Day: April 8, 2024

Preparedness Notes for Monday — April 8, 2024

It looks like there will be some big traffic jams and perhaps gasoline shortages for a few days in the solar eclipse path of totality, particularly in areas like Burlington, Vermont, where they are expecting clear skies. — The recent destruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge inspired the selection of today’s Quote of the Day.  Sadly, the last two verses of our national anthem are only rarely quoted or publicly sung. — April 8th is the birthday of the late Ian Smith, Prime Minister of Rhodesia. (Born, 1919, died November 20, 2007.) April 8th is also the anniversary of …


Yankee Thunder Purple Pigeon Hooks, by Thomas Christianson

“What are purple pigeon hooks? Are they used to hook purple pigeons? Where do purple pigeons live anyway? Why would someone want to hook them?” Actually, purple pigeon hooks are not hooks designed to catch purple pigeons. They are hooks used to attach clay pigeons to a horizontal support. The hooks are molded from a purple-colored polymer. Attaching clay pigeons to a support transforms them into excellent stationary reactive targets. I recently had the opportunity to test Yankee Thunder Purple Pigeon Hooks on the improvised range behind my pole barn. I was surprised by how much my accuracy began to …


Opportunity to Live on a Secure Family Farm for Americans or From Select Countries

Introductory note from JWR: I just received this update letter: “I wanted to write to the readers of SurvivalBlog about the search for a family to live on our family farm.  The opportunity is still open. We have one nearby family who answered an earlier post who is being considered to join us if our farm is ever activated as a bug out location. We are open to consider another family for a bug out location OR a family to someday move over here joining our family through marriage to our son.  Distance does not matter to us, but quality …


Recipe of the Week: Whole Wheat/ Flax Bread

The following recipe for Cathy’s Whole Wheat/ Flax Bread is courtesy of SurvivalBlog reader “Sis”. She notes: “This can be made by hand, mixing and kneeling by hand, mixed in mixer with dough hooks or the easiest ever, in an automatic bread maker, use the ‘Whole Wheat’ setting.” Note: You can grind up the flaxseed in a blender or coffee grinder or even with a mortar and pestle. JWR Adds: Doctors warn against consuming Flax Seed-based food products for anyone on blood thinners or statin drugs. For a 1-1/2 pound loaf:          Ingredients 1/3 cup flaxseed (ground). …


SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week

Today’s graphic depicts state minimum wages, in Dollars, as of January 1, 2024.  One way of looking at this is as a measure of government intrusiveness in free enterprise. (Map graphic courtesy of Reddit.) The thumbnail image below is click-expandable.       — Please send your graphic ideas to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Any graphics that you send must either be your own creation or uncopyrighted.


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight, O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave? On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep, Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes, …