Welcome to this week’s Survival Buzz with an update on my own preps and announcements from the Backdoor Survival blog.
How was your week? I have been busy with a capital “B†in an attempt to complete my many half started projects. Many of these projects were blog related as I needed to clean up some behind the scenes hosting and performance issues.
On the prepping side, one task that was long overdue was cleaning my three diffusers. Just looking inside them was creepy in that small concentrations of dried up oils were crusted around the various orifices that allow them to operate at peak performance.
For those of you that may not be familiar, a diffuser is a device that is used to disperse essential oils in the air. Depending on the oils you use, inhaling the suspended molecules can affect your health, foster a sense of calm, cleanse the air of odors, and may improve respiration and breathing. I am convinced that diffusing Shield blend prevented me from getting a cold this winter.
Also, for those that have been following my article on controlling blood pressure, I am convinced that diffusing the my BP blend at night has helped tremendously. Not only that, it has had the added bonus, totally unexpected, of allowing me to sleep longer without as many nocturnal runs to the potty as usual. Okay. TMI. Instructions for cleaning a diffuser are below.
A number of purchases arrived this week including a mini hacksaw
Out in the garden, my lettuce seeds are starting to sprout. You might recall that as an experiment, I planted the seeds when it was still very cold outside. My thought was that they would sprout when they were good and ready (just like the volunteers that come up year after year) and sure enough, they did.
Last but not least for this week, is that I got serious about losing those few stubborn pounds that refuse to go away. There is no real magic to what I am doing other than cut out breads and starches for a few weeks and increase the tempo of my daily hike with Tucker the Dog.
That about covers it for me this week. Now for some announcements.
Update on the AeroGarden
A picture says it all. This is the AeroGarden on day #28.
I have been snipping cilantro daily and using it in salads and on my veggies. It seems to be growing an inch a day; I cut it down and the next day it has grown back. If lettuce and tomatoes will grow this well I can only imagine the possibilities. Still, I am exercising restraint since I do have an outdoor garden. Not the best outdoor garden, but a garden none the less.
Backdoor Survival Mail Bag & Reader Tips
Speaking of the Survival Still, this came in from Jackie:
I also would like to thank you for the water webinar. I just got my distiller last night.
My great grandsons ages 2 and 4 and I had fun making dirty water that came off the top of the pool into something drinkable. The water not only was clean and drinkable it was a lot of fun and the kids got a good science lesson. Thank you again because no one else is telling us that the other methods of treating water although effective in some cases, could still kill us or make us very sick.
In case you missed the webinar, I am hoping to schedule a short-term replay in a month or two. There is a ton of good information in the webinar and just a short promo talking about the Survival Still during the last ten minutes.
Current Giveaways
Here are this week’s giveaways. One is a fantastic book on canning by my friend Daisy Luther and the other is a SunJack Waterproof Lightstick.
Gear Review: SunJack Waterproof Lightstick + Giveaway
Prepper Book Festival 8: The Organic Canner + Giveaway
Remember, the deadline for all giveaway entries is 6:00 PM Pacific on Tuesdays.
In addition, all winners are notified by email and have 48 hours to claim their prize or an alternate will be selected. Once selected, the names of winners are also displayed in the Rafflecopter on the original giveaway article. This usually happens on the Friday following the end of the giveaway.
Essential Oils: How Clean a Diffuser & Free Shipping Offer
Sometimes, it may appear that your diffuser is no longer working properly. The usual symptom is that the output seems puny. This will happen if there is a buildup of oil at the base of the water reservoir and at the top orifice (where the steam comes out).
To clean the water reservoir, first rinse it out with fresh water. Wipe it dry then take a cotton swap and some rubbing alcohol and clean the base and any other internal areas that are discolored or have noticeable buildup. Don’t forget the rim as well. When done, wipe dry a 2nd time time. Fill the reservoir with a small amount of alcohol and run the diffuser for 10 to 20 minutes. Empty the reservoir and wipe dry a 3rd time. Your diffuser should work like new again!
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A few of you have sent me emails telling me that the 10% discount code at Spark Naturals did not work. I followed up with Spark Naturals and they told me that this mainly happens when copying and pasting the coupon code. Unintentionally, there may be a space in front of the code “BACKDOORSURVIVALâ€, thus causing the error.
If this happens to you, try typing the code into the referral box instead. Also, note that the code is not case-sensitive so “backdoorsurvival†(one word) works too.
This information is timely because right now and through the weekend, Spark Naturals is offering free shipping on all orders (continental US only). This is fantastic since many of the oils are only $5.99 to begin with. This is a perfect opportunity to stock up on some accessories too. I especially like the dropper caps, roller balls, and glass jars for salves.
>>> Remember to use the code BACKDOORSURVIVAL for an additional 10% off your entire order <<<
Other Announcements
If you sometimes find that the content on your favorite blog seems outdated, pop on over to this article by my pal George Ure. He will walk you through clearing out your computer cache (internet junk that is stored on your hard drive – supposedly make the experience better). In addition, he talks about secure passwords with a link to where you can check to see how vulnerable you are to hackers.
Here is the article:Â Coping: With Browsing Resets, Foiling Computer Thieves.
The Final Word
I spent some time this week looking at some gardening related Pinterest boards. Holy moly! There are a ton of good ideas out there. To be honest, I felt a bit intimidated by it all (with all that there is to learn that is). I suppose for now I should be satisfied that I am your prepping cheerleader as opposed to your gardening guru!
Speaking of gardening, have you signed up for the free Home Grown Food Summit yet? Between that and studying for my HAM Radio Technician License, the first part of April is going to be busy.
So how about you? What did you do to prep this week?
Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!
Gaye
If you enjoyed this article, consider voting for me daily at Top Prepper Websites! In addition, SUBSCRIBE to email updates and receive a free, downloadable copy of my e-book The Emergency Food Buyer’s Guide.
Bargain Bin: Here is today’s pick of related items and Backdoor Survival reader favorites.
Diffusers: I have three ZAQ diffusers. The Dew, Mirage, and Noor. I keep one in my office next to my desk, one in the bedroom and one in the bathroom. The diffuser pictured below is the ZAQ Dew Aromatherapy Diffuser. You can purchase diffusers at Amazon or at Spark Naturals so check your prices.
Note that purchases from Spark Naturals earn an additional 10% off when using code BACKDOORSURVIVAL at checkout.Â
Shoe Goo
LE LED Headlamp, 18 White LED and 2 Red LED, 4 Brightness Levels
Miracle-Gro AeroGarden 7-Pod Indoor Garden
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Shop the Emergency Essentials Monthly Specials
I love my Mobile Washer. This is hand operated washing machine. Like a plunger, it uses a technique of pushing and pulling the water through clothes to clean them well without wearing them out. It uses a minimum of water and less soap due to the agitation motion. Use in a bucket (5-gallon suggested), sink or tub. The best part is the price – only $14.95.
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Need something from Amazon (and who doesn’t)? I earn a small commission from purchases made when you begin your Amazon shopping experience here. You still get great Amazon service and the price is the same, no matter what.
Amazon has a feature called Shop Amazon – Most Wished For Items. This is an easy tool for finding products that people are ‘wishing†for and in this way you know what the top products are. All you need to do is select the category from the left hand side of the screen.
The Amazon Top Most Wished For and Best Selling Outdoor Items
Emergency Preparedness Items from Amazon.com
Shop Amazon Tactical – Great Selection of Optics, Knives, Cases, Equipment
Amazon Gift Cards
Help support Backdoor Survival. Purchases earn a small commission and for that I thank you!
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The Survival Buzz #162 by Gaye Levy first appeared on Backdoor Survival.
The Survival Buzz #162
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