tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23063033061349566072026-04-05T18:09:28.132-05:00Left the city, going to a mountain in the high desert of far west Texas, built a castle, completely off grid, this is the story of the rest of my life, it starts today. Email me here: wretha @ gmail. com (just remove the spaces)WrethaOffGridhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04941116263529261885noreply@blogger.comBlogger548125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306303306134956607.post-2011879983387014392026-03-17T08:01:00.001-05:002026-03-17T08:03:38.770-05:00

Hope everyone is having a great day! It's been wonderful around here, spring has sprung, except that the last 2 nights have gotten down below freezing! I had a goji plant that I planted last summer and another one that I planted about a month ago, they are all budding out and I didn't want to lose them. So the first night it got cold, I wrapped a wool blanket around the wire cage over it, I also

WrethaOffGridhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04941116263529261885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306303306134956607.post-80620871428849558682026-02-20T10:56:00.001-06:002026-04-04T03:55:13.727-05:00

A couple of days ago, I tried to explain to someone how editing and layout work for a book, and it's different for ebooks vs print books. I apparently can't explain it well enough LOL. I will say that I have gotten quite the education, there are so many things that if done correctly, no one notices, but if done incorrectly, the mistakes stick out like ketchup on a white shirt.So I have been

WrethaOffGridhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04941116263529261885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306303306134956607.post-59222550895584122302026-02-15T03:11:00.002-06:002026-02-15T03:11:44.455-06:00

Alrighty now, after much teeth gnashing (not really but it sounds good for effect), I finally discovered what was wrong with my thumbnail. When I was creating my thumbnail, I read that it could be in one of two formats, one being TIFF and the other being JPG (JPEG). I wanted the highest quality so I went with TIFF, that's what I uploaded to Amazon (the same place where I uploaded the book). It

WrethaOffGridhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04941116263529261885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306303306134956607.post-43776298385534939352026-02-12T14:22:00.005-06:002026-02-12T14:33:25.021-06:00

It's finally live! My first published book. I've been working and waiting on Amazon to get the details correct, for some reason my author page wouldn't come up, the part where I edit it, I kept getting an error message, I reached out to Amazon's help and they did get it fixed. I was able to add a picture and a bio, but it takes time for these things to populate in the Amazon universe, so for now,

WrethaOffGridhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04941116263529261885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306303306134956607.post-53886327223728354042026-02-10T03:20:00.004-06:002026-02-10T07:05:13.050-06:00

72 hours, that's how long it said I have to wait... did I mention I'm not good at waiting? But wait I must. What is it I'm waiting on I hear you ask? My book, yes I finally did it, and as soon as Amazon approves my book, I'll officially be a published author! I can't remember exactly when I started writing this, I tend to be terrible with dates and times, but this has been in the works for

WrethaOffGridhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04941116263529261885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306303306134956607.post-25210872736328511252026-01-01T03:44:00.001-06:002026-01-01T03:48:16.587-06:00

Eighteen years. That is how long we have been living in far west Texas, in our off grid home, the SkyCastle, 100% off grid, on the side of a mountain, in the high desert. It is honestly the longest I have ever lived in any one place. Not that I moved around constantly. My family moved a time or two, but we usually stayed put for several years at a time. I suppose the second longest stretch was

WrethaOffGridhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04941116263529261885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306303306134956607.post-74055881018456297742025-12-12T02:56:00.003-06:002025-12-14T02:18:47.405-06:00

Most of us grow up thinking prayer is just one thing, fold your hands, bow your head, say a few words, and that’s that. I can think back to when I was a child, my family always pray before a meal, it was always the same words, and going to bed meant bedtime prayers, again it was always the same set of words, the "Now I lay me down to sleep...", but that was always more personal as we would also

WrethaOffGridhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04941116263529261885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306303306134956607.post-90810970289141992232025-09-20T03:28:00.001-05:002025-09-20T03:28:11.167-05:00

Much has happened in the last few weeks, so let me try to condense it a bit. I’ve been working on a journaling project for over a year now. It’s something designed to slow you down, help you focus, and give you a deeper connection with the words on the page having to do with Genesis. Getting the layout and design right has been a challenge, but I finally have it close to where I want it. I

WrethaOffGridhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04941116263529261885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306303306134956607.post-58303623282350611402025-08-19T21:29:00.003-05:002025-08-19T21:29:46.102-05:00

I started paying attention to food labels back in my twenties. At first, I was just trying to cut out sugar (anything ending in “-ose”) and Red #40 from my son’s diet. This was well before it became a common thing to do. Back then, asking questions about what was in your food often earned you some strange looks. But something didn’t sit right with me, and thankfully, it was actually easier to

WrethaOffGridhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04941116263529261885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306303306134956607.post-65716313889784469502025-08-08T13:10:00.000-05:002025-08-08T13:10:10.414-05:00

Want a Sam’s Club Membership for Half Price? Use my referral link to get 50% off your first year of a Standard Club membership—that’s only $25 instead of $50! You’ll also get $5 in Sam’s Cash to spend, and I’ll get $5 too. If you want all the extra perks of Plus (like free shipping on most items, 2 % Sam’s Cash back, and more), you can upgrade immediately for $60. That means you get Plus for only

WrethaOffGridhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04941116263529261885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306303306134956607.post-71626049249566768752025-08-07T22:44:00.001-05:002025-08-08T09:14:37.175-05:00

Well, this is my last week of being in my 50s, I'm 59 which makes my upcoming birthday one of those milestones that I'm not sure what to think about it. I've never been one to fret about age, I always considered age just a number. I've known people who seemed to be forever young, and I've known people who looked and acted elderly long before they should have.It's funny, ironic, I'm not usually at

WrethaOffGridhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04941116263529261885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306303306134956607.post-66412597359461194722025-08-03T17:07:00.000-05:002025-08-03T17:07:00.993-05:00

Tucked among the rugged terrain of the Davis Mountains, where dry winds brush across stone and sunbaked earth, a slender, scrappy plant quietly thrives. Around our place, we call it the “Adam’s Family flower”, a nickname my husband coined after watching its sunny yellow blooms shrivel into something you'd expect in a gothic bouquet. But officially, it’s known as Greenthread (Thelesperma

WrethaOffGridhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04941116263529261885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306303306134956607.post-67123211890426777162025-07-13T17:37:00.000-05:002025-07-13T17:37:07.404-05:00

I saw a meme on Facebook (imagine that! LOL), it was about Jonah, of Jonah and the whale (though it was really a fish), when he was angry about having to let Nineveh know that they were about to be judged, Jonah didn't want them to be saved, so afterward he sat down, angry, full of bitterness. God caused a plant to grow to give him shade, I had always read it was a gourd, but it turns out it was

WrethaOffGridhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04941116263529261885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306303306134956607.post-64183923300545840792025-05-03T15:37:00.001-05:002025-05-03T15:37:17.152-05:00

Over the years, I’ve noticed a pattern. Sometimes people treat you poorly, and there’s no clear reason why. You didn’t say or do anything wrong, and yet, something in their tone, words, or behavior hits you wrong. It’s easy to take it personally. It’s even easier to let it rattle your peace. I’ve learned that I don’t want to carry that chaos inside me. So I came up with a little mind hack, 

WrethaOffGridhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04941116263529261885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306303306134956607.post-62581662674693273022025-04-01T01:29:00.035-05:002025-08-04T18:29:46.343-05:00

Something I'm learning about and getting more and more comfortable with is AI. There, I said it, right now you are either leaning in, curious, interested, or you are learning back, shaking your head,  wondering why on earth am I messing around with this. Some of you may have already left, I can't speak to them, but if you are still here,  I hope I can educate and interest you.  For

WrethaOffGridhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04941116263529261885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306303306134956607.post-82309908558395160882025-03-19T01:54:00.008-05:002025-08-04T18:32:46.393-05:00

This is a summary of https://youtu.be/5f2E_LKEUgk?si=-wjX3ONLloRUUlJkSumarized in ChatGPT Overview:This video dives deep into the misunderstood world of dietary fats, revealing their critical role in metabolism, disease prevention, and overall health. The presenter debunks common myths, explains why Americans are deficient in essential fats, and breaks down how different types of fats,

WrethaOffGridhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04941116263529261885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306303306134956607.post-44609811735991724232025-01-05T17:10:00.002-06:002025-08-04T18:33:37.194-05:00

You know that floating week between Christmas and New Year? Well I decided to take that week and do an extended fast. A clean fast, meaning 0 food, only water, Topo Chico, plain coffee and Celtic sea salt. I had intended on going a full 7 days but managed to get through 6 days, still a pretty big accomplishment, my longest clean fast before was 4 days. I kept a daily dairy with the help of

WrethaOffGridhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04941116263529261885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306303306134956607.post-6078243235696093672024-12-03T20:56:00.001-06:002025-08-04T18:34:22.564-05:00

Blessings, that's what I experienced today. In my usual way, I waited until the absolute last minute (literally, the last day) to get PB signed up for Medicare. I knew it had to be done by today, maybe tomorrow at the latest, but I wasn’t about to risk missing the deadline. Last year, I read that he needed to apply for Medicare no later than one month before his 65th birthday, which is next month

WrethaOffGridhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04941116263529261885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306303306134956607.post-5725167636023255962024-11-18T14:59:00.002-06:002025-08-04T18:35:37.944-05:00

Today I'm going a bit toward some theological thoughts, yesterday in church, Pastor Mike discussed Paul and Silas, Lidia, a slave girl who was possessed... I began to have some questions during the sermon, and since it was a sermon and not a Bible study, I chose to take my questions to my ChattyG (that's what I named my ChatGTP persona). Here is how this went, feel free to read or skip this blog

WrethaOffGridhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04941116263529261885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306303306134956607.post-12589185804825734412024-10-29T13:18:00.001-05:002024-10-29T13:18:07.610-05:00

October has been one of those months where it feels like every project on my list decided to call for attention all at once… not that I’m complaining (too much). Life in the mountains always keeps me busy, and this past month has been no exception.First up, TraceTheWord has been in full swing. I’ve been tweaking designs, getting sample pages printed, and testing fonts and shades of gray… because

WrethaOffGridhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04941116263529261885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306303306134956607.post-92102950412653724022024-09-25T14:47:00.001-05:002024-09-25T14:47:27.351-05:00

Fall is in the air, autumn that is, it's quite nice, the hot days are behind us, and for the third year in a row, we didn't have much of a rainy season (monsoons), it just didn't do much in the rain department. My sleep pattern has done its thing where I am waking up before the sun comes up and I'm falling asleep by 7 or 8pm, this is a typical pattern for me when the seasons change, I am

WrethaOffGridhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04941116263529261885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306303306134956607.post-33751928117131075202024-06-27T03:02:00.006-05:002024-06-28T11:54:24.350-05:00

What do batteries and coffee have in common? Besides the fact that you can get a charge from both... Well, earlier today I got to experience both. Let me talk about coffee first, I am not a daily coffee drinker, but I do consider myself a bit of a coffee snob. I like dark roast, whole bean coffee, I found a good brand from Sam's Club, it can only be purchased online, which is fine with me as

WrethaOffGridhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04941116263529261885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306303306134956607.post-54347707859370906762024-06-24T14:40:00.005-05:002024-06-24T16:20:19.929-05:00

Eating healthy is definitely a journey rather than a destination. It's a daily thing, sometimes a battle, but more often than not, it's becoming a pleasure. I am absolutely enjoying the benefits of eating cleaner.  I have been eliminating negative foods (and drinks) from my diet for many years, choosing to work slowly and deliberately; I figure it's easier to keep the promises to myself if

WrethaOffGridhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04941116263529261885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306303306134956607.post-12642883816480696912024-06-13T00:14:00.012-05:002024-06-13T13:45:43.409-05:00

I know people who are fearful about AI, and understandably so, it seemingly came in like a big wave, I say seemingly because it wasn't unexpected if you were paying attention, it's been here for a while, but it's now part of nearly everything we see, especially online and on our computers, tablets and smart phones.I made the decision that I can't stop AI by ignoring it, fearing it, or not using

WrethaOffGridhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04941116263529261885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2306303306134956607.post-36263612204438804972024-06-12T15:40:00.001-05:002024-06-12T15:40:52.934-05:00

Living in the rural wilds of far west Texas, we don't have many stores to choose from, at least not that are close by. We rely on Amazon and Sam's Club deliveries for much of what we want from stores. One of the things I discovered about Sam's Club is when I make an order, they try to cram everything into one box, I can appreciate that, as long as the box isn't the size of a small house! I

WrethaOffGridhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04941116263529261885noreply@blogger.com0