Do Something Different

Stuck in a rut? Bored with life? Need to re-orient yourself?  Try doing something different.  Here's some examples:

• Do a microadventure
• Make a big change in your life for a year
• Set a big goal
• Make any change
• Reinvent yourself
• Be more adventurous

Flu, Flu Everywhere

If you haven't heard, not only are people being battered by the miserable weather around the country, but now the flu looks to be gaining steam as well.  Here's some preparedness tips:

• Know what the problem is.
• And check out what flu.gov has to say.
• See if the flu is being reported near you.
• Consider getting a flu shot.
• Learn how to take care of yourself and others who have the flu.
• Stockpile items you will need if you get sick (kleenex, canned soup, Gatorade, Tylenol, cough drops, TheraFlu, etc.).
• If you have severe symptoms, take yourself to the hospital.

January is the Time for...Gardening

Yes, really.  And you may be thinking "yeah, after the two feet of snow in my back yard melts" but I remember as a kid, snowed in during the cold months of January and February, that one of the bright spots during that time was planning for the big garden we would soon be planting.

First comes planning.  You map out your garden space, look at the previous few years' garden maps, and figure out where you will plant things.  Remember crop rotation is a good thing.

And then you order your garden catalogs.  Here, here, here, and here, for example. (note, this was before being able to browse and order seeds online).

Next you start dreaming of what you will plant.  If you have lots of space, you may plan for a variety of gardens: vegetable garden, flower garden, herb garden, an orchard, a berry patch, medicinals garden, for-profit garden (such as u-pick berries, pumpkins, sale grapes, etc), etc.  Beware, people usually plan a much bigger garden than they can deal with in reality.  Start small and grow, pun intended, from there.  Gardening is a lot of work!

Check your garden journal and note any problems you had during the past year.  Some items just don't grow well so you may want to skip the crops that don't grow well, try similar crops and see if the problems can be averted, or challenge yourself to grow the same crop and figure out how to solve the problem.

You may also want to schedule rototilling and order manure/hay/cover crop/fertilizer for use before, during, and after the season.  Now is also a good time to make sure your tools and gardening machinery are in good working order.  If you have a big garden project planned--a corn maze, a business selling u-pick pumpkins, building a green house--now is the time to pre-plan those projects as well.

Remember, if you need help or are new to gardening, there are plenty of free resources to help.  Simply Googling your garden questions will get you a lot of information.  Also check to see if you have a local county extension office with myriad gardening resources or a local Master Gardeners Program.

10 Resources For Those of You In the Frozen North

While I'm basking in 65 degree weather in Las Vegas, a big part of the country is buried under snow and ice.  Here's ten resources to help you weather the storm (pun intended)...

1. 8 Tips to Ease Winter Travel Woes
2. Cold Weather Survival Guide
3. How to Stay Alive When It's Cold
4. Cold Weather Survival Tips
5. What You Need to Know When Temperatures Plummet
6. 10 Ways to Survive a Snowstorm
7. Winter Storm Survival Kit for Travelers
8. Winter Weather Preparedness
9. EDEN Winter Storms
10. 5 Tips to Prepare for Frigid Cold

Just a Reminder...

A good way to increase your food stockpiles on the cheap is to take advantage of case lot sales.  From the ad below you can see that you can get 12 cans of Chunky soup for $12 which means 12 meals (four days) of emergency food rations.  12 jars of peanut butter for $17 will give you enough protein for a month!

5 First Aid Kits

It's important to have first aid supplies on hand so that you can take care of minor medical incidents without running to the pharmacy or being forced to do without if you happen to be stranded somewhere.  Here are five first aid kits you should have on hand:

• Daily carry first aid kit: a couple of band aids, an alcohol wipe, a packet of aspirin.  Include also a day's worth of prescription medicine and any other items that you may need on a regular basis (ie: glucose tabs if you are diabetic, Epipen, feminine hygiene items, etc).  These few items should always be with you and will take care of most minor medical problems--headache, cuts and scrapes, etc.
• Day hike first aid kit: four or five band aids, a couple of alcohol wipes, two packets of aspirin, antiseptic ointment, glucose tabs, rehydration salts, moleskin, Benadryl, needle, gauze pad, adhesive tape, and any other items you may need (prescription medication, Epipen, feminine hygiene items, etc).  I also include items specific to the area I am hiking such as a snake bite kit, chemical hand warmers for winter hikes, etc. 
• Car/RV/Boat first aid kit: a handful of bandaids, a handful of alcohol wipes, a bottle of aspirin, antiseptic ointment, glucose tabs, rehydration salts, Benadryl, gauze pads, adhesive tape, moleskin, ACE bandage, scissors, tweezers, tourniquet, antidiarrheal medication, cold pack, hot pack, needle and thread, and any other items you may need (prescription medication, Epipen, feminine hygiene items, etc).  This first aid kit will need to be more substantial since, if stranded, you could be many hours or even days away from medical assistance.
• Home first aid kit: a box of bandaids, a box of alcohol pads, a bottle of aspirin, antiseptic ointment, Benadryl, gauze pads, adhesive tape, ACE bandage, scissors, tweezers, antidiarrheal medication, thermometer, decongestant, and any other items you may need (prescription medication, Epipen, feminine hygiene items, etc).  This kit can be a bit less substantial that a kit you carry when away from home because you have the option of calling 911 for medical assistance in an emergency.
• Bug Out Bag first aid kit: a handful of bandaids, a handful of alcohol wipes, a bottle of aspirin, antiseptic ointment, glucose tabs, rehydration salts, Benadryl, gauze pads, adhesive tape, moleskin, ACE bandage, scissors, tweezers, tourniquet, antidiarrheal medication, cold pack, hot pack, needle and thread, QuickClot, water purification tablets, narcotic pain pills, suction syringe, and any other items you may need (prescription medication, Epipen, feminine hygiene items, etc).  This first aid kit will need to be the most comprehensive since if you are bugging out that means there has been a disaster which could mean medical assistance may be days away.

And 11 other considerations:

1. Keep a comprehensive set of first aid books on hand (don't rely on looking things up on the internet as it may be down).
2. Take as many first aid classes as possible (from the basics at the Red Cross to EMT school to a NOLS course).
3. Consider keeping other first aid equipment on hand if you have the necessity or skill to do so (an AED, a blood pressure cuff, a glucose meter, advanced first aid equipment, etc).
4. Get some hands-on first aid skills (by volunteering at your local Red Cross or as an EMT).
5. Keep up with the latest in emergency first aid by going online (I recommend Adventure Doc, WildMed, etc).
6. Consider growing your own pharmaceuticals along with your garden vegetables (info here).
7. Also know how to forage for pharmaceutical plants (blogs and websites abound on the topic).
8. Be sure to review your first aid kits at least once a quarter, get rid of expired items, and replace items that have been used.
9. A note on aspirin: I tend to always carry both aspirin and Tylenol since aspirin can be chewed by someone having a heart attack (give them the aspirin--not Tylenol as it doesn't work the same--and call 911 immediately) while they are waiting for help to arrive.
10. Here's a few other items to carry with you that could be useful in a medical emergency: mirror to signal for help, a packet knife, a space blanket, duct tape, and acidophilous. 
11. In a medical emergency, ALWAYS call 911 first and get them rolling before you attempt to help the victim.  

Happy New Year!

Here's hoping you and yours had a safe and enjoyable New Year's Eve and New Year's day.  Today starts a new year in which you can meet your goals, improve your self, and become more prepared for anything that life throws you.  Onward!