Solar Flares, Etc.

SOLAR FLARE WARNING CONTINUES: We saw the red aurora last night on Long Island, quite beautiful. But it also feels like a sign from God. It seems similar to the red aurora seen just prior to WWII, as Our Lady of Fatima predicted. Let us all ask for mercy and peace…and continue to pray for those in need after these 2 recent hurricanes in the US. For live updates of the solar condition: Space Weather Prediction Center Please also see our recommendations we posted during the last solar storm: Coronal Mass Ejections…

END OF SEASON GARDEN SUPPLIES! Think about taking advantage of end-of-season sales at your local garden/outdoor center. I just bought 17 seed packets and a new fire pit, that I saved $200 on! I also bought some popsicle sticks. They are great for marking plants. You can get huge boxes at craft stores.

CHECK OUT DISASTER PREPARER. You can get Electromagnetic Pulse products, books, electronic privacy items, audio books and videos.

FOR ALL YOU WOODWORKERS! Check out Highland Woodworking, Fine Tools & Education. My hubby is an unplugged carpenter hobbyist (thank goodness, if he worked with power tools, I would have a nervous breakdown) and buys from them. Have a look at their website for sales, catalog, newsletter, classes, library, blog, TV show, job opportunities, books and DVDs. Is that enough? If you’re just thinking about taking up wood crafts, this is a great place to get started! (Christmas is coming, encourage someone you know to develop this important sustainable skill with a simple gift such as a book or DVD-Saint Joseph will be very pleased.)

Update

I know this month’s output has been light, but I hope some of you have tried my homemaker hacks (men can do them too!). Feel free to share yours as well, and we may post them.

We’ve been working on our house and will be, for the rest of the year. I will have to try to balance it all a bit better. We’ve been hiking as a family and spending some wonderful times together...and I’ve been working on my healthcare. These are always great and necessary things, but with the continued degrading of the state of the world, it seems more urgent than ever…to push forward, take advantage of opportunities while we still can, and stop and smell the roses. Geopolitical tensions are tighter than they have been in decades and there is concern about the upcoming US elections (or possible failure to hold elections at all, as some are predicting).

I would urge all our readers to print the “15 Points Preparedness Worksheet” (see link on Home page) and work on it with your family. Also, please print our “Eclipse Pilgrimage of Mercy” supplemental prayers. Included is Cardinal Burke’s 9-Month Novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe and a prayer for the United States.

I have also been getting ready for my trip to the Catholic Land Movement Conference at Our Lady of Martyrs Shrine in northern New York (about a 4-hour trip for me), this coming weekend! I’m so excited, it is my first time there. This is a traditional Catholic organization and the Tridentine Mass will be offered. These are the kinds of things I do as research and networking, to bring the knowledge I aquire, to all of you. I hope to share some pictures and some of what I will learn, in the coming days. It’s going to be like a retreat/agrarian/prepper learning experience all in one! There will be wonderful Catholic devotions and confession, along with workshops and social time. There is an optional farm visit, where animals will be slaughtered, which I will be attending. Some of the workshops I plan to go to are “Garden Planning at Home,” “Wells and Spring Development,” and a presentation of 2 faith-centered farms. I also hope to attend Chris Martenson’s Peak Prosperity Annual Summit 2024 in New Hampshire in September (the early-bird rate is ending June 30). I attended his conference last year in Massachusetts and it was life-changing.

Due to the fact that I will be away this weekend, our Month of July post may be a day or 2 late. God bless you all and your families! Chiara F Mathews:)

Coronal Mass Ejections Hitting Earth Over Weekend

[Edited Since Posting.]

Disclaimer: This is the information we have received. We bear no responsibility for errors. Please make your own decisions with prayer. Please do not rely on this website for alerts, we will give them only when we are able and have received the information in a timely manner.

Apparently, there have been 6 solar ejections as of this time which are inbound towards earth. They can begin hitting at any time and will continue for the next several days.

The main concern appears to be power outages which could do major damage and be long-term. Some communications and GPS are also a concern. Here are the recommendations:

1) Prepare for blackouts to begin at any time.

2) Work on general preparedness such as supplies, including water.

3) Limit travel, unless you feel it is necessary to leave your area.

4) Unplug appliances.

5) Keep in contact with your loved ones.

6) Be careful in areas which could be dangerous during an outage (basements, attics, elevators), keep a flashlight on you.

7) See if anyone in your neighborhood needs help.

8) Pray the Rosary and the Novena to the Holy Ghost. Don’t worry. Trust in God!

Hopefully all will be well. Certain areas may see auroras in the sky, that don’t normally see them. Your area might be one!

PS Here’s a post I wrote 4 years ago on the time I was trapped in my basement during a power outage:

Trapped in a Dark Basement

Gardening Update

If you haven’t seen it, please scroll down to “Gardening Pics.” I showed you the beginning of my son’s planting project along with random yard pictures. Scroll down further to “Gardening/Landscaping Projects” for an intro to this series…we will continue to show the progress throughout the season…

Some Type of Squashy Thing

Sunflower

Purple African

Daisies

Transplantings of

Above Seedlings

The long seedlings bursting out of the tray are peas. They will need to be trellised. It is really fun to grow peas and beans…and great for children too! The flowers are pretty and they are a delight to harvest.

My son had one extra peat disc for me to plant something in, so I chose purple African daisies. You can see the seed clipping I acquired last year from a neighbor. The brilliant purple color of the flowers was so spectacular, I had to have them. We’ll see how it goes!

My son took the seedlings home (he lives in another state) and transplanted some of them. What you see above includes pumpkin, butternut squash, cantaloupe, cucumber, watermelon, peas and several different flowers.

My landscape is under construction, so the gardening is going at a slow pace. Stay tuned…

Oh yes, the infamous Poison Ivy Fence. Sometimes ya just gotta use the weed killer! (It is ideal to remove poison ivy from the roots with gloves, but since it’s growing on the neighbor’s side…actually, there are organic techniques to kill undesirable plants, I’ll try to post on that soon.)

What to do RIGHT NOW-Part 2

Here is further biblical support for prepping. These are just my humble thoughts on how these verses may be interpreted:

BIBLICAL SUPPORT FOR PREPAREDNESS

“Now therefore let the king provide a wise and industrious man, and make him ruler over the land of Egypt: that he may appoint overseers over all the countries: and gather into barns the fifth part of the fruits, during the seven fruitful years, that shall now presently ensue: and let all the corn be laid up under Pharao's hands and be reserved in the cities. And let it be in readiness, against the famine of seven years to come, which shall oppress Egypt, and the land shall not be consumed with scarcity.”

Genesis 41:33

This refers to the responsibility to take a leadership role and to be “wise and industrious” in the care of the people who rely on you.

“Give not sleep to thy eyes, neither let thy eyelids slumber. Deliver thyself as a doe from the hand, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler. Go to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways, and learn wisdom: which, although she hath no guide, nor master, nor captain, provideth her meat for herself in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou rise out of thy sleep? Thou wilt sleep a little, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to sleep: And want shall come upon thee, as a traveller, and poverty as a man armed. But if thou be diligent, thy harvest shall come as a fountain, and want shall flee far from thee.”

Proverbs 6:4

This is a strong admonition to take care of your own needs through discipline and hard work.

“There is a treasure to be desired, and oil in the dwelling of the just: and the foolish man shall spend it.”

Proverbs 21:20

The holy, who live a good life, performing their duties and exercising prudence, will be blessed with abundance.

“The prudent man saw the evil, and hid himself: the simple passed on, and suffered loss.”

Proverbs 22:3

When you see the threat looming, you must take action.

“Cast thy bread upon the running waters: for after a long time thou shalt find it again. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight: for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. If the clouds be full, they will pour out rain upon the earth.”

Ecclesiastes 11:1

Think ahead, plan ahead and watch the signs around you.

“In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening let not thy hand cease: for thou knowest not which may rather spring up, this or that: and if both together, it shall be the better.”

Ecclesiastes 11:6

Work harder than you think you need to, for some of your work may not bear fruit.

“For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of affliction, to give you an end and patience.”

Jeremias 29:11

Though calamity may come, God will preserve many of His children (so we must never give up and keep trying to survive).

“Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel, for the Lord shall enter into judgment with the inhabitants of the land: for there is no truth, and there is no mercy, and there is no knowledge of God in the land. Cursing, and lying, and killing, and theft, and adultery have overflowed, and blood hath touched blood. Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth in it shall languish with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of the air: yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be gathered together.”

Hosea 4:1

When immorality abounds, we may expect a great chastisement to come.

“And there came to him the Pharisees and Sadducees tempting: and they asked him to shew them a sign from heaven. But he answered and said to them: When it is evening, you say, it will be fair weather, for the sky is red. And in the morning: Today there will be a storm, for the sky is red and lowering. You know then how to discern the face of the sky: and can you not know the signs of the times?”

Matthew 16:1

We must be watchful and understand the implications of what is happening in the world.

“And from the fig tree learn a parable: When the branch thereof is now tender, and the leaves come forth, you know that summer is nigh.”

Matthew 24:32

Again, we are told to observe the signs around us and be prepared for what surely will come.

“Watch ye therefore, because ye know not what hour your Lord will come. But know this ye, that if the goodman of the house knew at what hour the thief would come, he would certainly watch, and would not suffer his house to be broken open. Wherefore be you also ready, because at what hour you know not the Son of man will come. Who, thinkest thou, is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath appointed over his family, to give them meat in season. Blessed is that servant, whom when his lord shall come he shall find so doing. Amen I say to you, he shall place him over all his goods.”

Matthew 24:42

This probably refers more to spiritual preparedness, always our primary concern, though there is a reference to the temporal.

“And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and he said to him: If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself from hence. For it is written, that He hath given his angels charge over thee, that they keep thee. And that in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest perhaps thou dash thy foot against a stone. And Jesus answering, said to him: It is said: Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”

Luke 4:9

When signs are clear that danger is looming, we must not remain complacent that God will take care of us, but do what we can to help ourselves and others (then trust in God for what we cannot control).

“But if any man have not care of his own, and especially of those of his house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”

1 Timothy 5:8

This is an admonition to provide well for those in our care, which includes having the foresight to see when we must prepare for difficult times.

More Garden Photos-Flowers!

Yesterday was the trad feast of Saint Rose of Lima, patroness of gardeners. Saint Rose of Lima, pray for us!

This year, we have a simple container garden of a few things. For a number of reasons, our capabilities right now are limited. However, I do recommend that everyone have their own raised bed food garden and that every parish think about creating one. This may become increasingly necessary as society continues to be taken down by those in power, with an agenda that is not in our favor.

These are some pics of the flowers we’ve been growing. Flowers are important for every garden, largely because they attract and support the bee population, so necessary for pollination. Of course, they are also beautiful and uplift the soul. Flowers show us something about the Designer behind them and His love for us. We could meditate on that the rest of our lives. I would call flowers an essential aspect of the Authentic Life. The Church also uses them at holy Mass and in many other celebrations and ceremonies. Our Lady is often associated with and honored with flowers. It is said on the third day after her passing, the tomb was found empty and covered with flowers. Many flowers are edible and have medicinal uses. All of these pictured here are easy to grow.

Sunflowers! Exquisite, fun, bee attracting and you can eat the seeds. What more do you want? There are many varieties of differing sizes. I think of sunflowers as the lion of the plant kingdom. Our Heavenly Father clothes them in majesty. Nature always reflects spiritual realities, since the lower order must follow the higher. We must look for these hidden meanings.

Went crazy enhancing this Snapdragon photo. I don’t know if I love or hate it. You can see the red ones there.

Snapdragons! A beautiful flower and it comes in various colors. It displays the intricate handiwork of the Father. I adore this multi-colored one:

Morning Glories! Little trumpets shouting the everlasting glory of their Creator. Again, comes in a number of amazing colors and is wonderful for anything you want some vining on-mailboxes, fences, trestles. trellises. Here is a spectacular magenta variety. You can see how they curl within themselves to create a striped look.

If you like any of my photos, you are free to use them however you wish. If you share, please refer to this blog. Same goes for all text on this site.

Trapped in a Dark Basement

…don’t let this happen to you!

"For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they have comforted me."

Psalm 22

This happened to me several years ago. I wrote an account of it at the time, but never published it, because like many other pieces, it went into the “unfinished rough drafts” and was never completed (perhaps I just didn’t want to think about it anymore). Here is my original account, finally polished up. If this helps just one other person to never go through this, then it was all worth it….

It was late at night. I was making potpourri out of some old tea and needed a small glass jar to put it in. I keep my collection of jars in the basement, which is not merely unfinished-it was completely gutted during mold remediation and has yet to be put back together. I figured I'd go down there and it would take about a minute to get the jar I wanted. I was rummaging through the jars, frustrated because I could not find the one I wanted, and.....all the lights went out. My first thought was, "Seriously? No problem, I'm a prepper, I can totally do this." I wasn't nervous until I realized I was lost in a cluttered, dangerous basement with no light. There are a few small windows, but I was nowhere near them and no light was coming in anyway, because the street lamps were out too.

It is hard to conceive of zero light if you've never experienced it. Usually, there's some light. Total darkness feels claustrophobic, like you're wrapped in a big black blanket. It is terrifying when there is no difference between closing your eyes and opening them. It doesn't take long to become disoriented and begin to panic. The brain seems to compensate by constructing its own reality. This is probably a survival mechanism, but one that was not working well for me. I decided to keep feeling in one direction along the wall and eventually I should recognize something and know where I was. But my brain continued to construct a false reality, telling me I was in a certain area even though it made no sense. I felt helpless. I yelled to my husband but he couldn't hear me because he was in bed all the way upstairs with the door shut. My dog was no use either.

After about ten minutes, the lights came back on. I was not at all where I thought I was. I had walked right past the stairs and didn't realize it. My perception of space had been altered without the sense of sight. After running back up the stairs, I thanked God for getting me out of there and then curled up on the couch and ate a pint of chocolate ice cream.

What should I have done? When things weren’t making sense, I should have been willing to break out of the comfort zone my brain was creating and see other possibilities. I should also have kept a flashlight on my person, one I knew was working well…or a well-charged cellphone. A situation like this could quickly become life and death in something like a flood, fire, earthquake, etc. Basements are particularly dangerous in floods due to the risk of electrocution. Not being able to find your way out could be that much worse if you are hurt or with a child or elderly person.

I believe everything happens for a reason. Maybe God sent me this experience so I could learn from it and help prevent it from happening to others. Here are 10 lessons to think about:

1) Don't make potpourri in the middle of the night. You should be sleeping. Like a normal person.

2) Maybe its time to get all that random junk out of the basement. Maybe its time to do something about the dangling electrical wires and the big hole in the floor. Not to mention the poison arrow from the Philippines you bought at a flea market somewhere in New Jersey 23 years ago (well, that old hippie said it was a poison arrow).

3) Flashlights are good. The more, the better. Batteries are good too.

4) Dependence on electricity was a mistake.

5) If your basement or attic is as bad as mine, don't venture into it without full survival gear: bug-out bag, camo pants and a gun.

6) Maybe its time to buy "The Best Hyperdimensional To Rule Them All Night Vision Goggles In Steampunk Style" for $2,500.00 from Hammacher Schlemmer (they seem to think rich survivalist nerds is a demographic).

7) We navigate in darkness. This experience could be a metaphor for life itself. It could certainly be a metaphor for our current world situation. The fact is, I was never really trapped at all. Only in my mind.

8) Don't panic. Your guardian angel and all of Heaven is always with you. You are NEVER alone and the Holy Ghost will always enlighten you. Our Mother Mary will always comfort you. Trust in God.

9) Practice meditation, yoga, breathing techniques, etc. I’m not talking about new age garbage or anything that contradicts the Catholic Faith. I’m talking about techniques that help you calm down and focus. I have used these techniques myself very successfully, such as when I get nervous flying.

10) “Freak” situations can happen. That doesn’t mean being constantly nervous about danger, but it does mean having a general awareness of potential dangers and being prepared for them.

More About Hiking!

Important note: The following advice is for local hiking in well-populated areas only. Please always use your own discretion and consider your own unique needs. These are only suggestions.

My family and I spent the 4th of July in the exquisite New Jersey Highlands, pictured above. Appropriate, since the Highlands, according to the federal Highlands Conservation Act, is an area of “national significance,” due to, “the importance of the water, forest, agricultural, wildlife, recreational, and cultural resources of the Highlands region.” It is a national treasure. Instead of celebrating a nation rapidly descending into tyranny, we spent the day preparing for where this tyranny may soon lead us…out of Babylon and into the Authentic Life, close to nature, apart from the world.

Our son was the architect of the excursion, planning it out in advance from a map. It is always a bit dicey doing a hike you are unfamiliar with, because what you see on the map is only a vague semblance of what you actually encounter on the ground. He knew he would be going with his out-of-shape middle-aged parents, so he kept it to about a mile, which was perfect. I hope to increase my stamina over time. I said in A Tale of Two Realities (please read if you haven’t), that I had not hiked in years. Two hikes and I am now addicted. The peace and wonder I feel, along with the sense of empowerment and accomplishment, is intoxicating.

The hike evenly divided into two halves, the first being the difficult “trail connector” and the second, being an established, level trail. At the half-point, you see the bewitching vista above. The picture does not at all do it justice. It had more a sense of grandeur from the perspective of a bridge, over a large pond (the entire walk circumvented the pond). The creek you see comes down from the pond. The rocks there seem to be encased in sand, long petrified. It is interesting to think of the history of the formations and also the human history, when you encounter unexplained remnants like rock walls, perhaps going back hundreds of years. What the picture does portray is the mysterious, magical nature of those woods-you expect to see a fairy or an elf pop out any minute! It can all be quite romantic, you can easily forget the dangers of these parts, which are black bears, copperhead snakes, lyme and other ticks, poison ivy, falling branches and hunters in hunting season, to name a few. All these issues need to be kept in mind and prepared for.

We started by spraying ourselves with heavy duty bug spray, mainly for the ticks. I had my new mini backpack with water, first aid kit, two tick removal tools, compass, protein bars and tissues. The trail connector was a rocky, narrow path. We had to keep our eyes open for poison ivy and I learned that all boots are not hiking boots. My department store booties have zero ankle support. Real hiking boots are now on my priority list. You hike & learn! We passed a family fishing and learned the pond has bass and catfish. Good to know. Also muskrats and a swim team which has its own camper and porta-potty. Also good to know. Not really, nevermind…another issue one must be prepared for….you do you! Then there was a nice respite area in the shade where we took a much-needed break on this hot day. The rest of the way was easy and we exited at the “start” of the trail, where there were various instructions, including what to do if you see a black bear. At home, first thing: tick check and changing clothes.

We also saw these striking flowers:

BUTTERFLY WEED, a type of milkweed, great for home gardens. EDIBLE & MEDICINAL USES.

And here’s the itchy culprit from the last hike:

This appears to be STINGING NETTLE. It is widely known to have medicinal properties.

I have mentioned the need for provisions and awareness of the dangers of your area. In addition, maps and compasses are important when venturing out into nature. In our case, my son had studied the area, it was well populated and we had our cellphones. I would however, recommend not relying on your phone and always having a hard copy of a map with you (you may consider a laminated map in case of rain). Of course, getting lost is the main issue, but simple awareness of your environment is important too. As for getting lost, never rely on your “great sense of direction” or assume it can’t happen to you. Study the area before entering and have a plan. Know which direction you must travel if you do get lost-that is the purpose of the compass.

Rand McNally has many great resources for hiking and road travel. You might be interested in products like the following:

New Jersey Atlas & Gazetteer 2021 Road Atlas

Map It! Seek & Find: Fun, educational way to familiarize yourself with cartography-there are 2 volumes-great gift!

If hiking is too difficult for you, I hope you are inspired to bring God’s creation more into your life in some way. Nature is part of living life to the fullest and understanding God, the Author of the Authentic Life.

The Catholic Bug-Out Bag?

We’re Catholic preppers here, so why not a Catholic bug-out bag? This is something you should keep in your car or have handy to go at all times, a bag with many of your essentials in the event of an emergency when you are traveling or must leave your home quickly. Basic survival items and first aid should be included. For your Catholic bug-out bag, we will focus on an online store, which is a good resource…

We will look at many items which would do well in your Faith-centered bug-out bag. We know the spiritual life is more important than the physical, so if you’re going to have fire-starters and first aid kits, you should also have those things which support your soul. This is not to necessarily get you to buy from this store, or to buy these specific products. My goal is to get you thinking and give you some ideas. I will choose items I feel are well-priced and that are conducive to travel. These also make great gifts items, stocking stuffers or goody bag gifts for First Holy Communions, etc.

Discount Catholic Store

From their “About” page:

Discount Catholic Store first opened in the year 2000 out of a love for Catholic spirituality. We strive to offer Catholic items that facilitate spiritual growth, healing, comfort, inspiration, wisdom and guidance, and which will ultimately draw each soul closer to God. We hope our products will be “avenues of grace” for everyone who receives them…

One of the main categories of devotional objects one would want in a bug-out bag, would be sacramentals. According to Traditional Catholic Dictionary Online, a sacramental is: “Certain pious practices or objects blessed by the Church. The blessing is attached, that these may serve to increase the devotion of the faithful. Scapulars, holy water, etc., are widely used sacramentals.”

Why would you need sacramentals when “bugging out?” Some can protect from demons, remit venial sin and purgatory time, and grant temporal favors. Our Lady said of the Brown Scapular, to Saint Simon Stock, “WHOSOEVER DIES IN THIS GARMENT SHALL NOT SUFFER ETERNAL FIRE.” (Of course, there are stipulations with such an amazing promise). You should consider having your sacramentals blessed by a priest or deacon, if they have not been blessed. My guess is that they do not have to be blessed to be considered sacramentals, but the blessing increases the spiritual power. Please see Catholic Encyclopedia for more info.

Below are some great Catholic “bug-out” items, many of which are sacramentals:

Saint Joseph Holy Oil & Prayer Card, with medal

Lourdes Water Medal

Holy Land Keepsake Set (water, oil, Crucifix, incense, earth)

Holy Water (water not included) Key Chain

Divine Mercy Relic Medal

Saint Michael Relic Medal

Saint Clare Relic Medal (this is my patron saint-probably good for warding off attackers, if you know her story)

Our Lady of Fatima Relic Medal

Divine Mercy Relic Prayer Card

Saint Clare Relic Prayer Card

Fatima Relic Prayer Card

Saint Gerard Relic Prayer Card (for pregnant women or those seeking pregnancy)

Saint Michael Relic Prayer Card

Fatima Prayer Card with Medal

Saint Christopher Prayer Card with Medal

Jesus Relic Necklace (Crucifix)

Laminated Brown Scapular

Scapular (Sacred Heart & Our Lady of Mt. Carmel)

Mount Carmel Scapular (Brown Scapular)

Green Scapular, Spanish

Brown Leather Scapular (Sacred Heart & Our Lady of Mt. Carmel)

Brown Wool Scapular with Holy Water Bottle

Divine Mercy Scapular with Cross & Medal

Children’s (small) Rosaries

Miraculous Medal-Aluminum

Miraculous Medal-Gold Look

Dog Tag with Saint Michael Prayer

Crucifix Pendant, 1”

Crucifix Pendant, 3/4”

Act of Contrition Pocket Coin

Urgent Prayer to Our Lady Pocket Coin

Cross with Prayer Pocket Coin

Divine Mercy Pocket Coin

Footprints Pocket Coin

Guardian Angel Pocket Coin

Holy Family Pocket Coin

Memorare Pocket Coin

Salve Regina Pocket Coin (Hail Holy Queen)

Serenity Prayer Pocket Coin

Saint Florian (fire protection) Pocket Coin

Saint Michael Pocket Coin

Glow-in-the-Dark Rosary Ring

Silver Tone Rosary Ring

Travel Mass Kit (comes with “Instant Priest” hologram)

Don’t forget your pocket Bible!

The Weaknesses of My Bug-Out Bag

Yes, that is my bug-out bag and my doggie sniffing it! A bug-out bag is simply a bag with supplies, in case of emergency, when you are out or traveling. It should always be kept in your car. If you don’t have one, make one-or you can order them pre-made online. Probably a good way to start is to order one, and then tweak it to your own needs. At least you will have something right away, with minimal time and effort. Mine is bright red, which is good if you want to be seen (lost in the wilderness), but not so good if you don’t want to be seen (running from Governor Cuomo). Probably a camo one is better, and you can always carry a bright-colored poncho or something.

This past week, my father-in-law was ill (prayers?) and we had to go deal with the situation. We unexpectedly had to stay overnight and there were a few difficulties, which reminded me that I need to be better prepared. We had no change of clothes (after a hot, sweaty day), no toiletries, no dog food and I did not have my two medications. We had to get a few things from the store and I just took the meds when we got home. We all make mistakes. But we must learn from them because next time, it might not work out so well. Someone recently said to me that I should have a change of clothes in my car-funny how life gives you these little warnings-but do we heed them? I will be making it a priority to re-vamp my bug-out bag. In addition to the above items, I could also use a pocket Bible, more food and water, painkillers and some cash.

We can expand our ideas about the “bug-out” bag. You can think of your purse as an everyday mini bug-out bag (for guys, what? a fanny pac? LOL). In my purse, I carry a few first-aid items, a pocket knife (which has come in handy so many times), hand sanitizer, tissues, extra keys, paper and pen, rosary beads, “call a priest if I’m dying” card…and my purse isn’t even very large! Then there is the standard emergency bag I spoke of above. In addition to these, you should have an overnight bag that you can grab quickly whenever you need it (or whenever you travel more than an hour away). You may or may not want to keep it in the car, since toiletries and medications can be sensitive to hot and freezing temperatures. But if you can keep medication with you at all times, that is a good thing.

I am not discussing right now, everything that should be in a bug-out bag or generally kept in your car, but there are many resources online for that. Of course, you need to tailor it to your own needs as well. All items should be contained in sealable plastic bags, in case of rain. Keep track of expiration dates on food, water, etc. Understand water may freeze and burst a container. Have a list of all items in the bag, so you can glance at it and see what is there (believe me, you won’t remember, and fishing through everything is a hassle). Have it all well-organized. As for ID, or having your info in it, that is at your discretion. Trackable electronics-also at your discretion. Weight of your bag is also a consideration, if you wind up on foot.

We have all learned a lot in the past few months. We see how access to all the things we have taken for granted can be blocked overnight. We see how we can potentially be quarantined against our will or locked into a certain area at a moment’s notice. We see society breaking down on every level….all the more reason to be prepared, including when you travel anywhere. It is also a good idea to keep your gas tank full. Consider the possibility of other modes of transportation (boat, small plane) or different routes.

Making bug-out bags can be a fun project for the whole family. Mini backpacks are great for kids and they love them. Pick a weekend one of these days and just do it. Then you can have a wonderful little hike and picnic to celebrate your accomplishment! And its all important togetherness time and a prepper learning experience.