Just in case this ever becomes a trend among terrorists, having a few weeks of food on hand is a good idea. Purchase or put up beforehand.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/isis-iraq-chemical-weapons-nazi-experiments-human-guinea-pigs-a7747156.html
Monday, May 22, 2017
Sunday, May 21, 2017
Bargain Alert
Sierra Trading Post currently has the Italian glass storage jars for really great prices. They are available in sizes from less than a liter to a gallon. These come with the rubber ring and seal hermetically. They are especially good for storing the contents of #10 cans if you don't use it all for your first meal. Because they have a glass body and top, and seal tightly with a rubber gasket, they do not allow oxygen exchange like plastic does.
To find them fast, use the search feature for Bormioli
If you haven't already, sign up for the deal fliers. The most recent deal flyer I received is for 25% off most stuff and free postage.
To find them fast, use the search feature for Bormioli
If you haven't already, sign up for the deal fliers. The most recent deal flyer I received is for 25% off most stuff and free postage.
Friday, May 5, 2017
An odd frugal tip for some folks
We live in a rural village far from the big city. There's a WalMart about half that distance in the opposite direction. When we need something, if we don't have it, it's a long way to start the hunt for whatever 'it' is. The closer shopping venue is 4 gallons of gasoline away, round trip. The 'big city's around gallons round trip. That means one extra trip a month costs between $10 and $17. Amazon prime is $9.99 a month, shipping is free on most items and 'it' usually arrives on our doorstep within 48 hours. We also use a Roku to take advantage of the Amazon Prime video offerings. Both Dear Husband and I have Kindle readers installed on our tablets, so take advantage of the free books on Prime, all for the cost of one unplanned trip to town.
I've spoken with people here in town who think Prime is too expensive. Maybe they have a better crystal ball than we do. Until we better calibrate ours, I'll keep on with Prime.
I've spoken with people here in town who think Prime is too expensive. Maybe they have a better crystal ball than we do. Until we better calibrate ours, I'll keep on with Prime.
A Case for Cats
DISCLAIMER: We don't own cats as we are both allergic. I'm so allergic that I take an antihistamine before I go to parties in case someone at the party owns cats. No crazy cat lady bias here.
If you live or aspire to live in a rural area in any US state except Alaska, this post applies to you. If you are or want to be in rural AZ or TX, this post could save your life. Why? Venomous snakes. Yup, there seems to be a relationship around here between the density of cats and incidence of rattlesnake bites, mostly bites of pets. My evidence is primarily anecdotal, but derived from the basics of our friend, the food chain, and the recent rattlesnake bites in our little community. We live in one of the states with a long list of poisonous snakes, so a concern for us 9 months out of the year.
First, there are people. The people have food for themselves and their animals. Some of that food, especially for horses, is attractive to mice and rats. These cute, furry purveyors of Hanna virus are also a favorite food of snakes. The more successful snakes, especially in the southern part of the US, are poisonous. If your pet comes near and threatens the food chain, pet gets bitten.
So enter the cats, especially barn cats. They do two positive things. First, they reduce the rodent population thus disrupting the food chain. Second, they will kill smaller snakes, thus interrupting the growth and reproduction dynamics of the snakes.
There is a caveat. The cats will also kill your beautiful song birds. For some reason, they prefer the beautiful birds to the exotic doves, house finches and sparrows. There is a bit of a solution for this. My wonderful neighbor does the opposite of most cat owners because she understands the food chain. Most rodents are nocturnal, so she keeps her cats inside the barn during the day and allows them out at night. Yup, only the smartest cats survive the owls and mountain lions, but the number of snake sightings in our area seems to be trending down.
In 20 years we have seen one snake on our property (knock on wood) and it was a garter snake. We are surrounded by cat owners. Coincidence? I think not!
If you live or aspire to live in a rural area in any US state except Alaska, this post applies to you. If you are or want to be in rural AZ or TX, this post could save your life. Why? Venomous snakes. Yup, there seems to be a relationship around here between the density of cats and incidence of rattlesnake bites, mostly bites of pets. My evidence is primarily anecdotal, but derived from the basics of our friend, the food chain, and the recent rattlesnake bites in our little community. We live in one of the states with a long list of poisonous snakes, so a concern for us 9 months out of the year.
First, there are people. The people have food for themselves and their animals. Some of that food, especially for horses, is attractive to mice and rats. These cute, furry purveyors of Hanna virus are also a favorite food of snakes. The more successful snakes, especially in the southern part of the US, are poisonous. If your pet comes near and threatens the food chain, pet gets bitten.
So enter the cats, especially barn cats. They do two positive things. First, they reduce the rodent population thus disrupting the food chain. Second, they will kill smaller snakes, thus interrupting the growth and reproduction dynamics of the snakes.
There is a caveat. The cats will also kill your beautiful song birds. For some reason, they prefer the beautiful birds to the exotic doves, house finches and sparrows. There is a bit of a solution for this. My wonderful neighbor does the opposite of most cat owners because she understands the food chain. Most rodents are nocturnal, so she keeps her cats inside the barn during the day and allows them out at night. Yup, only the smartest cats survive the owls and mountain lions, but the number of snake sightings in our area seems to be trending down.
In 20 years we have seen one snake on our property (knock on wood) and it was a garter snake. We are surrounded by cat owners. Coincidence? I think not!
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