It makes me sad that everyone is in too much of a hurry. Hurry to do what? Work your life away. I am sorry but when I go to the store, it is my time away from home and I like to enjoy it. Even if it is getting groceries. I try not to hurry through life. Sure we all have to make a living, but do you ever take time to just sit back and enjoy. And as I always say- Its the simple things in life that matters. I do actually sit in my rocking chair on the porch. Our pastor refrenced that on Sunday- you know our great grandparents worked HARD- harder than most work today-- especially the farmers- they would get up at dawn do chores, eat breakfast, do more chores, work the fields- take a break for lunch- go right back out and work more. Come in eat Supper and then spend time with the family. They worked hard for their living yet they still had time to sit on the porch in their chairs and watch the kids catch fireflys in the summer evenings. People didn't stay up until midnight and sleep till noon. Sure they may have not had the education that some of us have, but they payed their bills and were happy. Technology has ruined this world it always has. Look at the farmer: first he had a horse and a 1 bottom plow- so he probably only had about 20 acres or less. Then 2 and 4 bottom plows came out- he had to get another horse and more land to pay for the bigger plow. Then tractors came out- he had to get more land to pay for that. Then bigger tractors and bigger farming implements came out and he had to get even more land to pay for them...all along causing more and more work for the farmer and less time for his family. Isn't that the reason we are all so busy? We are working to pay for the things that are better that we want? I think I would be much happier if I could just live off the land and move away from people.
And I know I live off the land more than most people in this world, but I wish it could be more strict. I do love my computer and watching TV occasionally (Usually Little House on the Praire or The Waltons...) BUT I think we would all be happier without those technologies. I sometimes think I could be Amish and was born to the wrong family lol.
A few years ago- in 2007 we had the ice storm of the century around here- we were out of power for almost 3 weeks. We survived just fine. We had our wood stove that we heat with anyway, I cooked on it. Luckily it was cold enough that our deepfreezer didn't thaw. We have an old spring fed well in our yard complete with well bucket. It was tough, but unlike the rest of the community we were prepared. I always fill everything that will hold water with water before a storm. I can hear my momma telling me to fill the bathtub so we can flush the toilet! (Our bathtub won't hold water for extended periods of time though...!) I had kerosene lamps already- basic nescessity one would think...along with lamp oil, candles, and matches. We dug out the old dial phones like these:
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And I know I live off the land more than most people in this world, but I wish it could be more strict. I do love my computer and watching TV occasionally (Usually Little House on the Praire or The Waltons...) BUT I think we would all be happier without those technologies. I sometimes think I could be Amish and was born to the wrong family lol.
A few years ago- in 2007 we had the ice storm of the century around here- we were out of power for almost 3 weeks. We survived just fine. We had our wood stove that we heat with anyway, I cooked on it. Luckily it was cold enough that our deepfreezer didn't thaw. We have an old spring fed well in our yard complete with well bucket. It was tough, but unlike the rest of the community we were prepared. I always fill everything that will hold water with water before a storm. I can hear my momma telling me to fill the bathtub so we can flush the toilet! (Our bathtub won't hold water for extended periods of time though...!) I had kerosene lamps already- basic nescessity one would think...along with lamp oil, candles, and matches. We dug out the old dial phones like these:
and called a few people to check in on them. I ended up cooking for many of our neighbors. You can make chili go really far. You'd be surprised at how many people don't keep very much food in their pantries. We actually realistically have enough food for at least a year or more without going to the store. That doesn't mean it all goes together or would be fresh, but we wouldn't starve.
The hardest thing that winter was taking care of the animals. Sure we knew how to take care of them, just getting it done without power was the problem. And the several inches of ice on everything. Instead of having ponds built we have waterers put in that are hooked up to our wells...when the power is our that creates a problem. We had kerosene lamps in the well houses trying to keep them thawed out along with kerosene ran generators to keep them going. If we had ponds we could have just broke the ice (which is dangerous I know) but more logical and cheaper in the long run. We had to feed hay everyday because it took that long to get everything fed and watered- by the time we were done we had to start over. Many animals died that winter.
and since it is so hot outside this time of the year I will post some pics from the ice storm. Maybe they will cool you off some :)
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2 comments:
Are you in Oklahoma? That looks like the storm we had too! Hugs
no I am in SW Missouri. I can't remember for sure if your storm was the same time as ours but I remember hearing about the one in Oklahoma. Our was in January of 2007.
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