EGG POWDER and WORM COMPOST YIELD

It's just amazing how much compost a bunch of little squiggly worms can create. Just two short months ago, I dumped about 100 worms into the compost bin, and voila! roughly nine liters of compost !

The white powder in the baggie is egg powder. It's created by taking egg shells, running them through my Magic Bullet blender. 12 egg shells created roughly 3 cups of powder. Powder is sprinkled over the worms/vegetables, and as the worms eat the vegetation, they also eat the egg powder. This works into their digestive tracts and helps "clean them out," creating more compost.

I made a couple YT videos about the egg powder:

http://youtu.be/OlTYwtNNC6k

and

http://youtu.be/82myBTqN3ck

SELECTIVE SERVICE DRAFT

I am feeling my age, and not doing well in dealing with it.

I may have mentioned a time or two that I 'did' the 60s. Come from left-leaning, rabble rousing parents. I descend from a decorated officer in the Revolutionary War on my mamma's side. My father served in Korea. My stepfather was a career officer in the Air Force through three wars (WWII, Korea, Vietnam, yes, I know it wasn't called the AF back in WW2). I have a daughter who is currently a career Air Force officer, and a nephew who enlisted into the Army and is in Afganistan as we speak. My oldest son is planning on being an AirForce officer. So it's not like we are an anti-military family.

So why then, am I having such a negative, visceral reaction to the notice that my son "HAS TO" register for the selective service draft?

When I started filling out paperwork for FAFSA (the college financial aid stuff) I got to the part which said "you have to register for the draft if you want financial aid." Well, okay then, I thought. We'll just be cash flowing college. I'm okay with the standard "if you want money from your country, you better be willing to serve your country."

Here's what I'm NOT okay with. We got a letter saying "You're 18 and you haven't registered for the draft. Do it NOW or we will prosecute you."

I'm not okay with:

1. We are an All Volunteer military. So what the H*** do you need a draft for?

2. How the H**** do you know about my son and his age? (THAT bugs me more than you know given the whole NSA stuff going on.)

3. In an age where Obama, the "commander in chief" violates the constitution and the law daily, how dare you threaten us with prosecution and imprisonment if he doesn't register for the draft?

4. The illegal aliens are "exempt from the draft" (that's a QUOTE!) What happened to "if you take $ from the government you have to serve your government?"

5. Those who are in a medical or mental hospital are exempt (ok I get that one), as are convicted felons, although it might only be if they are incarcerated. If not, so let me get this straight: you want the best and the brightest to fight, but not those who spit on liberty? I'm not saying I disagree with the logic (I did the 60s and remember the 'jail or army' drill, after all), but WHY IS IT THAT THOSE WHO DISHONOR THE LAW GET TO SKATE and those of us who are law abiding are forced to serve?

6. We won't even PAY the ones we have now who are VOLUNTEERING to serve, and you want to draft MORE???

I acknowledge that my reactions stem from my anti-war, 60s and 70s days when we had an active draft. It's the compulsion part of this that bothers me the most; like many after 9/11 my son would stop what he is doing and enlist if needed. He feels a deep love for this country. Second in line to my repulsion is the big brother is watching your every move tone. 

Like I said, I'm showing my age. My son will likely feel it is no big deal registering for the draft. ME? I'm ready to send it back with a big F you on it. Except it's not my name on it, so I better calm down, have a nice cup of chamomile tea, and talk to my son.

LDSAgents.com

I honestly don't know if I feel insulted or amused.

I really want to escape California and move to a red state. I like north-eastern Texas. So as an exercise in planning, I started looking at real estate in Cass county. 

HOLY SMOKES ! $50k buys you a good size home on land and $90k buys you a mansion !! After seeing that, I even managed to convince my DH that it might be a good place to move to. Cass county is two hours outside of Dallas, so I looked at Dallas metro too. It's a little higher, but doable.

Dallas metro raised some questions, something only a local could answer. Like-- are there areas in the Dallas metro area you should avoid? If we went 60 miles out (up toward Greenville, or east out I-80) how is the commute? Is it clear for 60 miles? Or is it like Los Angeles (we live 45 miles from LA) which takes you 2 hours to get there? Stuff like that. The earliest we would go there is next summer anyway, so we've got time to do recon.

Oh, did I mention we'd likely pay cash for a home, since I am dead set on being debt free?

So I contacted LDSAgents.com, a network for LDS real estate agents. If there's a similar group for Baptists, somebody let me know. I figure, not that all real estate agents are honest/dishonest, but better I throw easy money at someone I feel I can trust, since we are out of state. And at this point, I just had some general questions I wanted answered (I guess I'll get them from my homeschool moms.)

The webmaster for LDSAgents refuses to refer a realtor to anyone who is not willing to spend at least $100k on a home. To be fair, their website actually says that, but I figured it didn't hurt to ask, especially since at this point, I just want my general questions answered. 

NOPE. Even the statement that we would be paying cash didn't move the needle. A cordial (they are southern after all), "thanks but no thanks" without even a "what questions did you have ma'am?" was the response I got.

I wonder if the realtors in that umbrella know that the webmaster turns away business on their behalf? I find it odd that a profession, which is so network dependent, would tell you "you are better served by going to trulia.com, zillow.com, finding a house on there and making your offer direct". That's just plain weird. Maybe there's something different about buying a house in Texas. 

I'm open for ideas and input if there's anyone out in Dallas metro or Cass county who wants to give me a holler !!

UPDATE: I've moved past insulted and amused and gone directly to pity. I pity the lazy fools who "don't have time to answer questions of people who are just fishing for information" or "who aren't willing to spend at least $100k" or "who don't have a definite move date within the next three months." I did take Bob's advice (the webmaster) and find a non-Mormon realtor. She was exceptionally helpful and provided a lot of insight during our 10 minute conversation. I look forward to working with her. Word to the wise: steer clear of LDSAgents.com if you actually want to accomplish something. 

CONCERT WITH A PREPPING ROCK STAR

Tonight was probably two of the best hours I have spent in my prepping life. I will confess: I am now a Prepper Groupie. Yes, I attended a "concert" put on by one of the rock stars in the prepping world: Richard King.

Richard and I belong to some of the same prepper yahoogroups. I have long admired his preps, particularly his handmade built-from-scratch solar panels. I was thrilled to receive an invitation to attend his presentation near my home town.

SUBJECT? Water purification.

Now, I will admit with some vanity, that I am not a slouch when it comes to prepping. I humbly acknowledge that there are novices, average folk, better-than-average folk (I'd like to think I'm in that category), and then there are people like Richard King and Cheryl Driggs. I would pay good money to go to any class put on by Cheryl Driggs. I'd pay money for a class with Richard too, but I was lucky enough to "get in" for free, lol.

Anyway. Water purification. When I told my DH where I was going tonight, he queried "water purification? Don't you already have that handled?" My response was, "yes, but this is a Richard King class. He's the rock star of prepping. If ever I would learn something new, it would be from him."

I was not disappointed. For those of you who teach prepping classes (or who may be asked to do so), I was really impressed by his "style." For one, he brings a lot to show and tell. He groups these into, well groups, and then individually covers each group with a sheet, so you can't see underneath. He uncovers one group at a time and talks about it. As a presenter myself, I immediately see the benefits: (1) keeps your audience focused on that specific issue (2) keeps the presenter on track (versus bouncing around.)

For this particular class he had five groups: water sources (where to find/get), water storage (container types pros and cons), water purification with chemicals (iodine, chlorine), water filtration/purification (i.e., Berkey, First Need, Katadyn, PUR)  and a home made water desalinizer (and you know how much I have wanted one of those.) 

A few observations. (1) Richard, you might be still smelling chlorine because chlorine is a gas regardless of its form: solid, liquid or gaseous. So yeah it's going to permeate. (2) Audience participation was a bit too participatory. I don't think I've ever been in a class where people felt compelled to interrupt the speaker with their own stories. Even if I had two cents to put in (and I did), it's not my class so I'll keep my mouth shut until I get to my blog.

Here's my .02 on the water desalinizer though Richard: heat it with a parabolic cooker or fresnel lens. Sure, you've got to figure out how to pack said cooker/lens if you are bugging out, but you won't have to worry about FUEL. I'd have mentioned it in class, but Richard was already getting interrupted by enough people who "just had to" share their wisdom at his expense.

An hilarious moment came when he unveiled the desalinizer. A guy in the front shouted out: "hey, that looks like a still !" I about rolled on the floor with laughter. Not only that, but I'll bet my brother, who spent a few years in the back country of Kentucky, probably already has one. I never thought to use it as a water de-salinizer/distiller. That's a stovetop pressure cooker on the table (how genius is that??), copper tubing which feeds down into the black tube, copper tubing (separate piece) spirals down and water comes out the small bump on the left. The larger spout on the right is to easily drain excess precipitation.

Apologies to Richard for the yellow smiley face. Forgot to get his permission to publish his likeness on my blog before I left the class.

Other things I had not thought about (or forgot if I had): cover the blue 55 gallon water barrels with black trash bags. I hate that the "blue" color can be seen through my side gate.  Black trash bags are cheap and easy and make them less noticeable. Using a white trash bag tied over a tree limb (and closed off) to collect water via transpiration: 

All in all, a great class. Thank you for the invitation, it was a wonderful to have a "front row seat" to a prepping rock star's concert.

A NEW WAY TO DRY PACK CAN

Pretty excited to share this video with you which I just made: http://tinyurl.com/let49u9

I was thinking about ways I could dry pack in Mason (canning) jars if I didn't have electricity. I'd seen some using modified bicycle pumps, which seem pretty simple to make, but I don't really have the parts laying around. Then I saw some YT videos about Reynolds' hand held vacuum sealers, (1 left in stock using that hyperlink, for $24.95 BTW) which are discontinued, sealing stuff in Reynolds' bags.

I knew I had one of these, and had never used it. Really. It's a miracle I even knew where it was, and hadn't thrown it out before now. I was curious if it would work with my FoodSaver canning lid sealer thingees (yeah, I should get up and look on the box about what they are really called). I figured, rather than just "wonder about it", I ought to get up and try it.

I tried it on an empty jar....and it worked !!

So I tried it with cereal...and it worked !!! It even takes less time (10 seconds) than my FoodSaver (about 1 minute.) For me, what's great about it is it is battery operated (AA) and I will eventually replace the current batteries with rechargeable ones which I can recharge in my Goal Zero Nomad system. 

Next on the list is to get one of those Ziploc Vacuum Hand Held pumps, like the one shown in this link. They run about $4, but I can't remember if I've seen them in normal grocery stores lately. It's worth it to me to spend the $4 to try it out. I hear they might be harder to manipulate (hence the reason many convert a bike pump) but it'll be fun to try.

I also want to build a multi-jar canning/sealer out of a plastic bucket and a refrigerator condenser, but that's a ways down the road. And, I have to admit, although I like the idea of doing multiple at a time, the Reynolds' sealer only takes about 10 seconds per jar, and it's not electricity dependent, as a multi-jar sealer would be (although I guess you could bike pump it, but that's a LOT of work.)

Fun times !!

Because A Prophet Said So

UPDATE 10 Jan 2014 (hyperlink): Church Instructs Leaders on Same-Sex Marriage

This blogpost has a target audience: those who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons.) Those of you who don't so identify are welcome to come along for the ride, or you can come back another day.

I just finished reading a blogpost promoted by a well known, openly gay, in good standing, member of the LDS church, regarding SSM (and as an adjunct, being gay in the Church.) You might be able to deduce that it takes the position in favor of SSM. It is exceptionally well written, providing several logically presented, well reasoned arguments in favor of SSM within the LDS church. It devolves for a few seconds into namecalling, walking close to the line of 'people who don't agree with this line of reasoning are homophobic' but for the most part, is well thought out and presented. And I do love a well reasoned argument.

At the end of the day, here's the problem that all his well thought out arguments haven't overcome: Because God, through His Prophet Said So. (Amos 3:7)

If I have said it once, I have said it a million times: We. Are. In. The. Last. Days. People. (2 Timothy 3:1-5 KJV) Geez. I can even type the scripture reference by heart now. The way this year is trending so far, by the end of the year, I'll have said it a billion times, and be able to write the verses out by memory.

I have a theory about SSM for members of the religious community in general and Latter-day Saints in particular, and it comes down to one word: winnowing. (Matthew 3:11-12 KVJ)

At the end of the day, everything comes down to obedience, or disobedience, regardless of our own wisdom or logic. Latter-day Saints (for those who might not know), believe that the gospel and Church of Jesus Christ, as taught and established by Him when He walked the earth Himself, has been restored by His prophet in 1820/30 (depending on whether you count from Joseph Smith's First Vision or from the official, legal establishment of the Church), Christ's original Church having been lost through apostasy after the deaths of the original Apostles. 

Ironic how the logic presented in the SSM argument fails compared to other doctrine or practices the blogposter, as a Mormon, likely accepts without much thought. For example: 

One may think tithes and offerings are just a way for Churches to milk money out of its membership. A Latter-day Saint faces the decision to be obedient or not chiefly because: God, through His Prophet, said so. (Malachi 3:8-10 KJV, D&C 119)

One may think that ones' personal freedom to smoke, drink alcohol, do drugs, eat meat sparingly and vegetables often, is a personal decision and the government should stay out of it. A Latter-day Saint faces the decision to be obedient to be abstinent or not, chiefly because God, through His Prophet, said so. (D&C 89, Leviticus 11:1-3 KJV)

One may think they are within their "rights" to think only of themselves, not extend a hand of kindness, or think of others. A Latter-day Saint faces the decision to have a servant's heart or not, chiefly because: God, through His Prophet, said so. (Matthew 5:14-16 KJV, Mosiah 2:17)

One may feel daily scripture study and prayer to be a waste of time. A Latter-day Saint faces the decision to be develop the habit and be obedient or not, chiefly because God, through His Prophet, said so. (Joshua 1:8 KJV, 2 Nephi 32:3-6)

Odd then, that we would rely on our own intellect and logic when it comes to something as important to God's plan for mankind as marriage. Is it better to be married or single? Does it matter Who I marry or Where I marry? Unsurprisingly, God has answered those questions through His Prophet. Sadly, what is a bit of a surprise, is that Latter-day Saint proponents of SSM would accept doctrine God has revealed on other issues, but reject out of hand, what God, through His Prophet said about SSM: marriage is between a man and a woman (The Family: A Proclamation to the World.)

God has been clear: "Those who would obtain a blessing at my hands shall abide the law which was appointed for that blessing, and the conditions thereof, as were instituted from before the foundation of the world."

Proponents of SSM have no problem seeing the truth of that statement and accepting it on its face, and acknowledging the practice of obedience when it comes to something they agree with (tithing, service, Word of Wisdom, scripture study etc.) But when it comes to something one disagrees with, well, then it is just mere words. We not the Lord, know better.

Ironically, that scripture reference quoted above, comes from the Latter-day Saint's Doctrine & Covenants section 132, verse 15. You know: the marriage section.

Here's the reality test for Latter-day Saints, and truthfully, for people of all faith: Did God Say So, or Not? 

At the end of the day, we choose to be obedient or disobedient because we believe or disbelieve that God said so. For Latter-day Saints, that is buttressed even more by the revelations given by God, not just in written scripture, but through His Latter-day Prophet. 

One can choose to live their life according to God's word, because one believes it a better path. For Latter-day Saints, one has the assurance that God, through His Prophet will reveal many great and important things pertaining to the kingdom of God other than that which has been revealed in scripture. 

As a Latter-day Saint, one may not like the world's or the Church's position on SSM. If you are in that number, you are asking the wrong question. The question is not: is the Church right or wrong. The right question is the same as it has always been: Did God, through His Prophet, say so?

If He has, then kicking against the pricks, regardless of our own logic, wisdom or feeling, is a dangerous, sad, and unfortunate path to be on. (1 Corinthians 15:1-30)

WHY UTAH MATTERS

I want to the thank Judge Robert James Shelby for his decision to set aside the rule of law in favor of the legal standard of "feelings". By doing so, he has crystallized in my mind the importance of teaching and incorporating the Word of the Lord in your home, so that your family can differentiate between Good and Evil. 

I commit to so do, beginning today, the first day of 2014.

For those of you who don't know, Judge Robert Shelby set aside the rule of law in Utah that marriage is between one man and one woman in favor of (and I quote) "the standard that people who love each other should free to marry." Of course, he wrote that this only applies to our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters. To which I tweeted, "What a Bigot! How about the 35,000 polygamists living in Utah? Don't they deserve to legally marry the one THEY love?" I hope the polygamists march en masse to Mayor Ralph Becker's office. He was SO EXCITED to be the first to officiate at a SSM, he can be the first for a polygamist marriage too.

You may recall from my post on June 29th "Dancing on Law's Gravestone", my lament that we witnessed the death of the rule of law with the SCOTUS decisions. We are truly living the age of the Judges "...Where every man did right in his own eyes." (Judges 21:25)

Where does that standard stop? Why does it apply to SSM, but not to the judge in Montana who validated the conviction of a man found guilty of raping a 14yo. She killed herself, and the judge set aside his penalty of 10+ years to time served plus 30 days because he could. People are screaming loud about him setting aside the rule of law "because he can."

But I digress. I'm going to come out of the closet. Whether you believe it or not, or agree with me or not, I know that this life is not all there is. I know that we live after we die, I know that there is a purpose to this life, that there is a purpose to the life we live after we die, and that we lived before we were born on this earth with God. I know that the main reason we live on this earth is to prepare ourselves to return to God and live in His presence forever.

I believe that there are things we must do in order to qualify to live in His presence, starting with accepting Him and His Word. To that end: I'm going to strive to do only those things which will aid me and mine, and you and yours to return back to the presence of the Father.

For example:

--Making sure you have an opportunity to hear the Word of the Lord and accept His gospel so that yours and mine can make a decision to accept or reject him.

--Creating an environment where you have the opportunity to exercise your agency to accept or reject.

To that end, unlike many who promote "if it neither picks my pocket nor breaks my back it is of no importance to me (Glenn Beck)" I believe I have a duty not to destroy your agency by my actions or the actions of others. Agency is destroyed by believing the lie that "you should do your own thing baby" or "let others do their own thing because it doesn't impact me." Examples are:

--Being high 90% of the time destroys your cognitive agency, therefore I will not vote to legalize marijuana or other drugs

--Having sex with young children destroys their agency, therefore I will not vote to legalize sex with children

--Normalizing evil destroys agency because it sets evil, rather than good, as the standard and destroys hope, therefore I will not vote to legalize evil

--SSM destroys agency because it teaches the lie that you do not have to be obedient to the laws of baptism or celestial marriage in order to return to the presence of the Father.

Therefore, I will not vote to legalize, or condone by my action/inaction, SSM. If I really care about you, why would I help you do something which will virtually guarantee you are kept from the Father's presence?

By condoning, I mean taking the position that because it doesn't impact me personally it's ok. Some among us, including me, have voluntarily entered in to a covenant to establish the Word of the Lord not just for ourselves, but for our neighbors and our posterity. For me, that's not in the abstract. 

Like the starfish story, I may not be successful fighting against the tide of the 99 other evils, but I can make a difference against One.

Wishing you a closer relationship with God in 2014, that you may find the true Peace you are seeking by following the Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus.