Paratus Familia Blog

Sweet Illusions

noreply@blogger.com (Enola Gay) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:32:00 +0000

Hundreds of years ago, brave (and desperate) men and women sold all of their worldly possession, said goodbye to everyone they knew and everything they had ever known and boarded ships bound for a new world and a new life. They were not foolish, simple men. They knew the risks they would take and those they would expose their families to. And yet they came. Putting their very lives on the line, our ancestors braved the ravages of a treacherous sea only to settle in an untamed wilderness and build a truly great civilization. Only by the blood of their hands and the sweat of their brows did they hew a new life. And, in the process, their very lifeblood was required. They lost children, wives and their own lives to their dream.

And now, we can't drive to the next town without our cell phone. "What if we got into a wreck?" "What if we broke down?" Apparently, in the 21st century our legs don't work. We couldn't possible walk home. When cell phones made their appearance, they were heralded as a wonderful way to stay connected. Now, you could be in constant communication. You could make use of those hours spent commuting by working right from your car. You could let your wife know when you were running late. If you were in an accident (gasp!) you could call for help.

At first, only a select few could afford the luxury of a cell phone. Soon, however, as technology advanced and prices came down, most people tucked a phone into their pocket or their purse. What once was considered an expensive gadget became an indispensable necessity. Now, not only were business people chained to the master of their own making, children had also succumbed to the "need" for a constant leash. "Good" parents wouldn't dream of letting Suzie leave the house without her phone. She might need something. She might get in an accident. Or, then again, she might need to send naked pictures of herself to her boyfriend. Ah, technology, a wonderful thing!

But it doesn't stop there. Now, your cell phone (you know, that wonderful item that offers so much perceived "safety") can now be used against you. In order to make the most out of the cell towers wherever you may be, your phone has a GPS (yes, Global Positioning System) that can be used to track your phone - and you. And what a wonderful thing that is, right? Only a "bad guy" wouldn't want to found, right? Wrong. I don't have to have done something wrong not to want to found. I might want the freedom not to be bothered. I might not want someone to know where I am every second of every day.

We strap on the bracelet of "safety" so readily but wonder what went wrong when that bracelet becomes a handcuff. We never stop to think that "safety" is nothing but a sweet illusion. Life is not safe. It never has been. It never will be. And a "safe" life is a life not lived.

As a society, we have come to value safety over freedom. And we have forgotten that God is the author of life and death. We are so concerned with being safe that we have forgotten how to really live. Life is dangerous. And that is how it is supposed to be. Only when there is an element of danger, do we realize our frailty. And only when we realize our frailty will we seek the Maker of our souls.

Our congress has plans to see 30,000 drones in the sky above our heads by the year 2020. 30,000 drones to keep you safe. 30,000 drones that see all. That hear all. Never will you get in an accident when "they" won't know. Never will your car be stolen when "they" won't see. Never will your house be broken into when "they" won't have knowledge of the incident. Doesn't that make you feel safe?

Remember. We have to remember. The people that have gone before us were not willing to give up their freedom for their safety. They knew that the people peddling safety were really seeking only to bind them with chains forged for "the public good". True protection is at the heart of every good father, every family. The "safety" the government offers is only thinly veiled bondage.

I will trust God with my life, not some flawed government. I don't want to be kept safe. I want to live.

Delighting Children

noreply@blogger.com (Enola Gay) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:41:00 +0000

One of the most challenging aspects of running a business out of our home is the lack of space. If our shouse wasn't full enough with seven people, we had to go and add a manufacturing business. Fabric fills the china hutch, the bathroom hutch and a washtub in the living room. Sewing machines occupy real estate at the bottom of the stairs and the end of the dining room table. Every time I order more fabric I shudder to think of where I will put it.

One day as I visited with my folks on the phone, I began muttering about my space dilemma. I told them that some day, when we moved, I would have a room dedicated to Naturally Cozy. I would have a work table (at the right height!) and a rack to hold my rolls of fabric. I would have bins to store all of the snaps and shelves to house the cut fabric and open orders. Oh, someday.

Not long after our conversation, my dad called with a request for measurements. He wanted to know how long my largest bolt of fabric was and what the diameter was. He was curious to know if I wanted a vertical or horizontal stand. How many rolls of fabric did I have? Did the stand need wheels?

Well, when Dad and Mom showed up on Friday, they had something strapped to the bed of their pickup. Mom came in, gave everyone hugs and said "Enola, lets move some things around". Quickly moving the washtubs that held my largest bolts, Mom had a spot next to the stairs cleared record time.

Dad started untying a wooden frame from his truck and soon, parts starting filling the house. First there was a wooden box bolted onto a furniture dolly (the casters were huge). Next came the frame. Mom and Dad set the frame onto the box and Dad started securing it to the box. After he had fastened the entire frame together, he put large dowels into slots in the frame. Perfect! A huge fabric rack - on wheels!

Loading the rack with fabric

Look at all that storage!!!

Oh it was exciting. Now, rather than being spread all over the house, my fabric is in one place. Not only can I see what I have and what I need to order, I can also roll the entire frame to the table making cutting much more convenient.

Parents are wonderful. They love to delight their children with good gifts. And my parents - well, they are exceptional.

Late Night Lip Balm

noreply@blogger.com (Enola Gay) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:38:00 +0000

Last night I was desperate. Our whole family has a bit of a head cold and between that and the cold weather, my lips were falling apart. I was freshly out of Burt's Bees lip balm and really didn't want to have to resort to Bag Balm (really - have you ever tasted it?!). After considering my options, I finally decided that I could spare 10 minutes of my life to make some homemade lip balm.

One of the things I haven't liked about the lip balm recipes I have used in the past is the number of ingredients they require. I like simple. And easy. Generally, lip balms call for exotic things like coconut oil, glycerin, jojoba and cocoa butter (not that all of these are exotic, but most of us don't have them sitting around in our kitchen cupboards). So, I got to thinking and searching on the internet (what a wonderful tool!) and came up with a balm recipe that meets my "simple" and "easy" criteria and is wonderful to boot.

You really don't need anything special to put lip balm in, although tubes or little pots are handy. I actually made more lip balm than I had tubes for and put the overflow into 35mm film containers. Whatever you have on hand will work.

The only ingredient in the balm that you may not have on hand is beeswax, but it is fairly easy to come by and will last forever. The amounts of wax you use are very small in comparison with the rest of the ingredients, so a little will go a long way. I bought 4 twenty pound bricks of beeswax about 8 years ago and have used it in everything from lotion bars to lip balm to candles and have only used about 1/4 of 1 brick.

The lip balm takes about 10 minutes to make, including measuring and heating and another 20 minutes or so (depending on what containers you use) to harden. I do have to admit that I love using it when it is warm and not fully hardened yet - oh, so wonderful!

Most Wonderful Lip Balm
1/2 oz. beeswax
1 tsp. honey
4 oz. olive oil (1/2 cup)
Peppermint oil or peppermint extract to taste

In a small saucepan (or double boiler) melt wax. Add honey and oil. Stir for two minutes. NOTE: The honey will not really combine, but it is great for your lips and doesn't adversely affect the lip balm. Add peppermint (or other flavor). Stir well. Pour.

Melting the beeswax

Measuring the oil

Pouring into the tubes

The overflow went into film canisters

When I made my balm, I used 1 oz. of beeswax rather than 1/2 oz. because I like a more solid lip balm. I also added a little Vitamin E oil when I added the peppermint. My lip balm turned out beautifully and feels wonderful. Because I added extra beeswax, it stays in place for quite a long time and hopefully won't be prone to melting when carried in a pocket.

For mere pennies, you can make lip balm in your own kitchen. Not only is it a great winter evening project, it will bring you one step closer to preparedness.

Why we Won't be Building Do-It-Yourself Washer Kits

noreply@blogger.com (Enola Gay) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:06:00 +0000

NOTE: This is a post regarding the reasons that we won't be offering a kit OR plans on a DIY washer. I'm afraid there has been a miscommunication. We will NOT be offering a kit or plans.

Being preppers, as a whole, we are a group of do-it-yourselfer's. That is part and parcel with the self-reliance game - not being dependent on someone else.

After exploring the idea of making his own version of the James Washer, Sir Knight was inundated with requests to sell a kit so that folks could save on shipping and build their own washer to his specifications. At first, he thought this was an idea worth looking into. He began by researching barrels, the main component for his washing machine. When he first started thinking about an alternative to the James Washer, Sir Knight figured he would pick up used barrels from one of our local suppliers (he is always thinking of way to keep the costs low). When he began to research barrels (in three different sizes), he learned that not all barrels are created equally. They have different thicknesses, have different configurations, bung placement etc. The more he looked at barrels, the more he realized that he would have to use a standardized barrel in order to make his design work.

He ended up finding a barrel he liked (new) that was reasonably priced and built like a brick out-house. It comes in black (I told him that blue barrels were kind of like blue tarps - they had redneck written all over them!) and is configured to accommodate Sir Knights design.

Ultimately, the problem with offering a kit is that every person will have a slightly different barrel. Some will have a flat bottom, some will be rounded. Some will be taller and narrower and some will be shorter and rounder. That being said, a universal parts kit won't fit. There is no way to account for all of the differences in barrel manufacturing. Sir Knight would rather lower his price and offer a complete washer than sell kits that wouldn't work.

Interestingly, we have found that shipping may not be as expensive as you may think. We believe that a complete washer will be in the $30 to $40 dollar range to ship (more, of course, for the larger models).

I just wanted to let you know that we did hear you and take your ideas into consideration. If there was a better way, we would be more than open to the suggestion.

Here are some other uses for those 55 gallon barrels you have laying around!

Butter Pecan Cakes

noreply@blogger.com (Enola Gay) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:32:00 +0000

My folks came to visit over the weekend, so I thought I would make a little something to have with our tea. I have a wonderful recipe for Butter Pecan Cakes (which are the perfect accompaniment for English Breakfast Tea) that I generally bake in tartlet pans. Having just acquired a silicone baking mold in the shape of roses, I thought I would try baking the cakes in the mold instead of my standby tartlet.

I was a little skeptical about how well the cakes would release from the mold. Normally, I have to grease and flour the tartlet molds in order for the cakes to come out and the directions for the silicone molds indicated that no greasing was required.

The mold

An up-close view

I adjusted the time (baking the cakes for about 23 minutes rather than 12 minutes) to account for the larger mold. After they had baked, they needed to cool for 10 minutes before being turned out of the mold. With much trepidation, I turned the cakes over, gently pushed on the bottom of the mold and out popped the most lovely little rose cakes ever. I was impressed!

My recipe calls for a Cranberry/Raspberry sauce to be served over the top of these cakes, and it is wonderful, however, most of the time I just serve the cakes with a light dusting of powdered sugar. The flavor is wonderful on its own and subtle enough to serve with most any tea or coffee.

Butter Pecan Cakes
1 C butter, softened
1 1/2 C granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
1 1/4 C milk
2 1/4 C flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a tartlet pan (or use a silicone mold). Set aside.

In mixing bowl beat butter with sugar. Add vanilla, eggs and milk. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Beat until combined. Add pecans. Spoon into prepared tartlet pan.

Bake for 12 - 15 minutes (or longer, depending on your pan) or until lightly browned. Cool in pans on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool on rack completely.

Before turning them out of the mold

Cranberry/Raspberry Sauce
2 C cranberries
1 C sugar
1/4 C raspberry or cranberry juice
1 C raspberries
1 tsp. orange peel

Combine cranberries and sugar and juice. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Cook and stir 5 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in raspberries and orange peel. Serve over pecan cakes.

*Note: These can be baked in mini muffin tins or regular or even Madeline molds. Whatever you have will work.

When you want something wonderful, but not too fancy, Butter Pecan Cakes fill the bill.

The Coming Storm

noreply@blogger.com (Enola Gay) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 04:10:00 +0000

Last week, a ferocious storm blew through our area. It blustered and howled and threatened to lift the very roof off our shouse. As is typical here, the wind was stayed until everyone had been tucked snugly into bed. As the shouse grew quite, the wind began to softly sing. It started out quietly and then grew louder and louder and louder. Soon, it was knocking at the door, politely asking to come in. When we didn't answer, the wind grew aggressive. No longer was it polite. It became positively demanding. Then it began ripping at the shouse itself, trying to gain entry.

As I lay in bed, praying that the roof remain in tact, I realized that, as a nation, we are facing a storm of epic proportions. The wind has begun to blow. It will grow stronger. And, it will threaten our very foundations.

The wind blew, the beams creaked and I prayed. Through the night, the wind sung its siren song but the shouse held fast. It held fast because we had no loose ends. Our shouse had been carefully maintained. Knowing we live in a windswept area, we had been sure to tighten any loose screws and strengthen weak areas. Our chicken coop, on the other, hadn't been maintained quite so well.

A while ago, I had noticed that a screw had come out of the metal roofing on the chicken coop. It was only one little screw, so I didn't give it much thought. Every once in a while, when the breeze picked up, the metal would slap against the roof, but other than being a little annoying, it wasn't really posing much of a problem. As time went by, I noticed that another screw was missing. Still not a big deal. I didn't think of bringing it to Sir Knight's attention. We would take care of it when it really needed to be fixed.

As the wind blew during the storm, I heard the chicken coop roof metal frantically flapping. Bang, bang, bang! Every time it beat the roof, my prayers became a little more fervent. Bang, bang, bang! The sound was driving me nuts. It mingled with the howling wind and creaking beams, robbing me of the sweet slumber I so desperately craved.

As the morning dawned, the wind withdrew, leaving behind the ravages of nature. I ventured into the morning mist to survey the damage. Remarkably, the shouse was left untouched. No missing pieces of roofing material, no doors ripped from their hinges. There were a few barrels tossed about and a number of things littering the yard, but short of that, we were left unscathed. And then I saw the chicken coop. Large portions of the metal sheeting had been ripped from the roof and lay mangled in the pasture. The tar paper crumpled in shreds, no longer offering any protection to the plywood sheeting. Much more than a small section missing two screws lay in ruins.

Frustrated at my lack of foresight, I realized that our lives are so like that chicken coop. We are facing the biggest storm of our life. If our country collapses, it will be the equivalent of a massive hurricane. Our relationships are like those missing screws. If we have problems that are left unattended, it will be the complete undoing of our entire house. It is so easy to think that it is just one little screw. We can ignore that - it isn't really a big deal. It may grate on us, bug us, even irritate us to no end, but we can handle it, right? But when the wind blows, as it always does, it will pull at that one loose piece of metal. That irritation will rub and rub and rub. As it rubs, it will be just like that metal, loosening the next screw and the next. Soon, your entire house will be left without protection. If a massive storm envelops you, having not battened down your hatches, your house will be destroyed. There is no substitute for maintenance. Not only do we have to maintain our homes, we have to maintain our relationships. We will need every one of them. If you and your spouse are having a tough time now, it is only going to get worse when the storm hits. You may think that when the collapse comes you will pull together, because you have too, but, the reality is, the storm will tear you apart. You can't let that happen. You are going to need each other. We can't just spend our time preparing for all our physical necessities. What kind of preppers would we be if we didn't prepare our relationships to withstand the storms? And as far as I can tell, one of the best ways to prepared for a hurricane force storm is to tighten all the screws. To batten down the hatches. We can do no less in our relationships.

We all see the storm coming. Please, don't put off taking care of your most important relationships thinking that they will take care of themselves. They won't. Just like that chicken coop roof didn't miraculously repair itself, breaches in your relationships won't either. And you are going to need the people in your life a whole heck of a lot more than you will need a chicken coop. Or even a house for that matter.

The storm is coming. Now is the time to take care of business.

Equipment Review - The James Washer

noreply@blogger.com (Enola Gay) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 04:12:00 +0000

** ***
When we first moved into our "shouse", one of my greatest challenges was laundry. We had no running water, drains or electricity. Before we moved, I had the luxury of putting a load of laundry into the washing machine and then getting on with the rest of my day. It was a luxury I took for granted. Once we had moved, laundry became an almost insurmountable task. Rather than tossing a load in the washing machine and going about my business, I now had to get to know my laundry on a very personal level.

After hauling water into the house, I would put my 15 gallon galvanized wash tub on the wood cookstove and fill it with cold water. Starting with the darks and a bar of Fels Naptha soap, I would start washing. I soaped the clothes up well, scrubbed them against each other and then against the corrugations on the side of the wash tub. I rubbed and scrubbed and lathered, rubbed, scrubbed and lathered. Once I thought they were well cleaned, I plopped the sudsy mess in a laundry basket and went on to the next article of clothing. I progressed quickly from the dark clothes to the colored and then to the whites. I had to work fast because the water heated up as I washed. It is remarkable how quickly a 15 gallon tub of water heats up when placed over the firebox on a wood cookstove!

Once all of the clothes had been scrubbed, I hauled water (cold, once again) into our bathroom and filled the bathtub. I dumped the laundry basket full of clean but soapy clothes into the tub and agitated them with my hands. I wrung all of the soap out (by hand) put them back into the basket, rinsed the soap out of the tub and started over again. I found that if I didn't rinse the clothes at least twice, they became dingy and fowl smelling. Not having a wringer, I wrung all of the clothes by hand, which I found to be a poor substitute for the spin cycle.

Having a bucket full of clean clothes, I hung them on a clothes stand in front of the wood cookstove. Due to the fact that I had rung the clothes myself, there was always a standing pool of water under the clothes rack.

Eventually, we graduated to a generator-powered, cold water only washing machine. It was heaven! Gone were the soggy clothes that took 3 days to dry (meaning that I always had wet clothes in front of the stove) and blistered knuckles from the constant rubbing in boiling water.

Since then, I have gone through about 3 washing machines. They were all Craigslist finds, not even close to new, and most of them did a fine job, but when they would break, I would be back to doing laundry by hand. That is, until we invested in a James Washer. Realizing the incredible amount of work that was required to do laundry by hand, especially when you weren't set up for it, we knew that we needed to invest in some real, honest-to-goodness back to basics laundry equipment.

We bought a James Washer from some folks (who later became very good friends), along with double galvanized wash tubs. Because our philosophy for preparedness is ruled by "use it, use it, use it", we took advantage of our first washing machine malfunction to put the James Washer to the test.

Laundry Day
(The kids, of course, were a lot younger!)

Princess Dragon Snack, helping

Setting the washer up outside, we filled it with water straight from the hose. Allowing it to sit in the sun for about an hour gave us nice, warm water in which to wash our clothes. We put clothes in, being careful not to overload the washer, and proceeded to wash. One thing we learned quickly was that in order to get the clothes as clean as our washing machine, we had to put about as much time into washing with the James Washer as our washing machine did on a normal cycle. It took about 45 minutes of washing, rinsing, washing and rinsing before we thought our clothes were really clean. Once we had finished washing, we drained the water and filled the washer with clean water from the hose, rinsed a final time and proceeded to wring the clothes with a wringer that was attached to the James Washer. The wringer (which is Lehman's Best) did the job quite efficiently, but really is not made particularly well. I think it will have to be babied to last for any length of time. The knobs are wobbly and hard to turn and it basically feels like it may break at any moment. That being said, it did wring our clothes out quite effectively.

We found that we were able to cut down on the washing time by pre-soaking our clothes. We filled our washtubs with water, put laundry in them and went in to have a glass of iced tea. Leaving the clothes outside in the washtubs allowed them to soak in increasingly warm water, making it much easier to wash the dirt out when the time came.

The James Washer itself is a lovely invention. It is not as large as you might think, by looking at the pictures - only big enough for a pair of jeans, a bath towel, a few t-shirts and some undergarments. It would struggle with bedding or large items like insulated cover-alls. The dasher works very well - easy enough for children to use, and the plumbing makes draining a breeze. The James Washer is very handsome. It is polished stainless steel with wood accents and would look wonderful plumbed into a bathroom or gracing the front porch. It, however, is very thin.

After using our washer for about 3 weeks, the metal at the handle began to rip. Sir Knight says, tongue in cheek, that the stainless steel is roughly 3 times thicker than a pop can. And he is right. The good thing is, that once you know were the weak points are, they are easily repairable (if you know how to weld). We did find that less stress would be placed on the handle if we added more water to the washer.

The tear in the metal

The James Washer does have a lid that sits on the top. I found that I never used the lid, unless I was leaving water in the washer to heat in the sun. Other than that, I slid the lid under the washer to keep it from being trampled upon. If you are storing your washer, the lid is nice to keep dirt from accumulating inside. The lid sits on the top rather than being fitted, so if it is in storage, you must be careful not to bump it and send it flying to the floor.

All in all, the James Washer is the best option on the market. It requires less work and is more effective than most other options. The washer does not come with a wringer - that must be purchased separately, but is essential if you want your clothes to be dried in under three days.

We love our James Washer, but.........

Here is a question. Sir Knight has been thinking about washing machines for quite some time (it couldn't have anything to do with my frame of mind when I was washing clothes on the cookstove?!). He believes that he and Master Hand Grenade could build something sturdier (by far) for less money (the James Washer is expensive, about $500.00). He would make it in three sizes, small, medium and large, with the largest being about the size of a 55 gallon drum with handles on both ends (specifically for a very large family, small village or to be utilized as a community washer). What do you think? Would any of you be interested? Is there a need for another washer? I would love to hear from you.

If you can afford the investment, the James Washer is a wonderful piece of equipment (provided that you are prepared to repair it). Knowing ahead of the need, how you will do laundry, will be essential for your mental well being! I can guarantee there will be many other challenges facing you. Not having to spend unnecessary time and energy on the daily task of laundry will be a tremendous relief!

We give the James Washer ** stars.

Comments

noreply@blogger.com (Enola Gay) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 02:48:00 +0000

I love the new "reply" button in the comment section. It is wonderful being able to reply directly to a specific comment. However, I have noticed that some folks are getting a little snarky. Don't. This is not the place to tear one another down. We are going to need each other in the future. We may not all think alike and we may wear our preparedness efforts differently, but we would be much better served by finding the common thread that binds us together. You readers are an intelligent, well-healed bunch. I have the sneaking suspicion that we really see the same train coming down the tracks. We might have different opinions for dealing with the train, but we all recognize the problems.

Let's be kind to one another. My children must speak with kindness on their tongues, or not at all. How much more responsible are we than children? I love hearing from all of you - many of you make me think of things I have never considered before - but please, don't attack each other. We are in this together.

What part of "Police State" don't we understand?

noreply@blogger.com (Enola Gay) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:39:00 +0000

They are watching. They are listening. They are acting. No longer do we have the freedom to say what we want, write what we want or do what we want. If our thoughts are not in line with politically correct standards, we will be sought out and reprimanded. If we continue in our evil ways, we will be dealt with accordingly.

I am under no illusion that my blog is not being mined for potentially "seditious" content. Some of my blog posts have been blocked from Facebook and Twitter. The Constitution, in its intended form, is no longer governing this country. We are at the mercy of the "jack-booted thugs" that have waged war against humanity since ancient times. We thought that our precious liberties were iron-clad - that we would never succumb to an over-reaching government. But we became complacent. We didn't discipline ourselves to live according to laws of God. And now, the fruit of our rebellion is ripening.

Recently, two people, traveling from the U.K., had the audacity to post irreverent comments on Twitter (whatever the heck that is) while flying into the U.S. On their arrival, they were met by DHS (remember - the Jack-booted thugs I mentioned?), questioned and deported back to Briton. They mentioned something about "destroying America", apparently referencing a drinking and partying binge and digging up Marilyn Monroe (a TV show reference, according to the article I read). And for that, they weren't allowed to enter this country. Really.

We have come to a point in history where our thoughts are being monitored and evaluated by numerous governmental agencies. No longer can we freely express our opinions, thoughts or religious beliefs without the threat of reprisal, from which there is no redress of grievances. We stand on the precipice of complete tyranny. The Police State is rising. Only through a united stand for what is good and right can we stem the spread of the cancer that is our government. We MUST stand for good in the face of evil, no matter what the cost. If we do not - we will leave our children to live in a world of fear, poverty and bloodshed.

If we don't act, then who? If not now, then when? Who will stand between good and evil? It must be me. It must be you. The Police State is at our door. Will we answer?

The Reluctant Leader

noreply@blogger.com (Enola Gay) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 04:51:00 +0000

Prepping can be overwhelming. As a woman, there are times that I think the majority of our preparedness efforts fall squarely on my shoulders. I make the lists, I stock the buckets, I keep the budget and rotate the inventory. I do a million little things that will ensure that my family will be well taken care of in the event of a collapse. And, I have to admit, I have been tempted, once or twice, to wonder what my husband does other than buy the cool gadgets.

One day, as I pondered these thoughts, it struck me. I am performing the duties of the Proverbs 31 woman. I am managing my husbands estate and taking care of my family. I am ensuring that I can laugh at the days to come by carefully planning and managing our preparedness efforts. I am seeing the signs of the time and acting in wisdom. But my husband's day is coming.

People naturally gravitate toward authority. When there is a fire or a car accident, the fire department is summoned. When crimes are being committed, the police are called. In the event of a medical emergency, doctors are sought. People have a natural need to be directed and cared for. And it is what we are used to. Who are people going to seek when the grid goes down? My husband. And if you are preppers, your husband. They will seek those that appear to have a handle on the situation. They will come in groups, they will come one by one, they will coming running and they will come walking. But they will come. They will need to be fed. They will need to be cared for. They will need to be led. They may need to be dispatched.

Preppers will be thrust into positions of leadership, either willingly or reluctantly. They will be the Moses' and Abrahams' of this generation. And they will lead well or lead poorly, but they will lead. The weight of the world will truly be on their shoulders. Not only will they be tasked with leading the masses into the future, they will be responsible for the direction of an entire society. They will take their positions in history standing beside the patriarchs of old.

As preppers, we not only have to prepare our stores in abundance, we have to prepare ourselves for what the future holds. Part of that preparation must be readying for the role of leadership.

One of the most difficult tasks the leaders of our families will face is conducting charity. Who do they help? How do they choose? Do they run everyone off or take anyone in who is in need? If you have been a prepper for any length of time, these are questions that you have grappled with. So have Sir Knight and I. Finally, we decided to go to the Bible to seek the answers.

First, we searched for who we do need to help. We came up with a number of people that we would be responsible for. Widows and orphans topped the list. It says in James 1:27 "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress". It also addresses who has a responsibility to the widows and orphans first. "But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God" and it goes on to say "If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever" (1 Timothy 5:4, 5:8).

There is exhortation after exhortation to care for an honor your father and your mother. Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16 and Leviticus 19:3 all direct us to be honoring. Joseph cared for Jacob while the famine was sore in the land of Canaan - can we do less for our parents? What if your parents are being foolish, even having been warned? Prepare for that and honor them anyway. In honoring your parents, you are pleasing your God.

The poor need to be cared for also. This must to be done with wisdom. Great discretion and understanding will be required. We are told in Proverbs 21:13 "If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered". These are the people you put charity supplies aside for. This is your tithe to the Lord.

We do have to help people, but we are also called to turn some away. We have to turn away the wicked man (Proverbs 10:3, Proverbs 13:25) and the foolish man (Proverbs 21:20). There will come a time when you have to judge a man to be either poor (and feed him) or foolish (and turn him away). There are many admonitions dealing with the lazy man (Proverbs 10:4). "Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless man goes hungry" (Proverbs 19:15), we need not extend our abundance to such a man as this. It should be obvious, but our plenty should never be given to a thief. "Food gained by fraud tastes sweet to a man, but he ends up with a mouth full of gravel" (Proverbs 20:17). I have the sneaking suspicion, that for most of us, he just might end up with a mouth full of buck shot!

While there is a necessity for charity, there is also a place for commerce. Proverbs 11:26 says "People curse the man who hoards grain, but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell". It would seem prudent to buy extra with the express purpose of providing (either through charity or selling) for those who, for one reason or another, did not store up against a day of calamity.

As preppers, we are already walking the path of leadership. "Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor" (Proverbs 12:24). We need to seek wisdom and understanding so that we will be good stewards of the abundance with which we have been entrusted. "A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases his strength" (Proverbs 24:5).

As a wife, it is my great honor to help my husband prepare for the future. I will secure the abundance, manage the estate, care for the people. He will lead. He will make the decisions that will decide the fate of his fellow man. Reluctantly or willingly, he will take his place among the leaders of our future. I intend to see that he is armed and ready.

Naturally Cozy Factory Tour & Coming Soon

noreply@blogger.com (Enola Gay) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:15:00 +0000

I have long neglected the Naturally Cozy website. It was definitely due for a face lift. I still have a little work to do (I will be offering different colored snaps on the panty liners versus different colored threads) and I need to update some of the Paypal buttons.

We had a lot of fun choosing new pictures and the Tour gives you a really good idea of what we do and were we work. The Factory Tour is a slide show, so it make take a little while to load on your computer. You'll have to let me know what you think!

Coming Soon!

We are also in the process of expanding our offerings at Naturally Cozy. Miss Calamity is making hot water bottle covers that we will be offering either by themselves or with a hot water bottle. Tea Cozies will finally make it on our web page, hopefully in a number of different patterns. And for those of you who sew, I found the most wonderful thread holders. These holders are made of cast iron and metal, unlike the plastic ones you find at your local fabric store. They are wonderful and very affordable. In the near future, we plan on offering cloth diapers not only for babies but for adults as well. We need to be prepared for everything!

Miss Calamity's Comfy Cozy
(Hot Water Bottle Cover)

Tea Cozy

Thread stand

Cast iron base

Our Life in Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Enola Gay) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 23:14:00 +0000

Perfect afternoon respite

The "Ghost Plower"

Sir Knight and Miss Calamity freeing our driveway of snow

Changing the angle of the blade

Princess Dragon Snack and Master Hand Grenade shoveling
in front of the door

Princess Dragon Snack up to her neck in snow - literally!

Princess Dragon Snack and Master Hand Grenade burying Master Calvin

Now it's big brothers turn

Fresh homemade pretzels

SOFT GIANT PRETZELS
2 C 4 T warm water (110°F or hot to the touch)
6 C flour
6 T brown sugar
1 T yeast

Mix water, sugar and yeast - let sponge until bubbly. Add flour and knead. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 16 balls. Roll each into a 20" rope. Form into pretzel shape. Place on cookie sheet.

In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts water to boil with 1/2 C baking soda (the soda gives the pretzels the characteristic "pretzel" taste and texture). Drop pretzels into boiling water, two at a time; boil for 10 - 15 seconds, turning over once. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels.

Place pretzels on greased baking sheets. Bake at 425°F for 8 - 10 minutes. After you remove from the oven, spritz or lightly brush with water, sprinkle with salt.

Rolling pretzel dough into ropes

Putting into the boiling water/baking soda

Boiling pretzels, two at a time

Draining on paper towels after boiling and before they are put into the oven

Cooling on a wire rack

Oh, yum!

Revolution or Reformation?

noreply@blogger.com (Enola Gay) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:54:00 +0000

What an interesting study those two words are! The word revolution conjures different connotations, depending on the intended reference. One thing springs to mind when talking about the "Revolutionary War" and another entirely when listening to the Beatles "Revolution". Considering the great chasm separating the ideology of the Revolutionary war and the political climate surrounding the writing of "Revolution", one has to assume that one of those events ought not to have been labeled revolution.

Obviously, the '60's were fraught with revolution, the consequences of which effect us today. Revolution, by definition, is an attempt to overthrow established government or social structure. Generally, revolution is achieved through massive bloodshed. While loudly proclaiming equality for the people, revolution saturates the ground with the blood of its sons and daughters. Answering the call of "a common purse", revolutionaries seek to lift society up by tearing it down.

Reformation, on the other hand, is the purging of corruption, whether in government, society or one's self. Reformers seek, not to destroy society, but to improve upon it based on the wisdom of their fathers. They seek to return to the knowledge and understanding of the great men who built this country with a foundation of truth. Rather than destroying all that has made our country thrive, they seek to return to the principles upon which it was founded.

Reformation begins in the hearts of men. It does not begin in the city square, with a wild-eyed radical calling for violence against "evil corporation" or in the classroom with a teacher leading children in a song about the "99%". Reformation begins when one man sees the wisdom in his fathers words and acts according to the truth. Reformation begins when one family chooses NOT to accept government help. Reformation begins when one person takes responsibility for their actions - even if it costs them everything.

Revolution is a great beast that requires - no demands, a blood sacrifice. It thrives on the flesh of the ones it claims to free. Presenting itself as the great equalizer, revolution only serves to bind the ignorant and enslave the masses.

In retrospect, perhaps the Revolutionary War would have been more accurately described as the "Reformationary War". The great men who laid the foundations of this country were merely following the examples of their fathers, and their fathers fathers. The path of liberty had been paved by the authors of the Magna Carta, and before that, the Gospels of Christ. Instead of being revolutionaries bent on overthrowing government, our founding fathers chose to purge the corrupt government of the British Empire and embrace the liberty of their fathers by establishing a government based on the preservation of the freedoms and responsibilities of the individual man.

As easy as it can be to champion revolution when we are face-to-face with evil, we must instead be workers of reformation. Reform you heart. Reform you family. And then reform your nation.

Our Pre-Packaged Life

noreply@blogger.com (Enola Gay) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:06:00 +0000

Food. Communications equipment. Weapons. Ammunition. Pre-64 silver. Medical knowledge and equipment. Off-grid systems. Fuel. The list of skills, equipment and knowledge required for living in an end-of-the-world scenario is simply overwhelming.

Where meat really comes from!

When you consider the fact that we live in a pre-packaged society, the systems we need to have in place for grid-down situation seem almost insurmountable. And, in truth, they are - but only if we try to do everything at once.

Everything we know comes pre-packaged and ready for our use. Electricity is threaded down power lines, waiting for our consumption. Meat comes in little white packages covered in plastic. Milk comes in handy white jugs and bandages come with adhesive strips ready to apply. Cell phones, email and Skype are readily available for our communications needs and debit or credit cards provide instant currency. Someone, somewhere, anticipates our needs (or our wants) before we do and rushes to provide products and services so that we need not involve ourselves in the day to day drudgery of providing for our own selves. And so, the thought of providing for even the most basic necessities of daily living overwhelms us to the point of paralyzation.

Where power comes from

Where power really comes from

So, where then do we start? We start with something. Rather than looking at the vast list of things to do to meet the end-of-the-world, we start with one thing. Rome was not built in a day, it was built from the foundations up, one brick at a time. Your preparedness goals will not be met all at once, they too will be built over time, one can of beans, one radio, one brick of ammo at a time. Start with what you know. If you like to eat, begin with food. Buy canned food, learn about wheat, buy a grinder. Start with something. A little every week will build the foundations of your preparedness plan. Don't, however, assume that buying things will make you prepared. Gaining skills and knowledge is every bit as important as acquiring goods. Take a first responders course. Become an EMT. Learn to be a HAM radio operator. Take a self-defense class.

The reality is that you will never truly be ready. You will never get to the point that you sigh and say, "that's it - I'm ready for the end-of-the-world". But, just by starting, you are one step closer to preparedness. Rather than obsessing about all the things you don't have, all of the skills that have eluded you and how short the time may be, start. Build your foundation and your fortress will stand.

The-end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it will not be pre-packaged. It will not be convenient, simple or ready-made. The sooner you begin to think outside of the package, the easier it will be when the package is no longer available. Don't do it all at once, just start.

The Future Cometh....

noreply@blogger.com (Enola Gay) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 00:46:00 +0000

We have talked about it for years. At first, it was with audacity that we spoke about the ridiculous notion that humans would ever meekly accept a cashless, identity-less society. No rational, thinking human being would every consider being tattooed or imprinted or embedded with a mark that would serve as their only method of identification and trade. And only a corrupt government would impose such an institution.

Now, we discuss these matters in hushed tones, worried that "they" might hear us and brand us terrorists. Now, we wonder whether it will come under the guise of providing immediate access to health care records or protecting our children from predators or saving us from identity theft. And we wonder if they are going to ask us to consent, or if they are just going to mandate compliance.

The future cometh. Biometric "Unique Identification Numbers" are in the future of every citizen of India. Although they are not yet in "chip" form, they will be using biometric information such as finger prints (of all ten fingers) iris scans and pictures of the face. It is anticipated that UID's will be used for financial transactions. A news article states;

Indeed, government “officials” have already stated that the database will be used by intelligence agencies for the purpose of monitoring “bank transactions, cellphone purchases and the movements of individuals and groups suspected of fomenting terrorism.” This will be very easy to do since the UID number will be entered anytime an individual “accesses services from government departments, driver’s license offices and hospitals, as well as insurance, telecom, and banking companies.”

It's easy to think that India is a long way away - that will never happen here. But think again. History has taught us that evil will make its way around.

Beware. The future cometh.

TEOTWAWKI Economics

noreply@blogger.com (Enola Gay) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:31:00 +0000

A lot has been written about charity during a time of crisis. Most of us believe in storing extra, with the express purpose of sharing our subsistence in times of trouble. Many have put food and equipment away for family members that don't yet see a need. Still others make it a habit to stock extra supplies for whoever they may encounter. But where does charity end and TEOTWAWKI Economics begin?

Recently, as I was making my way through Genesis, I found the answers to the questions of TEOTWAWKI Economics. Most of us know the story of Joseph. His brothers sold him into slavery, he became favored in Potiphar's house, Potiphar's wife accused him of molesting her, Joseph was sent to prison. In prison, Joseph earned the favor of the Guard, made friends with the inmates and interpreted their dreams. Joseph then stood before Pharaoh, rightly divined his dream and became ruler over Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself. Seven years of plenty came. Joseph built storehouse and procured massive quantities of corn and other fodder. He gathered when the harvest was abundant. Then, of course, came seven years of famine. As the plague of famine threatened to overrun the land, Joseph opened his storehouses. He was steward of Pharaoh estate and managed, with wisdom, the selling of provisions to the famished people of Egypt and the surrounding areas.

The SELLING of provisions is key. He did not give the corn away, he sold it. First, he sold food for money. When the money ran out, he took cattle in exchange. After the cattle, it was horses, flocks and asses. Then came the fields. Joseph bought EVERY man's fields, in the entirety of Egypt, for the price of stored corn!

"And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house.

And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth.

And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail.

And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year.

When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands:

Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh, and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate.

And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh's.

And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof."

Genesis 47:14-21

There are two basics principles at work in these verses. The first is that it is not immoral to take payment for items stored through wisdom. It is expected that the people who fail to provide for themselves will be required to exchange payment, of one kind or another, for their daily bread. The second truth in these verses is that you NEVER want to be in the position of selling all you own, even to your own person, just to buy a portion of bread. Can you imagine being removed from your land, into a city (or refugee camp) for a meager supply of wheat or corn? Heaven forbid!

"The prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it".

Realizing that the economies of a post-TEOTWAWKI world will be greatly changed from our current economies, we should be spurred into action. Prepare yourself not only to survive the coming storm, but to meet the new world with wisdom and understanding. Supply your larder with food, your magazine with ammunition and your mind with understanding. Only then will you truly grasp the impact of TEOTWAWKI Economics.

Good Deal Alert

noreply@blogger.com (Enola Gay) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 03:54:00 +0000

Socks. They are the bane of my existence. It used to be a simple matter, buying new socks. You went to Penny's, picked out your favorite socks, bought them and they lasted a year, maybe two. They had footie socks, crew socks, over-the-calf socks, boot socks, athletic socks, tube socks - whatever you wanted. Little by little, their sock inventory dwindled. Then, even if you could find what you wanted, they were junk. Holes developed in the heels, fingers went through the tops when trying to pull them up. Arrgh!

Sir Knight is rather particular about his socks. He likes over-the-calf socks that stay in place all day long. You would think these are simple requirements. Good grief! I tell you, it is harder than it looks! First, trying to find over-the-calf socks is getting more and more difficult. And, when I do find them, they are either too expensive to afford or they are low quality, falling to Sir Knight's ankles before lunch or developing holes within weeks.

Of course, any time I do find decent socks, I buy as many as I can afford. A couple of years ago, I found some military socks (OD, Sir Knight's favorite color) that were great. They wore like iron, were cost effective and had silver running through them (an anti-fungal). Unfortunately, the supply dried up and after buying about 40 pair, we couldn't get any more. 40 pair may sound like a lot, however, we do have a teen-aged son. They can wear any socks out in a hurry!

So one day, I was wandering through the latest issue of Sportsman's Guide (HQ Military Surplus). Surplus is a weakness of mine and I always try to get my hands on the catalogs first. When I came across some used Swedish wools socks, I knew I had hit the jackpot. Yes, I did say used. But, come on, they wash them!

Sir Knight was a little unsure about buying used socks, but we went ahead and ordered some, willing to give them a try. The price was right, $24.97 for 20 pair, and they were wool, indicating a higher-than-normal quality. They came in a plastic bag with the traditional military surplus odor. The first thing we did was pair the socks (there were about two pair that were crew length, rather than over-the-calf, and there were a couple of different manufacturers), pinned them together and tossed them in the washing machine. After one washing, they still had a faint surplus odor, but after two, the smell was completely gone.

Sir Knight loves these socks (and I must admit, so do I). They are very long (reaching all the way to the knee and even having to be folded back down). The elastic is great, holding the socks in place but not binding. They are remarkably cushy and tremendously warm. They are not nearly as thick as boot socks, but thicker than athletics socks. We wore the socks for about a month (just to prove them) and then ordered 60 more pair. They are great and will be an invaluable stock up and preparedness item.

Living in a cold, northern climate, wool will be very important in the winter months. Sir Knight has to wear steel-toed boots for work and his feet are always cold in the winter. With these socks, his feet are comfortable - not hot, but comfortable. And another added benefit is that wool retains up to 95% of its insulation value when wet - cotton sure can't do that!

If you are looking for great socks at a good price, check out these Swedish surplus wool socks. You won't be sorry.

Tea and Crumpets

noreply@blogger.com (Enola Gay) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 04:11:00 +0000

I have to admit - I don't think there is a better place in the world than my kitchen at tea time. The kettle boils merrily on the cookstove, sweet aromas fill the air. Children bustle about, excitedly telling their father about the adventures of the day. Sir Knight kicks back in his rocking chair, presiding over the whole affair like a king holding court in his throne room. As humble as our little kitchen is, the potentates of the world don't reside in such splendor. No matter what the day holds, our kitchen always calls to us, encouraging us to rest in its warm embrace.

In the winter, when the stove is bubbling along, I like to make crumpets to accompany our afternoon tea. Crumpets are quite unlike English muffins, in that they are soft, almost chewy. They have a pungent, yeasty flavor that is only enhanced by butter and jam. They are divine warm, just off the griddle, but are equally wonderful toasted or warmed in the oven. It is worth making a double batch, as they freeze well (however, ours never stick around long enough to freeze).

Although there are a few more step in making crumpets than there are in typical yeast breads, they are not difficult. Crumpets are not split, like English muffins, rather they are buttered on the top (there are lots of little holes, allowing the butter to soak into the middle). In France, they call them "Les Eponges" or "Little Sponges" because of the way they absorb copious amounts of rich butter.
Crumpets

3 C flour
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1 T yeast
1/2 tsp. sugar
2 1/4 C water (lukewarm)
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 C milk (lukewarm)

Sift together the flour and cream of tartar in a large bowl. Mix yeast, sugar and lukewarm (110°) water in a smaller bowl and let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.

Mix the yeast mixture into the flour to make a very thick, but smooth batter, beating with a spoon for 2 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm spot until the batter is doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Add the salt and beat the batter for about 1 minute. Cover the bowl and let stand in a warm spot until the batter increases in volume by about one-half, 15 to 20 minutes.

Dissolve the baking soda in the lukewarm (110°) milk. Then gently stir it into the batter. The batter should not be too stiff or your crumpets will be "blind" - without holes - so it is best to test one before cooking the whole batch.

Heat an ungreased, very clean griddle or frying pan over moderately low heat for about 3 minutes until moderately hot; your palm will feel warm when held 1 1/2 inches above the griddle for about 30 seconds. Put a well-buttered crumpet ring on the griddle and heat for 15 seconds. Spoon or pour 1/3 cup of the batter into the ring. The amount of batter will depend on the size of your crumpet ring.

As soon as the batter is poured into the ring, it should begin to form bubbles. If bubbles do not form, add a little more lukewarm water (from the tap is fine), a tablespoon at a time, to the batter in the bowl and try again. If the batter it too thin and runs out under the ring, gently work in a little more flour and try again. As soon as the top surface is set and covered with bubbles, 7 to 8 minutes, the crumpet is ready to flip over. Cook the second, holey side of the crumpet for 2 to 3 minutes, or until pale golden.

Butter the crumpet rings well after each use.

Water, sugar and yeast "sponging"

Pouring the yeast mixture into the flour mixture

Beating the batter

Covered with plastic wrap

Doubled in size

Stirring the baking soda into the milk

Mixing the soda/milk mixture into the batter

A buttered crumpet ring on an ungreased griddle

Full crumpet rings

See all the holes forming?

I use tongs to remove the rings before I flip the crumpets

Crumpets, fresh from the griddle

All dressed up for tea time

Product Review - Augason Farms Potato Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Enola Gay) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 05:32:00 +0000

**** *
Years ago, we used to buy Bear Creek Potato Soup (dehydrated) in #10 tins at Costco. We loved it. We would try stock up on it occasionally, but we used it as fast as we could buy it. It was convenient, simple and tasty.

As much as we like the Bear Creek Soup, the price rose to the point that we could no longer afford it. And then, horror of horrors, the #10 tins devolved into smaller, plastic tubs before it disappeared from Costco altogether. Every once in a while, we would indulge in a packet of Bear Creek soup from the grocery store, but it was really too expensive to be a practical stock up item.

This year for Christmas my parents presented us with a gift of Augason Farms Potato Soup (it is so cool having preppers for parents!). The Augason Farms soups come in #10 tins (plastic is not an oxygen barrier). It costs about $15.00 dollars a can (give or take) and is available both on-line and in numerous retail outlets, such as Walmart and Rosaurs.

We were anxious to give it a try and see if it measured up to our expectations. It did and we're hooked. It tastes every bit as good as the Bear Creek soup and is much more cost effective. It is highly seasoned (to the point that we didn't need to add salt or pepper) and in fact, I think it could be greatly thinned-out. The proportions given to mix the soup up produces an almost chowder-like consistency. Because the soup is so flavorful, I think you could easily (nearly) double the water and still have a great soup.

Because the soup is dehydrated and packaged in #10 tins, the shelf life is practically indefinite. It is rodent proof, earth quake proof and EMP proof (O.K., so all food is EMP proof, but I was grasping here).

Really, it is more cost effective to buy wheat, oats, beans and other long-term storage foods, but for a convenience food, Augason Farms Potato soup can't be beat. And, I can see a time when the daily stress of living in a post-TEOTWAWKI world would be greatly alleviated by an occasional taste of pre-TEOTWAWKI "fast food".

Our post-collapse diet will continue to rely heavily on our stored whole foods, however, we will definitely put in a supply of the potato soup. It is fast, filling and tastes oh-so good.

It is always exciting to find yet another worthy product to add to our stored food reserves. This is most assuredly worth its 4 star rating.

*(I'm sure there are more nutritionally power packed foods than this dehydrated soup, hence the 4 star rating).

Our Up and Coming Leaders?

noreply@blogger.com (Enola Gay) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 02:45:00 +0000

Apparently, Princess Dragon Snack's peers have been busy. Unbeknownst to me, state educated 8 year olds are consumed with the inequality of mankind. Where have I gone wrong? Princess Dragon Snack is too engrossed with blending her sounds and choosing between braids and pig tails to be focused on composing socially conscious lyrics for a school program. Poor home schooled kid!

According to the school administration, the children write their own lyrics, which the school does not censor. So, if this song is an accurate portrayal, this is what the average American 8 year old is thinking....

Some people have it all
But they still don’t think they have enough
They want more money
A faster ride
They’re not content
Never satisfied
Yes — they’re the 1 percent

I used to be one of the 1 percent
I worked all the time
Never saw my family
Couldn’t make life rhyme
Then the bubble burst
It really, really hurt
I lost my money
Lost my pride
Lost my home
Now I’m part of the 99

Some people have it all
But they still don’t think they have enough
They want more money
A faster ride
They’re not content
Never satisfied
Yes — they’re the 1 percent

I used to be sad, now I’m satisfied
’Cause I really have enough
Though I lost my yacht and plane
Didn’t need that extra stuff
Could have been much worse
You don’t need to be first
’Cause I’ve got my friends
Here by my side
Don’t need it all
I’m so happy to be part of the 99

And to think that I thought our 8 year olds should be thinking about how many dolly's they should invite to their tea party!

Read more.....

The REAL Sir Knight and Enola Gay Family

noreply@blogger.com (Enola Gay) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 04:33:00 +0000

I received a comment the other day that I had to address. It is important to me never to present our family in an unrealistic light. Here is the comment:

Enola, this comment has nothing to do with your post today (with which I agree, by the way), but I am interested to know what homeschooling porgram you use for your children -or at least what Christian Bible sudy program you utilize. Your family seems to be one of the most in-tact, functioning families I have read about, and I would just like to know -if it is not too personal a question. If it is too personal, please forgive my question.

Oh, what a humbling statement! We do have a wonderful family, but we are far from perfect. Sir Knight and I do not always walk gracefully side by side. Our children are human and prone to childishness. We know how we SHOULD live, but often fail in our attempts to walk in accordance with God's word. We are sinners. But, in our heart of hearts we long to serve the Lord.

To tell the truth, half the time I think I have completely failed my children and my husband. I should be more respectful to Sir Knight. I should be more diligent in training my children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. I should be a better teacher. I should be more disciplined. I should.....the list could go on and on. As far as I can tell, I am just like every other women out there. I succeed and I fail. I have come to realize, however, that what is really important is perseverance and faith. Rather than succumbing to my fears and my failures, I just keep getting back up and walking forward with the knowledge that God will keep me. As I continue to walk in the truth my faith grows.

Now that you know all about our failures, the success we do enjoy comes from digging deep into the word of God. The kids read to me out of the Bible every day for school (they choose where they want to read) and they also do copywork from scripture. Also, we start our day with a mini-bible study. Master Hand Grenade listens to prayer requests and leads us in prayer. Miss Calamity reads the portion of scripture that we are studying and Maid Elizabeth reads the study text and follow up questions. Princess Dragon Snack and Master Calvin practice sitting still and listening. We are going through the book of Proverbs right now. It is chock full of wisdom pertaining to how we are supposed to live. If your kids argue - go to Proverbs. If you are having a hard time with a neighbor - go to Proverbs. If your son is making googly eyes at the half-dressed girl on the corner - go to Proverbs. It's all in there!

The VERY best family study we have ever seen on Proverbs is the "Family Bible Study Series" by Kevin Swanson. The studies are bite-sized but full of insight. They have made us re-examine what we think and why. The kids and I study every morning during the week and Sir Knight leads us on weekend mornings. Maid Elizabeth and I skipped ahead and studied the Proverbs 31 woman. It was incredible, and I daresay, it has changed our lives. I had no idea I was the Mistress of my husbands estate. My duties as Sir Knight's wife have come sharply into focus. I long to be a good steward of his estate and increase his holdings. These books are a game changer. Kevin Swanson has also written a bible study for Genesis and Psalms. They are definitely on our want list!

Book I

Book II

Book III

School is another thing altogether. Teaching is challenging for me. I am not a gifted teacher, so my children and I muddle along as best we can. We dedicate every morning to academics and our afternoons to "life skill" (sewing, cooking, baking, outside chores, etc.). Our goal in homeschooling is producing children that can successfully lead their families (our boys) and run their husbands estate (our girls).

There you go. A little insight into our flawed and wonderful family. Now you know what makes us tick.

Welcome 2012 - New Year Day Brunch

noreply@blogger.com (Enola Gay) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 21:59:00 +0000

During the week, I rarely make a "real" breakfast. Generally we get by with toast, hot cereal or hard boiled eggs - just enough to get us going in the morning. Weekends are a different story. Sir Knight is home, we are all together and we love starting our day around the table with good food, hot tea and great conversation.

Most often, Saturday breakfasts consist of a real "farmers" breakfast. Eggs, bacon/sausage, hash browns and toast are the norm (served with Tabasco sauce, of course), although breakfast burritos or sausage gravy and biscuits are equally welcome. Sunday, being our day of rest, I usually like to make something that requires a little less effort. Crepes, Amish Baked Oatmeal and German Pancakes are all simple, delicious and perfectly fill the bill for a laid-back Sunday brunch.

I have made German Pancakes for years, but I have to admit, they really are better when baked in a wood cookstove. Somehow, the butter baking on top of the pancake becomes crunchy and, well, incredible. German Pancakes are full of eggs, so their consistency differs greatly from a "griddle cake". They are spongy, almost custard like, with a rich flavor that is enhanced by their copious amounts of butter. This is the perfect recipe to use up all of that extra butter (from your cow) and those eggs (from your chickens).

German Pancake
(8 inch skillet) (16 inch skillet)
1/4 C butter 3/4 C butter
1 C milk 3 C milk
4 eggs 12 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1.5 tsp. vanilla extract
1 C flour 3 C flour
2 T sugar 6 T sugar

Place butter in your cast iron skillet, place skillet in a 425° oven (or 350° (a hot oven) if using your wood cookstove) for 2 minutes or until butter melts and pan is very hot. Combine milk, eggs and vanilla in bowl. Beat until combines. Stir in flour and sugar. Beat with egg beater (or mixer) until smooth. Pour the batter into your hot pan. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes or until puffed and brown on top. Serve with berries or butter and syrup. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar.

Melting the butter in the skillet

The milk and eggs

An old-fashioned egg beater works wonders!

Adding the flour and sugar

Beating the flour and sugar into the milk, eggs & vanilla

Pouring the batter into the hot, butter enveloped skillet

Can you see the butter slick on top?

Make sure your fire is nice and hot!

As it cooks, the pancake begins to climb the side of the pan
(it climbs higher where it is closer to the firebox)

It gets higher
(remember to rotate, if you are baking in a wood cookstove)

And higher....

Until, Viola! A pancake, light and fluffy!

Butter pools at one end, and all of the brown area are mmmm, caramelized butter!

The pancake does deflate as it cools - that is perfectly normal

That's all there is to it! This is a family favorite, and the perfect way to herald the new year. Sir Knight says that if the Mayans had had these pancakes, they wouldn't have stopped their calendar at 2012!

As we usher in this new year, let us be ever diligent, ever faithful - wise stewards of what God has blessed us with. Happy New Year.

Sleeping with the Enemy

noreply@blogger.com (Enola Gay) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 02:30:00 +0000

Admittedly, I am but a wife and mother. I am not an intellectual, a scholar or a head of state. However, I do know foolishness when I see it. While reading my normal list of news sites, I came across an article that left me first sputtering and then speechless. It seems that our government has chosen to sell F-15's to the Saudi's. Really.

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't 15 out of the 19 September 11th terrorist from Saudi Arabia? Who, in their right mind would think it was wise to sell deadly technology (at a whopping good price, I am sure) to known enemy combatants? And since when has "controlling" evil ever worked?

In reality, evil is evil and good is good. Good can't arm evil and expect evil to do what good wants. Evil, by its very nature is evil, eliminating any capacity to make a moral decision based on an agreement. How can we expect to make a deal with the devil and not get burned?

Our leaders have chosen to make a deal for our technology so that they can "strengthen America's relationship with the Saudi's". In doing so, we are putting our actual allies (Israel) in great jeopardy while we play footsies with the playground bullies.

I have no doubt that our elected official would call me ignorant and short-sighted - not understanding of the complexities of foreign relations. And they would be correct. But, I do know, that when you strip away all the fast talk and layers of "diplomacy" right is still right and wrong is still wrong. There are no shades of gray.

We have been manipulated into believing that in order to run a country, a state or even a household, you have to be willing to compromise. And while that may be true when dealing with things that don't really matter, it couldn't be further from the truth when it comes to the real issues of life. There can be no compromise. Right is right and wrong is wrong. Can you imagine giving the man who burned down your house a flame thrower so that he can help keep the people who killed your children in line? Heaven forbid!

I shake my head at the wisdom of our leaders. We have no business sleeping with the enemy.

A Vision for Men in Training

noreply@blogger.com (Enola Gay) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 04:50:00 +0000

Helping our boys become men is more than a little challenging, especially in a world filled with competing interests. Why get firewood in, take out the garbage and clean your room when there are video games to be played and apps to be downloaded to your iGadget? Why should a young man bother with leading the family in prayer in the morning when he could be getting a few extra minutes of shut-eye? Why think beyond your own selfish desires when you are only young once, after all - you will be a man when you grow up, right?

Wrong. Unless we train our boys to be men when they are young, they will be nothing but boys when they are grown. Unfortunately, we live in a society that no longer respects the position of men. We undermine their authority. We ridicule their masculinity. We marginalize their existence. We treat them like children who are incapable of managing themselves, much less lead a family or a nation.

Master Hand Grenade is a sixteen year old man. He is not perfect. He is a work in progress. He still wavers between boy and man, but the balance has tipped in the mans favor. He has begun to have a vision.

Biblically, a man fulfills four offices when serving his family. He is the priest of his home. He is a prophet. He is a provider. He is a protector. In our quest to help our boys become men, we have realized that not just a father is responsible to be a priest, prophet, provider and protector, but that our young men can and should step into those roles in the absence of or in conjunction with their father.

Sir Knight is gone during the day, working to provide for his family. He leaves before the children are out of bed and doesn't return home until it's time for dinner. Master Hand Grenade could choose to be a child and laze around all day expecting to be taken care of, however, he chooses to be a man and act in his fathers stead. His father has given him a vision of what a man must be and Master Hand Grenade would be ashamed to be merely a boy.

Each morning, Hand Grenade leads our little band in prayer. He takes prayer requests, prays over the concerns of the day and asks for the wisdom to discern the scriptures we are reading. In doing so, he takes on the role of "priest" for this family.

Being a prophet is a bit more challenging. Sir Knight is chief prophet in our home, however, Master Hand Grenade listens and learns. He looks to the future, sees the signs of the times and helps his dad formulate plans to keep our family walking in the way of truth. By adhering to the proverb "A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it" (Proverbs 22:3) he is fulling the office of "prophet".

Understanding the role of a provider is easy in theory but much more challenging to execute. Sir Knight works every day and brings home a paycheck, therefore providing for the family, but how can Master Hand Grenade provide for our family? He doesn't have a paying job. He can only hunt during hunting season. What is a young man to do? He can do his chores (without being asked, doing them thoroughly and with a good attitude). By sawing, splitting and bringing in firewood, Master Hand Grenade is providing heat for our family. By taking out the garbage, he is providing a clean home in which we ladies can work. By keeping the oil in the generator changed and the gas tank full, he provides us with power to keep the house running. Sir Knight depends on Master Hand Grenade to provide for our physical necessities in his absence. If that isn't fulfilling the office of "provider", I don't know what is!

Being a protector is something every little boys dreams of. What boy doesn't daydream about vanquishing the enemy and restoring peace to his little kingdom - of being the hero? Sir Knight has spent many an hour teaching Hand Grenade the complexities of keeping our family safe. When Sir Knight drives off in the morning, he does so with the calm assurance that if need be, Hand Grenade would give his life defending me and his siblings. Rather than wasting time killing bad guys on the latest video game, Master Hand Grenade has shouldered the responsibility of protecting real-live people, his people, in his fathers absence. By protecting us, he is about his fathers business.

By the grace of God, Master Hand Grenade has never had to fulfill the role of protector - until last week, that is. When the kids and I were in town, doing some last minute shopping before Christmas, an obviously drunk man approached my daughters, who were standing outside our truck. Quick as a flash, I was out of the truck, racing to stand between my daughters and this potential threat, but before I could get there, Master Hand Grenade had stationed his body squarely in front of the drunkard. Then, the most amazing thing happened. Master Hand Grenade grew 6 inches. No, really, he did! My son is already 3 inches taller than I am, but in the space of about 4 seconds, he gained the status of a giant. Suddenly the drunk man looked up, saw "Captain America" standing in front of him, and instantly became compliant and non-threatening. Having been trained to be a man, Master Hand Grenade didn't hesitate to put himself between his girls and a very real threat. Sir Knight's faith had been well placed.

Our country needs men. Real men. Our great desire is to raise such men. Master Hand Grenade is well on his way. Master Calvin is following in his footsteps. They will fall, they will fail, but we will help them back up, dust them off and give them a vision for what could be - what should be. They are men in training.

Book Review - Holding Your Ground

noreply@blogger.com (Enola Gay) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 04:51:00 +0000

I recently received a copy of "Holding Your Ground" by Joe Nobody ("Do you think that is a pen name?" Enola Gay asks) to peruse and review. Being more of a guy read than a lady thing, Sir Knight was the first to read it. As he read, I got the distinct impression (due to the fact that he didn't put it down for two days) that it was well worth the ink on the page.

Sir Knight read intently, occasionally putting the book down and looking at me over his glasses remarking "Hey, we need to think about putting an ADS (Area Denial System) in place" or "Did you know that they made trail cameras that connect wirelessly (no internet or phone service) to your computer from up to a mile away? - We could track enemy movement!".

Joe Nobody was in the military. Although he never mentions his background, it is clear by his writings that he has experience with "Holding his Ground". In the current conflicts in the middle east, many of our soldiers have spent years in camps sharpening the skills required to hold their ground. Not having been in the military, Sir Knight found "Holding Your Ground" to be chuck full of clear, concise information for setting up and defending your home in the event of the unthinkable. Much more than stringing up razor wire and making homemade land mines (the book doesn't advocate either of these techniques), "Holding Your Ground" walks you through methodology, technique and execution of securing your perimeter without doing damage to your property or creating an eyesore. He also takes into consideration the concerns of securing a home where children and animals are present.

"Holding Your Ground" has an Excel spreadsheet that is accessible online to help you evaluate the defensibility of your bug-out location and the skills of your group. Once you determine your defensive position and skills, the book walks you through practical steps to increase both your defense and your skill sets.

This book does not waste your time with in-depth discussion on firearms or training - it simply encourages you to take advantage of all of the information that is available on firearms and tactics, to do your own research, to get firearms and ammunition and to get the best training you can afford.

There are sections on how to defend the block you live on (if you are in the suburbs), what areas to cover, fields of fire and it goes so far as to detail the best way to defend an apartment building. Setting up a perimeter, including neighbors in your defense plan, dealing with hostiles and those that don't appear hostile (but are) and suggestions on bullet-proofing your firing positions are all included.

The long and short of it? Buy this book. DO NOT put this book and mothball it on a shelf. It is only effective if you read it and put it into practice. It will make you rethink your defense strategy (or make you think about it, if you haven't already) and give you clear direction as you plan your TEOTWAWKI strategy. Sir Knight suggests that you read this book, research some of the ideas, read the book again and then implement (or prepare for) the ideas that would be practical for your location.

I must admit, after Sir Knight read "Holding Your Ground", I had to pick it up. I found it fascinating! It was easy for me to understand (even with my lack of tactical knowledge) and had me planning window boxes with beautiful flowers ( when filled with 12 inches of sand they present effective bullet-proofing for up to a .308 caliber rifle!) for all of my windows.

"Holding Your Ground" is an indispensable tool for your preparedness arsenal. It comes very highly recommended.

Note: Someone with military experience may not find this book particularly helpful, being familiar with the principles already. However, for the average "Joe" it is practical and thought provoking.