6:35pm - 56 degrees - scattered clouds...
Here's the thing... I'm a bit of a worrier. I find that when I'm worried about something, being able to take a positive, substantive action, makes me feel like I'm a bit more in control. This is true when preparing for the harsh upcoming Winter season. This is true when preparing for natural disasters - both small and large. It's true when dealing with any medial issues. And it's true when fretting about the economy. With the world in a bit of a turmoil these days, it seems that there's a lot of worrying going on, and not just in my own head.
With the rising costs (which everyone is feeling the pinch) I started wondering about the people who survived the Great Depression. My grandparents were teenagers during that time, and I've listened to their stories. But I still wonder... in hindsight, how would they have prepared themselves for such a tough time. If their parents, my great-grandparents, had known what was coming, what would they have done differently? What did they wish for in the midst of their survival efforts? What would they have deemed mandatory survival needs?
I'm a voracious reader... and once I'm interested in something I seek out every resource I can find to learn everything I can about a topic. And maybe I've been reading too many apocalyptic novels lately, but these are questions that are concerning to me.
These days, we're so conditioned to jump in the car and run to the store whenever we need (or want!) something. What would our world look like if you weren't able to do that as often, or possibly not at all?
In this day and age, we also heavily rely on the internet. During a power outage, or when the internet is down, you can't Google, or ask Alexa, how to do something, or look something up. That's why it is essential to have physical resources to turn to when digital isn't an option.
Being prepared for when times are tough is an exercise in self-reliant living. Getting through tough times - whether it is nature related or man-made related - will be easier if you have skills. Knowledge is power, especially when the unexpected happens.
Here are some invaluable books you'll want on your shelf to get you started...
Back to Basics: A Complete Guide to Traditional Skills, Third Edition
Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
Bushcraft 101: A Field Guide to the Art of Wilderness Survival
Field Guide to Wilderness Medicine
Pacific Northwest Medicinal Plants: Identify, Harvest, and Use
SAS Survival Handbook, Third Edition
The Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual
The Survival Medicine Handbook
The Vegetable Gardener's Bible, 2nd Edition
Ultimate Guide: Wiring, 9th Edition
When All Hell Breaks Loose: Stuff You Need To Survive When Disaster Strikes
Where There Is No Doctor: A Village Health Care Handbook
...then you can continue to add to your collection - cook books, gardening and wild edibles specific to the region you live in, bread making books, animal husbandry, general food preservation, herbalism books - really the list could go on and on.
I would absolutely love book recommendations, and I encourage you to let me know your favorites in the comments below.
