Photo above is of my great-grandfather, Ben of Drain, Oregon. His parents came to Oregon via the Oregon Trail in 1852, passing down a heritage of being independent to future relatives, like me. Please scroll down for new blog posts, underneath the "Stocking Up on Supplies Lists".


Stocking Up on Supplies:

Stocking Up on Supplies:
The best defense is a good offense.

Please scroll down for new blog posts!

After this list, there are new blog posts. Please scroll down to "read all about it!".

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Stocking up the Pantry:

Baking Supplies ~

[] white sugar
[] brown sugar
[] powdered sugar
[] salt
[] flour (white and wheat)
[] yeast
[] baking powder
[] baking soda
[] pancake mix
[] cornmeal
[] powdered alum
[] spices
[] prepared ahead cookie mixes


Canned Foods ~

[] canned corn
[] canned green beans
[] canned carrots
[] canned beets
[] canned peas
[] canned potatoes
[] olives
[] canned spinach
[] canned navy beans
[] refried beans
[] canned tomato sauce
[] spagetti sauce
[] canned peaches
[] canned pears
[] applesauce
[] fruit cocktail
[] tuna
[] sardines, clams, mussles
[] oysters
[] spam
[] canned chicken
[] canned salmon
[] beef stew
[] chili
[] ravioli's
[] corned beef hash
[] cream of mushroom soup
[] cream of chicken soup
[] canned soups of all kinds
[] beef broth
[] chicken broth
[] pickles
[] peanut butter
[] baby food
[] jam and jelly
[] canned milk
[] evaporated milk


Dry Goods ~

[] navy beans
[] lentils
[] split peas
[] black eyed peas
[] pinto beans
[] instant potatoes
[] dried fruit
[] oatmeal
[] cream of wheat
[] granola
[] cold cereal
[] rice (white, whole grain, etc.)
[] rice-a-roni boxes
[] pasta of all kinds
[] crackers
[] chips
[] popcorn
[] garlic cloves
[] potatoes
[] onions
[] pudding
[] jello

Drinks ~

[] coffee and instant coffee
[] tea
[] soy milk
[] powdered milk
[] water
[] apple juice
[] orange juice
[] cranberry juice
[] hot chocolate mix
[] pop
[] beer
[] wine
[] hard alcohol (whiskey; brandy for cold medicine)
[] Cremora
[] baby formula

Misc. ~

[] honey
[] lemon juice
[] white vinegar
[] apple cider vinegar
[] gelatin
[] syrup
[] ketsup
[] mustard
[] mayo
[] salad dressings
[] cooking oil
[] olive oil
[] shortening
[] Velveeta cheese
[] margerine

Refrigerator Items ~

[] milk
[] eggs
[] cheese
[] butter
[] fresh meats
[] fresh vegis

Kitchen items to have on hand ~

[] dutch ovens
[] dutch oven receipes
[] charcoal to use for dutch oven cooking
[] bread receipes, cookbooks
[] ziplock freezer bags (gallon & quart)
[] canning jars (to use as canisters, oil lamps, lanterns, etc.)
[] butter churn
[] meat grinder
[] rubber gloves
[] paper towels
[] paper plates
[] napkins
[] plastic cups
[] plastic bowls and plates
[] dish soap
[] cleaning supplies such as:
* comet, 409, windex, bleach, bleach spray, bleach wipes, amonia
[] large and small garbage bags
[] scrubbies, dishrags


Stocking up on Baby Items:


[] disposable diapers
[] rash ointment
[] diaper wraps or plastic pants
[] 3 dozen cloth diapers
[] bottle brush
[] glass bottles, extra nipples
[] diaper pins
[] baby cereal and food
[] lots of formula


Stocking up on Pet Supplies:

[] lots of pet food for each kind of pet
[] current shots
[] worm medicine
[] nail cutters
[] grooming supplies


Stocking up the Bathroom:

[] toilet paper
[] shampoo
[] conditioner
[] lotions
[] toothbrushes
[] tampons; pads
[] soap
[] face wash
[] hair color
[] baby oil
[] suntan lotion
[] q-tips
[] aroma therapy items
[] razors
[] bath salts
[] toothpaste
[] mouthwash
[] dental floss
[] shaving cream
[] after shave
[] baby wipes
[] diapers


Stocking up the Medicine Cabinet:


Books: First Aid Manuel; Natural Home Remedies

[] pepto-bismal
[] immonium AD
[] digital thermometer
[] manual thermometer
[] face masks
[] rubbing alcohol
[] band-aids
[] cortisone cream
[] iodine
[] hemorroid ointment
[] Tylenol
[] Aleve
[] aspirin
[] cold meds
[] cough meds
[] extras of your prescriptions
[] vitamin C
[] vaseline
[] Vic's vaporub
[] glycerine
[] medicine dropper
[] latex gloves
[] hydrogen peroxide
[] Neosporin ointment
[] ace bandages
[] burn ointment
[] calendula ointment
[] infant tylenol and cold meds
[] nose syringe
[] ibuprophen
[] Excederin
[] baby aspirin
[] cough drops
[] allergy meds
[] vitamins for kids and adults
[] vitamin E capsules
[] lysine
[] zinc
[] homeopathic meds and books
[] herbal meds and books


Stocking up on Gardening Supplies:


[] seeds
[] fertilizer
[] sprinklers
[] dirt
[] tools
[] hoses
[] raised bed boxes
[] watering cans
[] hydroponics gardening info
[] High Desert gardening info
[] raised bed gardening info


Entertainment:


[] DVD/VCR and movies (use a car battery)
[] games
[] cards
[] art supplies and paper
[] books
[] knitting/chrocheting/sewing
[] writing/journaling
[] playdough and crafts
[] toys
[] homeschooling stuff


Misc. items to have on hand:

[] charcoal
[] propane
[] propane heaters/stoves
[] tarps
[] books on self-reliant living
[] rolls of black plastic
[] kerosene
[] kerosene heaters
[] cast iron skillets and pots
[] safe
[] rechargeable batteries
[] regular batteries
[] manual pump for the well
[] generator with fuel
[] extra car batteries (for tv)
[] bikes
[] flashlights
[] BBQ
[] laundry soap
[] (3) galvanized washtubs
[] washboard
[] propane lanterns
[] kerosene lamps with wicks
[] candlemaking supplies (wax, wicks)
[] wood stove and wood
[] walkie talkies
[] police/emergency scanners
[] guns and amo
[] axe, maul, splitter
[] chainsaw
[] newspaper

New Blog Posts:

New Blog Posts:
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Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Staying Warm in a Cold Snap:







It is very cold in Mayberry.  I think it was -10 this morning ... perhaps it is a little bit warmer or a little bit cooler.  I am too lazy to go outside and start my car to find the temp gauge that I find to be the most accurate ... the one in my rear view mirror.

Long ago, I self-appointed myself to be the one in charge of home atmosphere.  When we were little and I was the babysitter of my bro and two sisters, they had to clean the kitchen and family room and I was in charge of the living room.  Even back then, I thought that the living room should stay clean,  just in case company dropped by.  They felt this was unfair, because they said that all I did was rearrange magazines on the coffee table.  However, that was not true at all.  A lot goes into to making a good first impression. 


That bit of information aside, let us get back to it being cold in Mayberry.  I still like to be in charge of our home's atmosphere, and that includes keeping it warm in the winter and cool in the summer.  Since we don't have to worry about keeping it cool right now, I will tell you how I try to keep it warm.


We are grandparents, and grandparents like to stay warm.  We live in our sweatshirts and sweatpants when we are at home.  I like to keep the heat set to 71* or so.  My husband likes it at 73*, but sometimes I get too hot.  So I think that I have figured out a way to make 71* feel like 73*.  For you new people, this is what we looked like last summer when we were camping.  Just to get a visual of these particular grandparents.  Cary was wearing a sweatshirt then too.  I think he gets colder easier than I do.   





Oh, my best friend husband is so dang cute!  Sorry ladies, he's taken.


Anyway, back to keep our home warm when it is below zero outside.  First of all, I think that the snow actually helps keep our home warmer, when it gets deep enough.  It forms an insulation around the foundation.  Second, not only do I close off the back bedrooms, I keep those heater vents closed and covered with something over them.  In the Mom Cave, there is a bookshelf on top of the vent.  In the guest room, there are just pillows.  I don't want our guests to freeze.  I also do that in our computer/sewing room, and only have one vent open in our bedroom.  My theory is that this technique forces more warm air into the living area.  



We are living in an manufactured home, and our ceilings are kind of high and vaulted.  So, here is my little plan to help keep things warmer in here.  I know, this is an ugly picture below, and our carpet really needs to be cleaned, but the key here is the little fan, which actually is on, though you can't tell by looking at this photo:





The fan is facing up to the ceiling.  There is another identical fan in the dining room.  Because heat rises, these little fans really help to keep the warm air circulating through out the area.  Ceiling fans would work too, but we don't have them in these rooms.

Keeping the mini blinds and curtains closed on the cold days and nights really does help keep the heat in too.  Though if we are home, I love looking out at he snow, so that doesn't always happen during the day.    


This house is around 10 years old, so it is insulated well.  Super good cents or something similar, and we are lucky there.  I like how there are heater vents under all of the sinks; that really helps to keep the pipes from freezing.  We also leave the faucets dripping with COLD water on these cold  nights.  Hot water causes condensation and your pipes can still freeze if you are using that.  I keep the cupboard doors open at night also, but I don't think I really need to in our case.  In our master bathroom I keep them closed, because that is where the mice were last year and it freaks me out.  Still, I want a hot shower in the morning, not frozen pipes, so I make appropriate judgment calls to myself on this sort of thing.  I just like thinking and figuring out these sorts of things.  Of course, make sure that your hoses are unhooked from the faucets outside.


Speaking of frozen pipes, here is a little story that my friend Bunny told me about.  On a cold snap a year or so ago, their pipes were fine.  Bunny went to do a load of laundry, and ended up with a flooded laundry room!  That happened because there was some water in the wash machine drain pipe that had frozen the last time that she had washed some clothes, and the ice blocked the water of the new load from draining.  Who would have ever thought about that?  So, I decided to hold off on washing clothes until it warms up a bit, just in case.


If you have a big windstorm or snowstorm coming, and live in the country where you depend upon a pump, it is a good idea to fill up your bathtubs.  Not for drinking water; but you can fill up a pan and use that bathtub water to flush your toilets.  Some folks new to the country don't know about that handy little tip. 


We don't have a wood stove or and alternative heat source, and we aren't too worried about it for now.  I wouldn't mind a wood stove though.  We have a travel trailer, and if we lose electricity for too long and get too cold, we can just go out there and use the propane heat and watch movies with our little t.v. that plugs into the truck cigarette lighter.  Heat up cans of Ravioli.  And snuggle by candlelight.


There are also these little propane heaters at Bi-Mart though, that are safe for use inside a house, trailer or tent.  They are called "Mr. Heater Buddy" and they cost around $80.  You just screw in those little bottles of propane that cost around $3.00 each.  I got a medium-sized one, and it will heat up to 200 square feet.  Just in case we would ever want to use it.



So, there you go!  I think that this is going to be a very cold and snowy winter out here in the Pacific Northwest.  I always try to plan ahead, and these are just some of the ideas that I have thought up to keep us warm.

Oh, the fuel was jelled in Cary's diesel truck this morning and he barely got it started.  Make sure you keep some anti-gel jell on hand if you are not using a gasoline engine.  And, it goes without saying to take extra special care of your outside animals.



Stay warm and stay safe!


~ Kathy

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Canning Jar Lanterns:

Speaking of being prepared, here is a very easy little thing you can do ahead of time and then just put away until you need them:  Canning Jar Lanterns.




I have seven of these made up, and a bunch of extra candles.  I just used fine gravel in the canning jar to hold the emergency candle up.  How easy is that?

I found that the emergency candles are actually cheaper at the grocery store than they are at Bi-Mart.  Who would have guessed?   The last time the power actually did go out, Cary was pretty impressed when I whipped these little babies out.  Being inside the jar, the candle gives off more light than it would by itself.



Ti-da!