Preparedness Notes for Monday — April 7, 2025

Gerrit Dou (April 7, 1613 – February 9, 1675) — also known as Gerard Douw or Dow — was a Dutch Golden Age painter.  From the InfoGalactic Wiki: “…[his] small, highly polished paintings are typical of the Leiden fijnschilders. He specialized in genre scenes and is noted for his trompe-l’œil “niche” paintings and candlelit night scenes with strong chiaroscuro. He was a student of Rembrandt. Dou was born in Leiden, where his father was a manufacturer of stained-glass. He studied drawing under Bartholomeus Dolendo, and then trained in the stained-glass workshop of Pieter Couwenhorn. In February 1628, at the age …




Silver Stag WTS2.5C Trapper, by Thomas Christianson

Good things come in small packages: A fine watch, a Faberge egg, or a new baby are all precious gifts. The Silver Stag WTS2.5C Trapper is another good thing that comes in a small package. With a 2.5 inch, full-tang, hollow-ground D2 blade, and a cocobolo handle, the knife is an ideal size and shape for skinning, caping and game processing. With the textured mill scale which is left on the flat of the blade, the mirror polish of the bevel, the rich glow of the cocobolo handle, and the accent of the brass pins, the knife is also a …




Recipe of the Week: Swiss Chard and Walnut Pesto

The following recipe for a Swiss Chard and Walnut Pesto is from SurvivalBlog reader Joanna E.. Ingredients Swiss chard leaves from one large bunch. Remove the stems and set aside. Roughly chop the chard leaves. 1 cup of basil, roughly chopped ½ to ¾ cup olive oil 4 garlic cloves 1 cup walnuts 1 lemon, zested and juiced ½ cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese Salt, to taste Pepper, to taste Directions Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add chard, stirring until leaves are just wilted. Remove from heat and let cool for …