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Well, I have been looking for a clothesline for a few years….yes a few years. I have a conventional dryer but I wanted one that I could use to save money on utility bills, and hence be self-sufficient at the same time. I really don’t like depending on someone else….like the utility companies. I want to be more “green” as well. I am taking baby steps. This is the first clothesline that works for me. The people at  http://eartheasy.com/ had the exact one I have been looking for. Here is the deal I live in a neighborhood with an HOA (Home Owners Association). We are not allowed to have a clothesline…..please don’t get me started about HOA’s!

This particular clothesline is easy to install…our friend, Wally dug the hole 16 inches deep by 12 inches square. We placed the cinder block with the concrete mix (thank you Wally) and secured the “sleeve” for the clothesline.

Here is the Breezecatcher Rotary Clothesline closed: (more…)

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{Linda} You can see why I have been showing you different foods to dehydrate. I would love it if everyone could get a dehydrator of some kind. This is why we are giving one away this week to one lucky reader. Please enter the giveway to have a chance to win one.

Today I will show you how to dehydrate pineapple. This is probably my favorite fruit to dehydrate. It is so yummy. My grandkids love freeze dried pineapple. Of course I can’t freeze dry my stuff so….I dehydrate it. I had purchased some pineapple from Costco and I could see that my husband and I were not going to be able to eat it as quickly as I had thought. So I put the dehydrator on the counter and started slicing the spears. So easy!

Here is the finished product. No preservatives or chemicals…..just a healthy snack for our family! Gotta love it! (more…)

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I just saw on CNN Television that a tornado has devastated the area of Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City. The newscasters are asking the public to please NOT use your cell phones to CALL your friends and loved ones. Please TEXT on your cell phones…this does not tie up the phone lines needed for emergency personnel. This is another reason to keep gas in your car in case you need to evacuate your neighborhood. This is critical…keep your gas tank at least 1/2 FULL.

Please make sure you have YOUR home land lines and cell phones setup with your community’s REVERSE 911 system. This community was given only 10-12 minutes of warning before this tragic event.  We are being told the tornado was two miles wide with winds between 166 and 200 miles per hour.  Hundreds of homes were swept off their foundations.  Two elementary schools were affected, with one school so devastated that it is hard to tell it was actually a school.  Search and rescue teams are working hard to locate teachers and children buried in the rubble.  Although fatalities have been reported, it will be hours / days before the final death total will be known.  What a testament to having your 72 hour kits available for use. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families affected. God bless you!

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Here are some fruit drink powders that would taste pretty good in an emergency or disaster. I don’t usually have sugary drinks around the house, but I am thinking if the water we have stored doesn’t taste quite the same as we are used to, maybe these products would bring a smile to anyone’s face in a disaster. Just thinking, even without ice cubes I would love a lemonade over stale tasting water. What powdered drink would you consider buying for an emergency? (more…)

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Is your carbon monoxide detector working? It is my understanding that most carbon monoxide detectors have a lifespan of only five years. You know, the one in the hallway or where ever you may have yours plugged into an outlet. Yes, we change the batteries when we see it flashing or beeping….please check out your detector to see if the manufacturer has a date to replace with a new CO detector. Mine says it has a five year expiration and to replace it statement after that time period. (more…)