A Tigger's Guide to Life

  My little country house is nothing fancy.  More what I would call a work in progress.  But it's home, and I love working on it. Every once in a while it does like to throw a challenge my way though, just to keep me on my toes.  And it must have great faith in my abilities because it's seldom a small one. 

  Recently it presented me with the biggest challenge yet.  I was running out of water, even while spring flooding was affecting most of the area.  Now, I can handle most issues that need repair around here, but I figured this one was probably best left to the professionals. 

  After several consultations with my plumber and a well expert, a multitude of phone calls and inspections, and finally a camera down the shaft to see what's going on....we've come up with a solution that means I won't have to drill a whole new well.  Good news indeed, since the average well in my area runs over 200 feet deep. But there is some prep work that needs to be done first, which will take some time. 

   So what does this have to do with wilderness skills or adaptability?  

  For over a week I haven't had water.  What was supposed to be one day with the water shut off is looking more like 2 or 3 weeks. And the surprising thing? It's really not a big deal.

  It's an inconvenience, for sure...but it's not the end of the world. I hadn't realized how lightly I was treating it until the well expert expressed sincere concern about the time it would take to finish. He couldn't understand how I had managed this long, and was shocked when I said it wasn't that difficult. 

  I go to town and fill up water jugs. If I couldn't do that, I would go to the river.  I fill the toilet tank so it's flushable.  I heat water on the stove for dishes, washing, and cleaning.  If I didn't have the stove, I would do it on the barbeque.  And if I didn't have that I would heat it over a fire.  I would adapt. What's the alternative?  Lamenting over the difficulty or being frustrated that "it's not fair" certainly won't make the jugs any lighter or the get the work done more quickly. 

  Our ancestors didn't think of it as a hardship to go and get water from the well.  They just...did it.  It was part of their daily routine.  It never seems like a hardship at camp either, just one of the chores that needs to be done.  But at home we've adapted to life being easy.  Turn the tap, and there's water.  No effort required. We lose sight of the fact that we are equally able to adapt to life's challenges, if we remain realistically positive.  Acknowledge the negatives so they can be dealt with but don't allow them to become the focus. 

   In this case, it means being grateful for the modern conveniences I do have that make it easier to manage.  For being fortunate enough to be able to borrow a shower.  For the car to get me there. For the plastic jugs I can fill up. For getting some camp prep (dehydrating and baking) done while I still had water. For the wilderness living experiences that have made me more comfortable with making do with what I have.  And most of all, for the wonderful supportive people in my life. Accept, adapt, and focus on the good.  I believe it's officially called positive mental attitude.  But I just refer to it as being a Tigger rather than an Eeyore.  


No matter what life brings you...just keep bouncing!



 BG

 

Winter Travel Preparedness

It's that time of year.  Driving conditions can change without warning, and suddenly you find yourself sliding along on an icy road, or trying to find your way through a blinding snowstorm.  Even the best drivers can experience difficulty, and it's good policy to expect the unexpected.  Just like when you go for that casual stroll in the woods: anticipate that everything will go smoothly, but always be prepared in case it doesn't. 

With that in mind, I've created an EDC for my car.  Once the weather turns cold, the kit never leaves my vehicle.  It isn't a full survival kit and it's definitely not fancy, but it will give me what I need to manage until help arrives.  It's also portable in case it isn't safe to stay with my vehicle and I need to hike to safety or set up shelter elsewhere.

This is used in addition to my usual car kit (jumper cables, flares and emergency signs, window emergency seat-belt cutter/glass breaker), as well as the items I carry on my person like my cell phone, water bottle and granola bars. 



Old backpack stuffed filled with items for warmth: wool blanket : poncho : multi-tool : bungee cords:  9x12 tarp : small emergency first aid/survival kit

Small Emergency Kit (kept in car year round):

basic first aid kit with bandages, pain reliever, gloves, gauze, tape, sling, blister pack, tweezers, alcohol wipes, instructional book and glucose tabs : emergency blanket : string : matches in waterproof container : candle : compass : elastic : expandable towels : flashlight.

Backpack (winter kit):


 over-sized (so it can go over top of another coat) water resistant jacket with hood and removable fleece liner : hood/hat : scarf : cotton and leather insulated work gloves : boots big enough for extra socks : 2 pairs of thick socks : lined water resistant snow pants : sleeping bag (not shown)



fire starting kit : paracord : handwarmers : toilet paper : candles in jar (windproof holder) : knife : compass : emergency blanket 

I've focused a large percentage of my kit on items to keep me warm, since cold is likely to be the biggest issue.   I usually travel close to main routes in populated areas (unless I'm headed for camp, in which case I'll have all the gear I need), so a short-term survival kit should be sufficient for my needs.  If you travel in more remote areas, you may wish to prepare a larger kit for long-term use and include a water filtration kit and pot for boiling, as well as extra food.  Alter your kit to suit your personal needs, making sure to cover the basic necessities of shelter, warmth, water and food. You can survive without food, but eating will help keep you warm and thinking clearly.  Of course the hope is, you won't need anything from your kit at all. 

Hope for the best....prepare for the worst. 

 

 

BG

The Healing Power of Bushcraft

  Adaptability, positive mental attitude, and the ability to heal yourself under stressful circumstances are key skills practiced in bushcraft and survival training.  Once learned, you quickly realize that these are not just applicable in the wilderness.  Normal, everyday life is filled with moments which seem unsurmountable and struggles that can overwhelm.  Practicing this mindset can help get you through them. 

  When I first became interested in wilderness living, I was going through a rough time, and was severly lacking self-confidence. I had forgotten those valuable skills.  Bushcraft was the reminder I needed, and it provided the perfect opportunity to practice them. It also provided me with a refresher on life philosophy.

  For every new skill I learned, I felt stronger and increased my self-confidence. Shelter building reminded me to be adaptable and find new ways of using what I have.  Firecraft taught me that patience is needed when working toward my goals. Cooking meals over those fires showed me that things require preparation, attention and perserverance to turn into something great. And learning about edible and medicinal plants taught me that often, everything I need is right around me...I just have to take the time to look.

Jewelweed

  When life's stresses mount, I notice an increase in the ever-present urge to practice my wilderness living skills.  I'm sure part of it is the simplicity...the need to get back to something basic.  But I also think it's my subconcious' way of reminding me to put those skills into play.  To adapt, be positive, and heal myself.   And to slow down and take the time to get it right.

"Falling down is a part of life, getting back up is living.” ~ Jose N. Harris

 

 

BG