt. I have a lot of catching up to do and fortunate for me, a lot of free time on my hands to do it, so here I go, talkin' dirt once again!

Station 24 is just one of the numerous firehouses in the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District. It is located in Sacramento and is currently home to my good friend Joe Reyes. He and two of his crew went on a call this past week and were gracious enough to invite me to tag along. The call was to assist a young girl who had a broken arm. I stayed in the engine (not to be confused with a truck) and watched these fine men just "do their job".

I have blogged about these guys before but it never gets old giving a shout out to people who risk their lives every time they go out on a call. KUDOS to them! While at the station, I of course, couldn't pass on the chance to grab some dirt and tell a few "dirty" stories. The most memorable one of course being the dirt in my collection from New York on 9/11/2001.

Here is the picture of the crew, the station, and of course, the dirt! Thank you once again, Capt. Joe, Dave and Joseph, for being so eager to help add to the dirt collection!