October 2004 Volume 30 Issue 9  

Around Camp
Girl Scout camps are the best place to be year-round

by GSSJC Facilities Director
Bob Spaeth

Girl Scout Camps
Agnes Arnold, Aranna,
Camwood, Casa Mare,
Misty Meadows, Robinwood,
Silver Springs, Whispering Pines

Readers can contact the Facilities Department by calling Director Bob Spaeth at 713-292-0208 or
e-mail bspaeth@sjgs.org.

Grandpa Bob’s Brain Teasers

Where does dust come from? Dust happens because things fall apart. Most dust is made of tiny fragments broken off larger things. The world is always crumbling to dust, and much of it finds its way into our homes and up our noses. Gesundheit!
The stuff floating dreamily in a sunbeam could very well be the dirt you just tracked in from outdoors, bits of soil mixed with pulverized concrete worn off the sidewalk, with just a hint of rubber sole. Dust can be made of anything and everything. Plants dry up, crumble to bits, and blow around in the air. Your own dead skin cells are constantly flaking off. In fact, most of the dust you push around with a feather duster may be coming from your and your family’s shedding bodies: by weight, up to 70 percent of house dust can be skin cells, making YOU the dust factory. By the way, dust never disappears, it just moves around.

Here’s another question for you: Why does the sky turn colors at sunset?
The buzz about mosquitos

Mosquito’s are not my favorite pest. In fact, they are my least favorite of all. I thought I’d share a few bits of wisdom that someone shared with me recently in the hope that it may be of some help in warding off the little bloodsuckers. I have no idea if any of this works but it can’t hurt.

  • Use Bounce Fabric Softener Sheets. Best thing according to someone in Louisiana. Just wipe on and go.
  • A certain fisherman takes one vitamin B-1 tablet a day April through October. He says it works and some others agree.

Hasn’t had a mosquito bite in 33 years.

  • If you eat bananas, the mosquitoes like you. Something about the banana oil as your body processes it. So I guess if you stop eating bananas for the summer the mosquitoes will be much less interested.
  • One of the best insect repellents someone (who is in the woods every day) found is Vick’s Vaporub. Not much good though if you’re trying to sneak up on a deer or other wildlife.
  • Plant marigolds around the yard. The flowers give off a smell that bugs do not like.

“Tough guy” Marines who spend a great deal of time “camping out” say that the very best mosquito repellant you can use is Avon Skin-So-Soft bath oil mixed about half and half with alcohol.

Supposedly one of the best natural insect repellants is made from the clear real vanilla. This is the pure vanilla that is sold in Mexico. It is good for mosquitoes and ticks – no report regarding its effect on other insects.

When all else fails – get a frog.

Girl Scouts need you!

Reserve rangers are needed at Girl Scout camps on weekends when troops are camping.

Reserve rangers answer questions, assist with check in and checkout, help when needed on the property, and control traffic at special events.

Reserve rangers hold special
work weekends and an annual fun-filled gathering.

No experience is needed. A weekend orientation to familiarize reserve rangers with the property is scheduled at their convenience.

Women and men who enjoy Girl Scouting should consider this opportunity. To become a reserve ranger contact Bob Spaeth at 713-292-0208 or bspaeth@sjgs.org.

Larry Szabo teaches a reserve ranger how to use the people mover, one of the tasks reserve rangers may need to do at camp.


Reserve Rangers K.K. Hartley and Karen Curtis ride around camp on the mule.