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1. We fully understand cutting and splitting extra wood. We are still working on building our reserves and have a serious amount of wood work ahead of us in anticipation of the colder temperature trend I expect to continue. The trees are down and seasoned.

   Although the miserable cold, wet, snowy, slushy weather has prohibited much outdoor work, a bit of important work has been getting done. We are finalizing the final piece of family property into our name that gives ownership of a barn, field and woodlot. Now there will be no question of use in the future. This is a relief to all as my parents are getting older.

   On the ROTC front, my son successfully planned and executed a wilderness survival lab. The cadets should pass their inspections and will be in full uniform before the end of the semester.

   Our daughter graduates college and I was able to bring a car load of household items back to camp after Mom’s weekend. This will help us supply 2 places.

   We have found a secure place out of town in the American Redoubt to provide us with a safer place as we work toward buying and building what we really want. The summer will be spent moving and consolidating all our things from various friends places. At that point, we can reevaluate both places and see where we are at.

   I must say that it would have been easier to just purchase a retreat outright; however hindsight is twenty-twenty.

2. Lot to be said for skill in suturing and butterfly band aids. A slicing cut can be difficult to mange if not closed, art is letting it drain and heal right. I am afraid that without proper treatment and antibiotics many deep puncture wounds will be fatal. I was working with a metal hand grinder about 6 weeks ago and abraded a wound on my finger. It was deep enough to remove the skin from the wound area and it is healing in from the sides and still healing. Scabbed over and healing, but in real world without proper care would have severely limited what I could do. Perhaps the best prepping lesson we can have is how severe the health and work impact minor injuries can have on your life without proper care. The hardest lesson I have had in that area was a broken collar bone, minor injury, but as a mechanic I was laid up for weeks and limited for months.

3. Spring has finally arrived one month late in Iowa. I’ll be spending the day cleaning out the rabbit shed and tilling all those rabbit raisins into the garden. Wife plans to plant strawberries and potatoes this weekend.
   In any “spare time” I’ve been reloading for all the pre WWII Colt and S&W revolvers I have been buying lately. 45lc, 44spl, 44-40, 32-20 and 38spl. Great fun shooting that old iron, they just don’t make guns like that anymore.
   I have about 5 trees that need cut down and turned into fire wood this year, ought to get that done before they leaf out this week. Also been eyeing the log yard, got to get the splitter on the tractor and get crackin’!

4. Sorta slow here in North Central Idaho , mostly because of a couple a-fib episodes that wear me out. Then it’s a day or so before I feel well enough to get back at it. So because we haven’t drilled a well yet, I set up a catchment for run off with half a blue plastic barrel. Using a submersible pump filled 2 1100 gallon tanks for summer stock water and 2 of 4 275 gallon totes. Those are for summertime container gardening. Amazing what can be done with a gallon or two a minute and all the minutes you need. Our seasonal Creek which is what we usually use is still chocolate milk, dries up 1st of July on avg. Sometimes slow but when you prioritize what needs to get done usually does. Having the time of our lives, hope you are as well!

5. Been working cleaning out brush around our acreage. It’s been a few years, so it’s slow going. My seedlings were looking pretty weak, so I put a fan up near them and have been running it several hours a day to strengthen the stems and it’s working. I talked to the owners a large organic farm today and she said they had 20,000 plants in their greenhouses that are behind due to the colder weather this year. She seemed concerned, a common worry. On the spiritual/cultural side, hubby and I met with our pastor on Tuesday because we were concerned enough about some serious problems in the worship service to consider leaving. But it turned out to be perfect (positive) timing for all of us, and I had a chance to discuss The Benedict Option with him. He hadn’t read the book, but understood the premise of building a community with like-minded orthodox/traditional Christians to weather the continuing decline of Western Civilization, centered on a church with those doctrines. So it’s possible we will be part of putting down some strong and deeper roots in our church. As well, I have been working for several years on a three-day-per-week “school” option for parents who are not able to homeschool due to financial constraints. In Illinois — which his arguably the best state in the U.S. for homeschooling freedom — parents can hire teachers (“tutors”) with no restrictions, so it can be done easily and legally. It is Charlotte Mason/classical, with lots of outdoor time and practical handicrafts. I’ve almost got the Kindergarten year planned, and leaving the rest to God’s timing. Our church would be the perfect location, but we’ll just have to see!

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