Country Living With Emma

It's hard to stay alert to threats, cyber and general, all the time. Now is not the time to relax. 

We're catching up on garden progress and plans for the weekend.

Mary hits the Chisholm Trail with the cowboys and whole bunch of cattle. 

One of the best ways to combat stress is to be grateful. There's even a website: Gratefulness.org

Canning time is right around the corner. The jar opener tool is so handy!

The Transcontinental Railroad was an engineering feat unprecedented at the time, and it had to be built by hand. May 10th is the 157th anniversary of its completion. In the 21st century, we are still reaping the benefits of the back-breaking and dangerous work our ancestors accomplished. In the aftermath of the Civil War, it helped bring our country back together again.

Working with our hands accomplishes many things, including important brain functions. 

We're starting a new story today. Mary was one of the few women to participate in a cattle drive up the Chisholm Trail. 

I love my treadle sewing machine, but no electricity means no built-in light. The Flexible Gooseneck Arm Work Lamp with Magnetic Mounting Base solves that problem! Also, I use a clip-on light for cross-stitch and other types of needlework.  Flexible Gooseneck Arm Work Lamp with Magnetic Mounting Base Rechargeable Clip-on Book Light Stitchin Heaven Quilt Shop

I had the opportunity over the weekend to take a younger coworker friend to her very first quilt show. I hope she enjoyed it as much as I did. It's always fun for those of us who love quilting to share it with others! I referenced my trip to the International Quilt Show back in October. The episode number is 292.

We finish up Ella's story today with the death of her first husband and her 2nd marriage. 

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!