Country Living With Emma

In the first part, I talked about specific examples of hard situations we may have in our lifetimes. In this part, I'll discuss ways to deal with the stress. 

We all go through hard times. They may be personal or collective, but they're still stressful. We need to be prepared to deal with the stress. 

As we age, it's important to make things easier to do. I added the planter boxes to the railing on my side porch to grow herbs, although you can grow anything in them. Making things easier to do increases the likelihood of success. Self-watering Deck Railing Planters

My work world is high-tech, and my personal world is very low-tech. It's an interesting dynamic. People in the high-tech world don't get low-tech, and the same goes for the reverse.

Ella and her husband take up ranch life. 

With all the chaos going on around us, what can we do right now?

Automating garden tasks is a game-changer. Last week, I highlighted irrigation timers. This week, I want to discuss a great hose option to go with the timer. Sprinkler Hose

All the disruptions in the world are having an adverse affect of the supply chain. No matter the cause, ordinary people end up bearing the consequences. This is a good time for us to be thinking about putting a few things back while we can still get them. Provident Prepper

We Baby Boomers remember the original energy crisis when gas was rationed based on your license plate. 

Ella and her neighbors at the camp have an encounter with Comanches.

The blog, Prep School Daily, is a great resource for preparedness. Here are some articles detailing the benefits of gardening. Cognitive Benefits Psychological Benefits Physiology Benefits  

Automating garden tasks like watering is a huge help. Here is a link to an irrigation timer that can really help. Irrigation Timer

People and merch watching at Walmart can be very educational. You can learn a lot about the society in an area by what goes on at Walmart. 

Ella, like Louvenia, married a Texas Ranger and lived in the Ranger camps. However, she and her husband went on to other adventures, including buffalo hunting!

Tuesday morning our low was 25° F! That's chilly for us in Winter, much less Spring! The ability to cover and protect new plants in the garden is important. Here's a link to the garden clips I use: Garden Clips

This is the time to learn gardening. It can be as cheap or as expensive as you choose. There is loads of free information on gardening online and available from your county extension office. Take advantage of it! Plus, a Scottish study found that gardening decreases our risk of developing dementia by 35%! Get outside and grow something!

We finish up Lou's adventures with the Texas Rangers. 

Today is the 52nd anniversary of a day that fundamentally changed my life. I was 17 years old. "New normal" wasn't a thing then, but that's exactly what happened.

We will finish up talking about various textile skills that were handy during wartime.  Tool of the Week: Needle Puller Aunt Becky

How did our ancestors produce textile during times when supply chains were interrupted by war?

Developing a can-do attitude and mindset is free, but is invaluable in challenging circumstances. Prepper Princess YouTube Channel

The Rangers go to Laredo and Louvenia goes to San Antonio.  The soldiers at Fort McKavett were paid less than $15 per month which would be less than $500 in today's dollar. The Rangers were making about $1300. Prep School Daily

This episode is all over the place, but mostly it's about how we are more likely to experience a personal SHTF than a societal one.

2 days without water due to the pressure switch on the well going out. The tool of the week, the battery-powered siphon pump, was a big help for transferring water from one container to another.

We're starting Frugal Fridays with knitting and crocheting. There are many sources for yarn, and even needles and hooks. Look for supplies in garage sales, estate sales, and even thrift stores. However, check the prices against the prices at Walmart and Hobby Lobby. Some people think very highly of their used stuff! Here is a link to the dishcloth I like to knit. The cost of terrycloth dishcloths...