Things continue to disintegrate both with climate and politics. People are scrambling to either survive, help in some way or pretend nothing is happening. I see the stress in people everywhere. Our systems and infrastructure are maxed out and falling apart. Housing is too expensive and/or impossible to find. Jobs don't pay enough. Prices are rising across the board. Certain products are getting harder to find. Government overreach continues to escalate. Society is becoming non-functional. It's 3 steps forward, 2 back. Collapse is creeping along but inevitable, like slow moving lava.

The choice that I've made as my own way to contribute is to combine 2 households of my family into one. This may be permanent depending on how things go in the next few years. I've been a prepper for years- not the bunker, beans and bullets kind- but the kind that gather the tools, knowledge and resources to be self-sufficient not only in times of local difficulties but also for possible wide-spread failures due to extremes in climate, government, war, or natural disaster.

The range of skills and abilities in my household just quadrupled. I will now live with a disciple of Xin Yi Lui He and other related traditional martial arts (methods of defence), spinning, weaving, most fibre and fabric arts, infection control, building skills, skills to compliment my own gardening and land use. Along with everything I do and have learned over the years, we have a better chance at thriving together. My house is going to be louder and messier, but stronger and more efficient at everything.

#prepping #SelfReliant #SelfSufficient #homestead #OldSkills

I just find a very nice website for learning #knots !

https://www.animatedknots.com/

As the url says, it has animated guides. More like slideshows really but a good many frames.

#OldSkills

I went to my hives to scoop out the pile of dead bees through the bottom opening that collect in the winter months as sometimes they pile up faster than the undertaker bees can pitch them out. Both hives are alive! And cranky. A couple of guard bees chased me back to the house, telling me the whole way that they got this! I hope they make it through the next cold outflow we are getting starting in 3 days.
Hopefully they have settled down enough now so that I can go out and hang with the hens for a bit, collect eggs and see how they are getting along. First year beekeeping.. it's a rollercoaster.

#beekeeping #homesteading #backyard #chickens #OldSkills

When I played with the SCA, I was introduced to a lot of old skills. Some I already knew such as mead making, carpentry, primitive fire making and hand sewing but I became really interested in many more. Leather work, archery, wood and bone carving, basketry and rope making are some that I got interested in when watching others doing these arts and crafts. I also expanded a few that I had dabbled in such as candle making, embroidery, natural fabric dying, felting, primitive cookery and of course, historical research. I got so interested in research that I ended up with a degree on the Sagas from the University of Iceland. Understanding and using the latest tech only takes you so far in certain situations. Having a huge range of skills can take you farther in prepping and preparedness. I'm no pro at most of these but have a good working knowledge of most, enough to be able to use them if needed. I find nothing beats the excitement and motivation of learning a new (old) skill.

#SCA #prepping #OldSkills #homesteading

Some of the best photos of what I was up to in 2022. Last winter I took up leather working and taught myself some techniques. These are the first projects I made.
#leatherworking #oldskills

Ground is officially too wet to ever use the lawnmower ever again. Sharpening the scythe... Thanks to my mate Andy for the sharpening skills.

#scythe
#tools
#ToolSharpening
#ToolMaintenance
#OldSkills
#permaculture
#PostCarbon