Sustaining your family

An amazing news on the status of many friends right now is a foreboding or feeling of impending incident that is on the horizon. Some could be the after effects of disappointment on politics not going as planned but what if it's more?

In many of the blogs, messages and even on Pinterest I have seen a surge in prepping or become self sufficient. This is a topic that I have been interested in for sometime, which in some respects has kept me quiet about the subject due to opinions of others that I could be a religious nut (which to some level I am), in a cult, radical or militant (No gun hoarding here!).

So where do I fall? I believe in preparing for the uncertainty of the times we are living in. Whether it be from crazy storms or economy collapse or a future war (Oversea or on our soil). I see no reason that one shouldn't know simple ways to get along if the power goes out for the weekend or longer.

I have wrote on Preparedness in older posts, check out my Labels!

Where do you start?

The easy stuff-
Candles/Lantern
Matches
Flashlights
Extra batteries
Spare clothes
Easy to prepare food
Battery operated Radio/Hand crank NOAA Radio
Hand crank for cell phone
Blankets
Child needs
Womanly needs
Water
Gas/Kerosene/Lamp Oil
Generator
First aid kit
Can opener

The longer the outage or problem on top of the above items you may want to add other things.

Check out your local library/thrift/antique shop for books on:
Homesteading
Living off the grid
Prepping
Herbs/gardening
Canning
Farming
Small scale/backyard farming
Blogs
Pinterest- OH MY GOSH SUPER ADDICTING. Watch for the time warp. I swear I lose hours drooling over the ideas that I will never do. BIG CHEESY GRIN!

Call local Extension Center, State Park, Boy/Girl scout (kids) for information outdoor skills, canning or survival. Don't break the bank these things! Start small! Buy a few extra canned goods or dry goods a week if you can swing it. Start canning all year around when produce/meat is on sale. Look to yard sales, rummage sale/thrift/antique stores to find things you needs. Freecycle.org is great to find things and to also get rid of the clutter in your home.

I can't see paying hundreds or thousands of dollars on some of these homesteading/survival seminars. Educate yourself. There are a ton of blogs on these subjects! Network in your area with like-minded folks. Be safe and keep aware of local and world wide events once in a while.

Now as long as it's not zombies we are all good! Joke around here. My biggest fear, besides my ex, is zombies...

God bless!

Mel

Back in the saddle again!

Boy oh boy! I have felt so BLAH for so long it's pitiful! Now I run between this blog, my hopewhentherewasnone blog, littlecriesandlullabiesdoula and redrumhotel blog. And I have been neglecting everything lately. No excuse really. Just have not felt like doing much of anything.

But I have made Rose water (which I forgot to put in the fridge and it molded DUH!), Oil of: Oregano, Rose, Lavender, Orange, Lemon, Cinnamon. Also, Coop refresher (Lavender/Peppermint), and 6 Quart jars of Apple Cider Vinegar. I also canned several things over the summer!

I did propagate my African Violet and made 3 little plants a few months ago! YIPPEE!

Call it a pity party for me, but sheesh already, I'm tired of feeling tired!

So! Today I-

1) Surfed the web- a horrible habit and my addiction to Pinterest is way too crazy!
2) SSSHHHH!- I wrapped a few gifts I have been collecting here and there.
3) Went outdoors to muck out the chicken coop... and checked on the new meat and 2 hens also the eggs I have incubating (my last batch was sad and out of 9 only 2 hatched but died SAD FACE!) Cleaned they're cage too!
4) Checked on the new additions to our bunny hutch! Jess's bunny birthed 2 little one's yesterday.
5) Started domestic stuff- Laundry, dishes
6) Started dinner- Chicken chili and Cream of Potato soup (Panera copy cat)













7) Broke open my Sewing machine and repurposed 3 T-shirts into bags, repurposed a kitchen towel into an apron for Mini Man and made a bread bag. Now I'm itching to do more! I see an Owl of some sort in my future!




















I feel more accomplished today. A few projects out of the way.
Planning on a few more smaller ones perhaps tomorrow.
Keep your fingers crossed!