Land of Promise

Today's the day!  James Wesley, Rawles' newest book "Land of Promise" has hit the shelves and is rocketing toward the top of the bestseller's list! 

This newest book is somewhat of a departure from his previous work in that it is classified as Science Fiction, however, it's classic Rawles in its call for alert awareness and preemptive preparedness.   This is a page-turning, edge-of-your-seat wake-up call! 

This book is Volume 1 of what promises to be a highly anticipated series.  Bag your copy - now!

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Until Next Time,

Enola

Book Review - From Ruby Ridge to Freedom

Last weekend some friends dropped a book off that they had picked up for us at a gun show.  The author, Sara Weaver, had become a friend as they traveled the same gun show circuit and in the course of their fellowship she had graciously signed a book for Sir Knight and I. 

I must admit - I have put off reading anything having to do with Ruby Ridge.  It has always hit a little to close to home, to my mountains.  I always wanted to believe that the "feds" had a reason to be there, to escalate the situation to its fatal conclusion. But I knew, in my heart-of-hearts, that what happened on that mountain was a travesty of the worst kind. It went far beyond seeking justice and became the cruel betrayal of a nation.  The course of the Weaver family changed forever on Ruby Ridge, but the ripples of that moment in time have fractured not only a family, but an entire country.

When I picked up Sara's book, I was expecting a political dissertation on the state of the nation.  What I found was a story not about politics, but about freedom - the freedom found only in the person of Jesus Christ.  Sara recounted memories of her life, from her childhood in Iowa to the "big move" to Idaho, to the stand-off, including the deaths of her brother and mother.  She told of trying to rebuild her broken life while caring for her younger siblings when going to live with grandparents and other relatives.  But more than the story of her life, she told the story of finding her Savior.  She told of the religious beliefs that took her parents to the wilds of Idaho.  She told of her rejection of God and in particular of anyone calling themselves "Christians".    She told of her darkest hours and how, in the midst of her own personal hell, Jesus called her name, bound her wounds and set her free.

From Ruby Ridge to Freedom is the story of victory - victory over hate, over anger and over unforgiveness. More than that, it is the story of hope.  Hope in the ultimate salvation of Christ.  Hope in Jesus' forgiveness and hope in sweet reconciliation. 

As our country unravels at the seams we need to remember what freedom we are truly fighting for - not the freedom of a nation from tyranny, but the freedom bought by Christ on the cross.

Until next time....

Enola





Sepp Holzer - The Ultimate Survivalist

A couple of months ago I stumbled across a goldmine.  Sifting through the standard gardening offerings at our local library I picked up a copy of "Sepp Holzer's Permaculture".  The subtitle "A Practical Guide to Small-Scale, Integrative Farming and Gardening" intrigued me and I brought the book home for further review.  I knew that Sepp Holzer was a kindred spirit before I had even finished the introduction.  His agricultural methods have garnered him the moniker "crazy", which at first bothered him greatly, but no longer offends him.  As Sepp puts it, "I have realized that many people find it difficult to accept when you do things in a way that is not so widely recognized.  This makes you difficult to predict and harder to control, which many people find threatening".  See?  A kindred spirit!

Mr. Holzer farms at at his family farm "Kramerterhof", which is in the "Arctic" region of Austria.  He is at 1500 meters (4500 feet) above sea level and grows everything from corn to kiwi, nuts, hops, cranberries, garden veggies and every kind of grain imaginable.  Along with his vast permaculture gardens he has a mass of 70 ponds, canals and waterways which create microclimates, water his agricultural interests and serve as breeding grounds for fish, snakes and frogs.  Not only does Kramerterhof support agricultural endeavors of every kind, it is also home to hardy, heritage breed animals.  Yaks, cows, horses, pigs, sheep and fowl of every kind call the Kramerterhof home and, in fact, do a majority of the fertilization and working of the soil. 

Permaculture sounds wonderful, right?  But to tell you the truth, I really had no idea what permaculture was.  It turns out that it is essentially organic gardening/livestock management on steroids.  The basic principles of permaculture are:

• All of the elements within a system interact with each other.
• Multifunctionality - every element fulfils multiple functions and every function is performed by multiple elements.
• Uses energy practically and efficiently - works with renewable energy.
• Uses natural resources.
• Intensive systems in a small area.
• Utilizes and shapes natural processes and cycles.
• Supports and uses edge effects (creating highly productive small-scale structures).
• Diversity instead of monoculture.

As I mentioned, I was enamored with this book from the first page, so enamored, in fact, that I had to order a copy for myself.  I wanted to be able to pour over the pages at my leisure and I knew that there was just too much valuable information to take in at one sitting.  I was right.  In the past few weeks, Holzer's Permaculture book has not left my side table.  Sir Knight and I have reviewed its pages seeking inspiration and direction. 

Although we are not able to immediately put into practice the myriad concepts in Holzer's book, we are making changes already.  Before adding soil to our garden beds we laid down ample "biomass" in the form of bark and branches.  We are planning more raised beds, but in a configuration encouraged by Holzer - something very different than what we currently have and, in my opinion, highly innovative.  We are looking at our little prairie with new eyes and a renewed vision.

Not able to stop at one Holzer book, I ordered his first book, "The Rebel Farmer".  The more I read, the harder it was to put down.  Holzer's opinions and theories are so like our own.  Not only does he want to farm the way he chooses, he believes that the government ought to just mind its own business.  It is his firmly held opinion we have become too dependent.  As Holzer puts it,  "What is regrettable is that others impose their will on farmers.  Farmers have to let theorists tell them how they should be farming their own land.  This dependence on public servants is a problem, since young farmers are brought up already to knock on the door of a public authority with their hat in their hand and to do what they are told to do".  Even in the heart of this Austrian farmer, freedom runs deep.

As far as I can tell, Sepp Holzer is the ultimate survivalist.  He grows or raises everything he and his family need to survive.  He relies on his water systems to provide power to his farm, his sheep to provide wool and his pigs to provide bacon.  He raises his own fish, his own fruit and his own firewood.  And he does these things with as little governmental interaction as possible. 

If you are striving to become more self-sufficient, Holzer's books are the books for you. If you want your animals and your gardens work for you instead of you working for them, Holzer's books are the books for you.  If you like to do things in a manner that is "not so widely recognized", Holzer's books are the books for you.

Check them out and let me know what you think.  I, personally, can't wait to get started!

Until next time....

Enola

Bishop's Song

Finally!  Joe Nobody's newest Holding Their Own installment is here!  At this point it is available in Kindle format only, however, the print version will follow shortly.

Joe weaves an adventurous yarn full of TEOTWAWKI excitement, carrying the reader on a rollercoaster ride of end of the world thrills.  Sir Knight has been anxiously awaiting Holding Their Own VI: Bishop's Song, since he was laid up with a knee injury and devoured the first 5 books.

If you have a Kindle and have been awaiting Joe's new book, you can click on the link below and satisfy your Bishop and Terri craving.

Happy Reading!

Founders - BOOK BOMB DAY!

From the pioneer of the modern survival movement, James Wesley, Rawles, comes Founders, the latest in the "Patriots" series of novels.

For those of you who have read his previous work, you know that Mr. Rawles books are survival manuals cleverly disguised as fast-paced fiction.  Fans of Patriots and Survivors will recognize some of the characters, although you needn't have read either novel to thoroughly enjoy this newest installment.

Whether you are new to the patriot/survival movement or have been in the trenches for years, you will find Founders to be a goldmine of information.  Be ready with your pen and paper to track all of the "take-away" lessons to be found within the pages of Founders.

Today is the "Book Bomb" day for Founders at Amazon.com.   Follow the link and pick up a copy.   Start your preparedness journey today!

Side Note:  If you are planning to be at the Sustainable Preparedness Expo in Spokane on September 30th, I will have a (very) limited number of autographed copies of Founders available at the Paratus Familia booth!  Stop by, say "hi" and pick up your copy!

Book Review - Brushfire Plague

Recently, the nice folks over at Prepper Press sent a copy of the newest addition to their fiction lineup for me to review.  The book, Brushfire Plague, follows its hero as he comes face to face with what could be the end of mankind - a plague of apocalyptic proportions.

The premise of this book is right up my ally, although I have always assumed that TEOTWAWKI would bring about disease, rather than disease bringing about TEOTWAWKI.  Brushfire Plague gets right down to business.  Rather than dawdling around, the author (R.P. Ruggiero) immediately sets the stage for impending disaster.

I have to admit, as I began reading this book, I had low expectations.  The first chapter was somewhat hard for me to wade through.  However, the more I read, the more engaging and well written the book became.  By chapter 2, I was hooked.  Brushfire Plague is definitely a page turner.

I read this book in two days flat.  I laughed out loud more than once, got frustrated with the hero for not being more prepared and empathized with the difficult decisions that were required.  I was caught by surprise by plot twists that I wasn't expecting and thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

After I finished reading (I had talked over many of the finer points with Sir Knight as I made my way through the book), I passed the book off to get a male perspective.    Sir Knight proclaimed the book a great read - pure fiction and pure fun.  He really enjoyed the characters.  He thought they were very memorable and one even reminded him of our own "Captain Crunch".  Sir Knight thought the TEOTWAWKI scenarios were very realistic and the dilemmas that the characters faced were very "real world".

I heartily recommend Brushfire Plague.  Although it made my agent orange act up (nothing like a good book to rekindle that prepper fire), it was very engaging and I enjoyed it immensely.  Don't put Brushfire Plague down after the first chapter.  Keep reading - you'll be glad you did!

And now I am eagerly awaiting the second installment!

"Shootist" is a Go

For those of you who have been waiting with bated breath, the wait is over!   "The Home Schooled Shootist:  Training to Fight with a Carbine", Joe Nobody's latest offering, is now available on Amazon.  For those of you who's weapon of choice is an AR-15 or any other carbine, this is the book for you.

You can order the book or view the updated video.

Good Deal Alert/Book Review

A number of months ago I was sent a book to review called "A Simply Homemade Clean".  The author sent it to me thinking it might be up my alley and I must admit, it was - however, it was buried under a pile of other books awaiting reviews and only recently made it's way to the top of the pile.

Wow!  This book is a must have!  Not only does it address the needs of folks who want to simply their lives, it is also a necessary reference book for a prepared family.  "A Simply Homemade Clean" strips away the unnecessary fluff of commercially produced cleaners and directs people to look to their kitchen cupboards for everything they need to clean their homes, their clothes and their bodies.  Not only are the ideas presented in this book simple they are incredibly economical.

Just to give you a little taste - here is a bit about "A Simply Homemade Clean"...

Simplify. Save Money.

Two things that seem pretty elusive these days, huh? Not so!

Would you like to rid your home of commercial, toxic products but don’t want to pay the price for the ‘all natural’, ‘organic’ products that line the shelf? Learn to make your own! Create everything from your own laundry soap, to homemade dryer sheets, antibacterial spray cleaners, potpourri blends, fabric softeners, calendula salve, homemade ‘Vaseline,’ handcrafted Eucalyptus Chest Rub . . . even tips for the outside of the homestead and much more!

A must have for those looking not only to simplify, but to cut that grocery bill down, create a healthier environment for our families, and revive the art of making our own!

A Simply Homemade Clean eBook is available now through August 31st for just 99 cents!!

FROM THE BOOK

If we knew how to make our own cleaning products to replace the toxic, commercial ones . . . would we? Would we put forth the effort required?

The desire to make my own products stemmed from the frugal, self reliant side of me. I wanted simple; homemade; natural. Remember the definition of simple is NOT ‘easier.’ Living “simply” in our times, means making a deliberate choice to differ from the mainstream of today’s societal norm. My desire changed over to sheer determination, when one of my children was diagnosed with a myriad of allergies, chemical sensitivities, and asthma. After much study and research, we were determined that we could not have those products in our home, they are useless (when God has provided all we need to make our own) and harmful to everyone in our home. Join me, as I show you how to easily make your own natural, homemade, handcrafted products that are not only less expensive but truly better for our families, our home and God’s Creation.

Now comes the Good Deal part of this review.  "A Simply Homemade Clean" was originally $10.95 (softcover)  and is now being offered for 99 cents (ebook/PDF download) through August 31st!  It is worth every bit of $10.95 so 99 cents is more than a screaming deal.  You can get a copy of the book by visiting HomesteadOriginals.com or clicking on this link.

This book is essential for your preparedness/simplicity library - and now, with the price drop, is a perfect time to buy.

Wagon of Fools

Contrary to popular belief, suffering is part of the human condition for people desiring to follow Christ.  But, I have come to know, that although painful and uncomfortable, suffering is a gift from a loving Father.  The longer I have been a follower of The Way, the deeper my faith and trust in God has become, and the more my eyes have been opened to His ways.   When I was a child, I thought like a child, but when I became a woman, I put away childish things.  And in putting away childish things, I discovered the fullness of Gods love and his immense grace towards His children.

Many years ago, Sir Knight and I lost a daughter to stillbirth.  We had planned for this baby and anxiously awaited her arrival.  Her death was devastating.  Many nights, Sir Knight lay helplessly listening to the body wracking sobs that can only emanate from a grieving mother.  Although I knew God, I railed against a Father that could have saved my baby, but chose not to.  One minute I was angry with God and the next minute I was crushed with guilt, knowing that my sinful life had most likely led to this moment.  Deep in my soul I knew that God forgave my sins but didn't exclude me from suffering the consequences.  I was broken.

One morning, as another day dawned, I walked through our neighborhood praying for understanding, peace and comfort.  As tears coursed down my face, my heart was softened.  I prayed to thank God for the sweet pregnancy I had enjoyed with Chase.  I thanked Him for the hours I had been allowed to hold her.  I thanked him for the two other children He has blessed me with.  I thanked God.

And then I saw her.  Just as clearly as I can see my children before my eyes, I saw my sweet little girl.  She sat on the shoulder of my Lord, looking at me with blue eyes framed by soft brown curls.  I reached for her and Jesus looked at me with intense love and said "She is not for you now.  Now, she is with me.  Someday, you will join us".  And they were gone.  The void, too, was gone.  The void in my heart was filled with the unshakable knowledge that my daughter was with her savior. I was at peace.  But even more than peace, I had been given the greatest of gifts.  God himself had stored a treasure in heaven - for ME.  One of my greatest treasures - my daughter - was waiting for me in heaven and with that treasure was part of my heart.  I was given an immense gift from the Creator of the universe.

Time and again, as I have sought to know God and be molded into the image of His son, I have suffered.  Many times I have cried "Why".  Often I have been sure that my suffering was punishment.  But over and over and over God has whispered in my ear of His insurmountable love, of His forgiveness and of the plan that only He can know.  And in the suffering, I have learned to know God and to trust Him and to love Him - and to know His overwhelming love for me.

And, it's not just me.  A couple of months ago, I was sent a book that was wrought with the understanding of the refining power of suffering.  It was life changing.  I had thought that I was the only one that could see God's best in life's worst.  I'm not.  Author Samuel Benjamin Gray put together a book of parables called Wagon of Fools that digs deep into the foibles of men and reveals the beauty of God's perfect plan.  It was so powerful, in fact, that I spent many mornings reading parables to the rapt audience of my children with tears streaming down my face.

Read this book at your peril, but only if you want to see the glory of God in a wagon of fools.

Book Review - Without Rule of Law

Advanced Skills to Help You Survive

Hide

Evade

Scavenge

Infiltrate

By Joe Nobody

I have a love/hate relationship with Joe Nobody.  Every time we receive a new Joe Nobody book to review, Sir Knight disappears for about 3 days.  He reads, re-reads and then reads the book again.  And then, the ideas start flowing.  At first they seem innocent enough..."Hon, we should put together some gear - 1st line, 2nd line and 3rd line.  After reading Joe Nobody's book, I found that I don't have my gear organized properly for survival applications".

Organizing gear - that sounds harmless enough, doesn't it.  But wait, there's more.  First, Sir Knight organized his gear.  He and Master Hand Grenade brought out load bearing vests, plate carriers and assorted molle pouches and took inventory.  They attached pouches, added holsters, adjusted straps and generally geared up.  They tried their new "kit" (what we used to call "tactical gear") on, moved around, drew weapons from the holsters, slung rifles and walked down the driveway (we do live in the country ya' know) and then they disassembled almost everything, reassembled it, moved things around and did it again.  Finally, they were satisfied that their 1st line kit was ready for service.  And then they came after us girls!  (This is the hate part)!

In the past, Sir Knight would read books and comment on their good ideas and then get on with life.  Not so with Joe Nobody's books.  He actually wants to take the information presented and implement it!  

Without Rule of Law concerns itself with scenarios that none of us ever want to encounter.  The author carefully and sensibly walks us through the possibility of having to hide, evade, scavenge and infiltrate in a post-teotwawki reality.  He presents potential real-world situations when you may be required to push the limits of commonly accepted polite behavior and provides step-by-step instructions on how to plan, equip, rehearse and execute an operation.  Without Rule of Law is written for the layman with no prior military or law enforcement experience.  It is easy to read, understand and implement.  This book is full of more common sense than any book I have read in a long time.  Sir Knight and I both highly recommend this latest installment in the Joe Nobody survival library.  If you are serious about survival, this book is a Must Read.

Now for the disclaimer:  This book will make you want to kiss the couch goodbye and get into the field.  In fact, since reading this book, Maid Elizabeth and I have been hiking daily, nearly 3 miles of varied terrain, even in the pouring down rain!  We both have our 1st line kit ready and will be deploying them on our hikes beginning this week.  We will be following with our 2nd and 3rd line gear in the near future as our conditioning improves.  

There are far too many good ideas in Without Rule of Law to cover in this simple review.  We will be covering a number of Joe Nobody's concepts in future posts, as we get geared up and into the field.

"I don't know of a single prepper who has any desire to utilize the content of this book.  Most hope their preparations will carry them through even the darkest of times.  We want to hunt, trap, fish and raise gardens for our survival, not take what doesn't originally belong to us.

Within our means, most of us prepared to a level that we believe will allow for a reasonable quality of life should the SHTF.  Most of us worry that we have overlooked something that may become critical when the stores are no longer open, and there is no rule of law".

Joe Nobody

Book Review - Survival Mom

A while ago, I received a copy of Lisa Bedford's new book Survival Mom to read and review.  Although from vastly different backgrounds and with decidedly different approaches to survival, I found  that Lisa and I share a very important passion - keeping our families safe and preparing for what may be.

Lisa, who also keeps a website that goes by the name The Survival Mom, began her survival journey with the threat of Y2K.  While Y2K amounted to less than a bump in the road, it became the inspiration for Lisa to begin exploring the road less traveled.  She began to start thinking "what if?" and "could that really happen?".  As she began researching she noticed an unfilled niche - women in the survival movement.  All that she read was written by men, for men.  Knowing that women concerned themselves with things of family rather than ballistics and bullets, she started writing for the moms.  And the moms responded.  They wanted to know how to care for their families, how to prepare for hard times and what to do if their world came crashing down.  They wanted to be prepared.  And Lisa led the way.

Survival Mom is a great place to begin your preparedness journey.  It is full of lists, encouragements and a can-do attitude.  While the information may be basic (for those of you who are full-time survivalists), it is the perfect book to give to the soccer mom in your life.  It makes preparedness seem attainable, reasonable and eminently prudent.  It is the perfect book for that sister-in-law that thinks you are a little nuts for keeping a barrel full of toilet paper in the garage.  Lisa has a disarming style that takes the crazy out of survivalism and replaces it with good, old-fashioned common sense.

Survival Mom covers everything from food storage and sanitation to security and evacuation.  Lisa has all the bases covered.  If you are looking for a tool to introduce your non-prepper/survivalist friends to the world of preparedness, this is the book for you.  Survival Mom is available on Amazon (and in bookstores).  Grab a copy, maybe two - the future of your sister-in-law might just depend upon it!