Welcome to this week’s Survival Buzz with an update on my own preps and announcements from the Backdoor Survival blog.
Have you ever considered that an uneventful week is a good week? That is precisely how I feel about last week. That said, my heart goes out to the victims of the latest earthquake in Nepal and to the families with victims in the Philadelphia Amtrak derailment. So to clarify, by uneventful, I am referring to my own life.
I embrace being ordinary. Which reminds me to remind you that as much as prepper-types are subject to ridicule as hoarders, and as much as the media and entertainment industry pokes fun at us, at the end of the day, most preppers really are quite ordinary. I even wrote about the importance of being ordinary last year in the article 11 Steps Toward Being Ordinary.
Anyway, not to get totally off topic, this week I continued to nurse my little garden. The lettuce is ready to harvest. Doesn’t it look beautiful?
Ready to harvest – don’t’ you think? It sits on the deck so the deer to not get to it.
My own little Garden of Eden. Can you spot the tomatoes?
I also pulled a hose out of my garage, tested it, then stored it next to my hot water heater. I used a curly type hose that was left over from my boating days. It is safe for drinking water plus it stores compactly.
If you have not done so already, why not find someplace close to your own hot water heater where you can store a hose and a bucket. If a disaster or disruptive event occurs and you need to avail yourself of this emergency water supply, you will thank yourself for having these items handy.
Moving on, by now you know I am a gear junky. I am not referring just to flashlights this time, but to the larger items that I will use if the grid goes down or my tap water becomes foul and undrinkable. Before this week, siting in big boxes, still unopened, were a Sun Oven, Solo Stove Campfire, and Survival Still. These are purchases I made but, well, I never got around to using.
This week, I opened the Sun Oven so I could learn how to use it. In the coming weeks, I will do the same with the Solo Stove and Survival Still and, with luck, will restrain myself from purchasing additional big ticket items until I master using these items. Well, perhaps I will buy a tent, but other than that, I am going to stop buying and start using!
Note:Â In all fairness, I do own two of the original Solo Stoves so I am not totally ignorant of it use.
And the Sun Oven? I have asked Paul Munsen, the CEO of Sun Ovens International, to teach us how to cook with the sun using a solar oven in a free, online Webinar on June 2nd.  He promises that the material covered will be useful whether you have a DIY solar cooker or a Sun Oven.  The basic technique is the same.
I will be sending an email out to subscribers but in the meantime, I am including a registration form below. Let’s learn together!
That about covers it for me this week. Let’s move on to some announcements.
Current Giveaways
I am toying with moving the Friday giveaway to Monday. Does that work for you?  I may be messing around and trying new things over the next month or two.  Let’s see how it all works out.
In the meantime, the following two giveaways are currently accepting entries.
Prepper Book Festival 8: A Time to Endure + Mega Giveaway
I should mention that if you are at all interested in A Time to Endure, there will be ten winners! Not only that, the winners will have their choice of an eBook, print book, or audiobook. In addition, right now, Kyle Pratt (the author) has priced his book Through Many Fires at only 99 cents for the Kindle version.
I have personally read Through Many Fires and am currently listing to the audiobook version of A Time to Endure. These are books you are going to want to read!
LuguLake II Bluetooth Speaker and Charger Review + Giveaway
With all giveaways, 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.
Sun Oven Exclusive Online Learning Event
As I mentioned above, I have a Sun Oven that has never been used. Until this week, it was sitting in my garage, still sealed as it came from the factory. Something had to change.
I have invited Paul Munsen, the SEO of Sun Ovens International, to teach us a class on the fundamentals of using a the sun to cook food. I call it Solar Cooking 101– Just the Basics. To be honest, this is the class I should have taken before my Sun Oven arrived!
This special class is free and it will take place on Tuesday, June 2nd at 7PM CDT. In it you will learn:
· How to harness the power of the sun to cook and dehydrate food, purify water, and be better prepared for emergencies
· How a Sun Oven can help you never worry about burning dinner again
· How to use a SUN OVEN to naturally dehydrate fruits and vegetables
· How to reduce your utility bills while learning how to cook during hard times when normal fuel sources will be in short supply.
This is going to be a fantastic opportunity for all of us, myself included. Here are the details:
Tuesday June 2
7 p.m. CST, (8 p.m. EST / 6 p.m. MST / 5 p.m. PST)
The Final Word
I would like to thank the many of you oodles of you, actually that personally wrote to me after last week’s admission that I am feeling anxious abut the state of the world, too much to do, and not enough down time. I cherish each and every message. The fantastic news is that my friends are coming to the rescue and forcing me to step away from my desk more often. In addition, I am hoping to bring on an associate editor on board to help with the behind the scenes stuff that takes such huge toll on my time.
So, at the end of the day, all will be good. I am an optimist but then you knew that.
So what 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.
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Bargain Bin:Â For your consideration today are items related to this article and some of my own personal favorites
Orbit Coiled Garden Hose: I call this a “Curly Hoseâ€. I don’t much care for it in the garden but it was very useful to keep on our boat because it does not take much space. Whatever hose you purchase, and for whatever purpose, be sure to get one that is safe for drinking water.
Solo Stove Campfire:Â This is the newest addition to the Solo Stove line of backpacking stoves.
I personally own three solo stoves. (The Solo Stove above is the standard size). They are compact yet well-built and perfect for cooking off-grid with just a bit of biomass. They are extremely well built and have a compact form factor.
Kershaw OSO Sweet Pocket Knife: The sky is the limit when it comes to survival knives. For the beginner, or someone on a budget, a decent quality, all purpose knife is what you need until you have a chance to use it and learn what you like and don’t like, feature-wise, before you invest in something more pricey. Even then, perhaps the OSO Sweet will work out so well that it will become your #1 blade with no upgrade needed.
Light My Fire Titanium Spork
Maximal Power FC999 Universal Battery Charger: This nicely built charger will charge charge AA, AAA, C, D, N, 9V, Ni-MH, Ni-CD, and Alkaline batteries. It has an LED display so that when you first put a battery in the charging bay, you know whether it is viable for charging or simply bad and ready to go back to the recycle box. Yes it really works, even under solar power.
LifeStraw Family 1.0 Water Purifier
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Shop the Emergency Essentials Monthly Specials
One of my favorite deals this month is this Mountain House Flavor Vault Combo 
Shop the Emergency Essentials Monthly Specials
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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.
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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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Are You Interested in Essential Oils?
As many of your know ~ the very best way to understand and become familiar with Essential Oils is to jump in with both feet. The only way to do that is to have the right EOs at your fingertips.
The Spark Naturals Health and Wellness Kit is perfect for this. It includes:
Lemon
Frankincense
Oregano
Melaleuca (Tea Tree)
Rosemary
Lavender
Amend +(Soothing Blend)
Respire (Respiratory Blend)
Shield (Protective Blend)
Peppermint
This kit is not just for beginners ~ these EOs are the ones that most seasoned users use daily. This kit is also a great way to replenish your supply. Not only is a great savings to begin with ~ but it also qualifies for free shipping.
That means that while you are at it, you can add accessory items such as droppers, roller balls, and jars for no additional shipping cost.
SPARK NATURALS Health & Wellness Kit
The Survival Buzz #169 by Gaye Levy first appeared on Backdoor Survival.
The Survival Buzz #169
The Survival Buzz #169
#preppernews
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