Riverwalker's Pics - Firewheels

Firewheel

The above picture shows a close-up view of a Texas wildflower that is commonly known as Indian Blanket or Firewheel. It is also the state wildflower of Oklahoma.

Firewheels are quite prolific in the early part of summer and will cover the land like a blanket.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Is “Doomsday Preppers” Doomed?

While the show has some good points, it’s still TV and needs to be entertaining in order for NATGeo to get viewers and advertising dollars.  The program has created additional awareness about prepping and the need to be prepared but they have also sensationalized prepping to the point where they may have difficulty finding preppers to participate in their program.

After visiting several serious preppers and a couple of beginners in my area, many of my prepper friends seem to be making a decision to avoid the possibility of subjecting themselves to being viewed as extremists on the fringe of society. Many stated they wouldn’t mind talking about their own level of expertise in certain areas. They also stated they wouldn’t mind giving advice and sharing ideas about prepping. They were also pretty clear that they weren’t about to reveal any specific information about their level of preps.  No way! No how!

Even a pretty serious prepper like me has picked up a few tips from the show but there have also been some things that didn’t quite make sense to me from a practical standpoint. The show’s producers may also have realized that the “average” prepper isn’t going to have the “shock” value for their audience. They may have also used their editorial control to the point where the preppers involved may have been seriously misrepresented in their prepping efforts for the sake of higher TV ratings. Not a good thing in my estimation.

There are plenty of gardening and other types of programs that are a more accurate portrayal of the types of basic activities preppers are regularly involved in on TV already. After all, how much entertainment value can you get out of a kitty litter bucket used as a nesting box for your chickens? This might be interesting to people raising chickens but probably not everyone.

Personally there is no problem for me when it comes to sharing ideas and advice with other like-minded individuals, just don’t ask for specific details about my level of preps, my address or my bug out locations. That’s private information and known to only a trusted few.

Perhaps the program will make a turnaround and show more of the “common sense” approach to prepping and focus more on the practical aspects. Including a few more basic prepping tips and the various things that can be done to be better prepared would be a good start. The value of being more self-reliant and better prepared is an important aspect of prepping and should probably be given more attention and focus. They might also want to treat persons involved in prepping with a little more respect and consideration. There are a lot more preppers out there than they may realize and they may be missing an opportunity for an even bigger audience.

In recent months, there has been a significant increase in the number of prepper blogs and websites. The prepper movement is growing and will continue to grow. A more accurate portrayal of prepping may make a more interesting program than they realize.

Even one of the most recent episodes was just a montage of previous shows and may be a sign that they are having difficulty finding preppers to profile. While the need to get others more involved in the prepping community is an admirable goal, going on national TV may not be the best way to do it. It appears that there may be an increasingly negative reaction from the prepper community as result.

Is “Doomsday Preppers” going to survive?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Please feel free to check out the following additional sources of information, resources and websites:

Doomsday Preppers

Preparing to Leave

Traveling to the Bahamas

Atlantis Bahamas Packages

Mayan Preparation

Mayan Palace

Mayan Doomsday Facts

Planning Ahead - Shelter and the Shovel - A Story of Real Life Survival

A close family member used to tell a story that has a valuable lesson for everyone. While serving in the Navy, he did a tour of duty in a place called Adak, Alaska. It was pretty cold, windy and snowed a lot.

He was a storekeeper and was in charge of a large warehouse with all kinds of supplies for the military base. The most popular items requested were always blankets, boots and booze. There were also lots of other items in the warehouse. The most important of which was snow shovels.

His story was really quite short. It left you with the sort of feeling that if you failed to plan ahead, you may not survive very long. It’s the simple things you fail to prepare for that will quite literally ruin your chances for survival. Here is that story.

“He looked up and saw a new recruit entering the warehouse. He knew immediately that he was going to have to drag out some blankets and boots. He doubted the rookie, who had just entered the building, knew what he was in for now that he had arrived at base. He knew the extreme weather conditions could be a real “SOB”. He also knew most raw recruits doing their first tour of duty had no idea of what they were going to be in for now that they had arrived.

The rookie walked up to his desk and reported that he was here to pick up his gear and presented the standard requisition form. He took the form and proceeded to tear it up. The rookie spoke up quickly saying, “Sir, why are you doing that?” He then stated, “Forget all this stuff son. You won’t be needing most of it anyway. Besides, I’ve already got your gear ready and waiting for you in that pile right over there.”

The rookie looked at the pile of gear and the first thing he noticed was a shovel. He hadn’t requested a shovel and had already seen lots of shovels stacked inside the doorways of most of the buildings already.

He then remarked, “But sir, I shouldn’t need a shovel because I’ve already seen plenty of shovels inside most of the buildings already. Besides that, I’ve seen the heavy equipment outside and it’s a lot more efficient in moving snow than a man with a shovel.”

The grizzled old veteran looked at the rookie and could only shake his head. The rookie had given very little thought to his present situation. It was time to tell him about the way things really are and what the rookie was about to experience. He then instructed the rookie to take a seat while he explained how things worked in the real world.

The grizzled old veteran took a few moments to get his thoughts together and then went on to explain a few things to the rookie.

“You see son, life requires you to plan ahead if you want to survive. You’ve already noticed all the shovels everywhere and you should have realized that they must be important. You can look at your pile of gear and there’s another shovel for you there also.” The rookie responded, “I didn’t even include a shovel on my original requisition form you tore up.”

The old man responded, “Of course not, the newbies never do. But that’s because you don’t know what you’re up against and it’s my job to make sure you have the equipment you need to survive. This place can be one of the coldest and most God-forsaken places on earth and if you’re not prepared, the weather will kill you faster than the enemy. When we get a bad blizzard, it gets bad enough to make a polar bear cry and they’re a lot better equipped to handle the weather than you are. You need to remember that we need shelter to protect us from those really bad blizzards and snow storms.” The new recruit then asked, “But how’s a shovel going to help me survive?”

Once again the old veteran spoke to the rookie. “It’s like this son. When we get a blizzard, you’re going to need that shovel because it’s going to be needed to dig your way out of here.” The rookie briefly interrupted saying “There are already plenty of shovels and therefore I shouldn’t need one.” The old veteran just shook his head and then continued with his explanation.

“Hopefully, there will be two things that you will learn while you’re stationed here. The first thing you need to learn is that everyone is expected to do their share. That’s why everyone, including you, gets a shovel. The second thing you need to learn is that when there’s only one way in, you need to have a plan for getting out. Otherwise, a box with only way in is only going to become a coffin.” 

The rookie rose slowly from his seat and walked over to the pile of gear and picked up his shovel. On his way out of the warehouse the old veteran heard him say just one word, “Thanks.”

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Prepping Skills - Being Prepared by Being Organized

The first stages of almost any type of crisis will be very chaotic. Chaos also breeds confusion and disorder. This is when an already bad situation will get worse. There will be numerous things that will need to be done quickly and efficiently if you are going to minimize the effects of a crisis. Time will become your enemy. Being organized will help you utilize your time more effectively.

There is a simple saying that can guide you in becoming more organized. It’s been around a long time and many people fail to realize the value of the rather simple guidelines it sets forth.

 “A place for everything and everything in its place.”

The last thing you will need to be doing in a crisis is conducting a search and recovery mission in your own home and most probably in the dark. It’s a lot simpler to designate space for needed items in advance and keep them there when not in use. You can develop the habit of going to that location to retrieve them and in a crisis your actions will become almost automatic. This will save valuable time in a crisis.

Even organized chaos is preferable to the disorder and confusion that can occur if you aren’t properly organized. It can also be applied to all areas of your prepping efforts. A properly organized BOB will be more efficient in most cases, cover a wider range of needs and perhaps be somewhat lighter in many cases. A properly organized system of food storage and rotation will help to eliminate needless waste, will save you money and be vastly more efficient. An organized plan for getting all family members together in a crisis will help to minimize the confusion. The time to get organized is before a crisis happens or be prepared for the confusion and disorder that will occur.

How do your organization skills “stack up”?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Riverwalker's Pics - Creepy Crawler

Creepy Crawler

Got creepy crawlers?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Homesteading Information - Identifying Caterpillars in Field, Forage and Horticultural Crops

One of the major factors that can affect your garden is the little pests that invade your gardens. They can totally devastate your crops and ruin the yield you may obtain from your garden. It is also important to remember that many of them are also toxic and can cause severe bites or irritating skin conditions if you aren’t careful to use gloves or other means of protection to avoid inadvertent contact.

Not only can they damage your crops but they can damage you as well. It helps to be well informed as to what these pests look like and the dangers they may pose to avoid an unpleasant situation.

The hickory tussock moth is just one example. It starts its life as a white caterpillar and it has a set of black tufts along the middle of the back. It also has a black head. They normally feed on the leaves of hickory, pecan and ash trees, among others. They are considered venomous and can inflict a painful rash if they are improperly handled.

Staying well-informed about the pests that can affect both you and your garden will help you to maintain more control over your garden and its yield. It will also help you avoid those “unpleasant situations” when you come into contact with these pests in your garden.

The Alabama Cooperative Extension Service has an excellent brochure entitled

 “Identifying Caterpillars in Field, Forage and Horticultural Crops”

It is available for download at this link:

http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1121/ANR-1121.pdf

You can also view the most dangerous caterpillars at this link:

The Twenty Most Toxic Caterpillars

Information is always a critical part of survival and should be given a priority status in your planning.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Frugal Prepping - Bug Out Bag Alternatives

The most common Bug Out Bag is generally in the form of a backpack. This is mainly to afford you with an easy method of carry that leaves your hands free for other tasks and offer quick and afford easy access for the transport of the basic necessities that may be required. Thankfully, they aren’t your only option.

Bug Out Bags have some drawbacks that can create problems that can be solved by using other options. These other options are inexpensive but are still effective in serving your needs. Here are just a few of the alternatives that can be used for a Bug Out Bag.

Bug Out Bag Alternatives

1. Bug Out Bucket - Buckets are very versatile items that can be found rather easily for free or at an inexpensive price. They can hold a significant amount of items but also work to limit the weight factor and generally can offer extended protection for your bug out gear items. One of the major drawbacks of a backpack is that people generally tend to over pack their BOB’s until they are almost too heavy to carry any distance and if they sit around for an extended period of time don’t offer significant protection from pests or moisture. A bucket is not going to give much, no matter how hard you try to stuff items into it. Yet it still offers significant protection for your gear and generally will have a handle as well. It can also serve a number of secondary purposes such as a means to carry water from a remote source. 

2. Bug Out Box - A simple cardboard box can also be used instead of a Bug Out Bag. They are extremely tough, inexpensive and come in a large variety of sizes. While it may not offer a comparable level of protection as a bucket, it is a very frugal alternative. A small to medium size box will put some limitations on what you can carry but this only helps you to keep the weight factor down. They are also easily stored and stacked. If your budget allows, you could even use plastic storage bins as a cheap alternative.

3. Bug Out Blanket - Even a simple blanket when made into a swag will offer you a cheap alternative for use as a Bug Out Bag. In fact, you could use just about any type of material you have available. If you’re looking for a little protection from moisture for your gear, you could easily use an old shower curtain tied off with some paracord to make a bindle, especially if you needed to bug out in a hurry.

In a survival situation, it’s important not to place arbitrary limits on how you seek to accomplish things. It’s important to focus on your immediate goals and use whatever means and resources that are available to your advantage.

You will need every advantage you can get in a survival situation.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Riverwalker's Pics - Fire

Fire

Fire can be both friend and foe. When safely and properly utilized, it can provide warmth when it's cold, a means to cook our food and the ability to banish the uncertainty of darkness. Fire can also have a devastating effect if not properly controlled. It can eliminate years of hard work in a heartbeat or cause injuries that can affect you for the rest of your life. It may even cause death.

Fire is a powerful and necessary tool that should always be treated with respect. A healthy respect for the power of fire will make it's use safer for everyone.

Got fire?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Survival Super Foods - Cucumbers

Cucumbers are a member of the gourd family and are also considered a fruit.  Cucumbers are quite easy to grow, can be eaten raw as a snack by themselves, on sandwiches or in salads and are easily canned for long term storage.  Cucumbers have many beneficial qualities that put them in the class of survival super foods.

Cucumbers contain the vitamins A and C, have high fiber content and also contain the minerals magnesium and potassium.  Cucumbers also have a very high water content which makes them important as a food source that will help keep the body properly hydrated. Cucumbers also contain silica. This is an important factor in maintaining healthy muscle and cartilage.

Cucumbers are very sensitive to heat and should be stored in a refrigerator in either a sealed container or tightly wrapped to preserve their freshness. When properly canned and pickled, they can last a very long time.

Cucumbers have many qualities that make them a survival super food.

1. They can be eaten raw and require no cooking.

2. They have a high fiber and water content.

3. They are excellent for long term food storage when properly processed.

4. They have excellent vitamin and mineral content.

5. They are easily grown in a small garden.

Got cucumbers?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Riverwalker's Pics - Snake vs. Air Conditioner

In a battle of snake vs. an air conditioner, the snake came up the loser and did not survive the encounter with modern technology. Apparently a small rat snake had coiled around the fan motor shaft of my outside air conditioner unit. When the unit stopped functioning properly, a check of the a/c unit found the problem. Once the now dried up snake was removed, the unit resumed normal function. 

The snakes are out there, you just never know where you will find them.

Got snakes?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Survival Resources - The Bucket List

The Bucket

There are numerous items that can serve as a resource. One of the most useful and versatile of these items is the bucket. The bucket is an item whose design is simple but its uses are quite varied. It is one of the ultimate containers that can serve a variety of purposes. Here is a list of just a few of the uses for a bucket.

The Bucket List

1. Storage Container - Use a bucket as a container for storage - A bucket can be used to store a variety of gear and food items.

2. Transportation Device - Use a bucket to transport items - A bucket can be used to carry just about anything that will fit inside it. They are especially useful for transporting water.

3. Garden Device - Use as a container for plants - A bucket works well for container gardening.

4. Improvised Furniture - Use a bucket as a chair - If you don’t have anything to put in your bucket, you can turn it upside down and use it as a chair.

5. Rainwater Catchment Device - Use a bucket to catch rainwater - If you don’t have a rain barrel, use a rain bucket.

6. Protection Device - Use a bucket to cover tender plants to protect them from harsh weather. Let the hail bounce off the bucket and not your plants.

7. Filter Device - Use a bucket as a water filter - Punch some holes in it and fill it with a filter medium. It can then be used to filter emergency water sources.

8. Improvised Step Ladder - Turn your bucket upside down and you can even use it as an improvised step ladder. It may be all you need to reach that high place easily.

9. Use as a Tool Box - Buckets make a great improvised tool box and will help you keep track of your tools and help prevent losing them.

10. Collection Device - Use your bucket to collect eggs - They make great nesting boxes for your chickens and don’t require a lot of modifications.

Your resources in any situation are limited only by your imagination and your need. The bucket is just one of those items that can serve your purposes on a daily basis or in a crisis.

Got bucket?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Survival Awareness: Anticipating Weather Changes Before They Hit

Surviving in the wilderness requires surmounting numerous obstacles. Do you know the terrain  and can you handle it? Have you done adequate planning for survival foods? Can your body withstand the physical challenge? Will you face animals, illnesses, or other forms of prey?

All of these questions are essential items to consider. And all of the obstacles they imply, while not always manageable, can certainly be controlled to some extent. You can consult maps and visuals to familiarize yourself with the terrain. You can compile a long term food storage list to insure sufficient supplies. You can also train yourself rigorously for the challenge. You can also bring medications and a good first aid kit or weapons to ward off an attack.

But perhaps the biggest obstacle posed by the wilderness is the one that humans are least capable of controlling: climate. While we can always put on more layers of clothing to fight the cold or escape uphill from a flooding river, we cannot turn a hailstorm into a drizzle or a heat wave into a cool breeze. No matter how prepared we are in every other regard, we simply can never insure a moderation of temperature, precipitation, and unforeseen weather events.

We can’t control the weather while in the wilderness but we can still take steps to do the next best thing – anticipate it. Here are a few tips to help you in this task:

1. Carry a barometer. There are several instruments you can carry to gauge weather, but none is more simple or helpful than a basic barometer. If the pressure indicator quickly changes, you’ll know without a doubt that something is happening in the air.

2. Keep your eyes up. It goes without saying that you should always scan the horizon for storm clouds and other impending weather patterns. But, while doing so, you can also look at trees, hillsides, and rivers in the distance, if possible. One of the benefits of the wilderness is its ability to provide distant vistas. These vistas can give you a look into your climactic future.

3. Watch the wildlife. As you probably know, animals are much better programmed to sense impending weather changes than are humans. This means that unusual animal activity – often most clearly displayed by flight patterns of birds in the sky – can alert you to an encroaching weather pattern.

4. Monitor your fluid intake. Sometimes the temperature (or the humidity) rises or drops slowly, making it difficult to quickly discern the change. But your body will react faster than your mind in such a situation as well as in others. For this reason, drinking whenever you’re thirsty and monitoring your consumption can go a long ways towards giving you an idea of changing factors at play.

These tips can hopefully help you better anticipate a change in weather before it hits. Doing so can give you time to prepare yourself for a dangerous situation, either by changing locations, setting up camp, or increasing your nutrient intake. Ultimately, while we can’t make bad weather go away, we are still in control of our bodies and – with some foresight – we can better manage how we respond to it.

Thanks “J “ for an excellent guest post.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

The Prudent Prepper - Tips for Common Sense Prepping

Using common sense in developing a “prepper” lifestyle is perhaps the best way to get started in prepping. Using a little common sense in your prepping will also help you avoid being labeled as an individual who might be considered paranoid. There are always going to be certain events that we won’t see coming but even a simple and very basic level of sensible preparedness will enable you to survive some of the more common disasters that can affect your lifestyle.

Tips for Common Sense Prepping

1. Increase your knowledge and skills. These are things that will always be with you and will be there when needed in a crisis.

2. Create a preparedness plan. A prudent person wouldn’t attempt to build a house without a set of blueprints. Even a simple plan will guide your efforts in the right direction.

3. Establish your priorities. You can prepare more easily when you establish the proper priorities. Make a list of the most important needs of you and your family and take care of these items first.

4. Set realistic goals. If you set realistic goals for yourself and your family, they will be much easier to achieve. Start with short term goals that cover the basics and then move into a more advanced stage of preparedness gradually.

5. Realize your limitations. It’s literally impossible to prepare for everything that could happen in our lives. A prudent person will realize this and use common sense when preparing for those threats that are more likely to have a direct impact on their lifestyle.

 Even a small crisis can have a devastating effect on your lifestyle but with a little common sense those effects can be minimized or quite possibly eliminated entirely.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Riverwalker's Pics - Buckets of Chicken

Buckets of Chicken

The little ladies have taken nicely to their coop renovations. The clear winner is bucket #1. 

It seems to be the favorite and is clearly the bucket of choice.

Got poultry?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Beyond the Basics - Upgrading Your First Aid Kit for Bleeding and Burns

First Aid Kit Additions

A basic First Aid Kit (FAK) is an absolute necessity for emergencies. It can usually be made better with some simple additions that aren’t often seen in the basic ready-made First Aid Kits. When you build your own First Aid Kit, you can make upgrades to its basic contents quite easily to allow you to better handle a wider range of injuries.

Two of the most frequent injuries you will see in a minor emergency are bleeding or burns. Past experience has dictated that my First Aid Kit have something a little more extensive to cover these two areas. This is especially true in the summertime when a severe case of sunburn can totally ruin your day and make you miserable. Being able to treat minor burns and bleeding until proper medical help can be obtained can be essential during a crisis and normal times.

Two items that should be added as an upgrade are something that will allow you to better handle minor bleeding and minor burns. For minor burns, the Water-Jel brand of burn jel is a good addition to your first aid kit. These are small and lightweight and make a suitable addition for any size First Aid Kit. They come in a box of 25 packs that can be distributed among your various First Aid Kits. Water-Jel specializes in burn treatment products. They also make special bandages if you want to make a more extensive upgrade to your first aid kit to handle even more serious burns.

There are times when a band-aid just won’t get the job done. Even a fairly minor cut or scrape can bleed profusely and may require more extensive treatment. Even having several heavy gauze packs may not be sufficient. This is where a small Quick Clot bandage can come in handy. In a “not so minor” emergency, a Quick Clot Bandage may be just what is needed to handle a crisis properly. They’re an easy to use, compact and lightweight addition for your First Aid Kit to help treat cases of bleeding more effectively.

Both the QuikClot Sport Regular and the Water Jel Burn Jel are fairly inexpensive and make good upgrades for your First Aid Kit. This will give you an option to better treat minor burns or bleeding.

Got First Aid Kit upgrades?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Riverwalker's Pics - Bushy Tail Visitor

Bushy Tail Visitor

Got bushy tail visitors in your backyard?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Survival Food Test - Testing Canned Foods with Expired Date

Even with proper rotation of your food storage items, there will be those items which manage to avoid your best efforts. These items will slip by unnoticed until their expiration date has expired. While most canned foods will be edible past their expiration date, a little caution should be exercised before it’s consumed.

In the picture above is a can of corn that had an expiration date of 01/10. The date is clearly visible because Mrs. RW always marks the date in big letters so that it is easy to see. Unfortunately, it managed to slip through our rotation.

Here are the steps that were used to determine its viability for consumption.

Testing Canned Foods with Expired Date

1. Examine the can closely. It should not be rusted, dented or bulging. Any of these signs could indicate the food inside the can may be unfit for consumption.

2. Open the can and visually examine the contents. Look closely for signs that could indicate the food is contaminated and may be unsafe to eat.

3. Smell the contents. If the contents smell bad, the food is most likely unfit for consumption and needs to be discarded.

4. Taste a small portion. If the previous steps have given no indication that the food item may be bad, taste a small portion. The taste and texture should be similar to food items with a good expiration date.

5. Taste a larger portion.  If you experience no effects from a small portion, taste a larger portion and wait a short time period to see if you still suffer no ill effects.

After taking these steps and have confirmed its viability for consumption, you should then cook or prepare the food item as you would normally. If your storage procedures have been properly maintained, most canned food items will be viable beyond their stated expiration date.

It is also important to remember the old saying “When in doubt, throw it out!”

BTW, the entire can of corn in the above picture was eaten with no ill effects.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Prepping - Stockpiling or Hoarding?

Negative impressions of preppers and their activities are hard to combat when misinformation leads to a false perception of what it means to be prepared. In order to avoid misconceptions and to better understand the true nature of prepping, an understanding of the semantics involved will be necessary.

There’s an old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. This can also happen in an opposite manner as well. A single word can create a thousand images in the minds of misinformed people. Many times this is due to the media showcasing extreme examples in an attempt to secure higher ratings without regards to the damage that can be done or the false perceptions that can occur as a result of their actions.

A thorough understanding of the semantics involved may help you understand preppers and prepping. This requires the terminology used to be defined along accepted guidelines. The terminology can then be used to accurately portray the activity being referenced.

Stockpiling

Stockpiling is a method used to accumulate and maintain a reasonable supply of needed items with a known value for future use should supply be disrupted. Stockpiling helps maintain order. It insures that needed items will still be available for use when required. These items are usually carefully acquired with a specific purpose in mind and thoroughly maintained and upgraded on a regular basis. This is an accurate description of the majority of preppers. It also describes the activities of the government and many businesses that also have stockpiles of various items.

Hoarding

Hoarding is a very misunderstood word that has negative connotations for the majority of people. Unfortunately, the majority of people don't know the actual meaning of hoarder. The actual meaning of hoarding comes from old English and quite literally means “to hide treasure”. In exploring this definition, the key word is treasure (aka, something with great value). This is where extreme examples can create a very real misconception of preppers and their activities. Should your stockpiles of food, water, first aid items or other gear be considered valuable items? Of course they should.

The misconception occurs when things are taken to the extreme. Hoarders are most often viewed in terms of the “media perspective” that showcases the extreme nature of hoarding by a very limited element of our society. Extreme hoarding creates disorder. This is normally associated with several specific elements that apply only to extreme cases. In extreme cases, items may be collected without regards to their value. The perceived values of these items are not apparent to a reasonable person who associates value to items in a meaningful way. Quite often these so called “valuable” items are "not hidden" but are often left on display in plain sight and in a manner that shows no regard for order or reason. When taken to extremes, hoarding is also very detrimental to your health and safety.

Can a prepper be considered a hoarder? If taken in the context of “hiding treasure”, you could very well be considered a hoarder. Many times the way people perceive you is a justification for their own actions. It is well known that there are many people out there who openly admit they will just take what they want. This is simply a way for them to justify this action when they seek to “redistribute” (aka, steal) your preps. They can rationalize this action in their own minds because they perceive preppers as hoarders, which automatically make preppers the “bad guys”.

When it comes to prepping, let your conscience guide your actions. Normally the only people who will view prepping in a negative sense are the ones who expect something for nothing or who expect someone else to provide it for them when something does go wrong.

Prepping is a lifestyle that should create order and serve a useful purpose.

Got preps (aka, “hidden treasure”)? You betcha!

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Diablos at the Ditch

Chicken Diablos

RW, Jr. and myself made a quick trip to Austin a couple of days ago to pick up a few preps. While we were there, we had some of the local cuisine at a popular restaurant called El Arroyo (aka, The Ditch). The restaurant sits completely on top of a ditch (arroyo). RW, Jr. had BBQ enchiladas and yours truly had the grilled Chicken Diablos.  Chicken Diablos are pretty easy to make if you're looking for a different kind of appetizer that can be made on the grill. They're just a strip of chicken with a slice of jalapeno wrapped in bacon and grilled till done. 

Mighty good eating with a little Chipotle sauce for dipping your diablos.

Got grilled diablos for dipping?

Staying above the ditch line!

Riverwalker

Homesteading Project - DIY Chicken Nesting Boxes Using Kitty Litter Buckets

Front View of Nesting Buckets

RW, Jr. and Medicine Man spent some time yesterday finishing up their DIY nesting boxes for the main chicken coop. Some extensive repairs were made on the main coop and some additional coop space was added. In the above picture, you can see the buckets with fresh hay ready for the little ladies. The raised nesting boxes will make it easier to harvest the eggs once someone has seen and made the birth announcements that the Hen's have laid the eggs. Saving time with harvesting eggs means more time for other chores and even a good egg breakfast.

Side View of Raised Nesting Buckets

Here's a side view that shows how the buckets fit in the raised portion of the holder for the new nesting buckets. RW, Jr. and myself put this together using some scrap lumber. The buckets fit easily into the raised platform. There are some additional ground nesting buckets visible in the background.

View of Bucket with Partial Lid

A small section of the lid was left on the nesting buckets to help hold in the nesting material. The lids cut easily with a knife and the partial lids really help in retaining the nesting material.

Kitty Litter Bucket

Since the regular round buckets aren't always available in sufficient quantities, it was decided to use empty kitty litter buckets to make the nesting boxes. There was no shortage of kitty litter buckets available thanks to the Cat Lady.

Raised Ground Nesting Buckets

RW, Jr. also made a small raised platform about 4 inches high for the ground nesting buckets. These are for those hens that feel more comfortable at ground level. With no shortage of kitty litter buckets, there'll be plenty of nests for the hens.

It is always important to utilize all your resources. Usually a simple solution to your needs can be found quite easily if you spend a little time looking in the right place. 

Got DIY nesting buckets?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Riverwalker’s Book Review - The Homesteading Handbook

The Homesteading Handbook by Abigail Gehring is a basic guide suitable for those wishing to become more self-reliant and pursue a simpler lifestyle by developing homesteading skills. The book has an extensive section on home canning and an equally impressive amount on gardening. Growing your own food and being able to preserve it is a major part of homesteading. There is also adequate information for the novice included in this book. It also includes information on a wide variety of topics and subjects that can be of interest to the person new to or currently involved in homesteading.

Even if you’re just looking to save some money by growing and preserving your own food, this guide will help you achieve that goal. If you are looking for ideas about alternative energy projects, tips on raising chickens, building sheds and fences or a variety of other homesteading projects, you can find worthwhile information in this guide. It can most definitely help you learn how to live off the land.

The Homesteading Handbook covers just about everything that is homestead related. While detailed information on many of the topics is somewhat limited, it has enough information to properly steer your homesteading efforts in the direction you wish to go. It’s a fantastic beginner’s homesteading guide that can get you started on a path to being more self-reliant. This guide was very informative on the subject of modern day homesteading and covers a multitude of topics in a very simple and easy to read format at a reasonable price.

The Homesteading Handbook is available here:

The Homesteading Handbook: A Back to Basics Guide to Growing Your Own Food, Canning, Keeping Chickens, Generating Your Own Energy, Crafting, Herbal Medicine, and More (Back to Basics Guides)

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Riverwalker's Pics - Smoker Snake

It seems that brisket isn't the only thing you can find in a smoker.

Imagine my surprise when this offset smoker was opened.

Here's a close-up of the small rat snake in the smoker.

This off-set smoker was picked up in a trade which required me to haul it off. It was in their way and they just wanted to get rid of it. Sometimes you get a little extra when bartering. It was in a really bad mood and it took a while to coax the rat snake out of the smoker. It was probably in the process of shedding it's skin. The eyes had an opaque and milky-colored covering that seem to indicate it was in the first stages of shedding its skin. It also didn't like the fact that it had been disturbed in its resting place. It had apparently been eating good in the neighborhood since there was a large rat's nest inside the smoker. 

A check of the area didn't take long to find some snake food.

Even though rat snakes aren't poisonous, they can inflict a painful bite that could result in a serious infection. This one was sent slithering away under a nearby storage building once it was convinced to leave the smoker. The snake food ran under the same storage building...not the best choice for survival in my opinion. 

Got smoker snake?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker