Nice green long grass

The rain has subsided for a while, the weather man says maybe a two week break. We need the rain in California, I wish it rained like this every year. It seems like we are in a permanent drought sometimes, just not enough water even in wet years. The ground is soaked and everything is growing leaps and bounds. It's now time to think about wildfires.

Big fire, little water.

     Wildfires can occur any time of the year in any location, there are many causes, some natural and some not so much. Regardless of how they start, we must be aware that they can, and somewhere will. There are things we can do to prepare and to protect our homes and outbuildings. The tall grass will dry out, it doesn't take much to start it burning. Most wildfires start around 3:00pm, in the afternoon when the sun is hottest. Clear the weeds, rubbish and wood piles (my nemisis) away from buildings, clear wood fences, dead trees and keep coniferous trees watered. To read Fema's suggestions click here.
     My neighbor had a big pine tree next to her house when her neighbors house caught on fire. I had watched her spraying this big tree with water, every day for about 2 weeks. I asked her why she was doing that, her reply was "it washes the pollen off and it helps her alergies. Little did she know that most likely saved her life. At 2:ooam when the fire started she was in zories (flip flops) and a night gown. She ran up her walkway with a garden hose to save the house, wow, be careful with that. I had visions of that tree exploding in flames, she was 5 feet from it, lucky it didn't. But was it luck, I'm not sure, it ended up the tree was so wet it wouldn't burn, I was amazed and frightened it might have. Unintentionally she saved her own life, it was a huge fire, 3 houses burned, 2 to the ground.
     Clear the weeds from around your house, it wll keep the flames from contacting it directly. Keep all of your important papers in a fireproof safe, or on a thumb drive.

Place valuable's in a fireproof safe, lessen the worry.

Get an emergency evacuation kit set up, one for your pets as well. Keep a carrier handy for smaller animals, the large livestock need special planning. Have an out of state telephone number as a contact for family members, make cards to carry in wallets with emergency information on it. If there is a suggestion to evacuate, take it seriously, some will leave some won't, it's a very important decision. Keep fuel in your vehicles at all times, water, food and shelter in the trunk in a bag. The old sing song is if you plan for something it won't happen, if you don't it will, it's happened to me. We should all start thinking about what precautions to take in the early spring to prepare for wildfire.

I'd like to hear your comments and input, do you live in an area prone to wildfires? What would you pack in an evacuation kit?
Thanks for reading jimandkate
emergencykitsplus.com

February winter Garden plans, is composting part of your's?

At the first sign of spring I start thinking of planting the garden, normally false spring is in February. The temps will rise to about 60 degrees for a few days the grass turns a little green and the trees start to bud. We like to grow our own vegetables, it gives us the reality of being able to feed ourselves for a good part of the year. During the summer we live on Tomato sandwiches, cucumber salads and green beans, plus a bunch of other stuff.

Not my garden, I hijacked this photo. 

I raise worms mostly to use the castings as "home made" fertilizer and add to the planting compost, which is in the "cold" compost bin. (more on that in a later blog). I prepare my worm castings by watching the bed beginning in the middle of February, the worms have to move from one section to another in the farm. I like to wait until all of the bedding and food have been eaten leaving behind pure castings. They have to be cured, mostly it means drying out a little bit. They must be kept in a container that allows air flow, we don't want it to become anaerobic, or cured without air. The oxygen allows the good bugs to thrive and the bad ones to not develop. If your castings stink, they went anaerobic, think possible pathogens. That is bad news on your vegetables. Castings should smell like dirt. 

When I plant, I mix a 50/50 blend of potting soil (compost) and castings. When planting I dig a hole in the garden large enough for the root ball plus 1" all around. I place a scoop of the mixture in the bottom of the hole, put the plant in, then fill around it. I then water deeply and move along to the next spot. One other thing rather than watering is the first watering be done with "worm tea". That is when the castings are in a paint strainer or old nylon stocking, tied tightly and placed in a bucket of water for 24 hours while air is bubbling. If this could be compared to a commercial product it would be like a nitrogen rich synthetic. However because this is organic the difference is that a greater amount can be put on the plants without the fear of "burning" them. Sprinkled on the leaves the worm tea helps the blossoms stay on the plants and encourages the natural abilities of the plants to ward off diseases. The downside is, only sprinkle it on the leaves before the blossoms form and never when fruit is on (it is actually manure so wear gloves). One gallon of the fertilizer can be diluted to make 10 gallons, it goes a long way. It does wonders on a lawn as well. Check out worm farming here.

Farming worms is rewarding, they are well
behaved and clean but won't chase sticks.

Anyway I did plant onions, garlic and potato's about 2 weeks ago, the onions and garlic are coming up already. The potato's will come in about two weeks, or when the soil warms just a little bit more. The remainder of the planting will be done around the first of April, It's hard to hold off that long but it's impossible to change the weather enough to ensure the plants won't freeze. I've done that many times, the impatience of being young I guess. I'm no longer able to blame being young for my mistakes in life, I'm old enough that I should have learned a long time ago. 

We'll have onions and garlic in about 60 days from now, that will be enough for the summer, about 30 pounds of onions and 25 garlic bulbs. After the tomato's ripen we'll be making salsa from the garden, that's an enjoyable project, grow a salsa garden. Tomato,Jalapeno, garlic and onion, that's all, and boy is it good. 

If you don't garden, give it a try, it's a good skill to put in your survival "kit". A person has to be a little eccentric to raise worms, but it is as well a really interesting hobby.

Tell us about your garden or a recipe for garden vegetables. If you raise worms, tell us about it.

Thanks for reading jimandkate

emergencykitsplus.com

Diseases spread by mosquitoes, 5 anti bite tips and one bird

There are some word's I have a hard time with, this is one of them. Mosquito, I was doing some searching on the internet pertaining to bug repellent. I was amazed at the number of times I saw it spelled Mosquitoe's, with an "E" at the end. That's how I spell it when I'm in auto pilot, it's the same with potato, tomato and other "toe" words.

There's one of them now!

    On the slough about 1/4 mile from us is a grass island, we at one time called it "bird" island. Now we call it "grass" island, the red wing blackbirds have gone. The birds were decimated, no, eliminated by the "west nile virus", carried by Mosquito's. We have a lot of them here as do most other places in the world. The disease can be suffered by humans as well, there are some things we can do to stay relatively "unbit".
    1) Live in a windy area, Our house is situated in a place of wind, I would guess 7 months of the year are windy, with no let up. I like the wind, it keeps the Mosquito's away. One way to protect ourselves is to stay in the wind. There's other actions we can take.
    2)  Use repellent, I don't know which is best and which isn't but most of the repellent I've used has worked. I don't like the smell or how it feels on my skin, but, that's life.
    3)  Don't walk through wet grass in the early morning, dusk or in the shade, that's where they hang out. Try not to disturb them, it will reduce their numbers if we don't stir that pot.
    4)  Look for standing water and dump it out, flower pots, old tires anything that can hold water. There are huge fields of water right now and vector control is patrolling the island we live on. If you have a problem spot that is bigger than your abilities, call your counties vector control, they will come and take care of it.
    5) There are all kinds of products available, bug zappers, smoke deterrents, plug in things and other's are being invented all the time. The last defense is just stay in the house, that's the idea I like the least.

Red-wing Blackbirds are very pretty birds, they are on
the rebound here, albeit not real rapidly.

    The Red Wing Blackbirds are making a come back, it is slow, I hope they get established again. They are extremely noisy, we could easily hear them from this far away. I didn't see any dead birds anywhere, although there's a lot of open space here making it tough to find them. There isn't a lot we can do to eliminate the pest (Mosquito's not the birds), we have more luck keeping them from attacking us. Bug repellent, long sleeves or stay in the house, summer and the mosquito's will be here sooner than we expect.
    Stay safe and prepare for the bug invasion, when summer's over the bugs will decline, then the rain begins again. The circle of life continues to go round and round.

Thanks for reading jimandkate

emergencykitsplus.com

This isn't just another weather blog, it's a winter weather blog

 When writing, I, and suspect others are as well, are greatly affected by current events. The California rain can be the cause of flash floods, mudslides, sinkholes and the rest. The rain isn't the problem. The fact we get rain like this every 7-10 years is the problem.  Everything dries out so completely. Debris piles up in the drainage canals, river and lake shores. It all floats down stream and clogs something up, then water backs up and voila, a washout.
  On the 3 mile long dead end road we live on, three huge eucalyptus trees (3-4 foot diameter) fell over across the road. People on the wrong side (both sides are the wrong side if you think about it) had a 3 hour holdup. That's when it pays to have a kit in your trunk. The same thing in the snow. I was raised in Minnesota where people typically had supplies in the trunk. A sleeping bag, flashlight, water, jumper cables and collapsible shovel are a few items a person may stage.

  In a situation like the fallen trees, the goal should be to be in a position to help. In a blizzard or snowed in mountain trip, it is a survival situation. It's important to determine the difference and plan accordingly. In the tree situation it's OK to park your car and walk home in the rain. Only if you are prepared for it, then it's very much an option. In a snow stranded situation it's best to not walk out, even if it's a short distance. A cheap heat source to keep in the trunk is a candle, a small clay flower pot and the basin that goes under it. Place the candle on the basin, light it and cover the candle with the pot. Make sure to have a gap under the pot for air to flow. It may keep a person from freezing.
  Last week in Fresno County, a school bus with children in it was driving down a state highway in the rain. This is a road in the middle of nowhere. It divides huge corporate farms on the west side of the valley. A power pole fell over with the lines draped over the bus. Poles continued to fall until 9 were over. The bus driver had all the kids stay in thier seats not touching anything metal. The Utility arrived and cleared the lines. The children were safe. That bus driver may have, and most likely did, keep the kids safe and alive. I know that area well. Some of the electric lines carry 15,000 volts, terrible in any conditions but much worse in the rain with deep puddles everywhere. It's best to assume every electrical line is "live", 15 kilovolts can jump a long way to ground. Ground may be through a person. Stay well clear of downed power lines (click here for advice on power line safety.

, 

  As with every emergency, even if it seems minor, a few seconds of planning and taking a survey of the situation may be a deciding factor. Each occurence is unique. It's wise to keep from panic and stressing out by coming up with a quick plan. Then stick to the plan.

Please comment, tell a story or an incident you may have encountered.

Thanks for reading jimandkate
emergencykitsplus.com  

Take a deep breath

  An interesting event happened during this years Super Bowl (2016). Not the commercials or half time show, but a few seconds of the game. Tom Brady displayed a behavior in overtime. It was one of the last plays of the game. With the score tied, the entire team was full of energy and ran bouncing to the line of scrimmage. Except, Tom Brady, he turned from the huddle and took a leisurely walk to his position. He had to have been in a period of stress, excitement, ego and everything else that goes into that particular few seconds of a person's life. I've heard it refered to as "23 hours of mind numbing boredom, one hour of terror". The quarterback looked up at the crowd and he looked down the field, then took his position. They made the play and went on to win.

We are good thinkers and planners, look at things from a different perspective. 

   In an emergency situation, or a period of high stress, it is a good habit to get into, to slow the situation down. Slow it down in your mind and take stock of all around you. It appeared that's what Tom Brady did. I've done it, I was taught that in my flight deck training in the Navy. It's good advice for any emergency situation. Although, it's a hard behavior to conjure up when a person is stressed.
   It seem's to be a natural reaction during an earthquake. Typically the ground starts to shake and when it's finished I look at whoever (normally my wife) is nearby and I say did you feel that? Was that an earthquake? (Sometimes it's the washing machine, only she knows for sure). That's only in an event of low damage. Still, I think if a "big one" happens a "what happened" moment arrives. Not so much in a home fire, tornado, wild fire or flash flood. A one or two second pause, take a breath, see what's happening, determine a purpose of action and then execute that plan. That one or two seconds could be the most important period of your life. The Red Cross has something to say about it and has some planning advice click here to read it.
    President Bush exhibited the same behavior on 9/11. He was reading a book to grade schoolers. He recieved a message and finished reading the book. He then got up and went to deal with the horrendous crisis. It's a good tool to put in your box.

Not much time to think about this happening!

I'd like to hear your comments. Have you had a few seconds when time seemed to freeze? Thanks for reading.
jimandkate
emergencykitsplus.com

Do you have a Pocket Knife?

I don't remember a time when I didn't have a pocket knife on me. I currently have three. One is a Swiss Army Knife and another a Buck Knife on my belt. I have an additional small one on the table next to the chair I sit in when I'm working. They all have specific uses, although, my most used knife is my Swiss Army Knife. If you have ever asked someone if they have a knife you can use, you need a pocket knife.

It doesn't look like it will fit in my pocket. 

  My Swiss Army Knife has a large (3") blade, a small 1 1/2" blade, an awl, bottle opener typical toothpick and tweezers, a phillips and flat blade screwdriver. I use it all the time for anything from cutting string to opening boxes. It's not one of the super big knives, it's the "Officer" model, actually a bit stripped down from one a guy would want to take home and show mom. But handy as all get out. I keep it sharp with a diamond encrusted sharpening rod. When it gets real dull I use the kitchen knife sharpener first and then hone it with the rod.
  The Buck knife on my belt is a heavier built knife, too big for the pocket, small enough not to look obnoxious. I use it for heavier duty tasks. I've cut wire with it, stripped branches off of limbs and I cut a lot of cardboard up with it. I peel vegetables from the garden with it, cut fruit and stubborn vines. Paper and cardboard dull a knife quickly.  A dull knife is much more dangerous than a sharp knife. Keep your knives sharp, click here for knife safety tips.

A bit big for a pocket, but a good size for utility uses.

  The other knife I use is a small Swiss Army Knife 1 1/2" blade, scissors and a nail file. It is the handiest one I have. I use it for all the small household tasks that it's mostly suited for.
  These are the knives I have for my emergency evacuation kits as well. Two are on my person all of the time. If you don't have a pocket knife on you, buy one and keep it in your pocket. The more you use it the more uses you will find for it. It is the first tool of use in an emergency.
  When I was in the Philippines we would fish on a breakwater for sharks. We used chalk line string, a hylex bottle for a bobber and a large hook. One of the guy's tied the string around his waist. Suddenly he flew off the breakwater and hit the rock strewn beach running, he was being dragged in by a big fish. He was pulled in past his waist when he pulled his pocket knife out and cut the string. With out his knife ready he may have faced serious results. That's not a common occurrence, however, it does show how something unexpected can happen where a pocket knife would be handy.
  I'd like to hear from you, got a pocket knife story? Maybe you're a blade smith, let me know.

jimandkate
emergencykitsplus.com 

The Emergency at Oroville Dam

We have been on Lake Oroville on several occasions, we have friends that have a house boat on the lake. It is a great lake behind the country's tallest dam. We were there about 8 years ago during the Paradise fire, an area above the lake, dense with trees. The lake basin filled with smoke, helicopters and fire planes scooping water from the lake and dumping it on the fire. Good pilots.
   We live on the river about 100 miles south of Oroville, I'm not sure how it may affect us if the dam does fail. I have visions of when the Grand Teton dam failed on June 5, 1976, a wall of water followed natural channels 11 people perished as well as 13,000 cattle. Click here.
   The reasons for that dam failure are well documented and studied, too much information for a blog. There is some preparations we who live near any potentially hazard conditions can do.

1) Develop an evacuation plan, get the dog out or drive the car to the top of the levee talk about who will do what. It's important.

Emergency Spillway

2) Have an evacuation pack ready, at least one, two is best. One for long term evacuations and one in the event you have to hike out.

3) Assign who does what, talk about it and practice it. I learned during my time in the Navy on the flight deck of the USS Ranger, when a person is trained properly during emergency's they naturally fall back on the training.

4) Don't panic, take a few seconds to think about what is happening, your mind will clear, you will be much more on top of the situation.

5) Have a family contact number, someone long distance, the local lines will be clogged up. Leave messages there, and stay in touch with the number.

6) Some people keep another pack with personal items in it, for instance mine has my laptop, camera and notes I make from my studies. Think of things you may go back for, photo's, records maybe passports. Anything that will temp you to return should be in this bag. Include cash money.

7) Have survival supplies in the trunk of the vehicle you would use to evacuate, jumper cables, solar charger for phones, water, food and methods to stay warm.

8) Place important papers and other items in a fireproof safe, eliminate the worry of losing important documents.

Corrupted Spillway at Lake Oroville

   Give it some thought and be ready for the unexpected to occur. "Prepare for the worse, and hope for the best." Leave a comment about how you prepare and what you have in your survival packs.

Thanks for reading: jimandkate
emergencykitsplus.com

I really do need to clean up my wood pile.

Our youngest son was working on a construction site as a plumber where a temporary deck was being torn down. Long story short we inherited an enormous stack of treated lumber, 2x6 in long and short lengths, 4x4's, 2x4's and more. Of course I wanted it, I've got raised bed gardens to build.

   We continue to strive for self reliance and preparedness, hopefully being able to sustain our needs from anything from a electrical outage to a major flood. Gardening is a big part of that, vermiculture (worm farming) fits right in there as well. 

   My grandson's and I built a front stoop, a cold composting bin, nine raised bed boxes, fences and I gave a lot away to the rancher across the road and a guy down the road for a deck. I still have more left, we will now build a small, 3' x 6' x 16" deep seed starting greenhouse (I'm going to use an old glass shower door for the top) and another box for more artichoke plants. This lumber is treated but had been exposed for about 5 years to the sun on the construction site and another few years in my pile. All the bad stuff (arsenic was used to preserve the wood, it was stopped being used in the mid 2,000's). It won't and hasn't hurt the plants or the worms. I always try to use Re-cycled wood and other useful items before I buy new stuff.

   The problem with wood piles is they attract a lot of different creatures, rats, raccoons, possums and whatever else happens to walk by. So they are a nuisance and the time has come to use what I can and clean up the rest and to the dump. I won't burn it, just because I don't know what else may be in the wood. I suspect it's OK

 but I won't take the chance, I will cut it up into 2' pieces and off to the recycling program. We won't burn painted or stained wood either, it just doesn't seem right to send more stuff into the air. 

    The nails, screws and other hard metal construction fasteners are sticking up, it's a hazard. So being it's prudent to wear hard soled shoes, safety glasses and gloves when messing around with this pile. When it's being sawed (sawn?) we wear respirators, safety glasses, hearing protection and gloves, old wood splinters in a finger get infected easily. 

     I one time had a 5 inch splinter pierch through a leather glove and into my index finger while re-arrainging scaffold in a boiler on a job site. That splinter went in at just about an inch below the finger tip, exiting about an inch from my knuckle, it had to be cut out, at a hospital, in the emergency room at 2am. 

     It goes to prove even when you take all safety precautions bad things can still happen, we can however cut our chances of injury by wearing our safety protection and going in with our "eyes wide open." 

Thanks for reading JimandKate

emergencykitsplus.com

Do I need a natural disaster survival kits for my dog?

It's still raining! Several weeks in a row! The rain isn't a problem, we need it. The problem is we only get rain like this every 10 years or so. It would be nice if this is the new "normal". It made me start to think about the the island flooding. I really don't think it's likely, but you never know. If it ever does flood, what about the dog? She would be totally freaked out by it. She won't go out the door in weather that is just mildly weather, like Rain, wind or blustery? Forget about it, she won't leave the house. So what if it floods? Will I get her to do anything? I fear she will run off and never be seen or heard from again.
  She is a "country dog", Heinz 57 variety. She does, however, look and act like a border collie. She has never had a collar around her neck, so the plot thickens. She snarls and growls at everyone. She does not tolerate anyone "messing around with her". I'm confident she has a severe problem in her head, like bat's in the belfry style, or she's just incredibly spoiled.
  One thing FEMA

suggests is to take a picture of yourself with the animal. People will be able to put the two of you together, the theory goes. If she runs off into the hinterland it may improve the chances of finding her. She will be scared for sure. She has epilepsy and needs medication twice a day. She has seizures about twice a month, so there are special needs for her.
  A survival back pack for the dog is in order I suppose; 3 days food, clean water (never ever use flood water for anything), medication and a couple of balls to keep her busy. We could be stranded for a considerable length of time. I may be evacuated due to my not being able to walk, but they won't take the dog. Then what? Leave her with a neighbor? I would not be able to leave her here. So an extensive plan is in order, other than "swim girl swim!".
  So I will develop a plan today. It will morph into an evacuation plan for the entire household I'm sure. The dog generally kind of does what I tell her to. The people here, however, are a different story. Bossing people around doesn't work well most of the time. Everything is connected here, river, dog, levee and people. So I will deal with it all. The department of homeland security has planning forms as does FEMA as well as many other organizations. I will write a blog on what it ends up like (the big plan), and until then I would like to hear about other people's planning in the case of evacuation. Do you have a plan? If not, I wonder what it would take to inspire people (like me) to develop one. I'd like to know.

Thanks for taking the time to read: JimandKate

emergencykitsplus.com

Crows, Owls and Squirrels on a rainy day, Emergency Kits Plus

I have a big pecan tree out my window facing North. There are 2 squirrel nests and an owl nesting box in it. I find it amazing they ignore each other and just go about their daily activities. Of course the Owl is pretty inactive during the day, She being a creature of habit, or instinct. Every night between 8:00 and 8:30, she flies past our sliding glass door which faces West. Every time it is a surprise, hey there goes an Owl! The Squirrels spend a good part of their day chasing each other and repairing the nests. I wonder how they stay dry in there, it looks like a basic survival shelter, barely held together. Those nests have been in that tree for several years, I'm sure they have been completely rebuilt over time. The Owl will sometimes spend all day under the eave of the house, watching.

A mob of crows occupies the tree most of the spring, until early summer, then return when the pecans are ready. Interesting birds they are, I was watching them one day when a peculiar thing happened. The tree is on the North side of my house, about 50 feet away. I was sitting on my porch facing West, just watching all the activities taking place on, in and around the river that flows by. Actually it's a slough. It flows and has a good current. I saw a crow fly by with a pecan in it's beak. It flew West about a half mile. There are Power lines running North to South, all the way from the Hydro projects on the Columbia river hundreds of miles North they continue down the I-5 corridor to Los Angelos. The crow turned due South after passing the tower's, flying on a mission. At the same time it turned. It was a sharp 90 degree turn South. Another crow flew past me, again with a pecan in it's beak. This bird repeated the exact path the first one took, then amazingly a third, then a fourth they just kept going. I stopped counting so many flew past, perfectly spaced. It was a deliberate plan, or strategy. I did not see them return. It does seem to me that most of the time they make a huge sweeping circle, returning from the East to the tree. The following crow did not take off until the lead Crow turned South, deliberate and sure. I wonder if that show's subjective reasoning, do they know there actions impact their future? Maybe it's just instinct, but it appears to be much more than that. Planning, communication and reasoning. Does it all work into that? I don't know, but it sure makes a guy wonder. We can learn a lot of survival skills by watching the animals among us, I think we should all have an emergency food supply.

Any idea's about that behavior? Comments are welcome, I'd like to hear your thoughts about any wildlife activities that may have surprised or amazed you.

Thanks for reading JimandKate

Emergencykitsplus.com 

Emergency Kits Plus: What to grab, on your way out

I was thinking the other day of what I would prioritize to grab on my way out if my house was to be on fire. Now I think of this once a week or so, mostly due to a tragic fire that burned down two of my neighbors houses and seriously damaged another. It seems as if bad stuff happens in the middle of the night for some reason, this was no exception. Most important is to have a plan, you can read more
here from the National Fire Protection Association.

So on with my list: 1) Get up and get dressed, keep a set of clothes near your bed 2) Get my 95 year old mother in law out 3) Grab my emergency backpack, it has my laptop and medication in it. 4) Save my wheelchair 5) Save my guitars, which one? oh heck grab them all. 5) I've got to have my Ukulele and banjo 6) Oh hey, the tower computer upstairs 7) Dump all this stuff on the levee then 8) Get my mobility scooter out of there. 9) Don't forget the crazy dog 10) All the car keys!
Now to reality, if I attempt to take all that stuff I would need a pickup and trailer to load it all into. Numbers 1-2-3 and finally 9, everything else is replaceable and insured. Grab my backpack, get grandma, put the dog on a leash and Get the heck out! I have convinced myself I have less than one minute to do just the few things I have planned, one minute. My guitar's oh man that would be hard to leave behind, but there are hundreds made every year, I'm sure I would find replacements. My Wheelchair and mobility scooter oh well, there are thousands made every month. I can't think of a thing more important than Grandma, Wife, Dog and me.

I'd like to hear some comments, what would you grab? Do you have a plan? Do you have emergency backpacks set up in convenient spots? I'd like your comments.

Thanks for reading. Jim
emergencykitsplus.com

EmergencyKitsPlus.com Self Reliance in the face of unexpected Emergency's:

This post will be an introduction to the blog Natural Self-Reliance (EmergencyKitsPlus.com), our intentions, goals and helpful information are intended to raise awareness to the need of preparing ourselves for unknown situations out of our control. This blog will discuss all aspects of self-reliance from gardening to recommending the best survival tools and gear. We will begin with an introduction, ending with an opportunity for readers to comment.

Who the heck are we?
My wife and I live on a small island in the middle of the San Joaquin/American River Delta, a real river town, North East of San Francisco about 50 miles as the crow flies. Born and raised in Minnesota I came to California in 1969 to attend Navy boot camp. I was assigned to an air wing squadron VA-25 light attack aircraft. I worked on the flight deck of the USS Ranger, this is where an introduction to perceived and real dangerous conditions really began for me. After my discharge, I remained in California working in many industries, farms, and facilities. I drilled water wells, worked on ranches (pigs, chickens, and steers) and farms. I went on to be a shop-men Iron Worker, then a Millwright in mostly the electrical power producing industry. After many years of hard work, I was no longer able to stand for long times or walk. My catchphrase is "My abilities are much stronger than my disabilities." I have a good life.

My wife and I have never hesitated to re-invent ourselves. She is from New York state, having spent a lifetime in real estate as a broker. We have a combined family of eight, five hers, three mine, 20 plus grand children ranging in age from 6 months to a 22 year old college student, our large family feeds our passion for self reliance and safety. She has re-established herself in her profession numerous times and has dealt with terrible tragedy's. We together have lived and prospered in Fresno, La Quinta, Brentwood, Oakley and now Bethel Island, moving mostly on my wandering star syndrome. She is very passionate and cares deeply for the well being of people, that too feeds our passion to help people rely on their own means when times become challenging.

Why in the world did you start this at this point in your life?

We feel we have a lot to offer in our desire to be positive members of society, are we "experts"? Short answer "No", however with our lives experience's we have a lot of knowledge and in our view a bunch of insight dealing with adverse conditions. Our desire is to remain informed, active and become involved in this "new economy" which is very exciting for us. We have an amazing mentor and a truly impressive team to back him (and us) up.

Do you have hobbies?

 My wife is a semi-professional dancer, she has danced her entire life, she is very impressive on stage with her dance troupe, normally front and center. She is a great cook, using a lot of "home grown vegetables". I would have to say her passion besides dancing is making a truly unbelievable spaghetti sauce. Another hobby (ok I will call it that) is starting about November 1st preparing for the holiday season. She prepares Thanksgiving for our family, usually 30 plus people normally plus, everyone is invited. She doesn't rest until January, mixing her Christmas shows in with the holiday season is really busy for two old people. (chuckle). It's a good life.

Most of my hobby's are a mixture of outdoor and indoor stuff. I'm not an entertainer as my wife is, I do however play the ukulele, banjo uke and guitar. I have restored an old boat (ongoing) my grand-kids help me. I have a worm farm, two species European night-crawlers and red wrigglers, my goal is zero garbage (exception to plastics), they eat everything else. With the worms, I make my own fertilizer and compost for my other passion for gardening. We raise tomato's, asparagus, artichokes, cucumbers... well you get the idea. I'm a bird watcher, Crows, Cormorants and Vultures are my main interest. The hawks, harriers and owls very close second. I build owl boxes, and plan to build several wood duck nesting boxes (they need help) for my grandson's to install in trees in our semi rural area. I read, and read some more. There's more but this is enough for now.

I have been writing a blog on self-reliance and disaster preparedness for the past 2 years. I have 330 blogs posted online using the Blogger format. I will be posting my blogs every other day on MeWe, the title is "Natural Self-Reliance." My writing includes all aspects of self-reliance, self-awareness, and personal responsibility. I stress learning as many skills as possible to raise our self-reliance to a level of being a responder versus a victim when a Catastrophic event occurs. I write blogs on becoming prepared, highlighting some of the activities we can participate in to aide in our survival. Emergency response, Catastrophic storms, and proactive actions undertaken by local governments are all part of my subjects. I write on a wide platform with many subjects available from taking videos of wildlife to commenting about safety on the water. I am sure you will find my blogs interesting and useful, look for them on MeWe.

Concluding with

Please comment, ask questions, just read and please give our web site a look (this is the extent of my advertising). I'm sure I will mention it from time to time but I won't sell here, this is an information blog, hopefully interactive. We are interested in what you have to say. Ask about my worm farm, airplane fires, explosions, water hazards, floods, barn fires anything, we've experienced all of it.

Thanks for reading, please comment, Jim and Kate.

- EmergencyKitsPlus.com