Earth Day -sort of, and kind of late.

Thor had a business conference in D.C. last week, which meant I got to travel with him, and travel I did! The day we landed we went straight to the hotel and died! Such a long day! The following morning I got up and headed down to Durham to visit The Scholar!

It was an interesting drive to say the least (another post on that experience!). After 4 hours on the road I finally met up with her and we began to visit while she toured me around Duke, and of course, Durham (which is a fascinating place!).

As the day drew on we needed to stop a few places to pick up items we needed and I discovered that back east (at least D.C. and North Carolina) they charge 5 cents per bag they issue after your purchase. It was fun to watch The Scholar pile up her purchases in her arms and carry them out to the car. (Unexpected trip to the store mean she didn't have her bags with her at the time.) Granted they were few and a bag really wasn't that much of a help, but still, I loved it! (My inner hippy chick was so pleased to see that the hippy gene was trickling down the family tree.) Inside I kept thinking about the different bags I had at home, ready to pack away my groceries, I even have several to take with me for traveling...but with certain restrictions put on my suitcase this trip, I left all non essentials at home.

I made that trip from D.C. to Durham and back to D.C. twice! Then I also drove out to Rehoboth Beach (Delaware) so I could see the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. Let's just say, I drove a lot, and every where I drove, they wanted a nickle for a sack! Good for them. I think if CA. charged for a sack we'd all figure out a way to remember to bring all those linen bags we have at home. "Save a fish or kill a tree?" Just bring your own bag.

Well, I decided that I would make a huge, gynormo purse that I could use as both carry on luggage (if need be) and also haul a good grocery bundle or Target run without having to look as if I was using store branded or company logo totes.

I found a piece of Hawaiian print bark cloth (my weakness) for .99! I also found gorgeous green dotted material that grabbed my eyes about two years ago (I have been pining a long time) which was on clearance for $2.00 yd., and lastly some pleather on sale for $3.00. After my $4.50 (total) purchase I went to work without a pattern.

8"wx27"lx16"d with a 40" twisted strap so that I can carry it over my shoulder or over my body - hands free, which is nice if I need my hands for other things. I put in 12 grommets and made a pull string to open and close the top. A small leaf button helps slide the string closed and kept in place or slide open. A few more buttons on the bottom of the strings to keep them from slipping all the way through the top, and I was done.

The result is a huge tote, and I love it. I think it will work out well for me. Large enough to carry a large laptop and probably and additional watermelon! Plus, it's reversible!

Life Saver Water Bottle

Watch the video. This is a water bottle designed to filter the filthiest of water into pure water for drinking. It is designed to filter out even the smallest bacteria. This is the bottle that the church has donated and shipped to Haiti. (If you wonder where your donated funds go, here's one answer. Remember 100% of your donation to Humanitarian Aid goes directly to victims and not staff or directors.) If you are interested in donating and or purchasing your own Life Saver Bottle and live in the USA here's their link: Life Saver USA .

Granted, this bottle (currently on sale) runs approximately $150.00 U.S. dollars (hello, that's a hefty sum!), however in return it filters 400 gallons into fresh pure water (from any water source available) before needing to be refreshed with new a cartridge! The company also produces larger capacity bottles and 2 different sized jerrycans for even larger water capacity or home storage use. I personally think the investment is worth saving for.

If you are in the black enough financially to purchase one and give one away or donate more than one bottle they have the means to help you do that and get it to those who need it most at the time of purchase.

Thanks. : )

Do One Thing! -Project Noah 22-24

O.k. kids, due to my lack of attention we are a few weeks behind, so this week I am posting to catch us all up.

Week 22: 48 oz., canned orange or tomato juice for 72 hour kit.

Hint: Post emergency numbers at all phones in the house.

Week 23: 1 lb. Peanut butter for 72 hour kit.

Hint: Try to cook for 3 days from your food storage.

S'mee's suggestion: One way to insure you rotate you supply and keep it fresh is to make (at least) one day's meals each week from your storage.

Week 24: 1 gallon of water for 72 hour kit.

Hint: Learn "Water Safety". (I 'm guessing this could mean swimming, boating, and even how to treat tainted water to make it safe for drinking!)

liquid-gel laundry soap tutorial

There are several DIY Laundry Soap recipes out there, I chose this one because my friend uses it on a daily basis and swears by it. She has four small children and a busy hubby. I figure if it is good enough for her, then it is good enough for me!

At 320 full loads per batch (TEN GALLONS!) this is well worth the cost (about $5.00!) and the hassle. The worst part is grating the bar of soap, which is just a tad more difficult than grating cheese. (just a tad, really, because it's soap and you can't nibble while you work.) You can always do what I did and enlist the help of someone big and burly. Tally up the time involved and it will be about an hour - tops.

Also, I need to warn you that this soap starts out as a liquid, then turns into a gel as it sits. Like Jello, seriously. You will need to stir it, shake it, or whatever you want to get it to liquefy again. Once it is a liquid again it is Sliiiiiii-mey! Like dinosaur goo, kind of creepy. Then again, I never went elbow deep into any of my other laundry soaps, so maybe they were slimy also? Oh well, you only have to do the elbow deep thing once, if you want, or you can find a long study stirring stick and avoid the slime altogether, I just went in! I digress. When it sits, it gels, so each time you use it, give the bottle a good shake. Easy enough.

NO DYES. NO PERFUMES. (unless you want to add 5-10 drops of your favourite essential oil) Safe for septic systems. Safe to use in front load and high efficiency washers. I think it works great. The clothes come out of the dryer with out a scent per sey, but smelling fresh, and feeling good to the touch. To me, I think this soap rinses out more efficiently than my other brands of soap did, hence the good feel to the fabric. This is basic stuff here folks, not quite Little House on the Prairie, but basic good soap.

The way I look at it is, if you have to save money, if you have to cut back and scrimp, wouldn't laundry soap be the place to start? I mean, better than say, eliminating those cute shoes you saw last week? Yeah, I thought so too.

This little light of mine

A project I have been working on involves oil lamps. I have looked everywhere to find inexpensive versions of biblical types of clay lamps, they're out there, just not cheap enough for what I need in the project (read: over 150 lamps).

In my search I found out information on oil lamps of old. Anciently all it took was a small lump of clay, rolled into a ball and then flattened, pinch up one side and curl up enough of the other side to make a well and there you go. Because olive oil has such a high flame point, a puddle of (olive) oil will rarely burst into or sustain a flame, but dip 100 percent cotton cloth, or wick into the oil and light it and poof, a flame. One could make a lamp that would give enough light to walk by, read with, or make their way through dark streets or rooms with a simple little lamp.

The more clay the better design of the lamp. Make a larger well (like the one in the photo) or even throw a pot onto the wheel and design a symmetrical, almost perfect, bowl for the oil. Adding a spout and a handle and you were living large. Typically the oil reservoir was filled via a opening in the top center of the well, making it more stable and less likely to spill.

Since the oil would not burst into flame on its' own, the length of the flame was determined by the length of the wicking material. Draw out more or less and the flame takes its' direction. The vessel stays cool to the touch, only near the flame does it warm.

So with my newly acquired knowledge I decided to see what I could make. The small, a little smaller than three inches long lamp above, took an extremely small amount of clay and five minutes to produce. After curing, I took a length of pure cotton, cut it about a half inch wide and four inches long, twisted it and threaded it through the hole. I poured in about three tablespoons of oil and let the cotton wick soak it up for a minute or two then lit the end. It was a great little light! I was surprised at how bright the flame was and how much light that tiny vessel put out.

Plans are now for me to see if I can grab a pound of clay and make a few more and set them aside for those times when the lights really go out! Let's hear it for ancient technology!

Do One Thing! - reminder

Just a quick note to ask (beg, plead with) you to head over to Safely Gathered In and read today's guest post. Written by a person who has just experienced those ice storms back east, there is great advice in what to do and what not to do. Great post. Go! Then come back here and read about the great new prescriptions we have (post below).

Do One Thing! -Project Noah 20

Week 20: 1 lb. Box of crackers sealed in plastic for 72 hour kit.

Hint: Teach family how to treat shock victims. Learn how here!

Do One Thing! -Project Noah 19

Week 19: Buy 3 cans tuna and 3 cans pork and beans for 72 hour kit.

Hint: Put together a first aid kit for the car.

Do One Thing! - reminder

Hey folks, it's New Year's Day - a great time to rotate items in your 72 hour kits and storage.

Dump the stored water on your plants, inside and outside, and refill your containers with fresh water.

Go through stored clothing for people who have changed their size over the past year or grown, add the correct sizes and repack the kits. Don't forget shoes, and outer wear as well.

Check prescription dates on stored meds in your first aid kits and rotate with fresh items.

Lastly just do a quick check on your supplies to look for trouble spots, water damage, loose wrappers, whatever. Tidy everything up and feel good about all your hard work this year on being prepared! See you Tuesday with a new item!

Happy New Year!

I've never been much for the whole New Year's resolution tradition, too much public risk and disappointment, which is weird because basically I am a pretty open book, but there you go. I guess it's kind of like breaking a promise to myself or something... don't wanna do that!

However. Things and circumstance always change and change is always good. So in light of the newfangled year and all it brings, here's a bit of a 'to do' list if you will:

Remove the furnishings, carpeting and all, from the "girls" room. Then do the same with the "studio" (heretofore the "boys" room).

Put down commercial grade Berber in both rooms, add new floor moldings.

In the new "guest room" add: a queen sized bed, the "family" dresser, and hang some photos. All this to make access to the bathroom easier and more convenient for guests, and to make a nice place for little people to play and nap closer to mom, dad, and or grandparents.

In the studio: Paint the closet doors chocolate brown. Configure the best way to align solid shelving along one wall, leave enough space for the gynormo (yet fabulous) business desk (soon to be an artist's desk!). Rehang the paper stack and glass shelves and generally make the room back in to a studio.

Put the food storage in the guest closet - finally.

Hang blinds in the front room.

Make a cornice box for the front room window.

Add bark cloth faux drapes to the inside of the cornice box.

Find and purchase a 5x7 rug for the front room.

Hang stuff (to be determined later) on the front room walls.

Rehang the wall arrangement in the hallway.

Repaint the master bedroom.

Repaint the two dressers and two side chests in the master bedroom and add grass cloth inserts, decide if I need/want a headboard of same after seeing the finished furniture.

Paint. Paint on canvas. One painting (at least) per month.

Clear out the "shed" and reorganize the boxes out there. Learn E-Bay and/or garage sale the items and begin to de-clutter on a huge scale.

Use up the crafting materials I have on hand.

Make specific items for sale in two major city open air markets, summer, fall, and winter. Meaning I will have a schedule for assembly line type of crafting to build up product.

Learn loom knitting, which seems pretty easy from what I can tell so far.

Take at least ten photos per day in an effort to become a better photographer.

With Thor, empty out the garage of clutter and sell off what we haven't used in years. Organize it so that more space can be used for the gym equipment we already have.

As far as personal goals are concerned, they will remain personal. However some old habits will be renewed and some forgotten. Continue to work on self reliance and emergency preparedness, adding to and rotating what we already have.

I'll let you know how well the other goals come along and hopefully post some photos as the projects progress.

So Happy New Year everyone! I hope all your goals and resolutions are fun and fulfilled!

Do One Thing! -Project Noah 18

Week 18: Obtain bag or duffel for 72 hour kit.

Hint: Each family or individual should have portable container(s) with emergency supplies such as the following: water, food requiring no refrigeration or cooking (graham crackers, canned fruits, canned meats), medications and critical medical histories required by family members, change of clothing, including 2 pairs of stockings; sanitary supplies; first aid booklet and equipment; candles; matches; ax; shovel; can opener; and blanket. The container should be placed where it can be picked up at a moment's notice.

Do One Thing! -Project Noah 17

Week 17: Hydrogen peroxide and alcohol. (no, not that kind...well, who am I to judge! Do what you got to do!)

Hint: Learn First Aide and "Treating Bleeding". If you have already learned these skills, review them or renew your CPR certification, take a new class at the Red Cross, or perhaps go to the local Community College and get even more education!

an addendum...

You know it's interesting, this business of trying to be prepared for...whatever! This past week we here in the desert of southern California have experienced all kinds of weirdness. The thing that I brought away from it all is that I am uncomfortable. Wah. Someone call the Wambulance, S'mee is uncomfy. That said I know I am not as prepared for freak snow as I could be. Not enough insulating blankets, not enough warm sweaters, not enough housing closer to the equator.

People have been stuck in less than favourable circumstances: terminals across the country from where their transportation of choice cannot arrive or depart, or perhaps a friend' home because lack of utilities in entire states has been shut off -all because some snowflake got a power trip.

So as Thor and I spent the night apart (stupid snow!) I was glad that he had someplace to stay that was warm and welcoming. I was also glad that I knew how to take care of things here at home if that over night stay became more of a week a part. People in my neck of the woods are not prepared for snow like we experienced, no shovels, no city road equipment to appropriately clear roads (I could rant on that, but I won't), and the stores were depleted of things like Presto Fire Logs and ice scrapers; not to mention that if Thor couldn't get here, neither could the trucks that deliver little luxuries like food and fuel.

Time to think back on recent days and make a list that would help us if this happened again. hmmm, what would make my being stuck in an airport easier? (What could I actually pack in my carry on baggage? That's a tough one! Any ideas? Please share!) If I had to leave my home, or welcome others into it, what should I have on hand? Do I have anything that would help me stay home instead of evacuating when the power goes out?

Sometimes we can prepare and prepare and we still will get stuck. However, if we can grab a few things now that can make a difference later, why not do it?

If anyone has information or ideas, please share! Thanks!

Do One Thing! -Project Noah 16

Week 16: Year supply of garden seeds rich in Vitamin A&C appropriate for area (no hybrid). Please rotate your seed! Most seeds are only viable for five years, so don't just store them - plant them!

Hint: Every yard/home has space for a garden. Part of the lawn, play area, or flower garden may be converted to a garden. Vegetables may be grown in window boxes or pots. Plant the garden where it will receive at least 4 - 6 hours of direct sunshine each day. The soil should drain well, and an adequate source of water should be available.

Bigger greener Hint: Avoid nasty GMO seed that may be "Round Up Ready"(meaning they have been genetically modified to produce one crop then die, and never reseed!) Please explore these sites for fabulous heirloom Non-GMO seeds that are full of flavour and nutrition as God intended it!


Bountiful Gardens (my favourite!)

Baker Creek

Heirloom Seeds

Heirloom Acres

Victory Seeds

Seed Savers

Vegetable Seeds (having a sale right now!)

Seed Fest U.K.

Magic Garden

Do One Thing! -Project Noah 15

Week 15: First aid cream and tape, cotton balls and ace bandage.

Hint: An important emergency precaution is to have tetanus immunizations up to date - at least every 10 years.

Do One Thing: Week 13

Week 13: 1 gallon bleach.

Hint: Learn how to "Protect your Home against Fire".

UPDATE:

First, I got a head's up from Willis, about Costco's 6 day kit for Two People being on sale! Check it out: According to the ad:

Basic preparation will impact the probability of your family’s survival in an emergency. Survival Kit designed for 2 People for a total of 6 Days in 1 bucket. Keep at home and in your vehicle. This kit contains the food and supplies you need for 2 people for 6 days in 1 bucket. In the event of an emergency – keep your family well fed and warm. Keep one in a convenient location at home and one in the trunk of your car. Food is 100% Vegetarian with a 20 Year Shelf life.

click here---->6 Day Kit for Two People $20.99 OFF! Now: $49.00!

Second: I guess I dropped the ball on the above suggestion. Sorry no links! Ack!

I was thinking that by suggesting it, one could search their home owners policies to see how up to date they are, what is covered and then do any adjustments. Most insurance companies will cover your hotel expenses for three weeks, after that, you're on your own. Are you prepared for what else may not be covered? Most home repairs/rebuilds will take much longer than three weeks, even FEMA will not house you for much longer than your insurance company. You will need an alternate plan. Clothing allowances are usually $100.00. Most families will find that is not enough to "cover" them! Again, making a plan ahead of time will ease stress when stress is a daily situation. Recovering household items may mean reassessing their values at retail value as opposed to replacement costs, which are much higher. Your fridge may be 8 years old, it's value would be much lower than that of a new appliance. Also, many insurance companies will want receipts for everything you purchased and want replaced. I'm not sure about you, but I don't have receipts for everything I buy.

Getting all your important information recorded onto flash drives or c.d.s. (Think of everything you would need to start over, insurance, birth certs, school records, medical records/info, SSI numbers, etc.) Do the same with family histories and photos. Make sure someone who does not live in your home can access the information if they need to for you.

Have plans in place ahead of time in regard to what to do when or if you need to evacuate. Do you have a plan to evacuate if you are not at home or can't get home at the time of the evacuation? (Have you set up a neighbor or nearby friend to help you out if you are unavailable and do they know what to grab for you?)

Do your children and or aged adults (or anyone else living with you) know the routine, the plan and escape routes and where to meet if there is an emergency? Have you shown small children how to escape via their bedroom window, and how to decide whether or not to do that? Do they have ladders or stools to give them access? Do they know they safest way to break a window if necessary? If your home is multi-story do you have window escape ladders in all the rooms? Have your little kids been introduced to FireFighters and the equipment they use (masks, air tanks, uniforms, etc.) so they will not be frightened by their rescuers appearance and sounds? Do they know what your alarms sound like and what they mean and what to do when they hear them?

Are your pets in the plan? FireFighters will not risk their life to save an animal, however they will go in after a pet if at all possible. Stickers on windows will let them know if pets are expected to be in or out of the house.

Are your smoke detectors/alarms fresh? When is the last time you tested them? Do you have freshly charged fire extinguishers?

Outdoors, at least in our area, that 30 feet of defensible space, weed abatement, house and garage clean of oil or rags, yada yada.

Is the roof fire safe or extremely flammable? Are the gutters clean of debris that could catch flame? (This is how many of the houses in the recent fires caught fire, via flying embers!)

yeah, stuff like that. I hope that gets your ideas working and thinking on how you can determine how fire safe your house is.

Do One Thing: Week 12

Week 12: 2 bars of body soap per person. (probably wouldn't hurt to have some body lotion too.)

Hint: If you have a fireplace double-check to make sure flue is clear and the fireplace is clean and can be used without danger.

Do One Thing: Project Noah: Week 11

Week 11: Dish Soap.

Hint: Store extra prescription medication in an air tight container labeled "Emergency use only." Rotate it each time you renew your prescription.

Buddy Burners- How to!

This week I suggested making a few "Buddy Burners" for light, heat, and/or outdoor cooking under a grill. For anyone interested, here's an easy tutorial on how to make them from recycled materials.

Self reliance: It's not only cheap and easy, it's good for the environment!

Do One Thing: Project Noah: Week 9

Week 9: 5 pounds legumes (beans & peas). (Probably wouldn't hurt to have a bottle of Beano in there as well...just sayin'.)

Hint: Have backyard camp out to practice emergency skills. (good opportunity to check out warm bedding).