MountainWitch ⛤:flag_bisexual:

She/her cranky pan leftist witch mountain dweller living on the traditional territories of Ktunaxa, Sinixt, Secwe̓pemc, and Sylix first nations. Amateur radio. Beekeeper. Druid of the Birch Grove. Old skills. Ancient rituals. Meet me on the battlefield. ⛤

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npub1erek5ddhn250eq2uylnwwqupxhqmxwr8e89fcdj6u4rfxjc2uwws0t4luh

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Profile Code

nprofile1qqsv3um2xkme428us9wz0eh8qwqntsdn8pnunj5uxedw235nfv9w88gpz4mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerfw36x7tnsw43qgr8205

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relay.ditto.pub

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npub1erek5ddhn250eq2uylnwwqupxhqmxwr8e89fcdj6u4rfxjc2uwws0t4luh

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Last Notes

2026-10-12 23:35:21 GMT

I decided to use my own garlic this year as seed for next year since I have so much. I'm really glad I did because at first glance in my garlic basket, all the heads look totally fine but when I broke down the heads to cloves to sort for planting, I found many that won't last very long. Spent a couple of hours peeling garlic cloves to freeze. I freeze them whole because that seems to make less garlic odour in the freezer than making the minced pucks. Anyway, so glad I have lots for big clove seeds, lots for the freezer and still lots of good ones to leave in heads for now in the pantry. I love roasting a whole head to have with fresh bread out of the oven.
#autumn #TheWheelTurns #garden

2026-08-12 18:27:55 GMT

So, here's the link to the petition to boot Hoekstra out of Canada. #canada #never51 https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-7531

2026-08-12 02:24:16 GMT

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Miss Frowny (Hecate) plotting my demise, no doubt. 😾

2026-08-11 22:59:02 GMT

Even though no fires are currently near where I live, we do have a lightning storm in the forecast and since the fire risk is very high, I put the harnesses on the cats to be able to catch them easier just in case. They hate it of course. This is Freya. She has given up all semblance of dignity and thinks she is only as good as the bucket of junk by the door. 😂 (No, that blue strap is not attached to her, and I realized the harness belly strap should be through the loop on the top and fixed it after I took the photo) My other cat who will not pose for photos when she is mad has perfected frowning... at me. 🙄
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2026-07-17 20:53:05 GMT

Woke up very early this morning to hundreds of lightning strikes right overhead and in the surrounding area. It was bonkers. One sounded like it hit the house (it didn't). Even my cats were freaked and they usually don't care. Now I see there is a fire start across the lake at one of our local repeaters. A small crew is up there now hitting it. Fingers crossed. A repeater tower farther away got burned 2 summers ago and was just rebuilt and back into service this spring. It's perilous up there.
#hamRadio

2026-07-10 18:58:55 GMT

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On advice from 2 different beeks, we are leaving the new hive where they are for a couple of weeks before getting them back to the apiary. They have a levelled base and protection from the yard skunk. Now lets hope they stay put! #beekeeping

2026-07-10 18:56:02 GMT

They stayed the night! I gave them a smorgasbord of food this morning (fondant with extra nutrition, pollen patty and syrup) to help them along and encourage them to stay. I gave them only non-drawn out frames because their little brains are wired to BUILD when they swarm. I hope they are content and stay. We'll sort out the apiary in a few weeks after they have filled out the frames. #beekeeping
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2026-07-09 20:22:33 GMT

Good grief, never a dull moment. So I'm chilling on the veranda thinking about what to have for late breakfast and I hear the bees swarm. FFS. I split the one hive almost 2 months ago. I gave them both second deeps shortly after and honey supers a couple of days ago but did not have time to inspect. Sure enough, they are booming. So, watched the swarm land into my lilac bush about 40 feet from the apiary. High up but not impossible. So after they settled into a cluster, which turned out to be many clusters because lilacs are like that, my SIL went up the precariously perched ladder (REALLY precarious) and cut the clusters all down, some dropped, he managed to hang onto some, but they kept going back up. Finally, he cut the big main branch and walked it down the ladder. I had a deep with frames and foundation waiting on a tarp. There was no room to put the tarp directly under the bush so just off to the back a bit. It was chaos. Bees everywhere. No way to find the queen, just ridiculous amount of bees confused and slightly pissed off. But after a quick call to my inspector/mentor, who had a bit of solid advice, I managed to scoop the bearding and clumps on the tarp in. The rest followed. Crossing my fingers the queen didn't get injured. Waiting for dusk to carry the hive back to the apiary. Phew! So different from the sadness of last year's unattainable swarm.
#beeks #beekeeping #homesteading
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2026-07-06 01:49:49 GMT

These old fashioned Bellflowers, the originals were planted by my mom on this property, and the modern Clematis. They always surprise me every summer. (I had to take a dozen photos of the Bellflowers to find one in focus... must be faeries on them or something) #Bloomscrolling
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2026-06-24 19:50:32 GMT

Garlic scape day. I just made them all into pesto to freeze. Olive oil, lemon juice and salt along with the whole basket of scapes blended until smooth. I didn't put any cheese in because of a family member with dairy issues. I put it all in a freezer bag pushed flat so I can break a bit off when needed for potatoes, pasta, tomato slices or what ever.
#gardenmagic #harvest #midsummer
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2026-06-05 22:26:07 GMT

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@nprofile…056u My biggest problem this year is slugs. We've had a rainy spring and my Gods they are everywhere. They are laying waste to my squash starts. And the green house is full of them.

2026-06-04 21:51:18 GMT

I've got this one Hungarian pepper in a pot. It's suppose to have long black peppers that taste like jalapenos. Very goth. But today I noticed the flowers! They are so pretty!
#gardenmagic
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2026-05-25 20:14:02 GMT

The reality of healthcare in Canada, specifically British Columbia:
My daughter just had a scheduled c-section due to complications that prevented a vaginal birth. She had a midwife, a GP, a GYN, and obstetrician, and her husband all part of the birth process.
The operating room had all the usual medical personnel, including a specialist brought in at the last moment to inspect an unusual circumstance during closing. She received a spinal and was awake for the procedure. She was assigned a two-bed room where her husband was allowed to stay with her the whole time.
The baby was in-room although with constant nursing support so that they could both sleep. Her husband was not included in the meal plan but was allowed to snack on any food in the small kitchen down the hall which was stocked with sandwiches, etc. Her hospital stay was for 3 nights.
She was given extensive breast feeding support, temporary formula supplement for the baby, constant post operative care with pain medication and the baby had all the usual lab tests plus extra for being a small baby. The baby was sent home with a stack of tiny diapers, as well. She has constant followup post natal care and monitoring.
All of this was and is FREE. (even the parking is free at this small town hospital) Everything was included in our healthcare services that is paid for by taxes that everyone pays on a sliding scale. Canada is not broken. Canada is a wonderful place to live.
#Canada #healthcare

2026-05-25 01:05:19 GMT

These blossoms all smell divine and protect my garden Goddess Temple. There is something so magical about white blossoms. They glow in the moonlight.
#bloomscrolling #gardenmagic
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2026-05-21 17:15:00 GMT

Erin Brockovich understands the assignment. https://brockovichdatacenter.com/
#datacenters #fuckai

2026-05-16 04:11:17 GMT

So, I just got on Gander today as a beta tester I guess. Wooo, it's janky. I CANNOT figure out how to post a photo from my phone, and the text on the front page is cut off for some reason. But with us all being Canadian, it's a vibe for sure. I think it will be good.
#GanderSocial #Canadian

2026-05-06 05:08:35 GMT

My bee inspector is so awesome. I was low key freaking out because my double deep hive was completely full of bees but no queen cells even tho the drone cells are abundant and the dandelions are almost over their first flush and it's hot as hell now. I was worried that somehow it wasn't queen-right. But the inspector found that the hive was perfect, and he helped me do a walk-away split. So, in a week I check for queen cells in one of them, and in a month check for new eggs in that hive. He also explained the other possibilities, and how to deal in case something happens to my awesome current Queen. Hail to the Queen Bees and to the lovely experienced inspector that always makes me feel "not dumb"... 🐝 🐝 🐝
#beeks #beekeeping #homesteading

2026-05-03 23:31:12 GMT

I made a grazing bed for the chickens. Grass and dandelions dug up with the sod and roots and transported to the pen. They love it. Now if I can remember to water it until the roots take hold... I want to make another couple as well. I have dreams of a shady green pen for them. There is a plum tree and sprouts all over, a maple, and a spirea shrub all for shade and "hidey" cover. Now I want to get some things growing for them to graze on that they can't wreck.
#homesteading #chickens #garden
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2026-05-01 05:21:51 GMT

The Flower Moon is riding low just under the horizon tonight. The plum blossoms are fragrant, the frogs sing in the swamp. May this Bealtaine night manifest your desires with magic and will. Bíodh sé amhlaidh!
#Bealtaine #Paganism
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2026-04-28 21:48:01 GMT

It's that difficult part of spring where my newly purchased pepper starts just threw a hissy wilting fit when I took the cloches off them IN the greenhouse in the morning when it was at least 6 C. By late morning it was sweltering in there. More hissy fits from everything. So, finally completed the dog-patchiest ceiling vents in a wire hoop poly high tunnel style green house. Not pretty! But functional. Ish. They will leak when it rains but eh. Gotta do what you gotta do. I have an old box fan sitting precariously on a rigged shelf that's blowing well. Strategic screen covered vent openings. I'm so glad I have a garage full of found and gathered "junk" to pick through and use for these projects.
#greenhouse #homesteading #garden #DIY

2026-04-25 03:14:13 GMT

It was so freaking cold last night but in a few days it's going to be hot again. Early this morning I sat in my greenhouse with my coffee and starting planning a re-build. Rat proof, snow load, rigid panels. I will recycle this old dog-patchy one as a winter greenhouse for the chickens. I think they will love having a dry and somewhat warm when- the- sun- is- out space to hang in during the day in the winter.

2026-04-17 21:00:17 GMT

This latest atrocity that everyone is talking about via the CNN exposé was actually exposed by Canada a year ago. This is the 46 minute video describing exactly what it is all about. Yes, I am talking about the g..r.. ape academy. Link to the video in the first comment. This is especially relevant for those that say this can't be real. Oh it's real.
https://www.cp24.com/video/shows/2025/06/03/sleeping-with-the-enemy-w5-avery-haines-investigates/

2026-04-17 03:48:43 GMT

From Ham Radio 24-7 (fb page)
🇨🇦📡 WHEN GOVERNMENTS PULL THE PLUG — HAM RADIO PICKS UP THE MIC.
On March 16th, 2026, Canada permanently shut down Weatheradio Canada. 186 transmitter sites. 50 years of service. Gone overnight. Their replacement? A smartphone app.
But here’s the hard truth that no government app can fix.
When a tornado touches down in rural Manitoba — cell towers fail. When floodwaters sweep through Saskatchewan — power grids collapse. When wildfires cut off northern communities — the internet disappears. And in that exact moment of crisis, the WeatherCAN app becomes a useless black screen.
This is precisely where amateur radio operators step in.
Canadian hams are already organizing severe weather watching networks using IRLP — linking repeaters and stations across entire provinces to relay real-time storm information when every commercial system goes dark. No towers needed. No internet required. No subscription. No outage.
Just trained operators, reliable equipment, and an unwavering commitment to keeping communities informed and alive.
Radio Amateurs of Canada called this closure a serious public safety concern. We agree. Because history proves it every single time — hurricanes, floods, wildfires, earthquakes — ham radio operators are ALWAYS the last ones standing when infrastructure collapses.
When the grid fails — we don’t.
HamRadio 24-7 📡
#HamRadio #AmateurRadio #EMCOMM #WeatherRadio #HamRadio247 #Canada #PublicSafety #ARES #IRLP #WhenTheGridFails #EmergencyComms #GetLicensed #HamLife #RadioAmateur #StormSpotter

2026-04-16 02:32:49 GMT

Chelsea and a hundred others got arrested the other day for protesting against sending Israel weapons. From her instagram:
xychelsea87
nypd arrested me alongside nearly 100 other nyers to demand @senschumer and @senkirstengillibrand vote to block weapons sales to Israel - the horrors of 21st century warfare are viscerally familiar to me - what we do now matters in shaping the arc of history Senators Schumer and Gillibrand have repeatedly green-lit weapons sales to Israel that have been and will continue to be used to devastate the Gaza Strip and the West Bank of Palestine, the southern half of Lebanon, western and central Iran, and seemingly any other portion of the region of their choosing - together we call on both Senators to listen to their constituents and their conscience and block further sales of munitions and demolition equipment to Israel - Join us in our call to action, as in just a few hours, the Senate will vote on blocking shipments of weapons to the Israeli government. Call your Senators now and tell them to fund people, not bombs. Use the call script jvp.org/senatevote
@jewishvoiceforpeace @jvpny photo by @zacharyschulmanphotography
#resist #Gaza #Palestine
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2026-04-14 19:49:04 GMT

Almost all the spots in my greenhouse are planted now. We've been eating spinach, green onions and flat leaf parsley (well those all winter), radishes and little turnips for weeks now.
The hens are picking up the egg laying and the 6 new pullets are now fully integrated and peace is descending on the coop and run.
The bees are good with high quality pollen patties and some syrup to keep them going until all the dandelions and maple buds are out.
The garlic is huge and the shelling pea fence is up, just waiting for a warmer day to plant.
It's hella windy and I lit the fire again today but it feels good and spring-like outside.
The world is in chaos and yet She persists. Southern BC interior is beautiful.
#homesteading #spring #gardenmagic

2026-04-06 04:12:11 GMT

An interesting perspective:
Our Civilization's Disease Has a Name: Windigo
"...A Silent Malignancy Feeding on Itself
What makes this system so difficult to confront is that much of its violence is concealed. In earlier eras, domination was often direct and visible. Today it’s frequently structural, embedded in the normalized architecture of everyday life. The smartphone in your pocket carries within it the suffering of child miners and exhausted factory workers continents away. The tax havens of the ultra-rich quietly drain public wealth from schools, hospitals, and essential infrastructure. Land grabs displace traditional communities while luxury developments flourish in their place. Democracy itself is captured by networks of concentrated power that operate behind the reassuring language of governance and reform...."
https://jeremylent.substack.com/p/our-civilizations-disease-has-a-name?utm_id=97758_v0_s00_e0_tv1_a1demo0eeb6it0&sfnsn=mo
#collapse #capitalism #climateCrisis #ecocivilization

2026-04-05 03:49:32 GMT

This is absolute bullshit. Smith has got to go. She wants to just watch the planet burn.
"... The project is slated to need about 7.5 GW of power when fully built.
That's roughly seven times the amount of electricity generated by the Site C dam in northern BC.
Much of that power is poised to come from natural gas. The company's initial announcements about the project claimed it would use geothermal power and gas. However, emails Canada's National Observer obtained through a Freedom of Information request from the municipality where the project is located suggest O'Leary's company rapidly ditched plans for geothermal power in favour of exclusively using natural gas.
If the project is entirely powered by natural gas and doesn't capture any of those emissions, it will set Canada back 20 years in carbon emissions reductions and wipe out the reductions gained by phasing out coal, according to Will Noel, senior analyst with the Pembina Institute's electricity team.
Wonder Valley's proponents also estimate the centre will use about 24 million cubic meters of water annually — the equivalent of roughly 460,000 people's lifetime consumption.
Court documents filed late last year by the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, on whose territory Wonder Valley is located, note that the nearby Little Smoky River has been placed under a no water withdrawal order in the past. The filing noted that the Little Smoky was Alberta's most overdrawn watershed in 2016, with the Smoky River coming in second-most overdrawn.
The Municipal District of Greenview, where Wonder Valley is located, declared an agricultural disaster last summer because of drought. ..."
https://www.nationalobserver.com/2026/04/03/news/alberta-scraps-environmental-assessment-kevin-olearys-worlds-largest-data-centre
#climateCrisis #datacenter #Alberta

2026-03-31 17:33:04 GMT

Protect trans people.
#TransDayofvisibility

2026-03-25 19:27:41 GMT

I was reading a piece this morning from Australia saying they have many gas stations empty and closed because with the Hormuz thing scaring the hell out of everyone, people are hoarding gas and diesel like crazy, even people that don't really need that much. They are filling up every jerry can, container and bottle they can find in their garage to stockpile it. In a country like Australia, I have to wonder how much of a serious fire hazard doing that is.
And in doing so, shutting down gas stations to those that really need it, such as truckers moving food, farmers trying to use their farm vehicles, and others that depend on it for keeping the country running. I suppose it's happening here in Canada, too but I haven't seen any closures or anything even close to that.
Once again, it's worth noting that prepping and stocking up on essentials only makes sense when it is done thoughtfully and with common sense. Don't stock up on something that will go bad before you can use it while others go without that same thing. It's like filling your fridge with salad while your neighbours have nothing but gruel. Ridiculous.
Emptying and clearing out store shelves in the middle of a crisis just hurts everyone and doesn't help you. Slowly, over time, increasing your stockpile of shelf stable goods, that you actually use and rotate responsibly, to increase your self sufficiency for 3 or 6 months or even up to a year, so that during that crisis you are not a drain on the services that help people that truly cannot prep for one reason or another. It means you are also in a position to help others during that crisis as stronger communities are much more resilient to disaster. The most dangerous thing in a community is desperation of a few. Doing it right is the only solution.
#prepping #GetPrepared #crisis #disaster

2026-03-25 03:27:55 GMT

It was a glorious sunny day yesterday (massive rain again today) so here are pics from the yard yesterday. The snowdrops are by the Garden Temple door. The crocuses were loving the sun and if you look closely, you can see one of my adventurous honeybees in a crocus flower. I wonder if they think they are making fancy saffron bee bread? (I know, not the same kind of crocus but you know...)
#springEquinox #bees #flowers #gardens
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2026-03-23 05:27:05 GMT

I spent most of the damn day trying to find where a random neighbourhood cat sprayed through and INTO the screen on the side of my porch. I scrubbed and scrubbed, could still smell it, scrubbed more, washed down everything on porch, shampooed the rug, scrubbed some more... finally I think I got it. Yeesh. The veranda is gleeming.
I had planned to spend the day planting more veggies in the green house but my back was shot after all that. Yesterday was a glorious Spring Equinox with bright blue sky. I cleaned my garden Temple and burned incense, trimmed a flower bed, fed the bees, and drew up a garden and yard plan for this spring.
I did manage to get one pair of earrings done and posted to my shop. ancientearth.ca
#Canadianwitches #paganjewellery
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2026-03-09 01:23:14 GMT

Here is a tiny little obvious prep which had never occurred to me before but I'm sure lots have thought of it. I always keep painkiller in my little go-basket that I take every time I go in the car (cough drops, mints, cereal bar, gloves, hot shot, hand sanitizer or wet wipes, kleenex, extra phone charger, small hunting knife, extra pair of glasses, small seasonal stuff) I always try to remember my water bottle but can't tell you how many times I've forgotten it and can't swallow a tylenol or ibuprofen without it. The answer is children's chewable. Just check the amount of medicine each tablet has and multiply it to an adult dose. Even if you have water, this works great if you are on a freeway, back is killing you and you can't pull over. (always where it hits me) It's one less thing to fumble with.
#prepping #GetPrepared

2026-03-08 04:51:50 GMT

Tonight is the very last time that we (in my area in BC) will ever have to change the clocks. We are springing ahead for ever! I'm so glad that this ridiculous industrial practice will end. This makes me unreasonably happy.
#daylightsaving #whatever

2026-03-04 19:30:32 GMT

I'm sure most people on here are fully aware I'm as far from christian as you can get. But a lot of folks are dealing with this nonsense and I thought it might be a good thing to pass on for informational purposes.
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2026-03-02 22:04:06 GMT

"The B.C. government says this Sunday will be the last time most British Columbians have to change their clocks.
The province will be permanently adopting daylight time and the March 8 "spring forward" will be the last time change, Premier David Eby announced Monday.
"We are done waiting. British Columbia is going to change our clocks just one more time — and then never again," Eby said."
People are already whining about this not being Standard Time but it's to do with the surrounding provinces etc. We are not an island. Also, who cares. Things will adjust and it will be great. If we didn't have clocks, we would never know. So glad I won't have to run around changing all the timers on things, clocks, etc.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/b-c-adopting-year-round-daylight-time-9.7111657

2026-03-01 00:23:08 GMT

I can think of a couple other regimes that need to be removed.

2026-02-26 05:56:41 GMT

I think I mentioned it before but I make witchy stuff and sell it in my online shop.
ancientearth.ca
#Canadianwitch #witchcraft #Pagan #druid

2026-02-22 19:09:11 GMT

Flights to Puerto Vallarta from Vancouver on Air Canada, WestJet and Flair Airlines are cancelled due to the violence that escalated this morning. There is a shelter in place advisory and basically they are saying hide, stay hidden to Canadians there.
"Jalisco Gov. Pablo Lemus Navarro posted a statement on social media platform X saying that the violence was triggered by a federal operation that unfolded earlier in the day that targeted the municipality of Tapalpa, which sits roughly 300 kilometres southeast of Puerto Vallarta.
"As a result of this operation, individuals have burned vehicles and blocked roads in various parts of the region and other areas of Jalisco to hinder the flow of people."
I have a friend there right now, she is saying the B&B is locked down, the hosts are taking good care of them and seem to know the lay of the land. She said there are quite a few Canadians there right now.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/puerto-vallarta-advisory-9.7101787

2026-02-01 17:20:16 GMT

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@nprofile…056u Where do you get rice hulls? That sounds like a great alternative.

2026-01-27 06:42:51 GMT

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2026-01-24 21:51:25 GMT

Yet again, all the preppers (from Tuesday all the way to hard core) are not the ones emptying store shelves before the storm. Adding food, water, and fuel/energy sources to your stash a little bit at a time all year long, as you can afford and have time for, will see you through any disaster.
Home preserve, shop, forage, trade, barter, buy. If you can food, fill any extra spaces in the canner with water in jars. It stays potable for years, and takes up the same amount of room that empty jars take. Small camp stoves can heat soup up or boil water, don't take much room or fuel. Most people have a bbq these days, propane lasts for many years as long as it's stored properly. Wood stoves are ideal for heat and cooking but even a Buddy Heater will keep one room toasty warm in an emergency.
Any level of preparing in advance helps and once you get into it, have your first little power outage or whatever, you realize how stress free it makes your life. Off-season prepping will get it done for everyone that is able to, and last minute shopping can be left for those that have no other choice.
#prepping #GetPrepared
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2026-01-15 18:19:43 GMT

I've touched on situational awareness before but I want to dive deeper for a moment. Lots is always being said about coming face to face with obvious danger. But the hidden dangers that seemingly come out of no where are, in my opinion, more lethal. I learned to hone situational awareness while travelling alone many times over the years. I've almost never travelled with other people, I'm a loner at heart and it just worked out that way. There are many people that never go anywhere or do anything alone, always have a chatty walking buddy, always someone to help with travel arrangements, always a concert buddy to rely on. Being absolutely alone and having to rely on only yourself for information, safety, and well being is more valuable that you can imagine. Learn to discern your environment and recognize harm, help, potential or immanent danger. Befriending strangers can be an important skill to have, but where acute danger awareness is also paramount. Strangers can save you, they can also end you.
I don't have great hearing. I have ringing in one ear probably due to standing too close to concert speakers as a youngin. I NEVER use earphones either walking, or driving. It is incredibly distracting and muffles not only what you may not want to hear but what you might need to hear as well. There is a reason why the sound of a twig cracking in the distance makes hair stand up on the back of your neck. It is a primal response to being tracked by a predator. Being tracked by a cougar in the wilderness is a horrifying experience. It has happened to me on horseback many years ago... when the forest is suddenly too silent, the birds stop, tiny sounds echo, the horse knows- his ears swivel, his steps dance a bit, his skin shivers a tiny ripple. The message is to get out, now!
Walking down a city street at night, can you hear distant footsteps? Are they synced with your own? Do they stop when you stop? Do they fade away into the dark or almost imperceptibly get closer? This happened to my daughter once in downtown Vancouver late at night. She made it to her door safely by walking down the very centre of the street with her keys laced in her fingers, but was terrified.
Is the car behind you keeping a reasonable distance? Has it followed you for many turns? Are you on a deserted dark road or a well lit city street? Is it about to cut you off by rapidly changing lanes? Is it driving erratically? Coming up too fast? Driver doesn't see you?
Are you in a group of people that suddenly becomes so crowded, a trip or fall could be a trample danger? This happened to me during a Celebration of Lights fireworks display in Vancouver years ago. Suddenly I was in a sea of people shoulder to shoulder as far as I could see. The press of bodies became frightening, hard to breathe and I got out of the throng as quickly as I could by traversing sideways straight into the bushes at the side of the street. In the dark, all it takes is one person panicking or taking suddenly ill to cause widespread panic and crowd surge.
A nightclub where the exits are partially blocked or not clearly marked, way too crowded with people, tables and chairs?
A windowless mall where your directional awareness is gone? Suddenly lost on unmarked streets or forest when the trail disappears? Can you get away from where you are safely?
Have you been in an earthquake that is so rare in your area that you don't know what is happening and can't think of what to do? Have you awakened in the middle of the night and something seems wrong but you can't think what?
The only answer I have for any of this is to practice honing your skills. Be alone, listen, explore, become familiar with your surroundings, and educate yourself on how the survivors lived. Who lived, who died and why.
#prepping #GetPrepared #situationalawareness #civilunrest #war

2026-01-11 17:21:20 GMT

I've seen this going around again so just want to weigh in once more. A microwave oven is NOT a faraday cage. It has some of those properties and blocks some frequencies but is not in any way safe if someone truly needs to hide their device. I tested this out. I had 2 phones that had “find my phone” enabled. While looking at that app, put one phone into the microwave and shut the door. The app went dark for a moment then showed the phone as being across the road from where I was. The signal seemed to be scrambled somewhat but still leaking and the phone was clearly still in the area.
Microwave doors are simply hard a plastic edge laying against another plastic edge. Every microwave is built differently with different assembly quality, price point, age and wear and tear of unit. It simply cannot be relied on to completely shield a device.
This is a faraday pouch. It only works when the top edge is folded over twice and the extremely tight velcrox is fully fastened. The manufacturer of this one even says that with use, the more it is folded, over time, the less reliable the seal is. If your safety or your life is at stake, please make sure you know what you are doing. #TheMoreYouKnow #Prepping
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2026-01-10 06:43:38 GMT

Men are afraid women will laugh at them. Women are afraid men will kill them.

2025-12-30 18:13:27 GMT

Some amazing photos of the Lake Erie seiche floating around right now. None that I can share but if you do a search, you'll find lots. Who knows how long it will last. Very cool and interesting.
#LakeErie

2025-12-30 05:11:42 GMT

I just finished watching "Evenfall", a dystopian post-apocalyptic 7 part series on yt. Highly recommend. It hit all the right notes. Low budget, nearly perfect. Check it out. #Evenfall #dystopian

2025-12-25 22:16:13 GMT

Some deep cold will reach southern BC too, but is forecasted for only a few days. The north has been really getting it. I hope everyone is having a safe holiday out there.
#ArcticOutflowWarning #BCStorm #ExtremeCold #NorthCoastBC #GetPrepared
https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/event/extremecold-22dec25/

2025-12-12 17:34:48 GMT

There is some wicked highway damage on the road from Hope to Manning Park. It's being assessed this morning but beware if you are trying to travel anywhere in southern BC. And as always, make sure you have adequate emergency supplies in your vehicle- water, food, blankets, dry clothes, a way to charge your phone, flashlight, and any other supplies that are appropriate to you, your unique situation and the area you are travelling in. Be prepared, be safe.
#Get Prepared #atmosphericRiver
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2025-12-11 18:44:14 GMT

Some roads are slowly opening back up but the situation is quickly changing by the hour. Open roads might be temporarily closed again for avalanche control. Other areas are still on flood watch as rivers are still rising. Know before you go, check road reports often and be prepared for any eventuality.
#atmosphericRiver #GetPrepared #winter

2025-12-11 06:52:09 GMT

This is what our southern BC map looks like on Drive BC tonight. Yeesh.
#atmosphericRiver #climatedisaster #roadclosures #Rain #flooding #mudslides
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2025-12-11 06:17:19 GMT

All highways linking B.C. Interior to Lower Mainland now closed.
#atmosphericRiver #climateCrisis
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2025-12-11 01:33:34 GMT

So I guess Seattle, south of here, is going through some stuff. This atmospheric river is a nasty piece of weather. It's happening here too, but not anything as bad as there. We had wet snow last night that coated everything, then heavy rain just at the freezing temp so the snow stayed on the trees then broke them. Power was out for 8 hours today. This is why I prep. Genny going for the freezers and fridge, 15 gallons of gas in storage for the generator, campstove going, pantry full of food, wood stove as usual. Power is on now and all is well but the rain has been pounding down the whole day. My chickens are outraged, everything is mud. I spent a half an hour looking for the electric fence ground-out while collecting eggs and topping up their feed. Got the fence going again finally. I really hope it dries out for a few days before the deep cold sets in next week.
#atmosphericRiver #climatechange #climateCrisis #Prepping #GetPrepared

2025-11-26 20:58:18 GMT

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@nprofile…8vq4
Both my mother and my grandmother have written up some of their favourites in the back of this cookbook. I love having their beautiful handwriting.
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2025-11-25 02:03:34 GMT

Well that escalated quickly.
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2025-11-21 22:04:00 GMT

Not sure if it's prepping or not but wow, I got a huge harvest of mushrooms today. I had completely forgot that I planted them in early September. Apparently, if they like where they are, I could get harvests for 5 years before having to spread spawn again. I sauteed them in butter and put them in the freezer. (the ones we didn't snarf down still hot from the pan)
#mushrooms #fallharvest #forestwitch
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2025-11-17 07:32:24 GMT

"Struggle session" has an entirely different meaning when you are out in the muddy chicken pen in the dark without your coat in the rain trying to figure out why the chickens won't go into their house even tho it's pitch dark and the light is on in the chicken house and the auto door keeps trying to close while you are frantically trying to reprogram it by a sketchy head lamp with it's battery dying....
#homesteading 🐔

2025-11-15 18:16:34 GMT

It has been raining here for days now. I'm at the point where I am deciding if I really have to go out, or take one road or another because of the risk of mud and rock slides, standing water hydroplaning risk, etc. This is one good reason why I always have supplies on hand, never run out of essentials, and make sure I'm prepared for weather events. The mountain passes have snow and many accidents every day, and going almost anywhere outside of my immediate area involves travelling over a mountain pass. The worst situation is a sudden drop in temperature on a wet road which turns to black ice, a common occurrence around here. Keep apprised of the weather trend, but also the radar maps, the direction of storm winds etc. because sometimes the weather models are wrong or slow to update.
Be ready to adjust your plans and plan ahead. I'd rather err on the side of caution than end up in the ditch at dusk on a country road.
#Beprepared #prepping #winteriscoming #countryliving

2025-11-08 22:13:27 GMT

"In a world saturated with data, algorithms, and stories told by those in power, what does it take to truly unlearn the narratives that shape us? Chelsea Manning has lived at the fault lines of secrecy and truth, obedience and conscience, isolation and community. In this powerful keynote, she shares how her journey—from classified military intelligence to public whistleblowing to life as a network security advocate—has been defined not by what she learned, but by what she had the courage to unlearn.
Through personal stories and hard-won insights, Chelsea explores how dismantling the myths we inherit—about safety, control, identity, and technology—can open space for new, more liberating forms of knowledge. She challenges us to re-imagine the internet as a place that serves people rather than power, where openness is a practice, not a slogan, and where creativity thrives alongside accountability.
A World of New Learnings is both a cautionary tale and a call to action: an invitation to let go of the certainties that no longer serve us, to see clearly the systems we participate in, and to consciously build futures rooted in empathy, transparency, and collective care.
---
Chelsea E. Manning is a technologist, data scientist, and security consultant based in Brooklyn, New York, known for her expertise in security and artificial intelligence. Manning works directly with journalists, activists, and civil society organizations on digital security projects and advocates for industry-wide adoption of ethical guardrails in machine learning, arguing for accountability standards akin to those in medicine and law as AI systems increasingly shape public life."
On November 9th.
https://www.youtube.com/live/BTrAzGu6Fu8
#ChelseaManning #keynote #MozillaFestival
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2025-10-28 01:06:40 GMT

Ryan Hall is covering this live on youtube right now. It just keeps getting worse and worse.
#hurricaneMelissa
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2025-10-26 17:47:05 GMT

Look at the shape of this thing. I hope everyone in Jamaica is ready, prepped and stays safe.
#hurricaneMelissa
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2025-10-17 19:08:23 GMT

The weather forecast here is "heavy rain with typhoon remnants". Very accurate. Rain and wind but on and off. I started the generator this morning, making sure it's running well. Cycled some older gas into my car and bought 3 gas cans of fresh gas for the winter. I guess I should pay attention to the snow blower fairly soon as well. Winter is rapidly approaching it seems.
#prepping #GetPrepared #CountryLiving

2025-10-12 05:32:19 GMT

Yesterday I pulled a folded tarp off my little trailer thinking I should spread it out and secure it for the season... a very unreasonably annoyed bee came flying out of the tarp and slammed me at high speed, butt first of course, right in the middle of my forehead. Now, since I've been a beekeeper, I've only been stung 3 times, each an escalating swelling situation which makes me jealously side eye beeks that go gloveless or even veil-less, the jerks. So, I staggered over to some scraggly dried out lawn, (we've had drought) and try to find a plantain leaf that isn't gross and bug chewed, while the pain in my forehead escalates. Eyes watering, I stuff a questionable leaf in my mouth to chew while running back to the house to find a mirror to check if the stinger is still there. It is. And a large chunk of bee still attached, rest in peace ya wee beeatch. Scrape it off and glob on the chewed green wad of leaf. Lessens the pain fairly quickly, but too much time had passed. I knew it. I glugged down some no-name benadryl that wasn't quite expired yet and hoped for the best. My nose hurt later. Like actually hurt, like I had run into the wall. It felt like someone lobbed a 2x4 at me, smack in the face. My cheeks felt bruised. But it LOOKED ok, just painfully tender and slightly swollen. Fast forward to day break this morning. I pried one eye open to a slit, stumbled to the loo and low and behold, walnuts had grown under each eye, and one in the centre of my forehead. Strangest thing tho, the intense pain was mostly gone but the swelling was a thing to behold. I crashed around in the kitchen making coffee, dropping things until it seemed to get better on account of my mostly upright stature. Then, by the afternoon, the swelling starting sinking to my jaw. It was like one of those Black Mirror episodes where your reflection in the mirror changes while you're looking. Later it was better, although my daughter said it looked like a botox job gone very wrong. I am almost ready for bed now, it still feels weird to squint but my face wouldn't scare a young child any more. I am, however, thankful that I didn't get stung in my mouth or on my throat. I could have been writing this with much less fondness to the wee girls, from a hospital bed.
#beekeeping #beeks #homesteading #countrygirlinjury

2025-10-07 23:33:18 GMT

Frustrating thing I'm seeing more and more: people of a certain age being all “oh I can't watch the news , it's just all bad, I don't go on social media, it's all crazy, I stay away from all of it”, then they have no idea about the issues of our current times. They don't know what “land back” means, they don't know why immigrants are not the problem, they don't have a clue about Trans people, they have no idea why they have white privilege or what that even means, they don't understand the problem with billionaires, they can't wrap their head around the deeply urgent issues of climate change and energy use. They are wildly uninformed and uneducated and yet have a shit fit when I try to explain these issues to them. This is why I've been in a bad mood for 40 years. (and before anyone asks... I am “of that age” so there is no excuse)

2025-10-06 21:31:29 GMT

Getting the greenhouse ready for winter by stowing the shade cloth, putting the sides down and securing, and planning to make the raised beds one log deeper. Still hoping these last paprika peppers get red, the white sage loves it in here and the silly 8 ft tall cherry tomatoes are blooming again even tho the pollinators are mostly finished for the year.
#harvest #homesteading #homegrown #WinterIsComing
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2025-10-01 21:28:33 GMT

It may seem like a little thing, but this is a huge win for me. I struggled to get these peppers to germinate, struggled to keep them alive, struggled to wait for them to turn red, struggled to get them to dry properly because each time the dehydrator stopped, they would soften, but finally.. ta da!! Homemade paprika!! Spicy and delish. Hope the rest of them in the greenhouse have time to turn red.
#harvest #homegrown
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2025-09-30 04:20:12 GMT

This is my statement for truth and reconciliation day. Let indigenous people speak for themselves. Listen to their stories in silence. Strive to hear and understand. Don’t rush in to speak for them, never speak over them. Don’t rush to pronounce yourself an ally. If you truly are an ally, they will know and it is only them knowing that is important. Support indigenous businesses. Use the products they sell in good faith. And here is what I truly believe: The movement, immigration and settling in new lands is a human trait, it has always happened. However, all those years and centuries ago, the explorers and settlers to the Americas should have integrated into the indigenous cultures instead of trying to force the indigenous to live like the settlers. We should have been absorbed into their culture, the earliest settlers should have accepted the indigenous teachings of their ways, showing them how to live in this new landscape. Our ancestors should have learned about the land and the nature from the people that had been living it for thousands of years. It is my deeply held belief that all of our lives would be the better for it.
#truthandreconciliation #canada

2025-09-30 03:16:58 GMT

Restoring salmon populations is integral to the entire Pacific salmon ecosystem and the communities of the area. It's happening.
https://www.ktunaxa.org/the-salmon-are-coming-home-historic-return-to-the-columbia-river/
#ecorestoration #salmon #firstnations #columbiakootenay

2025-09-05 18:14:03 GMT

The work is never ending during a good fruit year but so worth it to have all this shelf stable food for the winter. This week I've done green relish (2 kinds), apricot jam, apricot marmalade, apricot sauce, peach salsa, canned peaches, plum sauce plus frozen plums, dehydrated pears, canned pears, canned tomatoes, and now I am onto the apples. Have a turkey roaster full of apples to make applesauce and apple leather. Still working on the last of the pears as well. (There are a half dozen giant zucchinis side eyeing me, too.)
Taking tonight off to go see a local music event. Then back to it tomorrow.
#gardenharvest #summertime #FoodPreservation #LocalFood
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2025-08-21 03:20:30 GMT

"If you’ve ever worried about how we could possibly thrive after everything the world is throwing at us from pandemics to climate change, this is for you. Sprinkled with nerdy nuggets of seismology, quantum entanglement, and temporal uncertainty for extra seasoning. But goats eat everything, right?..."
I have known Sophia for years. This is her new book People of the Rock. Such a great read. It gives us a wonderful vision for a livable future after a total collapse. It's funny, it's sci-fi, it made me cry. Take a break from doomscrolling and get yourself People of the Rock.
https://sophiakelly.ca/
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2025-08-08 19:21:05 GMT

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@nprofile…92y4
I've ordered incense from Glastonbury, UK (and that town is WAY out there) on a Monday night and received it Friday morning by Canada Post to rural BC. I've also had a friend send me something (paper in an envelope) from California and it took 3 and a half weeks. 🤷‍♀️

2025-08-07 21:38:52 GMT

My oven is broken and I was dying for a pumpkin spiced something. I have a big counter top turkey roaster so I figured.. ha! I also wanted to make it so my daughter could eat it so I created a gluten and dairy free cake using certified gluten free rolled oats:
Dry:
4 cups of freshly pulverized oats into flour (measure after you take it out of the blender)
2 cups unrefined organic cane sugar
1 tsp each of cinnamon and freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp each of whole allspice smashed in a mortar and pestle, and salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
Wet:
2 cups of pumpkin puree (from the freezer from last year's jack o' lantern)
1 pint of home canned applesauce (trying to use up last year's)
1/2 cup of oil
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
Mix all together really well then let sit for a few minutes to hydrate the oat flour.
I put this into an angel food pan because it fit well on the rack inside my turkey roaster but wow, did it take a long time to bake, at least an hour and a half or longer. I was testing it every 10 minutes for the last 40 minutes or so at 350 degrees. Next time, I will bake it in a 9 x 13 instead, which also fits in the turkey roaster. It makes a very soft, moist, crumbly cake. We have been devouring it this afternoon. It would be amazing with cream cheese icing... but dairy... so it is unadorned.
#gardenharvest #homecanning #TurnTheWheel #Lughnasadh
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2025-07-10 19:52:40 GMT

Sophia is a member of the pagan community in BC. She is a lovely person. You can support her by pre-ordering her new book. Queer AND Pagan! What could be better?
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sophiakelly/people-of-the-rock-hopeful-queer-time-travelling-love-story/
#QueerAuthor #fantasy #Pagan #Lesbian #Queer

2025-07-10 00:45:08 GMT

The day before yesterday my hive swarmed into a tree on the other side of the fence, at least 60 feet high. NO WAY I could reach them. All I could do is watch them from my sundeck, (cried a little) for 25 hours they hung in that tree. I stopped watching them, went on with my life. Then today, I'm suited up whippersnipping around the remaining hive. And lo and behold, the little stinkers had occupied the next box over, one of my dead outs from last winter that I haven't had a chance to get to. My partner said they just had to "redo the kitchen and bath" before moving in. LOL. I can't be 100% certain it's the same swarm because I didn't see them go in, but I'm fairly sure as there were no bees in that hive when the others were swarming. I have given up second (or third) guessing what the wee girls will do. Carry on little ones. Carry on.
#beekeeping #emotionalrollercoaster #homesteading

2025-06-24 20:20:17 GMT

Zero emissions, uses 70 to 90% less energy for engine size, nearly undetectable wake, up to 30 knots -- this new ferry in BC is a beauty.
#environment #transportation #renewableenergy
https://www.squamishchief.com/local-news/bcs-first-flying-ferry-makes-waves-at-the-squamish-oceanfront-10853483

2025-06-22 03:10:25 GMT

"Canadians looking for fun and safe alternatives to US travel this summer are being encouraged to travel within Canada, book a trip to a European country, or simply stay home and pop in a copy of Grand Theft Auto V. " (it was the only quote in the article that wasn't swear-y 😂"
#thebeaverton
https://www.thebeaverton.com/2025/06/canadians-travelling-to-the-us-advised-to-not-fucking-do-that/

2025-06-21 03:33:51 GMT

"As the BC Wildfire Service expands its night-time firefighting helicopter fleet, Transport Canada has also given another angle of high-tech attack a go-ahead.
In a video shared to social media, BCWS announced that it was expanding its night-time capacity from two helicopters up to four, split between smaller scout helicopters carrying officers with night-vision equipment and larger ones with belly tanks for water. ..."
#wildfires #Canada #NightVision
https://www.vernonmorningstar.com/home/night-fighting-helicopters-and-drones-coming-to-battle-bc-wildfires-8084567

2025-06-11 00:36:36 GMT

"Prime Minister Mark Carney raised a Pride flag on Parliament Hill Tuesday to kick off a month-long celebration of sexual and gender diversity while saying there's a brewing "backlash" to these sorts of celebrations and federal money is needed to help make 2SLGBTQ+ parades safe this year.
Speaking to a couple hundred MPs, senators, political staffers, community activists and others gathered on Parliament Hill for the occasion, Carney said there's been progress in the struggle for equal rights for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and trans people but the community is still in a sometimes "precarious" position.
"One of the strengths of Canada is recognizing that people can be who they want to be and love who they want to love. The federal government — we are the defenders of those rights," Carney said...."
#pride #Canada
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/carney-pride-backlash-1.7557360

2025-06-09 16:42:16 GMT

The in-depth snow and water summaries of BC. As always, climate change is complicated, and clearly, we have a problem.
#climatechange #BCWildfires #GetPrepared
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/air-land-water/water/river-forecast/2025_jun1.pdf

2025-06-08 02:04:43 GMT

I just read this interesting article about the lessons of resistance as told in The Handmaid's Tale. I have never really been a proponent of either violence OR non-violence but that comes from the privilege of living in Canada which has been a stable country my whole life. I watched this series more as entertainment than with critical analysis but this article has me thinking in light of the past few days events and the turn of events tonight in L.A.
https://wagingnonviolence.org/2025/05/the-handmaids-tale-lessons-resisting-authoritarianism/
#resist

2025-06-03 02:46:45 GMT

I've got this skunk issue. I'm trying to not relocate or harm the skunk because I've got this rat issue. The rats are eating my broccoli plants. For the time being I'm giving up on the broccoli. The skunk is trying to eat my honeybees (and maybe the rats? .. I dunno). I looked out my bedroom window at 4 am the other morning, it was just first light, and there was this luxurious skunk that has been living under a shed on my property for, apparently, a few years now, snuffling around getting into things and messing with some unused bee equipment I have sitting in the back yard. I mean this skunk is a beauty. Soft and fluffy looking, not a hair out of place. Awfully proud of his very large tail. Leaving a trail of odeur. Little shit. So, I rolled up some flimsy chicken wire and put it in front of my (one!) beehive and rolled some more and stuffed it under the hive support too. It will really be a hassle for skunky-poo to do anything to the hive now. Hopefully he will work on the rat issue for me. I may have to re-visit the wire deterrent later. We'll see. (there is also an ant issue. I wonder if skunks eat ants....)
#homesteading #arg

2025-05-31 17:31:24 GMT

I had a chance to grab some used shade cloth that would have been discarded. I was worried it was going to be too "shady" but everything seems to love it so far. Easier to keep things watered. I put tomatoes in pots this year for more flexibility depending on what kind of weather we get.
#greenhouse #homesteading #gardening
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2025-05-31 00:09:27 GMT

I continue to be utterly appalled at the ignorance, uneducated opinions and disgusting bigoted comments on the information posts that are giving out details about the terrible wildfires in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. No you utter morons, “they” are not starting fires to burn out “everyone” and move immigrants in, no the magnitude of these fires is not due to “arson”, the cause is climate change. It does not matter at all HOW they start, there are hundreds of little fires started for dozens of difference reasons all the time all over the place. The difference is that in horrific drought conditions coupled with high winds, the fires cannot be quickly put out as is usually the case. The fires grow into the monster that feeds itself and changes the local weather right at the fire and become impossible to stop. This used to happen occasionally in smaller areas. Now it is half the damn country and all around the planet facing these conditions. This is CLIMATE CHANGE. Climate change is caused by burning fossil fuels, not by lizard people, the homeless, immigrants, leftists or any other scapegoat spouted about. Now if y'all had listened to us decades ago when we were telling you that developing other ways of making energy might be a damn good idea, we might be pumping a fraction of the greenhouse gases into the atmosphere right now instead of this absolutely hellscape we have.
The absolutely BEST prep you can do is not let your family, friends or neighbours get away with saying this crap and spreading this nonsense. Tell people what is happening and why. I don't know if it's possible to stop this insanity now but if there is going to be a future on this planet, we have to encourage and support the engineers, the scientists, the inventors to keep finding and improving on better and cleaner sources of power. Meanwhile the rest of us need to use less energy, any way and every way we can.
#climatechange #wildfires #Canada #prepping #GetPrepared

2025-05-14 23:17:12 GMT

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@nprofile…rznx
All across Canada there are land matching programs to help connect people with land that can't farm it with people who want to farm but have no land.
Even in downtown Vancouver people are using boulevards for gardens in a community capacity, sharing the space, looking out for each other and combining resources.
There are also roof top gardens in many areas and tons of information on how to get started with all of these ways to grow food.
But obviously my posts are for people that have a front and/or backyard whether lawn or whatever, but don't use it for anything or plan to "sometime". I live in a rural area where most people, even renters have access to some gardening area.

2025-05-14 05:17:44 GMT

Climate change is here now and it is hot, thirsty, windy and dangerous. And how it affects growing food is significant. Over the years, I've seen a lot of comments like “I know HOW to grow food, I just don't need to right now” or “yeah, when SHTF I'll be out there putting in a garden and hunting”.
Listen. If you aren't gardening right now, you don't know how to garden. I've been gardening my whole life and every year it changes, the climate changes, the zones change, the air moisture, humidity, wind, plants and soil water needs, changes in what varieties will do well in more heat, less water and humidity, length of growing season, - every aspect of growing food is rapidly changing and you need to adapt.
You will be lost in the weeds – no pun intended – if you don't start right now (better yet years ago unfortunately) to learn the basics and understand how climate change as well as other factors such as animal movement and migration, insects and pollinators, birds, rodents, and troublesome bugs affect your ability to make the most of your available growing space. Plant diseases are more troublesome as the planet warms up and the zones move north, along with fungal diseases, harmful insect migration, invasives, predators and prey.
Seed germination and viability seems to be becoming an issue the last few years. I'm not sure if it's supply chain, dishonest corporation practices, lack of expertise or what, but it is getting weirder. A couple of years ago we had pepper-gate (massive numbers of mis-labeled seed packages mainly with pepper varieties but also squash and other vegetables). This year has been a challenge to get kale and some lettuces to germinate for no apparent reason.
Last year we had a very late spring deep freeze which took out many kinds of fruit trees in BC. There were few locally grown soft fruits such as peaches to be had. So far this year, the blossoms are showing promise, so here's hoping.
The point is, grow food RIGHT now while you can learn and also have a monetary buffer while learning, during failures and while grocery stores have fully stocked shelves. During a societal collapse is not the time to find out that your soil is severely lacking in a necessary nutrient or that your growing zone won't support your stable foods or that the rats will eat you out of house and home. Learning how to deal with all of these issues now and sourcing out possible solutions in your local area while becoming familiar with typical ups and downs builds resiliency in your future security.
#prepping #GetPrepared #homesteading #smallfarm #backyardgardens #victorygardens

2025-05-08 03:55:00 GMT

"We’ve crushed fascism before and we’ll crush it again"
Credit: @ledbydonkeys
https://youtu.be/lw4ZjhOukwU
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2025-05-08 02:54:20 GMT

PM Carney understands the assignment.
#politics

2025-05-02 04:11:57 GMT

After Hurricane Helene tore through the region last fall, a resilient community came together to bring it back to life.
By Barbara Kingsolver (article in Southern Living magazine)
https://www.southernliving.com/barbara-kingsolver-on-heart-of-appalachia-11719582
#climatedisaster #community #appalachia

2025-05-02 03:56:55 GMT

Letter to the dingbat. I mean, obviously.
#CanPol #Never51
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2025-05-02 01:53:17 GMT

"Tuesday" has hit Tumbler Ridge:
Wildfires cause communication outage across Tumbler Ridge
“Communications are down in all of Tumbler Ridge due to wildfires,” the post reads. “This includes cell and traditional internet services, so please take care and plan accordingly. Many businesses in town are cash-only.”
https://energeticcity.ca/2025/05/01/wildfires-cause-communication-outage-across-tumbler-ridge/
This is why we prep. #GetPrepared #Prepping #TuesdayPrepper #AmateurRadio #hamradio #hamr

2025-04-30 21:40:38 GMT

Sometimes the tiniest plants and flowers hold the greatest secrets. Bealtaine Blessings from my yard to yours.
#Beltane #witchcrafting #witchthings
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2025-04-20 20:35:50 GMT

Getting training when the fire is roaring towards your house is a bit late to the game. If you are able to do this work, train now. Many places around are offering training such as this one.
https://cfjctoday.com/2025/04/20/tnrd-reports-lots-of-interest-from-community-groups-seeking-grant-funding-for-wildfire-training-ppe/
#GetPrepared #wildfire #climatedisaster

2025-04-17 21:38:48 GMT

If you intend on saving seeds, now is the time to start planning it.
Saving seeds is very satisfying because it’s like getting free food. After the harvest for bought seeds, you have used the monetary value. When you save seeds further on, it’s all free.
Make sure you are saving seeds from open pollinated plants, not hybrids. If you can get hybrids to germinate, the resulting plant may not resemble what you expected to get. This is especially true for things like squash. So, be aware of this when purchasing seeds for future seed saving.
You can try saving any seed but my favourite seeds to save are the following:
Peas- there are always pea pods that got missed in the harvest and I pull the plants, hang them in a dry spot and when the lingering pods have dried, shell them, leave them to dry further on a baking sheet then jar and label.
Scarlett Runner beans- these are easy to let a few get too big to eat and they are well able to be germinated the following year. Be sure to pick the seed pods before a hard frost so as to not damage the seeds. The best seeds are the huge purple mottled ones that release without hesitation from the pod when the pod is split open. Be careful to not accidentally slice the seed with your fingernail when opening the pod. Dry the seeds on a sheet then store in a jar. Use the same the method for other bean varieties such as black turtle beans.
Dill, fennel and onion- these all will go flying off the plant when they are fully ripe so JUST before that, I pick them and put them into paper bags, then you can catch the seeds as they fully ripen and fall from the plant. Otherwise, they just reseed all over the ground which is fine but you have to move them to where you want the plants in the spring.
Garlic- the key to saving garlic for seeds is in the harvest. Garlic is picky to harvest so that it lasts in the pantry until the following year. I pick the scapes when they have done 2 full circles but not yet begun to uncurl again. Then, stop watering the garlic 2 weeks before harvest, so the paper covering has a chance to develop. Hang them in loose bunches out of the sun in a breezy spot outside until they are very dry and the green tops are all brown. Then, trim the roots, and store inside in a cool, dry breezy spot. Choose the heads with the largest cloves to plant later that year a couple of weeks before the ground freezes just so they can develop roots but not grow up out of the soil.
Marigold, Nasturtium, Coreopsis, Morning Glory-(NOT wild bindweed)- these flower seeds are all easy to save, just don’t deadhead the tops you want to save for seeds and wait until they are very dry, gently pull the seed heads into your palm and carefully rub the seeds from their casings. Make sure they are fully dry, then jar and label.
Carrot, Beets, Parsnips- the seeds from these plants don’t develop until the second year so you have to leave your desired plants in the ground and let the plant grow again in the spring. Then, let the plant go to flower and save the seeds from that. You usually will need to save many more seeds than you think you will need because the germination rates are a little lower for these plants.
Potatoes- You can just let a few missed ones grow the following year but this does not allow for crop rotation and often the missed potatoes are small and don’t make good plants the following year. Save some perfect undamaged large potatoes until the following spring. Chit them, that is let the seed potatoes sprout a tiny bit in the light before planting them. Most storage potatoes will have started to sprout in the spring anyway. I have found that planing the whole potato and not cutting it into separate eye/sprouting sections results in a bigger and more robust plant. Keep in mind that buying and planting certified seed potatoes does help prevent potato diseases from persisting year to year.
Sunflower- make sure you let them fully ripen on the flower head so the seeds come off with only a gentle coaxing.
Walking or multiplier onions- these are great, they do their own thing but have to be re-situated as they will end up where they want.
Plants to be wary of: mustard, common oregano and mints, will all end up taking over your yard with no help from you. Be aware of this if you want to grow these plants.
#gardening #homesteading #gardenmagic #prepping

2025-04-15 01:53:43 GMT

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@nprofile…vnpj @nprofile…qt79
Soil blockers are available all over now, usually big garden centres will have them. The tray is just the regular kind of seedling tray but without holes on the bottom so you can bottom water the blocks. Mine have the big clear domes that go over them to keep them from drying out and also keeps the cats out when they are still in the house.

2025-04-14 05:21:19 GMT

Blessings of the Pink Moon
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2025-04-07 00:22:06 GMT

I think the best garden purchase we made last year was this soil blocker. They are kind of expensive but since it is stainless steel, one and done. It eliminates using the thin individual little plastic things that break down and die in a couple of years then end up in the garden soil and in the landfill. I got these heavy duty trays to put them in, so they can be bottom watered. They should last a good many years. After the trays are done, by then we should have the wood shop built and I can make wooden trays to hold the soil blocks. These are the cabbages I have started in the greenhouse. It will be so easy to just pop them into the garden when they are big enough. I'm impressed by how well the blocks stand up to being sprinkle watered from the top. I used a bale of Pro Mix BX general purpose growing medium for the soil. It holds shape really well. Eventually, I will have to use homemade compost mix but for now this works great.
#gardening #homesteading #tools
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2025-04-06 01:20:48 GMT

Look how gorgeous this cranberry farm is in BC. You can order online, free shipping after $90 in BC. Now this is Made in Canada.
https://www.riversidecranberries.ca/gallery
#buyCanadian #Canada #food

2025-04-05 20:25:04 GMT

Ethical Wildcrafting
Wildcrafting, another name for foraging, is gathering materials usually herbs, plants or fungi that are grown naturally instead of cultivated to use for food, medicine or arts and crafts. Wildcrafting goes back to the beginning of time and it is only recently in the human time span that agriculture and cultivation are used over wildcrafting to produce food and medicine. Many of us are returning to the old practices of hunting/gathering to either supplement our lives or in some cases, as a total lifestyle. However, when wildcrafting is done without care or knowledge, it can cause harm to our environment as well as ourselves. Here are a few tips and ideas to make your wildcrafting experience safer and more enjoyable for you and the nature you inhabit.
Where
If you can’t forage on your own property, either you don’t own any or it’s too small, then you will have to head out into the wilderness. I live in an area surrounded by mostly empty mountainsides, meadows, and riparian areas but many people do not have access to areas that are this untouched by humans. So, it is important to know about a few safety issues to make your experience one that you will want to repeat as well as keeping the areas you frequent healthy and abundant for future years.
Stay in common land areas away from polluted water, polluted ground or heavy air pollution. Ditches by roadside can have spilled oil, asphalt runoff, litter and garbage, herbicides and also bio-hazards like used toilet paper, etc. Also watch for agricultural runoff, both animal and plant agriculture usually use high levels of synthetic fertilizer and other contaminants that you don’t want in your foraging.
Do not wildcraft on private land without owner's permission… you don’t want to be chased away at gunpoint. Stay away from railroad tracks which are regularly sprayed with herbicide and are also private property and dangerous to be close to.
When far out in the wild, away from human settlements, watch for wild animals that might be protecting their territory, their dens, young or recent kills. All of these situations are very dangerous to be nearby. Always carry bells, talk or sing loudly and consider carrying bear spray if you live in bear territory.
Know Your Plants
I can’t stress enough how important it is to learn the plants in your area. Get a good book and make sure it is an academic publication on plant identification that includes safety information regarding each plant. It is best to have more than one publication and cross reference them so that if you discover contradictory information, you know that you will have to do more research to be truly safe. Many plants used for medicine have different parts that are used, where some parts may be toxic, and certain ways of preparing them safely. Find out what the poisonous plants are in your area and STAY AWAY from them. Be especially aware of look-alike plants that can be easily mistaken. There are quite a few plants and fungi that are very dangerous to ingest, ranging from immediate poisoning to slow long term organ damage. You want to know what these plants are and how to definitively identify them. There are many look-alike plants that can be deadly while others are non-toxic or edible, and others that are not necessarily toxic but are still unusable. After you have done extensive research at home, and know what you are looking for, get a good field guide with colour photos to take along with you and always keep with your wildcrafting gear.
Choose a few well known and easy to identify plants to get started and create a relationship with these plants. Learn what they look like in each season, when they are healthy or struggling, and where they are abundant enough to harvest. Learn as much as you can about them, how to pick, preserve, and create with them. Establish a small base of a few plants and as your experience grows, add one or two new ones at a time to widen the scope of your preferred wild craft plants. Go slow and don’t try to cram too much information into your brain at one time. Learning plants can take a lifetime so go slow and enjoy the journey.
How Much and How
Never take more than 1/3 of any given plant but usually much less than that. A few sprigs, leaves or branches from each plant will not harm the plant and leave plenty behind for other foragers both animal and human.
Never cause permanent damage to plants or trees such as carelessly ripping out roots or pulling resin off bark, ripping some of the bark off in the process. The bark protects the tree from insects and disease. Never EVER rake the forest floor to gather mushrooms. This is a terrible practice that damages the delicate ecosystems of the fungus and the surrounding area. Plus it is just downright disrespectful.
Give Thanks
Remember to carefully intuit the area you are crafting in. Is it a healthy environment or is it struggling? Ask the plants if it is okay to harvest in an area and be still so that you can truly hear the answer. Leave an offering of something like a splash of clean water by the bottom of the plants, and a few words of thanks. Never leave anything that is not organic or biodegradable. Never leave candle stubs, out of area plant matter, plastic or any substance that would not naturally be found in the area.
Learn
You can learn how to dry, distill, tincture, infuse, make salve, teas, and use in food for both medicine and culinary use. Be careful of allergies- I learned this the hard way. I put a little cottonwood resin on my skin because I love the scent and that resulted in an allergy reaction that lasted more than a year and left me highly sensitive to other substances. After you have gone to all the hard work of gathering and harvesting, you don’t want anything to spoil or go to waste. Learn about the different oils for infusing, alcohols for tincturing, drying methods, and storage. Always use fresh or fully dried plant material for tinctures, tea or infusing. Some plants give off a toxin when they wilt, as a defence mechanism, but that disappears when fully dry in most cases. Livestock have been poisoned by eating wilted leaves of pin cherries, etc. It is best to assume this might happen and to only use fresh or fully dried. Again, know your plants really well before gathering or using anything.
#wildcrafting #witchcrafting #foraging

2025-04-05 02:13:04 GMT

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@nprofile…wuyc @nprofile…9uzw
And this:
https://www.tiktok.com/@save.thecbc/video/7489535444380650757

2025-04-05 01:42:58 GMT

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@nprofile…00sz
This is when it was pretty last summer. It's not pretty right now. 😧 The logs are just left over things that cover the stone staircase down to the doors. The stairs get covered in snow in winter, still haven't worked out anything for that. The rock retaining wall was built by a friend, the logs cover that area. The steps are just big stones that were around the pond.
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2025-04-05 01:29:35 GMT

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@nprofile…ze43
Oh and most importantly, 2 vent stacks with 6 in. pipe, one is high on the wall and one is low on the opposite side. They stick out the roof with a 45 degree curve and are covered with hardware cloth to keep critters out. VERY important to vent this way because if anything goes rotten in there it creates carbon dioxide gas which lays low. We also made 2 heavy wooden doors that hang one in front of the other with about 4 inches between them.