How to survive in the woods, without zombies

It might be the Boy Scout in me, but I am always looking for useful information on how to be better prepared for emergency situations. With the "end o the world" coming up at the end of the year, there have been a steady stream of books and documentaries on what to do when the zombies take over. These are usually worse-case scenarios and end up with dueling a zombie for the last mouse on the planet.

I am not really interested in battling zombies. I am interested in educating myself in how to survive if I get turned around while hiking, or injured in the woods and have to wait for rescue. So information on gathering food, making fire and building shelter always interest me. While I know quite a bit on each subject, I can always learn more.

In the past couple of weeks I have re-discovered an old favorite that my uncle had me read when I was a teen, and thanks to Jeff Potter at outyourbackdoor.com, an old Navy training film on survival.

Plants as of March 12, 2012

Euell Gibbons wrote "Stalking the Wild Asparagus" in 1962, and my uncle had an early copy. It is a great reference on wild plants that can be eaten, not only for survival, but as a supplement to grocery store food. These are all plants that Gibbons ate himself, in addition to his Grape Nuts for those who remember the commercials, but also served them to friends at parties. He gives ways to prepare each plant. I have tried and few, and they all all quite good. I still cannot stand boiled greens.

"Survival in the North Temperate Regions" was produced by the Navy in 1955 to prepare pilots for survival situations while flying in an area that includes Canada, Alaska, northern Europe, and as produced during Cold War, even Russia.

Designed to help pilots stay alive until rescued, it does have useful information if you are ever lost in the woods. While produced over 50 years ago, the information is still useful.

That time of year

Most people, when confronted with blizzard-like conditions outside, think of going outside to ski or snowboard, or stay inside and cuddle up to their friendly fireplace.  I  am thinking about planting seeds.

Not outside of course, but in my little seed-starting area of the basement.  I have the hot mats, lights and seed starter ready to go.  All the old yogurt containers are ready to be washed, and this year I am bringing in snow to melt so that I won't kill my seedlings with the over-chlorinated Mason water as I have in the past.  It may be winter outside, but it is very close to spring in my basement.

For the past two years my peppers and tomatoes have been small when it comes time to transplant.  Compared to the stock found at local nurseries or the big box stores, mine seem to be about a month behind.  So this year I am moving up the start date on my indoor planting to February 1.  In the past the start date has always been March 1, which is around the start date called for on the seed packs.

Amish Paste tomatoes are great for
sauces.

This year I will be planting the usual Amish Paste, Beefsteak and heirloom Italian tomatoes; jalapeno, green, yellow, red, Thai, Nepalese and Hungarian peppers; cilantro, basil, rosemary, thyme and sage and oregano to replace the plants that have gone out of control.  I will listen to additional requests, or if you have an heirloom plant you would like me to plant for you, let me know.

Around Mid-March it will be time to plant peas, lettuce and spinach outside, where I have a small hoop house planned.  By small, I mean making a hoop house out of one of out raised beds.  But large enough to start what we need to start.

Every year I look forward to planting time.  It means full-time bike season is just around the corner.

Here yesterday, where is it today?

I already know the question you have in mind, "What happened to your blog?"  The better question would be "Don't you know what Google does with a Blogger account when you don't use it for a couple of months?"

The answer is the blog disappears like a free sandwich at a Houdini convention.   And since I wrote everything straight to the blog, there is no archive.  So if you thought something was clever, insightful, a waste of time, or just plain wrong, there is no chance of revival, retrieval, rebuttal or resurrection.  It is just gone.  

I still have all the pictures, however.  And the negatives.  

Moose when we brought
him home in June

So that brings me to the new name.  The old blog, The 150 project, was a tribute to my 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Rockwood, who said that if you don't write at least 150 times a year, you forget how.  Any woman who is under five feet tall, 90 pounds soaking wet, who could turn growing, rambunctious boys into obedient, respectful children, and could swing a meter stick like a Louisville Slugger, has to be respected.   It was truly a goal to write 150 times last year, but time slips by, and posting to a blog takes a back seat to family and work.

Moose in September

The new blog will reflect where I am going forward.  I may not have time to write 150 times in 2012, but I will write when i can.  The new blog name came from the last few posts of the old blog, all dedicated to the latest interloper into my zen-like existence, Moose the dog.  Back then, he was still Moose the puppy.  But Moose the puppy now weighs about 50 pounds, is fairly-well behaved, and loves to play fetch and ride in the car.  The blog, of course, will not be all about the dog, but the way he dominates life around the ranch, well....