Preparing to Store Leaves for Goldenrod Tea

I know it's been a while since I posted. I will be posting more on a regular basis. This post is a little more different. Survival encompasses many different aspects. One thing for sure in order to survive you have to have food and other things to help you in time of need. There are many things we omit from our awareness when we are caught up with the day to day life we lead. Especially if we are busy people trying to survive in this technology rich environment. Some people give up on that type of life and go live off grid. I have especially been looking at this. I have made steps in that direction.

If we want to survive major issues and exist with our families in safety we must provide our own food. Gardens and learn how to garden is a must. Canning will be next in order to save what we grow throughout the year ahead. 

I have found this great book. I am always reading it or referring to it.

I have learned a lot from this book. It made me aware of those plants around me and to think of foraging for different plants not directly around me. One plant I found in my own backyard was Goldenrod. You can make a tea out of it that is good for colds, allergies and brachial congestion. So if you living on your own off grid then this would be a good tea to have. The plant is not hard to find. But there are look a likes so you need to be sure you have found the right plant. This book goes into all the look a likes, etc. I found I had this plant in my own backyard and was able to get as much as I wanted or needed to make the tea. 

I ended up buying a dehydrator, a cheap one from Amazon with free delivery of course with Prime.  I dehydrated quite a few plants.

So today I spent taking the dried plants and getting the leaves and flowers off the stems and into a Folgers container. So it's not a coffee container anymore. lol This is how I spent today. 

   These are some of the stems with the dried leaves on them. Fun, fun, fun

I have a bag ready for the stems I am throwing away. It's cheap and easy.

This is the finished product. A container full of tea leaves to use.

   I did this job with my helper cat on my lap. He was interested in what I was doing. lol

Everyone needs a helper cat or dog. So maybe you need to find a good one at a local pet shelter that needs a good home. That is where I got this cat (Sandman) and he has worked out greatly. He follows me room to room and likes to be with me on my lap. As you can see.  A very good helper.

When Things Get Tougher

 As time goes on and things get tougher here in the USA what do you think will happen all around us. Those criminals will prey on those that have been prepared like you and me for what we have that is valuable to us. That could be the food that you have and other forms of value. So you will need to protect your family. I know when the gas prices went up over $4.00 a gallon and covid hit there were people stealing gas out of tanks to get gas while we slept safe in our beds. People lost jobs when covid hit making them very aware of their own needs and the quickest way to fulfil those needs was to steal from others in the cover of darkness. 

If you buy and store your food a word of advice is you do not spread it around to everyone that you have a years worth of food stocked. Only tell those who need to know. 

Also, you will want to protect what you have for your families. Buy a gun or guns, crossbow if you don't like guns or other form of protection. Make sure it's registered as well am not suggesting you not go by the laws within your individual states. 

It's been suggested by many and for many years to buy gold and silver. Now is the time to buy this as the dollar gets devalued? You will always have something of value to use as money when money is no longer there and the banks having trouble. I have heard when some banks close you can't even get your money out or back from them. Lately I have heard that many actors and actresses have lost millions when certain banks have close the last few months. They still have enough to live on, but lost millions. So what did the little people lose? Something to think about. It's only the actors and actresses we hear about.

These are just some things to think about. Like I said in an earlier post I do not preach doom and gloom. Just trying to make people aware of what could be happening already and help people move forward rolling with the punches so to speak. Be prepared that is the motto. Please leave comments if you feel a need to. Or would like to see certain things here on this blog. I take suggestions. Or post me an email note using the form in the right margin. Cheers!

Survival Food Stores

In regards to my previous post. The link I gave you was for survival books. However, the survival food link you should be going to is the following link:

https://www.4patriots.com

Here is other survival food links. I have not bought from these sites yet. But between all the links I give you here you may find some great buys to help cut costs. Then you can stock up on survival foods. There may be other companies am not aware of yet.

https://www.valleyfoodstorage.com

https://www.readywise.com

https://www.nutrientsurvival.com

https://www.nutristorefoods.com

https://www.beprepared.com

https://www.augasanfarms.com

https://www.peakrefuel.com

https://www.mypatriotsupply.com

https://www.peakrefuel.com

https://www.4patriots.com      I have bought from this company and they have great buys.

Good luck with your survival efforts and keeping your family safe.

4Patriots Wholesale Club

Well here is a place to buy many different things for survival. One thing that I have been buying is there 72 hour survival package. They just had a sale on 72 hour packages...buy one get two free. I bought a few of these during the sale. They are good to have in you survival storage as they are freeze dried and last for 25 years. So you can use them when you need them. Here is the link so you can see what is offered. They will notify you for sales throughout the year if you give them your email.

https://patriotwholesaleclub.com/

They sell a lot of other things as well as food for storage. Like solar generators and survival tools etc.

Am Back After a Very Long Break!

Well it's been a real long time since I posted on this blog. Well am picking things up now. I moved back east to Maine and then to Connecticut. I have been in CT for 14 years and finally realized why I went through so much training my last 6 years in the Navy. Well I went through land survival, SERE, desert survival and ultimately jungle survival in the Philippines. Thought I would never use those skills. However, the last few years things have gotten pretty bad in the world and the USA. I have looked for survival ways of coping with all this.  So bought land a while back in Maine. This land will be used for living off grid if things get so bad that I need to move on the land. My family also can use the land for survival reasons as well. The talk of nuclear attacks by Russia, North Korea and China really has done it for me. There is so much unrest in the world right now. Even protests in Israel right now. South China sea issues with Taiwan, the US and China. Ever more reasons for 3rd World War out there. So survival is going to be the thing and maybe real soon. Have been building up on my home property ways in which to garden as much as possible so that if successful will help us to live on the property in Maine. So am going to use this blog SpookAW Chronicles for survival tips and references for others as well as reminders for myself. Check back on here if your interested and need information on survival. These may be the skills needed in the future. The Mormon church teaches their members about obtaining a year supply of foodstuffs and things to survive emergencies as well. So you may want to check with friends that are Mormons and find out how to learn more about it. Many members have companies they deal with that offer help in obtaining and stockpiling things for their year supply. Buying in bulk of course as well as quality. Many blessing to all in these times of needs.

It's been a real long time!

I have not posted in a real long time. Was going through a lot of changes and was not ready to share here. Sorry it's been a long time. I will see if I can catch some of the time up or just draw a line in the sand and start fresh. Many blessings to all!

Update from Maine

     Hello All...Well from California I headed back to Texas. I found that California and I did not mix well if I was going to survive on what little made and going to school. So was back in Texas and ended up in the hospital for a couple of days. While there I had the realization that I was out in the middle of the USA with no family or friends. So the next leg of the path or journey was to move back to the east coast.
     I stopped in CT thinking I would stay there. All it ended up being was a recursive event. I had come back to the area to settle and there was no work to be had. No family there either. My daughter had moved back to North Carolina. So I still was with no family.
     I was able to reconnect with my mother and my brother from CT. Which was nice. I later reconnected with my daughter Lindsay and my son Ben in New Hampshire. I visited up there and found an RV site for the summer. So moved up there. I figured being close to family we would be able to see each other from time to time. Which has been nice.
     Since being in ME. I was able to take part in the birth of a granddaughter from Ben and Misty. Lindsay is due in January 2008. Also, Melanie in Oklahoma is due in February 2008. It has to be something in the water. Lindsay and Melanie both are having boys. That brings the grandchildren total up to 10.
     I had been all over the USA this past year or more and had looked at land in all areas. I even bought land in Oklahoma, but never considered buying in ME in the past. So now I own 21 acres in ME. I have some good plans for the land. I am so looking forward to moving things forward with the land. As for the mean time I have moved into a year round RV site and am digging in for the winter.
     Many things needing to be done for winterizing. Skirting completely around the bottom so that no cold air blows underneath. Also, insulating all the lines. The trailer stays pretty warm and then the next little issue. Steam on the windows. So a dehumidifyer needs to be added to the list.
     It has been a while since I have updated this blog. Sorry for the gaps. I will do better in the future. I have internet access now. It's not as good as I have had in the past, but better than nothing.
     So that is all for now. Many blessings to all that read it.

California is the place for me!

     Well I moved again. I left Texas and am in California. I ended up in Coronado, Ca for a few weeks and have settled down for a while in El Cajon. I have a lot of work to do. I jumped right into the graduate program on Monday. I arrived in California on Saturday. There has been plenty of homework to do. I have ended up in the library almost every day.
     One good thing about the California libraries...they have internet access. So I can hook up the laptop and get on their network. Just have to find a quiet spot somewhere. Seem's everyone uses the libraries here. I found the best time to go is in the mornings. The kids are out of school around 2:30pm. So I can get a lot done until then. It feels good working on the masters program. The work is hard and it has been challenging. This is what I have needed. The bachelors degree was long, but not challenging...it was just a milestone. I have completed my first course and that was a milestone as well. It seems just like anything a system is all one needs. This first class I hope I worked out a lot of the kinks and now it won't be as stressfull.
     The trip out here went smoother than I thought. When I went through Tucson, AZ it was a bit rough traffic wise. They were having a huge gem show and traffic was bumper to bumper. Another problem I thought I was going to have was with snow in New Mexico. I had just gone over the border into New Mexico at night and had snow. It was cold as well. I pulled into a rest area and stayed till the next morning and it had cleared. I had visions and flashbacks of the last time I went accross New Mexico. I had three accidents then and a head on with a semi during a major snow storm that lasted a few days. I had hoped I would make it across New Mexico this time without snow. Well I did.
     The next milestone was the mountains of California. I made it, but went up the steep mountains at 20 to 25 miles an hour. I was so worried about the mountains. I was relieved when I had made it.
     California is nice and I missed it, but it has it's drawbacks. The main one is the traffic. It's terrible. There are cars zipping everywhere. Your lucky if anyone let's you switch lanes. You really have to be a defensive driver here. It also seems you can't go anywhere and find a place to be alone. Go to the park and there are plenty of people. I have not been used to this the last few years. Living in the midwest with Oklahoma and Texas has been different.
Well that's all for now.