The Neighborhood Bear

This amazing photo was taken from the trail cam in the study area. His paws caught our attention.

Seems he has more growing to do to fill those paws.

Naturalists tell us that studying the predators and larger species help to determine the overall health of the eco system in an area.
The bears and wild hogs seem to be doing quite well.
The wild turkeys have their broods running around and there are plenty of squirrel. Deer are sighted fairly often.

I think the bumper crop of acorns last fall are still providing food.
My mountain garden is growing too. So far, no evidence of wild animals feeding in it.

I Love Andy for A Laugh In Time

http://www.borowitzreport.com/ has some hilarious stuff. When the country is in such a mess, its good to run over to Andy's page and have a good laugh.

If a person didn't know better, they would think some of these headlines are actually true:

Obama Says We're Not Deserting Afghanistan, We Promise to Follow on Twitter

70% of Existing Marriages May Already Be Gay

I watch the news and wonder about these nuclear plants in eminent danger. Our officials are telling us not to worry. Interviews with the general public show they're not buying it, however.
As the mandatory evacuation is underway in New Mexico, lines of cars backed up as the people leave their homes, I can only wonder what happens if there is no gas left to leave? What if you're on empty?

What if you're one of the those who are waiting for a paycheck to buy gas, food, or put some cash in your pocket? How do you evacuate then?
Of course, they say this plastic dome protecting the nuclear waste is not in danger of failure.
Haven't we heard this kind of stuff before?
Did they tell New Orleans the levy wouldn't break? With a hurricane bearing down, and plenty of notice, yet it seems that town was caught with it's pants down.

Then, evacuation to the sports center. Those who remember those dark days say they'd never go to a facility like that, never.
Personally, I'd live in the woods, in a tent.

We saw the Japanese refugees from the horrific earthquake-tsunami disaster dividing the space with cardboard and boxes. Everyone needs respect and space, a semblance of order, of personal control even in small measures.

Look online and see if you can find news on Japan's ongoing crisis. I read the fish is being given in foreign aid, the people are recording 3 millisiervents in the their urine. This is scary stuff.
http://www.newsonjapan.com/

I started to wonder  how close I live to a nuclear plant. What possible natural disaster could bring disaster to my doorstep? Would I be ready to participate in a mandatory evacuation? Do I keep my tank full, cash in my pocket, the car loaded with survival stuff like food, clothing, a shelter?

Some would say a gun, water, and money is the most important stuff for evacuation.
Question: if they evacuate a huge city, might refugees come looking in my neck of the woods for a safe haven?

Time and again we see that governments can not save the people in danger. They issue warnings, chase looters, punish the corporations whose inadequate safe guards have brought us to loss of life, economics and home.

Japan's nuclear disaster began with two natural disasters. It can happen anywhere, anytime, to anyone. The fatal flaw is always underestimating nature, and over estimating our own abilities to handle it.

Everything Except Corn Pasta-My New Book

My Garcia Bear Canister weighs 2 pounds 11 ounces, and can hold 7 days of food, if done right.

In my new book, I have a list and the method on how to do this. I've used one of these things in Montana. My hiking partner and I called them "the gorilla" because of how heavy they were and how hard to just strap one on to a pack. I ended up using my external frame and placing it inside the pack itself.

This is a photo of me crossing Lyle Creek on the Pacific Crest Trail. It's being used for the book cover. Even E-Books need Covers!
Today the book is being uploaded to Kindle at Amazon.com.
Everything Except Corn Pasta

In the book I've included lots of trail recipes, recipes for making goodies at home, and tricks for making delicious food while backpacking. I use economical ingredients and have a whole chapter on dehydrating everything from fruits to meats and making "leathers".

Also included are tons of trail stories, photos, and how to make your own backpackers cook set.
These and many more tips all come in handy for the survivalist because it builds on skills and knowledge the creative and thrifty person wants to learn.

The ISBN number for this e-book is: 0-9728154-1-4

Dedicating the Cabin

I finally built a small fire at the Cabin.
We've had a lot of rain, so everything was soaked. I pulled out the fire starter, a cotton ball impregnated with wax, and broke off some twigs from a dead branch suspended from a tree.

Easy does it. The ground beneath is damp, so I laid some dry twigs down first.
The fire starter was lit with a match, then placed carefully on my twigs.

I feed my fires slowly, keeping in mind that its easy to suffocate a newborn flame.

I visit my cabin regularly and add materials to it. Being 100% natural, it will decompose and collapse someday. For now, its part of my school.

Bringing the Bear Spray

Every morning, especially in the summer, I get an early hike in. Before coffee, before breakfast, before it gets so hot.
Now that our trail cameras are showing a lot of bears with cubs, wild hogs with piglets, and god knows what else out here, I'm making myself bring
The Sling.

And since it has a built in ditty bag, I'm adding some survival stuff, just in case I get off on a bushwhack.

A firestarter, matches, and cigaretter lighter all fit into a tiny plastic bag. This is dropped into the sling. I've placed a large white plastic bag, a watch and a small jack knife into the built in pouch. These simple tools would come in very handy if I had to spend the night alone in the forest.

I made this sling myself from some silnylon. Its just a large ditty bag, measuring 5.5 inches x 9 inches tall. I included a smaller ditty bag whose cord encircles the strap on the sling.

The safety clip on the bear spray has an elastic cord around it. I added this so the clip would never get lost. A small burst when the wind is at your back and the attacker is in close range is sufficent.

Every once in awhile, I practice removing the spray from the sling, sliding the clip off and aiming. I have never needed to use it yet.

By keeping it simple, I know I actually will grab The Sling before I head out the door.
This morning I saw a wonderfully healthy looking black bear. He ran from me, and I thanked him.

Bushnell Trail Cameras-A Product Review

This mother bear and cubs were photographed with my boy friend's Bushnell Trophy Cam which is anchored to a tree on one of the many back trails we hike. She's quite large which tells us she's a good bear, knowing how to stay away from humans and out of "trouble".

A second camera is placed near the driveway. What a surprise to find a large bobcat using it for his travels. The camera records the time and temperature. This image was taken in the evening on a hot summer day.

A small wild hog, whose mother was later recorded feeding with a herd of about 15 near one of our many trails, seems quite intent on getting his picture taken.

The cameras are housed in a sturdy box which is anchored and locked to a chosen tree. There are settings for 5 or 8 mg pixels. You can also choose how often a snapshot is taken once motion sets it off.

To avoid thousands of photos during a windy day, sensitivity settings allow the owner to decide how much motion is required to initiate photographing.

My boyfriend bought his Trophy cams at Amazon.com.
I'm enjoying the adventure of seeing all the animals roaming these woods so close to home. Many animals are quiet and never seen in their natural settings.

The camera can also record video.

Warning! Controversial Insensitive Post

According to the June 2011 AARP Bulletin, 220,000 bariatric surgeries were performed in the United States last year.

The article is well written and gives the advantages of this drastic method for weight control.

So far, over one million surgeries have been done. The definitions for obesity and the loosening of guidelines have made this option for weight reduction more obtainable.

I find this very disturbing. In a world where people are starving to death it seems obscene that we must resort to actual surgery to keep from Eating Our self to Death.
And that's what the article details as well, how very detrimental all this excess weight is. We won't even talk about the pain and emotional trauma a 40 BMI (body mass index) creates. I did some research before coming up with my solution at this Gastric Bypass Website, a consumer based website, for those needing some facts.

My solution is creative if not extreme.
Considering that surgery alone costs anywhere from $17,000 to $30,000 and involves learning a new eating style anyways, I say we institute a program whereby people needing this surgery can participate in the
Food For Everyone Program.
As volunteers, these candidates fly to a third world country and live with impoverished and malnourished children for six months. The money they would have spent on surgery is used to fund these six months of Food Rehabilitation. During this time they buy food, cook and teach children whatever skills they have to share. All the food for their host children is paid for out of the money that would have been spent on surgery.
After six months, I sincerely believe the volunteers, or candidates, will have lost at least 50 pounds, will have built muscle mass, and will have achieved a greater appreciation for their total beings.
They will address the food addiction, suffer withdrawal, find new friends and a cause: Solving World Hunger, one meal at a time.

It won't be easy. There would not be spas or hot tubs. No massages or iced beverages while watching American Idol.
It would be an experience of a lifetime. They would reclaim their bodies, minds and souls. They would be giving to those Way Less Fortunate.
Wouldn't we all profit from a world much less self centered, a world where we don't destroy ourselves by eating our self to death?

Now, I know there are those who say they don't even eat that much, they simply can't loose weight. Somehow a diet never works for them.
Please, do us all a favor and donate your self to science so the world can learn how bodies create calories from nothing and can subsist on little food. The study of real people defying physics would be very valuable information.
This would aid the whole planet in finding solutions to the energy crisis. As more crops get turned into bio fuel, food becoming more expensive and scarce, the ability to remain fat on little quantities of food will be important survival knowledge.

And that's my controversial post. It is insensitive. Sorry.