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by
GSSJC
Facilities Director
Bob Spaeth
713-292-0208, 800-392-4340; bspaeth@sjgs.org.
Girl Scout Camps
Agnes Arnold, Aranna,
Camwood, Casa Mare,
Misty Meadows, Robinwood,
Silver Springs, Whispering Pines
Grandpa Bob’s
Brain Teasers
How come there are deserts?
It’s easy to think of the desert as an
exotic place. However, you might be surprised
to know that deserts are actually commonplace,
covering a little over one-third of the landmass
on earth.
Scientists divide deserts into two kinds: the
familiar “deserts of dryness,” like
the Sahara and the “deserts of cold,”
like Antarctica. Dry deserts get little rain,
usually less than 10 inches a year. Rain clouds
may gather; raindrops may even fall. But the drops
usually evaporate before they ever reach the ground.
Most dry deserts are located between 20 and 30
degrees of latitude on either side of the equator.
The winds carry little water vapor in these areas.
Cold deserts cover about 16 percent of the land
on earth, have lots of water, but it’s locked
under the surface, frozen into crystals. The cold
temperatures near the North and South Poles are
the culprit, making for expanses of land with
stunted plant growth and great sheets of ice.
Here’s another question for you:
How do the fish in lakes breathe underwater? |
Hurricane Rita has come and gone
– thank goodness!
Even though the Council’s Camps did not
take a direct hit, the storm still left its mark.
Trees fell on several cabins, destroying one completely,
moving another off its foundation and crushing
the roofs of several others. It was a good place
not to be while the storm was moving through.
The Bike Barn took a direct hit and one platform
tent disappeared under a large pine tree. By the
time you read this column the cleanup will be
completed but the reconstruction or repairs may
not be quite finished.
Volunteers have helped with the picking up of
debris and because of the pre-planning of the
Rangers, contractors and equipment were in place
within hours to begin the heavy cleanup process.
I would like to express my gratitude to all who
helped get us back into business as quickly as
possible. My special thanks goes out to the property
staff and their family members who were out and
about right on the heels of the storm assessing
damage and beginning the process of putting things
back in order. Like many of us they lost power
and still provided a valuable service to the Council
and its membership. |
