what is going on?

Good morning world!  The sunrise was breathtaking this morning.  After the sluggish start to yesterday, it definitely fueled my energy for today.  I've determined that when I wake up and have one of those rough starts where everything is out of whack and rushed that my day pretty much stays in that same vein. Yesterday was no exception.  I was in a funk all day, tired, out of sorts, not feeling strongly about doing much of anything. I struggled hard. Everything just seemed to be difficult.

I finally ended up sitting in the sun for about an hour while my soup was in the pressure canner. I simply needed to rest and regroup. I couldn't find my motivation or flow.  I finally gave up and went to bed early.  Some days you simply have to check out. 

Today is off to a much better start.  I woke up at stupid o'clock (remember I went to bed early), and maybe that is the key to having energy and motivation.  Because today is off to an extraordinary start.  Pups walked and fed, yesterday's canning already labeled and stored, laundry almost finished and it's not even 7:30 am.  Heck, I've even planned out today's canning adventures and have the recipes bookmarked and ingredients ready to go. 

just hold me mommy

Dad we gotta help mom find treatos!

I need to share some concerns.  Yesterday when Hubs got home from working down at the camp all day we ran out to pick up a few items I have used up.  It wasn't a huge list, just a few fresh herbs and few dried ones (as mine are not big enough to use yet) a few veggies and a couple of cuts of meat.  Nothing major or crazy, although I did consider picking up some strawberries as they are in season and I want to try dehydrating a few of them. 

Here is the thing.  I went into the first store, Schnucks, just up the road from our home.  I've had a few concerns about their bare shelves lately and the fact that there is less and less available in the entire store.  Most of the things are items we do not eat, so I wasn't overly concerned.  Yesterday I was in and out of a store that was so busy there were hardly any carts in less than 5 minutes.  No I am not that fast, the first 3 things on my list were not available. There was only 15 things on the list and most of it would have been in that department.  

As I walked in I had a sense that things were very different.  Massive space between items, empty bins everywhere, and when I found the "fresh herbs" they were all brown and unusable. As I stood there and looked around I had a feeling of a store going out of business or in an extremely small area with hardly any population.  To the best of my knowledge they aren't going out of business (although this is the third or fourth time recently that it has been like this) and our town is definitely not small. 

I just chalked it up to another bad experience and decided I would run into Fresh Thyme over by the place Hubs wanted to grab dinner from.  No big deal.  I know Fresh Thyme is more of a specialty store and a bit more expensive sometimes.  But their produce department is always top notch. 

I was shocked to walk into another store that looked sadly barren.  I did manage to find most of the things I was looking for.  Most, definitely not all.  I bought 5 small bags of groceries and spent $100.  Remember my list was 15 items and I didn't find it all. 

Later today I will run up to a different grocery for those last few things.  I hope they have what I am looking for.  If not, I will figure out a plan b.  But I am struggling with what I am witnessing.  Hubs loves bacon and I started to pick up a package, one that just a month ago I bought for $14 marveling at how expensive it had gotten.  Yet as I noticed the price yesterday $22.50 for the same size package, I couldn't bring myself to do it. 

Getting back in the truck to share this information with Hubs, I notice he's listening to the news and they are talking about the extreme baby formula shortage.  Our state is one of the hardest hit.  I know it's been a couple of years of folks struggling to canning jars and try buying lids, holy moses. Speaking with my sister I find out the special formula my nephew needs cannot be found anywhere and the hospital has started changing the formula to one they can get.  She also mentioned that she bought herself a flock of chickens, eggs are getting really scarce in her neck of the woods. 

I am not an alarmist, I am not someone that goes crazy and buys all of the toilet paper I can find in a city.  I will admit yesterday shook me to my core.  Too many things are adding up to something brewing that isn't nice or pretty.  The more I look into things the more it shakes me.  

Are we on the edge of another great depression?  Hyper inflation is already rearing it's ugly head, if you don't know what it is maybe look for an unedited history book about how Hitler came to power, understand what Germany was going through in those days.  Because it is scary stuff. And if we are, are we even remotely ready and able to handle what is coming our way?

pot-o-penos

I have a lot of crazy old fashioned skills.  There are many things that I can do successfully.  Sadly, I need supplies to be able to do them.  My little treetop garden cannot provide enough food even for just Hubs and I. I realized yesterday I need to expand my herb garden as I definitely am not producing even enough of that to meet our needs. I can't have chickens, so there are no fresh eggs to gather daily. 

Many folks in the urban and suburban areas are frankly going to be screwed.  Those out in the country are going to be better off if things keep going the way they are. But then again... are they?  After generations of people not learning the things that helped our grandparents and great grandparents through the rough times do the folks living in the country have the skill sets needed?  Hubs was doing a bit of trading with our friend down south and asked him what they might like that I was canning as we didn't want to step on their toes in regards to what they were canning.  The only thing they are canning is flavored moonshine. Not food.  Not that I mind trading for that at all. 

I just felt a heavy sadness last night.  A realization that we are not on a good path right now and that people are oblivious to what is all around them. 

I'm not an economist, I'm not into political science, I might be paying for a lot of college but I am definitely not someone that spent a lot of time in higher education - never did decide what I wanted to be when I grew up.  What I am is someone that is always on a quest to learn.  Someone that is ferociously independent and someone that has always longed for the simpler days and ways.  

French Onion Soup

I never dreamed that those basic skills could serve me so well, but I am thankful for the ones that I have. And striving to learn even more. I am up for trading my skills for anything you want to bring to the table to trade.  I am always up to help someone else learn some of these "silly" skills.  And I am always game to learn more of them myself.  

I don't know what the future holds, but I do know that my gut is telling me to buckle up - the ride is getting rough. 

When it's all said and done, maybe this is a tight spot that we will rapidly leave behind us.  Best case scenario I will have a beautiful garden and continue making things simply out of joy not need.  Worst case scenario, I have some crazy awesome skills that will get put to use creatively. 

Thanks for walking through this craziness with me.  I think I will continue to plan ahead, ya know for the "if come" to bring some stillness to my mind. There is simply too much that when added up is unsteady and uncomfortable. 

Okay mom... it's time to be finished

Well, it's time to get busy.  I am going to make some sugar free ketchup today using a very old recipe.  He loves ketchup and the sugar free kind is crazy expensive (not understanding why the healthier stuff is always expensive).  Wish me luck! 

love and peace...