Winter Preparedness Tiny House Style

This week temps are supposed to be up in the 80's here in Oklahoma, but I am super excited by the prospect of cooler weather. In fact, I am fantasizing about winter cold and snow! Oh yes, many of you may enjoy the sweaty, sticky, bug-filled summer months, but I love the silence of falling snow and the long nights. I know it is only October, but in the spirit of preparedness and living on a tight budget, I have begun making lists and collecting together my winter preps. Let me share with you some of my thoughts and the method to my madness to make sure I am prepared for Winter 2017.

Gloves, Hats, and Scarves:

I have dug out gloves, hats, and scarves along with my sweaters, jackets, and coats. I store these items in a plastic storage tub up in the loft each spring. Each fall I take it down and air the items, check for fit, make repairs, and run them through the wash. I make a list of anything I may need to replace and put it in my purse to keep on hand for when I go shopping. For example, this year I want a good pair of leather gloves.

Back Up Lighting for Power Outages: 

Oklahoma is famous for extended power outages during ice storms. I am checking all my flashlights for batteries, making sure I have emergency candles, and buying a couple of fresh disposable lighters. I am checking over my 3 Aladdin Lamps. I will make sure I have two extra chiminies and two spare wicks as well. I will check over my five Deitz Lanterns and make sure I have an extra globe and spare wick. Since I have 8 oil lamps, I will make sure I have a couple of gallons of lamp oil too.

Back Up Heat: 

I will take my kerosene heaters for a test run. Kerosene doesn't store long term, so I will make sure to burn off any old kerosene and refill my kerosene cans. I have two five gallon kerosene cans right now, but am thinking of buying a couple more. It is always a good thing to have extra fuel in the winter for the unexpected.

Emergency Food: 

Each winter I put aside food that I rotate, but replace immediately. I make sure I keep this food on hand because you never know when an emergency may hit or weather will make getting to the store a chore. Plus, I never want to battle it out at my local market when the newscast calls for a significant storm. You won't catch me fighting crowds and standing in line for a loaf of bread or gallon of milk. I keep on hand 14 cans of soup, 2 flats of bottled water, 7 cans of canned meat, powdered milk or shelf stable milk, frozen bread dough,  lunch meats and cheese, peanut butter, jelly, coffee, and some comfort junk food.

Cooking: 

I fill all three of my propane tanks so I can use my barbecue all winter. Even if the power goes out I can still cook on my barbecue. It is kinda fun on a snowy night to grill burgers!

Sleeping/Staying Warm:

I wash all my extra quilts and blankets that have also been stored away for the summer to be sure they are clean and fresh. I purchase a large box of Hot Hands.

First Aid/Emergency: 

I go through my first aid supplies and replace anything used or expired. I add a fresh bottle of vitamin C and cold/flue medicine.

Car: 

As of November 1st I never allow the tank on my car to get lower than half a tank before refilling it. I get an oil change and fluid check each autumn. I add some extra water, clean blanket, extra gloves and a scarf, along with some granola bars to my trunk. I also add a fresh bag of cat litter and make sure I still have chains.

Animals/Livestock:

I keep 2 large bags of dog food, cat food, chicken feed, and goat feed on hand as well as a full bale of hay. I lay a fresh straw in the chicken coop and in the goat shelter. I am a firm believer in the deep litter method to help keep my critters warm and dry. Additionally, I have two insulated cat shelters built from foam coolers and storage bins in case the cats get locked outside or I can't get home to let them in. My dog has a warm, dry shelter on the porch where he can hunker down as well.  It too get some fresh straw.

Bring on the cooler weather! I am prepared. What do you do to prepare for winter weather?

5 Reasons You Need a Thermos

Old School Thermos - 1950's

This morning is again chilly and I put the kettle on to make myself a nice hot cup of tea. I thought about all the energy a stove uses to heat up the kettle and how so much of that energy is wasted when all I pour is one cup. I know I will be back later for another, but for now I only will pour one cup which will require me to heat the water again. Then it occurred to me that I have an old-school Thermos. In fact, I have two. I fetched one out, dropped a tea bag in, and filled the container with the remaining hot water. In two hours I will still have a cup of hot tea. In four hours I will have another cup of hot tea. This one time heating water will keep me enjoying my drink all day long.

Thermos is actually a trademarked name for a style of insulated bottle meant to keep liquids hot. The word Thermos was derived from the Greek word therme, meaning warm. Thermoses  (Yes, that is the plural form of Thermos. I looked it up.) were invented in 1892 the brainchild of an Oxford University Scientist named Sir James Dewar. He initially named his invention a "Vacuum Flask." In 1907 the rights to the thermos were sold to several companies, but The Canadian Thermos Bottle Company really were the ones to put the glass lined bottles on the map by outfitting several explorers with the bottles (yes, the pun was intended). The Shackleton Expedition famously carried Thermoses as well as the Wright brothers taking one with them for a nice warm drink in flight (minus the stewardess reminding them to put their seat back in the upright position and making sure their tray table was secured).

Modern Thermos w/12 v. Heat Element

By 1911 Thermoses were in high demand and the technology was developed to allow machines to make the glass liners. Production could be greatly increased. By 1923 new models were being introduced to the marketplace that were larger and able to store more of the fabulous hot stuff we so love on a cold day. But wait, they were not just for hot liquids, but stored cold liquids like no other as well. Since this was prior to the invention of electric refrigeration, they were highly prized for storing things like ice cream and even frozen fish! Thermos bottles were used for all types of things including transporting scientific instruments, medications like Insulin, and even blood products such as plasma.

The next significant technology advance made using stainless steel in the creation of the bottles. Later they would introduce plastic versions that many of us had in lunch boxes in the 1970's and 1980's.  In 1986 The Coffee Butler was introduced to keep coffee warm and sales greatly increased yet again. Ever been to a restaurant where they bring you a pot of coffee they leave at your table? You can thank Thermos for that too!

Yup, hot tea in the morning!

Sales of this old standby have never significantly decreased. So why is it that I never thought to use this in my house on a daily basis and not just when on a long car trip or in my lunch box? Think of the energy wasted reheating a kettle for just a cup of tea here or a cup of instant coffee there. I think I will get in the habit of pouring my pot of coffee each morning into my Thermos. Hot coffee all day? Cold ice tea all summer? Soups and stews steaming hot when I am ready to eat? Oh yes! I would even go so far as to say that when winter storm warnings are in affect, a nice thermos full of hot water might be a good thing just in case the power goes out. Hot water could save your life if you were stranded in your car due to snowfall.

So the 5 reasons every household and homestead should have a Thermos or two:

1. Saves energy and fuel. No keeping the coffee pot heating all day. No reheating the kettle for just one cup.
2. Hot liquids could save your life if that power goes out during a snow or ice storm.
3. Hot stew, soup, coffe, tea, cocoa, etc. are all much better hot, not lukewarm. Left-over's don't seem so left-over-ish.
4. Cold foods stay cold in a Thermos. Foods don't spoil in the hot sun on a picnic. Ice tea is still ice cold. Soda will keep its fizz.
5. Thermoses make it easy to sit in bed on a lazy Sunday morning enjoying hot tea and writing blog posts without having to run to the kitchen for a refill.

Do you have a Thermos? Do you remember having one as a child in a lunch box? Share your Thermos experience with us!

Reusable Canning Jar Lids

I love canning. I love the idea of putting by and, even more, I love the idea of being able to eat good, hearty food when times are rough. Learning to can and preserve is indispensable on a homestead as a way to preserve and extend the harvest. There are three key components to canning jars: the glass jar itself, the sealing lid, and and the ring. The rings and the jars can be reused, but the traditional aluminum canning lid cannot. Tattler Reusable lids are the answer to replacing lids year after year. They are also green because you purchase them one time and are not disposing of them each time you open a jar.

Tattler lids come in two parts: the plastic lid and a rubber gasket seal. Combined they make an excellent seal and each rubber gasket will last approximately 20 canning cycles. The seals are super reasonable (about a quarter a piece) to replace. They are BPA free and made in America too! If you buy in bulk you can save even more.

I have added 200 regular and 500 wide mouth Tattler Reusable Jar lids to my wish list along with some replacement seals. You can find them at the companies website http://www.reusablecanninglids.com/, and find many of their products sold with a discount if you choose to buy in bulk.

Have you used Tattler lids? If so, what do you think are the pros and cons of using a reusable lid?

Tragedy in Arizona

Yesterday, Sunday June 30th, a wild fire that was sparked by lightning on Saturday night, spread out of control through the town of Yarnell, Arizona. Yarnell is southwest of Prescott, AZ by about 35 miles. I lived in Prescott for 7 years and my son and his wife still live there. The fire overtook 19 elite firefighters from the Granite Mountain Hot Shots. All but one has perished. My heart cries out for these folks who laid their lives on the line to protect others. They gave the ultimate sacrifice in the protection of others. The average age on the hot shot crew was 22. Please keep them in your thoughts.

First Aid Kit on a Budget

In a prior post Help I Have Fallen and I Can't Get UP I listed a comprehensive list of items to include in a first aid kit for those who live a distance from "civilization." Today I took another look around the 99 cent store again. I decided to see how many of the items on my list could be purchased at the 99 cent store or any similar dollar store. Here is a photo of today's haul and a photo of my first aid kit as it stands right now