St Kilda Mangrove Broadwalk

On Saturday, Wilbur went with Akela and the cubs to St Kilda Mangrove walk. It was a very enjoyable day, even though it was very windy. There was a section of the Boardwalk we couldn’t do as it was damaged due to bad weather. However, we are hoping they are able to get this fixed soon and we can do the whole walk as a loop, rather than in two parts and having to back track.

Salisbury Christmas Parade and Carisbrooke District Cub Fishing Day

It has been a very busy weekend for scouting, especially for Wilbur.

Yesterday, Saturday 20^th November, Wilbur attended the Salisbury Christmas Parade with the Joeys and Cubs, as well as a couple of scouts and a venturer. It was really quite a good day and everyone had a great day.

Today, Sunday 21^st November, was the Carisbooke District Fishing Day at West Lakes. It was a good day, lots of sunshine and several Mawson Lakes Cubs caught several fish. In fact, one of the Cubs from Mawson Lakes won Heaviest fish caught! That was so awesome and Akela is glad one of her cubs finally won a prize! She was starting to wonder if any of her cubs were ever going to win anything has they haven’t at the previous two that she attended.

Overall, it was a great weekend and everyone had a great time

Growing Sunflower - new project

Today (Monday 15th November), the sunflower seeds arrive for the Cubs and Joeys to grow. I have already taken one and planted it this afternoon, with help from Akela of course! We added the water and some growing stuff to help it on it’s journey. Now we just need to sit and wait for it to grow. We know it is meant to be in a flower bed, but we don’t really have one at home just yet. So what we have done is plant it in a spare container. We are simply being good scouts and making the most of our resources.


We have also found the following information as well about Sunflowers that we thought we would share with everyone (http://juniorlandcarechallenge.com/Sunflower/Facts)

• The sunflower originated in Mexico and Peru and is believed to be one of the first plants ever grown as a crop in the United States of America

• Spanish explorers collected the sunflower in North America and brought it to it Europe where it was first grown during the 15th century

• In Peru, the sunflower was revered by the Aztecs and in their Temples of the Sun, the priestesses were crowned with sunflowers

• The sunflower is the state flower of Kansas

• The botanical name of the sunflower is helianthus, derived from the Greek ‘Helios’ meaning sun and ‘anthos’ meaning flower

• Every part of the sunflower plant can be used for economic purposes. The leaves can be used to make cattle food, the stems can be used to make paper and the seeds are edible and are also rich in oil

• Sunflower seeds are one of nature’s most nutritious foods. They are packed full of healthy unsaturated oils, protein and fibre, plus essential nutrients that help keep your body in peak health

• Sunflower oil is pressed from the seeds of the flower and is yellow in colour with a sweet taste. It is considered equal to olive oil or almond oil for table use

• Sunflowers are annuals which means they only flower once, then die off and new seed must be planted each season

• The town of Emerald in Queensland is a major centre for the growing of sunflowers in Australia and holds a Sunflower Festival around Easter each year

• According to the 2004 Guinness World Records the tallest sunflower in the world was grown in the Netherlands and measured 7.8 metres and the largest sunflower head was recorded in British Columbia and measured 82cm

• Sunflower seeds are high in energy and full of nutrients and therefore make excellent food for birds. You will find sunflower seeds in birdseed mixes, crushed into pig and poultry feed and fed to horses as an energy and coat gloss supplement

• In the 2008/2009 season 56,000 hectares of sunflowers were planted in Australia resulting in 33,000 tonnes of sunflower oil being produced (Australian Oilseeds Federation annual report 08/09)

• Sunflowers have many agronomic advantages. They improve the condition of the soil and are an effective break crop for diseases in winter cereals

• To protect the industry from imported pests and diseases, quarantine laws prohibit the import of sunflower seeds into Australia

• If you suffer from dry skin, try grinding 500g of sunflower seeds with milk until a paste is formed. Apply and leave on your face for about 20 minutes and then remove with warm water

So, we will end this entry here and hope everyone has a great week. We will update as soon as something starts to grow, so you can see the journey of our Sunflower.

Combine Cub Camp with Ingle Farm Cub Pack November 2010

On the weekend of 5th to 7th of November, we accompanied our pack on a combined camp with Ingle Farm Cub Pack. The camp was held at Douglas Scrub Girl Guide Campsite in McLaren Vale and was definitely a very nice campsite for us to camp at. We enjoyed doing the many activities that were planned. There was plenty of food as well as a variety of wildlife to see as well, even a dead black snake for the cubs to see so they knew what not to step on.




The activities included compass activities for the cubs, which counted towards their badge work and it looks like the cubs did most of the requirements for their Bush craft badge as well. Some even did boomerang work, which is awesome for them. Many of the Mawson Lakes Cubs are very keen to earn badges of any description and Akela tries to give the opportunity to do so at every opportunity. Camp is clearly an ideal way to get a lot more done. Except Akela now has to go through all the record books and sheets to update all their badge work. This will keep her busy for a while!



We also enjoyed the fact the cubs got to try out their photography skills as well with the group’s cameras over the weekend. Many are now looking at going for their photography badge (Level One). Akela has offered to put the pictures on a CD for them all so they have them and can print as needed. There is still some work to be done though as they have to take photos in varying light conditions, but we know many are well on the way to getting the badge. Just some more work to be done and we are sure they’ll have fun completing that badge as well.



The cubs did lots of walking, even completing the Boundary walk of Douglas Scrub – Akela now has to organize the certificates for the Cubs. Just looking for the right sort of paper to print them on. The nature trail and Adventure trial were also tackled and handled very well by the cubs.

As you can see from the photos, Wilbur certainly had a great time with the many activities and he came home so dirty that Akela had to wash him in the washing machine when she did her washing! The indignity of it all! It must have been so terrifying for him to have to endure the wash in the washing machine. We are glad that it was only Wilbur that had to endure the washing machine. But he was so brave about it and came through the ordeal very well.

So, until our next adventure report, we hope everyone stays well and enjoys their scouting adventures.

A swing that was made for Wibur

At the start of the nature trail

Checking out where we are heading on the Nature trail

Map of Doublas Scrub - didnt realise it was so big. 

Pumpkin Growing

Above are the laterst two pictures of the pumkins that we are growing. We planted two seeds, and only one has grown - which is the one above. So far so good for this one! We are hoping we may actually get  pumkin from it and then we'll be able to ear our gardening badges.....

We are looking forward to reciving our Sunflowe seeds soon for the Sunflower challenge and seeing how well we do with those.

Next weekend, we are heading off to camp. We are so looking forward to that and know the cubs who are attending are as well. Obviously, we will provide a report of what we get up to. Until then, take care....

Carisbrooke District Cub Sleep Over 2010

This is just before we went and did the activities outside. Very important to have the tourches so that we can

 see in the dark. Also important for when we were doing the activities and needed the touches to shine through paper.

 

Checking out the instructions for the codes we had to do for another of the activites. This was another activity for the Science badge, level 2.

Angle Vale Scout Group have a very wicked knock board and I decided to have a look and check it out while I was hanging around during Supper. Might get some ideas for Akela!

Checking out the breakfast Cereal on Sunday Morning. Cant be to slack and the Cubs really need to be  fed! A fed cub is a happy cub!



Checking the OJ. Thirsty work being a cub scout!

Over all it was a very enjoyable sleep over and everyone had a great time. I know I am definately looking forward to another soon

This weekend, Wilbar went to Palaver with Aleka. It was a great weekend by the sounds of it and a good time was had by all.

Palaver is a weekend for Cub Leaders, where they come together and learn from each other in a relaxed, fun environment. Tea on the Saturday Night is a dress up themed dinner (although the other option of attending in Uniform is acceptable as well).

Akela ensured that we got to have a good look at the different activities that were happening and also had a quick look around Woodhouse as time allowed.

Akela brought some great ideas home – including a camp program that she is impressed with that she wants to run with her cub pack. She will talk to an Akela from another pack about doing a joint camp to work on it. In that same session, there was also a program for a Sleep Over which has triggered a heap of ideas for her to work upon as well.

As usual, there are some photos of me checking things out – the food was great and the dishwasher was just as good – no one had to do it by hand!

Over all, it was a great weekend and Wibar really enjoyed the time away

PLanetarium Visit at Mawson Lakes Campus - UniSA

Tonight, Mawson Lakes Cub Pack did a combined visit with Golden Grove Cub Pack to the Planetarium at Mawson Lakes Campus of the University of South Australia. It is certainly something worth visiting as a pack.

Growing Things with Junior Landcare

Pumpin Seeds we are going to grow. They are left over seeds from the Junior Landcare Challenge 2009. This year they are sending out Sunflower seeds, but the pack wont recive them until October. Eaither way, we thought that we would see if we could get the pumpkins growing this year. Akela didnt have much success last year with them - they grew and flowered, but produced no pumpkin.

We planed the seeds today into the box and will see how we go with growing them this year - as soon as we get any sign of growth we are going to be posting photos.

Cubs cooking - Creamy Fruit Salad

This is what the Cubs made during the cooking Night that we had tonight. The recipie is as follows:
Fruit Salad

Tin of fruit salad, drained

1 Apple chopped

1 banana chopped

1 mandarin peeled and sectioned



Cream

1 vanilla instant pudding mix

1.5 cups of milk

½ cup of orange concentrate

¾ cup of sour cream



Directions:

In large bowl, mix fruit and set aside

IN another bowl, mix milk, orange juice concentrate and pudding mix for 2 minutes or till smooth

Add sour cream and mis well

Mix in fruit

Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes

Carisbrooke District Cub Leadership Course 2010

On Sunday, Wilbur attended the Carisbrooke District Cub Leadership Course. It was certainly a interesting day and Wilbur helped Akela explain the cubs how to care for their uniforms and work on a team challenge. Wilbur was impressed at how well the Cubs did in all the activities and thinks they certainly earned their leadership badges.

Mawson Lakes Scout Group All section Group Night

Well, it was a good night which saw 100% of the Joey Mob and 100% of the Cub Pack, as well as a fair number of the Scout Troop attend a joint night on the 4th of August at the Scout Hall.

The main reason was so that Adelaide Gang Show could come and do a promotional visit and run through what it was like to do a Adelaide Gang Show Rehersal. It was a fantastic Night and one that I know the Cubs and Joeys enjoyed and I am sure the Scouts had a good time as well (and if they didnt, we didnt know as we know Scouts are cheerful as per their Scout Law)

Akela did a good chair jump as well and many of the cubs thought she had practised it to get it so good She hadnt of course and the only injury was a slightly embarressed ego.

I hope we can do it again next year

AJ2010 Australian Jamboree City Tour Sydney Jan 2010

Akela went to the Australian Jamboree in January 2010 (that's right - that was earlier this year!) This clip was created by one of the people that she worked with on the activity that she was on. We thought that we would share this with everyone so that they can see what happened on the activity she was on

Introducing Wilbur, Charli and Baggi

Welcome to our page. We are Wilbur (the sheep), Charli (the monkey) and Baggie (the panther). A strange collection, we do admit. However, we are all friends of the Mawson Lakes Cub Pack and this page has been set up to follow our adventures with the Cubs and life in general. We live with Akela when we are not traversing the country side with the cub pack. But we will first provide a bit of a backgroud to how we all came about.

The oldest in the group is Baggi. He joined Akela when she was a leader in a previous cub pack. He was their mascot and quite loved by the cubs there. When Akela moved on, so did Baggi. He wasn't keen on being left behind and so joined Akela at her new pack.

Charli was 'resuced' from another pack which closed. The cubs and one of the leaders in the closing pack joined Akela's pack and brought Charli with them. He was named after a resuced monkey that Akela's husband saw on a TV show about monkeys.

Last but not least, is Wilbur the sheep. Mawson Lakes Scout Group's mascot is Wilbur, the black sheep. However, Akela has looked far and wide for a completely black sheep and Wilbur as can be seen is black and white. But that's ok as he is loved by Carli and Baggi just the same. He is getting know by the Cubs at Mawson Lakes and is extreamely keen to join in all the adventures that Charli and Baggi enjoy.

We hope that you enjoy following our adventures and come back to see what we have been up to often