Mother

I didn’t get a chance to write here yesterday so thought I’d catch up today. I was better yesterday morning and I spent most of it in the garden while the guys finished working on the greenhouse. It still needs a door and beds built inside but it is all covered and we hope waterproofed. We won’t know until it rains. The afternoon was spent cleaning out the barn. Even with letting the chickens and ducks run during the day, it still was almost a daily job to clean up after them. We had started a compost heap at the edge of the garden but it was hard work to take the cleanings a shovel at a time to the pile so we drug it over on the plastic sled then shoveled it onto the pile. Not ideal but it got the job done until we could get a wheel barrel or cart made. I had wanted them to use the wheel that had been sent for the pottery wheel but DS wouldn’t hear of it. Instead he said we could easily make a wheel for the cart from slices of hard wood logs. The pottery wheel had to be much more precise. Besides, he almost had the kick wheel done. It was late afternoon when we saw the horses coming up the trail. It was the kids returning home but they had extra’s with them. It turned out to be Mr. Smith and Mr. Jones. I was happy to see them and invited them to set under the tarp while DH and DS saw to the horses with the kids. Mom came and greeted them with glasses and a pitcher of cold tea and a plate of cookies hot from the oven. We joked about our place being high enough that we had enough warnings of visitors that we could put on a whole meal if needed. They asked if they could see the Hobbit Hole before they sat down and the kids eagerly took them through the whole cave. They emerged about a half hour later from the other hot springs end of the plateau and looked over the gardens as they made their way back. We sat under the tarp in the shade and talked for a while about the homestead and our plans for it and then switched to the work done on N’s cabin and the addition on P’s but then the two men got down to the business that had really brought them out with the kids. Several businesses really. First, they wanted to talk about setting up a regular daily messenger service for the valley. They felt we were too far spread out for real security and wanted to make sure that at least once a day we were all checked on. The messengers would be young men or women, usually working in pairs for safety. They would be working for Mr. Smith and Mr. Jones in return for land in the valley. Besides Mr. Hugh’s cabin, which was about a mile and a half further north of us, we were the most distant from the lodge in this area and they wanted to ask if we could house fresh horses so that the riders would always have fresh mounts to head back to the lodge. Of course we agreed. We had plenty of graze for now and the men assured us they would supply grain and help with the hay for them for the winter. They told us that the riders would be starting a regular route today though we haven’t seen them yet. The route would take the messengers across the North river to AH’s place, from there back and up to Big D’s. Then they would then head east to Annarchy’s place. From there they would be going past Mr. Hugh’s cabin even if he wasn’t there, just to check on it. They would be coming to our place next where they would change horses and then head down to the Cleft in the Rocks and back to the lodge. Separate riders would head south from the Lodge to check on all the people there and eventually across the south river to the west to check on the Rock’s area. As the riders were going separate routes at the same time it might mean our letters or messages to each other might be delayed by a day but at least we’d have communication, as long as the riders could get through safely that is. That wouldn’t always be possible with summer storms raising the rivers and winter storms closing off the routes. Once the Rocks arrived in the valley they planned to modify the process to add riders to the west route to save on the horses and were even now working on having a boat built that could be used on the lake to save even more time. They explained that the kids were late coming back because they had stopped with the B’s group to help build a small cabin along the lake to the south to be used as a sort of line-shack for when the riders were delayed as that route was much longer than the north one. It would also be usable by travelers from the south if they got caught out and couldn’t reach home before dark. Here in the north they would be using Mr. Hughes cabin if needed and we told them they could always stay with us too. The next ‘business’ they wanted to talk about was the incoming immigrants. They were extremely concerned with the impact of so many people on the valley. Because I had formerly been a wild life rehabber they wanted my opinion especially on the impact on the wildlife. I was honest with them. I was concerned. The more disseminated we were in the valley, them more impact we’d make on their habitat. Two hundred square miles seems like a terrific amount but not to the wildlife. First there was the problem of cutting the trees. There were thousands of trees in the valley, it was true, but if each 16 by 20 cabin took about 90 trees and each family had not only one small cabin but also larger ones, barns, smokehouses, outhouses, fences, and etc, it would take a lot bigger toll than we might anticipate. And even if the cutting didn’t affect the wild life, the humans would. Unlike the pioneer of old, we are an extremely mobile population now, being raised to jump in the car and just going. The more movement in the valley, the more noise in the valley the more confusion we would create among the natural inhabitants. I told them that the real problem was that the animals were here in this valley for the same reason we were. Security. It had been quiet, full of habitat, and the ecology had reached a balance. Now that it was disturbed they would soon be more leery and harder to hunt, soon they would be looking for safer pastures and to the game animals at least, that meant the surrounding National Forest where man was normally absent in any large numbers. Once the hungry hoards started to run lower on food, however, they were going to turn their attentions further away. They were already turning to rustling and theft in the farms and ranches and it would only be a step from there to the National forest. If there were a lot more hungry people or people who felt they could make a profit from hunting we could start to see a real problem with the numbers of game. Admittedly this might not happen overnight but certainly soon. When they brought up the domestic animals we were raising and asked if we could support ourselves with those and the gardens we could raise. I had to take a minute to formulate my reply. The answer of course was perhaps. Yes, we did have animals, and we had a large diversity to keep the gene pool safe but there was a trade off, the same one’s our ancestors faced. More animals meant more feed for those animals. More feed meant a lot more work for man. In the past man invented/manufactured machinery to make that work easier but in the valley, the very access that protects us is the very problem that keeps us from having access to modern energy/time saving devises. At some point the whole process becomes self-limiting just as living the life of hunter/gatherer would become self-limiting. We talked about the orchard behind the lodge that Mr. Smith had planted years ago and even the stray domestic trees that had escaped cultivation that some were finding here and there in the valley. The small amount of fruit trees that had escaped the neglect of years was not going to produce enough to support the number of people coming in and the new plantings wouldn’t produce for five to ten years. We would have to depend on the wild fruits until then but to keep them from being over harvested we would have to be very cautious. Over harvesting anything in the valley would also mean the quicker exodus of the animals because of disturbing the ecological food balance for them as well. When they asked me what I would suggest I brought up another point that seemed unrelated. That of governing the people. They looked at me strangely and then replied that they had hoped for a limited government and that would be by the people as our original U.S. government was meant to be. I told them that was admirable thinking but what about the continuation of life in the valley. At what point does individuality overcome the good of the whole? Because of the small size of our world now, some form of control would be essential or we would destroy our world around ourselves. I don’t think they were too happy when I pointed out that so far they were the major landowners in the valley as no one had been here long enough to “prove up” their homestead. They had no proof yet that we would respect not only the land but also each other’s rights. They DID have proof that we’d brought our modern personalities with us, our modern needs, our modern greed, and our modern thinking and they were bringing in a lot more ‘unknown’ people who did not even have the prepping backgrounds. They knew that we’d have to support those people until they could establish for themselves and that would be a balancing act in itself. That meant that for now, they, Mr. Smith and Mr. Jones, were the major guardians of the land. When they said they didn’t want to be the sole decision makers and asked me if I had any ideas. I suggested that perhaps they could ask each family to choose a spokesman to start a discussion on what should be done. I said no more but I saw the look exchanged between them and I knew they would be taking that idea seriously. I was sure that we’d be having a meeting at the lodge in the near future. Something that they now realize should have been done right away. I wanted them to stay the night with us as it was late in the day by the time they took their leave but they said they were well armed and had headgear with lights and would be fine. I stood watching them until I could see them no more. I could see them earnestly talking and did no envy them the position they were in. Continuation of life in the valley would depend on a very delicate balancing act.

Phew, I'm glad you cleared that up MtR. I had visions of everyone flocking to the Hobbit Hole and demanding their families and LUNCH As far as animals in the valley to bother our livestock,,, Yes, there are mountain lion, bear, grizzly, wolves, coyote, and killer salsify....that could attack our stock. Okay, so I just threw that last one in to see if you were paying attention I want to see my family too but I sure don't want to come home to find a wolf pack (we've been hearing them remember?) has taken some of my desperately needed animals. What a delema....

Thursday June 24th (I think) I was up in the night so sore I couldn’t stay in bed. Obviously I’ve done a bit more damage than I’d realized and even though I took it easy yesterday it wasn’t enough to heal. Thank heavens Dr. MT. Rider had talked with the kids on their way to the Lodge yesterday and he decided to combine getting milk from us with taking a look for himself to see how much damage that cow had done. He didn’t find any broken bones but he had to do some extensive adjusting to get me straight again and the relief was almost instantaneous. I should have just had him come right to begin with. Would have been a lot better to I right away. I sent extra milk with him and arranged for them to get milk every week until the families got here. We’d be milking the goats soon and would have that milk also. We sat and visited a bit but he soon was headed back to the Cleft In The Rocks. Like us, they had a lot to do in the week or so we figured we’d have until the wagons arrived. I was starting to count down the days and I sure didn’t need to have this fall now but at least I felt a bit better thanks to Dr. MTR. I had sent some extra cream with the Dr. but there was still a lot left. Because I was so sore yet I figured that setting and churning might be the easiest job I could do. Mom had already skimmed the cream from last night’s milk that had been set in shallow pans in the spring room. The one thing nice about jerseys is that the cream is very thick and rich and like most raw cow’s milk will float to the top of the milk readily just over night. It’s an easy matter of using a ladle or a specially made skimming paddle and dipping the cream off the top. Goat’s milk, even if it’s very rich, is naturally homogenized and though it will separate some, you really don’t get a lot of cream on the top of the milk even if it sets longer and the resulting butter is pure white. It’s very good though, just seems strange to eat. We like a sweet cream butter but I find it’s better to use cream a couple of days old with fresh cream as the acid that develops as it ages lets the butter turn more fully. Mom had the cream in the big two gallon Daisy Butter churn and I felt it before I sat down to churn. It’s important that the cream be the right temperature. Too cold it takes too long and too warm makes the butter sort of sloppy or slimy. I could have taken one of the dairy thermometers to it but I’d made butter so long I could just the 68 degree temp just by feel. I brought along a four-gallon antique tin churn too but I liked using the glass one better as it was easier to clean and sanitize. Once the other cow was fresh though we’d probably have to use the big one. Mom was cutting strips of venison for the dehydrator trays and her and I talked while we worked. We have been going over meals to feed a crowd with and we had made a list of easy but filling meals. Today we worked on thinking of meals that would use more of the wild foods we’d gather. We were planning on having to feed at least 20 people at each meal. In the normal course of things I’d be able to easily whip up a meal for 20 people but that was when I had a full pantry, several hundred pounds of grain, a freezer full of meat, and etc. And that wasn’t day in and day out for perhaps the rest of the winter. The thought was down right scary but we were starting to get a handle on it. Planning ahead would help us know how much we’d need of each food. It took about ten minutes of churning for the cream to reach that whipped cream stage that I’m always tempted to put sugar in and just eat that way and about ten minutes more for the butter to start to form in the cream. That’s a bit long but I was pretty slow and it was a lot of cream. I continued to turn the handle that turned the handle until the butter started to ‘gather’ on the wooden paddles and then I got up to drain the buttermilk into a container. We all loved the fresh buttermilk and it was great in all sorts of cooking and baking. It was not cultured like what you buy in the store so tasted more like fresh skimmed milk. With me being so sore it took Mom and I both to drain the milk and then I poured fresh clear spring water into the churn and continued to ‘churn’ the butter in the water to start the washing process. If the butter is not washed well it won’t keep as long and will turn sour. It’s still usable in cooking and such but not real tasty for fresh use. Twice I drained the water, the first time putting it in the dogs dish outside the door, the second time putting it into the pig’s slop bucket. I scraped the butter into a big wooden bowl and continued to smash the butter in cold water until the water ran clear and then drained it, smashing all the water out of it before salting it just a bit to help it keep. I ended up with not quite ¾ of a gallon container of butter to store. The hard part is always after I’m done or at least on the homestead where we don’t have running hot water unless we go to the hot spring at the other end of the caves. I’m always leery of washing food items in the water, not because I think it will harm us but because the residue in the drainage might bring unsavory wildlife to the area. I was always careful to wash anything that we used with the dairy with very hot soapy water and then scald it well afterwards. The wooden paddles on the churn were of special concern, as they needed to be washed and then dried well before storing the churn. Because we used only home made lye soap, the soapy dishwater was poured either on the fruit trees or the hard wood shade trees in the yard. Again I worried about what we’d do with all the wastewater in the winter. Indeed, what are we going to do with all the wastewater from 20 people in the very near future? When the butter was done I helped Mom scald the strips of meat and lay it on trays, which we took out to the screen house to start drying. It still looked like rain all day but is still dry as I write this. We didn’t want to be far from the drying meat with all the dogs and chickens running around so we went to the garden and started taking inventory there. I found a lawn chair and sat making lists while Mom wandered through the rows talking about how each thing seemed to be doing. The early beans were just starting to flower when the storm hit but it looked like they were coming back. The greens had taken a beating but there was new growth on all. It didn’t look like we’d have a lot for fresh garden foods when the family arrived but we would a short time afterwards. In the mean time we still might find cattail spikes, and lots of summer greens. The raspberries will be ready soon if the hail didn’t ruin them, and we’d have a lot more people to help pick. I think we’ll be okay if they have at least some grain with them. One worry is game. So far the numbers have held but there’s only about 60 people in the valley. When we double that number, or more, we run the risk of spooking the animals with all the clearing of habitat for use in cabin building and the shear numbers of people wandering around. Thank heavens Mr.H will be keeping an eye on that and soon we’ll be having domestic animals to butcher. After lunch Mom and I both rested. I’m always tired after being adjusted but we both knew that we wouldn’t have much rest once the family got here, not for the first few weeks at least until we all got into a routine and the newcomers learned the ropes of wilderness living. We would be going from 1 child to at least seven and that in itself was gong to be a lot of work with laundry and such. Still, despite the work that we knew was coming I could only send up prayers of thanksgiving that the rest of my family was on the way. I didn’t rest long. It had been so long since I’d heard the sound of the battery-operated drill that it finally drew me out to watch the guys putting the Plexiglas on the greenhouse roof. They were large sheets and it went up fast even with just the two of them and YGS helping. I ‘straw bossed’ for a while until I was getting the “looks” from the guys and then I decided I’d be more useful in the kitchen fixing them a snack. There were still some cookies left and I brought them out with a jug of cold strawberry leaf tea. Mom joined us and we sat under a shade tree enjoying the view. We watched as two fawns played just inside the tree line at the end of the field plateau and then heard mom ‘cough’ and watched as they scurried to her call. When the guys went back to work I noticed that the herd dog was missing and YGS and I went to check in the barn to find her cuddled up with two beautiful pups. They were marked and looked exactly like their mom and I suspected that they were going to be more border collie than anything else. I knew she wasn’t done yet so we didn’t disturb her and went to check his cat. Sure enough we found her curled up on his mom’s bed with four kittens nursing contentedly. We knew the father of these cats was his sister’s male and that they’d probably be good mousers as both their parents were. It seems the population explosion wasn’t nearly finished at the Hobbit Hole. By the time the dog was done she’d had five almost perfectly marked black and white puppies, three female, two male. The greenhouse is roofed and the guys are just now discussing how to make it so there are windows that open for venting and still keep them sturdy and insulated. The kids aren’t home yet as I write this and I can only guess they stayed to help another night or they stayed at the lodge instead of trying to make it home in the dark. I’m glad they went. It gives them a chance to socialize and perhaps forget for a while the worry of their family out there in the wilderness. I know our focus has been mainly on their welfare for weeks.

HMMMMM I see I am not the ONLY one who's confused...... Okay,,,, first Mother's Little Hill is that Um NICE little PASS we had to lower our wagon's down when we came into the valley. We'll have to meet there with our extra wagons on July 1st (March 4th IRL) and probably be prepared to stay there a couple of days while we transfer EVERYTHING from wagons on the TOP of the pass to wagons BELOW the pass... Remember what it was like coming down. ??? My guess is that MtR will give us a heads up as to what we are supposed to do,,,,,,,Hint Hint...!!!! As for the event at the homestead on the way to the valley.....hmmmmmm.... (this little peak outside the valley is kind of fun but mkes it hard for me to keep up my work getting ready for the wagons to get here,,,or there..or ....Oh heck I think I'll just go make butter....) Annarchy, I didn't see your requiest for changing your post until just now. I think everyone will get the idea and really, it's nice we have a look into the future. Now I know how my kids made out without waiting LOL

Well I didn’t feel at my best this morning but I could at least get out of bed by myself and get dressed. I will have Dr.Mt_R check me out later in the week just to put back in what I’m sure is out and then I will be right as rain. Speaking of, it threatened all day today but so far has held off. The kids and DH went hunting this morning while Mom and I worked on food for the kids to take with them. DD, DSIL, DGS, and SO left this afternoon to go help with MT3B’s son’s cabin raising. I hated not being able to go but the kids will be much more help. They have taken the horses and that will be faster, though it may be late when they get there and if they stay at the lodge too long they may have to sleep on the trail. They have taken the small tents and sleeping bags and enough food for the trip. They are also taking several dozen cookies, three pounds of butter, and seven loaves of bread to help feed the workers tomorrow. With fifty or sixty people in the valley there could easily be at least 30 or more there. YGS was given the choice to go or stay and it was a tough decision for him. I could see he wanted to go but he was also remembering the long hours of riding he’d had before and knew this time there would be no wagon to hop on for a rest. He also knew that we’d be able to use his help at the Hobbit Hole. In the end, he opted to stay and help B and Paw as he calls us. I believe the fact that his cat was going to have kittens any day now might have played a part too. The family brought in a young buck this morning and hung it in the cold room. That will be plenty to feed us while they are gone. I wanted to send some along with them but they opted to take some of the canned soups along for the trail instead of trying to cook anything or keep the meat fresh on the way. Mom and I worked on getting some of the meat dehydrated while DH, DS, and YGS spent some time working on the greenhouse. They managed to get the sod wall repaired, a front door cut into it, and the front frame for the Plexiglas completed. Tomorrow they will work on the inner framework just under the overhanging ledge that will support the Plexiglas in the roof. The roof was taken from our own greenhouse at home and is a Thermoclear Lexan. It’s not new as even at home it had been put on used but we knew it worked pretty well. We have all the aluminum pieces to put them up but plan to make this roof steeper and use log supports just in case we get a really heavy snow load. The front walls will be doubled plexi to help insulate but it will have to be put on planed down logs. Hopefully we can seal it all well enough to keep wind and water out. I was worried about the sealant as it had gotten frozen during the snowstorm on the trail but DH says it will be fine. By chore time I was more sore than I thought imaginable but managed to hobble out to help with the milking. YGS fed the chickens and ducks and then went with his grandfather to do the chores on the orchard plateau. I managed to get the milking done and the cows tied outside the barn for the night but I had to get mom to help me bring the milk to the kitchen for her to strain while I went back out to bring the goats to the barn. It was warm out, one of the warmer day’s we’ve had so far, and I tied the goats under the overhang outside the barn with the cows. When supper was over and the kitchen had been cleaned up I headed for the shower. DH went with me and helped me into the hot springs so I could soak some of the soreness away and I wondered why I hadn’t done it before. It was just so darn hard for me to get in and out of the pool. Usually, too, Mom and I shower together and neither of us are that agile to do it without help but I believe I’ll suggest that I help mom into the pool next time we go. If I can’t do it I know one of the girls will be able to. We are setting in the screen house as I write this. Mom is doing some sewing and DH is working one of the crossword puzzles in a book we brought along. YGS and DS are playing a game of war and YGS is beating and they are laughing and teasing. The air is heavy with the smell of drying meat even though we’ve taken it into the kitchen for the night. Thunder is rumbling in the distance but it really doesn’t seem to be heading this way. I hope not for the kids might be sleeping on the trail. The dogs are laying outside the pool of light, ever watchful though the pups are more playing than watching. The herd dog seems restless. I have no idea when she was bred and she does look like she could be getting close to her time. She’s been sleeping in the barn and has a corner filled with dry grass for her bed so I’m sure she will be fine. This is not her first litter though I have no clue about the father. There were several herd dogs on the trail and others and of course there was the lab. With the wilderness trail and the storm and all I never even noticed when she was in heat. It will be difficult with the extra puppies but with the animals we have the extra herd dogs will be a big help. I’m not counting on C bringing in more sheep or other animals, as I just can’t imagine there would be that many with so many hungry people, but if he did, we’d need all the herd dogs to keep track of them and for protection. Sasha and the pups and DD’s saint April are great for protection but not as good at the herding, though they all try. YGS had April’s backpacks on Sasha the other day and I was amazed at how well she took to wearing them. We need to get some harnesses made for the bigger dogs to pull. We want to make a goat cart and I believe the bigger dogs will be able to use it too and if not, we’ll have them pulling sleds in the winter. Well, YGS is yawning and he wants to check his cat before we tuck him into bed in the soddy with us so I guess I better put this down and lever my sore body out of the chair. I’ll finish this later.

Well OF COURSE we mean in UN life.....you don't think we actually blame you for making it rain/storm/hail/snow in REAL life do you??? It IS convenient to have someone to blame though As a matter of fact,,,,I rather LIKE having you be our 'fate' in the UN scene cause you sure are more interesting that a boring sunny day Take that fate and run with it my dear friend because we're all ready. (gulp,,,,I hope we are anyway. ) I'm just glad I'm not at that bridge. I'm praying for your family though and for Q as well so she gets back to the valley in time to see,,,um read,,,how her son is doing in his attempt to help. Or at least I 'think' I'm doing that, I can't really do that in UN because I obviously don't know about it yet, because it's happening in another episode.....or is it another book.....or umm a sequel? Oh man,,,I'm confused. I think I'll go see if I can get out of bed and maybe build a greenhouse. I really do need that I can't remember where I am.....

Yesterday we spent almost the entire day in the fields and gardens. We started today the same way. We went to the fields early to walk the rows, making sure that all the plants were well seated in the ground and trying to replant here and there as we found spaces that had been emptied by ruined plants. All in all it hadn’t been too bad though I wasn’t sure about the wheat yet. What helped some was the thick stand of trees that still bordered most of the fields. We’d taken trees out of the fields themselves but we left as much windbreak as we could. It didn’t stop the hail but it helped cut down on the wind. It would be a while before we’d know just how much was saved though. The orchard looks pretty droopy, especially the vines. Their bigger leaves took some heavy bombardment and we ended up pulling some of the leaves off. The deep gouge that the runoff had made from the spring drainage to the lower plateau was actually a plus. We’d been talking about getting a drainage area going as the water tended to pool on each of the plateaus and didn’t reach the lower one at all. Now it was trickling down in a nice looking stream and if we could keep it open we could dig branches out from that main one to use for irrigation if needed. Amazingly enough we found small rice plants growing all along the edge of the stream where they had been washed down and seemed to be settling in to the soil. If it does well there we might not have lost as much as we’d thought. The afternoon was spent working on various projects. DS was working on the pottery kick wheel. DH, DSIL, DGS, and YGS were all working on finishing up doors and windows in the caves and the second sod building. DD and SO were working in the kitchen, experimenting with different flours to make cookies. Mom was resting in her rocking chair in the kitchen, giving advice and laughing with the girls. I spent the time working with the clay. I had managed to get some of it dry enough to pound it to a powder so that I could remove the debris and then I washed it to clean it further. Once it was clean I laid it on a screen to dry to the proper consistency. I spent some time with the left over damp clay, working it into various shapes. Other than picking out the worst of the debris it wasn’t clean but I made some slab work tiles to use on the walls or counters if we ever got our log addition built to house the permanent kitchen. Then I just played around with it, making figures of farm animals and dollhouse sized furniture to possibly be used for Christmas gifts later in the year. They weren’t professional but maybe they would keep a kid busy during winter storms. Chores were interesting tonight. Some of the chicks are starting to hatch and the hens are all touchy with each other and with us too. One hen decided to take on one of the milk cows that she thought was too close to her chicks. The cow took exception to the flighty hen between her feet and started bouncing around. Unfortunately I was just getting ready to sit down to milk and was knocked over backwards across the stone wall. I won’t go into details but suffice it to say it was not a pretty sight. I didn’t get up on my own and as I write this I am starting to turn various shades of black and blue. If I am not better tomorrow we will send for Dr MTR to come take a look and maybe, like humpty dumpty, put me back together again.

That is an excellent idea Leah. It would be a good way to leave something for the next group that comes through but it's possible there may be a reason we shouldn't stop at the homestead that hasn't been divulged yet. We'll have to see what MT_Rider has in mind for the place. MT_Rider is sort of the "fate" in this UNscene that dictates to what should be happening. It becomes way too easy for each of us to try to 'make' the story go the way we think it should when in reality we would have very little control over our situation except perhaps our own reaction to it or perhaps a vote in what the group does as a whole. If we all write our OWN fate we aren't taking into account that we are affecting everyone in the group, maybe adversely, in the future. If there is one thing I've learned from being involved with this 'scene' is that it probably tells us what it might be like to try to work with others in a real survival group. Not everyone will have the same picture of reality and survival. Yooo Hoooo....Mt_Rider????? Is the wagon train going to stop at the homestead and should we take time to rejuvenate the greenhouse,,,,In fact,,,did it actually survive the hail storm???

((((((((((((((Q)))))))))))))))))))) ((((((((((((((MT3B))))))))))))))))) We just got 4 inches of snow here and even that didn't last as long and it was supposed to be 6 to 10 inches so we were lucky.

Looking in on Wagon Train #2 It was quiet in the wagon behind him and C figured that the little ones had finally given in to a nap. L hadn’t joined him on the seat yet so maybe she was napping too. He hoped so. She needed more rest. The last couple of days had been rough ones. Despite the mud the train had been back on the trail the day after the storm and the going had been tough. So many things had been soaked, still were in fact, but no one wanted to waste time getting to the valley. They needed time to get settled in before winter. C wasn’t the greatest gardener in the world but he’d done plenty of it and knew that if they got there soon enough they’d be able to plant at least some of the seeds he was bringing along. They’d had some seed left over from the small gardens they’d had in the past but he’d been fortunate enough for an elderly neighbor to give him a small tote full of seeds because she was going to live with her son. He didn’t know how old they were but he took them anyway. There was always a chance they would grow. They would all have to get some sort of cabin or shelter up before winter too. He knew that would take a major amount of work even with the extra chainsaw and gas he’d brought along. Again he was relieved that his parents had mentioned the need for plexiglass. He hadn’t been able to get the stuff his parents had brought and the pieces he had were smaller but they would make good windows for cabins. He didn’t want his family to live in darkness all winter if he could help it. He didn’t have to do much prodding for the horses to follow the wagon ahead and the trail was finally dry so C had a chance to think about the valley. He only knew what they’d been told by the Rock’s and by his Niece and her husband, and that it was about 200 square miles in all, with several rivers and over half wooded with the rest prairie or grass clearings. He knew when their train arrived it would more than double the population so that would make it over a hundred people and there was supposed to be another, smaller train coming later. That was going to be a lot of people to feed. He knew his family was aware of them coming and would have tried to prepare but they didn’t know just how many of them there would be. And if the same storm had hit the valley with that hail, they might have lost some crops. He was just thinking about what his Nephew-in-law had told him about there being plenty of game when his Niece rode up beside the wagon. It had been so unexpected to see them ride in with the oxen but he’d been overjoyed. They not only gave him a good accounting of the valley and how his family was making out but also were invaluable with helping them try to find things that might be needed and for loading the wagons. So far on the trail they’d been helping to herd the livestock but they’d spent part of each evening trying to help wherever they could. They had taught the older girls to ride and today they had them helping with the herding. It gave the girls a break from watching the little ones and taught them a skill they were most likely going to need in the valley. His niece had also befriended Anna and Karen and though Karen still wasn’t speaking, she was at least starting to function more normally again. She’d been helping with the horses and was very good with them though he could see that she was extremely leery of men, even him. This morning, though, she’d offered to take the middle aged girls and the two young boys, Benjamin and Matthew, into the extra wagon with them and entertain them by writing words for them to read and then find along the trail. His niece only stopped beside the wagon long enough to quietly ask if he needed anything and when he said they were fine she said she was going to chat with Karen and Anna a while and reigned her horse ahead. He saw her talking to the girls and Karen shaking her head and Anna giving her a push. It took both girls to convince Karen to get on the back of the horse with his niece but finally she agreed. She crawled over the back of the wagon and stepped to the side out of the way and his Niece gave her a hand up behind the saddle. Karen didn’t seem afraid and didn’t even hold on when the horse started moving and C suspected from the way she’d mounted so easily she’d ridden before. As genteel as both the girls acted and as expensively as they were dressed he figured it might have been at a boarding school. He didn’t wonder that this was all a big shock to them. He saw Anna watch the girls ride away and then turn and crawl under a blanket in their makeshift bed. She was really favoring that arm today and he wished he could do something to help. He knew she had pain medicine to take but it wasn’t helping much with all the jostling that arm was getting. It had already had a couple of weeks healing and that would help but it still had to hurt pretty badly. He heard L in the back and turned in time to help her crawl over the seat and get settled beside him. They talked for a while about how everyone was doing so far and she told him it was tough getting used to the constant riding. She said that tomorrow she might try walking with the older ones while the baby was napping if he’d be able to keep an eye on the baby and the horses at the same time. He thought he could and again wished she could ride one of the horses for a while. She had used to ride and would again but as she wasn’t used to it she didn’t want to take any chances. They rode in silence for a while, watching the surrounding area. They weren’t on the Rockin J land any longer and were starting into the forested area though they looked to be following an old logging road. From what his Nephew-in-law had said they were making good time. About an hour later his niece and Karen returned and the older girls with them. The baby was starting to fuss and L had the girls crawl in the back and take care of her while she took the reigns so C could go check the other wagons. They stopped long enough for everyone to switch places and then C was up on his horse and letting the wagons go past. He checked with each of the wagons and when he found everyone was doing okay he rode ahead to see how long it would be before they stopped. He found Chef’s wagon was missing and Mr. H told him that Chef had gone ahead to get set up for the evening meal. He rode back to see if L was okay with the driving and then rode out ahead of the wagons to see if he could help Chef with anything. Chef was already pulled into a big clearing and had a couple of the younger guys getting a fire going. C knew they didn’t need any help so he tied his horse to Chef’s wagon and asked what needed to be done. Tonight’s meal was macaroni and cheese and it only needed the water put on to boil so C wasn’t needed. Chef asked him if he thought he could do a bit of hunting before the other wagons got here. He said that it really didn’t make any difference what he brought back as long as it was recognized as edible and C chuckled. He knew that Chef meant it had to be something the others would agree to eat but they both knew that if he got something ‘different’ they would probably disguise it in soup or something. C took a couple of the young guys with him and went ahead on the trail. It was late afternoon and they rode about a half-mile before they spotted a doe in the trees. One of the guys raised his gun but C stopped him when he realized the doe was pregnant. They had only gone a short distance further though when they spotted a young buck and the young man got him with the first shot. A young doe spooked from the trees as they dismounted but C let it go. They couldn’t keep the meat that well and they had enough. They weren’t far off the trail and C dragged the deer further into the trees before he field dressed it. They saved the liver, the heart, and the kidneys but didn’t bother with the tongue. They skinned the deer and C started to wrap the meat in the hide only to decide that it would be better to bring back just the meat in case the rest of the train had already reached the cook wagon. His own family wouldn’t mind but others might hesitate if it looked too much like “bambi”. He hated leaving the hide but he had no time to deal with it and he wrapped the meat in his waterproof slicker that was always rolled on the back of his saddle. One of the guys was riding a bigger horse than C’s and they tied the meat behind his saddle and then headed back to camp. The wagons weren’t at the clearing yet and C helped Chef cut the meat into smaller portions and then slice enough of it for grilling for tonight. The rest Chef would put into his big pots and start cooking tonight for use tomorrow. By the time the wagons pulled in C had the meat almost done and Chef had his camp oven full of big fluffy biscuits both for tonight and for on the trail tomorrow. Later he would put a big pot of oatmeal on to cook overnight for breakfast. This was C’s favorite time on the trail but he left the meat to others and went to help get the family wagons settled for the night.

Thankfully I don't have diabetes but I do have low blood sugar or hypoglycemia. I have had it for years and as it is a step in the direction of diabetes I have been very careful to control it with diet. There are several herbs and supplements that help to control blood sugar issues (Gymnema silvestre and chromium comes to mind as just a couple of them) but there is none that you can just switch to and have it control a medicinally controlled diabetes. It would be dangerous for anyone with a medicinally dependent disease to be thrown into a situation where you suddenly couldn't get your medicines. The time to prepare for that situation is before you have to face it. With diabetes, that means getting off the medicine and getting it controlled without it before it's necessary. I'm not saying that is possible for everyone. We are all different but I know a lot of type 2 diabetics who have done just that very thing. (I know of no type 1 that have though). It does, however, take a lot of research, work, and a willing doctor to help you with the dosage adjustments as you take control. As this proabably isn't the thread to get into the particulars I might just suggest that you do a search in the Nature's Prescription forum and I believe you will find several threads where this has been discussed. If you can't find the threads be sure to start a new one there and I know you will have a good response to help you. Many of us here on Mrs. S have health issues we're having to prepare for. We are the lucky ones. We know ahead of time we DO have to prepare for them. I would like to mention something though. Most of the people involved with the Wagons Ho UNreality scene may be thinking of this lifestyle as a hardship. If I were going to be thrown into a survival situation where I had no access to a doctor or medicine I would prefer to be put in the Valley. A valley such as we are using has a lot of natural resources that are mostly organic and resorative of health. Even the lifestyle, though rugged, is conductive to health. Fresh air; sunshine; lo-fat, non-altered fresh foods; and exercise are exactly the RX that is normally prescribed to regain health. The key here is that we were given time to get prepared for it. We were given a chance to bring along things we thought we might need even if they weren't the greatest choices in the end. We WERE given resources. We might not be so fortuante IRL. The outcome might be a whole lot different, especially for those of us with serious health issues, if we were 'dropped' into the valley with only what we had on our person and our knowledge and skills. Could that be our next UN or even IN real life scene?

We worked on getting the small bridge the rest of the morning. This time, now that we knew where the water would wash, we raised it far enough above the high water mark so we might not lose it again. We were careful not to tear out any more grape vines there than was necessary as they were not only a food source but were holding the soil in place so it didn’t wash worse. It had turned warm and it felt good to be working on that cooler north end and after we were done we brought some cold tea and biscuits and jelly to a small clearing there. There were a few bugs buzzing around but I am hoping we are high enough that we won’t be bothered much by them. We have a screen house that attaches to one of our tents we might set up here if they get too bad, though we were planning to set it up in the sunshine and use it as a food dehydrating room. Eventually we’ll have a screened in porch to use but there are so many other things to do before then. We ate a light lunch of biscuits and meat and tall glasses of cold rich milk we went to work on the second sod house. It was hotter working in the sun but not nearly as hot as I expected for June. A nice breeze was blowing across the plateau and the work went fairly easy. This building was longer and wider than the one we were sleeping in and we decided we would put a large door in the middle and two smaller ones on either side. Each door would have a window and screen in it with shutters but no other windows. We were running out of hardware fast and the smaller doors would have to be put on with wooden hinges and DS would be working on them in the evenings. We managed to get the sod cut from near the garden but decided to use wooden walls inside as we’d done in the other. This time though the building was divided into three sections with doors opening at the back wall near the cliff face. The inside walls were really just saplings fitted into a frame and we didn’t take time to strip the bark from them. Most were pretty bare and we just fitted them the best we could. The front was held in the sod but the backs were basically just held with just the doorframe being wedged against the cliff. We placed them so that a projection was on either side and that seemed to work. We left them for now but later we could daub them to make for more privacy. The outside was sturdy with the sod but the whole affect inside looked a bit temporary. It really did only have to last through the winter. If no one were living in it next year it would become either a barn or a storage shed. With an outer door into each section and an inner door between them and between Mom’s room in the other Soddy we were well on our way to being able to walk from one end of the cliff to the other within buildings. While the others were starting on chores Mom and I started getting supper on the table. We had started a pot of chili earlier in the day and all we had to do was add a salad and some of the bread Mom had baked earlier. The bread was part cattail pollen and it was a deep yellow color and high in protein. We’d been gathering the pollen as it became available and would keep doing so as long as it produced. It was dark by the time we had the chores all done and we sat down to supper. We had just decided that the kids must have stayed overnight at the lodge when we heard the horses come into the yard. The guys went to help them take care of the tack and rub down the horses and we waited with the meal until they were all back inside. The kids were full of all that had happened in the valley. They’d gone first to Cleft in the Rocks and then across country to Annarchy’s place. From there they’d gone to Big D’s and then to the lodge, getting there just past one o’clock. They said the North River was running pretty heavily yet but that the riders had gotten through to check on AH. When the kids got to the Lodge they found dozens of people working on repairing the lodge. They told us about Chef’s greenhouse and how they had stayed a few hours to help repair that. No one wanted Chef to come home to find his greenhouse in a mess and they’d repaired it by cutting back just a bit and using the extra Plexiglas for the rest of the building. I was really glad to hear that as I knew how important that greenhouse might be to all of us before winter was over. They brought dozens of books from the library and we sat at the table long after our meal to look through them all. Another thing they’d brought was a wheel that they got from Mr. Smith. When they’d told him about the kick wheel that DS was hoping to build he told them to see if it might work. He also sent an axel that it would fit on but we’d have to fashion another, smaller wheel for the top. Ds thought it might work and SO was wise enough to bring along a pottery book so we could compare pictures and learn a bit more about making containers. DGS brought back a couple of books on making various farm equipment and the guys poured over that while us women looked through a book on historic food preservation. Some of it we already planned to do but I was interested in the fermentation process that was used in the past and was still used in other countries today. I was glad that SO thought to bring that one and a couple of similar ones home now so that we could get the directions copied and the books back for others for later. The rest of the family is still pouring over books as I write this. It’s late and I’m sure we well be tired in the morning but at least we have some good ideas to start fresh tomorrow.

I've seen flash floods too, Quiltys and tornados and I'm really glad you kept it down south with you. But the hail was bad enough. I've been in that too. If my research on this 'type' of valley is correct, our rivers would probably be up for at least two days and then start to subside slowly. At least MtR warned us ahead of time about it and not to be near the rivers and streams etc. IRL we would need that information stored away in our brains. We get so used to our warnings systems. We have a siren very near us and when it goes off once a month it reminds me that I shouldn't get complacent. This whole thread has been a wonderful learning tool. And seriously, I want to thank MTR for taking the time to give us a chance to face these "disasters" in a way that is not life threatening but still enables us to "experience" it. Just like us putting our "transportation" all in one "basket" so to speak. I realized it before I posted and could have changed it but I'm trying to share what I'm learning and that was a real eye opener for me. Writing this out allows me to go back and say.......That was really dumb!! So, like CeeGee,,,I have to say Think,,,Think,,,,,Think. Before I post. Hey Quilty's, I really liked the Barn Raisin' list of foods. That's a LOT of food but I can see that it would be needed with that many men, not to mention the women and children that would be with them. And Q? Next time we'll have the tornado up north and give you guys a break...LOL

Take your time CeeGee, we're just glad your back.

Early this morning we still could not get the animals out of the cave behind the falls. We cut grass and bundled it and DGS and DSIL made their way through the falling water and mud to get in to feed them. The animals were hungry but doing fine but the kids were soaked when they got back. Breakfast was a leisurely affair. We obviously weren’t going to be going into the Lodge this morning with not even a riding horse available. No one said anything but we all knew that it had been careless of us to put all the transportation animals in that cave. At least one of the horses should have been left out for an emergency. We were just not thinking as we rushed ahead of the storm but out here one second of not thinking could mean the difference between life and death. We were fortunate that we didn’t need one of those animals. I took my cup of tea and went out to sit in a chair near the edge of the plateau, my favorite place to sit in the morning as I can watch the sunshine push the shadows across the valley. It was almost cold yet and I wore a heavy jacket but I knew it would warm up once the sun touched the area later in the morning. The cool mornings would make it perfect for working in the fields and orchards before the heat of the day. Afternoons will be bringing more heat but in the winter that will be a blessing. We can’t have it all our way. It was almost ten before the kids felt comfortable bringing the animals through the mud at the cave. The water had finally subsided but we could still see the water running high in the river. I knew the messengers had forded the river to bring word to the valley but I really hoped that no one had tried to get to the lodge from the south yesterday. It would probably still be up today though at least it was going down fairly fast. We didn’t try to work in the fields today. It was just too wet there yet. This morning we worked on small projects and when the animals were finally free we sent DGS and SO down the road to check on Dr. & MT.R and Annarchy’s family and to bring the extra milk to them if they needed it. Then they would go on to the lodge to see how the settlement had faired. They would stay over night if necessary there and come back in the morning. The milk was packed in insulated saddle bags on both horses and was extremely cold when we put it in there but I worried that some of the cream would have been turned to butter by the time they got it delivered. Not that it would hurt anything but it would be nice if someone could use the cream for other purposes if they wanted. I stood and watched the riders for as long as I could see them. Then I sat to write in this journal but my thoughts are too restless to continue to write. I guess I’ll go help the rest of the family on replacing the small bridge over the wet area outside the hot springs.

We all get hit with that sooner or later Annarchy.....It's all MT_Riders fault. She seems destined to write things that happen IRL. That's okay, because she's also written a beautiful day today .....DIDN'T YOU MT_Rider?????

CEE GEE____! I am SO glad to see you back. We won't let you be too lost even if you do have pages to catch up on. Please, just jump back in. I have missed your post. We don't have your church built so you might have to do that, and we've been limping along without your wonderful Services but have not replaced you for sure, just waiting for you (and some otheres too ) to come back. Hint Hint....if you need a "church buildin' " party let us know? Okay?

The land looked devastated. I knew it wasn’t but it sure looked that way. I stood with DH early this morning looking at what the storm had left behind. Fields were beaten down, fruit trees were bent into arches by wet covers, the flax was flattened, a new ‘creek’ had formed from the spring runoff all the way down to the lower field taking part of the rice crop with it. The netting on the garden was down in spots, leveling some plants, but for the most part it had held. The sheep and lambs were out of their pen but were just quietly grazing on the thick grass at the edge of the clearing near the lane. The geese were dabbling in a puddle of water right outside the hut and we could see eight or ten goslings trying to get the hang of waddling in the wet grass. They must have hatched out yesterday or earlier but we’d not noticed. The pigs were still in their pen, content to root around in the wet soil. It didn’t take long for the rest of the family to join us there. DGS told us the little bridge to the Hot springs at the north end of the plateau had been washed out but otherwise that area was okay. Mom reported that the kitchen was damp but no water was setting in there. The soddy had held up well as did the new sod walls next to it but the greenhouse knee wall was soggy and drooping where we’d had to open it up. I knew from past experience that it looked worse than it really was but it was going to take a lot of work to set some of it right again. Even then some will have been lost. I looked around at my family, relieved that we’d all come through safe. Though this setback would probably mean a loss in some crops we should be able to make it up in others even if it meant more wildcrafting to help us make it through the winter. We could hear the river roaring yet as the waters above found their way to the lake and some of the family went to check on the animals behind the falls while other went to start chores here on the plateau. Mom and I went to the kitchen to wipe down my poor drenched Home Comfort so we could start a low fire in it to dry it out. We had started nothing last night to have for breakfast this morning but Mom was way ahead of me in thinking of what we might prepare. She went into the pantry cave and brought back two loaves of bread from yesterday and some milk, dried onions, celery, and peppers. She started tearing the bread in small pieces and mixing it with the seasonings. When SO brought several eggs into the kitchen Mom mixed them with milk and poured that over the bread in a big bowl and let it set while I got the fire going in the stove. I knew she was making a strada of sorts but we usually baked those. Today she got out the big heavy fry pans and set them on the stovetop. The oven would take too long to heat up but right over the firebox was already hot enough. Once we had the mixture in the pan I left her to tend them while I took the milk buckets out to help with the rest of the chores. The kids had returned from the waterfalls but reported there was no way to get to the animals from top or bottom. The water was still pouring over the side of the cliff and they’d just have to wait to see what it was like later in the day. I stood looking at the roiling river as it made it’s way to the Cleft in the Rocks homestead and gave a little prayer for Dr. and MtR. I was sure they were safe in their cave as it was high enough not to be touched by the river but I hoped they’d had little damage from the storm or the raging river. I went to finish the milking while the rest went to remove the covers from the fruit trees. When I entered the barn I found the makeshift wall in the chicken coop was leaning crookedly and half the poultry was out wandering around the yard. With the garden still covered I doubted they would hurt anything there and just let them go. It took me longer than usual with two cows to milk now and I had to take the milk buckets one at a time to the kitchen, they were so full, and then go back and finish milking the fresh cow. Even with the calf nursing she had plenty of milk. Maybe if the messenger came today I’d try to send some to MtR and if he hasn’t been to Annarchy’s I’ll send some there too. With all we had to do today I knew we weren’t going to be able to use it for cheese. We spent part of the morning rinsing out blankets, towels, and other clothing and getting them up on trees, lines, and bushes to dry. It took the guys to do the blankets. They just flopped them into the hot springs pool, rinsed them around as best they could and then twisted them between two people until they got out as much water as possible. Most looked okay, not having dragged on the ground but some of the items didn’t look so great and would have to be rewashed as we could. When we went to the orchard we found two of the fruit trees had been broken but not totally through and we propped those up and made makeshift bandages to hold them to see if they would heal. The vines and berry bushes were pretty rough looking but I think they will come back. It was mostly the leaves that got hit the hardest. The strawberry patch was flat but the plants were still in the dirt. Not so the rhubarb and we had to replant almost all of it. The leaves on that had been beaten pretty badly and I wasn’t sure if the crowns had been injured but we’d see. The asparagus bed looked okay but the hops vine was shredded. DS tried to repair it the best he could but I could see he didn’t have much hopes for it. I had seed along but it would be next year before we would have plants tough enough to put out. Perhaps the rhizomes would still put out vines and just in case they didn’t I had DS layer some of the broken vines in the soil beside the plant hoping they would give us a couple of strong plants. The rosa rogosa bushes were droopy but I couldn’t see they’d been hurt too badly and we just straightened them a little and then stepped their roots back into the wet soil. I wasn’t worried about the rice though we’d lost about a fifth of the crop “down stream”. The little plants were flattened but I was pretty sure they would bounce back. The tomatoes, peppers, and etc looked shredded but I knew that it was possible they’d come back too. Only some of the stems were broken and we’d probably lose them but the rest were merely loosened in their rows and we worked hours putting them back into place. It was late afternoon when we finally got to the garden and I was pleased it hadn’t suffered any worse than it did. We’d lose a lot of plants I was sure but most of those could be replanted and still give us a crop before fall. Mom and I sat in the sun and picked through the leaves of ruined spinach and lettuce to get enough to make a salad for supper and we even managed to gather enough radishes to give it spice though the radishes were pretty small yet. The pea vines were gone but we managed to gather some of the small pods for the salad as well and the rest of the plant we laid out to dry to use for fodder for the animals. We still couldn’t get to the animals behind the falls by this evening but the kids said they could see some of them through the falling water and they seemed okay. The torrent was subsiding already and they felt we’d be able to get into them by morning. A sad part of the day was when the messenger came. He told us that one of MT3B’s boys had lost his cabin to lightening. It was going to be a sad homecoming for him. We sent word to MT3B that if they needed help to rebuild it we’d try to be there. It also sounds like a lot of crops have been lost or at least set back. We’re all going to have our work cut out for us if we are to feed the extra people coming into the valley. As soon as the land was dry we’d start again, replanting those crops that would still have a chance to make it and foraging for what we can find wild.

That's okay Q. I just did some cyber traveling, following MtR's lead, and peeked in on our DS and family on the wagon train. Must say, their first days are not going all that great, I sure hope the rest of the trip is uneventful but somehow, with MtR's propensity for causing 'adventures',,,,,I doubt it! Now I'm off to see what damage the storm did at the Hobbit Hole..... Speaking of,,,,we are not supposed to get hail.....IRL......only 6 to 10 inches of snow starting tomorrow. MTR!!!! YOU DIDN"T ORDER THAT DID YOU??

LOOKING IN ON MOTHER'S FAMILY ON THE #2 WAGON TRAIN - HAIL STORM C was having trouble with the oxen. They were antsy and one almost knocked him over as it threw its head around. One day out from the ranch and already they were trying to outrun a storm. He was glad he’d had some experience working with cows in the past. He’d been helping on the Rockin’ J and working with the oxen and horses since they’d gotten there and that helped some too. Once he got the oxen goaded into following the wagon ahead he stepped back to see if his FIL was able to handle them okay. His MIL was setting on the seat next to his FIL and C saw that she was in a lot of pain. She had some health issues similar to his Mom’s. Mr. Hughes had told them it could take two weeks or more to reach the valley and he was worried for his wife’s parents. Even after one day he wondered how his Mom had managed to make it. C quickened his pace to catch up with the wagons ahead of them. L was doing okay with the draft horses but he didn’t want her getting over tired. With the new baby due in about six weeks she really needed to rest more. She had just not been herself since they’d had to leave home and though she’d done what she had to do, he could see she was worn out. With five daughters ranging in age from 14 months to 12 years to worry about they both had a lot on their minds. So far they’d all been able to sleep in regular beds at the ranch but now it would be different. They were used to camping but only for a night or two at a time. Almost three weeks was going to be tough and he knew that once they arrived at the Valley it wouldn’t be any easier. He was just glad his family would be waiting for them. Together, he figured, they could make it. C worked his way past his two BIL’s wagons and that of L’s cousin, who was really more of a sister to her. He walked beside each one for a few moments to make sure they were doing okay and noticed the solemn kids riding in the oldest BIL’s wagon. These were orphans who had lost their parents and whom the family had decided to take in. There were two of them; brothers 8 and 10 years old, who had attached themselves to L’s older brother and his wife, who had no children of their own. At the next wagon he noticed that his 9 and 6 year old DD’s were riding with their 2-year-old cousin, keeping the little boy busy probably. They called out to him as he stopped, having a great time yet because it was all still new. They weren’t even aware of the impending storm and he was careful how he mentioned it to the family in front of them but he could see the drivers knew how dangerous this could be. As he caught up with the wagon L was driving he swung aboard instead of mounting the horse tied behind. One of the ranch hands was driving their other wagon so he would be free for this one. He took the reins from L and suggested she go back and rest and she did crawl over the seat into the back. Their oldest DD and her 11-year-old cousin were both in the back entertaining their three year old but he could see the 14 month old was sleeping in the car seat they’d attached to the wagon box so it wouldn’t slide around. He saw L check the straps that held the baby in and heard her caution the older girls to be a little quieter and then she crawled back out to set beside C on the wagon seat. When he questioned her with a look she only nodded to the black clouds getting closer as they traveled and said no more. Ahead of him he could see the two girls, who would also be joining their family, riding in the back of the wagon ahead. They were sisters, Anna 13 and Karen 16 years old who had only recently lost their parents when looters attacked their caravan. He could see the youngest was wincing in pain as she favored her broken arm, trying to keep the cast from swinging in the sling she was wearing to hold it. Her older sister had her arm around the slight girl, trying to help absorb the shock, but he could see the tears streaming down both their faces. According to the Rocks, the older sister had suffered a far worse fate at the hands of the looters. She had offered her own body to save her sister further harm and she hadn’t spoken a word since. Lightening was now striking in front of them again and again and the thunder had all the girls in the wagon screaming and the baby; now awake, adding screams of her own. L crawled once again into the back and gathered them all as close to her as she could get them without taking the baby from it’s secure seat. C fought the horses, glad that it wasn’t L trying to handle them. He could see the last of the livestock being herded down off the high meadow they had been traveling on all day and he gave the horses their heads as the wagons ahead picked up speed. He had trouble slowing them as they approached the trail that led down a steep incline but managed to control them as they maneuvered the difficult turn into the box canyon. The storm hit just as they were pulling into the circle of wagons and he jumped from the wagon to get the horses unhitched so he could help with the other teams. L started to crawl out but he yelled for her to stay with the kids and then the hail came. The horses went nuts and it was all he could do to keep them from bolting and then suddenly Karen was at his side, grabbing one of the horse’s bridles and talking to it quietly, calming it with her voice. The other horse quieted and he was finally able to get them unhitched. He grabbed for them as soon as they were free, fearful they would bolt again, but they stayed calm long enough for the girl and him to get them into the circle of the wagons and let them loose. He helped Karen back into their wagon before going back to check on the rest of the family. Finding them all safe inside he went to help others with their teams, glad that he was wearing his heavy hooded waterproof hunting jacket but still feeling the sting of the pelting ice. He could just imagine what the animals were feeling. When there was no one left who needed help he went to talk with Chef. He knew there were plans to feed the whole train from a communal fire each night even though he was prepared to cook for his own family if needed but with this pouring rain he wasn’t sure what would be done. He was relieved to see that someone, probably at Chef’s urging, had managed to get a fire going in the lee of a cliff overhang and already a big coffee pot was placed on a large grate over the flames. Chef’s wagon was pulled up close to the fire and C ran to help him take a big Stainless Steel stockpot out of the back and situate it next to the water. Then he helped open big commercial cans of chicken noodle soup into the pot, and when that was heating, he crawled into the back of Chef’s wagon to dig out boxes of crackers and loaves of bread. There wouldn’t be any fancy open fire cooking done tonight but he could see from the looks of Chef’s inventory that he was prepared to cook for a crowd the whole way. It wasn’t long before others joined them at the fire and C took a few minutes to check the family again. Instead of everyone getting wet he grabbed a couple of pots and headed back to the fire. Others had the same idea and as soon as the soup was hot he started handing out bread and crackers while Chef ladled soup into various containers. The men from L’s family were soon there helping and eventually a couple of them brought the meal back to the family while the rest stayed to help clean up. C offered to help but Chef said he should get the rest of his work done. He knew that C still had to check on the sheep and milk the cow he’d managed to buy just after arriving at the old farmhouse near the ranch. It was the cow that had given their location away and the reason they’d been attacked, only to be saved by the Rockin’ J ranch hands. He needed that milk for the kids but he wasn’t sure it would be worth saving tonight. He also had to check the poultry that were caged on the sides of the wagons unless one of L’s family had done so already. They still hadn’t gotten into a routine of who did what on the trail. When he got to the herd L’s oldest brother was already working on the cow. He had her tied to some brush and was trying his hand at milking her into a bucket. C watched him for a minute unknown and realized that he was doing a pretty good job. He jumped when C said something but then went back to milking with only a suggestion that C check on the sheep if he could figure out which was which. C knew some of L’s family had been practicing at the ranch but so far C had done all the milking with their cow. He was grateful for the help. Once he managed to find their sheep and could see that other than being wet they were okay, him and his BIL headed back to the wagons. The hail had stopped but the rain was icy cold and he was looking forward to crawling into their wagon and getting into dry clothes. From the looks of it, his BIL wasn’t any better. His BIL was giving him the same inspection and they smiled at each other through the rain. At least they knew that they could depend on each other and that made the journey seem less worrisome.

Hey, Q, write what you would have done in any case as if it was the same day. We don't care it is out of line. We just want to know what you would do to handle it.

I woke this morning aching all over and especially in my arthritic joints and my Fibromyalgia laden muscles. I knew I had walked a ways yesterday and carried some heavy buckets but this was more than just that. Before I even got out of bed I knew there was a storm coming. I woke DH, told him, and then pulled myself out of the rather saggy mattress to try to get dressed. Dh had to help but finally we both were ready to go, though the bed was only just barely made. DH headed out to do chores and I headed through the greenhouse section to go to the kitchen. We would need a hearty meal to start our day. It sure didn’t feel like it was going to be a good one. Peering out under the ledge as I made my way through the greenhouse I could see the leaden look of the sky and that was all I needed to convince me that it was going to be bad. I sure wished we’d gotten the windows up on the greenhouse section. If the wind blew from the south it was going to be mighty wet in there. I needed to get a look at that barometer in the kitchen to see just how bad it might be. Mom was already at the stove working on breakfast. She took one look at the way I was creeping along and said, “I guess you already know a storms coming?” I believe I just groaned for a reply and went to look at the barometer. What I saw made me turn to Mom who only nodded to the outside door before I was headed in that direction, grabbing my cane as I went out. Everyone was up and starting chores when I got out there. Obviously DH had mentioned the storm as DD and DSIL were headed down to the lower plateaus to start there. SO was leading the first cow to the barn area to be milked and she asked me if it was going to be bad. I only nodded and went to get the other cow that was tied near the poultry pen. My mind was not on the cow though. It was on the dozens of things we needed to do to be ready. I had no idea how soon the storm would hit but I suspected within the next few hours. I looked out over the land at all the crops that were just starting to come up. There was no way we could protect it all and we’d just have to pray that it didn’t get too bad. In our favor was the fact that over half of our crops were put in late and weren’t even out of the ground. If the seed didn’t get washed out they would be okay. The vines and bushes that we put in would more than likely make it but the fruit and other trees were just not well enough established. I tried to think what we could use and came up with only blankets and tarps and pieces of plastic but before we used them on the trees, we needed to think of the gardens. The animals were all restless and it took longer than normal to get chores done. The oxen didn’t want to go to the pond to drink and the horses were all nervous and spooked at every noise even though it was actually fairly calm out. They always know. I was glad to see the birds and the squirrels still in the trees. When they disappeared, we’d best have everything done and be inside. I watched DD tie the sheep and buck goats out on grass but left them within a few feet of their pen. DSIL hooked up a team of oxen and went to pull some logs over to the pigpen to make a lean-to for the pigs to shelter under. I watched as DGS went to help him and then I got busy helping SO and DH with the chores. I wondered where YGS was until I saw him coming out of the kitchen with a piece of bread and butter in his hand to tide him over until breakfast. Breakfast was lost in the shuffle of the day, with everyone grabbing whatever Mom was handing out. When the milking and feeding was done and the animals watered we tied the cows and does all close to the barn area so they could still graze a bit but be easier to get in when the storm started. Then SO, YGS, and I turned our attention to the poultry. We had so many hens setting on nests and we sure hated to move them at this late stage. Some of those nests would be hatching any day but there was just no way we were going to protect them out in the open like that. Their fencing was only wrapped around trees and their cover was just a tarp. If the wind blew they would be soaked. We cleared a place near the back of the barn area to move them to and laid down some dry grass. Then we took thick towels and went out to the pen. If a hen didn’t come out of her nest I covered her with a towel, nest and all and waited until she settled down. Then SO and I carried nest and all to the barn and placed it on the floor at the back. We repeated this again and again until all the nests were moved and then started to catch those hens that had gone out of the nests and took them to the barn as well. The ducks were next and were a bit easier to herd with the dog’s help though all they wanted to do was stop and nibble grass. We didn’t want to have to bother with trying to get them in later though so we just threw them some grass and a bit of grain and left them. There was nothing on the front of the barn except the partial stone wall to keep them in so our next step was to remove the chicken fencing from the trees and bring it to the barn. I was so achy by then that we had to have the others help with lashing together a framework of saplings and tie the fencing to it. Because the stone wall was built some distance from the overhanging ledge, we moved the framework inside the barn, set it on the floor and then leaned it against the upper ledge hoping that it would stay. A couple of make shift gates and a tarp nearby to cover the wire if needed and we were all set to go on to something else. The area behind this was big enough for even the goats and maybe the cow and calf. In a pinch maybe all the cows but we still needed to do something with the oxen, the bull, and the horses. The garden was a challenge. Some of the plants are just starting to produce but most were still young enough that they would be injured by a downpour or hail. The sky was getting darker and we hurried our efforts. The guys took the already hitched oxen to the woods and I could hear the chain saw as they cut brush and small trees. DD, SO, and YGS went to the storage room and came back with the bird netting and plastic snow fencing we’d brought along. By the time we had it all unrolled and ready to use the guys were hauling the first load of brush and trees back. The guys hastily pounded sharpened stakes into the ground around the outside of the garden while the rest of us placed the brush strategically between them and in the center of the garden to help hold up the cover. While they went back for more brush and stakes we started laying the bird netting over the top. The bird netting is extremely light and folds into a very compact square but unfolded it covers a huge area. We had brought dozens of them so that we’d have them to protect fruit trees but we hoped they would no serve to deflect the rain or hail that we knew was coming. When we were finished it looked surprisingly sturdy and I got to thinking that it might serve to keep the chickens and ducks out of the garden and maybe some of the wild rabbits too. With just a little work the outer stakes could be extended a bit taller so the chickens wouldn’t go over. We couldn’t really do anything about the acres of fields but we went to work on the fruit trees. I was glad they were only saplings but some were already head high and leafed out quite a bit. We covered as many of them as we could with blankets, sheets, tarps and even some jackets, making sure that we covered at least some of every species. We tied the covers securely and prayed that would help. With that done we all headed to the cave to make sure nothing was left outside that might get broken. We took down all the small solar collectors and put them in the cave with all our tools and equipment. Then the guys carefully moved the two bigger collectors there as well even though it was a tight fit going through the door. We couldn’t afford to have them ruined. The only thing left was to protect the larger animals. Most of them didn’t care if they got wet and in fact often preferred to be in the rain but a driving rain or one with hail was another story. Their natural inclination was to either stand head to head in it or to head to the trees. I was inclined to let them loose and let them decide which they would do and hope they came back later. DS suggested we take them to the big cave behind the falls and see if we could get them to go in there. He figured we could use the snow fencing to close off the large opening to keep them in. I knew we could probably lead the horses into the cave but as the path was narrow I wasn’t sure about the oxen and I didn’t know how they’d take the sound of the water falls. That’s when it struck me that if we did put them there we might not be able to get to them for a while afterwards because of flooding. And that water falls was going to be deafening once the rains came. We tried to find an alternative but by that time the thunder was rumbling and the first drops of rain were starting to fall. DH said we’d go up over the roof plateau if we had to and come down from above to get to the animals in the cave if we couldn’t come from below and at least they would have water if we didn’t get to them for a day or so. It wasn’t easy. The kids went first to the sheep and bucks to put them in their pen. It didn’t take much as they were all ready to be inside. Then they got on the horses bareback and started the oxen moving with the help of the dogs. The rest of us started leading the other horses and I can just imagine what we looked like trying to get them to go up that steep path and then head them towards the falls. The opening was really not at the falls but thirty or more feet back so it wasn’t as difficult as we’d expected with the horses but the oxen were something else. They wanted to go two by two down that narrow path and several times the riders had to go back and gather them up as they ran through the brush down the hill along the river. Finally DH brought the bull up, leading him by his nose ring, and he acted as if it was an every day occurrence. With him leading the way, the other oxen followed right into the big cavern. By that time it was raining hard and we were all soaked. I found myself standing at the edge of the roaring water on the back side of the waterfalls while the rest of the family brought in fresh cut grass for the animals to eat. It was like looking through rippled old glass, almost but not quite clear. The lightening made for a wonderful show through the water but the thunder only increased the noise of the already thunderous water. It echoed in the cave and I couldn’t wait to get out. I watched as they brought in dried grass and spread it for bedding and extra food if it was needed, and when they went to work on the fencing I went to help. They hooked one end securely to a big tree at the side of the opening and hoped that it was close enough to the cliff to keep them from squeezing out between. I took a quick look at the animals and found them all bunched as far back in the cave as they could get. It was almost totally dark there and extremely cold. I hoped they didn’t stay there the whole time. I went back outside with the others so that the other end could also be hooked to a tree but held my breath when DGS almost fell into a narrow gully beside the cave where the tree was growing. I realized that the gully must have been made by previous downpours where the water poured over the edge of the top shelf instead of over the front where the waterfall was. I tried to see if the water would run into the cave but I couldn’t tell. It was almost totally dark and pouring down rain by the time we got back to the kitchen. Mom and YGS had managed to get the does and cows and calf into the barn area before the rain hit and they were waiting for us with a nice warm fire in the stove and dry towels. I was cold to the point my teeth were chattering. Cold and in terrible pain but at least the animals and gardens were safe for now. We’d just have to pray for the rest of it. I was coming back through the greenhouse area after changing clothes when the hail started. DH, coming behind me, stopped to join me as we watched it beat against the netting on the garden, sagging it in spots where we didn’t have enough brush, but holding for now. The mesh was small enough to deflect most of the hail but it wouldn’t stop the beating rain much. We were just done eating the hot stew and biscuits that Mom had ready for us when the wind changed directions and picked up. We managed to get the kitchen cleaned and everything secured in the storage room but we had to let the stove go out and abandon the kitchen as we couldn’t hold the tarps down well enough and the floor was wet with running water. It was also blowing into the greenhouse area and we ended up getting wet all over again taking part of the sod wall out to let it drain. It’s dark now, the rain is still beating down, and occasionally we are getting what sounds like sleet but the lightening and thunder has moved on. I am writing this while setting with DH in the living room area of the Soddy. The rest of the family has gone to check on the animals in the barn and then to their bedrooms to get dry and hopefully warm. Mom and DS have gone to bed and DH and I are just about to go ourselves. It is cold for the middle of June. I fear we will lose even some of the wild crops. The Juneberries are probably gone but as the raspberries were just starting to ripen they might survive. At least we are safe and secure but I can’t help but worry about our families. Have the oxen reached the ranch already? Are the new members on the road to the valley already, traveling through the wilderness in this storm, in covered wagons? I will say extra prayers for their safety tonight and for the safety of all those in the valley.

It was a great day today. I thought we were going to get a terrible storm last night but as far as I know it just rained in the night. Still, it was a good feeling to know that no one slept in the tents or wagons last night. Everyone was moved into their bedrooms by bedtime and I believe I slept more soundly because my family was all secure at last. I went to visit each 'room' today and found they were very homey. DD had chosen one of the larger rooms for her, DSIL, and YGS. They had managed to hang tarps from frames to close off two bedroom areas and still have plenty of room to have a setting area that contained a nice log couch and chair. The half-log door had a Plexiglas window that opened and closed over a screen for both light and air and the setting area also had a natural 'window' in the stone to the front. They had managed to enlarge it some and it, too, was screened and covered with sliding Plexiglas. I was relieved to see that all the windows had heavy wooden shutters that closed to make them secure. We didn't have that in the sod house yet but were talking about getting it done soon. At least the Plexiglas was the Lexan variety, which was manufactured to withstand breakage. It's supposed to be bullet proof. The next door along the face of the cliff was some distance down and it too had a window similar to DD's and a fairly large window like opening about four feet away that had been treated the same way. When SO opened the door to my polite knock I was surprised to see how light it was inside. I didn't see a bed but DGS led me to a tarp covered opening on the right side of the room that led into a good sized area that contained their bed with a couple of small tables on each side. There was a small window here as well but it was boarded up for now until they could work on it further. On the left side of the bigger room was another opening. SO told me it was DGD and DGSIL's area and took me in to see it. It had a short 'hall' leading to it from the bigger room and I wasn't nearly as comfortable there despite the fact that it, too, had a small window. There was no bed yet but their personal things had been moved in already. Returning to the main room SO explained that they would be sharing the setting area but would each have room enough in their own bedrooms to set if they wanted as well. If they built a cabin on the front they would divide it into two apartments. I was glad they were willing to share an 'apartment' for the time being but I knew eventually each couple would want a place of their own. Already there had been talk of putting up cabins on each of the plateaus and I encouraged them to dream big. All the main setting rooms opened into the caves behind and already there were wooden frames at the openings there though no doors as yet. It felt cool to me as I walked into the rooms but the kids tell me they slept just fine. I hadn't been in any of the back caves except the spring rooms and the storage room behind the kitchen but I could see that wires had been run through the various rooms in to the caves and I assumed the kids had set up some sort of solar lighting system there. Once again I was glad we'd brought the lights along. Each of the lilghts had their own small solar collector but I wasn't sure how effective they would be in the winter. That reminded me that we needed to see about making candles or other back up lighting and I made a mental note to gather some plant material for natural torches. Dried cattail spikes dipped in fat will work, as will mullein plants. We have some fat lamps along with us and also vegetable oil lamps though the vegetable oil will take more work to produce than animal fat. It will be easy enough to make some button lamps as well. We have already been saving all the fat from our meat and come late fall we should be able to bring in some deer heavy with fat for winter. Deer fat is hard and will make good candles. Too bad we can't expect to find bayberry bushes in this area or that I didn't think to bring some along to plant. This afternoon it was really the Lab who found the clay. After lunch DH and I went to see if we could find raspberries. We brought several containers with us and set out to the north following the logging road until we came to the patch I'd seen earlier. We had the lab with us but had made the other dogs stay behind, as we didn't want them to get used to roaming. The raspberries were only just barely starting to ripen but near them we found a large stand of June Berries shrubs with berries still clinging. I was surprised but pleased, as they have a very short time frame for ripening. June berries are not technically berries but are a type of fruit like apples or pears but are small like blueberries. These were bigger than blue berries and were dark red/black color. I began to pick the lower branches making sure to pick some unripe berries as well to use as the pectin in the jam we'd probably make with some of them. DH went for the higher ones, which were not all that difficult as it was easy to pull the branches down and pull the cluster of berries off into a bucket. We had about half our containers full when the lab came back from nosing around near a rock outcropping beyond the raspberry patch. His feet were covered with mud but when I looked closer I could see it was light colored and clung to his legs as well as his feet. We set the containers down and followed his tracks around the patch. Running ahead of us, the dog was more than willing to show us his find. There was a small stream just beyond the outcropping, a pretty place with what looked like a nice spring coming from the rocks. We followed the dog down stream for quite a way before I noticed the boggy area I was looking for. It was filled with some of the nicest looking blue clay I'd ever seen. I sort of squished into the damp area and dug some of the clay from a bank by the stream by hand. It was nicely pliable and though I was not an expert I hoped it would be usable on a kick wheel if DS could manage to make one that was fairly easy to use. The clay was heavy and we only had the small axe on DH's belt to dig with but we soon had our extra containers filled with wet clay. We headed back to the Juneberry patch as I wanted to pick a good supply of both raspberry and Juneberry leaves to dry for tea. I would have liked to take a supply of the Juneberry twigs with me as well but had no room for them. I made do with sticking as much as possible in my pockets. As it was we had to rig up a pole to put the buckets on so we could carry it between us to get the buckets home. When we got back to the homestead I had DH set up some sections of logs and I laid some of the clay out on it to dry a bit as it was pretty soggy. DD and the rest of the family were working on the second sod building and I told DH to go ahead and join them. Mom and I worked on the berries, picking them over, removing the stems and leaves and laying some of them whole out on trays to dry. They would be great to use in pancakes, fruit tarts, and even just to nibble on this winter. I made up my mind we'd go back to get more tomorrow before they were all gone. I got out the meat grinder and hooked it to the kitchen table so we could grind some of the berries, seeds and all, to make a dehydrated jam. The seeds had a sort of almond taste that I enjoyed. The green berries would act as pectin and I would use a small amount of the honey we got from MT3B for a touch of sweetness. While I was grinding berries, Mom was cooking some of the berries to make Juneberry pie for supper. When I had the berries ground I put them in a pot with the honey and a touch of cinnamon and cloves and set them to slowly simmering at the back of the cook stove where the heat was low. We would keep them simmering all night to thicken them and then spread them on trays in the sunshine to dry to a thick jam. At home I would have put them in jars in a water bath to make sure they were sealed but I hated to use our jars if I didn't have to. Because this is a small batch I might put it in containers and cover the top with candle wax and see how they store in the spring room. By the time we were done with the berries it was time for chores so I didn't get back to look at my clay for several hours but tonight I took some of the cleanest and made some coiled clay pots. They worked up really nice but the clay is going to have to be cleaned before I can work with the rest. I picked out as much of the debris as possible from one bucket and then broke the clay into pieces and set it out to dry. When it is dry I'll pound it as fine as I can and then sift it though a couple of sizes of screening to remove more. Then I can put it in water and mix it to let the rest of the debris float to the top to be removed. That should give me a very fine clay to work with but I believe I'll try test firing a piece before I do too much work with it. We covered the rest of the clay with a wet towel to keep it pliable. Tomorrow DD will try her hand at making adobe bricks that will be the start of our kiln. I still have to stir the berries and stoke the stove but then I'm off to bed. It really has been a productive day today.

Leah, There are a few in my family I am NOT bringing into the valley but I sure hate leaving ANY of them behind. The interesting thing is,,,I really do beleive that my family, as a whole, would make a great survival team. Well, if we can't talk you into coming in, at least keep up your comments and suggestions. I LOVE them. OHHH MtR, are you telling me we CAN'T plant Spinach now.....but but,,, I live in zone 5.... You want to move over I think I need a seat there.

Quiltys. Shhhhh dogs.