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Learn how to measure, trim, and install the air flow separation baffle in a ducted RV air conditioner. Step-by-step instructions for proper airflow and cooling efficiency. What is the air flow separation baffle in a ducted RV air conditioner? The air flow separation baffle is a divider that keeps the cold air supply and warm air return separated inside a ducted RV air conditioner. It needs to be trimmed to the ceiling height and inserted into the plenum bracket slot to direct airflow correctly. Installing the Air Baffle (Ducted Systems Only) In a ducted system, measure the height from the ceiling to the steel base of the air conditioner. Trim the baffle to match that height so it fits snugly between the ceiling and the base. Once trimmed, insert the baffle into the slot on the plenum mounting bracket . This creates a sealed barrier that separates supply air from return air, preventing circulation issues and improving cooling efficiency. Corky Lorenz November 6, 2025

How to connect power to a ducted RV air conditioner. Includes wiring details, terminal block reference, and safety steps for secure installation. How to connect power to a ducted RV air conditioner Connect the RV air conditioner to a dedicated circuit that meets local wiring codes. Locate the power cord inside the RV and securely connect the active, neutral, and ground wires to prevent shorts or overheating. Electrical Connections (Ducted Systems) In a ducted RV air conditioner system, the unit must be connected to a dedicated power circuit that can be shut off and meets all local wiring standards. From inside the RV, locate the air conditioner’s power cord as shown in the diagram. Connect the external power lines to the unit, making sure to match the active, neutral, and ground wires correctly. For most models, a 3-pole terminal block is used for these connections. Tighten all screws firmly to remove any chance of loose wiring. Improper or unsecured connections can cause overheating, short circuits, or fire. If your system is a non-ducted model, follow the non-ducted installation guide instead. Corky Lorenz November 6, 2025

Things to know about how to wash your reusable cloth menstrual pads. Washing Cloth Pads How to wash reusable cloth menstrual pads. Storage Store in a dry bag. You can pre-rinse by hand, squeeze excess water, and place into your storage location. You can wait until the end of a period to wash all pads together. Pre-soaking If you want to soak your cloth before the main wash, it's best to keep the soak time to a couple of hours at most. More than that can breed bacteria. You can also do a light wash before the main wash, in place of a soak. Water temperature Some people recommend using cold water to avoid stains. There are also people who wash on warm/hot without getting stains. Pads can be hand washed. Drying To lengthen the life of your pads, you can air/hang dry. PUL should be dried on LOW heat only, or air dried. Many people dry their pads normally in a machine dryer without any issues. Rarely, pads can get caught or snagged in machine dryers. If your pads go through a hot dry, they will be ok. :) Stains If you are concerned about stains, you can try to pre-treat with oxy clean, shout, stain stick, or hydrogen peroxide. Check pads for stains before putting them into the dryer because it's easier to get the stains out before they go through heat. You can also try laying them in the sun to fade stains. Detergent Use whatever you use for your clothing. Use a normal amount for soiled clothing. Avoid fabric softener but don't stress if it gets used by accident. Corky Lorenz February 6, 2026

Learn how the flowy, polyester fleece tie dye method was invented. By layering thin fabric over polyester fleece, the dye flows across the surface instead of soaking through, creating smooth, watercolor-style lines instead of jagged ones. What is the flowy poly fleece method in tie dye? This is a technique meant to produce a smooth watercolor look on thin fabrics. It’s done by placing polyester fleece behind the thin fabric before bunching. This is a technique I call the poly fleece method, for ice dye. It's a trick I developed while chasing the watercolor look on thinner fabrics. I first noticed that thick sweatshirts hold their folds with structure, creating smoother dye flow, while light shirts crinkled and broke the color lines. I tried foil supports, but the sharp points disrupted the flow. Then I stacked multiple cotton shirts, hoping they’d mimic sweatshirt weight, but each layer absorbed instead of channeling the dye. Eventually I used a layer of polyester fleece beneath the thin shirt. It repelled just enough moisture to keep the dye traveling across the surface instead of through it, while still allowing gentle drainage. The result is what I now call flowy ice dye. Long, smooth gradients that behave more like watercolor art than traditional tie-dye. Corky Lorenz October 6, 2025

Turtles are reptiles, not amphibians. They’re cold-blooded animals with scales and shells that breathe air and lay eggs on land. Learn how turtles fit into the reptile group alongside tortoises and terrapins, with examples from the Goshen Reptile Expo. Are turtles reptiles? Yes, turtles are reptiles. They are cold-blooded, air-breathing animals with scales and four limbs, belonging to the order Testudines, the same reptile group as tortoises and terrapins. At the Goshen Reptile Expo , I stopped to photograph several turtles and tortoises at a vendor booth called Jimmy’s Tortoises. He had an incredible collection of species with high-contrast colors and shell patterns that I’ve never seen in the wild. The turtles I usually see near my home are brown and green, blending into the water and vegetation. These, by comparison, had bold yellow and red markings, especially the ones identified as red-footed tortoises and diamondback terrapins. The vendor’s display was busy and well-lit, with tanks and enclosures showing the different species. A woman tending to the animals was friendly and happy to answer questions, even letting me pick up a small turtle for a close-up photo. I noticed its nose shape was slightly pointed, unlike the flatter snouts of the map turtles I’m used to seeing in local rivers. Seeing such variety made me wonder if turtles are classified as amphibians or reptiles. After checking, I learned that turtles are reptiles because they’re cold-blooded, have scales, and lay eggs on land. Amphibians, like frogs or salamanders, have soft skin and spend part of their lives in water and part on land. So turtles fall squarely in the reptile category. Jimmy’s Tortoises doesn’t appear to have much of a social media presence beyond an occasional Instagram post, but his collection is well-known among reptile expo regulars. Many shows across the country announce when he’s attending, which says a lot about how anticipated his setups are. Corky Lorenz November 10, 2025

A collection of photos discovered, documenting The Elkhart Rubber Company, machinery, factory workers, and Lyndon Adams of The Anchor Packing Company. Originally kept by Thomas K. Burton. The Elkhart Rubber Works Company Historical Photos & Documentation A collection of photos discovered, documenting The Elkhart Rubber Company, machinery, factory workers, and Lyndon Adams of The Anchor Packing Company. Originally kept by Thomas K. Burton. Found I discovered a box labelled "Elkhart Rubber" with many photos indside, spanning several decades of time. Originally possessed by my great grandfather Thomas K. Burton, who was president of the Elkhart Rubber union for a time. Contents A collection of group portraits from 1928. Documentary images related to Elkhart Rubber Works, also known as The Elkhart Rubber Company. Printed material related to Lyndon E. Adams, relating to The Anchor Packing Company and Garlock Locking Company. Topics documents include machinery , gaskets, building interior/exterior , factory workers in the 1920's and what conditions were like at that time. If you have interest in or knowledge on this topic, you can contact me by email corkylorenz@gmail.com I will photograph and post more of the collection, and link to this page. Bookmark this page to come back to later, for updated images and captions. Corky Lorenz December 26, 2025

Many local dog owners enjoy taking walks along the Mishawaka River walk because of the dog friendly culture. The farmer's market also attracts venders who sell dog treats and accessories. Can you take your dog to the Mishawaka Farmer's Market? After visiting last night, for the "Under the Lights" event and seeing about 30 dogs, I would say yes. The Mishawaka Market and riverwalk seem very dog friendly. I went last night and I was surprised by the sheer number of dogs present! Everywhere I looked, there was another dog. Some were even sporting their halloween costumes. While I was there, I saw a vendor selling hand crafted dog treats that were super cute. It seems like vendors even know to expect a crowd of dog owners, and cater to them. Event details This was the first time they hosted an evening market, on Saturday night, from 7-9pm. Usually, the market is on Sunday's from 10am to 2pm. See updates on their Facebook account . Personally, I enjoy the way the Mishawaka Market is organized later in the morning, so I can still make it before it closed, if I forget about it. Corky Lorenz October 5, 2025

A chart to determine how many layers of absorbent fabric to cut, for sewing your own cloth menstrual pads. Layer chart for cloth pad core fabric Here’s a chart to figure out how many layers of fabric you need to cut for the core of your cloth menstrual pad. You can use the chart below as a starting point to know how many absorbent layers to cut for your cloth pad. If the fabric is thick like sweatshirt material, you'll want to use two layers of that for a heavy pad. Corky Lorenz January 29, 2026

Before you dye, here's what you'll need: Get soda ash and then proceed. One cup of ash, one gallon warm, will make the mix in proper form. How much sodium carbonate do you mix with water? For tie dye, mix 1 cup of powdered soda ash (sodium carbonate) with 1 gallon of water. It dissolves faster with warm or hot water. Enjoy a soda ash poem below. Before you dye, here's what you'll need: Get soda ash and then proceed. One cup of ash, one gallon warm, will make the mix in proper form. Just stir it well with gloved-up hands, till every clump dissolves as planned. Now soak your cloth right through and through, then wring or spin (what works for you). It won't get old, won't go to waste. Add water if it's lost some space.Wear gloves and mask when mixing in. Keep covered well from nose and skin. Your colors now will bond for good. The ash has worked just like it should. Corky Lorenz October 8, 2025

The northern lights were faintly visible over Elkhart, Indiana around 10 p.m. on November 11, 2025. A long-exposure photo taken with a Canon R6 Mark II at ISO 500, f/1.4, 2.5 seconds revealed green and violet color near the horizon. Northern lights in Indiana The northern lights were faintly visible over Elkhart, Indiana around 10 pm tonight, though not bright to the naked eye. When photographed with a Canon R6 Mark II and a 24 mm f/1.4 lens at ISO 500 for 2.5 seconds, subtle bands of green and violet appeared in the sky. The aurora wasn’t visible without a camera, but a long exposure revealed color along the northern horizon. This image was taken in Elkhart, Indiana on November 12, 2025, with reflections of the lights showing in the water below the tree line. The exposure settings were ISO 500, f/1.4, 2.5 seconds, 24 mm. Temperatures were about 40 degrees. Cold, but manageable for standing outside briefly to take photos. It’s uncommon to capture the northern lights this far south, so anytime geomagnetic activity spikes, it’s worth checking the sky after dark with a camera even if it looks empty to the eye. If you don't have a fancy camera setup you can still get some awesome northern lights photos with a phone. Corky Lorenz November 12, 2025