Adding to our supplies

[mudflap]

This not "adding to our supplies" but we are having a very old sweetgum tree removed. I am actually very sad to see it go as I love to plan my mornings under the branches.

Unfortunately, it is dropping branches at an alarming rate. The last branch hit the edge of the roof and smashed into our air condenser. The tree company sent a guy up into the tree to take videos for me. Saddened to see a big hole full of murky water, rotting out the trunk.

So, this is preemptive preparations at our country cottage.

My ridge pole is a 10k lb, 65' long sweet gum tree I cut from my property. It's almost as hard as oak, and very strong.

here in tornado country, I like to keep trees away from the cabin. There are none close enough to fall on it, by design.

[Momma J]

This not "adding to our supplies" but we are having a very old sweetgum tree removed. I am actually very sad to see it go as I love to plan my mornings under the branches.

Unfortunately, it is dropping branches at an alarming rate. The last branch hit the edge of the roof and smashed into our air condenser. The tree company sent a guy up into the tree to take videos for me. Saddened to see a big hole full of murky water, rotting out the trunk.

So, this is preemptive preparations at our country cottage.

My ridge pole is a 10k lb, 65' long sweet gum tree I cut from my property. It's almost as hard as oak, and very strong.

here in tornado country, I like to keep trees away from the cabin. There are none close enough to fall on it, by design.

I love that you used wood from your property. I think I will ask the crew to cut me a slice from a large branch to use as a shelf... just a reminder of the old tree. Or maybe I will whittle something useful. I have not whittled in years.

I need some better wood working hand tools....

[mudflap]

This not "adding to our supplies" but we are having a very old sweetgum tree removed. I am actually very sad to see it go as I love to plan my mornings under the branches.

Unfortunately, it is dropping branches at an alarming rate. The last branch hit the edge of the roof and smashed into our air condenser. The tree company sent a guy up into the tree to take videos for me. Saddened to see a big hole full of murky water, rotting out the trunk.

So, this is preemptive preparations at our country cottage.

My ridge pole is a 10k lb, 65' long sweet gum tree I cut from my property. It's almost as hard as oak, and very strong.

here in tornado country, I like to keep trees away from the cabin. There are none close enough to fall on it, by design.

I love that you used wood from your property. I think I will ask the crew to cut me a slice from a large branch to use as a shelf... just a reminder of the old tree. Or maybe I will whittle something useful. I have not whittled in years.

I need some better wood working hand tools....

maybe a little more ambitious, but there's a lot of lumber in a tree like that. You can get one of these attachments for a chainsaw for about $40. I have one I use to get some of the large logs (24"+) into a size that can fit on my sawmill (17" max).

folks will pay $200 for slabs for "fireplace mantels".

[Momma J]

maybe a little more ambitious, but there's a lot of lumber in a tree like that. You can get one of these attachments for a chainsaw for about $40. I have one I use to get some of the large logs (24"+) into a size that can fit on my sawmill (17" max).

folks will pay $200 for slabs for "fireplace mantels".

I need to do some serious research! We just gifted each other a 20" Husqvarna as an upgrade for cutting down smaller trees. This looks like it would be fun to try.

[Cruiserdude]

maybe a little more ambitious, but there's a lot of lumber in a tree like that. You can get one of these attachments for a chainsaw for about $40. I have one I use to get some of the large logs (24"+) into a size that can fit on my sawmill (17" max).

folks will pay $200 for slabs for "fireplace mantels".

.... We just gifted each other a 20" Husqvarna as an upgrade for cutting down smaller trees....

Awesome!
#marriagegoals #relationshipgoals

[Momma J]

This weekend I took a small box of summer squash, cucumbers, and tomatoes to a neighbor at the country cottage. I had not intended on taking them any vegetables because they usually have a 1/2 acre garden planted.

When I pulled up their long driveway, I could see the garden was plowed, but only had a dozen or so puny plants growing. This is very concerning for a very self-sufficient family. The elderly neighbor was grateful for the veggies. He explained that his wife has been too ill this year to work in the garden and he does not really know what he is doing.

It is too late in the season in East Texas to start over.... So I walked down to the garden. THE SOIL IS SPENT. I gave some basic composting plans to him as well as some ideas for cover crops to help build up nutrients again. I will stop in regularly and see how we can help them get the garden going again. I suggested that they pick a new spot and scale it WAY back in size. A few simple planter boxes will not feed them through the winter, but it will help with greens through the spring and summer.

In the meantime, we are sharing all the fresh veggies that we are not eating this year.

This was a good reminder that I should not take people's abilities for granted. Even the self-sufficient fall on hard times and most will not reach out for our help.

[Momma J]

This weekend we had a big tree cut down. It was dropping large branches too close to the house.

A learning experience of human nature. Bad storm around 06:00-06:45 with large hail, lightening, and 55-60 mph gusts. Tree crew was scheduled to arrive about 07:00am to get started before the heat kicked in (heat index has been around 110-114 for the past week) and the humidity is zapping our energy.

07:15 rolls around and the crew has not arrived, but I can hear chainsaws up and down our country road. I walked to the gate and looked down the hill in the direction the crew would be arriving. Several guys were out cutting up a tree that had fallen across the road. I really wanted to take a closer look but did not want to get in the way.

07:45 the crew arrives, already drenched in sweat. They had removed a couple trees along the way.

Then they shared their experience with me. Apparently, the family a couple houses down have entitlement issues. They were out supervising the work. Yelling at the tree crew, whom I might add, were clearing the road for free. They were cursed at, threatened, and belittled because only two of the six spoke English.

The two that spoke English ignored the tirade and told the crew to keep working. They moved the large sections of pine off the road and rolled with their equipment to my house.... I could feel the apprehension of the crew.

I shook their hands and offered them thanks in my best Spanglish. And went in and baked cookies (It is what I do best... )

This was another lesson reiterating that hard times brings out the best and the worst in people. Do not assume that you know how your friends and neighbors will react when times get tough.

[mudflap]

I just opened our last pack of "Dial power berries glycerin soap". Been looking in the local stores for more to stock up on - finally broke down tonight and searched online - apparently, they are discontinued. Now all you can buy locally in this brand is "antibacterial" glycerin soap.

Folks swear by this stuff - and now you can't get it anymore unless you want to pay through the nose:



I hate this planet. They are always doing this. now I have to find a new soap that doesn't dry out my family's skin, or get rid of the beneficial skin bacteria everyone *should* have. They are just reinforcing my dysfunctional thought process that "you can only rely on yourself".

maybe I should sell what I have for say, $20 a bar? Already had to break down and buy a case of "incandescent light bulbs" online from China because Barry from Kenya thinks shipping a formerly American made product on a container ship that burns 20 tons of fuel per day while crossing the ocean is somehow "saving the planet". I guess I could buy the LED's. at walmart. that are also... "made in China". and then shipped here.

sheesh. now I'm on a rant. thanks a lot.

[Silver Pie]

Any suggestions for good hats that offer ventilation as well as keeping the sun off the backs of our necks?

Since this is a long thread, started over a month ago, this has probably already been said, but my vote is for a straw hat (and make sure it isn't lined with plastic! The spaces in the weave allow sweat to evaporate).

[Silver Pie]

51Dqw2Oi-YL.jpg

I have this book and actually keep it in my large bug out bag. Lots of good knowledge in it.

It looks interesting. I did a search on it to see if I could find it used at a good price and came upon this review, though:

The Lost Ways Book Review

The Lost Ways books touts itself as a survival book, teaching you how to live like a pioneer or Native American. In reality, it reads more like a collection of blog posts, with modern technology sprinkled throughout.

It's incomplete, inconsistent, and definitely not off grid. (Immersion blenders do not belong in a book claiming to be teaching “the old ways”.)

The Lost Ways book is not as as good as Carla Emery's The Encyclopedia of Country Living, and it's more expensive.

We liked the information about the sheriffs, smokehouse and root cellar chart, but it needed about 40 more items like these to compete with Carla's book.
comparison of The Lost Ways book and the Encyclopedia of Country Living

The Lost Ways is about twice the price of the Encyclopedia of Country Living, with less than half as many pages. The Encyclopedia of Country living is also a very dense book in comparison. (There is far more information on each page.)
https://commonsensehome.com/the-lost-ways-book/

Iirc, I do have the Encyclopedia of Country Living.

[Silver Pie]

I did find a pdf of it, so I'll probably take a look at it to see if the book is something I'd want.
https://pdfcoffee.com/the-lost-ways-2-pdf-free.html

[Silver Pie]

Reading again about the great depression, I was reminded that I need to add more sewing supplies; needles, thread, etc.

When my mom died, I got her sewing, crocheting, and knitting supplies (no one else wanted them), so I have a lot of needles, knitting needles, and crochet hooks. A few years ago, I went to JoAnn's Fabrics to see if I could replenish my supply of thread, because I had used some and some were getting old. The price was shockingly ridiculous! So I didn't get any, and am still hoping to find spools of thread that don't cost an arm and a leg per spool.

Has anyone used anything other than quilt batting to offer warmth for the interior layer of a quilt?

Blankets.
I did a search to show you the kind I'm thinking of, but didn't see what I was looking for. They are thick, warm, and I don't recall what they're made of. Probably polyester or something like that. I have one (but have never put it into a quilt).

[Silver Pie]

I just realized I was answering posts over a year old, not just over a month old. SMH

[Silver Pie]

I did find a pdf of it, so I'll probably take a look at it to see if the book is something I'd want.
https://pdfcoffee.com/the-lost-ways-2-pdf-free.html

Glancing through the table of contents, I'd have to agree that it looks like a really good book.

[Silver Pie]

51Dqw2Oi-YL.jpg

I have this book and actually keep it in my large bug out bag. Lots of good knowledge in it.

I just noticed that the pdf I linked to says The Lost Ways II.

[Momma J]

Any suggestions for good hats that offer ventilation as well as keeping the sun off the backs of our necks?

Since this is a long thread, started over a month ago, this has probably already been said, but my vote is for a straw hat (and make sure it isn't lined with plastic! The spaces in the weave allow sweat to evaporate).

I have not been able to get my husband to do this.... but I swear it is an awesome hack: I attach a panty liner to the inside band of my hat. It absorbs the sweat and stops it from running into my eyes. I learned this trick from a soldier stationed in Iraq. He used to request them in his gift boxes because he was self-conscious about buying them from the px

[mudflap]

Any suggestions for good hats that offer ventilation as well as keeping the sun off the backs of our necks?

Since this is a long thread, started over a month ago, this has probably already been said, but my vote is for a straw hat (and make sure it isn't lined with plastic! The spaces in the weave allow sweat to evaporate).

Straw hats work well.

I prefer canvas hats like this one:


dip the whole thing in water, then wear it. the water cools your head as it evaporates. works well in the desert. Here in the South, the high humidity makes it so you can't tell the difference between your own sweat and the wet hat, but anyway....

[Momma J]

Any suggestions for good hats that offer ventilation as well as keeping the sun off the backs of our necks?

Since this is a long thread, started over a month ago, this has probably already been said, but my vote is for a straw hat (and make sure it isn't lined with plastic! The spaces in the weave allow sweat to evaporate).

Straw hats work well.

I prefer canvas hats like this one:


dip the whole thing in water, then wear it. the water cools your head as it evaporates. works well in the desert. Here in the South, the high humidity makes it so you can't tell the difference between your own sweat and the wet hat, but anyway....

My husband has a couple like your pic that we wears regularly.

The hats I purchased look like this one:

[Momma J]

I added a garden at one of the companies that I work for. I have co-workers helping with watering and weeding. They are like small children; running out on their break-time to see if there are any changes.

Now that I know that I have help, I plan to triple the size of the work garden next spring. This year I kept it simple; tomatoes, peppers, beans, corn, and watermelon.

[mudflap]

Today this happened:



we've always just bought chicks from the feed store because we're not supposed to have roosters in the city, but we ended up with a beautiful silkie rooster that we named Yeti, and he's not too loud. Then one of our other chickens decided to get broody, so decided to just let nature do its thing. We put letters on some of the eggs and let her sit on them. My wife candled a few of them with her cell phone, and we decided something was happening, so we let things roll. Every day we checked for new eggs and removed those, but left the lettered ones. It's been about 3 weeks. Hope they are female so we can get more layers.

[Momma J]

Mudflap ~ This is so exciting!!!

[mudflap]

Mudflap ~ This is so exciting!!!

yes! we now know:
- how to keep chickens
- some basic first aid (when wounded / attacked)
- how to slaughter them
- successful at hatching new chicks.

It's the complete life cycle.

---------------

just want to add -

Mosiah 21:36:

And now all the study of Ammon and his people, and king Limhi and his people, was to deliver themselves out of the hands of the Lamanites and from bondage.

Likening this to us: "all" our "study" and focus since 2012 (when the Kenyan won another round of POTUS and we realized nobody was listening to us, and that our efforts to change people's minds through debate / posting articles / warnings / etc. WASN'T working) - anyway, in 2012 was when our focus changed from "saving society" to "saving ourselves". Our whole "study" since then has been to:
- "deliver ourselves" out of the "bondage" of debt
- prepare for what will eventually happen
- provide a buffer or safeguard for those in our family - "as many as would hearken" (Omni 1:13) - from future calamities.

The results of our "study" - we have concluded that:
- leaving the cities is always a good idea.
- getting out of debt will put you miles ahead in terms of actual freedom - more than almost any other thing, even food storage (consider your food storage in the case of your home getting foreclosed. Of course, you should do both (get out of debt and improve your stocks)).
- getting out of debt is extremely hard. You have to either win the lottery, be extremely disciplined and/or put in very long hours at a second job (building a home debt free is a long hard "second job"). Folks rarely "get rich and then get out of debt". No. Folks who get rich usually just buy more stuff (1). And then find that they are even more tied to their jobs - in the land of Nephi (surrounded by Lamanites).
- land is something worth having, but not at "any price" - that's just debt. Land that you can afford is the best. Land that you can afford monthly payments on with a "gas-station salary" is the next best.
- knowledge is more important than money or things.

(1) A couple guys in my ward are perfect examples:
- brother x's company suddenly got a large government contract to develop apps for the army. The company passed the winnings onto the employees. He was suddenly making a very comfortable 6 figure salary. What did he do? bought a half million dollar home, bought a brand new mustang with a custom paint job for himself, bought his wife a super-sized Maxi-van (not a mini van - this thing seats like 12), bought a bunch of new rifles - one was a tricked out AR-10 for like $8k-$10k - then he showed off pics of it on fb. yeah. they are not trying to eliminate debt.
- another guy got a promotion in the IT dept - so they bought a million-dollar home. Does it have a tennis court in the basement? yes it does.

[Atrasado]

Mudflap ~ This is so exciting!!!

yes! we now know:
- how to keep chickens
- some basic first aid (when wounded / attacked)
- how to slaughter them
- successful at hatching new chicks.

It's the complete life cycle.

---------------

just want to add -

Mosiah 21:36:

And now all the study of Ammon and his people, and king Limhi and his people, was to deliver themselves out of the hands of the Lamanites and from bondage.

Likening this to us: "all" our "study" and focus since 2012 (when the Kenyan won another round of POTUS and we realized nobody was listening to us, and that our efforts to change people's minds through debate / posting articles / warnings / etc. WASN'T working) - anyway, in 2012 was when our focus changed from "saving society" to "saving ourselves". Our whole "study" since then has been to:
- "deliver ourselves" out of the "bondage" of debt
- prepare for what will eventually happen
- provide a buffer or safeguard for those in our family - "as many as would hearken" (Omni 1:13) - from future calamities.

The results of our "study" - we have concluded that:
- leaving the cities is always a good idea.
- getting out of debt will put you miles ahead in terms of actual freedom - more than almost any other thing, even food storage (consider your food storage in the case of your home getting foreclosed. Of course, you should do both (get out of debt and improve your stocks)).
- getting out of debt is extremely hard. You have to either win the lottery, be extremely disciplined and/or put in very long hours at a second job (building a home debt free is a long hard "second job"). Folks rarely "get rich and then get out of debt". No. Folks who get rich usually just buy more stuff (1). And then find that they are even more tied to their jobs - in the land of Nephi (surrounded by Lamanites).
- land is something worth having, but not at "any price" - that's just debt. Land that you can afford is the best. Land that you can afford monthly payments on with a "gas-station salary" is the next best.
- knowledge is more important than money or things.

(1) A couple guys in my ward are perfect examples:
- brother x's company suddenly got a large government contract to develop apps for the army. The company passed the winnings onto the employees. He was suddenly making a very comfortable 6 figure salary. What did he do? bought a half million dollar home, bought a brand new mustang with a custom paint job for himself, bought his wife a super-sized Maxi-van (not a mini van - this thing seats like 12), bought a bunch of new rifles - one was a tricked out AR-10 for like $8k-$10k - then he showed off pics of it on fb. yeah. they are not trying to eliminate debt.
- another guy got a promotion in the IT dept - so they bought a million-dollar home. Does it have a tennis court in the basement? yes it does.

I know a ward here in Rexburg that has 3 indoor basketball courts (4 counting the church house), and two indoor swimming pools. Of course, the weather is so rough here that you could only use an outdoor pool for about 3 weeks.

[TwochurchesOnly]

Reading again about the great depression, I was reminded that I need to add more sewing supplies; needles, thread, etc.

When my mom died, I got her sewing, crocheting, and knitting supplies (no one else wanted them), so I have a lot of needles, knitting needles, and crochet hooks. A few years ago, I went to JoAnn's Fabrics to see if I could replenish my supply of thread, because I had used some and some were getting old. The price was shockingly ridiculous! So I didn't get any, and am still hoping to find spools of thread that don't cost an arm and a leg per spool.

Has anyone used anything other than quilt batting to offer warmth for the interior layer of a quilt?

Blankets.
I did a search to show you the kind I'm thinking of, but didn't see what I was looking for. They are thick, warm, and I don't recall what they're made of. Probably polyester or something like that. I have one (but have never put it into a quilt).

I use itchy, WARM old "army " blankets with a soft cotton "envelope" like a duvet cover/pillow case - Easily removed for cleaning

[Silver Pie]

I use itchy, WARM old "army " blankets with a soft cotton "envelope" like a duvet cover/pillow case - Easily removed for cleaning

That's a really good idea!