We're All in This Together

Hello Everybody, Frank here.

A couple of days back, I actually think it was Saturday, Fern published an article entitled, One More Wake Up Call. The article was basically about what happened in Paris, France. It was a horrible event, a tragedy, and according to the President of France, it was an "act of war". Those words mean something coming from the head of state, it means that his country has been attacked and that his country is going to respond to the attack. I hope he follows up. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the French people.

Back to Fern's article. We both thought it was a good write, but neither one of us thought it was anything spectacular. Thought provoking maybe, but you never know how the readers are going to respond. We have published things that we thought were zingers, with few to no comments. And then the opposite happens, we put out something that's fair, mediocre, okay and it seems to flip a switch with the readers. This was one of those articles.

The comments that we received had a depth and insight that caught us off guard. There were responses from 'Down Under' from readers with family in Europe. The entire group was focused, articulate and well spoken. A lot of folks don't read the comments, but this is one time I'm going to ask you to read these comments. These are people just like you and I that have opinions. I think you will be surprised at some of the thought that was put into these replies. There seems to be a general thread, and I for one was proud and honored to read them. I hope you find some satisfaction in reading them also.

I would like to thank all of the fine folks that took the time to comment and share their feelings and perspective. It has given us a great deal to ponder.

God Bless. 

We'll talk more later,

Frank 

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Anonymous 

Hi Fern,

It is terrible news from Europe and especially the country of France about the muslim bombings and shootings . You hit the nail on the head with the very trying question, where next? The muslim invasion of Europe is a foretelling of what we in the U.S. may be in for in the very near future, especially if the government starts to import " refugees", and I use that term very loosely. It should come as no surprise to the U.S. when similar events occur on our soil, remember , we are considered the great satan by the muslims. When atrocities are done in the name of allah and the muslim community makes no effort to show any sorrow, any grief or any signs of condolence I become very distrustful of them to say the least . Their silence speaks volumes to me.

I believe it will soon be a very intense time of difficult questions, difficult answers and and some very difficult decisions for Americans. Yesterday was the best time for us to have the discussions, before things started to get a little dicey. Right now is the next best time to have those discussions, do it now. What will you and your family do when events seem out of control? Can you feed, clothe, protect and provide for your family? Can you afford to provide charity to the young and the elderly?

Martial law is our biggest concern, I can't fight the government, state, or local police, nor do I want to even consider that option. I love what this country once was, but I know that it will never be the same in my lifetime.

I suggest going to the Lord in prayer for guidance, comfort and direction in all things, big or small.

Bluesman

Hello, Bluesman. Your thoughts are well put, well placed and I concur. Our government is shipping in immigrants from Syria, Somalia and other peace loving nations. I don't question any more our governments motives. I don't see this thing turning out well, people have been blinded and most of those that can see stick their head in the sand. I really appreciate your comment. Thank you.

Frank

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Anonymous

Amen..... 

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Vicki

For some time I have been watching with interest the escalation of racial hatred in our country. And then Paris was attacked. It didn't take me long to figure out that we have threats coming on at least two fronts. Our leaders in government have done everything they could think of to promote hate and discontent between the races. And they roll out the red carpet to "refugees," including those whose only goal is the elimination of all who do not believe in their god.

We are living in a runaway freight train world. The bridge about a mile down the line is out. A wreck is inevitable. If we don't do everything we can to get ready, we will go down in flames.

As far as sharing what I have stored for my family, I don't think so. I will not sacrifice one of my own to appease those who are busy playing while I am working to keep my family alive.

There are no safe zones. Politically correct microaggressions are a crock of crap. If a person needs a trigger warning so they don't have to deal with anything bad, I have a news flash for them. Nobody is going to give them a warning when something bad is headed their way. Just ask those poor people at the theater in Paris.

Vicki, your comments are well taken. In our house you could not have said it any better. I don't think it can be stopped. We're going to have to deal with the consequences that have been put in motion, and we may not weather well at all. I hate saying things like that, but it appears that the writing is on the wall. We are weak as a society and our leaders are traitors. We have been sold out. It's not that they can't see. They can. I wish I knew why, but I will probably never be privileged with that information. We all need to do the best we can. Thank you again.

Frank

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Anonymous

Fern, I have been fighting for Constitutional government for 40 years. Our Founders' Republic has been squandered. Just 25 years ago the world could look to Reagan’s ‘shining city on a hill’. Its lights are now dark. America is bleeding out. Something will replace it. Pray for that.

Getting a grasp of all the battlefronts was overwhelming; a deceitful tyrannical government, treasonous leaders yielding sovereignty to powerful globalists, a media controlled by wolves, an emerging Nazi Police State, Socialists tearing down God’s natural laws to promote deviant behaviors, gun-grabbers intent on disarming Americans, Nazi indoctrination centers posing as ‘schools’, murderers of 3,000 unborn babies every day, warmongering Neocons murdering and harming millions of innocent people in their continuous wars.

Christ distilled them into one word, ‘wolves’. And Christ warned us about ‘hirelings’ who are supposed to be shepherds protecting us from the wolves. They should be willing to lie down their lives to protect us. But hirelings flee when the wolves attack the sheep. (John 8:11-12) Sadly, America’s House of God fell first. It fell to hirelings.

There is hope for the future. But for right now follow Fern's advice. Take action to protect your loved ones. Parents, that’s YOU! NOW! And give your children the greatest gift, Jesus Christ.

The list of current events you gave us are accurate and heartbreaking. This is where we are and it is unbelievable most days. Thank you for giving us even more to think about. Blessings to you and yours. Be ready.

Fern

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Tewshooz

Islam is the enemy....always has been. Total odds with Christianity. The president is a Muslim and what our enemies cannot do from without, he is doing from within. Divide and conquer and the stupid liberals in this country are too busy being offended and huddling in their safe zones to notice. Even the so called Christian churches are in on the resettling the Muslims here, They are the current temple money changers and Judases, selling us down the river. But, take heart....this has all been foretold and those of us who are awake will know the face of Satan and look away towards our God.

How can people be so blind, Tewshooz? I know what has been foretold, but why is it so easy for so many people to swallow everything hook, line and sinker? And then turn on those that don't? It's an amazing world we live in and one I don't like looking at very closely sometimes. It seems to just ooze evil out every pore. Thank you for your comment.

Fern

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Deborah Harvey

harry flashman at 'self sufficient mountain living' reports that moslems stop traffic in atlanta by 'praying' in the middle of the streets! arrogance and laughing up their sleeves at those whom they inconvenience.also read that there were celebrations in moslem areas of paris when news of the attack came through. that might not be true, don't know.

Rumors always abound, Deborah, who knows.

Fern

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Anonymous

I've thought about your post today, wanting and needing to reply. My heart hurts for the people of Paris, for the families that lost loved ones. I believe that soon it will come to OUR country, maybe to your town.

Are you prepared? What are you waiting for? Maybe you need to dust off the box that your canner or dehydrator came in, and learn how to use it before it's too late. I pray that you're ready.

Grace

Hi, Grace. I don't believe it's coming to our country, I believe it's here. We're not immune to what happened in Paris, it won't be long. What are people waiting for? They're waiting for the government to take care of them. Thank you for your ideas.

Frank

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Anonymous

Hi,
I am from direct German ancestry, I live in NZ , here its a very peaceful country, what sickens me and has me very very hopping mad, is the MSM even here talk about the terrorists ! no one in the MSM mentions the " I " and " M" words ! no one else dares breathe the jihad word !, the PC correct brigade of loony lefties and elite university professors never talk about the violent 103 verses in the koran or the verses in the Hadiths or the Sura that call for the killing of the Jew and Christian, the culpable and traitorous leaders we have in the West are opening the doors even wider two days later, down here they talk about how the ideas promoted by the right are the cause of the problem and how here in NZ we need to let in many thousands more of Islamic refugee's and must tolerate them because its racist otherwise!

Hello. Thank you for sharing a different perspective. Look at what's happening in Sweden, they have an open door policy. I guess if the system is not abused, for whatever the reason, then it is a good thing to help those in need. But letting a destructive foreign army into your house or your country is suicide. That's what we're doing. We are inviting our enemy into our houses. How stupid are we? No kidding. How disillusioned and blind have we become to not see the enemy looking into our eyes, taking what we have and reconstructing the hell holes where they have come from? We have done this to ourselves, just look at what's happening in Sweden.

Frank

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Anonymous

Merkel is a traitor, I don't know what her real motivation is, but its all not good, my Auntie's in Germany have been told that they must make a room available for a economic refugee , they will be paid 15,000 Euro as a once only payment, if they refuse making a room available then the fine is 50,00 Euro and legal action from the town Burgameister (Mayor) , note this is legally enforceable in Saxony and lower Silesia, the German people themselves have done this by allowing the stigma of being called a nazi tag to stick. Anyone speaks up they are labelled a " Nazi " and then immediately shut up.

My prediction is civil war in Germany, it is too late to stop this, firearms ARE available in Germany and many in the country have arms hidden from the end of the war, so many people in Germany are angry and scared, the country cannot cope with millions of Moslem men who are angry with ideas of Jihad , so please if you read this, please pray for the Germans who also prepare and see the storm ahead, many of us will also suffer, I think many Germans will also die when the storm of Islam rises, so America will also suffer our fate, I am fortunate to not be in Germany, but all my relatives are, it will not matter which western country you are in soon, we can but prepare accordingly.
Regards
Wolfgang

Anonymous

Remember back to your 2010 Census form when the Guvmint asked about your house? How many people, how many bedrooms etc. Do you actually think they didn't ask for this exact situation? How long will it be before the Guvmint will tell you to make room, under the threat of the gun, for some Islamic family in your spare rooms?

Carl in the UP

Thank you, Wolfgang. I am sorry for those countries, as I am sorry for the USA. I was once told that kindness can be seen as weakness. Due to past failed societies, we have burdened ourselves with weakness. There are multiple examples, but I can't mention them because it's a hate crime. This is where we are, we are all going to suffer and I don't know what the outcome is going to be. This is the way it is. Today it is raining at my house. This is the way it is. Thank you for your comments.

Frank

Hi, Carl. I sure hope you're wrong, but hope is a very poor strategy, isn't it? But I still HOPE you're wrong.

Frank

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Calidore

While watching the horrific scenes in Paris on TV my children (20 and 16) commented that they are glad we live in the country as it won't happen here. It broke my heart but their father and I had to inform them that it could happen anywhere. Yes we live in Australia and yes we live in the country but that doesn't mean we are totally safe. All we can do is prepare as best we can, hope and pray. DH and our worker where discussing later just what an attack on a country town would mean. It was very simple - it would be a statement that NO ONE IS SAFE. We are at WAR of that I'm totally convinced and my Mum made the comment that every generation experiences war (she is in her 70's) but each time war is different with different rules and aggressors. This mass exodus of refugees is for a reason and it terrifies me to think of what that reason is.

My prayers are with you all no matter where you live.

Calidore, thank you for your prayers. I believe you are right, we are at WAR. But our western ways show us that we're slow learners. We as a country and government still think that the might of an aircraft carrier will intimidate and defeat our enemies. How foolish! War is not fought with who has the biggest stick, but we just can't seem to get rid of that illusion. We can bomb all day long and it will not stop what is happening or what is coming.

I'm not sure where to go with this, but we have got to change the way we see things. We have got to fight on their level, but to do so we're going to have to change our compassionate, sympathetic, open door ideology. We have cornered ourselves with some of our civil rights laws. It appears that everybody has a right to do whatever, except the majority. Our foundation has been eroded, we are under attack and it's against our laws to even discuss what is necessary to do to fight this enemy.

Our soldiers are gallant, our leadership are cowards.

Prepare. Thank you.

Frank

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Susan Nielsen

It seems that most of the "refugees" shown coming off the boats and marching into towns are mostly young men. Where are the women, children and elderly? Did these young men abandon their families in war zones to death? Shouldn't they be trying to defend their country?

Good points, Susan. They are defending their country against the Great Satan because that's why they're here. When we send our warriors off to fight, we don't send their families with them either. And when they send their warriors off to fight, they're not sending their families with them either. So it's obvious these are not refugees, this is an army. We are under attack. We are housing and feeding this army so they can bite the hand that feeds them. That's why you don't see the women and children, because they are back home praying for their soldiers, just like we pray for ours. Thank you for your observation.

Frank

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The events unfolding around the world affect us all no matter where we live. We are all in this together. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts with us, from them we learn so much.

God bless you all. 
Fern

The Versatility of Things

Frank ran across a very interesting article today at the Urban Survival Site called 32 Foods That Aren't Just for Eating. This is a very interesting list in and of itself. Better yet, each item in the list is a link to another site with more uses for that particular food. Take garlic for instance, it is linked to a site that has 20 unusual uses for garlic. It's a great article with lots of valuable resources.

When I came to baking soda on the list I had to smile. It reminded me of our choice to use only baking soda for toothpaste. I also quit using the popular scrubbing liquids for cleaning and now use a small amount of baking soda, a drop of Dawn dish washing liquid and a wet rag. It works great.

More than anything this list is an exercise in creatively thinking about how to extend the use of not only foods, but just about any item that comes in the door. Frank and I look at many empty containers and wonder what they can be used for instead of being thrown away. The scraps of lumber from building projects are kept for use in other projects that require smaller pieces of wood, or are put in the kindling pile. We use stock panels to stake our tomatoes on instead of cages. At the end of the season, we take down the panels so we can till the garden. The panels and t-posts are stacked nearby for use again the next year.

As prices get higher and higher, and in some instances, the availability of some things come into question, it's a good mental exercise to determine what we really need, not just want, but really need to perform our daily tasks, regardless of where we live. I was talking to a friend of ours yesterday about things we may need in the coming days, weeks and months. She said she used to buy things like shoes or clothes with her extra money, but now she buys things she knows she will need in her garden, for canning her food or for her chickens. Times have changed and our purchasing habits have definitely changed.

Not long ago we had a comment in which the person spoke of her family and friends and their purchasing choices. They told her they knew they needed to prepare, but didn't know how or where to start, so they just kept living like nothing was wrong or was going to happen. All the while this person has been scrimping and saving to obtain the things she will need should a disaster or collapse occur. There are many of us that have changed the way we look at the world and the value we place on a given item. There are many of us that no longer look at dust catchers as things we want to acquire. The appearance of things no longer determines it's value, the usefulness or functionality of the item is what puts it higher on our list of things to consider.

An example. Right now I am more interested in getting my outdoor kitchen constructed and in working order than I am in having a dishwasher. I have drawn out a preliminary plan for Frank to ponder. You see, I have many ideas that turn out to be unrealistic in the category of feasibility. But if I can explain or draw it out well enough and give it to Frank to think about, he can adjust it to the point that it will work. It might not even be close to the particular idea I started out with, but it still meets the need I had in the first place. To build this outdoor kitchen there aren't many things we will need to get because we have already obtained many of the items to complete it. Some of them we have had for a quite a while, not knowing exactly what we were going to do with them, but at the same time, knowing they would be useful should the SHTF. They have worked very well into this plan. 

Versatility. That is what the Urban Survival Site reminded me of. Not only things, but many food items are versatile as well. Use your creativity and imagination, analyze your situation, your supplies and your needs, not necessarily wants, but needs. What are the things or food items you need to acquire before things get dicey or inflation gets worse or the dollar is devalued? What can you do right now to make your family more secure in their preparations? 

Frank and I spend much of our time thinking just like this now days. We continue to hear and read many things that indicate the hour glass is quickly running out of sand. When that last grain falls with a resounding crash, will you be ready?  

Until next time - Fern

The Nutrition of Green Beans & Some Pondering

Green beans are one of those All American foods, right? We all grew up knowing that we needed to eat our green beans because they are good for us. We had to eat them so we could have dessert, or some other preferable food. So, for all of these years we have continued to grow and eat them.

Recently, Frank and I were talking about this year's green bean crop, how they taste and such. We came to the conclusion that green beans are okay, but not something we really enjoy. If there is another vegetable option, we will normally choose something else besides green beans, or corn either, for that matter. It's an interesting revelation to come to after all of these years. 

Green beans are easy to grow and easy to can. Corn, on the other hand, takes up a lot of room and nutrients before it produces much. Most of the open pollinated corn we grow only produces one ear per stalk. We have decided that we won't grow corn or green beans in the garden next year. The corn we will just do without. We may try growing some field corn for the animals and to grind into corn meal, but the sweet corn we will forgo for a time. What we will plant are pinto beans. We have grown them once before and they are just as easy as pole beans.  A friend of mine grew pinto beans and initially picked them young and tender, to cook like green beans. We can do that, as well as let them mature and cook as pinto beans. Then, we will also be able to can them as pintos, or let them dry and store them to cook later. So, this is the result of our garden pondering lately. 

With all that being said, I still wanted to see what nutrition green beans provide, after all, we all know they are good for you. From one cup of snap green beans, boiled with salt we get the following nutrients.

• calories 44
• carbohydrates 9.8g 
• protein 2.4g
• vitamins A, C, K
• folate
• choline
• calcium
• magnesium
• phosphorus
• potassium
• sodium
• Omega-3 & Omega-6 fatty acids

Our mother's were right, they are very good for you. There are many different varieties to choose from, both bush and pole beans. In our location, they don't have many pests. The grasshoppers like to eat the leaves, but it doesn't seem to deter the plants, even when they look rather dismal. Green beans and other legumes are great for fixing nitrogen in the soil and rebuilding an area that grew a heavy feeder, like corn, the previous year.

When we have moved from place to place over the years, corn and green beans are always one of the first things we stock up on. They are the old standards, easy to fix and have a dependable flavor. But after we get set up and have a variety of things to choose from, the corn and green beans kind of go to the back of the shelf. And now, they are going to be left out of the garden. We still have quite a few green beans left that we canned last year, which will eventually get eaten, or not. It's good to learn what works best, and what works best for us, will not necessarily work best with you and yours. It's something we all have to figure out for ourselves. So, happy pondering.

Until next time - Fern

Things You Might Want to Read

There are many things afoot in our country that are getting some attention and causing a lot of distraction. I have read quite a few articles lately that not only give me pause, but much to ponder. I don't usually list articles to read, but as your time allows, some of them are a little lengthy, I would strongly recommend these articles. Some of them are a week or so old, but all of them together paint an interesting picture of the signs of our times. I can't say enjoy the read, because it may cause concern or fear. So, I will say, be brave, have courage and stand your ground, the major challenge is yet to come.

These first articles are a two part series dealing with the influx of people entering our country illegally.

• The UN is Positioning to Lock Down the U.S.
• Analysis: United Nations Assets Will Be Deployed in USA to Resolve "International Crisis" on Border

I found this article to be very interesting. It is about the economic health of our country from the perspective of one of the very rich. It's different.

• The Pitchforks Are Coming For Us Plutocrats 

This article is a history lesson about the planned demise of capitalism, and the rise of socialism.

• Cloward-Piven Strategy

There are many other sources of information to read 'out there' that give me reason to diligently increase my knowledge and skills. The independence with which we live can only continue by the sweat of our brow, the knowledge in our mind, the perseverance of our souls and the blessings from God. All else appears to be working against us. Don't be caught flat footed and unprepared.

Until next time - Fern
 

Under The Weather

Frank and I are both a bit under the weather. We're reading a lot but not writing much, so I wanted to share a few things we have run across.

Over at small farm girl there is a good recipe for a sore throat remedy that works. You will need to go over there and check out the ingredients. It also appears to be somewhat effective for a cough. So, thanks, small farm girl, I appreciate your timely post.

Patrice Lewis, at Rural Revolution, has had a couple of thought provoking posts recently that I would encourage everyone to read. They both gave me something to ponder. The ways of the world are changing quickly. So quickly, in fact, it is difficult to keep up with it all.

More Big Brother

What does Matt know?




Everyone out there in the deep freeze from Old Man Winter is in our thoughts and prayers. We hope you can stay safe and warm, and with the cold weather in mind, here is a little sunshine for you.

Until next time - Fern
 

What Happened To My Butter??

We regularly make butter from our goat milk.

Our standard practice is to let the milk sit for a few days to let the cream rise to the top, then skim it off with a gravy ladle. It works great.

Since we don't get a lot of cream at a time, we freeze it until we need butter again.







Well, I made butter last Sunday and by Tuesday it had a strong, off flavor - more well known as a goaty flavor. Yuck! 

Sometimes when I thaw out the cream I don't get the butter made right away so the cream sits in the fridge. There have been times when this delay has caused the butter to turn rancid earlier than usual. But that wasn't the case this time.

The only thing I can come up with this time, is that some of this cream was saved in the summer when we were constantly overrun with milk. We are thinking maybe the cream sat in the milk longer than usual before we skimmed it, letting it age somewhat before it was ever frozen.

So - this butter turned rancid within a few days and is now going to be either dog food or chicken food. It's too stinky for us to eat. The day after this picture was taken I was making toast in the skillet. Frank came down the hall saying, "The whole house stinks! I'm not putting that stuff in my mouth!" But the butter will get used and eaten - by the chickens. Think of it as a barter. Butter for eggs. Not our original plan, but still useful, in the end.

Life's lessons never end. Even when you think you have the hang of something, it will throw you for a loop. Pondering and figuring are good for the mind. Practice these skills frequently. Don't be afraid to mess something up or fail completely. It will give you another opportunity to ponder and figure again. Think of it as a muscle. If you never do anything, really do anything to exercise your brain the only thing it will ever be able to do is react, which will not lead to new learning or even the ability to come up with solutions.

After TEOTWAWKI (the end of the world as we know it), you will need to have a sharp, keen sense to figure out what to do, when to do it and how it can be accomplished successfully. You will need to have strengthened your ability to calmly ponder and figure your way through, so that you might survive. If you haven't already done so, start practicing every day. If you already do, keep it up. It's kind of like prayer. The more you practice, the better you get. It may make all the difference in the world.

Until next time - Fern