Fuel for Emergencies....

Different types of fuels are very important when an emergency pops up. You need fuel for cooking, lighting, vehicles. Just make sure to store them all away from children and food.

A gallon of Coleman fuel should last about 40 hours. This is great for lighting.

Kerosene gas for lighting is easy to store and use.

Flashlights are a great light source too, but then you have to worry about batteries. That is why I have a solar powered battery charger and a few hand crank flashlights .

Candles are another great light source and should be stored up for emergency. I have also even learned to make my own candles.

A 2 burner gas camp stove is a great addition for cooking.

Learn how to make an emergecny tin (coffee) can stove. Use parriffin wax soaked tightly wound newspaper for the fuel.

I also have some charcoal stored up and a grill to use for cooking if I need to use it. You can make a lot of stuff on a grill - even bake bread.

Learn how to make newspaper logs for heat. They can replace wood if you need them to in your wood burning stove in an emergecny.

Make Oatmeal Milk

I love oatmeal! It is so cheap and filling. I always buy tons of it and do a lot of baking with it and eating it. My whole family loves it. So when I got my new issue of Country side magazine the other day in the mail , I just freaked when I seen a thing written about how to make milk out of oatmeal. So I decided to try it out. I love soy milk , since I am allergic to milk, so this seemed great for me. I made some oatmeal milk!! Put a cup of oatmeal in a blender, add water to within an inch of top and blend for a minute, then put through a sieve. Great -- taste like soy milk. you can add flavor to it too, like vanilla. Great for baking and since milk can be expensive and I always have oatmeal on hand. This is perfect.
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Get In Shape + Back Up Energy Source?

I went to a few yard sales this past weekend. I did not really find anything , except an exercise bike. It is a pretty good one. I want to get into shape! But, my son was riding it last night during the football game and he all of a sudden stopped and said , " Hey this is so cool, if you needed to , you could use this make power!" I do not know why I never even thought of that. So , not only will we all be in great shape , but we might have a power source if we need it. I am going to study this and see how it would work and how it would need to be done. I know on The Colony reality show they made a washing machine out of a bike.

Here is some info on Google

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How To Survive The End Of The World

I am currently waiting on this book to arrive. I am always on the lookout for books to add to my collection and How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It: Tactics, Techniques, and Technologies for Uncertain Timesseemed like it would be a great read. Especially since we are living in the most uncertain times ever. Everything just seems to be going down hill fast. It seems like we are never going to get back up. I am trying to get my home and family prepared for anything. It is hard work and a lot of work. But, with God's help , we can manage.


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A Second Car!

We are slowly getting our second car up and running. We bought a 2001 Chevy Lumina for just $600.00 - we knew for that price that it would need some work. So far we thought that it needed a new alternator , but after putting in a new one and the car still not holding a charge we tried a new battery , but that still was not. Guess what we found out -- It is just a switch in the lights that has a short so when you turn the lights off and think they are off , they are really on and running the battery down!! OMG. We are going to fix that this upcoming weekend and then we will have a great "new" car for backup. Plus for our 16 year old son to drive. His driver's test is in October.
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Preparedness Fatigue??

I think that my husband has preparedness fatigue! Yesterday he was making a cup of coffee and our Mr. Coffee machine has been getting slower and not making coffee as good. It is a few years old. So he was telling me that I need to get a new coffee maker this week, but then under his breathe he said " Na she can't buy a new coffee maker, she will have to go buy one that is solar powered!" I started laughing until I realized that he was being totally serious. What to do???Download our free toolbar

The Colony Reality Show

Anyone else been watching this? I have learned a few things from it, one of the major things that I learned is that I need new friends. LOL. I need friends that are rocket scientist, engineers, nurses, and others. I also need a warehouse full of tools. But, no really I did learn a few things about security, water, and such. It was an interesting show. I think the one thing that I really noticed about this show is that if you do nto have the skills and tools than you can never be prepared enough. Now I am worried.

What are your thoughts on the show? The finale was last night. I watched the marathon of it yesterday.
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Being Sanitary In An Emergency

My hubby told me about this idea. He always is bringing buckets home from work and we now have a huge collection. I use them for catching rain and storing items in. Well, he thought up the idea of putting a toilet seat on one and making it a toilet for when we have no other way of getting to a toilet. Easy to make , use, and clean. Plus you still feel like you are using something normal. Maybe. Since being sanitary is a must in any emergency - make sure that you stockpile bleach and other cleaning supplies. Lysol and such. You do not want to take a chance and get nasty germs while there is an emergency.


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I will be back with more soon! I promise!

I have been sooooooo tired. I have not felt like doing anything. I have my 3 year old that I have been having to chase around and he is just getting into more and more things. I told my husband a few minutes ago that I feel like I have just put in a 12 hour shift at a factory. I am so tired. I will get back to writing soon. I have a few ideas and I am hoping that the newness of my little one having turned 3 will wear off and he will get back to being the calm, cute, little boy he used to be. Maybe. Maybe that is just wishful thinking.Download our free toolbar

Candles For Lighting

Yard sales have not been too good this summer, but I have found a few things. One of the best was what I got at a yard sale this past weekend. A huge shoe box, a size 13 pair of KSwiss used to be in them, full of safety candles!! Guess what I paid for it. A whole $3.00!! I could not believe it. I even told the woman that I thought that she might want to keep them in case she needs them later and she just said oh I need them out of my house. Too cluttered. So, Cool, I got them. There are over a hundred in there. I burned one that night just to see how good of quality they are and I had to put it out when I went to be a couple hours later and it was only about half burned down. So they are good quality candles. Probably about 5 hour candles.

Below are some candle safety tips: Got the list from National Candle Association Website

The National Candle Association urges consumers to be careful when burning candles, and to following these rules for burning candles safely.

Always keep a burning candle within sight. Extinguish all candles when leaving a room or before going to sleep.

Never burn a candle on or near anything that can catch fire. Keep burning candles away from furniture, drapes, bedding, carpets, books, paper, flammable decorations, etc.

Keep candles out of the reach of children and pets. Do not place lighted candles where they can be knocked over by children, pets or anyone else.

Trim candlewicks to ¼ inch each time before burning. Long or crooked wicks cause uneven burning and dripping.

Always use a candleholder specifically designed for candle use. The holder should be heat resistant, sturdy and large enough to contain any drips or melted wax.

Be sure the candleholder is placed on a stable, heat-resistant surface. This will also help prevent possible heat damage to counters and table surfaces and prevent glass containers from cracking or breaking.

Keep the wax pool free of wick trimmings, matches and debris at all times.

Always read and follow the manufacturer's use and safety instructions carefully. Don't burn a candle longer than the manufacturer recommends.

Keep burning candles away from drafts, vents, ceiling fans and air currents. This will help prevent rapid, uneven burning, and avoid flame flare-ups and sooting. Drafts can also blow lightweight curtains or papers into the flame where they could catch fire.

Always burn candles in a well-ventilated room. Don't burn too many candles in a small room or in a "tight" home where air exchange is limited.

Don't burn a candle all the way down. Extinguish the flame if it comes too close to the holder or container. For a margin of safety, discontinue burning a candle when 2 inches of wax remains or ½ inch if in a container.

Never touch a burning candle or move a votive or container candle when the wax is liquid.

Never use a knife or sharp object to remove wax drippings from a glass holder. It might scratch, weaken, or cause the glass to break upon subsequent use.

Place burning candles at least three inches apart from one another. This is to make sure they don't melt one another, or create their own drafts that will cause the candles to burn improperly.

Use a candle snuffer to extinguish a candle. It's the safest way to prevent hot wax from splattering.

Never extinguish candles with water. The water can cause the hot wax to splatter and might cause a glass container to break.

Be very careful if using candles during a power outage. Flashlights and other battery-powered lights are safer sources of light during a power failure. Never use a candle during a power outage to look for things in a closet, or when fueling equipment - such as a lantern or kerosene heater.

Make sure a candle is completely extinguished and the wick ember is no longer glowing before leaving the room.

Extinguish a candle if it smokes, flickers repeatedly, or the flame becomes too high. The candle isn't burning properly and the flame isn't controlled. Let the candle cool, trim the wick, then check for drafts before re-lighting.

Never use a candle as a night light.

Looking for other supplies

I have been getting some solar powered items and then got it in my head that I had to have a solar powered fan. I looked on ebay and seen some that look like desk fans , about 5 inches across. I went to Google and did some looking around and the reviews on them were not too good. Not a lot of power and no real fan movement to where you can feel them. So now I still want a solar powered fan , but do not know what to get. There are some out there that are like attic fans or vent fans , but they are way out of my budget. WHAT TO DO??
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Solar Power is AWESOME!

I went a few months ago and bought a bunch of rechargeable batteries. We go through a ton of batteries. Last week we had a really bad storm go through and our power went out for most of the day. Well, that made me realize that having rechargeable batteries would be useless without power. I went online and did some looking around and found on ebay some solar powered battery chargers!! I went a head and bought one that has a light on it even. Cool. It is real bright, too. So we will also have a light AND charged batteries!

The photo below shows my radios and my new battery charger in the only south facing window I have in my house. The yellow radio below also has a cell phone charger and a flashlight.

Earthquake Preparedness

All of the bad earthquakes in Japan the last couple of days have got me to thinking about being prepared for an earthquake. I live in a earthquake area.(Not California) I have been researching what to do and I have found some interesting things online.

Earthquake Preparedness

One major thing that I am reading is that your water and power might be disrupted so you need to be prepared for that. Also if you have natural gas you should probably shut it off. This web page has some great info on getting your preparedness kit ready.

The US Geological Survey website has tons of maps, info, and more to help. I also love my little add-on that I have on my Firefox browser that is called equake. It shakes your browser every time an earthquake happens any where in the world.



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A Mini Stove Necklace??

This is just so cool!! It is a Working Stove Necklace - great for hikers, survivalist, and more. It is also great looking. I wish that I had thought of something like this.


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Prepared For Survival Tip Of The Day

I have not been baking a lot this summer, But I know that soon it will be cold again and I will be baking every day. So, if you bake a lot of bread , like I do , than this tip is great. Place a small oven proof dish in the oven filled with water while baking your bread and it will help to keep the crust of the bread from getting to hard.


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Make Your Own Disinfectant Room Spray

Making your own household items is a great way to save money and keep your home clean and fresh!

Here is an easy way to make your own disinfectant room spray:

Ingredients:

* 15 drops lavender oil
* 8 drops orange or lemon oil
* 2 drops eucalyptus oil
* 1/4 cup water

Combine all in a spray bottle; shake well before each use. Mixture can be sprayed into the air. This is just such a great way to refresh the air in your home.

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Am I the only one who does this???

I do it all summer - I get things ready and stockpile for winter! I go to yard sales and look for blankets, sweaters, puzzles, books, and other stuff to get us through the winter. I also stockpile food items that I use a lot of in the winter. Like all of my baking needs, etc.

Am I the only one who does this?? I just hate getting out in the winter and having to worry about stuff like that. I try to make it to where I have to get out as little as possible. Really helped a lot last winter, because we had a bad winter. The winter before last was bad also and we were without a vehicle for most of January and February. I bought my mini van in that March. So to be stocked up on items made it a lot easier. Stockpile paper products while they are on sale and other items like that. I always make sure that we have plenty of bath items, medicines, coffee, flour, beans, soup making items, and more. We also keep a few gallons of kerosene on hand for our kerosene heater in case our power goes out. That can be a life saver!!

I just use common sense and think about anything that I use daily and use more of in winter and then stock up on it.

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Dutch Oven Cooking!

Dutch oven cooking is a great way to cook. I am pretty new to using one and I found a ton of great information on the internet. I also found this great site that has tons of Dutch Oven Recipes. Dutch ovens come in many different sizes and styles. I like the one that I found at a yard sale that is cast iron and has a handle for hanging. I now need a tripod thingie for hanging it above a campfire.

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Convert A Truck Or Van Into A Camper!

I really like this idea for converting a mini van, truck, bus, etc into a camper so that there is a well stocked way to scram if you have to! This really is a great idea and is a much bigger way to have a 72 hour survival kit , but on wheels. All ready to go!!

We have a Chevy Astro van that we have been wanting to do something with. The poor thing is over 20 years old, but she has a new engine and has been going strong for the last 2 years that we have had her. I would love to make her into a camper so that we can go camping and for being prepared. I found this website that has tons of information on how to convert vans and trucks. I really like the ideas and tips. It should be pretty simple , even for me and my husband who both are not very handy. We can get by , but if it gets too detailed or elaborate - forget it! Our van is already set up with things in the back to give us electricity. I think that who had it first did a lot of camping , just not in the van. I have a fan hooked up in there now for the riders in the back because we do not have A/C!!

We were just talking about this and my husband said that this would be a great idea and that we should try and find a cheap second car so that we can outfit the mini van and have it always ready as a bug-out vehicle!!

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Perfect For Summer!!

I have not tried this yet, but I am planning on doing it in the next couple of days. I want to try it out and see if I can do it and we are getting low on bread. So Perfect time to try and Bake bread on the grill!!!

I know it will work , but I just hope that I can do it. That is one of the reasons that I am going to try it out now. Get to practice. Practice makes perfect. Do it now and learn how to do it now and then when the time comes and it might be the only way to make bread , I can do it easily!!

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Frugal & Easy Supper !!

None of us really felt like doing anything this weekend, not even really cook. So, I was trying to come up with something that would be easy and that I could throw on the grill to cook. I remembered Hobo Packets ( this recipe is for the oven , but if you read in the comments you can see how to do it on campfire , which is what I do on my grill ) and fixed them up real quick , put them in the grill on the back porch and about an hour and 15 minutes later we ate!! Yummy!!

Do you know any other type of cheap and easy recipes??????


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Homemade upside-down tomato planters

This is a great thing to do with any extra cloth bags that you have laying around. I have quite a few of them that I have gotten free in the mail.

This is so easy to do. Take the bag, cut a small hole in the bottom, insert the root ball (I wrapped the root ball in the fabric first to make it easier to get it through the hole), spread the fabric out across the hole to keep the soil in, add the soil, and water thoroughly. Hang up somewhere strong because these are HEAVY. Also , remember to hang them where they will get full sunshine for a few hours a day.

Use the smaller sized reuseable bags. This can get too heavy in one of those bigger sized bags.

You can also do this with a hanging planter. Just use the same idea with cutting a hole into the bottom of the pot.

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Dehydrate Food In Your Car??

When I first saw this , Car Dehydrator , I was thinking "No Way". But I tired just a small piece of apple in mine and it worked. Great idea and FREE!! It just really works on the same idea as a solar dehydrator

. I could do a ton of food in my mini van!! This weekend it is supposed to get HOT here and I am going to do some more apples. My toddler loves apple chips. WOW! My mind is going a mile a minute with this one. I LOVE anything that is free and uses no power!!

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Have A Safe & Happy 4th Of July!!

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Make An Olive Oil Lamp

How cool is this. I just seen this on Mother Earth News on how to make your own Olive Oil Lamp. I really like this idea and the ease of it. Plus , It gives me something to use all of my jars that I have been saving.


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Staying Cool With No Power?

How do we stay cool when we have no power?? I have ordered a small solar powered fan that I hope to get soon, but what do we do if we do not have one of those??

I have thick curtains on my south facing windows to keep the hot sun out. But when there is no breeze and it is 95 degrees out , what else can we do to keep cool??

Please post in comments any ideas.......



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A Solar Shower

When times get bad you are still going to want to keep clean and comfortable. I am trying to get my husband up and about to making a solar shower. I have seen a bunch of information on Google and it does not seem to hard or expensive. I would love to be able to get a shower even while power and more are out of commission. I also want to build a solar water heater , which I have plans for out of one of my magazines or books. That way I can have warm water on hand to wash clothes , my hair, or hands with!!
I have even thought of buying one of those camping solar showers. That might work if my husband cannot build one.

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72 Hour Survival Kit - What's in Your Bag?

You have already heard about survival kits, and you see the importance of protecting yourself and your family by having one for each member of the family. These kits are also known as 72 hour survival kits, disaster kits, emegency kits or emergency disaster kits. Whatever you call them, the question now is, what should you put in your survival kit.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Dept for Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness experts your survival kit should contain at least the following.

* Water -
* Food -
* Flashlight
* Waterproof blanket / sleeping bag
* Emergency Radio
* First Aid Kit


Those are just the bare essentials, you may want to include several other items to help you make it through an emergency, and perhaps even allowing you help others. Other items you could consider are:

Light and Communication:

Hand cranked cellphone charger

Rechargeable Squeeze Flashlight

36 Hour Emergency Candles - These can also be used for a emergency stove

Green Emergency Glow Sticks - These typically last 12 hours each

Survival Whistle

Compass

Signal mirror

Flint starter - for starting fires

Waterproof containers or bags

Box of 50 Waterproof Matches

Bic Style Lighter

Shelter and Warmth:

Emergency Survival Sleeping Bag

6-20 Hour Body Warmer - these can heat up in minutes with an average temperature of 130 degrees.

2-Person Tent

Emergency Poncho with Hood

Tools:

Mulit-Function Knife

Leather Palm Working Gloves

Respirator Dust Masks

At least 45 Feet of Nylon Rope

Hygiene and Sanitation:

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Wetnaps and soap

Dental floss pick

Hand and body lotion

Feminine Hygiene items

After putting toghether these essential, you can also add items that may be of particular interest to you, or add prescription medications that you would need to keep taking. Perhaps an extra set of eyeglasses.

The best way to pack these items is in a backpack or other easily portable container that you can easily grab and go when an emergency strikes.

A 72 hour survival kits are worth their weight in gold during a disaster, I have over 20 years Military experience and have provided emergency relief several times, and I know that having a survival kit is indispensible. I would never go into a disaster relief situation without the proper survival supplies. I strongly advise everyone to have a emergency disaster survival kit for every member of the family

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Thrift Stores Always Have Great Books!!

Last night I went to the thrift store because I was bored and I actually got something that is great!!! I got this book, MAKING THE BEST OF BASICS Family Preparedness Handbook
, I could not believe it when I seen it on the shelf! It is an awesome book. Full of tons of information. I read it through last night and I found some great stuff in it. I know that I will read and reread this book a ton.


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Keep Important Papers Safe

I know that we all want to have a stockpile of food, batteries, baby items, meds, and more, but we also have to keep important paperwork on hand and safe.
Grab a waterproof plastic tote and fill it with all of your important paperwork. Family documents will be safe and all in one place this way. Keep all of your Identification papers, policies, bank and credit card info, medical info, and anything else that is important for the running of your house.
I also have a tote that is full of other types of info. Survival books, maps, first aid books, phone books, and more.
I have them "hidden" out in the open. They are "end tables" with pretty fabric covering them. We do not have a ton of room in our house , so I had to come up with something. They look ok on either side of our thrift store couch with lamps on them and no one knows what they are!!!


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I Wonder About This??

I went to our Goodwill store yesterday and seen one of these hand crank light, radio, television things. Well, I already have a few radios and lights that are hand powered, but I was wondering about this with the TV. I got home and was wondering if I should of bought it, but then I was also wondering if , after June 12th, if the TV would be of any use anyway. It would not be digital. So, it would not even work would it???



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Great Foods For Backpack & Camping

Backpacking Simple Food Ideas

Here are some very simple ideas for dehydrated and light-weight
foods.

1) Any packaged dinner mix from the grocery and packed in ziploc
baggies ie, Macaroni & Cheese, Rice-a-Roni, Broccoli and Cheese, etc
There are tons of these things available today. If they call for milk,
then the boys can carry powdered milk in baggies. Margarine will
travel well, and since they will be working hard, the extra fat might be
desirable.

2) Instant oatmeal and instant grits and bagels are great for breakfast.
Again, powdered milk can be used with these. Get some of the new
Fantastic Foods hot cereal mixes--they are warm and filling.
3) Dehydrated vegetables and full meals can be found in camping
stores. Add dried peas to a box of mac & cheese, for instance

4) Try Ramen noodle soups, or any of those "soup in a cup"s (that can
be packaged in baggies so they take up less room).

5) Dehydrated bean flakes that mix up almost instantly with water are
available in HFS. Mix these with some cooked minute rice and put in a
tortilla. Yum! Flavor them with onion, garlic, cumin powders.

6) Cheese backpacks well. Again, the fat may not be so bad if they are
hiking all day. And if it's cold, then the fat is almost necessary to
help them stay warm. (You need a lot more calories when it's cold.)
Add a hunk to any soup, pasta, rice, or dehydrated veggies you're
cooking.

7) Pasta, pasta, pasta. Top it with sauces made from the dry package
mixes. A lot of these are tasty. High in sodium and preservatives
sometimes, but for a couple of meals they won't hurt you.

8) Instant mashed potatoes that can be mixed with the powdered milk
or water only. Make up an instant gravy to go top.

9) Dried fruit can be cooked in some water and put on top of a piece of
angel food cake for dessert. (Hey, the cake might get crushed a little,
but it is lightweight!) Add some cinnamon and Tang (in lieu of orange
juice)and you approximate a Cooking Light recipe.

10) The dry veggie burger mixes would make a great meal. Most of
them make up with water only and many are quite tasty.

11) Bulgar and couscous cook up in only a few minutes with boiling
water.

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Wordless Wednesday

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Food Storage Planning

I think that this website has a great plan. All though I agree with what they say about it taking maybe $10.00 instead of $5.00 to do this now. I printed the page out and have it on my fridge now and plan on using the ideas on it. I also have been saving change and selling stuff on ebay with the intent of using ANY money from that will go into purchasing more for our stockpile.

Planning makes getting prepared much easier.


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Stock Up On Stuff That You Do Not Even Use Yourself!

This can come in handy in case times get REALLY bad and you can use the stockpile of stuff that you do not even use to trade or barter with. Like , for example, I got a case of 12 packages of pipe tobacco for free and I have it in the freezer to keep it fresh and then if the time comes I have it to use. I also have been stocking up on other things , like diapers (cloth & disposable), powdered formula, and more.
You never know when someone might have something that YOU need and since you have something that they need , you can trade!!!!

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Get A Rain Barrel

This is such a great idea, that i think that every single home should be required to have one. I love having a rain barrel. It saves me a ton on watering my garden, flowers, etc. Also it is just good to have one hand.
This whole next week it is going to be raining here. So I am going to set up another rain barrel up at another corner of my house.

Why should I use a rain barrel?
Lawn and garden water makes up approximately 40% of total household water use in the summer. A rain barrel can save you money in the summer by lowering your water bill by reducing irrigation water usage.
Collected rainwater is better for plants because it isn't chlorinated like your tap water is.
Reduce water pollution by reducing stormwater runoff which can contain pollutants.
Storing rainwater for lawn and garden use helps recharge the groundwater which feeds local rivers.

There are some great videos on YouTube about making rain barrels and tons of info on Google.




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Tip For The day!

Save all of your empty milk jugs !!
One great use for them is to get HOT WATER: In the summer, fill a few and let them heat up outside in the sun. You can use the water to hand-wash dishes and wash your hands.

Dry Milk Continued

Since I made that post yesterday, I have been really interested in if there are any recipes out there that are made just for using dry milk. So I went to Google and did some searching. Here are some great links that I found for using dry milk:

Using Powdered Milk In Cooking

Recipes

Storing Dry Milk

Using Dry Milk

Saving Money Using Powdered Milk

Very Best Baking Recipes From Carnation

Potato bread recipe using instant potatoes and dry milk!

Make Dry Milk Taste Like Fresh Milk

Dry Milk

Recipes Using Dry Milk

The Fab Four
How to survive on wheat,
dry milk, honey and salt

I am so sorry for all of the links. There is just a ton of info online about using dry milk. I could list even more. I just wanted to share all of them.


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Dry Milk

I am finding in the last few weeks , that if I did not have any dry milk I would not be able to cook a lot of things. Milk has gotten so expensive that I just have been able to buy a half gallon of it and using it only for cereal. I then make a jug of dry milk to use for cooking and baking. It has been a life saver. It has saved us a lot of money and it is very good for you. My little one is almost 3 and he actually loves to drink dry milk more then whole milk.
It does not make a difference in cooking. Everything I use it is cooks and bakes just like if I used whole milk.

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Trying To Survive

Since January , my family has been going through a very tight and trying time. My husband is still laid-off. I have been sewing some cloth towels and diapers. Trying to sell what I can to make extra money. Unemployment is not a lot of money. But , we are actually making it. All of our bills are paid and nothing is behind. This has been such a learning experience and we have found out some things that we need to do and some things that we have actually done right.

More postings later about what we have been doing!! I have been getting my veggies all ready to plant.

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My stockpile room!

I totally forgot to take a photo when it was empty. I already have my freezer in there and I have a small shelf in there. My husband is getting me a really tall one later in the week from helping someone move. I knew my utility room was small , but even without the washer and dryer in it , it is VERY SMALL!! I was hoping I could also make this room into a safe room, but there is no way. It could be a safe room for weather related things, like if there is a tornado, but for any length of time It would not work at all!!

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A Safe Room

A safe room is a room in your house that would be the safest place in your home where you can go to quickly and take shelter. It is great to have one in case of a tornado, bomb attack, hurricane, or any other disaster.
Choose a place in your basement, garage, or a room in your house that has no windows and where you can seal off the door way with plastic and duct tape if you need to.
When you are preparing your safe room think of everything. Think about food, water, warmth, communication, sanitation, ventilation, medical supplies, and even ways to keep everyone entertained.
Have you safe room equipped with enough stuff to sustain you and your family for up to 2 weeks. Make sure that you have a lot of canned food that can be eaten right out of the can cold. You most likely will not be able to cook in your safe room.
Have a radio on hand with plenty of batteries or have a hand crank powered radio. I have a few of them and they are life savers. Plus I do not have to worry about batteries and use the money that I might use on batteries on other items that I want to stockpile, like food!! But, you have to have a good radio in your safe room. It might be your only way to know what is going on in the outside world , if you are in your safe room for any length of time.
Your safe room would also be a great place to store your items that you have been stockpiling. This way of there is an emergency you can go into your safe room and be able to stay safe. (Don't forget weapons, too!)

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A Stockpile Room -- Finally!!

I have a utility room that is much too small right now with my washer and dryer in it, but this weekend our washer and dryer will be gone so I will now have a room to be just for my stockpile!! I cannot wait. My husband is going to have to make us some shelves or I will buy some cheap ones and it will be just for me to stock full of food and any other item that we want to stockpile. I will take photos as soon as it is empty and then as I fill it. I will miss my washer and dryer , but since we are in a small house, I will love having the space for a bigger stockpile.


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Build A Greenhouse

I have been wanting one of these for a long time. I always thought that I would need a lot of money or space to have one though. So I was looking around online to see some ideas and I came across this video that shows how to make one for less than $25.00 and it is small enough to fit in my small yard, but big enough to be able to hold what I want to grow.


Build an Easy 5 x 5 Home Greenhouse for under $25 - More DIY How To Projects


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Become A Work At Home Mom

There are a ton of free ways to start making money at home and online. You can get some great ideas for making money on this blog , Working at Home Mom Blog. There are thousands of ideas for starting a home based business on this blog.

This is a great way to become more self-sufficient.


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My New Store

i finally got done with my new Prepared For Survival Store!! It took me a while to add the items and I still have some more to add. It has books , tools, solar powered items, and more. Anything that someone preparing for survival would need.

If there is something that you think that my store should have please comment on it.

Thank you for checking it out.


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No-Bake Cookies

I love cookies and treats. This cookbook, No-bake Cookies: More Than 150 Fun, Easy & Delicious Recipes for Cookies, Bars, And Other Cool Treats Made Without Baking is awesome for making cookies without an oven and they are great. It is so fun to be able to make a treat when it is hot or we have no power. I can boil things on my camp stove if I have to and then we have a special snack.




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Homemade Granola

Homemade Granola
4 c Rolled oats
1/4 c Sesame Seeds
2 T Light Sesame oil
1 t Ground Cinnamon
1/2 c Wheat Germ
1/4 c Shelled Peanuts (or soybeans
1/4 c Honey
1/2 t Grated Nutmeg or Cardamon
Raisins,grated coconut,
-nuts, or dried fruit (op
Preheat the oven to 350 deg F. Toast the oats, wheat germ, seeds,
and legumes lightly on a baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, until slightly
browned. Remove and cool. Heat the honey and oil together in a small
pan; drizzle it over the dry mixture. Sprinkle with cinnamon
or cardomon. Return the mixture to the baking sheet and heat in the
oven for 5 minutes. Stir or turn. Bake for a few minutes more, until
crispy but not too browned. Remove and cool. Add raisins, nuts, or
dried fruit if desired.


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On The Search For A Grain Mill

Me and my husband have already decided that when his taxes come back and all of our bills are paid up , that we are going to buy a cheap grain mill. I am finding though that there are so many out there to choose from. What do I get?? I would like to have one that is hand operated. In case we have a time with no power. What is the best one to get?


HELP!

Any advice will be greatly appreciated. This is the one thing that we do not have and it is really the last thing that we need to get to have all of our gear that we will need.


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Coffee Can Meal

Coffee Can Cookery
2 Strips bacon
1 Med. potato,sliced
1 Med. onion,sliced
1 Med. tomato,sliced
2 Stalks celery
1/3 lb Ground beef
1 Carrot
Salt and pepper to taste
Coffee can and lid
Cut carrot in half lengthwise. Cut celery and carrot into 2" lengths.
Cut bacon in half. Mold 2 meat patties. Place 2 pieces of bacon on
bottom of can. Place layers of all ingredients. Repeat. Place
closed coffee can on top of glowing coals for 25 min. Open lid and
check after 10 minutes, if browning too rapidly, pour 2 Tb. of water in
can.

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Box Oven

Box Oven
1 Brick (or flat rock)

1 pk Aluminum foil,heavy-duty

1 Corrugated cardboard box

1 Metal pie pan,old

3 Coat hangers

4 Charcoal briquets,lit

1. Cover the inside and outside of the box completely with 3 or 4
layers of aluminum foil, including the flaps. Lay box on level ground so
that the opening opens oven-style (front-door style is OK, too).

2. Straighten the coat hangers, then run them through the sides of
the box about 2/3 of the way up from the bottom to form a rack.

3. Set brick in bottom. Place live coals into pie pan/pie plate. Put
pan on brick (don't forget, the PIE PAN IS HOT! Use an oven mitt or
hot pad).

4. Place food to be cooked onto coat-hanger rack and close oven door.
Watch carefully, checking often. Each live coal makes about 80
degrees Fahrenheit.





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Neighbors Helping Neighbors

Working with neighbors can save lives and property. Meet with your neighbors
to plan how the neighborhood could work together after a disaster until help
arrives. If you're a member of a neighborhood organization, such as a home
association or crime watch group, introduce disaster preparedness as a new
activity. Know your neighbors' special skills (e.g., medical, technical) and
consider how you could help neighbors who have special needs, such as disabled
and elderly persons. Make plans for child care in case parents can't get home.



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Make A Braided Rug !

This is a great craft that will use up your fabric scraps and keep your floor warm.
Use old clothes and scrap fabric to make these.

1. Cut strips of cloth approx. 3 inches wide. Sew three strips together at one end to start. Braid these together. t helps to anchor your braid on a chair or something.

2.Keep braiding. As you get to the end of the strips sew on a new one.

3.To make your rug coil one end of the braid into a tight circle. Sew the edges together with strong thread.

4. Keep coiling and adding on to your strips till you get the size braid you want. When you are all done sew the end down.

Here are some great links on making braided rugs:
Make a braided area rug

Make a braided rug

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Make Your Own Heating Pad

Rice Bags are cloth bags filled with raw rice and heated in a microwave. You can use them
just as you would a heating pad. They have the advantage of being able to be made in any
size such as long and narrow for wrapping around a sore neck. Being that they cool down
on their own you need not worry about dropping off to sleep while using one of these bags.

I have given the basic instructions for a square rice bag, but as you will see it will be very
easy to make one in any size or shape that you choose to make.



Inner Bag



Cut a rectangle 9" x 18" out of 100% cotton muslin
(poly blends could melt in microwave)


Fold in half and sew a 1/2" seam as shown at left. Be sure
to leave opening in top for filling. Fill bag 2/3 full of rice
(must be raw rice not instant) Stitch opening closed.


Bag Cover



Out of 100% cotton decorative fabric cut one, 9" square and 2
pieces 6" x 9". Turn under one edge of each of the 6" x 9" pieces
as shown.


With right sides together place the 2 6" x 9" pieces on top of the
9" square. The two smaller pieces will overlap a bit. Sew all the
way around as shown.
Turn right side out and place rice bag inside of cover.


Using your Rice Bag


Place your rice bag (without cover) into microwave and heat 2-3 minutes.
The time will vary depending on the microwave. Start at 2 minutes and if
its not hot enough increase by 30 seconds till you get the desired warmth.
The rice bag should stay warm for about 15 to 20 minutes which is the
recommended amount of time for heat therapy. Place the cover on your
bag and apply to where it hurts. You can wash your cover but NOT the
rice bag itself.

TIP: Use a little dried potpourri in the bag with the rice to give off a
pleasant aroma while you warm away those sore muscles.


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Oil Lamps Are Great!

Have an oil lamp in every room! They are great for light. We use them all of the time, even though we have electric. Put them in safe places and to where they cannot be knocked over. I also have to keep them up to where my toddler cannot get to them or knock them over when he is throwing toys!
Oil lamps are pretty bright and not hard to use. You can get them pretty much anywhere. Most of mine I have gotten at yard sales and thrift stores. I keep a box of wicks on hand and oil lamp fuel! Now we are never in the dark!


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Stockpile Money Too!

This is one thing that we are finding out while my husband is laid off - WE NEED TO STOCKPILE MONEY TOO! We have tons of food and other stuff , but the money is slowly dwindling away. His unemployment is taking so long to start getting and we are just living off of savings! Which we are finding out was not a lot. It seemed like a lot when we had money coming in , but with no income it is not a lot. This will be my first thing to work on when we start working again and have money coming in. At least we have food and all of our needs.



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When to start planting your garden

I have been getting all of my catalogs and ordering seeds for my garden. Next I needed to figure out when to plant the darn things. I found this LINK that was very helpful. Shows all of the seeds that I am going to be planting. I think sometime next week though I am going to start some of them indoors. Just a little experiment I want to do to see how well ones I start early do compared to ones that I just plant straight into the ground. I also want to grow some inside in containers and find out how hard it would be to have an indoor "garden". If I can get good with an indoor "garden" than we could have herbs and veggies all year around.

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Wordless Wednesday!

This is an almost Wordless Wednesday!

I cannot remember where I saw this , but I think that it is awesome. I would love to make one for us. It is a solar shower.


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Power Outage Survival Kit

This past week has been a very trying time for us in Southern Indiana and in Kentucky. There have been a lot of power outages and hundreds of thousands are still without power. I found the below article and wanted to share it. Always remember , that if you have to get out the kerosene heater to use it safely. Here is a link to a site that has some great tips for using a kerosene heater - Kerosene Heater Safety

As usual your power outage kit must be ready to deploy with you should the need arise therefore I have found it best to assemble my kit within a backpack of some sort. Hanging your kit on a door hook behind the kitchen door or a close by bedroom door is a smart trick and assures that it is readily available in the dark should it be needed.

Items which I always consider keeping in the kit would include:

1. A battery operated or hand cranked radio complete with extra batteries.

2. A Clock which operates on battery power. I have combined both the hand cranked radio and a clock in one unit I have purchased however sometimes the clock loses its time when the battery is weak so I highly advise keeping a battery clock handy.

3. Now this next item is very important. Keep a non cordless telephone in your power outage bag to connect directly to the telephone line. Portable telephones will not function when you have no power available. I also maintain a cell phone however needless to say the numbers are different so I try to maintain both on hand for emergencies.

4. You can never have enough lanterns or flashlights along with their associated extra batteries. This is also a function of my cranking radio-clock but we try to maintain a flashlight or lantern in every room of our home. This will prevent accidental falls in the dark

5. Several 6 to 12 hour light sticks are useful for keeping in your black out kit also. They are a lot of fun also for the kids.

6. A digital quick response food thermometer is a useful addition to your kit. Perishable food temperatures should not reach above 40 degrees for more then a 2 hour period. Use this thermometer to periodically check the internal temperature of the food for harmful bacteria conditions.

7. We keep several candles available in the kit however we use them strictly in a dire emergency because of the fire hazard associated with them. Usually we prefer the battery flashlights and lanterns. A quick note on fire safety is to ensure that all your smoke and fire detectors have a battery backup.

8. If you or a family member happens to be on any sort of medical equipment ensure that you have an alternate means of power for it. I always have small portable power units that can easily be carried around. Should it require refrigeration maintain a small cooler with ice packs in it. The breakable ice packs are great for this. I also maintain a DC operated cooler for this purpose if needed. Keep extra medications in the event that pharmacies do not have back up power and are not working.

9. Generators can be useful however take appropriate precautions in regards to proper ventilation. I consider the preferred method to be having your generator outside and connecting it to an indoor power receptacle specifically for the generator.

10. Keep paper products available as well as a manual can opener.

11. Store up on one gallon of water per person along with a supply of paper cups. A neat little trick is to store several containers of clean water in your freezer. In case you lose power to help to keep your food cold and as it melts you can use it as drinking water.

12. You should also consider an alternate cooking source such as a BBQ grill or a small propane camping stove. I keep both available.

13. Should heat be necessary always maintain extra means of heat such as blankets, fireplace or heat source. We generally keep extra blankets readily available as well as a kerosene heater for use if the main heating system fails to operate due to the lack of electricity.

That about wraps it up. You can conclude your pack with several personal items that you and your family members consider essential. Keep in mind if you have a Bug out vehicle that is equipped with people items for emergencies you could easily move to it temporarily. Campers and motor homes are especially useful in emergency black outs.

Copyright @2008 Joseph Parish

For more information relating to survival visit us at http://www.survival-training.info

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The Urban Homestead

I got this book today in the mail and LOVE it. The Urban Homestead: Your Guide to Self-sufficient Living in the Heart of the City (Process Self-reliance Series) is a great book for anyone who lives in the city , but still wants to be self-sufficient. There are many projects in this book that include how to grow a patio garden, how to cook with the sun, how to preserve food, and many more. I do not live in a "city", I am in a small town, but I still find this book to be a great addition to my survival library.





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Baking Bread

I spent all day Monday baking bread. I baked 3 loaves. That should last us the week. I buy bread dough in packs of five at the local low-price grocery store for $2.00 and then I bake it up as I need it. Cheaper and taste better, plus the heat from the stove warms the house up!! Nothing better than a warm house and a piece of fresh baked bread. I also buy my rolls like this. I used to bake totally from scratch , but I have gotten a bit lazy and run down from chasing a toddler around the house , so I buy these loaves of bread dough that are frozen and all I have to do is set them out in the morning to rise and then bake them. Slice them up and enjoy!!



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I Guess I am Going To Find Out How Good Our Stockpile Is!

Hubby just got laid off! So i guess now we will find out how good our stockpile and every thing else that I have been trying to learn and do is going to work for us. I hope he is not out of work for very long. He already called about a new truck driving job so who knows. But since he will be out for a while I will be using our stockpile.
This is kind of good in a way. Just another way to learn what I need to stockpile and what needs to be learned and such. I am depressed because he will be out of work and we will have no money coming in, but I am going to be using this as a learning experience. (I am looking for me a J.O.B. too now)


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Variety is The Spice of Life

I have noticed that my stockpile does not have a lot of variety. I have a ton of flour, sugar, honey, salt, dry milk, rice, etc staples like that, but I noticed that we do not have a lot of different things. I mean , really, how long before the kids start complaining and we all get sick of plain rice! We all get tired of eating the same thing over and over. Appetite Fatigue!
Store up food that your family enjoys eating. Store a variety of beans, grains, spices, canned foods, flavorings, broths, soup mixes, dried fruits, nuts, tuna, and more.
One of the best things that you can do is to buy a great food storage cook book. I have several that I have bought and love. I have gotten so many good ideas and tips from them. Store up ingredients for all of your favorite meals.

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Easy & Almost Free Heat!!

I am doing this tonight. Try it out in the morning. I have 3 windows that face south and get direct sunlight all day long!


Easy FREE Home Heat! - The top video clips of the week are here

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Make Your Own Waterproof Matches

If you are in a situation where your survival depends on fire or you needing to light something and you are in a cold or damp atmosphere, these waterproof matches might save your life. Fire can warm you, purify water, cook food, and more.

You need a box of matches. Not safety matches. You must use boxed matches. A tealight candle. A piece of aluminum foil.
Lay out the foil flat on a surface where it is safe to lay out and no fire hazards are around.
Light the tealight and let it burn until there is a pretty good size pool of melted wax.
Now the fun part -- Dip the match into the melted wax until the whole match has wax on it. This will make it entirely waterproof. If you just do half of the match dampness and water can seep in from the unwaxed end.
Blow on this until the wax is hardened and then repeat dipping it into the wax so that you have 2 layers of wax on it.
Do as many matches as you want.
To light them you scrape off the wax and light!!


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Seed Ordering

I know it is the middle of winter and some of you might not want to hear about gardening, but it is about time for all of us to be getting our seeds ordered or bought for spring. I plan on getting a few veggies and herbs for myself and am getting some seed catalogs sent to me. I need to be planning on where I am going to put my garden at our new place.
Here are a few places that have great seeds and I plan on using.

Native Seeds

Amishland Seeds



Seed Savers Exchange

Burpee

Now that you are getting your free seed catalogs you will need to get to planning.




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Coffee Can Ice Cream

I know that it is winter, but for some reason when it gets really cold I want ice cream!
Who knew crafting a batch of homemade ice cream could be so much fun? Grab the kids, two coffee cans, ingredients for the ice cream and roll away!

What you'll need:
2 clean metal cans, both with lids (make one can larger than the second)
Use the ice cream recipe already given in Ice Cream in a Bag or:
1 cup of very cold milk
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbs chocolate syrup
Ice


How to make it:
Place the ice cream mixture in the smaller coffee can (make sure it's clean) and seal with the lid on tightly.
Place the smaller can in the larger can. Pour the ice and salt around the smaller can making sure it is more or less in the center.
Seal the larger can with its lid tightly and roll it around for about a half hour. This process works great if you have kids. Let them sit on the floor and roll the can between them. When it's done you'll have a nice container to keep the ice cream in!


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I Have A Toothache!

What do you do if you get a toothache? There are a lot of ways to cure a toothache with just stuff from your kitchen cabinet or stockpile.

Tea Bags - Press a dampened tea bag against your toothache or sore gums. This will relieve your toothache or stop your gums from bleeding. The tannic acid in the tea numbs it and clots blood.

Swish a mouthful of Listerine to temporarily relieve a toothache. Swish it right around the cavity, lost filling, or broken tooth. It is an analgesic.

Add a quarter of a teaspoon of pepper to one cup of boiling water , stir , cover, and simmer on low heat for about seven minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for about 15 minutes. Strain this through a coffee filter and while it is still hot , take small sips and swish it through your mouth , concentrating on the affected area. Repeat as often as needed.

Another easy way to relieve a toothache is to take vanilla and soak a cotton ball with it and place it against the sore tooth or spot. The high alcohol content in it will dull the pain.

Salt is another great way to ease the pain of a toothache. Just add it to a glass of warm water and rinse your mouth with it.


I hope that none of up gets a toothache when times are bad, but if we do at least we will be able to relieve it a bit!!








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Use Cloth!

I have already wrote on this blog about the benefits of using cloth diapers, but did not mention another important item that is needed -- CLOTH WIPES!! I started out making just a few for my son, but then I got to thinking that I better make as many as I can so the whole family can use them IF we need too. You never know if you might run out of toilet paper and cannot get anymore!

They are very easy to make. I have made them from old t-shirts, receiving blankets, flannel sheets and shirts, and more. You just need to cut out squares that are about 7 inches X 7 inches and place them right sides together and around the edge , making sure to leave a place to turn it out at , stitch up the hole and top stitch. Very easy to make and totally worth it!!

You can find some more info on using and making cloth items at my other blog Sewing Cloth Diapers & Other Stuff ~ Sewing, Crafts, Making Money,& Living Green