We have been blessed again with some needed rain. This is the second time this Summer that we are getting some rain just when things starts to get a little on the crispy side and we have to worry about trees and shrubs, not just grass. Last night a little unexpected storm brought us almost 1 inch of rain (in our area). I found very relaxing going to sleep with the noise of the falling rain.

I have been off the air for a while. Sometimes I do not realize how much time passes between blogs or emails for that matter. I find myself replying to an email, saving in draft and it would be a couple of months before I go back to it. Yes, I know I am the only one one reading (and writing) this blog, but my intention is really to just put down some thoughts and let the process take its course. I really do not expect anybody to stumble upon my rumblings, much less following them.

Well, let's go back to my emergency items list (booooring!). As I indicated before, no tools, weapons or camping equipment are included as that was not the intention. I have those nice and packed and ready to go at a moment notice, even if we will have to take two vehicles to fit everything in the case we have to leave the house. I do not really expect that; chances are we will be stuck at home for some reasons and have to rely on what we have for a period of time. I am ready for the short haul and slowly getting ready for the long haul.

I finally ordered a good first aid kit from Amazon, designed for the weekend hunt. I already have a couple of other homemade kits with everything you can imagine in it, but they are bulkier and they were intended for home. I also have a couple of small kits, like the ones you find at Wal-Mart or Walgreen for around $12-15 (they really do not carry anything bigger, at last around here). Another check on my list.

I received a a large box from Amazon (new printer for home) and it was filled with two long packing paper "wads" (not sure how I can describe them) to fill the space left in the big Amazon box. Similar to this picture  ---------------------->>

I was going to throw them away, when I thought "this paper would be perfect in the aid of starting a fire". I normally just use very small branches as kindling, but why throw away all this paper? So I cut it in foot-long strips, twisted them to make them smaller (and they would burn slower) and stored them in an empty cat litter buckets as they pretty much waterproof with the lid on.

Stupid idea? I really do not care about your (phantom reader) opinion. I thought it was a way to recycle an already recycled paper. When you exhaust your supply of kindling and everything outside is wet, do not expect me to share my paper.  :-)

Dove hunting season started again this weekend. There are 60 million hunters in US, please do not start bothering me about saving the dove and all the other crap. I do respect your views and your choices, but I also expect you would respect mines as long as they are in the boundaries of the law. I hunt only what I can eat. I do not hunt coyotes as I believe too many people do for whatever reasons and then we end up with too many deers, rabbits and rats because their predators have been decimated (pretty familiar story, isn't it?) and as the "pray" populations explode, the land cannot support them and they are all worse off. I do like to hunt doves, turkeys, deers and wild pigs. For example, wild hogs really do not have a predator that can control their population. Even coyotes do not hunt them, unless their are sick or lost younglings. Listen to this, from a Science and Nature article from the Smithsonian: "Wild hogs are among the most destructive invasive species in the United States today. Two million to six million of the animals are wreaking havoc in at least 39 states and four Canadian provinces; half are in Texas, where they do some $400 million in damages annually. They tear up recreational areas, occasionally even terrorizing tourists in state and national parks, and squeeze out other wildlife." http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/A-Plague-of-Pigs-in-Texas.html 

"...invasive species..." which means they are not from around here and they have been introduced in an area where they are causing imbalance in the ecosystem, hence open season all year.

And I always wanted to cook a hog on a spit over an open fire. That is so ... medieval. LOL
Maybe I can use some of my paper-kindling to start that open pit.

By the way, what have you done today to help the environment?