Pears and Beans

I canned five more quarts of pears last night..that is the last of my pears.  Started on the green beans, but had to stop as we were having a meeting at church tonight.  I've only managed to snap one large bowl full, two more to go.  Not sure how many quarts this will make, maybe 10?  Every little bit helps.

Placed my order with the LDS Cannery (this is my first time, I'm not Mormon, but I have the opportunity to purchase from them, much cheaper than Shelf Reliance), and pick it up on Tuesday.  Very excited!  Church members are participating as well.  Yeah!

Time for bed...it's been a long day.

Another day of running

Canning pears

Canned more pears tonight, just 2 quarts.  It would have been four but I accidentally dropped a bowl of diced pears onto the floor, so threw those out to the chickens (sigh).  All that work.  I showed PD#1 how to peel and dice the pears.  Then to put them in a bowl of lemon juice water to prevent them from browning.  She was able to complete the small white bowl above before her hand started hurting.  I took over and finished up the peeling, coring and dicing.  Then poured the pears into jars, added the syrup and processed them in the canner.  So far, it looks like 40 lbs of pears (give or take) will make a bout 12 quarts of diced pears.   Less than I thought, but I am glad to be able to see the end.  It's hard work canning pears.  Harder than any other thing I've done.  I don't know why, but it is...

Received my new DVD in the Homestead Blessings series, "The Art of Cooking", and watched it tonight.   It was very good, just like the others.  I can't wait to get the rest of them back from a friend I loaned them to, I want to try out the ideas on them.  Next on my list to order is "The Art of Crafting" or "The Art of Quilting".  Plus, I am planning on using these as a guide for the girls in their homemaking duties. 

PD#1 asked me if I thought the West ladies (on the DVD) were going to make good wives.  I said probably so, and that PD#1 would also.  For some reason PD#2 (age 8) found this hilarious and started snorting.  This earned her a glare from PD#1 (almost 14).  Ah! I could feel the sisterly love in the air.

Watching "Stargate" Season 1 (again, I know), and getting ready to lay down to sleep.  Have a great weekend everyone!



Bees, Bullets, Beans

Today was more stocking of the homestead.  We went to the local grocery store and I was able to stock up on a few things on my list:

flour
yeast
sugar
beans
rice
boullion
vitamins
I did my regular shopping too, spending way too much money for little return ;-(
I also stopped at a local store and purchased seven boxes of 12 ga. shells.  That was all they had. ;-(
I had hoped to buy a case or two, but that will mean a trip into the BIG TOWN 50 miles away.
Dove season starts soon...(next weekend).

Came home to put everything up, and will work on putting up more pears and jelly tonight.

I was very shocked at the high prices of everything, and the apparent non availability of standard items like Motrin and Tylenol.  Seems it is "supposed" to be a nation wide thing, as most name brand meds have been recalled or manufacturing has been halted.  I wonder why?  The pharmacist said they were told shipments wouldn't be resumed until the Winter.  I ended up purchasing a store brand of Motrin and Bendadry which my medicine box was lacking. 

Other than fuel, which I have left up to PH to procure, I feel in pretty good shape.  As well as, I can be with the time, money and resources I have.  I am about at my storage limits living in 360 sq feet.  No more room...

I have been anxious to add a bee hive to our property.  It's been in my plans for about 10 years, but I don't know how to start.  We have several wild hives in our area, as bees are prolific around here.  We had a swarm earlier this year on one of the trees.  PH is worried about keeping bees due to the killer bees in the area.  Until he changes his mind, I will remain in the research stage, and purchase my honey from a local, homeschooling friend.

My "plan" for this weekend (other than canning) is to start work on my hoop coop for my 20 chicks arriving next week.  We also need to get our other wood stove from the town house, as well as, a few odds and ends (fridge, shelves, box, curtains, and pot rack).

A bunch of junk

Today I took a bunch of junk gold jewelry to sell.  I was hoping to get enough to buy additional items to keep my pantry and medicine cabinet stocked, and hopefully some to go towards my Berkey Water Filter.  I was very excited that I received so much for a ziploc baggie of broken gold chains, earrings missing a mate, silver beads from a necklace, a silver locket and a silver ring. 

I was able to re-stock my large first aid kit (it's really a tool box).  I'd like to order several more dental kits and another suture/syringe kit from Amazon, but we'll see.  I feel pretty comfortable that I have enough OTC meds, bandages, and medicinal herbs (capsules, dried, and tincture) to cover most illnesses, not major ones though.  I am not equipped for that...yet.

Once home, PH continued working on the house piers.  I went through the medicine chest, and tossed out bandaid wrappers, old medicine, and sticky cough drops.  Placed all the herbs in the chest, and covered it with the top compartment.  As long as the herbs stay in a dark place, they will last almost indefinitely.

I purchased all the seeds they had at Dollar Tree.  They aren't heirloom, but I don't care about that....I have both.  The only seeds left were Beet (25), Turnip (3), Radish (12), and a couple of Lettuce (2).  I figure it would be something to eat, and the goats would eat them too.  They were normally $1.00 each but I got them on clearance for 10 cents each.  I was very excited about them.  Last year I purchase a bunch of pumpkin seeds.  We planted them this year, and I will can most of them, either as stewed pumpkin or pie filling. 

I will be picking up more canning jars, extra lids, and the shot gun shells tomorrow, as well as, ordering the Berkey (I hope)!

Tomorrow I also plan to work on more canning of pears, and laundry. ;-)

It was dicey!

I spent several hours today canning pears.  Who knew it was such an arduous task!?  So far, it is the longest process to date.  The pears I received (all 40 lbs) were small due to drought, and didn't take long to peel, BUT to get enough to fill a quart jar, my hand was hurting!  I peeled pears, cored them, then diced them.  Being so small, all that was left after peeling/coring were pieces, so dicing it was to be.  I put the pieces in a container filled with lemon juice and water to prevent browining.  I had the canner on the stove with the jars in it sterillizing, and another pan with the sugar and water cooking to make a hot, medium syrup to cover the pears with.  I was able to peel enough to fill 4 quart jars (all that my canner will hold at one time).  I was thinking it would be 10 minutes, about like jelly, but no!  It was 25 minutes in the water bath canner.  PDs were less than impressed, and only gave me a cursory glance.  I was so proud, and no one patted me on the back!  I vow to not share my pears with anyone!  PH wasn't impressed either! He is now on the list to not receive any.  It looks like it will be me and PS (he actually helped by handing me pears to peel) eating pears this Winter.

I still have an almost full box of pears to can.  Who knew 40 lbs of pear would take so long to can (sigh).  I am thankful for them, but it sure is tiring on these old legs to stand and peel pears, plus the rest of the process.

PH and I discussed my next purchase.  I am cashing in some of my silve (shhh!) - keeping some too.  I want to get a few things on my list which are:

Berkey Water Filter
RV Solar Panel Kit
Food from local LDS cannery
12 gauge shotgun shells for both shotguns
Additional caning jars, lids and pectin
Additional first aid supplies and herbal meds
Chicken feed/hay
Kerosene
100 gallons of gasoline for fuel tank (tiller, chain saw, garden tractor)

I asked PH which he felt was the most urgent.  From the response I received, which I am still mulling over
the answer, I can only assume he could care less.  (sigh) I was hoping to have some direction here.

So, I made a list (I love lists BTW) of things I am needing to stock up on, and tried to rate the priority.

I have Shelter (check) - includes two woodstoves and a kerosene heater (wood we have, kerosene we need)

I have a water source, and an 1100 gallon tank, but a filter would be nice.

I have some food, but more is needed.  I figure I have about 6 months worth, plus seeds, chickens, and goats for food sources. 

Regarding self defense/home defense/hunting (which is PH area) we went over and discussed what is in our collection.  We talked about trading in 2-3 for another style.  I'd rather keep what we have, but have left it up to PH to make the final decision.  I also did an inventory of ammunition, and discovered we seriously need 12 gauge shot gun shells.  I only have 63 actual shells plus two small boxes of 12 ga. buck shot.  So, PH suggested I put that on the list to check out tomorrow.  Dove season starts next weekend, so there are several local sales, which is great.  We are fine in other areas, though I think another couple hundred rounds of 30.30  (deer season you know - wink, wink) would not be out of line to purchase.

Also, on the list is a pair of jeans for me.  I wear mostly skirts, but need another pair of jeans for working around the farm.  DS#2 needs a pair of shoes, and DS#1 could use some clothing too.  Trying to be a good Proverbs 31 woman can be tiring and expensive.

In keeping with preparing meals out of the freezer/pantry (in the house, not the deep freeze).  Yesterday's menu was:

Fried canadian bacon
green beans
mac and cheese
homemade bread/butter
iced tea

Tonight:

Flank Steak/Leftover chicken cooked on grill
Baked potatoes
egg noodles with butter
Fried onions (garden)
homemade bread/butter
Popcorn for a snack (we make a lot of pop corn, more than when we had a microwave)
iced tea

Thursday:

Hot link sausage from Dziuks (local butcher)
frozen broccoli
cornbread/butter
iced tea
chocolate cake/cupcakes (if PD#1 makes them)

Good night (good morning - it's almost 1:30 am!)

I've just been playing

After reading a lot of stressful news items online, PH and I were both a little perturbed at the world in general.  I came in the kitchen.  I find I bake and clean the kitchen when I am upset.  It's the tiny little area of control that I have. ;-)

I came to the realization that I am not ready for the economy to tank even further.  I've been talking a good game, but I haven't been walking the walk.  I've been playing at it.  I was so devastated with myself.  I feel like the burden of responsibility is all mine, when I know I need to realy on the Lord, and that PH is carrying his load too.  But this preparation thing has been my baby since 1999, I thought I had it all figured out.  I don't.

I need to check for more propane cansiters on Craigslist, plus another grill, and perhaps a propane stove.  My propane grill isn't working properly PH said.  The stove burner on the right of the grill doesn't allow for regulating of the flame.  This is not good.  I had counted on the burner for being able to can and cook without electricity.  Now, I can't count on it.  I also have a Coleman propane stove, but ask me where it's at.  I have no clue!

I don't have enough quarts of food put up.  This is a new venture for me.  I've always made jelly every year, and pickles too, but that's it.  This year I made salsa and a seasoned tomato sauce, but I only have about 3 quarts of salsa, and 10 of the tomato sauce.  I find that I am needing to eat what I am storing now, and now able to save it for an "EMERGENCY".  What's going to happen in the next year when I really can't afford to buy food?

I've made a list and will be discussing these issue with PH to get his input.  I did find that I can order #10 cans of staples from the LDS Cannery in San Antonio.  I am torn if I should do this or not.  I don't  agree with the LDS "church", so should I buy food form them?  I'll be in prayer over this issue.

Today I did manage to can 9 - 1/2 pints of grape jelly.  I have enough juice I made from the grapes to can another 9 -1/2 pints.  I also have my 40 lbs of pears to put up, and then the prickly pear tunas to harvest, along with the nopalitos.  I am still looking for more mesquite beans to dry for flour, and to make into jelly.  I may have to eat biscuits a lot, but I'll have a couple different kinds of jelly/jam. 

I am following the example of another blogger and eating my way through my older freezer items.  I don't like depending on my freezer, so it is a good way to clear it out.  Tonight I made hamburgers.  I had a bag of frozen, pre cooked hamburgers in the freezer.  I made homemade buns and served them with onions from the garden, my home canned pickles and additional condiments.  I was able to make one loaf of bread, as well as, the buns, so I'll make toast in the a.m., and we can have sandwiches for lunch.

I'll look in the freezer in the morning to see what else I have to go through.  I'd love to have more room to store food, but living in 360 sq feet is limiting.  I don't want to put added pressure on PH to finish the house, but I feel desperate at times.  All of our extra money is going towards the house, but it isn't taking shape fast enough.  It's hard for one 44 year old guy to do it by himself .  I am worried about his health, but stressed about needing more food storage space.  My idea is to use the entire container for food storage once the house is done.  Well, most of the container.  I'll be keeping the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom for a guest house, but the kitchen shelves and living room area will be my food pantry (I hope).  Sometimes PH and I don't see eye to eye ;-)

Who said the simple life is easy?

Because something is simple, doesn't make it easy.  I live the "so-called" simple life, but it often takes a little bit more work than the modern life. 

Because the fruit trees we planted 3 1/2 years ago didn't make it, I drove into town to pick up pears from a lady who was selling them for .50 cents a pound.  I bought 40 lbs/$20.00 worth.  I will be canning these pears, probably tomorrow (Sunday) or even Monday.  We've been eating a lot of them, PH likes them, as well as, PS#2.  I keep finding half eaten pears lying around outside where PS#2 throws them to the chickens.  These pears are small, due to the drought, but they are good!

We had company for dinner tonight, two of my sisters, niece, nephew and baby sister's boyfriend.  This is the first time we have met him.  He was really nice.  He loved our goat Curly, and took a picture with him. 

I wanted to be able to provide a meal entirely from my food stores.  I thawed two organic chickens.  PH sawed them in half with the bone saw.  I rubbed them with olive oil, sprinkled with lemon pepper and let them sit in the fridge for 2 hours before we cooked them on the grill.  The rest of the menu was:

bread
home canned pickles
home canned pickled onions
home canned salsa (sister brought tortilla chips)
corn on the cob (from freezer that I had put up)
home made brownies
iced tea
lemonate
chicken
sausage
gluten free cookies that younger sister brought for PD#1

I was able to bag up the GF cookies (two per baggie) and place in the freezer.  YS brought a dozen molasses, a dozen chocolate chips, a dozen M*M from a little GF bakery in Richmond VA.

Our little chicks are thriving, and the two roosters and three hens are trying to find their place in the "pecking order".  It can be hilarious to watch. 

PH is still plugging away at getting the piers for house set.  Only 6 more to go!  Yay!  After that, he'll be able to place the joists for the floor. I am so happy!

It's still HOT, and our pond level is declining.  Pray for rain please!

I wanted to share our church website.  Our pastor has decided to brave the realms of the blogosphere
;-)  www.fobcc.blogspot.com.  Please consider following him and our congregation in our journey to discover what plans the Lord has for us in the areas of worship, ministry, evangelism, fellowship, discipleship and in getting prepared for the emergencies our world may throw at us.

Meet Chicken Nugget

Here is our second chick, the first one died, it never made it out of the shell all the way. 

Here is the chick all dried and fluffy

We have a third one that has hatched, it isn't dried yet, and is stumbling around learning how to walk.

PS2 listening to the chicks peeping inside the incubator



What have you done today to prepare?

Here is a picture of the well guy pulling the pipe from the well in order to replace the pump. 

I've seen this online before, so I thought I'd list what PH and I have done today to get more "prepared" for when TMHTF (whether it be job loss, economic collapse or worse).

PH left early this morning to go pick up some of his tools from his father's house, buy concrete to continue working on the piers of the house, and to get fencing.  When he arrived home I was hanging laundry, and I heard a loud rooster crowing.  I thought it was PH messing around, but he brought me a beautiful Americauna rooster!  This guy is beautiful, but pricey.  I had stopped at the man's house where he was purchased, but he wanted high way robbery prices for his poultry.  I had talked to PH about a beautiful rooster he had, a red sex-link named Rufus.  PH came home with another one, as Mr. Greenjeans (my name for chicken guy) wanted $50! I was very excited, though shocked that PH would pay $30 for this rooster, but he said he wanted to make me happy.   It is one of the best gifts I've had in a long time.  How funny is that?  I'd much rather have a chicken, goat or Berkey filter for a gift than flowers or a fancy dinner.  I'm so strange, but at least after 23 years PH knows the way to my heart. 

So here is MacArthur (named after our American General), we have a banty rooster named "Napoleon", just cuz he's 'lil (ha! ha!):

General MacArthur

We had to go into town to the post office (dropping off Frontier House from Netflix), so we stopped at the Ace Hardware in the small town closes to us. 

I purchased:

two replacement globes for my oil lamps (need two more)

macaroni and cheese (Kraft) that was on sale

kool aid ( we don't drink it much, but I try to keep it on hand)

new 20" chain saw

PH also unhooked the empty propane tank from grill/burner and put in his truck, he can refill it at work for much cheaper than my paying for a refill.

I have my kerosene bottles ready, and will fill two of them on Monday at the local oil company.  Much cheaper!  (I was paying $21.99 for a gallon at Academy or Ace).  By using the oil company, I am paying $5.40 a gallon.  I can fill up four gallons for the price of one.

Once that is done, I'll fill my oil lamps, trim the wicks, and talk to PH about making oil lamp holders to bolt onto the metal walls of our container cabin.  I have six oil lamps, plus four battery operated (AA) lamps.  The PDs use one of these as a lamp in their loft.  Plus, when I go do laundry at night, I hang one from the ceiling in the wash house.

PH also disced the dead cantelope/watermelon vines under.  We were going to plant, but with the heat.  We decided to wait until the end of September (for now) and plant the cold weather crops.  Hopefully, they will need less water than those that would be planted now. (Heat index 110 today).

Our chicks are starting to hatch today...one has died so far, but another has broken through, and we are waiting for it to emerge all the way from the shell.

Water, water everywhere

We have water!  I am so excited!  PH opted to not repair the wiring on the previous pump.  Our old pump was a 7.5 hp irrigation pump that was here when we purchased the property (almost 4 years ago).   I've been wanting a way to get the water out of the well if our grid electricity went out.  We have a generator, but the old pump needed way too much electricity (amps) and our generator couldn't provide it.  So, PH (relunctantly) replaced the old pump with a 1.5 hp deep well pump that we can operate off the generator, if needed.

We will work on the non-electric aspect of getting water out of the pump, hopefully soon.  So, PH spent this evening flushing the tank, because the initial batch of water that was pumped into the tank smelled really bad.  Smells like sulphur, and when we would drink it, it tastes like when you touch a metal fork to a filling.  Pretty gross.  The water in the tank was emptied into the pond tonight, and filled with fresh water.  Tomorrow PH will replace the water filter here in the house, and we hope this takes care of the issue.  I am moving up the Berkey filter purchase closer to the top of the list.

I've been able to wash lots of clothes today, and hung most on the clothesline.  But due to rain in the forecast tonight, put the last load in the dryer (PH work uniforms). 

PDs and I also went through a ton of clothing today, and have a huge stack of clothes to get rid of, and one to put into a tub for winter clothing.  Washed sheets for the beds, and the girls cleaned out their loft.  I was able to wash dishes, mop the floors, and clean the bathroom as well.

On the list for tomorrow is cleaning out the fridge, finishing the kitchen, making Wild Mustang Grape Jelly, organizing the outdoor kitchen, cleaning the living area and decluttering lots of stuff, plus continuing with the laundry.  The PDs will be picking up trash around the land, and cleaning up the playground. 

Our chicks are scheduled to hatch tomorrow (13th of August), and tonight PD#1 heard a little peep, at first I thought it was the tea kettle, but when I opened the incubator, sure enough one egg has a cracked little hole!  I picked it up and heard a peep!  We are so excited.  We have a dozen eggs in the incubator and it'd be great if they all hatched, or at least most of them.  I wasn't sure our little banty rooster was doing his job.  My girls (hens) are bigger than he is, one is a Rhode Island Red and the other three are Buff Orpingtons.

I checked on purchasing additional hens and a rooster yesterday.  They were beautiful, but the gentleman was asking $25 a bird.  That is way too rich for my blood.  On the positive side, these people are fully aware of the potential problems looming ahead.  My first group of people in "main stream" society who have it going on.  They have two RVs, where family members have moved in with them.  They are raising chickens to sell for income, and have a huge yard (1 acre) to be able to grow a garden, and could even have a couple of goats.  I mentioned that to them, and the lady said it was in their plans.  I was very pleased to see "someone" waking up to what is going in the world around us. 

Mini Tour of Homestead

See below for the start of our tour...

Selena - Our Quarab Mare

The Wash House

I have my washer and dryer in here (though I rarely use it).  Plus, my new chest freezer, and I do have a retractable mini clothesline which is handy when it rains.  The little door you see is a child size door on the front porch of this little house.  There is a regular size door on the left rear (not pictured).  There is also a loft where the PDs used to play before PH built their bigger playhouse.  Now, I use the loft for storing winter/summer clothes, depending on the season.

PD2 holding one of our baby chicks we hatched from the incubator

1100 gallon water tank

(well is on the other side, the little shed is to help keep the sun directly off the tank,

otherwise boiling water comes out of the shower head)

The bedroom end of the "cabin"

Day 5 of no water - Bathing

Front gate

View from the gate looking down the driveway

Here is the start of a mini tour of our homestead.  Blogger isn't cooperating tonight, so I've only been able to attach a couple of pictures.  Our "cabin" is on the right at the end of the drive.

We haven't been able to shower since Saturday.  We have been going swimming every night though, and I do mean night.  Around 9 p.m. we jump in the pool and swim around, jump out, soap up, shampoo hair and then pour water from the pool over our heads to rinse.  PS2 is enjoying this new ritual.  He loves running around without anything on. 

My bath tub for the moment

I did two small loads of laundry in the Wonder Wash tonight.  Towels and a few light clothes.  I am not sure I am doing it right, as one of the towels didn't come out really clean.  I think I need to use spray and wash, and allow the clothes to soak in the soapy water before cranking the handle.  I like being able to wash something to wear if needed, and not having to wait for the water or even electricity for that matter.

The well man (WM)came out today.  It wasn't a positive experience.  Not because of the work needing to be done, but the man's attitude was very unprofessional.  For being an older man I expected more from him.  I don't know why, but I assume they were raised in better days and were taught manners.  He and PH had "words".  To give PH some credit, he managed to keep his cool longer than I thought he would.  PH is known for telling it like it is, and he refrained until the well man was very rude and insulting, then PH told him what he thought.  WM was making us feel like he was doing us a favor, and that we were less than desirable people, plus because he came out here he was losing business.  PH told him that it wasn't our fault that he didn't use an appointment book, and didn't know how to schedule himself.  He also told him that our money was as green as anyone elses.  We were paying him, he wasn't doing it for free.  PH told him that our children were staying with relatives until we had the water issue handled.  The man said it wasn't his concern.  Basically PH told him that if he was unwilling to do the job let us know, there were others who would want the work.  Suffice it to say after the WM finishes the job in the morning, we won't be using him again. 

PH had the option of replacing the wiring again on our 7.5 hp pump, or putting in a new 1.5 hp pump.  PH chose the 1.5 hp pump, and we will keep the other as a backup, just in case...The WM pulled 300 feet of metal pipe out of the ground and has left it lying beside the well opening. 

So, this time tomorrow I pray we will have running water.  I really need to catch up on laundry, do the dishes and clean in here...I could do all of it without the water on, but it would make it a lot easier ;-)

I am happy about the new pump, because there is the potential to be able to run it with our generator in the event of a power outage.  Now to get the fuel tanks brought home and start filling them with gasoline...just in case.

Day 4 of No Water: Laundry

Filling the tub with warm water, soap and clothes.

I've been trying to update this post since last night, but blogger has been having fits it seems, and keeps having an "error while saving".

I'll try and make this short.  Yesterday, I woke to a busted pipe in the bathroom, the one connecting the 1100 water tank to the water heater.  We were saving the last few gallons for flushing, but a fitting came apart flooding the house.  It was so special...on the up side the bathroom is clean ;-)  I've been wanting to clean it for a long time, but haven't been able to work up the motivation.  Unfortunately, I had prayed this past week for the Lord to motivate me.  I hadn't planned on his letting the pipes burst to do it though.  FYI:  please don't pray for motivation or patience.  You have been warned.

I did  manage to get two loads of laundry done in the Wonder Wash.  Primarily PS2 teensy little under pants.  We are potty training, and I have to wash these daily.  We only have 8 pairs. 

After swimming we came in to get ready for bed.  I put PS2 on the futon in the living room area, and we watched "Finding Nemo" (again) until he fell asleep.  At this point, I put in one of my "Stargate" DVDs.  I have five seasons on DVD, and tend to watch them a lot, along with my "Jericho" DVDs.  Primarily for noise while I type, or work on the girls' lesson plans for their schoolwork.

Off to bed, it's after midnight.



Day 3 of No Water - Dishes

Heating up water on the stove to wash dishes

We are on day three of no water to the house.  We have about 400 gallons left in the tank, and I did get about 10 gallons from the town house to have inside.  We are saving the 400 gallons to flush the toilet when necessary.  PH felt that at his age he didn't want to be digging a hole for an outhouse in cement hard dirt, UNLESS he absolutely had to..

I've been able to wash dishes today and make laundry soap.  Tomorrow PS and I will do laundry while PH is at work.  I'll try to remember to take pictures of the Wonder Wash in action.

PH was able to sell some items and come up with the money to fix the well.  He even looked at the Bison Pump information on line, and asked me to contact the representative to ask a couple of questions, and email a picture to see it will work with our well casing.  I was so excited.  If we are going to have to pay a couple of thousand for a new electric pump, I'd rather have a non electric one.  PH looked at the Solar Jack pump also.  It will be a little more work, but you have no idea how I have been wondering about what to do for water "just in case".  I knew PH would be able to come up with some way to get water, but I still worried a little (ok, I worried a lot!)

In keeping with my plan to cook from my storage, or what I have on hand, we had baked potatoes with butter, bacon, onions and cheese for dinner.  Drank raw milk from the local dairy.  Man I love that milk!  We had plums for dessert instead of cantelope.  PH picked seven the other day, and we are really tiring of cantelope.  It will be back to eating them tomorrow before they go bad. 

Did I mention one of my hens is broody again.  She is sitting on one egg.  She gets really flustered when I open the nesting box door to check on her.  The other hens aren't laying.  I assume due to the extreme heat (103 today).  My incubator eggs are due to hatch this week, I can't wait. 

Asked PH to check on getting some used fork lift batteries at his work.  I'd like to use them to power the house (t.v./dvd/computer/modem/lights) by charging them with the generator.  We don't have solar panels yet, just a few solar lights/lanterns.  Often I use the car battery and inverter, but it runs the car's battery down really quickly. 

On a different note...what is up with our tattle tale "Commander in Creep".  Everytime I turn around the man is on television trying to convince the citizens of this country that he is not to blame.  What happened to the buck stops here?  He is "in charge" (snicker) so it is his fault.  Just like blame or praise could be laid at the feet of any of the past Presidents.  I hesitate to use that word, as I do not consider the current man occupying the White House to be "my" President.  Out here on the Prairie we didn't vote Democrat (or Republican either), and because we don't  believe he is a legal leader we do not acknowledge him..We are rooting for the Republic of Texas, actually, the Nation of Texas is a better fit ;-)  I truly hope no one is buying this schmuck's white wash...

 Please keep your eyes open, with the S&P downgrading the nation's credit worthiness (with just cause, should have been lower), the possiblity of hyperinflation is in our future.  I am praying that the Lord spares us at this time, but I am not confident the Lord will, it may be our time.  It is for certain our dollar is even more devaluted, so I look for price increases to be rampant, as well as, loans being even harder to obtain.

We went swimming again tonight.  I love swimming in the dark.  Floating there while looking up at the night sky.  The moon and stars are beautiful.  We saw one meteor streaking across the sky...the height of the Perseids isn't here yet, but every now and then you can catch one.  PH was excited to see one moving rapidly from South to North.  We need to break out the telescope again.  I don't believe we have used it since last summer! 

Off to bed, we'll be up early to get the laundry done and on the line before the heat of the day hits us.

The weather has been HOT lately.  I don't mean just your average almost 100 degree hot, but 116 at 4:30 p.m. hot.  The kind of hot when you walk outside your skin starts shriveling up.  The garden is doing great though...cantelopes are ripening, and PH brought in SEVEN of them this morning.  Our 2 year old PS asked for me to cut one right away, and then he ate 1/2 of another before going to bed...Ah, diaper changing should be fun tomorrow...I wish potty training was advancing better.  Boys are so much harder to potty train than girls (sigh).

PH has been working on our new cabin.  This time a REAL cabin, and not a 45 foot long, 8 foot wide metal shipping container that this PW calls a cabin to make herself feel better. 

I did laundry today, and sometime around 7 p.m., PH noticed the small pond by the bridge was totally dry.  Confused as to why he went over to the well and fiddled around with it.  Soon PH popped up with a bunch of words I cannot print here, and almost looked as if he was going to cry.

Apparently, our well pump is not working, and we didn't notice this...our 1100 gallon water tank that was supposed to be our safe guard in case the pump stopped working was practically empty.  Because PH didn't know the main well wasn't refilling the tank, he had basically drained it dry (my two loads of laundry didn't help I am sure) while he was mixing cement to put the piers in for the new house.  There is a foot of water in the tank.  So effective NOW we are shut down.  We have no water for laundry or bathing.  Praise the Lord!  This PW had the foresight to purchase those big blue water storage containers and had them filled, plus several plastic jugs of water. 

I had also cleaned and added water to the above ground pool, so the water level is blessedly high and it's clean.  So, because we couldn't take a shower we went swimming.  I then washed my hair, while standing in the grass, and poured a bucket of water over my head (it's one of the kid's buckets to fill with sand at the beach).  PH looked at me like I was crazy, but he soon relented.  After working in the hot sun all day, he was fragrant.  And not with the sweet, smell of prairie grass, but a really great prairie funk!  He soaped up from head to toe, and poured a couple of buckets over his head, then went swimming.  Good thing we live in the country!  Wouldn't want the neigbhors shocked over flagrant
"nekkidness". 

On the agenda tomorrow after church, PH and I will head over to our town house (soon to be sold I hope) and fill up water containers.  Good thing the main pond is full.  PH had been keeping it filled for the horses, and the rain a couple of weeks ago, has the pond overflowing.  The horses and goats should be okay for awhile.  This will give us time to get the well fixed, and maybe God will send us rain in the meantime.

This is a good lesson in a "survival" situation.  If this was when TMHTF (The Manure Hitting the Fan) what would our options be?  Personally, PW (that's me) has been "gently" encouraging PH to install a windmill, solarjack or Bison hand pump, but PH believes that is a "STUPID" idea.  I'm not so sure.  If we had the windmill, it would still be turning, if we had the hand pump, we could take turns pumping it to fill the 1100 gallon water tank, and then we'd have a water supply.  (sigh)

So, for the next few weeks we will be using our travel toilet, and digging an outhouse.  Hauling water from the pond to flush with is no fun.  Been there, done that....NO FUN!

We have drinking water, and can bathe at the town house, or have a sponge bath.  I did get the solar shower bag out of the box in the kitchen, and will fill it and hang it up outside the door.  This will allow PH to rinse the dirt off and go to bed clean and ready for work on Monday.

Washing clothes will be in my Wonder Wash http://www.laundry-alternative.com/products/Wonderwash.html.  I received this for Christmas several years ago, and haven't had the opportunity to use it more than twice. 

This has caused me to look at my other preparations.  I noticed I am low on kerosene, and that I need new wicks for the oil lamps.  Burning oil lamps is necessary sometimes, candles don't give out a lot of light.  Candles are okay for washing dishes, but sometimes I need additional light to look for something, read, sew, etc.  An oil lamp is a poor substitute for a regular lamp, but I also have battery operated lanterns that I use on a regular basis.

Check back with us to see how we are doing, and if anyone has died from the "harsh" conditions LOL.  BTW our PDs (13 and 8) are staying with family, not because of the water situation, but because their PU (Prairie Uncle) is LOADS of fun, and likes to spoil them.