I am curious to know if People other than those I ask to consider this Blog are actually finding it and if so, how? With so many Bloggers out there... we Bloggers who Blog for the fun of it wonder how often we are being read and look for ways to help others find us. Naturally we hope through word of mouth others will find us too.

I understand there are Readers out there who never respond to Blogs, but I am asking you to please consider leaving a comment to the Request above ... even if it is anonymous or via a private email to me.

If you are inspired to do so... please tell me
where you are from and what drew you here ... and if there's anything special about this sight you like that you'd like to see more of... do tell. *smile

Thank you ever so kindly. bren

While Searching the Web Tonight came across this Link: http://www.kountrylife.com/

Below are two is Excerpts from it.  I think it's a Link well worth Mentioning. Enjoy!

Country Living, Country Skills
Country People

KountryLife.com - A Country Living Resource and Community







March 30, 2010
Welcome... We have much to share with you. Take off your shoes, grab a cup of hot chocolate or coffee and stay awhile! [About Us]

Talk With Us - our very active and friendly forum gives you a chance to discuss country life and rural living. [Let's Talk!] Stroll Down Memory Lane - browse through many memories of country living. Share your own memories with others! [Let's Stroll]


Country Living Tips - readers have provided an extensive list of tips and information which you can browse or search. [View Tips] Articles of Interest - there is an ever-growing list of interesting articles covering a variety of country topics. [Read Articles]


Photos Galore - There are current photos of country living submitted by our readers, old vintage photos, and interest-area collections. [Current Pics] [Old Pics] [Collections] And a Lot More - use the menu bar on the left to browse the site. You can also perform a site search or view a huge table of contents. [Search the Site] [Show Contents]


We're glad you are here and hope you will come back often...



Country Living, Country Skills
Country People

KountryLife.com - A Country Living Resource and Community


Community
Message Board
Country Topics
Trading Post
Memory Lane
Country Skills
Country Cooking
YT Magazine


Channels
Gardening
Livestock
The Kitchen
Machinery
Tools



Photographs
Photo Gallery
Vintage Photos
Special Collections



Fun
Country Humor
Country Sounds
Coloring Book
Interactive Story



Farm Tractors
Articles
Pictures
Tractor Parts
Tractor Manuals



Miscellaneous
ATS Store
Classic Trucks
Antique Tractors
Modern Tractors
Site Map
Links Page
Contact Us

  
Kountry Life Memories List



My Summer Vacation
The Long Dusty Road Journals - The Ride Home
Daryls Big Wreck
Gramps Puts One Over On Me
Gramps Puts One Over On My
First Solo Deer Hunt
Relatives
Sis Gets Her Horse
I Discover Beer.
Uncle Earl
Fishing
Limrats N Me
Me N Jim Corbett
Tire Rides
Cowboy Movies I Shouldnt Have Seen
I See My First Nekid Woman.
My Motorbike
Learning To Drive
Holidays Past
One July 4TH.
Found Some Golf Clubs
My New Hobby
City Cousin Visits Grandpas Farm
Whiskey Run
Christmas-1945
Missing The Simply Times...
Double Trouble
Grandparents
An Ice Cream Summer Day
Uncle Clete
I Almost Kill Granny
First Deer Hunt
Our Pond
Already Grown
At My Dads General Store
Re-Living My Childhood
Entertainment
The Feather Piller
As A Child
That Old House
Cooking Breakfast
Childhood Memories 1945
Dry Land Farm
My Childhood Of My Great Farm Visits
Mid-Night Cannonball
No Water???
Grandmas Homemede Jelly
Farming In 1930S In Oklahoma
Cotton Fields
Memories Of My Childhood
William Gray
Visit To Grandpa And Grandmas House
The Gathering
The Long Dusty Road
Home Made Ice Cream And Fire Flies
Grandmaws Apron
Fire Bug
Caterpillars
M.L. Mclemores Lone Star Baste
Dads Monumont----The Log Barn
My Tonsillectomy
Moms Big Dance & The Alfalfa Patch
The Button Box
My Country Boyhood
Popping Popcorn In The Fireplace
What I Want For Christmas
Grans Christmas Letter
Staying On The Farm
Future Memories
Thanks For Your Time
Country Memory
Map Names
That Damn Horse
Home Repairs
Afternoon Smile...
Smut
Tornado
Penny And The Copperhead
A Scream In The Night
The Old Fleming Oak
Overcome With Memories
Grandaddys Garden
The Old Log Barn
The Chicken House
Old Time Radio
My Journey
Apple-Butter Makin Time
Going To The Family Ranch
Slop Happy
Cyclone
A Childhood,Wooden Clothes Washer
Before Electricity
Flying Cat
Courtship Of Aunt Kate
Dreams Of The Alamo
Memory - First Movie
Rabbits Cooking,Grandma Said
Bozo
Mystery Journey
Mystery Trip
Childhood Farm Memories
Keep the Fences High and Tight
Goin Downtown
A Day Of Shopping
The Great Outdoors
My First Trip to the Bakery
Memory Skates
When I was 9
My First Cow Milking
Childhood Memories Shopping for Mother
My first bicycle
Theres still Country in Calif.
More modern memories
A Pan of Brownies
Life on a Dairy Farm
The Draught Pony
Hog Killin Time at my Granny n Papas.
Hollywood Candy Bars
Model T Hay Wagon
In Response to John in Ca
Memory of the Country
Potato Patch
My First Pony
W C F L
Kingfisher, High School
Trapping Days
Ocean spray days..
The Final Crop
Grandfathers horse and buggy
Hogs in the road
Life in rural Pa. in the fortys
Log houses
way back when cont.
Way back when
Fishin Peabody Creek Canyon
Uncle Toms Legend of the Bloody Hand
SCOOTER TRIP/ BOSSIER CITY LA TO TALLADEGA ALABAMA
Country Childhood
Reply to Uncle Tom
In Memory of Uncle Tom Wertz, Bedford, Pa.
Hornets
Reply to A Memory of being a kid. by Joe the Wrangler.
Fast Runner
The Haunted Tractor

Alabama Dreamin - a childhood memory.....
Goats and Bees Dont Mix
Starting School in the Fall
School
A Memory of Being a Kid
Smart Mule
Poor Mans Way of Working Cattle
Swarm
Snakes, Bugs and Outhouses
Fond Memories Growing Up in the 70s
Uncle Joe and Aunt Gracie
The Old Home Comfort Wood Cookstove.
Grandpas Farm
Ah, Those Old Harvest Day......
Kid Pranks or Outhouse Candy
The Bees Knees
Learning to be Country.
Our Farm
Last Night I Dreamed of the Ledbetter Fields
Jim Dandy
Summer Visits At My Grandma's
The Sentinels
Just Helpin Out
Mud, Mud Everywhere
Papa's M
Lost Melody
Nephew on the Farm
Ethans First G
Hay Jumping
Bees in the Bonnet
We Didn't Learn That in the City
Mixed Breed Ducks
Childhood Memories, Present Day Realities
City Chickens
Homemade Rootbeer
Just Growing Up
Early 1900s Telling
The Forgotten Way
Easy Does It
The Threshing Ring
Uncle Tyrus
Before TV
From City to Country
I Missed the Farm
Fathers
Father-Student, Son-Teacher
Plowing, or How I Became a Fathead
Thinking Back, My First Nine Years of Joy.
Going to the Grain Elevator with Grandpa
Ryans Cross Roads
Grandpas Animals
Life Before Electricity
The Early 50s on a Florida Ranch
Farm Memories - Circa 1952
Growing Up On An Iowa Farm
Growing Up On A Farm in Missouri
Growing up on a Small Farm in the 50s and 60s
Grandma's North Dakota
Raising Pigs in the House
The Three Holer
The Life and Times of Mary Porter
First Time I Drove a Tractor
The First Day I Drove Grandpas Pickup on the Farm
The Old Wood Cook Stove
Mom Could Not Believe It
My Mother Always Did It...
The Old Farmhouse
Memories of Dela Handy Just After Civil War


Add Your Own Memories
"Do you hear the Echo of that Train?  When the clouds become low like a ceiling in the sky and you can hear your Echo or the Echo of the Train, snow is not far behind", is what my Grandmother use to say. Am looking forward to saying the same to my Grandchildren ... and playing 'Echo' with them and others, before and after the Snow falls.

I love snow, it brings back fond memories... and can be made into an fun adventure if one has the mindset for it; "Camping out Indoors." for one. If it gets too cold in the House due to power outages, seek to solve the problem and bring out the child in everyone by suggesting everyone helps you push back the Furniture so you all can put up a Tent. If they are not interested in this... ask them for a better idea. If you don't have access to a Tent, make one out of things around the house.... be ingenious.

As I look outside and appreciate the Beauty of our little corner of Paradise covered with snow my mind begins to think about all of the great fun to be had. Seeing Animal Tracks in the

Snow reminds me of how my children did not have the advantages of growing up in the Country. Such really makes me look forward to the times when they can, through our experiences together with their Children whenever they visit here with us. When they are old enough and I can introduce them to Nature from my perspective I want to show my Grandchildren details like Animal Tracks. One of the games I look forward to playing with them is... 'Lets see who can find and identify the most animal Tracks.' and when we have exhausted our search, I hope to hold their interest by making Tracks with them... preferably in the Snow, but carving a track in a Potato to make a stamp out of them may be an creative alternative over a cup of warm Hot Chocolate.

Preparing for the coming  Snow Storms reminds me of how my children did not have the advantages of growing up in the Country. Such really makes me look forward to the times when they can, through our experiences together with their Children whenever they visit here with us. When they are old enough and I can introduce them to Nature from my perspective I want to show my Grandchildren details like Animal Tracks. One of the games I look forward to playing with them is... 'Lets see who can find and identify the most animal Tracks.' and when we have exhausted our search, I hope to hold their interest by making Tracks with them... preferably in the Snow. Here's a resource and a Quick Game: Animal Tracks Quiz for Beginners for those interested in doing the same someday.

I am surprised when I hear of people being bored on Snow Days. There are lots of ways to play in the Snow if one is dressed for the Weather ... using things like Plastic Bats for Baseball, Old Golf Clubs or Croquet Mallets used to see who can roll the largest Snow Ball, Plastic Bowling Pins to be knocked over with a Snow Ball, playing with an old pair of Snow Shoes, old Skis and Ski Poles, playing games like Tug of War, Toss the Hat on the Snowman, a Scavenger Hunt of Finding things sticking up out of the snow and the like.

Here are 2 links: 20 Games to Play in the Snow from Parents.com and Fun in the Snow from a Winter Resource Center. Another link which might be worth considering is: I loved Playing in the Snow when I was Young.

One of the many things I enjoy about Snow is Snow Recipes. Here are two... if anyone has anymore, I'd be interested in reading them, feel free to post them as a Comment for our Readers too:

Snow Ice Cream:
  • 1 gallon of snow
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups milk
When it starts to snow, place a large, clean container (you can use an insert from a Ice Cream Maker too), outside to collect the flakes. When full, stir in sugar and vanilla to taste, then stir in just enough milk of choice (to include evaporated milk) for the desired consistency. Serve at once.

Snow Cones: add Snow Cone Flavoring to freshly collected Snow, which you have put into paper Snow Cones... or make your own Snow Cones

Enjoy!
In my last Blog I Recommended the Book: Snowmen 'Snow Creatures, Crafts and Other Winter Projects'.

Below are two Pictures from the Book to give you some ideas of what it has to offer. Alongside the Pictures are Instructions. Not only do the Authors have Photos and Instructions for building other Snow Projects, such as a Snow Queen and Bugs on a Log... but they also have crafts for those with the heart of an Artist... be they an Adult or Child The Authors end the Book with cute and what appears to be Tasty Recipes such as White Chocolate Marshmallow Men, which when dipped in Hot Chocolate melt into a creamy froth.

Book Review: Snowmen Snow Creatures, Crafts and Other Winter Projects

Porcupinepineneedle

Book Review: Snowmen Snow Creatures, Crafts and Other Winter Projects

Enjoy!











This week, the Weather Forecasters have been predicting the rare occurrence of about 30 inches or more of snow which will be added to what is already on the ground in our little corner of Paradise. They are expecting snow drifts as well.  

Preparing for this put me in mind of a time a while back when my Mother's electricity went out for 13 days due to a rare storm.  As the days without Electricity continued Mom, an elderly widow with a desire to live alone, started to go into a state of panic, so she prayed.  While doing so she was reminded what it was like to grow up without a lot of modern conveniences and how this power outage was only temporary and that some of her Adult children lived close by and thus she relaxed. Thinking about this in relation to our life and the current Forecast, I thought of the wisdom of advanced preparation especially to ease the stress on those who would most need it and decided this blog might be appropriate at this time.  

While writing this, I'd like to urge you to keep in mind those who have limited income or those who are Home Bound, such as the sick, elderly and disabled; before shopping for you, you might want to give others a call and see if they are need a helping hand... and you might want to keep them and others in mind when it comes to Shoveling out after the Storm has passed.  Also... if you know of someone who is alone... consider inviting them to stay with you through the storm.

Speaking of after a Storm has passed... those of you who have plenty at this season of your life may want to keep in mind those who do not. Often such a one works at a job where if they don't work they don't get paid... and the Storms of life (a snow storm, an illness, a broken Vehicle, an unexpected Pregnancy being only four such examples), can cause them to get behind in their utilities and the like... so do consider adopting a family or two anonymously and paying one of their bills for them ... more than once if you can.

While considering our potential needs I think of the Wildlife as well... so when I replenish for us I take the time to make sure I am stocked up for them too ... Raw Peanuts and Corn for the Squirrels and Seed for the Birds. *now is a good time to provide temporary shelter for strays. Typically I toss Meat, Fat and Bone Scraps into a special area set aside for the Wildlife and Strays all year, a little ways away from our compost pile, near the Gardening Shed. The Bones are always gone by the next morning, but I also make sure there is some set aside in our extra Freezer for times when there is snow on the ground. Before the ground is covered, I pull out these scraps and add it to the collection of Homemade Suet and Donations of leftover Bread saved for such occasions. If need be, I take this time to make more Homemade Suet. See my Blog Link:  Helping our Feathered Friends   for Recipes and other ideas. 

As the projected number of inches of snow expected increases with warnings to expect power outages, I decided this was a good time to make sure our Grill has plenty of Propane and that our Spare Tank is full... (in case we need to loan it out). I also decided to take our Coolers out of the long term Storage Building to freshen them up and put them in a Closet in our Home. There is a comforting feeling in the knowing, it's ready, 'just in case'.  If necessary, I plan to use these for what's in the Fridge, and place them just outside the door in the Snow, if you don't have a Cooler, Clean Trash Bags with or without a box will work.... just make sure you put the bag over the box; Plastic Crates work well too.  Our extra Freezer is located in an unheated area for times such as these, so if need be, I will remove 'filler' material from it (jugs full of water, bags of homemade Ice Cubes, the insert from the Homemade Ice Cream Maker, ect ... a full freezer is more economical to run), and put frozen items from our Refrigerator/Freezer in there, making sure I only open it in an emergency, so items will stay frozen longer.

I also decided to dig out our Phone which is not Cordless which I keep around for when the power goes out... and am making sure our Cell Phones are fully charged.  Oh... I forgot... Rock Salt for when the snow melts.  


My Hubby uses Wood Shavings from his Handcrafted Log Furniture Workshop to help those who are stuck in the snow thus I can easily keep a bag in my Trunk ... but for those who do not have access to Wood Shavings or Saw Dust I  suggest a bag of old Fashioned Cat Litter be kept in your truck for emergencies along with Blankets and emergency water, if it's imperative that you drive in the snow. Sand works too.  Oh and some prefer to keep a small board to go under the tire when all else fails.

For years now... I have also set aside, not only for us but others, Emergency items such as Candles and Oil Lamps, Can Openers, Radio Batteries and much more, but instead of listing such here, I decided to offer Resourceful Links: click: How to Prepare Your Home for a Winter Storm    What you need to be Prepared for a Snow Storm   After a Snow Storm has Passed   What to Stock in an Emergency Winter Survival Kit   Preparing for Cold Winters  Click:  Emergency Advise from Fema 

... and now may be an advantageous time to read my Blog on Rocket Stoves A Cheap, Easy, Clean and Efficient way to Cook and Heat  *wink

Oh... and if you have suggestions or stories to offer regarding the storms of life, by all means, leave them as comments... I look forward to reading them, and others may enjoy them as well.

Later today I plan to scan a Photo or two and to copy a few ideas from a great Book I recommend:  Snowmen 'Snow Creatures, Crafts and Other Winter Projects'. by Peter Cole, Frankie Frankeny, and Leslie Jonath , so do stop by again tomorrow, if this topic will interest you.

As I end today's Blog echoes from memories of days gone by come to mind: 'Anyone wanna play Uno or Monopoly? Anyone into making an Indoor Fort until we can make a Snow Fort?  If the Lights go out we can play Indoor Flash Light Tag!'

Enjoy the Snow and the opportunities for making positive memories with your Families and Guests!!!  

Update*  Oooh...  our power is still on, but the Temp is predicted to drop to 6 degrees with more snow coming in a few days, which means I need to use those empty Coolers to store our Winter Potatoes, Onions and Fruit in for a few nights.  The Converted Porch which I use partly as a Root Cellar is unheated.  Hmmm... wonder if they will work better than the Fruit Baskets I over winter them in?

``My 79 year old Mom's Electric went out... after one of our Brothers dug himself out, he  brought over some Precooked BBQ Ribs, wrapped them in Foil and put them on his Car Engine while he shoveled her Walkways and Drive.   She was delighted to have an unexpected warm meal for Supper.  

Those Readers who have ``Storm Stories are welcome to share them as Comments below.
Our area is expecting a Snow Storm over the weekend which puts me in mind of this Link. Click:  Free National Emergency Information Alerts    Those interested can choose between putting this link in their Favorite Place as a Book Mark, or they can Sign Up and receive Alerts via Email, when applicable.  Initially these emails arrived in my Spam Folder.  For convenience sake because there can be lots of updates... I left them there since I scan it for Blog related Email that sometimes end up in my Spam Folder by accident. In that way I can read the most recent and don't need to delete the rest.  Saves time on my part. *wink


This link not only gives out Severe Weather Warnings in your area, but it offers other Info such as: Pandemic Updates,  Homeland Security Alerts, Stock Market Updates, Breaking News Links and the more.   
Update:
A Picture of Our Small Grove of Bamboo we keep as a Bird Sanctuary
after 30 Inches of Snow fell in February 2010
Such Depth of Snow is Rarely Experienced in our Little Corner of Paradise