Very well said Sir! I could have written a similar 'light at the end of the tunnel' message. In fact, I have. Several times.
My feeling is that there is still hope for humanity. Maybe *not* for our current bureaucratic, over medicated, under educated, over sexualized, over credentialed, kleptocratic, mentally ill society - but humanity. People.
There is hope in rural America. And among the peasantry around the world. Country folk, people in rural communities, are re-learning the skills our parents and grandparents took for granted. Some never lost those skills! We tend our gardens, and 'put-up' our harvests in the fall. We kill and cure a hog or two every fall. And stock our freezers with beef, or game.
We are not afraid to socialize, after church. We still teach our kids how to hunt and fish. And to tolerate the "not us". And to avoid the urban hellholes that seem to breed the ills that plague society.
Yes, there are tough times coming. Yes, many people are going to see a reduction in their standard of living. Many are experiencing them now! But the heartland is still strong. In the words of one of our modern-day poets, "Country folk will survive!"
Exactly. The powers that should not be can certainly try to get everyone. But it's impossible. Especially for those of us who don't carry tracking devices and still know how to manage life without being managed. I believe that even in communist China there are still pockets of people who avoid "the man". We truly do have the power. And more and more people are starting to realize it. And that's exciting as heck.
I also think the energy expended to make ourselves more independently/decentralized/small community sustainable is the right way to go. And it reminds us that we human and not just remote semi-detached and expendable work units for the centralized ptb.
Our family, here in rural lower Mich, is just now learning how to keep hens alive and happy, how to keep the deer from entirely defoliating two dozen baby fruit trees we put in this spring, and how to persuade our rural twp to allow us to install solar.
Oh, and trying to dissuade one or more woodchucks from compromising the stability of our house's foundation, short of terminal action. Darned woodchucks!
Hey Perplexity. Hadn't seen you here in awhile. Thanks for stopping by. Congratulations on your self sufficiency ventures! Chickens are easy once you get the hang of it. They are such "simple" creatures, but each one has it's own personality. Deer are a definite challenge. About the only thing a person can do is fence off the fruit trees as best as possible. Eventually the trees get big enough to resist deer, but even then if they get hungry enough they'll devour the bark and lower branches. It's amazing we need permission slips to have solar, but hopefully we will be able to turn that kind of madness around eventually. Great update and comment. Thanks for your contribution.
I haven't been very consistent, sadly, as I get caught up in stuff irl. Also I have a sub to way lots of subs, hardly any of which I get to. That isn't to say I don't love an appreciate the work of all you folks who are fighting the good fight here! I'm in my sixties, have had a lot of bodily injuries over the years that are catching up with me, and hubby and I are raising our (now officially teen-aged!) grandkiddo. Thankfully hubby isn't all messed up like I am, though he's got his problems too.
A friend told me a trick her folks have been doing for years, though they have fencing also to keep the deer out. Tying plastic grocery bags (loosely but with good knots!) on a post or even trunk, and let the wind make them noisy, scary deer deterrents! They seem to be helping some, but I think you're right. Ultimately we'll need fencing. There's just soooo much we're behind on!
The odd thing is, hubby still hasn't been dumped by his company. He's on the multi-national corporation version of double-secret-probation (ala Animal House) or something, for refusing to vaxx.
I completely understand and it's so easy to get a list of Substack a mile long isn't it? Haha. Yeah, I've tried pretty much every deer deterrent known to man. Keeping them out is the only real answer I've found. Good for your spouse for saying no and be willing to pay the price. If all of us would have done that from the beginning this would have never happened. I am a "boomer" as well, and I can't imagine my Dad or my grandparents on either side of my family *ever* submitting to what we (not you and I or others like us) have. They'll have to kill me. I'm not living in this insane world they're creating. I refuse. It's unnecessary and is not going to save anything. What they are trying to create will not benefit *anyone* except the "monsters who own it all". Nope. I refuse. And, luckily, most in my family refuse as well. Have a great summer and stay strong Perplexity. Thanks again for reading. It means a lot.
Very well said Sir! I could have written a similar 'light at the end of the tunnel' message. In fact, I have. Several times.
My feeling is that there is still hope for humanity. Maybe *not* for our current bureaucratic, over medicated, under educated, over sexualized, over credentialed, kleptocratic, mentally ill society - but humanity. People.
There is hope in rural America. And among the peasantry around the world. Country folk, people in rural communities, are re-learning the skills our parents and grandparents took for granted. Some never lost those skills! We tend our gardens, and 'put-up' our harvests in the fall. We kill and cure a hog or two every fall. And stock our freezers with beef, or game.
We are not afraid to socialize, after church. We still teach our kids how to hunt and fish. And to tolerate the "not us". And to avoid the urban hellholes that seem to breed the ills that plague society.
Yes, there are tough times coming. Yes, many people are going to see a reduction in their standard of living. Many are experiencing them now! But the heartland is still strong. In the words of one of our modern-day poets, "Country folk will survive!"
Exactly. The powers that should not be can certainly try to get everyone. But it's impossible. Especially for those of us who don't carry tracking devices and still know how to manage life without being managed. I believe that even in communist China there are still pockets of people who avoid "the man". We truly do have the power. And more and more people are starting to realize it. And that's exciting as heck.
Great post. If you look for Good, you will find it. Resist and be free.
Thanks Rascal. I appreciate your feedback.
Great piece, Rob, thank you.
I also think the energy expended to make ourselves more independently/decentralized/small community sustainable is the right way to go. And it reminds us that we human and not just remote semi-detached and expendable work units for the centralized ptb.
Our family, here in rural lower Mich, is just now learning how to keep hens alive and happy, how to keep the deer from entirely defoliating two dozen baby fruit trees we put in this spring, and how to persuade our rural twp to allow us to install solar.
Oh, and trying to dissuade one or more woodchucks from compromising the stability of our house's foundation, short of terminal action. Darned woodchucks!
Anyway, I digress.
Thanks for writing, Rob!
Hey Perplexity. Hadn't seen you here in awhile. Thanks for stopping by. Congratulations on your self sufficiency ventures! Chickens are easy once you get the hang of it. They are such "simple" creatures, but each one has it's own personality. Deer are a definite challenge. About the only thing a person can do is fence off the fruit trees as best as possible. Eventually the trees get big enough to resist deer, but even then if they get hungry enough they'll devour the bark and lower branches. It's amazing we need permission slips to have solar, but hopefully we will be able to turn that kind of madness around eventually. Great update and comment. Thanks for your contribution.
I haven't been very consistent, sadly, as I get caught up in stuff irl. Also I have a sub to way lots of subs, hardly any of which I get to. That isn't to say I don't love an appreciate the work of all you folks who are fighting the good fight here! I'm in my sixties, have had a lot of bodily injuries over the years that are catching up with me, and hubby and I are raising our (now officially teen-aged!) grandkiddo. Thankfully hubby isn't all messed up like I am, though he's got his problems too.
A friend told me a trick her folks have been doing for years, though they have fencing also to keep the deer out. Tying plastic grocery bags (loosely but with good knots!) on a post or even trunk, and let the wind make them noisy, scary deer deterrents! They seem to be helping some, but I think you're right. Ultimately we'll need fencing. There's just soooo much we're behind on!
The odd thing is, hubby still hasn't been dumped by his company. He's on the multi-national corporation version of double-secret-probation (ala Animal House) or something, for refusing to vaxx.
heheh He's just NOT going to!
I completely understand and it's so easy to get a list of Substack a mile long isn't it? Haha. Yeah, I've tried pretty much every deer deterrent known to man. Keeping them out is the only real answer I've found. Good for your spouse for saying no and be willing to pay the price. If all of us would have done that from the beginning this would have never happened. I am a "boomer" as well, and I can't imagine my Dad or my grandparents on either side of my family *ever* submitting to what we (not you and I or others like us) have. They'll have to kill me. I'm not living in this insane world they're creating. I refuse. It's unnecessary and is not going to save anything. What they are trying to create will not benefit *anyone* except the "monsters who own it all". Nope. I refuse. And, luckily, most in my family refuse as well. Have a great summer and stay strong Perplexity. Thanks again for reading. It means a lot.