As I sit and read Little House in the Big Woods to my girls I can't help but wonder if we will be returning to the time where simplicity and hard work are the standard? We Americans are disgustingly spoiled. Some of our biggest choices are whether to get a latte or a manicure! How did we get so shallow and lazy?
As the girls and I study history I keep thinking of the latin phrase they memorized. Historia Magistra Vitae. History is the teacher of life. Why have we not yielded to what history has taught us? Hasn't every strong and unbeatable empire in history fallen at some point? Do we REALLY think that our very young country is immune to invasion, civil war, and total upheaval? It is not ladies and gentlemen. It isn't. The direction we are headed is scary to say the least. Our history of excess and greed has set us up to fall in a VERY big way. The question is, "Are you prepared?" I am not but I am planning.
What does planning for imminent disaster require? Well simply we need to stop depending on meeting our needs from outside sources. We need to start, even in the smallest way, to begin to reclaim independence. I just read an article that stated simply that 3% self-sustainable is a far cry from 0%. We all know what needs to be done and here is the short list:
1. Garden and can. That simple. If grocery trucks stop running for 1 week the effect will be devastating. With gas prices soaring and no rest in sight it is a real probability that groceries could go up by as much as 300%. What will you do? I have a plan for deck boxes and more garden space that I will add to each year.
2. If possible have chickens. They aren't allowed in my neighborhood but if the shit hits the fan I will be getting some regardless.
3. Have an alternative source of energy. Not a generator but solar power. If a major grid goes down, which it has already done, we could be without electric for weeks. I would love to get 2 or 3 panels on the roof to compensate.
4. Water source. Do you have a backup source if you live off town water? I don't actually have a back up source but I do have 30K gallons of water in my back yard that could be cleaned and used to drinking.
5. Stock up. Slowly I will be stocking the essentials that last awhile. Batteries, canned goods, sanitizer, bleach, meds....you get the picture. There are many people who are collecting silver coin and gold because they may be the go-to barter item in the event that banks go down.
Does this sound nuts? Maybe. Is Glenn Beck nuts? He may be but he has also been very right many times. Will I need to supplement my family's food? Maybe. Will walking to the grocery store be an essential? Maybe. Tough times are ahead my friends and we are kidding ourselves if we think that this country is going to fix itself. Just think and make a few changes. That's all I ask. Some day soon lattes will not be the luxury, but toilet paper and milk will be. Review history and you will see.
Red food coloring added a great touch and the salt dough, which had dried for 3 days, really held up against the liquid.
On a second attempt we had a worm-like thing erupt which created more laughing than science!