Mother

I am sorry to hear what you went through. I lost my own father a few years back after a prolonged hospital stay in which I sat with my Mom by his side hour after hour. I know what you went through. Prepping lessons, learned that way, are always some of the hardest but always best remembered. AND best shared. Thanks for letting us know the why's of you being missing. It's nice to have you back. ((((((Mamacat)))))

Thanks Becca. It was as much fun to write as it was to read and like Michael said, sometimes even WE did not know what was going to come out of our writing. The humor, the drama, the love. It was all there, including the most outrageous blupers that we all loved. I reread it this winter and laughed and cried and wondered at how creative everyone had been. Michael, I agree, it would be awful nice to have it in booklet form, or would it be more of a book. There is a lot of wonderful writing there as well as a lot of good info. I can close my eyes and picture your cabin and homestead. I can't help but wonder if we had to write it over again would we do something different? Bring along different items? Choose a different valley or place in the valley? Would you believe that I actually wondered what we'd all write if we were going to take that same journey only to a different locale and setting. The writers on this thread are very very talented individuals and I'd be proud to be stranded with any of them in a SHTF/TEOTWAWKI situation.

Thanks for the kind words Becky Lynn. It's amazing how a thread can get lost in the archives. I'm glad you brought it back up, perhaps it will help others as it helped you.

I cut nettle leaves, stems and all, using gloves and a scissors. I have also used plastic or cloth bags. With one hand inside the bag I grab the stems with the bag and cut with the other hand. Then I turn the bag inside out over the plants to carry them. This is especially good if I‘m gathering them while camping. I fill a sink with cold water and swish the leaves, stems and all, up and down to loosen any dirt or bugs that might be in the plant. If I used a plastic bag to gather I just peel it down and use it as a hand hold to swish the stems. I shake the plants well over the sink or spin them in my salad spinner and then lay them on a big towel and pat them dry. Wearing gloves, as they will still sting yet (but not nearly as badly) I pull the leaves off and lay them directly into the dehydrator. If I’m hanging them to dry I re-gather and tie the stems together and hang them in a warm place out of the sun. I often hang them this way in our greenhouse which is totally shaded by trees during the summertime and makes an ideal dehydrating shed. They do not sting after they are dried. When I freeze my leaves I do not blanch them either. They won’t keep as long that way but we rarely need to freeze them longer than six months or so and they are fine that long and longer if needed. If I’m cooking them I do so right from the frozen state and if I’m going to be using them in soups or omelets I often take them from the freezer and immediately crush them while still frozen. That makes fine crumbles just right to flavor or enhance whatever I’m cooking. I sometimes do this after they are totally frozen and then put them back into the freezer right away. That way they take up less room. I do the same thing with kale and etc. The greens store better in those flat packages. I do most of my nettle dehydrating in the spring when the new growth is lush and before the flowers come on. They are at their most medicinal at that point. I gather new growth or only the tops the rest of they year and use them for fresh. An interesting anecdote that happened to me many years ago. One hot summer day, after the nettles had flowered in a bed near my door, I happen to notice small wisps of what looked like smoke coming up from the flowers. I showed the kids and they joked that it was the “wee” people smoking their pipes in there. I had never seen this before and called our arboretum to ask what it could be. It seems they had not seen it either but did some research for me. The best we could come up with was that it was pollen coming off the plant. I just happened to be at the right spot with the right weather conditions, at the right time perhaps. It’s no wonder I love plants. They do such interesting things.

Andrea, thanks for the nettle recipes. I learned to use nettles from a elderly neighbor when I was very young and have eaten them since (lots of years past since then LOL). I don't use fancy recipes though I will try a few of these as they look wonderful, particularly the potato soup one. I use them in place of any cooked green. They are an especially good substitute for cooked spinach. I often use them with eggs in an omelet or quiche and they are great cooked with sausage or ring bologna and potatoes. If the weather has agreed I use them in place of cabbage or kale in Colcannon with corned beef or ham for St. Patrick's day in March. We often have them peaking through the snow in sunny spots in the garden at that time. I also juice young nettle leaves with other vegetables or fruit. I dry them for winter use as tea or as an additive to soups and other dishes. I also use fresh and dried nettles as a hair rinse. It is nourishing for the hair and after using it a few times it leaves even my gray hair shiny and silky and more easily managed. When we pull out old nettles, and we have lots of nettles here, we put them in an old wash tub on a stand. It has a hose in the bottom and we put a screen over the opening inside so it doesn't clog the hose. We set it in the sun and fill it with water. After a few days it starts to look kind of gooey and starts to ferment. At the end of the week we drain the liquid into a bucket and use it for fertilizing plants both inside and out. My brother is hoping to use it dried, if possible, as part of a hydroponics system he is setting up in a greenhouse for winter production. For that purpose we will most likely be hanging the nettles in large bunches to dry for him in our own greenhouse which gets fairly warm during the summer months but is also shaded. I dry lots of herbs but never dry them in direct sun so this is a good place to use. I have nettles growing with our tomatoes also but I’ve more than once gotten ’stung’ because I didn’t keep it clipped as well as I should. Interestingly enough, nettles are purposely used to sting areas of arthritis as a counter irritant to help the pain. It works but is hard to keep from itching the cure. One last hint. Jewel weed often grows in the same area as nettles and the juice from that plant will stop the sting of nettles fairly fast. If all else fails, the juice of the nettles itself often will serve the same purpose. There are dozens and dozens more ideas for nettle use on the web. It is not a weed, it is an amazing herb.

I have frozen bread dough of all kinds for years. Yeast can be frozen to keep it for years as well. Because of my health I now use a bread maker but in the past I found that making the dough, one loaf at a time in the bread maker, was much too time consuming and it was a lot faster to make up a huge batch of dough by hand to freeze. I make the dough up and allow it to raise at least once. (you can skip this rising if you are in a hurry but I like the texture of the finished product better with it) Then I punch it down, form it into loaves or buns or ? and wrap it securely in plastic wrap and freeze. I have vacuum sealed it as well. My preferred method is to freeze it (securely covered) in the pan I will be baking it in, removing the dough after it is frozen and then seal it and replace it in the freezer. That way it is preformed, though it is also an easy matter to form the dough after it has been thawed as well. As Christy has suggested, I take the dough out the day before I want to bake it and put it in the refrigerator to thaw. I then set it in a warm place to rise before baking. Often times the dough will already have risen in the refrigerator. Then I just bake as usual. The dough will rise fine without the refrigerator step but will take quite a time to thaw before rising. I freeze sweet rolls, cinnamon rolls, pizza crusts, artisan loaves, and a lot more. I try not to leave the dough more than six months in the freezer unless vacuum sealed, not because it doesn’t rise but because it seems to loose quality, sometimes drying around the edges. Now, that said, Here is another method. It is almost as convenient to make up a ‘sponge’ the night before as they did in the past, let it set over night, even in the refrigerator, and finish it when you are ready to bake it the following day. I like to make up a soft dough, let it ‘work’ a short time, sometimes an hour but often only fifteen minutes, before covering it and setting it in the refrigerator until the next day. I add flour and knead it right in the bowl. I then form it into the shape I want before allowing it to raise in a warm spot. I do have the bowl to clean up each time but I like the finished product. Hope this helps some.

I have been giving some thoughts to the Valley and to the Homesteaders that would have been living through this winter there. I was wondering how each of you would have been celebrating Christmas there. If we'd stayed, we would have most likely have had LOTS of snow by now. We probably would have been able to get together with the rest of the family from the other side of the river so I'm sure it would have been a merry and even perhaps hilarious celebration. I believe we would have had roast goose or game, lots of hearty vegetables, several deserts made from fruit and whole grain, Maybe the greenhouse would be giving us fresh salad fixings, and of course, fresh, hot, whole grain rolls. Yummmm! The gifts would have been mostly home made except for those we thought to bring along ahead of time. If anyone had ventured a look towards our homestead cave they would have seen brightly shining Christmas lights because of the 12-volt ones I brought along. (I actually have those IRL) We would have a big Christmas Tree, decorated by all the ornaments the family has made and topped with the special star I brought along. We would be singing carols and playing games and perhaps, if the snow was not tooooo deep, we would be making plans to take the sleighs to the Lodge on Sunday. What would YOU be doing if you were spending Christmas in the Valley? I sincerely hope that each of you, writers and readers alike, are having a wonderful IRL Holiday Season. Merry Christmas My Dear Friends

((((((((((Cee Gee)))))))))), I am so sorry for your loss. That must be really tough but I can understand your relief at her not suffering. You are in my prayers. Like you, I am reading too. MT3B, Daylily, keep up your good work until a few more join you again.

Happy Mother's day to all you Writers and Readers out there. I am really missing the posts here and in the thread. I will keep checking though and hoping that all will be back in the valley soon. I truly do want to know what is happening in your lives there. MT3B, nice wedding, how are you coming along with your preps for winter. Daylily, If you don't hurry SNOW will be catching you soon. How ARE you doing there? Q,,,welll.... I know you are having some things to deal with in life but you've left us hanging. What DOES that diary that you found have in it. Annarchy, the plane,,,,the plane....There has GOT to be something it can be used for. CeeGee, how are your family doing.You were getting such a good restart. And the others we've lost along the way....The valley is waiting. Mt_Rider,,,,You are really needed. I pray God leads you all back soon!

I'm still reading too. I really miss the 'action' and though I know it's difficult I hope you will all keep writing. Mt_Rider is bound to be back with us soon. Daylily, I'm sorry you didn't get into the Hobbit Hole but I really am looking forward to your adventure in the new land. Please, write as often as you can and keep it going. Hey, everyone, don't forget the wild rice up by the Hobbit Hole. It's just at the bottom of the last plateau, off to the north,,,sort of,,,It's for you all and should be ready in a couple of weeks. MtR should be back before then and you can all have a rice gathering week or two :bighug:

AMarthabyheart..Thank you so much for your words and parayer. I really appreciate them. A, MT3B, Daylily, great writing. MT3B,,,what an excellent topic you have brought up. Good writing.

Daylily,,, you might send a pm to Mt_Rider and check to see if she has plans for the Hobbit Hole but if not, I'd be honored to have you move there. I feel I owe everyone an apology though, I had told a few people who asked privately but didn't mention it publicly that I was leaving the thread for severe health reasons. If not for that I would not leave you all there in the valley without me. Q and MT3B, I am grateful for your loyalty. I have cried so many tears with my leaving that someone would have thought I was leaving a REAL place instead of an UNREAL one. Geesh!. I will be reading though, and maybe adding a comment from time to time as I am able. PLEASE, EVERYONE, keep writing and reading.

How fitting that I would be writing this on the last page of my notebook, an ending but also a new beginning. Leaving the valley was very difficult for me to do. Leaving all those who we’d shared dangers and joys alike was extremely hard. I will miss them all. I just hope we can establish a means of communication. Nothing in the wagons is where it should be. We packed in such a hurry and had so many things to pack in such a small space that I can’t believe we actually got so much in. We left the greenhouse and the Plexiglas used for windows but took all the extra pieces with us, packed flat on the floors of the wagon. We left other things, like the solar dehydrator DH had built and the kick wheel as well as the pottery that hadn’t been fired yet. I asked Mr. Hughes if he would ask Mt.R if she wanted any of it. Somehow we managed to fit my Home Comfort stove in, one other small box stove, and DD’s tent stove. The other stoves had to stay. We took the extra parts for the loom, the heddles and beaters an the extra pulleys and hardware, but left the loom complete with warp in place and piece already started. I hope someone in the valley will be able to use it. We managed to get in all the solar lighting; the solar electric fencer and wire, and step-in posts; the fence panels which we figured would be needed on the trip, and the plastic snow fencing. We used some of the chicken wire and other fencing to build a sort of coop on the flat bed wagon and to fashion hog panels for the pigs, calves, and kids. They would be crowded but it couldn’t be helped. We left a couple of the cows with Chef because they were so close to calving but the rest would be herded with us. We felt we would be able to use the animals for meat or barter along the route. We were ready to leave at first light on Sunday morning and bless Mr. Hughes and Chef they were there to see us off. They had both been there the whole two and a half days before to help us pack and get the animals crated and corralled to be ready to go. Mr. H’s cabin was near ours and Chef had spent the nights with him, what little sleep they got that is. We had decided to take the back pass, the one the kids had found, even though we weren’t sure where it would lead or even IF we would get far. It really was the only way to get loaded wagons out of the valley unless we wanted to unload everything below the East pass, transfer it UP that steep incline and reload it into wagons above and we weren’t even sure if there were wagons above. So many had brought the wagons into the valley now there probably wasn’t enough there. We hoped there’d be a way to forge a trail back to the logging trail that led to the Rockin’ J but if not we’d take whatever route we could. Chef and Mr. H rode along to help us get the wagons and animals over the pass. It wasn’t more than an hour’s drive to the northeast and we reached it with the need to cut only a few trees. The ascent, while steep, was not nearly as difficult as coming down the East pass cliff had been and before ten a.m. we were ready to start the descent on the other side and to say goodbye to the two men whom we’d come to care about. I was not ashamed of the tears that blinded me as I climbed up the back steps of the camper wagon and took my place beside DH on the front seat. It was difficult to leave all the friends we’d made; hard to drive away from all the work we’d done, the homes we’d built, the fields, the gardens, the haystacks we’d worked so hard on. It was mind boggling to realize how much we’d done in only three months but we all knew this was the right thing to do. If we could do it once we’d be able to do it again. I tried to focus on the fire tower in the distance. It looked like such a tiny speck to put our focus on but it was where we’d taken our first directions. Still, at a bend in the trail I looked back to see Mr. H and Chef standing there at the top of the pass and then I cried in earnest.

Sorry that I didn't think to warn you all first. I will be reading though and occassionally joining you in the comments.

The family returned home early this morning. They had left the base camp way before light to get here early. The wagons hadn’t been needed and they mostly just worked to get the newcomers down the pass and helped with the food. I was overjoyed when they handed me a letter that had come with the train. It was from my brother and I was anxious to find out how they were doing. My joy, however, turned to tension as I read the letter and then read it a second time. I took time to decode some of the information sent and then I called a family meeting. It was easier for us to go across the river than for them to gather all the children and babies to come here so we sent L’s brothers and the others from that family over to let them know we’d be there soon. With the horses still saddled and the sleigh hastily hitched, we were all assembled within a half hour in their great room, chores undone, children barely awake, no breakfast, and all. It was that important. When everyone had found a seat I began to read the letter to them. Dear Sis, I’m not sure if this will even reach you but I had to try. Just in case this falls into the wrong hands though I’m writing some of it in a code that I know you will recognize from our childhood. Just think of summer days and haymows. We didn’t make it to your valley simply because we were given an opportunity of a spot to shelter that is almost as good as what your valley is supposed to be and in some instances perhaps better as we have the ability to exchange protection and aid with other survival groups and to barter with them and to some extent, the small surrounding towns. We have a lot of resourceful people here and we are doing okay but one thing we don’t have is your knowledge of this lifestyle and the skills your family is experienced in. Almost everyone here has come to this lifestyle too late to be fully prepared and with not enough time to gain the knowledge we needed. We have books, lots of books, and they ARE helping but it’s not the same. There is more to this than just needing you though. We are all here, the rest of the family. Our brother and sister and their families are all here and we miss you and worry continually about you and your family and about Mom. We really all need to be together during these tough times. Please, We are asking you to come be with us. You are probably well settled in your valley by now and I know it might be difficult for you to come but it could be much more difficult if you wait. We have housing available for many more people here. If you look at the code at the end of this letter you will guess why. Be assured that, with everyone working together, there will be enough food. I won’t lie to you, it won’t be easy but it can be done. Another reason we need your expertise. You will also see that I have given you two alternative routes. One if you are coming with wagons and one if you manage to find some sort of vehicle transportation. The wagon route is the most secure from attack but would take the longest and if you don’t leave soon you could be running into severe weather. If you do decide to come, try to let us know your route and we will attempt to meet you somewhere along the way to help out. If you send a brief message to the address I included in the code we would get the message very quickly as it is a ham radio operator who is helping us. Please, please consider this. If not before winter then at least next spring though I really do fear the situation in the country will be much worse by then. There might be less people because of starvation and crime but by then there will be a lot more organization among the malcontents and it’s anyone’s guess who will be running the country by then. Already martial law is being instituted everywhere but it’s not always clear who is in charge in any given area. Whatever you decide, you know where we are. We love you and are praying for your family’s safety daily. And Sis, give Mom a hug from us all here. We miss you all more than you can believe. Love you, Brother B………. There followed a couple of pages of the code we’d made up when we were kids and used to play in the haymows of our aunt’s farm. A series of letters and numbers based on the names of all of us, cousins included. It gave me the exact location of the place they were staying and I knew it well. I just never thought we’d be able to use it as a bug out retreat. I still really don’t know how it came about, as he doesn’t say but I can see why it would be almost the perfect place to shelter. Reaching it before winter might be a serious venture though. I explained all of this to the group and then asked for thoughts. We all sat and talked while we had hot drinks and biscuits I’d grabbed before we left, discussing the pros and cons of a possible move. It was agonizing to make this decision but in the end we were really left with no choice. Our family should be together. We had wanted them to join us here but we all understood that this had its advantages. We wanted to be absolutely fair in this though. After all, my immediate family, besides a son in Thailand, was all here and we could make it work. C and L and L’s family had not put as much work into this land as our family had but they’d established a place to live and had worked hard from the time they arrived. We gave every adult a vote, including Karen. I was in tears when L’s family didn’t hesitate an instant but said they chose to go with us if we went. The location, and the route to it, would actually put us going near some of their own family and they hoped to at least check on them on the way. L brought up the fact that they had actually unpacked very little after their move from the Hobbit Hole. And truthfully, most of our things, those that had been unpacked, were easily packed again. We all still had reservations of course. There were the new babies and mothers to consider and leaving all we’d worked so hard to produce. Having to take down the greenhouse at the least, trying to fit all the extras from C and L’s family into the small number of wagons, the dangers and hardships on the trail, all the friends we’d be leaving behind. The hard part was giving the orphans the choice to stay with another family in the valley if they preferred. Karen had nodded her head yes when we’d called for a vote but then she spoke in a very hoarse but distinct voice, “We will go with you!” Anna and Ben and Matt were all nodding their heads in agreement as well. It was settled. We would be leaving as soon as we could be packed. It was already the first week in August and we would be traveling through the National forest for over three weeks if our trip in were any indication of the distance. It would be the end of the month before we reached any sort of civilization and after that we had no idea how long we’d be on the road, probably at least another month or more and we would be traveling through an area noted for it’s early snows and cold. That would be extremely hard on the new babies both human and animal alike. We had to be on our way within days if we were going to make it at all. DH and I were chosen to go to the lodge to tell Mr. Smith about our decision. We took the sleigh and with DH driving I had a chance to look over the beautiful valley once again. This was for the best but it was going to be hard to say goodbye. We found Mr. S in his office with Mr. Hughes. We explained the situation to them both and were pleased with the understanding we received. When we left we had the offer of two more wagons and a flat bed wagon that would hold the cages for the small animals in exchange for all the work we’d done on the homesteads and because we’d be leaving behind the garden and fields that would help feed many people. The only thing I asked is that the wild rice be harvested and distributed to all the people in the valley as I’d originally intended when we found it. It would have been our contribution to the community. As for the rest, Mr. S could use it however he saw fit. When we told them we wanted to leave as early as Sunday morning if we could be ready they were surprised but I explained a bit about the territory we’d be traveling through and they understood better our need to hurry. Mr. Hughes immediately offered to drive one of the wagons to the homestead, as he would be heading to his cabin near us anyway. DH could handle the second one and Mr.S suggested that we get with Chef and see if he would take the other wagon up for us. Mr. Hughes went out to find Chef and when he returned he had the man with him. Chef just looked at me for a long moment and then gave me a hug with tears in his eyes and mine were no better. I would miss this gentle caring man very much. Then everything happened at once it seemed. The wagons were hitched to teams and Chef was loading supplies he thought we might need on the trail. While they were doing that I was writing notes to those we’d come to care so much for, the Mrs. S members in the valley. We could probably leave on Monday instead and see everyone on their special adoption day but Karen and Anna, Matt and Ben had all decided that it wasn’t necessary for them to feel a part of our family and truthfully, I didn’t think I could handle the emotional trauma it would entitle. If our plans went well we’d be on the trail before first light on Sunday. By noon we were on our way back to the Hobbit Hole in our own small wagon train with Mr. H and Chef’s horses tied behind. We arrived to find a flurry of activity already going on. Mr. H and Chef pitched in to help. Chef would spend the night with Mr. H and when they finally left, late tonight, they both promised to help again tomorrow. They really are good men. We worked until almost midnight and now everyone is sleeping but me. I have too many things going through my mind to sleep but I will try. It will be an early day tomorrow. Saturday as well if we are to be ready by Sunday.

Part of the family left today with the wagons to help bring the newcomers down the cliff and into the valley. They should be back by Thursday. We have no idea how many there will be but we want to be able to help in any way we can. I remember how nice it was to have a hot meal when evening came so I am sending plenty of food along. I’m sure that Chef will be there and some of the family will help him at the fire.

We have BABIES. TWO of them. C and L have a wonderful baby boy and her cousin a darling baby girl. Born at the same time, believe it or not. L’s mom was about beside herself with worry as she ran back and forth between the two rooms and in the end, she and C stayed with L while L’s sister-in-laws stayed with her cousin and her husband. No one knows which was born first as they never looked at the clock until AFTER they were both born but everyone says it was pretty much a tie. I’m just relieved that neither of them had any complications but I still can’t believe they both went into labor and delivered at the same time. The odds of that seem almost impossible but the two little babies are proof of it. I bet the two will grow up believing they are twins. When C came to tell us this morning, looking like the proud Papa he should be, he said the only thing that he was upset about was he didn’t have cigars to hand out. I laughed and told him that he was supposed to have quit smoking and no one else did either he laughed too and said that he sure wished he’d HAD a cigar last night. I was careful to ask him if everyone followed super sanitation processes like we talked about and he said he’d not only scrubbed his hand within an inch of their lives but he’d worn the gloves I’d given them too. I didn’t smile though I kind of wanted to. It was a good precaution and I had stressed that we couldn’t be too careful out here. All the children were here today so the new mom’s and babies would have some quiet time to rest. We put the older ones to work in the kitchen first of all but they little ones were fretful and needed a lot of attention so finally we set the play pen up outside for Little T and set all the others to ‘playing’ with clay. We let them make what they wanted first but when the two toddlers lost interest and started to play with their toys I set the older ones to working on coil pots. Anna was a bit frustrated that she couldn’t do it well because of the cast on her arm. I assured her that it would be off soon, maybe even this coming Sunday if we could get Dr. MTR to check it’s healing progress. I had her help me take some of my previously formed pots over to the fire pit where I hoped to attempt to fire them. I had tried a few small pieces and thought I had it figured out. I knew that some of the Native Americans had fired their pottery in fire pits by slowly bringing the temperature of the pot up until it was literally glowing orange and then allowing it to slowly cool over several hours. The ones I’d practiced with turned out very good and were actually glazed looking inside and out. I was pretty sure there was nothing in the pot to keep it from being used for food, no chemicals or lead so now I wanted to see if I could do it with larger pots. One of the pots had been coated with a mixture of just clay, water, and a bit of vinegar to help it adhere. Another one just a plain thrown put, a third was a coil method and the last was a slab piece shaped into a box shape. There were a few smaller pieces too. Dh had started a fire for me in one side of the fire pit about an hour before and I now sat the pots to start heating at the edge of the heat. I knew that I would need to heat them slowly or they would crack so I just kept turning them towards the fire every few minutes. When the children were done with their pots we set them in the shade to start drying. Later I would set them in the heat of the greenhouse to thoroughly dry for days. I had learned that if the pot weren’t totally dry it would break in the heat. The same was true of having an air bubble in the clay. Mom had made a picnic for children to eat outside and by the time they were done eating the toddlers were almost asleep. We put them down for a nap and then Karen and DD took the older children down to the pond to fish. I knew that with it being a beautiful day the kids would manage to get pretty wet after they had caught the required number of fish to feed everyone for supper but they wouldn’t be in the water long. This water was way too cold to handle for any length of time but it was a nice way to cool off on a warm day. Anna stayed with me on the premise that she wanted to help me with the fire but I knew it was because she wasn’t allowed to get her cast wet and she didn’t want to just set on the bank. Between us we slowly built the fire up around the pots, which we’d pushed to the center and by the time the kids were back and changing clothes the pots were starting to get almost read looking. We’d had one crack but the rest looked good yet. We all pitched in to do the earlier chores and then fed the children an early supper before several of us took the children back across the river. Bless Anna, YGS, and DS who helped them tend the fire so I could go over to see my newest Grandson, little Elias. I held him for a few minutes, hugged his mom and dad, and then peaked in on his cousin before heading back with the rest to get back to the homestead before dark. L looked tired but she was in good spirits that everything went well. Her cousin looked pretty pale and I suggested to her that she let L’s mom fix her some nutritious broths and for her to drink as much as she could of them. When we got back the pots were just starting to glow orange and we all sat around the fire for a while just watching the flames die to a glow and chatting about this and that. When I started Anna and YGS making up silly songs about pots that glowed we all started in singing our favorite camp songs, some silly enough to have us all laughing. I happened to glance over at Karen once and found a look of frustration so intense that I wanted to cry. I got up and went into the kitchen where Mom was making cold drinks and a tray of cookies for us to have around the fire and when I came out I brought a drink and cookie to Karen and sat down beside her. The group was singing Down in the Valley and I leaned over to quietly ask if she could hum with the song. She didn’t reply and wouldn’t look at me but as I joined in on the harmony for the song I noticed that she was trying to hum along very quietly. She looked up at me once with a question and I smiled to let her know she was doing fine and she smiled back. I had us sing several songs after that so she could join in and then I had the guys pull the hot coals even closer to the still glowing pots and cover the whole thing with ashes and then soil. By the time we went to bed the whole thing was smoking from a couple of small holes in the dirt but otherwise was just smoldering. The hopes were that tomorrow, or maybe the next day, when the whole thing was cold, the pots would be fired. It was a gamble, but worth it if it worked. All in all, a day to remember.

It was so wonderful seeing everyone yesterday at the Lodge. I so miss seeing all the Mrs. S people after spending so much time on the trail. It was nice to get to meet Annarchy’s new ‘family’ and to visit with CeeGee and hers. I missed MT3B though. She stayed home with the little girls as it seemed one of them wasn’t feeling well. Q was there though and we had the most wonderful hug and a chance to talk a bit and do some bartering. While we were chatting she said some things that made me realize that she was worried about a few things here in the valley. As one of the representatives for the Mrs. S group on the council she was right to come to me with those worries. I can understand some of her fears. It does almost seem as if the Mrs. S people are doing our best to be prepared while those of the B’s group who live near the settlement have only their gardens and expect to ‘trade” with us for what they need. Yet we have only seen a few tradesmen with wares to trade. She was concerned about bringing in supplies to just ‘set out’ for anyone to take as that might be construed that we were going to take care of those who did not work. A sort of ‘replay’ on what we’d already seen ‘outside’ the valley. She is worried that perhaps we all should have more fully questioned our inclusion in this survival group to begin with. I explained to her that it was MY idea that we bring our excess in to ‘exchange’ or give to those who need it but I had not thought of the possibility that we might be helping others to come to depend on it. I just felt that Mr. Smith and Jones had been very good to us and it was a way to repay. I guess I was as trusting as anyone in the group. Our contracts say nothing about us being the ‘workers’ of this survival group but then they really say so little about the whole set up that perhaps I should have questioned more. I’m not sure what our place in the system really is. Certainly Mr. Smith and Mr. Jones have spent huge sums of money to furnish us with wagons and teams for the trip. They managed the entire route with all the permits and police escorts and camping areas and all. That had to have cost a fortune. I was told that our group was to swell the numbers because a small group such as the B’s was not enough to ‘build’ a community. We were to add ‘diversity’ to the group. Was I too trusting? If it seems too good to be true, is it? Perhaps it is only trying to face the winter ahead that has us a bit spooked. There will be a lot of people in the valley come winter and our resources, at least the domestic ones of gardens, fields, and feed for livestock are limited by our own newness to the lifestyle and to the rawness of the land we are trying to work. It’s not like any of us, not even at the Lodge except for the orchard, had established gardens and fields to work with. Some of the things she brought up really made me think and after I left her I went in search of Chef to see if I could feel out his thoughts on a few things before I went to find Mr. S and Mr. J. I asked Chef point blank if he thought the people in the settlement were going to be prepared before winter and he answered me truthfully that he wasn’t sure. He said that Mr. S had been talking with a lot of the B’s group about it but hadn’t said what he’d found yet. He said it looked like the orchard was going to be producing well. He said there was a large quantity of long-term storage foods in storage and that he felt the greenhouse would at least produce enough cold hearty crops for a lot of people for a short time depending on the weather conditions. He could see I was worried and tried to reassure me but I knew that he, like the rest of us, was starting to feel the pressure. There was a large garden near the greenhouse and I assumed that some of the B’s group was helping with that and with hunting. Like the rest of us, they would have to be getting meat somewhere if they were not all vegetarians and I know they are not. Other than poultry we have very few domestic animals that we feel we can eat now. When I found Mr. Smith and Jones they were talking with DD and the others about the pass and the fire tower they’d found. I listened quietly as they finished before talking with him about the various plants and fruits still available in the valley. I didn’t attempt to discuss my concerns with him at that point. I wanted to have a chance to talk with Mt_R first. I knew that we’d be having a council meeting after the last train came in and by then we’d have a fuller account of the numbers of people involved. We would have a chance to bring up these fears then. Besides, I would like to give some serious thought to the concerns Q brought up. I pray they are all unfounded. For now, breakfast is over and I need to get busy with my day’s work.

Well after all my worries the ‘explorers’ returned safe and sound just before chore time. They were tired and looking forward to a good meal but not really hungry and were more exhilarated than anything. C’s family headed home to let everyone there know they were fine and ours readily jumped in to help with chores. It was while we were eating supper than we heard about the trip. At the top of the pass there really is no path that leads specifically anywhere. There is a route down into the forested area below but from there it would be possible to go almost any direction with a bit of work. Well maybe a lot of work depending. They thought the wagons could make it down the route off the mountain with perhaps only minor difficulties, certainly not any more than the wagons encounter on the way back to the ranch but after that is another situation. Whereas the route to the ranch is along an old logging road, any route taken in this direction would be through trees and some areas were pretty thick while other areas were almost bare. They thought it might be possible to get through them though. What excited them most was the fire tower they’d seen from the top of the pass and they had headed for it first. They discussed whether they should go there at all, not wanting anyone to know they were out here but then they decided they would mostly likely be seen no matter what they did and headed towards it. They figured they could bluff there way by saying they’d been out camping and seeing the tower thought they’d check it out. It was further than it looked being a long day and a half ride from the pass and it was almost dark by the time they reached it. There was no one there and it didn’t appear to have been used for quite a while. They said the ladder to the top had some broken boards but otherwise was sturdy. The tower had windows all around but it had been too dark to see much when they arrived. There were two bunks, a table and two chairs made from logs, a small wood stove, and a cupboard of sorts that still contained dried food and supplies. They said a nice spring was nearby for water and they’d spent a more comfortable night than the one before, which had been just a campfire and sleeping bags on the ground. They spent the night in the tower but didn’t use the stove for fear the smoke might be seen but they’d built a Dakota fire hole at the base to cook some of the dried venison and vegetables I had sent along. In the morning they woke to a spectacular view. They could see for miles out over the treetops and it was easy to see why the tower had been placed where it had. They could see what looked like a very small town or village miles off in the distance to the northeast but even that they couldn’t be sure of as it was too distant to make out particulars. Otherwise the only sign of civilization was what looked like an occasional clearing with possibly buildings though even that was hard to tell from this distance despite binoculars and way off in the distance what looked like a ribbon of highway appearing and disappearing among the trees. In looking back to the mountains they could see where they’d come down. There appeared to be a thinning of the trees that might be a possible path to the logging trail that led to the Rockin’ J though they couldn’t see the logging trail from the tower. There didn’t seem to be any direct path to the small village, if that’s what it was, but they could see what seemed to be a horse trail that was obviously the route to the tower from another direction. At one time that trail might have been wide enough for a wagon but it disappeared into the trees below them and they couldn’t tell. The trees were thick in all directions but they could see where it might be possible to make a route for wagons either way, to the logging trail, to the village, or to wherever the horse trail originated. The down side was that only the ‘village’ looked close and they estimated it would take a week or more for a wagon to reach it and whatever it was it didn’t appear to have a well used road in and out unless it was hidden by the treetops. There was no sign of electric wires into the place and no smoke that they could see coming from any of the buildings though it was far enough away they could easily have missed those things. So basically what they found was a way to get the wagons out of the valley but there was nowhere to go with them once out unless we forged trails in one direction or another. The fire tower on the other hand, if it continues to be unused, might make a good base camp for hunting parties as they saw all kinds of wildlife in the area. All in all, it was a productive trip and lets us know what’s NOT out there if nothing else. We will let Mr. Smith know about it tomorrow when we go to the Lodge. For now, I’m just glad to have the family back safe and sound. We also have another panda calf, a heifer this time. Wasn’t even born until this morning with no problems and us not even being there. I could get to like these cows. Actually, I do love them. All three of them have obviously been handled from birth and I need to remember to do that with these calves. One more thing to add to the ‘to do’ list. I have everything ready to go to the lodge in them morning. We want to get an early start though I hesitate to go at all as L and her cousin are both over due, but I really need to get some books from the library and I want to order yarn and meet with Mr. S too. There will be quite a few of us going in this time but the others will be riding if it’s not raining. I'm really looking forward to it. I really miss seeing everyone.

C and DH came in about an hour ago and at first I was worried something had happened but they were all fine. It was just that they’d found a possible pass out of the valley and the rest of the group was going to follow it to see where it led. C didn’t want to be gone any longer and decided to head back. The group wouldn’t let him come back alone and DH volunteered to come along. He’s not much for sleeping on the ground anyway. C had a deer across the back of his saddle and they took it into the cave to hang until tomorrow. We’d probably send more than half of it over to the River homestead though. DH and I walked to the river with C when he left. We just wanted to make sure he got across safely. We’d all been pretty much wandering back and forth but last night we’d heard the wolves yipping up above the falls. We figured it was the pups having fun and it wasn’t dark yet but we weren’t taking any chances. Besides, it gave DH and I a chance to talk a bit. We watched until we saw C wave to us from the path to their longhouse and then turned to wander down to check the animals in the plateau below. I asked Dh how Karen was handling being away from her sister and he said, man fashion, he thought fine. Then he smiled and said DD had told him to tell me she was doing great and enjoying herself. I asked about the pass they’d found and he said he’d only seen it from the valley side. He said it was really hidden as it went up the mountain sideways along the cliffs but behind some big rock outcroppings so it couldn’t be seen other than from right below. He said it was a straight shot up and he felt the teams could easily get the wagons up but the trail to it would have to be cleared a bit. He said he and C had waited at the bottom until the rest got up it and they yelled back that they could see a sort of trail to the east but they didn’t know how far it would go. It might be a dead end for all they knew. It also didn’t go in the direction of the logging trail we came in on or even to the Ranch as far as they could see from the top. Then he told me what I really didn’t want to hear. He said the kids were going to follow it as far as they could even if that took a couple of days. When he saw my look he hastened to tell me that they had plenty of food as I always sent more than needed and they had a couple of rabbits to fix for supper tonight. When I still looked leery he reminded me that DD and the Grandkids all knew how to find food. I had to admit they did. At first I didn’t think the pass was worth all that fuss over but then I realized that it might be a way to get a wagon out if needed. They sure weren’t going to go out up the pass we came in. Might get a cart or two up there but not the wagons. It might be possible we could use this pass to get goods in and out easier for barter outside maybe. I knew from what Mr. Hughes had told us that the other side of this east mountain range was the only one that could lead anywhere civilized as the rest of the valley is surrounded only with more mountains. I was still worried though. You hear of people getting lost in the National Forests and that’s what was on the other side of this range. I know our kids are pretty woods savvy but anything could happen. Before we headed back to the home plateau Dh and I checked the animals and found another of the panda cows restless. This is NOT the time of year I want calves born but then, I guess it’s better than during a blizzard. Dh went up to the barn and brought back the small halter that had come with the miniatures and a bit of grain. She came right to us along with half the other animals but eventually we got her haltered and led up to the barn. I did not want to be standing in a pasture helping to deliver a calf in the middle of the night with possibly wolves lurking in the dark. I just hope she was as easy as the last one.

Late yesterday afternoon we received a message from Mr. Smith. He asked us if we would mind trying to get another game count in our area. He said he would be asking the Q’s, the MT3B’s and the Rocks to assess what was in their area as well. He already had someone checking out the northwest section of the valley but had asked Annarchy if she might be able to check upriver from their homestead. He’s asked her, Mt.R and others to check the rivers for fish too. He was also hoping for a general idea of how each of us was doing as far as being ready for winter and if we felt we might need help with any particular thing. He mentioned that the council would meet with Mr. Hughes after the last wagon train got into the valley so that we could make plans to ensure everyone would have what they needed if possible. The wagon train wasn’t expected to be carrying a lot of provisions but he was hoping that what general provisions there were would be distributed on an as needed basis before winter hit. He asked me about the availability of wild food harvests and what I thought about sending groups out to harvest larger amounts. As the messenger was waiting for a reply of some sort I quickly penned a note saying that we would gladly take a game count for him and have that ready for him by Sunday. I suggested there were plenty of Blackberries ripening yet but so far the only place I’d seen them in quantities was across the lake on the western side of the valley. I was certain there would be smaller stands of them all around the area and I told him where I’d seen large stands of wild plums as well. I suggested that there would be elderberries, chokecherries, gooseberries, wild grapes, and probably huckleberries coming in within a month and that buffalo berries would be ready right after the first frost. With what fruit would be available in the Lodge Orchard we should not be lacking for that in our diets. Closer to winter we could dig various roots, cattail, wild carrot, wild salsify, bitterroot, and maybe camas too for winter storage. I’d also seen what I thought was Jerusalem artichoke growing in many places, either that or wild sunflower and that if the former we’d have the tubers or the seed from the later. I hadn’t looked at them closely enough to decide but they were almost the same. I also mentioned the rosehips for vitamin C content and some of the wild greens that could be dried to add to soups for added nutrition, like nettles, lambsquarter, watercress, dandelion, mustards, and some of the other readily recognized edibles. I knew his real concern was that those not having direct access to the various wild foods would not have enough with just their gardens to have enough for winter so I suggested that along with the clothing exchange we institute a sort of ‘farmer’s market’ exchange where we brought in extra produce, both domestic and wild crafted and put them out for others to take. Not so much a barter system as a means to help each other be prepared just as we were doing with the clothing. I told him about us bringing in milk each week while we could and said I would be willing to help with making sure that the plants brought in were not poisonous look alikes though I was by no means an expert. We would be able to use the books I have here and the ones in the library to help ID them. After the messenger had gone the family had a mini conference and decided that we would combine Mr. Smith’s request with our need for more meat. So this morning early, DD, DH, DGSIL, DGD, Karen, and L’s brother and father and C took their guns and supplies enough for a night out if needed and headed north on horseback. C wasn’t going to go at first as he didn’t want to leave L but she knew how excited he was about being able to see more of the land and she encouraged him to go. She said she knew herself and she wasn’t going to be having that baby in the next 24 hours. I knew how hard that had to have been for her and I admired her grit. She is none too comfortable with this wilderness living as it is but she does what she has to do and more. I was surprised when Karen showed interest in going. I knew she was reluctant to leave Anna but she had been practicing with the guns and was anxious to try her hand at hunting. She is trying to learn everything there is to learn about this life and she wants to do it as fast as possible. I know she feels she will be able to protect Anna better that way but I don’t like it that she takes no time just to enjoy life. I assured her we would take good care of Anna for her while she was gone but I noticed she kept looking back at her sister as they rode out. Well, everyone is done eating breakfast so I guess I need to stop writing and get busy for the day.

Yeah,,sure Q,,,,,but who's going to keep ME in line