Constructing an Off-Grid Shower, by Ozark Redneck

My wife and I were sitting in the living room last winter, our fireplace insert was cranking out the heat, our spark screen was on, and the Eco-Fan was blowing a mile a minute. She had a glass of wine in her hand, and we were enjoying the moment. We were discussing our preparedness. (Like all couples do — right?) The sun was very active that week, with plenty of solar wind and a moderate CME. She asked, “if the power grid goes down, how are we going to take a shower?” I kind of sputtered, “I have at least three solar showers in the shop, I was thinking of rigging a hose into the house, and putting the solar bag on the roof”… She chided: “It is 20 degrees outside and there is no sunshine.” Doom on me.

We have a whole-house generator with 1,000 gallons of propane, but that is not going to last forever, and we needed a backup plan. We both wanted an option better than a sponge bath. Now I have used solar showers years ago when camping, these typically have 5-gallon black rubber bags, gravity fed, sunshine-warmed, and run about $20,. They work great in summer, and if handled carefully they will last many years.Continue reading“Constructing an Off-Grid Shower, by Ozark Redneck”

Recipe of the Week: Dutch Oven Sausage Pasta

The following recipe for Dutch Oven Sausage Pasta is from SurvivalBlog reader R.E.. Note that the spaghetti can go in dry–there is no need to cook it separately first.  This serves four adults.

Ingredients
  • 1 pound dry spaghetti (or substitute other dried pasta from your TEOTWAWKI stockpile.)
  • 1 (12.8-ounce) package smoked sausage, thinly sliced. (I use Andouille sausage.)
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 cups grape tomatoes, cut in halves
  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
  • 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced (or less, to suit your taste)
  • 4½ cups water
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
  1. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, combine spaghetti, sausage, onion, tomatoes, basil, garlic and water; season with salt and pepper, to taste. (Set aside the Parmesan cheese for last-minute.)
  2. Bring your dutch oven up to medium high heat.
  3. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until pasta is cooked through and the liquid has reduced. This takes 8-10 minutes.
  4. Stir in Parmesan cheese.
SERVING

It is best to serve this immediately, but you can let it simmer at low heat for a while to sync with the completion time of any other dinner dishes.

STORAGE

Any leftovers (quite unlikely!) can be stored refrigerated in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days

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Do you have a well-tested recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? In this recipe column, we place emphasis on recipes that use long-term storage foods, recipes for wild game, dutch oven recipes, slow cooker recipes, and any recipes that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!

SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week 

Today’s graphic is a map that shows population concentration. Half the American population lives in the red shaded areas. The map is delineated by county lines. (Graphic courtesy of Reddit.)

The thumbnail image below is click-expandable.

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If any SurvivalBlog readers have personally taken or otherwise hold the copyright to a particularly nice landscape photo or other photo of particular interest to preppers that is in a wide horizontal format (to match our blog template) then please send it in as an e-mail attachment, and I will consider posting it as a Graphic of the Week, or as a Top Note photo. I can of course credit you by name — or pen name —  if you’d like. Many Thanks! –  JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Any graphics that you send must either be your own creation, under your copyright or uncopyrighted in the public domain. Thanks! – JWR

Economics & Investing Media of the Week

In Economics & Investing Media of the Week we feature photos, charts, graphs, maps, video links, and news items of interest to preppers.

Economics & Investing Links of Interest

Economics & Investing Media Tips:

Please send your economics and investing links to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Thanks!

The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods. This column is a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from JWR. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. In today’s column, more about invasive species. Pictured above are the dreaded Zebra Mussels. (A public domain photo by Andres Musta.)

The Ongoing  Invasive Species Fight

Department of Interior: Invasive Species Accomplishments Report, 2021-2025.

Australia Is Losing its Rabbit War

In Australia’s The Saturday Paper: Australia once again losing the rabbit war.  Here is a quote:

“From the Western Australian wheatbelt to southern Queensland, rabbits are causing headaches for local councils and havoc for landowners and farmers. The arsenal of biological control weapons that for decades has kept rabbit numbers in check is dangerously depleted, as a lack of funding slows the research and development needed to keep pace with rabbit reproduction.”

Aquatic Invasive Species in Canada

Government of Canada investing in aquatic invasive species prevention, monitoring, and management.

Colorado Attempting to Contain Zebra Mussels

‘An incredible fight ahead:’ Colorado calls in reinforcements to contain zebra mussel threat.

Continue reading“The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

Our weekly Snippets column is a collection of short items: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.

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In The WSJ: A Vote on Leaving Canada Is the Gamble of a Lifetime for Alberta’s Leader. The article begins:

“Danielle Smith, the premier of this rugged oil-rich province, is regarded as a maverick with a reputation for taking political risks. Now she is embarking on perhaps the biggest gamble of them all.

Smith has paved the way for a referendum on Oct. 19 that will ask if the province should stay in Canada or start the process toward a second, binding referendum on whether to leave it for good. The idea has jolted Canada, which depends on Alberta’s oil-and-gas revenue and is in the midst of a trade fight with the U.S.”

o  o  o

Reader Frank M. sent some great news: The Gun Owners of America (GOA) has won their case against the registration requirements of the NFA at the district level, in Texas. Unless there is an emergency stay, then this ruling goes into effect today, and all GOA Members are named in the injunction and presumably will be exempted from the NFA registration requirements for suppressors, SBRs, SBSs, and AOWs. (Of course consult an attorney licensed in your state before doing any Form 4-type machining work.) – JWR

o  o  o

New York Times: Puerto Rico Will Begin Rationing Water Amid Fresh Crisis.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

SurvivalBlog’s American Redoubt Media of the Week 

REDOUBT NEWS LINKS

This weekly column features media from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest.

Send Your Media Links

Please send your links to media from the American Redoubt region to JWR. Any photos that are posted or re-posted must be uncopyrighted. You can do so either via e-mail or via our Contact form.

Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make both long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug-out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those — or excerpts thereof — in the Odds ‘n Sods Column or in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

Our four grandsons were here at the ranch visiting for five days.

With the recent hot weather, I’ve adjusted my schedule toward doing most of my heavy work in the mornings, and my writing and editing in the afternoons.  Despite the heat, I accomplished a lot this week. For instance:  I drained, scrubbed, and re-filled our Redneck Pool. I helped Lily pull weeds and hauled them to a burn pile. Lily and I hauled 20 wheelbarrow loads of composted manure to the main garn, and a I roto-tilled that in. I wrapped up the sheet metal work on the exterior of our new outhouse. I packed just one Elk Creek Company order. (With the big sale on all of our investment grade guns that just started today, I’m expecting a lot more orders.)  I hauled more rocks to a down-trodden area near a pasture gate, so that it will have a firm base, for the winter rains.  (Some 3/4″-minus gravel will be added, to provide more comfortable footing there, for our livestock.

The thermostat went out on our SUV.  It stuck in the closed position, causing the engine to almost immediately overheat. I’ll be replacing that myself. I now have a replacement thermostat and o-ring on order. (We’ll be using our pickup truck, in the interim.) If it was an emergency and we had no other vehicle, then I’d temporarily run it with the thermostat removed.

Since we are now at the peak of garden harvest season, I have set aside my firewood splitting and stacking  project. I’m now planning to split that last couple of cords in September.

Now, Lily’s part of the report…

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week: 

The latest meme created by JWR:

Godora Pipe Cutter Meme

Meme Text:

It Would Be Illegal To Use A Godora 1-3″ Capacity Heavy Duty Pipe Cutter ( Amazon Item # B0CSJZW2LW )

To Cut The 6061-T6 Aluminum 2.875-Inch Mounting Poles For Flock Cameras, So Do Not Do So!

Notes From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the concept, and I’ll try to assemble it. And if it is posted then I’ll give you credit. Thanks!

Permission to repost memes that I’ve created is granted, provided that credit to SurvivalBlog.com is included.

The Editors’ Quote Of The Week:

“Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.

Let thy mercies come also unto me, O Lord, even thy salvation, according to thy word.

So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word.

And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments.

So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.

And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.

I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.

And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.

My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.

Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.

This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

The proud have had me greatly in derision: yet have I not declined from thy law.

I remembered thy judgments of old, O Lord; and have comforted myself.

Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law.

Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.

I have remembered thy name, O Lord, in the night, and have kept thy law.

This I had, because I kept thy precepts.

Thou art my portion, O Lord: I have said that I would keep thy words.

I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.

I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.

I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.

The bands of the wicked have robbed me: but I have not forgotten thy law.

At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments.

I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.

The earth, O Lord, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes.

Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O Lord, according unto thy word.

Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.

Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.

Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.” – Psalm 119:40-68 (KJV) 

Preparedness Notes — August 4, 2026

This Week in History:

On  August 4, 1873, while protecting a railroad survey party in Montana, the US 7th Cavalry, under Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer (pictured), clashed for the first time with the Sioux Indian tribe near the Tongue River, killing one man on each side.

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August 6, 1806, the Holy Roman Empire was dissolved. It was described by Voltaire as “in no way holy, nor Roman, nor an empire.” Emperor Francis II renounced his title of Holy Roman Emperor, becoming instead the first Emperor of Austria.

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August 4, 1900: An allied expeditionary force, made up of Japanese, Russian, British, French, and American troops, set off from Tientsin for Peking, China, to put down the Boxer Rebellion.

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And in August 2, 1676, Nathaniel Bacon published the “Declaration of People of Virginia.”

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Some sad news: Goodbye to Duelist1954. Rest in peace Mike Beliveau.

Fall of the American Republic – Part 2, by Single Farmer

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.)

Some of the erroneous assumptions and operating principles that Western governments of today have been utilizing in their social planning schemes are these six stupid ideas:

1. The stupid idea that people and institutions can become perfect. The perfectibility of institutions and people is contrary to all natural law and historical precedent. People are imperfect by their nature and institutions which are composed of people are imperfect.

2. The stupid idea that economic output is everything which can be expressed as a regularly reported number which can be measured, and the number should always be going up. In 1968 at a speech at the University of Kansas, Senator Robert F. Kennedy said:

“The gross national product does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education, or the joy of their play. It does not

Back in 1968, this number was 800 billion and now it is 32 trillion. Are we 40 times better off or was that time better even though we were poorer on paper as a nation? I was not around then, but in interviewing people who were, it was a much better time to grow up if you were young except for “Vietnam” casting a shadow over your youth.

Continue reading“Fall of the American Republic – Part 2, by Single Farmer”

AFH U.S. M1 Bayonet, by Thomas Christianson

The U.S. M1 bayonet is designed to fit the M1 Garand rifle which was the standard issue American infantry rifle during World War II and the Korean conflict. The M1 bayonet has a 10-inch spear-point blade that is 1 inch wide and has a tang that is around 0.25 inches thick. The blade is made of 1080 carbon steel. The grip panels are made out of black Durez or a similar plastic. The bayonet measures 14.25 inches overall.

The 10-inch blade is long enough to make the bayonet somewhat awkward for everyday tasks like opening cans, prying open crates, or batoning firewood. On the other hand, the blade of the bayonet is rugged enough to hold up under such utility use.

The particular M1 bayonet that is the focus of this review is stamped with the letters “AFH.” This indicates that it was manufactured by American Fork and Hoe. Of the approximately 2.7 million new M1 bayonets manufactured from 1943 to 1945, only about 350 thousand (about 13%) were manufactured by American Fork and Hoe. That makes this particular sample somewhat rare.

 

If you are looking for a field knife suitable for both combat and utility use, I would recommend something like the OKC-3S or M9 bayonets. Genuine new examples of those bayonets generally cost about $250 at the time of this writing. Used examples typically cost about half that.

If, on the other hand, you are armed with a Garand, then I recommend the M1 bayonet. Replicas of M1 bayonets typically cost about $60 on eBay at the time of this writing. Original bayonets typically cost about $150 (depending upon condition) with especially nice examples running as high as $449.Continue reading“AFH U.S. M1 Bayonet, by Thomas Christianson”

SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week

Today’s graphic is a satellite image of Europe at night. (Graphic courtesy of Reddit.)

The thumbnail image below is click-expandable.

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If any SurvivalBlog readers have personally taken or otherwise hold the copyright to a particularly nice landscape photo or other photo of particular interest to preppers that is in a wide horizontal format (to match our blog template) then please send it in as an e-mail attachment, and I will consider posting it as a Graphic of the Week, or as a Top Note photo. I can of course credit you by name — or pen name —  if you’d like. Many Thanks! –  JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Any graphics that you send must either be your own creation, under your copyright or uncopyrighted in the public domain. Thanks! – JWR

Economics & Investing Media of the Week

In Economics & Investing Media of the Week we feature photos, charts, graphs, maps, video links, and news items of interest to preppers.

Economics & Investing Links of Interest

Economics & Investing Media Tips:

Please send your economics and investing links to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Thanks!