Category: Note


Note from JWR:

I was up on the roof yesterday, doing the semi-annual de-gunking of the wood stove chimney spark arrestor, and the annual cleaning of the chimney itself. A messy job, but one that is crucial for fire safety. (Creosote-fueled chimney fires are commonplace, and are almost always the result of lax chimney-cleaning discipline.) Every survival retreat owner should have a set of chimney-cleaning rods and brushes, and the discipline to use them regularly!


Notes from JWR:

Radio talk show host Steve Quayle kindly mentioned SurvivalBlog in his show recently, generating more than a thousand new visitors to SurvivalBlog. This demonstrates that there are a lot of people interested in preparedness that have never heard of SurvivalBlog. Please continue to spread the word, particularly on talk radio shows. Thanks! A brief follow-up on our recent SurvivalBlog benefit auction for a Schecter “Warthog” Electric Guitar: The nice folks at Schecter Guitar not only threw in a free hard case, but they also sent it via Second Day Air (at no charge) to make sure that it arrived in …


Note from JWR:

We see Bald Eagles nearly every day here at the Rawles Ranch. (Mainly, they glide up and down the length of The Unnamed River.) Yesterday, on the way home from a church meeting, an eagle flew across the road, right in front of our car, just three feet above the ground –so close that I had to hit the brakes to avoid hitting it. What a great view, but it was a startling near miss!


Note from JWR:

Green Mountain Gear has just announced the first of a series of Green Mountain Gear “SurvivalBlog Group Buys.” This one is for brand new-in-the-wrapper military contract C-Products M16/AR-15 30 round magazines at near wholesale pricing. (Most dealers charge from $14 to $17 for these , but in the Group Buy they will be less than $10.) These full military specification 30 round alloy magazines have durable gray Mil-Spec moly coating, and the latest orange anti-tilt followers. Pricing is as follows: 10 magazines: $9.99 each ($99.90) Shipping is $5 50 magazines: $9.65 each ($482.50) Shipping is $7 100 magazines: $9.30 each …


Note from JWR:

I am seeking recommendations from SurvivalBlog readers on real estate agents in the U.S. that are “survival minded.” My goal is to be able to provide a list of licensed agents all over the U.S. that are knowledgeable about survival retreat selection. (I might even set some sort of standards for “SurvivalBlog Retreat Specialist Certified” agents.) This is mutually advantageous to all parties involved: land/house sellers, agents, and land buyers. By working with a “Retreat Specialist” that understands the unique criteria for survival retreats, there will be no wasted time showing properties that aren’t suitable. Most buyers would also appreciate …


Note from JWR:

The high bid is now up to $250 in the current SurvivalBlog benefit auction for several items (including an EMP-proof antique radio, four books, and a copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course) that are being auctioned together as a lot:, with a combined retail value of around $370. The auction ends on April 15th. Just e-mail me your bid. Thanks!


Note from JWR:

We had a great view of a Golden Eagle on our way home from church yesterday. It was on the ground within 10 feet of the road, snacking on a road-killed deer. (Raptors aren’t picky, this time of year.) I pulled our car to a stop on the shoulder just 25 feet away, and instead of taking wing, the eagle just hopped 20 feet up the hill and stared at us. (No doubt wondering why we had been so rude as to interrupt its meal.) I’m regularly amazed at the variety of wildlife that we see at the Rawles Ranch, …


Note from JWR:

The high bid is now up to $200 in the current SurvivalBlog benefit auction for several items that are being auctioned together as a lot: 1.) A late-1940s-vintage Airline brand all vacuum tube (highly EMP resistant) AM tabletop radio in a attractive bakelite cabinet. It works very well. and, 2.) A special five book package including: one autographed copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, one autographed copy of Rawles on Retreats and Relocation , one autographed copy of SurvivalBlog: The Best of the Blog – Volume 1, one autographed copy of my novel Patriots: Surviving the Coming …


Notes from JWR:

I just received another case (10 copies) of “The Encyclopedia of Country Living” by the late Carla Emery. This book is a “must” for the bookshelf of every well-prepared family. For any of you that would like to buy several copies for gifts, for the next 10 days I’m offering special discounts on quantity purchases. See my mail order catalog for details. Today we present another article submitted for Round 9 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. This one is from a certified Glock Armorer. The writer of the best non-fiction article will win a valuable four day “gray” transferable …


Note from JWR:

Congrats to David C., the high bidder in the most recent SurvivalBlog benefit auction for a brand new Schecter “Warthog” Electric Guitar. It was kindly donated by the fine folks at Schecter Guitar Research. Today, we are beginning a new auction, this auction is for several items that are being auctioned together as a lot: 1.) A late-1940s-vintage Airline brand all vacuum tube (highly EMP resistant) AM tabletop radio in a attractive bakelite cabinet. It works very well. and, 2.) A special five book package including: one autographed copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, one autographed copy …


Notes from JWR:

Today is the last day of bidding in the current SurvivalBlog benefit auction for a brand new Schecter “Warthog” Electric Guitar. The high bid is now at $400. This is an awesome guitar that is decorated in a military aviation theme, from Schecter’s Tempest series. It has a $729 retail value. It was kindly donated by the fine folks at Schecter Guitar Research. The auction ends at midnight tonight. (March 15th.) Just e-mail me your bid. Today we welcome our newest advertiser, Green Mountain Gear, in Vermont. They sell a broad line of tactical field gear, MOLLE gear, trauma kits, …


Note from JWR:

The high bid is now up to $360 in the current SurvivalBlog benefit auction for a brand new Schecter “Warthog” Electric Guitar. This is an awesome guitar that is decorated in a military aviation theme, from Schecter’s Tempest series. It has a $729 retail value. The auction ends at midnight tomorrow. (March 15th.) Just e-mail me your bid. Thanks!


Note from JWR:

Today we present another article submitted for Round 9 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The writer of the best non-fiction article will win a valuable four day “gray” transferable Front Sight course certificate. (Worth up to $1,600.) Second prize is a copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, generously donated by Jake Stafford of Arbogast Publishing. I will again be sending out a few complimentary copies of my novel “Patriots” as “honorable mention” awards. If you want a chance to win the contest, start writing and e-mail us your article. Round 9 will end on March 31st. …


Note from JWR:

Life in "The Mud Season" continues. Yesterday we had another power failure. We seem to get most of them in the Fall and the Spring. Things are presently very soggy with all the melting snow, so it is inevitable that some trees will fall. That is life in the hinterboonies. But as a well-prepared family, we can take these glitches in stride.