July 2013

The summer heat has hit – and hard this year! Unusually hot temperatures have made for very sweltering weeks. We are so blessed to be able to come in out of the heat and enjoy the comforts modern conveniences give us. It is a time we can reflect on how much we have been blessed with, especially as we celebrate the “4^th of July” and Pioneer Day” this month. So many things we have are because of the sacrifices of our forefathers. Our freedom, religion, towns we live in and more are enjoyed because of the work someone else did. This is a great time to reflect on what we have and consider what we are doing with it. “Where much is given, much is required” (D&C 82:3 /Luke 12:48). May each of us live up to the blessings this country provides for us, and do whatever is necessary to keep those rights, blessings and privileges intact for those who follow us. As we live our lives with gratitude, we will be more inclined to extend those blessings to others. What better way to “Be prepared” than to live with the gratitude and actions necessary to pass on to others the things we enjoy today.

       Included in this month's newsletter:

Dairy Products: Ideas and info on different items to store for a food storage

Disaster Prep: documents to keep an a portable container in case of an evacuation.

Summer First Aid Tips: Sunburns, burns, swimmers ear, bee stings, chigger bite.

In the Southern Utah Garden: water gardens, plant fall harvest, spray fruit trees, squash bugs, treating grapes.

Using the Harvest: Recipes for Squash Pickles, Zucchini Brownies, Italian Zucchini, and a reference for other recipes.

Provident Living - Just for Kids! Bubbles, Baby Wipes and Play Dough.

Spiritual Preparedness: A Christ Centered Home.

Click here for a complete July 2013 Back to Basics Newsletter.

June 2013

Another summer is upon us and already we are enjoying luscious fruits. Strawberries, cherries and apricots make their debut first, and soon to follow will be peaches, plums, apples, grapes and pears! The gardens are up and growing and their harvest has also begun. There is nothing in the store to compare with home grown produce! Why not take some time to save some of the summer bounty for a winter day? Home canning, freezing and drying are great ways to expand our enjoyment of our orchards and gardens. It is easy to do, and very satisfying to see a shelf filled with the fruits of our labor. The world around us seems more unstable almost daily. We are so blessed to have the opportunity to provide a sense of peace in our own homes as we are prepared. Preparing for our family to be safe, well fed, and providing a haven from the world around us, is a great way to fill our summer days!  Let the harvesting begin!

Included in in this newsletter:

Home Canning:  tips for canning.

Disaster Prep: 2 Way Radios.

Elevation Adjustments: canning time and pressure chart for elevations.

Emerson Quote.

In the Southern Utah Garden: planting, weeds, pests, fruit trees.

Provident Living: camping, propane, TP, paper towels, windows and newspaper.

Using the harvest: ideas for preserving Apricots.

Spiritual Preparedness: Paul V Johnson Quote.

Click here to download a complete June 2013 Back to Basics Newsletter

May 2013

The month of May is one almost all areas of the world can enjoy. The weather is mild whether you are enjoying spring in the northern hemisphere, or fall in the southern hemisphere.  May Day (the 1^st day of May) has long been celebrated with traditions such as weaving the May Pole, singing, decorations and gathering family and friends. In fact - May 1^st used to be the first day of summer, with the current summer solstice being mid-summer. All these years of celebrations may have faded in many areas, but we still have a joyful feeling as May arrives and brings with it the promise of summer fruits and vegetables, family fun, and traditions that follow the summer calendar. As this May comes and goes, may we keep preparedness a part of the joyful traditions we surround ourselves with. “Being Prepared” will bring more peace and joy into your heart than any May Day Celebration ever would! Make a plan for this summer – and let it begin with this May Day!

Included in this month's newsletter:

     Making Preparedness a Way of Life

     Provident Living: Homemade Cleaners - Pre Wash, Window Cleaner, Febreze.

     Thought for the Month: Our own Welfare  Program

     In the Southern Utah Garden: plnt sensitive plants, weeding and watering the garden, fertilize, spray fruit trees, involve the family.

     Family Preparedness Survey

     Cooking with Food Storage: Chicken and Taco Soup, Basic or Low Fat Pancakes, Maple Syrup.

     Spiritual Preparedness: last days.

     

Click here to download a complete May 2013 Back to Basics Newsletter.

April 2013

April showers bring May flowers…. and a lot of summer and fall harvest from your garden!  We also harvest the fruits of other types of preparedness! Truly we will reap what we sow! Plant a garden and reap the rewards of a family well fed, who knows how to work, and who understands the law of the harvest. Be prepared with a 72 hour kit and reap the “harvest” of peace of mind, blessings for obedience, and something for an emergency.  Learn skills to use in a disaster, and reap peace and safety. What do you need to “sow” in order to “reap” the harvest you hope for? Use this month to add to your preparedness, and be ready to enjoy the bounty it will bring.

Included in this newsletter:

     Use Your Bean!  Information on storing and using beans.

     Provident Living: Homemade Ice Packs

     Spiritual Preparedness: General Conference

     In the Garden - Planting, tomatoes, lawns, weeds, spraying fruit trees.

     Cooking with Food Storage: Disguising beans - pie and muffins

     Vines of plenty: make a grape arbor

     Planning guide for harvest and canning: amounts to plant for a family of 6

Click here for a complete copy of April 2013 Back to Basics Newsletter.

March 2013

Spring has sprung – for a day at least. Seems like March is either the lamb or the lion: winter, then spring, then almost summer! As the days warm and the blossoms pop, we can “spring” into action with a little more effort concerning our preparedness.  Spring brings smells and colors and so much more - to entice us to venture outdoors and – like a kid – dig in some dirt! March is a great month to plant or plan your garden (depending on where you live). This is a great month to invest some time and effort into a summer harvest. Take stock of what you need, and plan accordingly. All preparedness areas are just like planting a garden: there must be planning, time and effort to bring about the “harvest” of that calm and peaceful feeling that being prepared gives us! With the state of the world today, we cannot afford to be un prepared! Even non-religious entities have encouraged at least a 3 month storage of basic supplies. Let’s take this month as a time to “March” into preparedness!

Included in this months newsletter:

     Expanded Secondary Storage: Amounts per person for Staples, Mixed and Packaged Foods, Canned and Dried Foods, Herbs and Condiments, and Other Foods.

     In the Southern Utah Garden: Planting times, Poor Mans Manure, Chart for watering lawns.

     Provident Living: Raising chickens: how many and why.

     Disaster Prep: Anchoring your water heater.

     Spiritual Preparedness: Quotes from Gordon B Hinckley and Ezra Taft Benson.

Click here for a complete copy of the March 2013 Back to Basics Newsletter.

February 2013

February is often called the month of “Love”. We send cards and treats to friends and those we are fond of. It is a time for extra special remembering of one another. What better way to show love for your family than by having those things on hand that are needed to care for our family – be it short or long term. Preparedness is a great show of love to those around you.  The LDS church has talked about how the Lord’s work is being hastened – and many feel a sense of urgency regarding it. May we also feel that urgency in having our pantry shelves stocked, a 72 hour kit stashed safely in a closet, and a plan in place for whatever may arise. This month, let us make sure our preparedness shows our love!

Included in this month's newsletter:

     Emergency Preparedness: 72 hour kit, Other items to have, turning off utilities.

     First Aid Kit.

     Spiritual Preparedness - Gordon B Hinckley.

     In the Southern Utah Garden: planting, pruning, sprays.

     Provident Living: Pine Gum Salve.

     Cooking with Food Storage: Homemade noodles, Pudding from scratch.

     Hot Tips: Do-it-yourself "How To's" online, Free preparedness book, Storing macaroni.

     Thought for the Day.

Click here to download a complete February 2013 Back to Basics Newsletter.

Home Remedies

Our Relief Society in January was called "Healthy Wealthy and Wise". We learned about women's emotions and depression, healthy living, AND home remedies. If you would like a copy of our Home Remedy handout  with "Tried and True" hints and recipes, click here to download a copy!

January 2013

Hard to believe we are in the year 2013. I remember as a child thinking the year 2000 would be space ages with life like the “Jetsons”, and never did I think we would make it this far in the century before the Savior came again. But here we are with grounded cars, and - sadly - a world filled with disasters and tragedies. The most wonderful thing however, is that no matter what evil there may be, like a pendulum swings equal on both sides – there is as much good and righteous in the world to counteract the negative. One of the positive things we have is our ability to prepare for whatever trial may come our way. As we make our “New Year’s Resolutions” this year, let us remember to renew our commitment to being prepared. No one can better take care of yourself and knows your needs better than you! So be proactive this year, and step up the efforts in adding to your preparedness.

 Included in this month's newsletter:

       Wheat: The Staff of Life: Using and Storing Wheat.

       Inventory Challenge: Where are you and where are you going with preparedness.

       Provident Living: Ideas to save money.

       In the Garden: Prune, Prevent, Plan, Plant.

       Cooking with Food Storage: Parched Wheat, Whole Wheat Bread, 
Bottled Wheat, and Wheat Fruit Salad.

       Pruning Tips: Pointers to help you prune fruit trees.

Click here to download a complete January 2013 Back to Basics Newsletter

December 2012

Hard to believe that December has come jingling in! Children everywhere have long anticipated this month and all the hope, anticipation, and excitement that the Christmas season brings with it. Of course, many of us are children at heart and also look forward to this season of giving. This year as we “deck the halls,” we can keep preparedness a part of our Christmas. Whether it is in the type of gifts we give or the “Provident Living” we use as we shop, we can make this a Christmas that is a “Back to Basics”. When pioneers first settled this land, a Christmas orange was a rare treat, and a rag doll was a true treasure. (In my mother’s childhood an orange was still a treat – so much that they ate peeling and all!)  May we keep the true meaning of Christmas foremost in our lives this year and keep our “basics” perspective as we celebrate the birth of our Savior!  Merry Christmas to all, and to the year 2012….Goodnight!

Included in this month's newsletter:

    In Review: a list of what our preparedness should include.

    Provident Living: shine up the house for pennies.

    Live Storage: animals, gardens, sprouts.

   Challenge: skills to be prepared with.

    In the Southern Utah Garden: till leaves, seed catalogs, planning, suggested varieties.

    Reader Tip: cereal bags, emails.

    Cooking with Food Storage: Hot Chocolate!

    Spiritual Preparedness: Christ the center of Christmas.

    Merry Christmas: Ideas for gifts of preparedness.

    Serving Safe Foods: what to watch for in spoilage.

    Resources: some great Oldy-Goldy books on preparedness. 

    

   

Click Here  to download a complete December 2012 Back To Basics Newsletter.

Emergency Preparedness and 72 hour kits

In light of the "Monster Storm" back east, I have had some inquiries concerning the booklet I have put together for Relief Society and Community presentations. In September our community held a preparedness fair and I presented one of the classes on 72 hour kits and emergency preparedness. If you would like a copy of the booklet I put together click on the link below.

Click here for a copy of the Emergency Preparedness booklet.

The booklet content includes: 
Emergency Preparedness; Make a Plan; Family Preparedness Survey; Family Contact Page; The 72 Hour Kit; 72 hour kit list; Custom Fit Your Kit (the Groover, Grab and Go Case, First Aid Kit, Sewing Kit, Car Kit, 24 hour pocket kit,small first aid kit, food pack recipes,  candle and wick recipe, Heat-in-a-can, newspaper logs, fir starter, energy candy and emergency bar recipe); the 72 hour kit vest; Levi Backpack instructions; youth backpack; MRE Info; Water storage and treatment guide; Heat; Other equipment; Earthquake proof gas and water heater; and Emergency Response to Six types of Disasters.

November 2012 Newsletter

November is the month of Thanksgiving.  Hopefully each of us has had a year full of many things to give thanks for.  Take time to “Count your many blessings – name them one by one.” Even if there have been trials this year, the simple act of seeking for things to be grateful for will help us to recognize our many blessings. This year we have enjoyed many things…rains that ended a drought, a bounteous harvest to fill our jars, a job, a home to protect us, our family, a great ward, a nearby temple, and our membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  As we watch the disaster of a Monster Storm play out on the east coast we can find even more to be grateful for. Even in the midst of trials we can find blessings that the Lord sends our way. We show our gratitude to the Lord for all we have by obeying His commandments and by being a good steward over what we have. Let us show our gratitude this month by adding to our preparedness status in any way that we can.

Included in this month's newsletter:

     Cold Storage: expanded storage for the freezer or fridge.

     Hot Tips: November sales, Christmas gifts.

     Emergency: reverse 911.

     Disaster Prep: the 6 P's: have a plan.

     In the Garden: clear garden, water, tools.

     Spiritual Preparedness: Faith.

     Cooking with Food Storage: Bottled Turkey, Turkey Roll-up.

     Provident Living: keep appliances in good repair.

Click here to download a complete November 2012 Back To Basics newsletter.

October 2012 Newsletter

Autumn is here, and with it the season finale of one of the most bounteous harvest we have seen for a long time! Hopefully you were able to take advantage of the abundant blessings from our orchards and gardens and store some up for the winter. What a satisfying feeling it is to see the rows of jars lining a storage room shelf. The more prepared we become, the more we understand the meaning of the scripture, “If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear”. Let us try to be more prepared in all areas of our lives.  Preparedness truly does bring peace.

Included in this month's newsletter:

      Winter Ready: storage items to be ready for winter

      Spiritual Preparedness - gardening our children's souls.

       Hot Tip: fire wood and heat value.

       Thought for the day

       In the Southern Utah Garden: fall chores.

       Apples..The Fall Harvest: tips to use your apple harvest.

       Cooking With Food Storage: Apple Peel Jelly, Applets Candy.

       Provident Living: Halloween Makeup.

Click here to download a complete October 2012 Back to Basics Newsletter.