But as the Days...

The times we live in have been rapidly changing.

When I was a girl bra commercials were new, and the woman(older and well not too attractive) wore a turtleneck shirt under the bra. This was scandalous, but the people tolerated this commercial and now we have commercials that are about increasing sexual feelings, skimpily dressed people advertising everything from cars to vacation destinations.

You see we slowly have been cooking and did not realize that we were even in a pot. This works for frogs, and is working well for us.

How is it acceptable that we have allowed sexual enhancement commercials into our homes? How is it acceptable that we have allowed commercials that increase a woman's "moment?"

Are we too afraid?

Did you pause for a moment and think that I am pathetic?

Children watch TV.

We have allowed those who could care a less about anything but $$$ enter our homes and break down our morals.

Commercials enter our home with soft-porn, sexual disease, alcohol glamorization, the need for men to enlarge themselves, the need for men to "be ready" when the moment is right and with actors and actresses willing to wear as little clothing as possible to be employed.

Oh commercials are what the inner city drug dealer has- a corner on a specific market. We are the addicts- we don't slink over to the dealer, but relax in our home, all the while allowing poison to enter our homes, just for the "fix" of people lying to us(translation- actors and actresses- acting). We are addicted because Hollywood has perfected lying so well- that we believe it.

The times we are living in have been rapidly changing.

We have tolerated the undressing of our society in ever level of life. Women wear shirts that are see through, to high, revealing, or unbuttoned to the navel. No one complained, because- hey she is allowed to wear what she wants. Plus no one wants to be a prude and mention that it makes them uncomfortable to see a woman's breasts- daily, everywhere- old breasts, young breasts, makes no mind to the one who is sharing with us a portion of her birthday suit.

Are we afraid to conceal parts of the body?

Children are exposed to all this-sexual awareness for ones that are not physically mature yet. Why then is this okay? Are we prepping children to be open and more free with their sexuality?


Are we really okay with this?

You see the now next step has happened...and because we have slowly been cooking(or should I say lowering our standards). We have accepted every step of the way, and for fear of being perceived as a goody-goody. We looked the other way at first, then were a bit nervous when exposed to the reductions of our morals...and soon we had forgotten why we were bothered.

Aren't we so progressive as a society? Vegas may be first but this is coming to every city:

It's akin to a small U-Haul truck but with Plexiglas surrounding the brightly lit cargo area instead of walls. In the middle is a gleaming stripper pole. Swinging around the pole is a scantily clad young woman. Two of her fellow strippers are in the back of the truck too, awaiting their turns.

Mobile Strip Clubs. Wow- aren't we so grown up? No longer are children and teens left clueless as to what occurs in a strip club.

For the past 60 plus years our schools have been telling us that we evolved from animals. As I live on a farm I will tell you what has happened. We as a society have gotten the message loud and clear. We rut everywhere, not because of a connection to the other person, but because we are equipped to engage in sex. This is how our buck behaves(male goat). He sees the doe(female goat) and rushes over and mounts her. This is how our roosters act. He sees a hen and rushes over and mounts her. Neither the goat or the rooster hangs around, but rushes off to the next "session."

Matthew 24: 37(KJV)But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

³⁸For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

³⁹And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

⁴⁰Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

⁴¹Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

⁴²Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

⁴³But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

⁴⁴Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

⁴⁵Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?

⁴⁶Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

⁴⁷Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

⁴⁸But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;

⁴⁹And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;

⁵⁰The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,

⁵¹And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

(This is how the days of Noah were-Genesis 6:5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually).

Don't Laugh

When I parked the other day on a trip to town I looked down to the drink holder and this is what I saw:

Prudent Storage

Top items sold in American grocery stores:

1. Carbonated Beverages
2. Milk
3. Fresh Bread and Rolls
4. Beer/ Ale/ Hard Cider
5. Salty Snacks
6. Cheese
7. Frozen Dinners
8. Cold Cereal
   
9. Wine
10. Cigarettes
    

(source) Items in red are items I buy monthly. I do not buy these each grocery visit.

Why is this list bad?

What does this list tell us?

What do you think will happen if the economy tanks?

After seeing this list I realize that we are a society that spends billions of dollars on items that are luxury items. No problem there, but our economic health defies this list above. We are not spending wisely and as the economy continues to nosedive, those people who are not buying "real foods" will suffer immensely. I should note, that based on this list, I believe that most people will suffer far worse than those who lived through the Depression, as times during the Depression were much different. The people who lived through the Depression lived a more agrarian life and for the most part knew how to can, put foods buy, and garden.

One stat I read recently although I cannot locate it, is that only 3% of Americans have a garden that has enough food left to be canned or "put up."

I am not a pessimist, so keep that in mind as I write this: no matter what is reflected in the stock market, we are in a dangerous position as a nation. You can change things for your family- by changing what you buy at the grocery store, and stop frivolous spending. Do not cave this holiday season. Make a list of what you bought last year...and look around the house and see if it is still in use today. Then write a lovely note to the person that received that gift as to how happy the item worked for them(if still in use). If it is not in use, write a lovely note as to why you love/appreciate that person and DO NOT spend anymore money on "stuff."

If you have not been affected by this downturn in the economy, and feel that you have money to spend- think about this-

• is your home paid off?

• is your vehicle paid off?

• are your credit cards paid off?

• do you have any debt?

if you have any of these debts then I suggest you DO NOT spend any money on "stuff" but pay off your debts.

Here is the Double Nickel Farm top ten chart

1. limes, lemons, oranges, bananas
   
2. onions, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, avocados
3. canned vegetables (canned in water with only salt)
4. canned fruits(canned in pear juice or its own juice)
5. dried pinto beans, lentils, honey, peanut butter
6. tomatoes(canned and fresh)
7. butter(real) milk cheese
8. wheat flour, flour, brown sugar
9. pasta(spaghetti noodles, elbow noodles, egg noodles, ramen noodles)
10. ice cream,

I listed multiple items in the ranking as they tie or are the same type of item. Don't forget that the farm provides its own meat, eggs, and some items from the garden, as well as items from the local orchard that I have canned.

This is just a post to make you think. Please do not think my life or my choices are the best for you. I am just hoping that the first list is an eye opener for everyone. If you can't get to the store because of a blizzard, will you be craving cigarettes, but still able to eat? Or will you have ample cigarettes, half a bag of pretzels, three microwave tv dinners, some wine, three cans of mountain dew, half a box of Lucky Charms, two dinner rolls, half a loaf of Sara Lee white bread, and 1/2 a gallon of milk that expires tomorrow? The first list is worrisome as these items I mentioned above will last for a small amount of time. Last winter Kentucky suffered ice storms that resulted of long power outages, and no way to go out based on the black ice and extreme dangerous conditions.

Please put some foods by to hold you over for at least one week. I strongly urge more than that, but one weeks worth of food could be a good start.

For a family of 4 based on food storage calculator(figures below reflect one week of the one year storage on link)

4 pounds of rice
2 pounds of flour
2 pounds of oatmeal
2 pounds of pasta
2 pounds of cornmeal
1/4 pound of honey
3.5 pounds of sugar
1/4 pound of brown sugar
1/4 pound of jams
1/3 pound shortening
1 pint of vegetable oil
1 small jar of mayonnaise
1/4 pound of peanut butter
5 pounds of legumes(dried beans-lentils-split peas)
5 pounds of dried milk
20 cans of fruit
20 cans of veggies
canned chicken
meats frozen
cinnamon
raisins
pudding, cookies, cake mixes(snacks during stressful times make a huge difference)
yeast
popcorn
Water
good to always have on hand some fresh foods, frozen loaf or two of bread, tomato sauce, cream soups such as cream of mushroom, cream of celery, cream of chicken, pickles and spices.

It is always best to have too much food on hand then not enough! In your food storage area keep a menu or recipe file on how to make bread, rolls, tortillas, soups, or casseroles from scratch.

Have a great day, and remember to add to your storage today.

Pallet Projects Photographs

Two days- almost two pens completed.

Here is the first pen we built(mostly Fourth and Bill) I helped but was amazed at my 14 year old daughter and her work ethic.

Momentary pause for curiosity to take place.

The gate made with a pallet and pin hook cut from a piece of rebar. So the pin will not drop it is attached by baling wire.

Close up

Quatro and the back of Ruth


Second pen is two parts. The white pole to the left can close off the back section for a birthing pen. We need to complete the trough and shelter for the front pen, close off the back side of the shelter and we will be finished.

This is Martha... she has always been difficult to photograph.

The cat must know what is going on...this is not Zane Gray, but Jericho-he is our oldest son's cat.(that most likely will always live with us!)

So that is an update on the pallet pens- total cost-$4.00 for the hinges. Everything else is salvaged. We still have a bit to do on the double pen as I said. Tomorrow weather permitting we will build one more pen. As you can see from the pictures we are overcast(although in the low 70's today- and there is a ten percent chance of rain tomorrow--so we most likely will have rain:) We also will cut all the poles to the same height when we have all six new pens complete.

So that was our week, how has yours been?

Pallet Projects

We have been busy building fences and pens in a different area on the property. This is the building of the cow pen that we made in June. Note the tree pole post:

Pallets are free in most communities...they are usually found by asking at lumber yards stores and even building projects.

Here is the back side of the pen

We have planned to move the pens and make the entire back side of our pens pallets and so we can reserve the wire fences for the fronts(where we can see in). The look is a bit rustic, but is cost effective.

The flooding we had this past summer made us realize that we needed to raise coops and barns up about 20" to compensate if we have flooding again. No need to think that we will never have the problems again.

We planned on having this week to do the work utilizing the teens, but one is sick and one is working for a local business, so it is Bill, Fourth, and I ---pace is slower~

I know that many consider nonconformist buildings and construction problems as eyesores...

This man was facing citations for his pallet fence.

We are not building a fence to surround our property, nor are we painting the fence in such a fashion. We also are making the fence more solid by using the poles...yet I find this fence makes me smile. You see we are constantly reminded how to be ourselves, be unique and different, but when one does they are frowned upon. So many of us conform, and have the perfect lawn that we won't walk on- less we ruin it's perfection. We all dress pretty much alike as to not draw attention to ourselves, we color our hair so no one will *know*(wink-wink) that we are aging, and we work diligently with keeping up with the Jones'.

I say step out of conformity.

My Thanks

I love this country. When I see the flag flapping in the wind I still get emotional. Each day that the flag continues to fly over my home I am reminded of those who have made that possible.

To all the veterans of the United States Armed Forces~ thank you.

The Double Nickel Farm is proud that three generations of our family have served or are currently serving in the United States Armed Forces. It truly is the least that a family can do for a land that has given us so much. I say this as the daughter, wife, sister, and mother of the most incredible men that one could ever know.

p.s Son we love you so much

Cartoon from Sixty Years Ago- Pretty Amazing

Click to enlarge

The cartoon on the right is the one that is spot on, even though this was written/drawn sixty years ago. Here are more of Charles L. Ramsay cartoons.