Until this morning when I logged onto her blog and realized that no, we weren't imagining things. They were in the dark.
Anyone who thinks off-grid living is easy, cheap, convenient, and (most importantly) trouble-free is living in a fantasy world.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
No, we weren't imagining things
Yesterday the girls and I spent the entire day running around the city doing errands. We didn't get back until after dark, around 7:30 pm. As we drove past our friend Enola Gay's "shouse" (shop/house), we noticed their off-grid place looked darker than usual. Bu we were tired and hungry and anxious to get home, so we didn't think much about it.
Until this morning when I logged onto her blog and realized that no, we weren't imagining things. They were in the dark.
Anyone who thinks off-grid living is easy, cheap, convenient, and (most importantly) trouble-free is living in a fantasy world.
Until this morning when I logged onto her blog and realized that no, we weren't imagining things. They were in the dark.
Anyone who thinks off-grid living is easy, cheap, convenient, and (most importantly) trouble-free is living in a fantasy world.
On the radio tonight
Just as a reminder, I'll be on BlogTalkRadio tonight with Darrel Mulloy. He wrote this way too flattering introduction as follows:
You are not going to want to miss tonight's show. Our guest is Patrice Lewis who writes a regular weekly column at WorldNetDaily and through several print magazines. She will tell us about how she and her family have carved out a lifestyle that is making them more independent and self sufficient, and how we can to some degree do the same, even if your family farm is only a residential lot. We all may not be able to do what the Lewis family have done, but we can do more than what most of us are now doing.
Patrice and her family not only raise their own food, both meat and produce, but she has homeschooled her two daughters, makes much of their clothing, and she and her husband run a home based wood crafts business that provides them with the income they need for the things they cannot make or grow themselves.
Tell your friends about this show and call in with any questions you might have for Patrice. The chatroom will also be open for your comments and questions. Please join us tonight at 8PM Central. I think you will be glad you did.
The show can be heard on your computer at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/texantotexan/2010/10/07/texan-to-texan or on your phone by dialing 347-945-7476
___________________________
Actually I had to correct the "makes much of their clothing" part, since it takes a virtual Act of Congress to get me to sew (ew yuck). Doesn't mean I can't - sorta - I just don't like it.
Anyway, hope you can all listen tonight. Or, since this is Texas, maybe I should say "Hope ya'll can listen tonight."
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Verse du jour
Proverbs 16:3
Commit to the LORD whatever you do,
and your plans will succeed.
This struck me as particularly apt. Now that I think back on things, the essence of this verse has helped me make a lot of decisions, some of them hard (namely, dropping things that were NOT "committed to the Lord").
Brrrr
Thirty-eight degrees outside this morning. 59 degrees inside.
Time to start a woodstove fire.
But the changing of the seasons is always beautiful.
Time to start a woodstove fire.
But the changing of the seasons is always beautiful.
It's a small world
Wanna hear something cool?
You might remember a few months ago I had two BlogTalkRadio interviews with Paul Wald of SaltCreekLife.
Well Paul was in Kansas City recently, and he visited the Kansas City Renaissance Festival and saw our booth! KC, as we call it, is the cause of all our recent busyness. Our booth managers Tess and D are a husband/wife team who have been selling our tankards for well over a decade. Together they are the most awesome sales team on the planet.
Anyway, Paul took the following photos and gave me permission to post them here.
Thanks, Paul!
You might remember a few months ago I had two BlogTalkRadio interviews with Paul Wald of SaltCreekLife.
Well Paul was in Kansas City recently, and he visited the Kansas City Renaissance Festival and saw our booth! KC, as we call it, is the cause of all our recent busyness. Our booth managers Tess and D are a husband/wife team who have been selling our tankards for well over a decade. Together they are the most awesome sales team on the planet.
Anyway, Paul took the following photos and gave me permission to post them here.
Thanks, Paul!
Monday, October 4, 2010
The economics of Prepping
A subject that some people have wondered about is the economics of Prepping. I mean, doesn’t it seem like a dumb idea to be spending all sorts of money on stuff we may never use?
My husband and I have given this a great deal of thought, largely because we are fairly low-income and thus have very little discretionary income to divert toward Prepping. Why, then, do we do what we do?
Putting aside the obvious – we believe an economic tsunami is coming our way and feel it’s best to be as prepared as possible – we also believe that Prepping is financially sensible. This may seem counterintuitive, so let me explain. Actually, it’s not “me” who’s explaining a lot of this, but my husband. Much of what follows are his thoughts.
We don’t feel that proper and sensible disaster preparation is ever a financially negative thing to do. Yes of course there are outlays of cash – sometimes large ones – but in the end you have something tangible to show for it. Those “tangibles” may include medical supplies, food, water storage, guns and ammunition, clothing (socks and underwear, winter coats and boots, sewing supplies), metals (gold and silver), rural property, nonhybrid seeds, livestock, etc. Some of these things, properly maintained, will last pretty much forever (i.e. guns, rural property, metals). Some of these things, properly handled, will multiply (i.e. livestock and seeds). And some of these things must be rotated in order to maintain maximum usefulness (i.e. food and certain medicines).
Now tell me, which of these things would be a “bad” investment, especially in light of the uncertainty that now surrounds traditional investments such as stocks, bonds, interest-bearing accounts, etc.? In the last few years, people who had money in the stock market have lost staggering sums of money. But people who invested in “tangibles” have seen their items either increase in value (sometimes drastically, like the more economically-successful souls who could afford gold) or at the very least stay immune to inflationary pressures.
You see what I mean? Even seasoned economists are suggesting that people dump their stocks and invest in tangibles.
Besides, look at it this way. Whatever you buy and store now is thereafter immune to all inflation. That 50 lb. bag of rice you bought for $15 will never have its price jacked to $20, or $25, or $30. Properly stored, rice will last for years and years and years. Rice you buy at today’s prices will not be subject to tomorrow’s inflation. Ever. Tell me why that isn’t a sensible investment.
Same thing with ammo. Same for silver or gold. Same for non-perishable medical supplies. Same for a water-storage tank.
Another thing to consider. When you buy food in order to store it, you often buy in bulk. I can get 50 lbs. of rice for $15 at the wholesale grocer’s in Spokane. But at my local grocery store, a 5 lb. bag of rice might cost me $2.50. Believe me, it’s a whole lot cheaper – dare I say, economically sensible – to buy in bulk.
And it goes without saying that, if the bleep ever hits the fan, these tangibles become priceless.
Another benefit to Prepping is knowledge. How many of your typical non-Preppers have any clue how to make cheese? Butcher a chicken? Can a batch of homemade pizza sauce? Make something using hand tools rather than power tools? Make soap? Wash and dry clothes without electricity?
But those with a Prepper mentality instinctively try to learn how to do things the old-fashioned way. It’s challenging, it’s fun, it’s creative, and it’s another priceless commodity should the bleep ever hit. And if the bleep never hits, we still have the knowledge.
Yet another economic advantage to Prepping is the “green” benefits. Due to our Prepper mentality, we do a lot of things the average “Greenie” is forever nagging people to do anyway. Preppers avoid or have eliminated disposables. They buy in bulk. They use non-electric alternatives whenever possible. Some are off-grid. I mean really, the list of “green” benefits just goes on and on.
But why do we consider our Prepper items as “investments”? Putting aside the inflationary immunity, many of the things we’ve purchased could be re-sold in a heartbeat at a profit. No, I’m not talking about our stored food (though I suppose it could be argued that even those are re-salable), but a lot of other things we’ve invested in have values that are going up. Sometimes rapidly. And nothing we’ve bought – not one single solitary thing – has gone down in value.
Most important, all the things we’ve purchased so far are either in active use or are available for immediate use. Those medical supplies sure can come in handy when we slice open a finger. And darn, I ran out of cornmeal in the pantry – time to crack a bucket and dip in. My reusable feminine hygiene items? Used constantly. My canning jars and reusable lids? Ditto. Our wood stove? It’s our sole source of heat in the winter. Our livestock? Re-salable, renewable, and an excellent source of, um, fertilizer. Rechargeable batteries, mousetraps, oil wicks, clothespins… the list goes on and on. All of these things have saved us money in the long run because they replace disposables, because they are reusable, because they are bought in bulk (thus beating inflation), or because they maintain or gain in value.
I hope this puts to rest the absurd notion that Preppers are fools who are buying a lot of useless stuff. On the contrary, I sleep better at night knowing that if the very worst (we pray) thing that happens is we get snowed in this winter (a frequent occurrence), we don’t need to fret in the slightest.
We are prepared.
My husband and I have given this a great deal of thought, largely because we are fairly low-income and thus have very little discretionary income to divert toward Prepping. Why, then, do we do what we do?
Putting aside the obvious – we believe an economic tsunami is coming our way and feel it’s best to be as prepared as possible – we also believe that Prepping is financially sensible. This may seem counterintuitive, so let me explain. Actually, it’s not “me” who’s explaining a lot of this, but my husband. Much of what follows are his thoughts.
We don’t feel that proper and sensible disaster preparation is ever a financially negative thing to do. Yes of course there are outlays of cash – sometimes large ones – but in the end you have something tangible to show for it. Those “tangibles” may include medical supplies, food, water storage, guns and ammunition, clothing (socks and underwear, winter coats and boots, sewing supplies), metals (gold and silver), rural property, nonhybrid seeds, livestock, etc. Some of these things, properly maintained, will last pretty much forever (i.e. guns, rural property, metals). Some of these things, properly handled, will multiply (i.e. livestock and seeds). And some of these things must be rotated in order to maintain maximum usefulness (i.e. food and certain medicines).
Now tell me, which of these things would be a “bad” investment, especially in light of the uncertainty that now surrounds traditional investments such as stocks, bonds, interest-bearing accounts, etc.? In the last few years, people who had money in the stock market have lost staggering sums of money. But people who invested in “tangibles” have seen their items either increase in value (sometimes drastically, like the more economically-successful souls who could afford gold) or at the very least stay immune to inflationary pressures.
You see what I mean? Even seasoned economists are suggesting that people dump their stocks and invest in tangibles.
Besides, look at it this way. Whatever you buy and store now is thereafter immune to all inflation. That 50 lb. bag of rice you bought for $15 will never have its price jacked to $20, or $25, or $30. Properly stored, rice will last for years and years and years. Rice you buy at today’s prices will not be subject to tomorrow’s inflation. Ever. Tell me why that isn’t a sensible investment.
Same thing with ammo. Same for silver or gold. Same for non-perishable medical supplies. Same for a water-storage tank.
Another thing to consider. When you buy food in order to store it, you often buy in bulk. I can get 50 lbs. of rice for $15 at the wholesale grocer’s in Spokane. But at my local grocery store, a 5 lb. bag of rice might cost me $2.50. Believe me, it’s a whole lot cheaper – dare I say, economically sensible – to buy in bulk.
And it goes without saying that, if the bleep ever hits the fan, these tangibles become priceless.
Another benefit to Prepping is knowledge. How many of your typical non-Preppers have any clue how to make cheese? Butcher a chicken? Can a batch of homemade pizza sauce? Make something using hand tools rather than power tools? Make soap? Wash and dry clothes without electricity?
But those with a Prepper mentality instinctively try to learn how to do things the old-fashioned way. It’s challenging, it’s fun, it’s creative, and it’s another priceless commodity should the bleep ever hit. And if the bleep never hits, we still have the knowledge.
Yet another economic advantage to Prepping is the “green” benefits. Due to our Prepper mentality, we do a lot of things the average “Greenie” is forever nagging people to do anyway. Preppers avoid or have eliminated disposables. They buy in bulk. They use non-electric alternatives whenever possible. Some are off-grid. I mean really, the list of “green” benefits just goes on and on.
But why do we consider our Prepper items as “investments”? Putting aside the inflationary immunity, many of the things we’ve purchased could be re-sold in a heartbeat at a profit. No, I’m not talking about our stored food (though I suppose it could be argued that even those are re-salable), but a lot of other things we’ve invested in have values that are going up. Sometimes rapidly. And nothing we’ve bought – not one single solitary thing – has gone down in value.
Most important, all the things we’ve purchased so far are either in active use or are available for immediate use. Those medical supplies sure can come in handy when we slice open a finger. And darn, I ran out of cornmeal in the pantry – time to crack a bucket and dip in. My reusable feminine hygiene items? Used constantly. My canning jars and reusable lids? Ditto. Our wood stove? It’s our sole source of heat in the winter. Our livestock? Re-salable, renewable, and an excellent source of, um, fertilizer. Rechargeable batteries, mousetraps, oil wicks, clothespins… the list goes on and on. All of these things have saved us money in the long run because they replace disposables, because they are reusable, because they are bought in bulk (thus beating inflation), or because they maintain or gain in value.
I hope this puts to rest the absurd notion that Preppers are fools who are buying a lot of useless stuff. On the contrary, I sleep better at night knowing that if the very worst (we pray) thing that happens is we get snowed in this winter (a frequent occurrence), we don’t need to fret in the slightest.
We are prepared.
The straw that broke the camel's back
We've been enjoying quite a warm Indian summer, with recent temps in the 80's (pant wheeze). It's nice to be able to still use the clothes line since, of course, we don't use a clothes dryer.
With our busy schedule lately, I'd gotten behind on the laundry. So the other day I decided to catch up on the washing. Four loads later, all my clean damp clothes were hanging on the line.
I had one last item to hang - a flannel sheet. I folded it in half length-wise and pinned the first corner on the line. Suddenly I heard CRRAA-A-A-A-A-C-C-C-CKKKKK....
...and my entire clothesline collapsed on the ground!! (I gave a most unlady-like screech at this.)
That flannel sheet was the straw that broke the camel's back. One of the pressure-treated 4x4's holding up the clothes line just snapped at the base.
Well I can't really complain. This clothesline has held up for six or seven years, under hundreds (maybe thousands) of loads of laundry. I guess everything has a lifespan.
But it still meant I had four loads of wet laundry on the ground.
Nothing to do but gather it up. I enlisted the aid of Older Daughter...
...and we got everything in baskets. Then we hauled them upstairs and hung them on the drying racks, which will now be in constant use until next spring, when Don says he'll install metal supports for the clothesline.
(By the way, I've been telling people "My dryer broke" and watching their expressions of intense sympathy. They don't associate a broken dryer with a clothesline.)
Here's the "straw," draped over the stair banister to dry.
Next up, folding. Ug.
With our busy schedule lately, I'd gotten behind on the laundry. So the other day I decided to catch up on the washing. Four loads later, all my clean damp clothes were hanging on the line.
I had one last item to hang - a flannel sheet. I folded it in half length-wise and pinned the first corner on the line. Suddenly I heard CRRAA-A-A-A-A-C-C-C-CKKKKK....
...and my entire clothesline collapsed on the ground!! (I gave a most unlady-like screech at this.)
That flannel sheet was the straw that broke the camel's back. One of the pressure-treated 4x4's holding up the clothes line just snapped at the base.
Well I can't really complain. This clothesline has held up for six or seven years, under hundreds (maybe thousands) of loads of laundry. I guess everything has a lifespan.
But it still meant I had four loads of wet laundry on the ground.
Nothing to do but gather it up. I enlisted the aid of Older Daughter...
...and we got everything in baskets. Then we hauled them upstairs and hung them on the drying racks, which will now be in constant use until next spring, when Don says he'll install metal supports for the clothesline.
Here's the "straw," draped over the stair banister to dry.
Next up, folding. Ug.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Truth or fiction?
This alleged letter from a teacher to a parent has been floating around the internet for awhile. Recently it was posted on the Vox Popoli website.
BUT...that doesn't mean it's true. The reason I question whether this letter is true or not is because it's so unbelievable - and such a perfect example of Marxist brainwashing at work - that it's almost too good, if you catch my drift.
But if it IS true, God help us all. And that's why we homeschool.
___________________________________
Dear Mrs. [Redcated],
You may already know this, but in case Alex has neglected to tell you, I am assigning him to detention for one hour this Friday, April 22nd. The reason is as follows:
Alex consistently defied me. During class he contradicted me numerous times when I insisted that the length of one kilometer was greater than that of one mile. Every other student in class accepted my lesson without argument, but your son refused to believe what I told him, offering such rebuttals as, “You’re lying to the class,” and commanding other students to challenge my curriculum.
Although he was correct, Alex’s actions show a blatant disregard for authority, and a complete lack of respect for his school. In the future, Alex would be better off simply accepting my teachings without resistance.
Please see to it your son understands this.
Regards,
Adam Hilliker
BUT...that doesn't mean it's true. The reason I question whether this letter is true or not is because it's so unbelievable - and such a perfect example of Marxist brainwashing at work - that it's almost too good, if you catch my drift.
But if it IS true, God help us all. And that's why we homeschool.
___________________________________
Dear Mrs. [Redcated],
You may already know this, but in case Alex has neglected to tell you, I am assigning him to detention for one hour this Friday, April 22nd. The reason is as follows:
Alex consistently defied me. During class he contradicted me numerous times when I insisted that the length of one kilometer was greater than that of one mile. Every other student in class accepted my lesson without argument, but your son refused to believe what I told him, offering such rebuttals as, “You’re lying to the class,” and commanding other students to challenge my curriculum.
Although he was correct, Alex’s actions show a blatant disregard for authority, and a complete lack of respect for his school. In the future, Alex would be better off simply accepting my teachings without resistance.
Please see to it your son understands this.
Regards,
Adam Hilliker
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Pretty pix
Here are some random photos that have been accumulating over the last few days.
Sometimes, when conditions are just right, we get fog rainbows. The morning fog must be burning off just when the sun is at a certain angle. I never saw a fog rainbow before moving to Idaho, but we've seen them several times here.
Sun shining through the Virginia creeper leaves. The fog is the remnant of the fog which formed the rainbow above.
And the last of the fog burns off...
After last week's adventures in pelicans, I noticed a bunch of Canadian geese were using the same reed island. Must be a popular place!
More field burning. Looks alarming but it's under control.
The newly-planted wheat field in the setting sun.
Younger Daughter and her friend Miss Calamity having a snack on top the hay bales.
We heard a huge commotion yesterday morning and learned that one of the chickens got into the yard with the dogs. She made it out but lost a lot of feathers!
When I picked her up (she was huddled behind a pile of boards), she screamed and screamed and screamed. I thought she'd broken a leg or something, but no - she was just scared. After a couple of hours she was fine.
Some giganto-mushrooms we found growing in the corral. Anyone know what type they are?
Here's my visor next to them for a size comparison.
Rotten. Spoiled rotten. That's what she is.
Sometimes, when conditions are just right, we get fog rainbows. The morning fog must be burning off just when the sun is at a certain angle. I never saw a fog rainbow before moving to Idaho, but we've seen them several times here.
Sun shining through the Virginia creeper leaves. The fog is the remnant of the fog which formed the rainbow above.
And the last of the fog burns off...
After last week's adventures in pelicans, I noticed a bunch of Canadian geese were using the same reed island. Must be a popular place!
More field burning. Looks alarming but it's under control.
The newly-planted wheat field in the setting sun.
Younger Daughter and her friend Miss Calamity having a snack on top the hay bales.
We heard a huge commotion yesterday morning and learned that one of the chickens got into the yard with the dogs. She made it out but lost a lot of feathers!
When I picked her up (she was huddled behind a pile of boards), she screamed and screamed and screamed. I thought she'd broken a leg or something, but no - she was just scared. After a couple of hours she was fine.
Some giganto-mushrooms we found growing in the corral. Anyone know what type they are?
Here's my visor next to them for a size comparison.
Rotten. Spoiled rotten. That's what she is.
Welcome to Berkey Water Filters!
I'm delighted to introduce our first advertiser, Berkey Water Systems.
As you can imagine, we're not about to accept ads from companies whose products we couldn't endorse with enthusiasm, and that's why we were so pleased about Berkey. This is a company solidly in the camp of folks who are concerned about our economy and our power grid. They offer products that can supply that most precious of resources - clean drinkable water - without the use of electricity. (I also like their slogan: "Helping you prepare while time is on your side.")
The filters are gravity-operated and they'll clean out any yucky element you can throw at 'em - pathogenic bacteria, cysts, parasites, herbicides, pesticides, organic solvents, detergents, silt, sediment, you name it.
Berkey is an established and respected name in water filtration. I urge you to visit their website (listed on the right-hand side of the page) and explore their products.
As you can imagine, we're not about to accept ads from companies whose products we couldn't endorse with enthusiasm, and that's why we were so pleased about Berkey. This is a company solidly in the camp of folks who are concerned about our economy and our power grid. They offer products that can supply that most precious of resources - clean drinkable water - without the use of electricity. (I also like their slogan: "Helping you prepare while time is on your side.")
The filters are gravity-operated and they'll clean out any yucky element you can throw at 'em - pathogenic bacteria, cysts, parasites, herbicides, pesticides, organic solvents, detergents, silt, sediment, you name it.
Berkey is an established and respected name in water filtration. I urge you to visit their website (listed on the right-hand side of the page) and explore their products.
Letters from a Homesteading Wife
Here's a spiffy blog I just found called "Letters from a Homesteading Wife."
Among her many charming, homey posts, this lady has a piece called "The boys we need" which reinforces my belief that we must encourage our sons to be MEN, not boys-in-men's-clothing. She also wrote a piece called "Adventures in parenting" which had me laughing out loud 'cuz it's so true.
This blog is well worth bookmarking.
Among her many charming, homey posts, this lady has a piece called "The boys we need" which reinforces my belief that we must encourage our sons to be MEN, not boys-in-men's-clothing. She also wrote a piece called "Adventures in parenting" which had me laughing out loud 'cuz it's so true.
This blog is well worth bookmarking.
Friday, October 1, 2010
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