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Power outage and a caring daughter

  • Posted on February 28, 2013 at 2:54 pm

Two days ago, we got hit with one heck of a major ice, snow and rainy sleet storm. We even had thunder and lightening and sometimes it reminded me of the calm before the big cyclone, becasue it would get really still outside, everything would stop, including the wind and then a next bigger wave of nasty weather would hit.

I was home alone when the built up ice on the power lines made the power go out. We have a small generator, enough to light a few lights and run the appliances, but I have no clue how to prime it or turn it on for that matter. It is powered by gasoline, and even if I did know how to do all this, I can lay ten bucks that there is no fuel in the can. I should start taking charge of this stuff and no doubt will after this last storm. I’ll get a hold of my friend Lindsay since she is up on the survival (her own way) stuff.

I however did quite well alone with the two dogs not helping me at all. LOL! At least I saved one of the old cradle type telephones to plug into the house phone line. I guess it’s not run on electricity. At times like that, I’m glad I’m somewhat of a tidy pack rat. My daughter called and asked if I needed anything. One reply…heat just in case the power was out for a few days like during our last ice storm. Then her phone went out, before we could talk anymore.

About 45 minutes after I sort of talked to my daughter, my son in law came to my house with a really awesome heater, fuel and a bunch of scented candles that I KNOW I got for my daughter as a Christmas gift. It was so sweet of her. The next day when we talked, I thanked her for taking care of me, and her reply was, “You’ve always taken care of  me Mama, I’m glad I could take care of you.” When she came over yesterday, I gave her the candles back, since I didn’t have to use them. I had lamp oil and my own supply of candles, but it made my heart happy that I raised such a caring daughter.

 

 

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Frost warning

  • Posted on September 11, 2012 at 11:18 am

Last night the weather channel on television predicted a frost warning, but not the rain we also are getting. To me, this means damp and cold, which I woke up to this morning and it’s not a good feeling at all.

Because of the rain, I couldn’t see any frost, but it sure got cold enough. I actually had to turn on my furnace to get the chill out of the house. The inside thermostat read a whopping 58 degrees in here, which is way too cold for me. No wonder even the door knobs were cold!

I have a feeling that this winter is going to be a harsh one, and I’m going to have to start stocking up on the basic “survival stuff” that will help if the power goes out, which it usually does. At least I have a gas stove, which helps a great deal in the winter months.

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Storms around us

  • Posted on June 28, 2012 at 10:03 am

The weather around us has been terrible, and storms have caused power outages all around us. So far though, we have only had about ten minutes of rain and the wind whipped up a little bit.

Despite of the weather forecasts saying we are to get storms, we haven’t had any and it’s a mixed feeling. Some of my family living in various areas south of my have had power outages and their neighbors  have had a lot of wind and hail damage. There are towns and small cities with power outages that is not expected to be restored for weeks. It’s so sad. There is going to have to be a lot of home improvement after the clean up.

I am now going into storm survival mode, gathering up and also stocking up on things we may need, just in case of any power outages and severe weather. We have a small gasoline generator, but I have to learn how to use it. I don’t have a clue about it. Time I learn, just in case. It’s part of survival and I have to be up on it.

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Perfect weather

  • Posted on March 21, 2012 at 11:10 pm

This whole week, this area couldn’t ask for more perfect weather. It’s kind of surreal, that normally at this time of year, it’s still cold and it even may snow a few more times, or there have been big freezes. I think people are starting to get comfy with the way the weather has been lately, and don’t realize that it isn’t even April yet. The weather here has always been anyone’s guess

Last week we had tornado warnings and watches, storms and great light and sound shows from those storms. Then came this beautiful, sunny and 85 degree weather. But along with sun and high temps, the bugs and animals are “forced” to come out of hiding and hibernation much earlier lately. Like I said, I do have that little scared, “niggly” feeling tucked not to far from the surface. It’s making me even more aware than usual. I have my emergency supply kit, and some other kits made up that I have been learning that I may need during times like this. It helps with the worry. I have enough for my family and a few close friends that I know are stocking for us also. It’s a sort of survival family so to speak, in case something terrible does happen. We like to think positive, but be prepared.

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Hatcheries and backyard chickens

  • Posted on March 7, 2012 at 7:29 pm

When we moved into this house years ago, I wanted to raise chickens in the back yard, complete with hatcheries and everything that would be of help to me, so I could not only have eating chickens, but also laying chickens and fresh eggs. This venture has always been a dream of mine. When we moved here, we bought the property for not only the house, that needed and still needs a lot of TLC, but also for the HUGH back yard we have. It would be awesome to put a pole barn up back there and have the chicken coops outside, and the other equipment I would need, part of the pole barn would work quite well.

I’ve been doing a lot of research about raising chickens and also about even building a hatchery myself. But I have run across really great ones that I don’t have to build, that I think would be perfect for what I have in mind. That is IF I can get my husband to agree. He used to live on a farm and had all sorts of animals, just like me. They even had orchards and a running cider mill in the family for decades. The sad part is…after he graduated, he left the farm and never went back. I never would have left it.

As I said, I have done lots of research and personally I find the whole incubating process totally fascinating. Actually I found everything about raising, breeding and all the various kinds of chickens there are, an awesome learning experience. Now I’m more determined to raise chickens of all sorts, than I ever have been. It may turn into a very lucrative business. And I’d also get fresh chicken and fresh brown eggs, for me to eat if I didn’t get attached to the chickens. Besides, with the economy the way it is, and the food prices as they are, raising chickens might not be a bad idea to be preparing for what my come in the future.

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