Squirreling

I get in this mode every fall where I am sure we will starve (to death) or freeze (to death) during the winter months. I think it is from growing up for some of my wonder years on the edge of the Sierra's and actually getting snowed in and having no water for spells. It could also be that great, great uncle Luke died in the Donner Party in the Sierra's back in the 1800 somethings. He was not eaten! Anyway winter is my favorite season and I love to know that the wood is split and stacked and there is plenty of food (nuts) stored away.

So here is the new seasoned wood in front of the old seasoned wood waiting for the Kevbear to get to stacking. There used to be a nice woodshed to put it in but the bitch neighbor from hell filed a complaint that it was a fire hazard to her vacant lot and the county made us move it, it was too close to the property line... it is now a wonderful garden shed!

So as part of my squirrel activity I went to the big city and bought some extra food. On Saturday I put 20 pounds of cheese in the freezer and another 6 meatloafs (12 total so far). I get this way... This year I did some research (thanks LDS) and bought some books and came up with a plan! A meal plan. I looked at what we eat and how often, as I am the cook in the house this was easy. I then looked at 2 weeks worth of meals, I then broke it down into what each meal took to make. I then figured these meals (with variations) for 8 months. Just until next years garden starts producing. And then inventoried what I already had stored away, and thought "oh shit I need more stuff!". So I shopped... Mr. G does have a point (ignored by me) that we do not have the room for my squirrel list. I am determined... I am also very worried...

We have some class A idiots running things these days. We are in a war over oil (#2 so far) and will be in more soon and very few leaders say we are in a war over oil... yet. We have an economy that is running on borrowed time that could pull many things down world-wide... soon. We have a government that is not addressing the fact that we are in a war over a dwindling resource and should really be putting the $'s into some new energy avenues. So I am worried...

I spent Sunday canning. Now I have not canned for 20+ years, so I thought that it might be a good time to get in practice again, what with having a garden and all. So I put up a dozen quarts of dill pickles and a dozen pints of relish. It was cool out so it helped warm the house up, and it helped get rid of most of the veggies on the dining room table. The zucs will become zuc/carrot breads for the winter hoard. Next weekend will maybe be applesauce... There is also that wood -pile waiting...