This past week has been an interesting one. I've been watching the reactions across the country to the snow that has been falling and I'm really not very impressed. When did we as a country become so helpless? When did a couple feet of snow become a federal disaster? It's winter time, snow happens. When I was a child living in Chicago, we had a big snowstorm. The drifts were over the eaves of the house, all the roads were buried in snow and my Dad took the Fire Chief to the Firehouse on a snowmobile (he lived next door). I remember my Dad keeping the chimney clear of snow, checking the roof, etc. We did not run out of food or water and we didn't freeze even tho my brother and I tried very hard to buy ourselves in snowdrifts. The National Guard did not come and patrol the streets for us either. So what happened to this country since then? When, exactly, did people quit taking care of themselves and doing things for themselves? When did we lose the ability to even think for ourselves? Our ancestors, parked in log cabins in the middle of nowhere without paved roads and a horse for their transportation seemed to be able to live thru 3' of snow every single winter. Why can't we?
Maybe I've got a slightly skewed view of the world, who knows. The thought of having the National Guard showing up to "help" me is insulting. The whole point of working toward living self sustained is to be exactly that, self sustained. I put some serious attention and effort into feeding myself so I don't ever run out of food. I've made decisions that have intentionally reduced my dependence on the electric company, the water company and any other service that others find themselves unable to live without. It was a conscious effort to become independent. Even if 10' of snow fell here, I would find myself a little inconvenienced going back and forth to the barn but I would surely live thru it. So what if the local gas station is closed. So what if the mall is closed. These places do not dictate to my survival in this world. Frankly, if there is that much snow laying on the ground, I don't need to be out driving around in it. There is nowhere in this world I need to be so badly that it would require me to drive in 10' of snow.
So, instead of worrying about how bad the next round of snow is going to be, think about what seeds you need to be starting soon. Get thinking about the coming spring and the new planting season. Whip up some home made bread and a big pot of chili and wait for the snow melt!
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AMEN!!!
ReplyDeleteHumvee conditioning of the populace??
ReplyDeleteAMEN!!!!! If you live in area like that you should be Prepared!! Sure for some its a fluke snow fall..but be aware!, most of these folks are the tpye that starve as they only have 2-3 days food supplies in the house!
ReplyDeleteBAAA
ReplyDeleteTheir lives are just so automated they don’t know what to do if the routine gets interrupted. People no longer create things so they have nothing invested to comment about. Having a goal and achieving it is strictly about being able to brag about how hard it was to get there:) ...
It's the "free government cheese" syndrome. People come to expect entitlements, rather than having to do it themselves. It's why most of the population doesn't have any pride in the work that they do anymore, so they are helpless when they actually have to provide for themselves.
ReplyDeleteI think you have the wrong idea. Most of us here are doing quite well in spite of what the 24-hour mainstream news is reporting around the country. I live in Maryland, about 30 miles outside Washington on a small farm. We have 3 feet of snow on the ground, but we're managing just fine -- and counting the days to spring. I understand that's not headline news, but it's our reality.
ReplyDeleteTerrific post! I have lived in Montana...they wouldn't even close the schools there for less than 3 foot of snow! Now I am in Texas...we got 1/2 in Dec 2008 and this entire town ground to a halt for THREE DAYS!
ReplyDeleteMy son is in the mountains of Va right now and is doing fine...even with 36 inches plus outside his door. He knew the weather was gonna get bad, so he made sure he had plenty of water stored, plus food, etc. Even set his grill up on the back deck just in case they lost power. Simple things anyone can do.
well, ive got it easy in northeast pa... only 13 inches at our place. and was talking to my bride of 22 years about this wussification of americans.... all the towns around here started issuing state of emergency and snow emergency announcements yesterday late in the afternoon, even before one snowflake had fallen!! man oh man have people changed since "back in the day..." !!
ReplyDeletepatriot steve...
ps... Kat, im glad you don't make any of that nasty "Gubmint Cheese"....lol.
I know the govenor of oklahoma declared every county a disaster before any snow fell. I personally think its the global warming that is causing all this snow. LOL. Or maybe we are heading for another ICE AGE. Oh dear. Its the city folks who usually dont prepare like we do. We know if we want to flush when the elect. goes out we better have buckets filled and sitting in the tub. The well dont work without elect. I sure enjoy your blog. Praying your hubby finds work soon, mine was unemployed for over five months and it was hard, now he is working at a job he doesnt care for but its a job ya know?
ReplyDeletetake care
Wonderful Post! I was thinking about the same issue today!
ReplyDeleteGeez, I live in Michigan Winter Wonderland and we prepare for what Mother Nature brings our way! Even with saying those words it hasn't snowed a real blizzard like when I was a kid!
~~HUGS~~
ROFL, I'm so glad I'm not the only one seeing all the silliness over some snow. How did our ancestors even survive without governmental aid? LOL
ReplyDeleteSteve, hehehehe, no gubmint cheese here! hehehehe
Blessings, I remember Ann Arbor as a kid, it snowed like mad. It sure was fun tho!
DebbieO, thanks and glad you stopped in! I saw Ok did that, I thought it was silly myself to do that...
Lamb, they do thst here too. you'd think the sky fell the way folks around here act with just a tiny bit of snow!
Chris, I hear ya, so many people conditioned to not take care of themselves around us is what I'm disappointed over, not those of us that can and do prepare! Us prepared folks never get the press, always the whine bags getting all the air time.
Everyone should have at the least a weeks worth of food in the pantry and quit running to walmart every day.
Amen!!
ReplyDeleteI agree. I have lived in south Florida my entire 50+
ReplyDeleteyears. We don't get snow we get hurricanes.
One of seven kids , my mom was always prepared,
if a storm hit we were going to lose power. Bathtubs
filled to flush toilets and take a quicky bath, back in the
day it was sterno stoves and canned goods,
as well as cookies and snacks to keep us all
happy whole playing board games by candle light.
Don't remember when the shift happened to
" where's my goverment water, and money to rebuild."
we have lost that self sufficient spirit that made this
country great.
You all stay warm and toasty next to the wood stoves
I have to go water my tomatoes.
Amen! great post
ReplyDeleteAMEN MMpaints!
ReplyDeleteEven yesterday while talking to people while in town, they were whining about the snow and cold. I listened and then asked how old they were, some were my age but most younger and I told of winters when I was a kid when it began snowing the end of Sept and you didn't see bare ground again until end of April. When it snowed back then it wasn't like now when we only get 2-4 " at a shot, back then it snowed 10-15" at a shot. My Senior year, I hauled water to my horse, he was in the back field and while carrying the 5 gallon buckets of water they'd freeze across the top, thick enough to pick off by hand and that was only carrying then about 500yds, it was that cold! Many of the people looked at me like I was nuts, then a 60+yr. old gentleman piped in and said yep and when I was a child it was worse yet. He then calmly added in that he wishes it would get back to that, then maybe some of the "yuppies" would leave MT, LOL! I agreed with him.
I do admit I don't exactly like hauling water for two cows, a horse, chickens and turkeys when it's frigid, but it gets done!
Blessings,
Kelle
I'm only cold right now in the Sunshine State. But I remember Michigan. Snow never stopped us. Washington wimps.
ReplyDeleteI only go food shopping every two months. Be prepared!
See Ya
got the cheese in the mail today! awesome stuff..... very smoooooooooth ! Kudos to you for skills that will matter in short order....
ReplyDeletepatriot steve
Great post, me and hubby have moved from the Keweenaw of the Upper Peninsula Michigan where we averaged 30 feet of snow every year. This year we moved to North Carolina and when a storm brought 8 inches of snow and ice we were amused how everyone reacted like it was the end of the world. Everyone flocks to the stores and literally clears the store out of meat, eggs, bread, milk and peanut butter. School closed for 3 or 4 days, even the wildlife seemed to panic! For us it was a shrug of the shoulder, oh a little bit of snow in the winter.......just another day! LOL
ReplyDeleteAMEN! I agree with everyone else. We became a soft nation when we started looking for handouts from the government. It was one small step that lead to a multitude of steps.One down a very slippery slope to dependency on others for the basic needs. Now if their goverment check for food is late, you would think they were starving. Too many SIT around with their hand out, waiting for someone to do. What they are quite capable of doing for themselves if they chose to. Problem is they don't, they are an entitled generation. Great post!
ReplyDeleteWonderful post. Rant away!!! I used to work for FEMA and could I share some stories that would make you scream!!
ReplyDeleteThere is a direct correlation between the States and the mindset of those wanting big entitlements. Many Federally-declared disasters are not awarded to states where the States and the people are actually "prepared". The tax-money goes to states that are eat-up-with-entitlements.
I'm loving your blog so much.
Thanks to everyone for your comments, I'm so glad I'm not alone in my thinking. I just pains me deeply that our country as a whole has lost it's spirit and the basics that brought us so far. The "free lunch" costs somebody, somewhere, and all one had to do was have enough sense to be just a little bit prepared and they just choose not to.
ReplyDeleteI agree! I am in Ontario and we have a lot of snow. Every year there are people new to our area that complain bitterly about the snow. If you don't want snow, don't live here. This is Canada, for Pete's sake.
ReplyDelete