#will they be sticking to the waterways or do they plan to branch out a bit

[two-calicos-in-a-trenchcoat]

I really want a buddy comedy of muzu and king dorephan going around hyrule together

[city-writes]

All That Glitters

As Durbe continues his impromptu journey with Rio and Ryoga, he learns more about them, including the fact that Mach - his partner, a shiny Rapidash - might not be the only ones Team Rocket could be after.

For @zexalmonth Day 20, the AU day!

Warning(s): Pokémon Trainer AU; Follow-up to this fic Pairing(s): N/A

Read it here on AO3! Commission Info!

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It was growing late that day, the sun beginning to set as the sky began to gently dim. Durbe looked up at the multi-hued sky, a look of thought on his face as he and his companions - twin trainers Rio and Ryoga Kamishiro - made their way towards Fuchsia City. They had been traveling for a few days, Durbe having been the tie breaker between the arguing twins when each wanted to go a separate way: Ryoga to Fuchsia City, and Rio to Celadon City. Ultimately, Durbe had won both twins over by stating that there was a bike path that connected the two cities, and that even though none of them had a bike, they could probably get away with riding two at a time on Mach.

When Ryoga had asked if there was any other way, Durbe had given it a thought, before informing them about the waterways underneath the bike path, saying that if they had enough Water Pokémon between them, they could ride together that way.

Ryoga had looked a little apprehensive at that, but before Durbe could ask about it, Rio spoke up, saying that they could figure it out once they reached Fuchsia City.

That was a handful of days ago. They were so close to Fuchsia City, Durbe half considered walking a couple more hours so they could reach there instead of sleeping outdoors again. Not that he disliked camping with his new friends, but he had to admit, the thought of a mattress as opposed to a sleeping bag was ultimately more appealing. But he and the twins knew it wouldn't be that safe, trekking out while it was dark, so in the end, the three of them took a small detour towards some nearby trees, which looked over a small lake.

As they began setting up their dwellings for the night, Rio and Ryoga let out their Pokémon, to let them spend some time out of their Pokéballs. Durbe watched in amusement as Ryoga let his Magikarp and Greninja out at the lake, Ryoga's Magikarp splashing around happily. Three of his other Pokémon - Gallade, Garchomp, and Gliscor - were meandering around, checking out their surroundings.

Rio's Pokémon, on the other hand, were all staying by her for the most part. Her Alolan Vulpix was by her side as she was setting up her sleeping bag, and her Swablu and Weavile were in a nearby tree, Swablu being perched on a branch, and Weavile being high up, resting its back against the main part of the tree, while it sat on a thick branch. Her Kirlia was tailing Ryoga's Gallade, and her Froslass was swaying between the trees, presumably keeping an eye out for anything that could be perceived as a danger.

Durbe took it upon himself to do the same, letting out his Espurr, and Mach, a shiny Rapidash. Both Pokémon looked at him curiously, before Durbe spoke. "Go on, it's alright."

Mach was fairly quick to venture out on his own, lazily trotting a few paces away and stretching his legs. Espurr, on the other hand, totted over to Durbe, resting a paw on his pant leg. Durbe laughed gently, and nodded down at Espurr. "Ok, ok. You can stick with me." He leaned down slightly then, and whispered, "But stick close, ok? Let's not get you too close to Rio." Espurr nodded in return, the pair of them knowing about Rio's dislike of cat Pokémon.

As the three teens finished setting up their camp for the evening, Durbe noticed something off about the count of their Pokémon. He himself only had Mach and Espurr, a total of two Pokémon. Rio had her five, but at one point shortly after the three began traveling together, Ryoga had mentioned having a full team of Pokémon. So why was Durbe only counting five Pokémon from him? Stealing a glace over to Ryoga, who was settling his backpack by a tree next to his sleeping bag, Durbe counted the number of Pokéballs around his belt. Upon counting six, Durbe blinked, a look of confusion on his face.

"Hey, Ryoga."

Ryoga stood up straight at the sound of Durbe's voice, looking over to the other young man. "What?"

Durbe nodded in Ryoga's direction, looking towards his belt. "Don't you have a full team? Why keep one in its Pokéball?"

Ryoga looked a little hesitant, and looked down at his belt, frowning slightly. "I..." He folded his arms, shrugging slightly. "I'd just rather not let it out just yet."

A look of concern overcame Durbe, and his gaze traveled up to meet Ryoga's. "Is something wrong?" Espurr began toddling over to Ryoga at this point, though the two males kept talking.

"Nothing's wrong, Durbe, I just don't want to let this Pokémon out right now."

"Listen, if it's hurt or something, I have some berries and whatnot to help heal it."

"Durbe--"

The flash of light that accompanied a Pokémon being let out of it's Pokéball shone brightly from Ryoga's waist, as a decently large shadow made itself known in the water. Ryoga went wide-eyed as he looked down to his waist, only to find Espurr at his feet, the small, bipedal feline having used a small portion of its psychic energy to click open the Pokéball that housed his last Pokémon.

All the while this was happening, Rio was merely watching her two companions interact, and watched as Espurr had made its way to Ryoga, letting Ryoga's last Pokémon out of its Pokéball. She, as well as Durbe, looked to the water to see the large shadow that was now present. As Ryoga fumbled to get the Pokéball off of his belt in a hasty attempt to return his Pokémon, Rio approached the lake, and playfully called out, "Sharpedo!"

No sooner than she did that, a pointed purple dorsal fin poked out of the water, more and more of it emerging until the face of a purple Sharpedo with a yellow 'X' on its nose popped out of the water, a happy look gracing the shark Pokémon's face.

"A Sharpedo?" Durbe asked, walking closer to the lake. "I've never seen one in person before."

As Durbe approached the lake, Ryoga's Sharpedo stopped smiling, and glared pointedly at Durbe. It was enough to make the bespectacled male stop in his tracks, before Rio laughed and spoke to Sharpedo again. "Don't worry about him, Sharpedo. Durbe's a friend."

Sharpedo's eyes glanced from Rio, to Durbe, back to Rio again, before relaxing somewhat, allowing Durbe to step closer to the lake. Though as Durbe did, something 'clicked' in his mind. "Wait a second..." He looked over to Ryoga then, and spoke. "This is a shiny Sharpedo...?"

Ryoga, who had been trying to grab at his Sharpedo's Pokéball as it floated in the air thanks to Espurr playing with it using its psychic powers, turned to face Durbe, his lips forming a thin line. "..Yeah."

Durbe looked over Sharpedo once more, kneeling down by the lake as he watched Ryoga's Magikarp happily swam circles around Sharpedo. "I had no clue you also had a shiny Pokémon."

"Ever since coming to Kanto, I try not to flaunt him around." Ryoga murmured, trying once again to grab Sharpedo's Pokéball out of the air. He sighed as Espurr raised the Pokéball high above his head, then watched as the small feline Pokémon made its way to Durbe with Sharpedo's Pokéball. "As much as I love beating the crap out of some Team Rocket idiots, I don't want to lose my Sharpedo to them."

Durbe stood up as he watched Espurr trot over, Espurr mewling and tugging on Durbe's pants leg, plopping the Pokéball in his hands. Kneeling down, Durbe used one hand to pet Espurr's head before gently scolding it against teasing Ryoga like that. He then stood back up, looking at the Pokéball in his hand before looking back to Ryoga. "How long have you had your Sharpedo?"

"Sharpedo was actually my brother's first Pokémon." Rio piped up, taking her eyes off Ryoga's Pokémon in the lake to face Durbe and her brother. At this point, Espurr took the time to walk away from the three trainers, instead going to head towards Mach.

"It was a Carvanha back then." Ryoga explained, motioning for Durbe to toss the Pokéball back at him. Durbe complied, tossing the Pokéball in the air, Ryoga catching it with ease. "I fished alot back home in Hoenn. If I wasn't watching battles on TV or making plans for what I wanted my team to be for when I was finally old enough to be a trainer, I was fishing in the river by my parent's house."

"Every day, he'd fish up all sorts of Pokémon." Rio said, folding her arms. "But because he wasn't a certified trainer yet, he'd have to release them back into the water."

"Until one day," Ryoga smirked, "I reeled in a weird colored Carvanha. Instead of being dark blue and red, it was light blue and green. Not only that, but it was considerably smaller than the average Carvanha. I called my parents, thinking it was sick, but when my father came out to help me, he had me catch it, and said that it was a rare Pokémon, a shiny Pokémon."

"Wow..." Durbe muttered. "So, Sharpedo's been with you since the very beginning."

"Yep." Ryoga nodded, folding his arms as well. "From Hoenn, to Alola, to here. Unfortunately, with Team Rocket being known for stealing other people's Pokémon, I haven't been too fond of letting Sharpedo out when not in a safe area, like a Pokémon center, or a gym."

"I see." Durbe said, looking over to Mach, the equine Pokémon busy entertaining Espurr. "Perhaps I've been too relaxed with letting Mach out so often when we're on the road. I've been so used to him being out on the ranch all the time, that I didn't stop to consider the negative ramifications of him being exposed so much while traveling." A bit of an upset look came over him then. "I don't want to risk Will and Brooks taking him like they constantly tried to at the ranch."

Both twins blinked that the names, them sounding unfamiliar.

"Who are Will and Brooks?" Rio asked.

"The Team Rocket grunts you guys ran into the day we met." Durbe clarified, "Brooks was the female grunt, tall and skinny with short pink hair. Will was the male grunt, short and stocky with lime green hair."

"You actually know their names?" Ryoga asked, an amused look on his face.

"They've come after Mach so many times, my moms and I had heard them call each other by name before."

"Well, regardless of whatever those punks' names are," Ryoga continued, walking over to Durbe, unfolding his arms and placing one hand on Durbe's shoulder. "You shouldn't feel bad about thinking you've been 'too relaxed'. You and Mach are strong together, you've been able to defend yourselves from them." Ryoga gave a cocky smirk then, using the thumb on his spare hand to point at himself. "And besides, you've got me and Rio in your corner. We've got your back no matter what."

Durbe smiled at that, and nodded. "Thanks, Ryoga. I appreciate it."

Ryoga took his hand off of Durbe's shoulder then and began to walk to the lake, looking over his Sharpedo. "I suppose I could be a be more relaxed myself, huh buddy?" His response was a tooth-filled grin from his Sharpedo. "Alright then. You can spend the night in the lake with Magikarp and Greninja."

"I've got your back too, you know." Durbe said, smiling gently. "Mach and I will help you and Rio protect Sharpedo, too."

The two young men shared a look, and Rio smiled herself. "Well, I don't know about you guys," she began, walking in between the both of them and towards their campsite. "But it's about time we get dinner started."

At the mention of dinner, Durbe's stomach growled, and he let out an embarrassed chuckle. "Here, I'll help, Rio."

"I'll keep an eye on the Pokémon, then." Ryoga said, beginning to walk out to where his Gallade and Rio's Kirlia were.

With that, the three trainers took up their respective jobs for the evening, and Durbe couldn't have been more appreciative of his new friends.

[zealoptics]

Hakuba Peace and Powder: The Middle Path Project

Words by Ian Wood / Photos by Jordan Ingmire

Close your eyes... 

Imagine a future without the winters we know and love. Visualize standing in the lift line as rain pours from the sky, where dry snowflakes once softly fell. Picture chair lifts sitting idle, high above barren ground, as water streams down the hillside. It’s mid February and the resorts based in lower elevations haven’t even opened. Powder days are few and far between. When the snow does show up, it's sloppy and wet as you search the forecast every week, hoping and praying for colder temperatures. Now open your eyes and realize that this future I speak of is already happening. This was the story for us in Washington State, USA in the winter season of 2014-15. Many resorts never opened, and most were shut down by the end of February. I could count the total dry powder days on one hand.

This was the first season of filming for The Middle Path Project, a series designed to open our eyes as to how we affect the environment of this world around us and how to be more aware of our impact as individuals. How do our adventures as snow enthusiasts negatively affect the season we hold so dear to our heart, and how do our every day actions affect the eco system?  Most all of our plans were based in Washington or British Columbia, Canada for that winter. We tried to stick it out as long as we could in hopes that a typical season would show up, but it never did. Days upon days, I sat staring out of my mountain house window, watching the rain pour from the sky. Our resort was about 1,000 vertical feet too low. The warm temperatures were giving the mountain peaks snow, but the lower half of the mountain was only getting rain. Needless to say, this was a reality check in our dream land. The lack of winter and the warm temperatures only drove the obvious need for awareness deeper into my mind.

Feeling incomplete after our first season filming for the project, we were determined to accomplish a second season. The list of issues to speak about is endless, so topics relating to our snowboard travels were bountiful. We needed to be more flexible and prepared for a winter like the previous one. In our minds the place with the most consistent snowfall season after season was Japan. Every January for years on end we heard the tales of 3 foot storms and waste deep powder, for what seemed to be for a month straight. Not one of us had ever been there, and we hadn’t flown anywhere the entire season before. We had learned that this form of travel has the harshest effect on the world. Who knew that burning jet fuel could have such a negative impact? With this project we wanted to be real and take on day to day issues, knowing that millions of people fly every day. Weighing out our desires, and the consequences of those desires, is the key to the Middle Path Project. With a little more research, we discovered that if we each planted 25 trees we could easily offset our carbon footprint created from the burning of the jet fuel. The dream was suddenly becoming a reality and through the adventure, I knew there would be great lessons learned, and a heightened awareness to be shared.

Living a lifestyle not based on monetary gains makes month long trips across the world a bit tricky. It takes a real LIFE pro to get that balance dialed. The experienced crew aligned for the adventure ahead. Sean, Mark, Tyler, Jordan, Ryan and myself decided to go in early February. Our hopes were in favor of a nice base being established, to form pillows and spines. With fear in our minds from the season before, we also wanted to cover our ass and make sure we had something to work with. Mother Nature once again was not complying with our self made list of dreams and desires. Japanuary had not arrived and once again we were faced with our plans being disrupted by a lack of winter. We had all of our eggs in one basket: Hakuba. Through all of our connections of friends that had traveled there and what we had seen from edits already produced, this was the destination we were set on. In our minds the North Island just didn’t have the terrain we yearned for. Steep lines, spines, flutes, pillows, chutes; all of these things were talked about in this one location. The North was getting the snow but we weren’t looking to plow through waist deep powder down hills barely steep enough to slash. We wanted to be scared and holding on to a wild ride.

It wasn't an easy choice to pull the trigger on going to Japan. Hearing labels of worst season in decades had our minds churning. Up until the week we were supposed to take off, we were still discussing pulling out. We'd heard rumors that brought back nightmares of the season prior. Chairs not spinning, snow not coming, pillows not formed, and face shots not happening. It was a dangerous choice in retrospect, but something pulled Sean, the videographer, and I to make the commitment. It took some convincing to get the guys to invest their hard earned money into what looked like a terrible decision, but fortunately they trusted in our intuition. We boarded the plane and took off to the land of the rising sun.

I set out on a personal journey to make as little impact on Japan as I could. By committing to collect my trash for the whole trip, I could reflect on the garbage trail I left behind in the places I visit. I was determined to bring home what couldn’t be recycled and in turn have less of an impact on someone else’s homeland. We are all just visitors to this planet as a whole, so this appears to be a universal approach that should wisely be applied to how each of us live.

Trash was one of the first issues that really connected with my vision for a better way. How insane it is that a species so advanced in some technologies, still creates materials that aren’t biodegradable. Instead they dig big holes in the ground and bury this non-compostable material, leaving it for a future generation to deal with. All the while that it lays buried, these toxic products leach chemicals into our soil and our waterways. That is how we do it in the US. Out of sight, out of mind seems to be the strategy. We wrap our extraordinary little plastic bins with magical plastic bags to stick all of our plastic garbage in. Then a waste management magician comes and takes it all away, eliminating the need to ever be concerned about the ramifications or the impact of this constant and never-ending flow of toxic waste.  How convenient!

Getting from the airport in Tokyo to our destination was no small task. Language barriers, missed busses and long strolls through roads had us on a journey from the beginning. After searching by braille through the darkness of night, the crew finally got settled in Hakuba. We found ourselves in a room situated at the bottom of Happo-one. The 6 of us were anxious to learn the bus system and how to get to and from the 10 resorts situated in and around town. Japan must have felt us making a conscious effort because she laid out the white carpet. Just days before we showed up it had begun to snow. The base areas were barren right before we arrived and it seemed to be another winter that wasn’t going to show. The story was very similar to ours the year before. Snowing up high and raining at the bottom. This provided a very unique recipe for interesting adventures. The high alpine had a very dense, stable snow pack. It would snow a bit most every day and then the sun would show its face for safe adventures in the new snow. Low terrain had very low snow coverage so some of the runs down to the road got pretty hairy on the way out. We picked our way around town and took in which resorts were best for each particular day. We found Cortina and Tsugaika were best on stormy days, in the trees with low visibility. Goryu and Happo-one held the rock star big mountain terrain to race to on sunny powder days.

Our minds were blown away by the terrain and the scale of the Japanese Alps. Every corner we turned or peak we summited revealed another oasis. We connected with local legends Shin Biyajima, Kenji Kato, Endo, and Die-Go. They opened their hearts and exposed us to some of the hidden gems tucked away in the Zen-filled alpine. Spine arms that went from mountain top to valley floor, each arm had what seemed to be hundreds of smaller spine arms that branched off from them. 

Chutes, pillows, all of our dreams were tucked in the nooks and crannies of Hakuba’s backcountry.

We didn’t only come to Japan for great shred, but also to soak in another cultural influence on the planet. Were the people here more ecologically aware than our people? What kind of systems were in place in Hakuba for trash, recycling and reuse? The first thing that caught my eye was the amount of packaging in each and every store. Sometimes things were wrapped 3 times in one package. The amount of plastic used was shocking. Walking through Lawson convenient store, it was tough to find anything not thoroughly wrapped in plastic. We share this problem in my home country, due to a lack of awareness of what ends up happening with all of those plastic materials. Our Oceans carry the frightening results of this neglectful manner of dealing with our non-biodegradable waste. As I walked the streets and visited the local resorts, I did encounter a much more advanced recycling system: bottle cap recycling and several bins for all sorts of materials. That was very inspiring to see! The PET program for single use plastic bottles was also advanced. After taking a visit to the local incinerator, we got a deeper look into the systems of the city. We observed the separating of reusable materials, the process of incinerating, and how a different culture views its trash as well as waste management. I did sense a similar disconnection to the process, much like I feel here in the states.

What the Middle Path Project originally set out to do was look deeper into cause and effect. Through this knowledge we can begin to change and create a closer connection with the karmic results of our actions. Regardless of how we treat our trash, there is no where to throw it away. It will always be a part of the system. So instead we should look into how to stop creating “trash”; especially the kind that does not readily decompose. All of our negative impact affects the ecosystem, and you can see the toxic effect of man in every system. From ocean acidification, deforestation, soil degradation, air pollution to climate change. It is all one big system that in the end will affect our winters for the coming generations... and even our own.

The trip came to an end and I was sitting with a mountain of trash. I sorted through every piece, recycled what I could, and sent paper products to the incinerator. The rest I brought home to the US to put into our plastic recycling programs and our own landfill. Why do we have the right to visit other people’s homes and leave our trash? Why do we have the right to do it in our own homes? The generations to come will eventually have to deal with our destructive unconscious decisions. Through our experiences in Hakuba, Japan we were able to learn and grow. Curiosity of how other people do things sparked many ideas of how we can strive to do them better. We rode spines, mingled with Serow’s, jumped down pillows, got scared, ate ramen, onsened as much as we could, drank sake, and most importantly gained awareness. Hakuba treated us with great hospitality and it will always have a special place in our hearts. With a bag full of trash, I awkwardly hopped onto my flight home.

In our minds we have created imaginary boundaries that separate us in too many ways. States, countries, religions, beliefs, ethnicities, these delusions exist in fragile agreements that we unconsciously fabricate as truth. When we start talking about the preservation of this planet, those lines immediately disappear. Air, Water, Pollution, Contamination; these things don’t abide to such man-made hallucinations. If the people where I live unconsciously destroy “their” land, air, and waterways, it destroys a significant part of the one planet we share. It’s time to unite as one species, and begin to share in the caring for the one being that sustains the very things necessary for a happy, healthy life. What on Earth would we do without her?

Thank You Hakuba. 

Peace and Powder, 

The Middle Path Project

See more of Ian Wood’s snowflake-filled snowboarding adventures here or on his Instagram @eanwood.

[wikitopx]

Ismailia is a city in north-eastern Egypt that was founded during the construction of the Suez Canal in 1863 by Khedive Ismail the Magnificent – the person who played a big role in the modernization of Egypt and Sudan during his reign, and where the city’s name came from.

The city is situated on the west bank of the Suez Canal, which is the capital of the Ismailia Governorate. Many visitors might go and explore Egypt but will have to think of dropping by Ismailia. In fact, the city is popular with tourists from within Egypt but is really not a major tourist spot for international visitors. Crazy right? Because they could be missing half of their lives! Ismailia may not be a popular destination in Egypt but it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have what other cities in the whole world have to offer. Let’s check out these beautiful things to see and things to do in Ismailia, Egypt.

[toc]

1. Visit Lake Timsah

Egypt is full of gorgeous lakes, but Lake Timsah is one of the most famed spots for its magnificent blue waters. Popularly dubbed Crocodile Lake, the lake lies between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea and is overlooked by numerous sandy beaches.

You can rejuvenate after a hard day by walking by the lake’s cool waters or sipping a coffee or cocktail from the veranda of one of the many cafes nearby. Or get there early in the morning to choose the most peaceful spot and settle down with a good book.

2. See the Ismailia Museum

The Ismailia Museum is a small museum, but it houses numerous objects that are really worth seeing. Most of the things that you want to know about Egypt, especially their history, can be found here.

Over 4,000 different artifacts from Pharaonic and Graeco-Roman times are displayed including statues, scarabs, stelae, and information about the first canal built by the Persian Darius between the Bitter Lakes and Bubastis.

A 4th-century mosaic masterpiece is a sight that showcases characters from Greek mythology–Phaedra sending the love letter to Hippolytus (her stepson), and Dionysus riding a chariot driven by Eros.

3. See the abandoned Israeli Bunker in Sinai (Tabat Al-Shagara)

This popular site is located to 10 km (6.2 mi) to the east of the Suez Canal from Ismailia. Feel like you were present during the time when the place was an Israeli Operations control center. This place also gives you a great scenic view but be sure to wear some sunscreen as the place is in an open ground. You will surely spend most of the time under the sun!

4. Explore the Natural Science Museum

If you happen to bring your kids or little ones on your next trip to Egypt, a museum is a top choice not to waste your time and money. Aside from being able to enjoy the place, both the kids and the adults will surely learn something after visiting the Natural Science Museum. They also have tanks for more photo options too!

5. Have a sumptuous meal at Nefertiti Restaurant

Nefertiti was known to be an Egyptian queen and the Great Royal Wife of an Egyptian Pharaoh, Akhenaten. She reigned, together with her husband, during the wealthiest period of ancient Egyptian history and claimed different titles such as Great of Praises, Lady of Grace, Sweet of Love, Main King’s Wife, and his beloved.

In fact, there is a restaurant in Ismailia to pay tribute to her. Nefertiti was made famous by her bust and you can even see it on this restaurant’s menu. They serve fresh seafood, grilled items, and pasta and if you are going to ask for their bestseller, order their grilled shrimp!

6. Pay a visit to a Mosque

Even if we normally go to a different place, we should also make time to visit a holy place. After all, it’s good to be curious when it comes to different religions. A mosque is a place of worship for devotees of Islam.

It is where religious activities, such as teaching the Quran and educating future imams – a worship leader of a mosque, take place. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to visit a mosque when you plan to visit a Muslim country. Not only will you be curious about this religion, but you will also be fascinated by how beautiful mosques are.

7. Enjoy relaxing views of the Suez Canal (from USD 148)

The Suez Canal is perhaps one of Egypt’s most famous waterways, teeming with watercraft since its opening in 1869. A trip to this seemingly modern canal is at once an encounter with ancient Egyptian history – since the time of the pharaohs, ancient east-west canals preceding the Suez Canal have been built to link the Nile River to the Red Sea.

Hop on a ferry to cross the busy canal, or simply stroll along its banks and admire the many watercrafts passing through on their way to the northern Indian Oceans. An idyllic vacation-ender before leaving Ismailia!

8. Attend the International Film Festival for Documentaries and Shorts

One of the most sought-after events that happen in Ismailia is the celebration of documentaries and shorts films. This festival started in 1991 as it is believed that shorts and documentaries should be given importance.

Filmmakers in Egypt as well as in other countries treasure the festival because this is the time to showcase their works and celebrate their hard work.

9. Cilantro

The Ismailia branch of the Egyptian home-grown coffee empire has the best view in the town. Cilantro also does decent sandwiches and other snacks. It's 3km east of town on the main road that runs alongside the canal.

10. Reda Helmy

The top spot in town for shish tawooq (grilled chicken on skewers), Egyptian liver and pretty much any other meat you can stick on the grill. There are great salads and mezze to clean all that meat as well as tagens (stew in deep clay pots).

More ideals for you: Top 10 things to do in Foggia

From : https://wikitopx.com/travel/top-10-things-to-do-in-ismailia-708592.html

[ntrending]

How to leave the great outdoors exactly how you found it

New Post has been published on https://nexcraft.co/how-to-leave-the-great-outdoors-exactly-how-you-found-it/

How to leave the great outdoors exactly how you found it

In the great outdoors, the smallest actions leave lasting impressions. Tossing a banana peel in the bushes or wandering off the trail to pick flowers may seem harmless, but every choice we make has the potential to alter the natural balance of our world. Over time, even the little things can add up to significant changes to our environment, especially when you consider the increasing number of people spending time outdoors.

That’s where the concept of Leave No Trace comes in. It’s a practice made up of seven principles that aim to help you do almost precisely what its name says: leave no trace that you were ever in the wild to begin with. That means minimizing the unavoidable effects we have on natural places while eliminating the avoidable ones.

This, of course, is easier said than done. Making matters worse, 90% of people who visit the outdoors are uninformed about Leave No Trace principles, according to Ben Lawhon, Education Director at Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. That’s why his organization helps instill proper outdoor etiquette in as many people as possible, whether they’re going on a months-long expedition in the wilderness or just playing Frisbee in the park.

“Leave No Trace is not about perfection, it’s about action, about what you can do personally to individually reduce your impact,” Lawhon says.

Some of the principles are intuitive, while others require a little explanation. For example, most people know better than to throw a candy wrapper into the woods, but not everyone understands why it’s so important to stay on the trail or not transport firewood from one park to another.

Plan ahead and prepare

The old adage stands when it comes to Leave No Trace: If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. That’s because spending time outdoors—be it at your local park or in the Colorado wilderness—without everything you need often means your impact on that place will be greater. If you forget to bring a trash bag for a picnic, for example, you’re more likely to leave garbage behind. If you don’t have a bear canister when camping in bear country, you’re more likely to attract unwanted wildlife. Planning ahead can help eliminate many potential sources of environmental harm.

So consider what you need for the type of outdoor activity you’re embarking upon. Are you bringing a pet? Backpacking for several nights, or just hiking for a few hours? Is it supposed to rain, or will it be sunny? Will you be eating outside? Pack everything you’ll need, from dog waste bags to rain jackets. Zip-top bags are also useful. Use them to store trash until you find an appropriate disposal site or to wrap around your socked feet if you’re caught in the rain without a spare pair of dry socks.

Travel and camp on durable surfaces

Some land, especially in the American west, is made of what was once known as cryptobiotic crust. Now known as living soil crust, this type of surface is made of living organisms—including fungi, mosses, and lichens—that create a literal crust over the earth beneath. Walking or camping on this type of ground—which may not look that different from other dirt, but is often bumpy, clumped together, or blackened—can destroy delicate ecosystems that may take decades to recover.

But even in areas without this crust, camping on or hiking over land not cleared for that purpose can be harmful. Deviating from paths can widen trails, damage trailside plants, and cause erosion, while camping on fragile vegetation can scar the landscape.

If there are well-maintained trails, use them. Don’t take shortcuts between switchbacks. And if there’s living soil crust nearby, stay off it at all costs. When wilderness hiking, if there are no marked trails, don’t walk single-file, as you risk wearing a path where there shouldn’t be one. Pitch tents and set up camp on sandy surfaces, gravel, or hearty vegetation like dry grass if you’re camping in the backcountry where there are no designated campsites. Then when you leave, do your best to restore the area to what it looked like before you arrived. In a high-use campsite like those in state or national parks, stick to the well-worn areas that have been cleared specifically for camping.

Dispose of waste properly

At some point, most people who spend time outdoors will have to go to the bathroom in the woods. But improper disposal techniques can contaminate waterways, hurt wildlife, and spread disease. That goes for pet waste, too. As for litter, don’t burn it in a campfire or toss it in the woods. Not only can it attract wildlife and make them sick, but it doesn’t break down as quickly as you think. Even natural items like toilet paper, apple cores, and coffee grounds could take years to decompose.

Never go to the bathroom within 200 feet of running water. It’s fine to urinate on the ground, but don’t leave toilet paper. Bury it or bring it with you—a good use for those zip-top bags. Likewise, bury solid human waste, too. Dig a hole 6-8 inches deep with a small trowel and go in the hole, then fill it with dirt and disguise the area so animals or other hikers don’t find it. As for trash, dinner leftovers, and even feminine hygiene products: if you brought it in, bring it out.

Leave what you find

When hiking through the woods, or even meandering through a neighborhood park, you may be tempted to pocket an interesting rock or pick a pretty flower. A small fossil or rusty nail from centuries past may also be a tempting souvenir. But remember that every item you remove from its place also removes a piece of that place for future visitors. Moving things from one area to another can also spread invasive species: insects in plants and firewood, zebra mussels on boats, and even microscopic particles in the treads of your shoes. All are unintentional ways people can help invaders spread.

Instead, take a photo of that beautiful flower or unique stone, and leave the object where it is. Do the same for historic items like arrowheads, building materials, or pieces of pottery and, if possible, let park staff know the location so they can investigate.

Minimize campfire damage

Everybody loves a campfire when spending the night outdoors, but a campfire can do a significant amount of damage if it’s improperly built or managed. Wildfires and forest fires aside, hot coals and flames can scorch the vegetation and the ground below the fire, while over-collecting fallen branches or cutting down live wood for fuel can leave the surrounding area bare of resources.

If there’s a designated fire pit at your campsite—usually a metal ring or a circle of rocks built to contain flame and ash—use it, but only if you either bought firewood at the camp store or there’s enough old, fallen wood to collect nearby. Even if there is a fire ring, don’t start one if there’s a burn ban in effect where you are.

If there’s no designated spot, skip the flames or build a Leave No Trace-type fire. The latter involves mounding soil, sand, or gravel 6-8 inches thick and at least twice as wide as the intended fire on top of a ground cloth or a large garbage bag. Alternatively, use a fire pan (basically a metal trash can lid) set atop three or four rocks. Then arrange the wood and start your fire. When it’s time to extinguish, do it with water, not dirt or ash, and make sure the coals are no longer hot to the touch before going to bed or leaving camp.

Respect wildlife

Getting too close to wild animals can have disastrous ramifications. If they feel threatened, of course, they might attack. But even if they remain calm, approaching, handling, or trying to feed wildlife can make animals accustomed to people. That means they’re increasingly likely to become comfortable ransacking picnic baskets, invading campsites, and approaching civilization. If an animal changes its behavior because of you—whether that means it runs away, abandons its young, or stops eating—you’re too close.

Lawhon suggests using the “rule of thumb” when encountering animals in the wild: if you can hold up your hand at arm’s length, close one eye, and cover a nearby animal with your thumb, you’re likely far enough away to stay safe and prevent the animal from feeling threatened.

Be considerate of other visitors

The rules of common courtesy apply outdoors, too. That includes being polite to other hikers, stepping aside to let others pass, and keeping excess noise—including music—to a minimum. Music and shouting can disturb both wildlife and the peacefulness many seek when outdoors.

If you simply must have music, use headphones. And if traveling in a group, keep loud talking and shouting to a minimum. When crossing paths with people headed in the opposite direction, offer to step aside and give them the right-of-way. Generally, those going downhill should yield to those going up, and if someone faster is coming up behind you, step aside and let them pass. Communication is key.

Leave no trace

To best put the principles into practice, ask yourself, “Would this item be here or would this area look like this if I had never come through?” Answering that will ensure you’re minimizing your effect on nature.

“It’s about doing the best you can,” Lawhon says. “It’s not an all-or-nothing prospect. It’s about learning and about making responsible decisions in the outdoors.”

And it’s certainly not just for hikers or avid outdoors people, but for everyone who spends time in nature.

Written By Alisha McDarris

[allamericanhomesourcerealty]

Your Corpus Christi Military PCS Moving Checklist

Have you received your Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders?

Thousands of military personnel receive PCS orders each year. If you’re one of them, you know you have to get yourself and your family ready for the relocation process. Moving is part of military life and it can be a stressful experience.

You’ll have to deal with packing, housing inspections, house-hunting, and traveling with pets, just to name a few tasks. A PCS move to Corpus Christi TX requires a great deal of advanced planning and it is a challenge to get all the moving tasks completed in time while still taking care of other responsibilities.

While you simply can’t prepare for every possible scenario when facing a PCS move, having a guide can help you have a smooth transition onto your family’s next adventure.

Hi, my name is Elizabeth Straessle, your Corpus Christi Military Relocation specialist. My team at the All American Home Source Realty and I have created a PCS moving checklist to help you get prepared and stay organized.

Before we go into the details of your military move, let me share with you a few things about your next home --- Corpus Christi TX!

Get to know the Sparkling City by the Sea

Corpus Christi is a port town located on the Texas coast of the Gulf of Mexico. It is a hub for both the petroleum and petrochemical industry, and also serves as a major shipping gateway on the Intracoastal Waterway.

The city is home to miles of sprawling beaches and you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the Gulf Coast's natural attractions. If you love the beach,  you’d be delighted to know that the city has 11 sun-soaked beaches, two marinas, an average temperature of about 70 degrees, and approximately 255 days of sunshine every year.

It is also known for its popular tourist attractions, a variety of hotels, cultural venues, and shopping and dining options. It is also home to the Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi and Del Mar College. Cultural institutions include the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History, the Art Museum of South Texas, and a number of small theaters and galleries. In addition, Corpus Christi boasts a great economy and industry, low housing costs and an overall low cost of living.

Watch this video and take a look at what the city has to offer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t82Nv5QKw9A

It’s common to see members of the United States military around because the U.S. Navy has two major air stations near the port. Corpus Christi is home to Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, which provides 6,200 civilian jobs to the local economy, making it the single largest employer in the city. Many military families and retirees are drawn to the city’s affordable and laid-back lifestyle.

And now here’s a basic checklist to help you get a smooth start on your PCS move to Corpus Christi TX!

Start planning early

The moment you receive your orders, you should start planning for your military move at once. While this may seem like common knowledge, many military families fail to start planning within an adequate time frame.

Carefully planning your move can help reduce your stress and anticipate potential obstacles. Make a list of moving tasks, so nothing important is neglected. Having tangible lists will help tackle a move more efficiently and effectively. As soon as you know you’ll be moving, start doing as much as you can to prepare.

Create a PCS Binder

One simple way to stay on top of your move is to create a PCS binder. Having a PCS binder can make your relocation easier and less hectic.

You can look online for templates for your binder, or you can simply make your own. If you decide to make your own, you’ll need the following:

Binder

Sheet protectors

Zipper pouch

Dividers with tabs

Paper clips, pens, and highlighters

So what should you put inside your PCS binder?

Important documents like birth certificates and passports

Military Orders

House and Car Titles

Auto Information

Medical Records

School Records

Veterinary Records

Moving Documents

Travel Documents

Budget and Expense Tracker

Make an appointment with your base transportation office

Schedule an appointment for a counseling session at your base transportation office. During the counseling, you will talk about how much your allowance will be based on rank and dependent status. You will also go over which moving option would be best for your situation.

Decide what kind of move you are going to have

There are three options when it comes to executing a PCS move.

Government Move

This is a full-service option. Your local Travel Management Office (TMO) will take care of your entire move from start to finish. A commercial moving company will be hired  to come to your home and take care of everything. That includes packing all your stuff, loading them onto their truck, transporting them to your new home, unloading, and unpacking.

PPM Move

A Personally Procured Move (PPM) or “DITY” (Do-It-Yourself) move means you take charge of the entire process. Although this option requires a little extra work, the government will pay you back 95% of what it would have cost had you done a standard PCS move. You may also be eligible for a partial advance, depending on your branch.

Partial Move

This is also referred to as a combination move or partial DITY. This option allows for a little more flexibility. You will ship a certain amount of your household goods via the government and the rest as a PPM. The weight allowance is split between the government move and PPM. To be reimbursed for the DITY side, make sure to keep all receipts and government paperwork and don’t go beyond the allotted budget.  

Know your PCS weight allowance

Among the many details you have to work out during your move, your PCS weight allowance could have the most expensive consequences. You also have to remember that it’s your responsibility to have an accurate estimate of the weight of your household goods and stay within the allowance. Otherwise, you’ll have to shoulder the overage. Service members also have a right to ask their moving company or military transportation office for a re-weigh of their household goods, and they have a right to be present when that re-weigh is conducted.

You can find out more about your weight allowance here.

Know your rights

There’s a lot at stake in your move so it’s essential to learn your rights. In addition, when you're moving in service to the nation, you deserve to be treated fairly and professionally.

The Department of Defense Personal Property Program has published a customer bill of rights that spells out everything you should expect, such as negotiating pickup and delivery dates, and having moving debris and containers removed on the day of delivery at no cost.

Discuss the moving process with your children

Change is never easy for some children. The idea of moving to a new location can be scary. Aside from that, your children will have to leave behind their friends, relatives, school, and home that they've grown to love.

At present, there are 2,000,000 military-connected children in America. 1,381,584 of the military-connected children are ages 4-18 years old.

Over 80 percent of these children – 1,105,267 students – attend Pre-K through 12 public schools.

517,734 children in preschool (ages 0-5)

516,324 children in primary school (ages 6-14)

186,883 children in high school or older (ages 15-22)

Every school district in the country has military-connected students.

Expect that there will always be some sadness when you tell your children that you are moving. As a parent, you have to help them focus on the excitement of traveling to a new place, living in a new home, and making new friends.

Tell your children about the move as soon as possible so that they will have enough time to spend with their friends. It is also important to get them involved in the process, so make sure to assign them age-appropriate tasks.  

Create a budget and stick to it

Every move requires spending money. Even if the military is going to reimburse most of the costs of your move, it’s still important to have a specific PCS budget. Costs like hotel accommodations, meals out, and other incidentals can quickly add up, causing unneeded financial stress during your move. That’s why it’s best to set a realistic financial expectation.

Research your new duty station

One of the best things you can do before planning your move is to do a research about your soon-to-be home and community. In fact, as soon as your family receive new orders, you should start gathering information regarding things that will directly impact your overall quality of life, such as commute times, neighborhood amenities, schools, and proximity to hospitals and grocery stores.

Take inventory

A key aspect of a successful move is knowing exactly what's going with you. That’s why it’s important to do a thorough inventory of your belongings before they are packed and make notes of which items are packed in each box. The good news is technology has made this part easier than ever. You can use your computer and build a basic spreadsheet or use smartphone applications like Sortly or download a free home inventory software at Ready.gov.  

In addition, taking photos using your smartphone or camera will help you record the condition of your goods prior to your move. This ensures that if anything is lost or damaged, the military will have the documentation necessary to reimburse you.

Make pet arrangements

Having a pet can add another layer of complexity to your PCS move, but with proper preparation, you can ease some of the stress of relocating for both you and your pet. Make sure to check state, base, and, if flying, airline regulations for pet-specific policies.

Bring your pets to the vet for a pre-move check-up to make sure they are healthy and refill any prescriptions they might have. You should also search for military-friendly vets in Corpus Christi TX to ensure your pets are well cared for.

Do a PCS purge

Get rid of excess stuff! Why opt for the extra trouble and expense to move rarely used items? As you prepare for your move, go from room to room and look for no-go items. If you haven’t used it in three years, chances are you no longer need it. Look at your move as a great opportunity to declutter and simplify your life!

Start by sorting through one room a day. Do at least two or three rounds of going through your house and getting rid of all the clutter you’ve accumulated. Keep in mind that every new location means a new house that will likely be a different size. As such, it is best to keep your belongings to a minimum. This way, you won’t have to deal with a ton of stuff that won’t fit in your new home. You can also make a few dollars by holding a yard sale, then donate the rest.

Check out the video below for a number of items you  need to get rid of before the big move:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deAYiLHT6S8&list=PLTnLP82BT9rNNzl_0OHRFZzGDVrashfIs

Prepare a First Day Box

As you prepare for the actual move, you also have to consider what you and your family are going to need on day one in your new house. Regardless of how organized you are, you need to anticipate a little chaos on the first day or two.You have to set aside bare essentials. Your first day box will typically contain a change of clothes, cleaning supplies, even some important electronics. Make sure that the most vital and important items to help you ease into your new home are in there. Doing so will allow you to start fresh in your new home without having to unpack random boxes to find items that you need.

Research utilities

One task that you should not forget is setting up the utilities in your new home. Do some research in the neighborhood you are moving to. If possible, consider visiting ahead of time. Studying the community will help you look into setting up heat, electricity, and internet/cable if need be.

Stay positive and relaxed

A PCS move may be challenging but stressing about it will only make it worse. You have to stay focused on the positive things that this move will bring to your family. Encourage everyone to look at the bigger picture and don’t sweat the small stuff.

PCSing is hard work and it won't always go perfectly, no matter how hard you try. So take a deep breath, make lists, and go forth with minimal worries. It will be all get done!

Let me assist you in finding the perfect home near your military base!

There are a lot of things to consider when choosing your next home. There’s the price, the location, the size, and many more. It can be hard to keep track of everything. That’s why you need the help of a real estate agent who knows what’s currently on the market and has intimate knowledge of the communities and neighborhoods you’re looking at. A military relocation specialist like me can help you find nearby homes that are military-friendly.

Call me, Elizabeth Straessle, at 361-878-8000. Our team at the All American Home Source Realty understands what military buyers are looking for, as well as the ins and outs of military moves. Let us help you experience a smooth PCS move to Corpus Christi TX!

In case you cannot view this video here, please click the link below to view Your Corpus Christi Military PCS Moving Checklist on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U63IMCzPqCs&feature=youtu.be

[such-as-it-is]

The World is round - Chapter 2

There were times when Maro would climb as high as she could through the canopy of the swamp, only to be disappointed with the sight of nothing but tree tops and the hills which surrounded the swamp and kept all the water and the life forms of the swamp captives within. Never did Maro imagine the day where she would be on top of one of these hills looking across out into her freedom. Alas, that day would be today. The climb upon the mountains was a treacherous one, but nothing the young lady could not handle on her own.

So, without further ado, she made the final stretch onto the hills peak and climbed up to meet her fate. When finally she hit the peak, awaiting her was the most awe striking site she had ever witnessed to that day. Bewildered, she took a minute to take it all in, and yet another moment it realise what she was to do with it.

To the east, lay the coast of which she had planned her journey around. Taking in the ocean was something particularly difficult, for to bare witness on such a body of water without any obstructions was such a contradiction to what Maro was used too. Being raised in a swamp, meant water was everywhere, but the only idea she had of water was the one she had been given by the swamp itself.

Directly north lay grasslands. Rocky and terrain with the occasional small cliff here and there and every now and then lay a tree or some bushes.

In the very distance Maro though she could see a village. ‘That has to be my first destination’ she thought. Conveniently enough, to the west lay a thin stream that looked like it would go to the village. Maro assumed it was her best bet to follow the stream, because it did not look like the coast would take her to her newly decided temporary destination.

The northern hill face was smooth, laced with grass rather than mud and sharp rocks like on the other side. Maro took one of the large swamp leaves from her backpack and smiled as she placed it on the ground, while hopping onto it.

The ride was sensational. The wind in her her, the sun coming down on her, the rush of the speed. When Maro hit the bottom, she roared with laughter and joy until she could no longer muster any breath. A final tear was shed for Ora as she got her swag together and began her way to the stream.

‘This is no waterway...’ she thought to herself as she finally made it. It was now around midday and despite all that walking and not having eaten anything that day, she was still energised. And she was right too, this indeed was no waterway. This was a river. And if the moon could make some of the waterways in the swamp flow, then by the spirits, it could make the rivers flow. Such power presented in the water had never been seen by this young lady. She walked by the stream as it plowed through itself, causing currents so strong, it looked like it could have swept away everyone in the swamp all at once.

After walking along side of it for sometime with admiration, Maro was struck with an idea. This idea which was sparked by a lone branch witnessed floating down the river at a high pace. She continued walking along the river collecting large sticks and carrying them along with her. After she deemed she had enough she separated them into two piles and tied them up with vines, along with the leaf she used to get down the hill, neatly lined up between the two piles. She had now constructed herself a little raft.

She grabbed it from either side and held it up in front of her. She took a couple of steps back, and then with a run up, she jumped into the roaring river, face first with the raft underneath her.

She let out a high pitched shriek as she hit the water and was pulled with the force of an angry parent down the river. Terrified out of her wits, her heart raced as the tips of her fingers started to ache from latching onto the raft so hard. She was too scared to keep her eyes open, but to scared to close them, ripping down the river at speeds she never even thought where possible, the world around nothing but a blur. After what seemed like an eternity of being swept away, her worst nightmare came to play before her eyes.

Rapids. Large sharp rock sticking their way in the path to try and account for a difference in land height. There was no time to think, let alone act and yet that didn’t stop Maro from letting go of the raft and waving her arms in front of her in the attempt to waterbend the raft to her will. The raft did in fact turn around, however, it kept its course the same, resulting it to smash itself directly into one of the rocks ahead. Maro was thrown as full force at the pile of sticks which bound the raft as it too was thrown onto the rocks. Large cracking noises could be heard by Maro, but the next thing she knew was total darkness.

It seemed like she was just floating around in the darkness, waiting for her to be transported into whatever came after death. And it came. In fact, in stated tugging on her legs. This made Maro uneasy and she struggled against it, but as she did so, she found that she no longer was able to breathe and starting to feel pain in her ears and nose. The pulling succeeded as she was brought out. The world once again came into focus around her. Could this be a new life? No… The river came into focus and so did the net that was stretched out across it. As she was dragged across the land she started punching and kicking the air while coughing violently.

“Calm down now… You’ll choke” said a deep male voice from above. Maro took his advice and started tried to calm down, still coughing out all the river water left in her system. She sat up and vomited into the ground. Maro tried to catch a glimpse of the person who saved her, but he was already at the river.

“This raft thing of yours in going to kill the fish!” He said with a hearty chuckle at the end as she retrieved all the tangled bits of sticks and leaf from the net.

“S-So-...” said Maro, but she was cut off.

“‘Was only fooling around. You just make sure you’re alright and get all that water out of ya” said the man who was big, burly and hairy, looking like he could have been in his late 30s. He was wearing battered, torn up clothes that were stained with dirt and filth. His hair was short and as black as the night.

“What’s going on here then?” Said another male voice from behind the the lady. She turned around to see another burly man, only taller. From the front she could see his deep brown eyes and wearing the same kind of clothes and the first man. His skin was black from drit and muck, so it’s true shade was hard to determine, although he looked to be around the same age..

“I think I found our solution” said the first man.

“What? She’s so small…”

“So is Matts. And anyway, we don’t really need a big one for this”

Maro mustered the energy to get up on her feet. As she did so she found that her chest and neck started to ache dearly.

“I’m sorry about any trouble I’ve caused. I’ll just be on my way th--” she started coughing uncontrollably. Each cough was agony to her now frail neck. The first man came closer to her.

“You’re not going anywhere in your condition” he said firmly looking up at her for he was slightly shorter than she was despite his brawn. “I insist ya come to my house. ‘ave a spare bed ya can sleep in”

Maro examined her surroundings for the first time. It now seemed like she was in the heart of the village, for there were wooden buildings everywhere and people and carts walking along a dirt road parallel to the river. Houses and shops and markets and wanderers moving around, getting on with their daily routine, but only on the east side of the lake, for that’s where the village stopped.

Maro tried to muster a reply but failed and instead collapsed on the ground losing her consciousness.

For the third time on this adventure, the world around Maro came into focus as she woke up. But this was no world, this, was a room. Softness of such as bed was unknown to Maro as she hurled her blanket onto the other side of the room and leapt out of her bed. She was feeling quite a bit better now. She examined her body to assess any damages. The first thing that came into mind was the scabs left behind on her left forearm from when she fell in the swamp. They were about healed now. On the bed Maro noticed some blood stains. Although her neck suffered the most pain, some of which was still echoing now, no exterior damage was to be found upon it. On her chest, right above her right breast, lay is whole bunch of bleeding scratches and one really deep cut leaning to her center, and to the young lady's absolute horror, there was a small thin string curling up around her cut. Eeeeek! She shuddered just looking at it. She took her hand and tugged on it to see if it would come out, but it just felt super surreal, like there was a tiny little elbow leach inside of her. She decided the best thing to do would be to just ignore it.

Blood was stained upon her silly excuse for clothes, most of which become torn and she was pretty revealed. The door creaked as she opened it. Maro took a moment to appreciate that someone had built this house while her eyes scanned their surroundings and all the details became apparent. In Maro’s entire experience, such an intricate structure was astonishing and utterly profound.

“This way honey” came a gruff female voice from the right side of the corridor. While Maro had no idea why the voice would be called for honey to come, she thought she might go and find out what the deal with that was. She walked along the narrow corridor of rosewood admiring every door she passed as she made it to a large room with a table, some chairs and the source of the voice.

“Oh dear, that river fucked you up something good” said the woman. She looked like she was in her late thirties, with a long narrow face white flushed out eyes.

“You’ve been out cold for a solid day” She continued. “Please siddown, help yourself”.

On the table there was a variety of different meats and vegetables, as well as something which Maro had only ever heard about and always wanted to eat. Bread.

It was at this point when Maro had realised how truly hungry she was. She had figured that is her body was trying to signal how hungry she was, the signal may as well have been an earthquake. Or at least, that’s how it felt. Maro quickly took a plate, and before filling it she said “Thank you so much for looking after me. If you didn't pull me out of that river I would have died”

“Hush now… Eat”

Maro smiled warmly at the woman as she started to nom on the exotic variety of a meal that was on her plate. Meats from things that she had never even seen before let alone tasted, and the warm bread which went spectacularly with the meat was treat of it’s own.

“You dropped this on your little trip here. It was the only thing in the wreckage that we could recover. This is real good quality with its oil paints… Kept the water right out” she laughed softly and put the world map on the table, still neatly sealed with it’s red ribbon.

“My name is Fay and my husband who saved you is Takip” said the strange woman. “Welcome to Forgaway. We are a small mining village a couple of days away from Omashu.”

“Mining?” said Maro with interest. But then, the door opened, and in came Takip.

“Yes mining” he said in his deep voice. How he heard what was being said, Maro would never know. His skin was now clean so Maro could see the light shade of brown that it was. He was carrying his pickaxe, which he put up on a hook next to some other pickaxes. Through the open door Maro could see more houses and brown skinned people as they walked on by. Takip closed the door and sat down.

“My name is Maro” She started with a firm voice. “I am a traveler, but I am out of money right now”. Maro thought it would be a good idea to hide her swamp origins.

“You have a very interesting way of traveling” said Takip and then Maro blushed and compressed herself in her seat.

Takip sat himself down at the table and started filling his own plate.

“And what the spirits are you wearing?” he asked, taking a good look at Maro.

“My clothes did not survive my journey here. I had to improvise on the way”

“I’ve never seen leaves so big before” said Takip

“Where are you headed to, anyway?” asked Fay

“The Northern Water Tribe” replied Maro with confidence.

“Well you can’t leave here with clothes like that…” said Fay.

“That right. You can work in the mines. We pay handsomely for good work, and there happens to be a couple of openings right now” said Takip.

“Well that sounds great!” said Maro happy that it was this easy for her to find a job. “But what’s a mine?” She asked.

Takip laughed. “From an isolated place eh? Well, mining is the start of society, you see”

“Oh spirits, not this lecture again” said Fay rolling her eyes as she ate.

Takip ignored her. “Mining is where the cycle of money starts. People receive money for providing goods and services and also give their money to receive such things as well. The mines are a large network of tunnels that we built and dig in order to obtain the precious metal from which money is formed.”

“I see. And you want me to help you dig?”

“Errrrr… No. You’re much too small for that. Mining is really tough work, even for large people like me. That’s why not everyone can do it and why not everyone can just make tonnes of money strait up. Here’s the thing though, maintaining a mine requires more than just mining it. I want you to help build the scaffolding that keeps the mine walls from collapsing. It’s just putting up wooden boards and nailing them together”

“Sounds good to me” said Maro optimistically and smiled.

“Great. You can start when you feel up to it, and stay here until then”

And so, the sun set and rose again, and a new day came. Maro got up from her blood stained bed and went with Takip into the mines and learned how to build and maintain the scaffolding of the tunnels.

“Are you sure you’re ready to start? I think you need to do a bit more recovery”

Maro agreed with Takip’s statement. “Maybe, but I’d really rather start”

“Why so eager? Rest up!”

“As much as I value your hospitality, I find it hard to swallow knowing that I haven't earned it”

All the hammering and carrying the boards and nails around was tough work for Maro. And she always tried to stay out of the way of the miners. Witnessing the earthbenders loading and carrying the minecarts along the rails was always a particular treat. She loved to observe how different earth bending was to water bending. However, she was slow at her duty and as a couple of days went by she decided she needed some over time.

When the town had gone to sleep and the moon came out, Maro rose from her bed, grabbed her torch and treaded down deep into the mines to where she was building the scaffolds. But on the way something most interesting and unexpected happened. She was at an intersection carrying some boards, nails and her hammer trying to remember which way she needed to go, when a man came up from behind her. He was startled as she quickly turned around.  

“Hello” she said wondering what his business was at this hour. He was a young man, about 3-6 years older than Maro. He had a handsome face glowing in the torchlight which hazel eyes and short hair, as black as the night. He was carrying a pickaxe.

“Do you have unfinished work here too?” She asked.

He nodded and shuffled into the middle of the 3 terminals while Maro had just remembered to take the left. Never again did she see the man in the mines nor did she never talk about it.

The days went by as Maro worked proficiently in the mines, especially now that she had a proper understanding of intricacies the carpentering work. She lived in the village like a local, always exchanging greetings with the folks and discussing gossip. She used her mine money to buy proper clothes which made her look like a true earth kingdom citizen, except for her skin tone, which was otherwise a dead giveaway. She bought a compass, and Fay had taught her how to use it. She bought a new backpack, more or less the same size of her own makeshift one, but with more compartments. Eventually she moved out of Takip and Fay’s house and started staying in an inn in the center of town, where she would pay her own board. The men and women of the village loved to spend afternoons in the inn, drinking, singing and discussing gossip. She even started to learn the names of the caravan traders who stopped by as well as the cartmen who would transport gold into Omashu in return for properly fashioned money as well as other goods. Maro once tried the ale that the villagers drank and decided she never wanted any of that again. As the nights grew older the men grew more weary but also more lively. She started to learn the songs and joined in with the songs and the conversations. She heard all sort of rumors, such as the one about the underground earth rumble pit and the one about how the mines would mine themselves and the gold piles would sometimes rise in between days. They had named the spirit which would do this for them Benyi, and they loved Benyi and treated him as their own. Of course, no one has ever seen or heard from Benyi, he was just a Forgaway Legend that was pretty new. People however had knows those who would earn some kind of respect through the illegal fights in the pit. As well as all that, she also heard news from Omashu, which was apparently a big city. They had some fire nation diplomacy issues there, but that didn’t really interest Maro and figured it wasn't a big deal anyway since the 100 year war ended before she was born. She made friends with many in Forgaway and heard many stories about the world. People who used the be soldiers and those who traveled the world seeking glory. Just like the villagers in the inn Maro grew weary and lively over the course of her stay at Forgaway. Finally the social life was hers to cherish and eventually she would be let into a local secret and got to see matches in the pit. But not once did she lose sight of her bigger picture. In fact, she started to form such bonds of the villagers that she did not want to leave, and It was at this point she realised she had to do it now. And so, she chose to leave without saying goodbye to anyone, thinking that this would be the most efficient way.

It was a sunny afternoon, similar to the one that she had came to Forgaway on. The villagers were getting along on their day and Maro, who was supposed to turn up to the mines that day had her bags packed and ready to go. She Walked along the village traveling north east until she was stopped by Takip. She stood idly just staring at him and him at her. After a long silence he finally said something. “So that’s it then? You got what you needed and you’re off now”

“Come now, it’s not like that. I couldn’t bare to say goodbye to anyone” she said.

“Don’t worry. You owe us nothing”

“No, I owe you everything” she said, tears starting to form in her eyes

“I told you many stories Maro. But there was one I neglected” He started

“Fay and I used to have a son, you see…” And so he started telling a story about a boy with hazel eyes and hair as black as night who was not quite the strongest, but what he lacked in strength, made up for in witt. Takip spoke of him as though he had died long ago but as it happened, he was excommunicated from his family for failing to live up to the expectations of his father (amongst other mistakes).

Ever since Maro came to the village she had never really stopped crying about anything. About injuries in the mine, about memories of her past and even about sad stories she would hear from the villagers. But to see Takip starting to shed tears himself was indeed unheard of. And yet here it was, happening before her.

Takip had never since seen his son again. He spoke of how taking care of Maro was his own way to making up for the fact that he failed his own son. He said that if he could take back his decision, he would do so instantly.

He told the story with such detail and emotion, that by the time he had finished up, darkness already fell on the world.

“It’s night time already. Won't you stay one more night and leave in the morning?” he said, not stuttering as he spoke anymore.

“I’m afraid I can’t bare to bring myself to see the village folk once again, Takip. I will travel through the night. But can you please do me one last favour”

“Anything”

“I think I left a beam in the east wing unstable. Could you fix it up for me before morning?”

Takip smiled. “Right away. Oh and if you ever see him, send him my way” he said as he hugged Maro and she turned around, walking off into the night, not daring to look back

[thecoroutfitters]

Written by R. Ann Parris on The Prepper Journal.

Editors Note: Another contribution from R. Ann Parris to The Prepper Journal. As always, if you have information for Preppers that you would like to share and possibly receive a $25 cash award, as well as being entered into the Prepper Writing Contest AND have a chance to win one of three Amazon Gift Cards  with the top prize being a $300 card to purchase your own prepping supplies, then enter today!

Caches periodically come up in preparedness. When they do, there’s routinely talk of burying them. Buried caches can work, but there are some considerations.

One of the things warned about regularly is making sure you can find them again as things ebb and flow in the area. GPS makes a handy backup for now, but in some disasters that GPS unit may not be functioning. I won’t belabor that one. Instead, I’m going to work my way through some considerations for after they’ve been located: Getting into them and getting them out.

Why A Cache?

There are all kinds of caches, for all kinds of reasons. Someone planning a long bugout might stash water purification, energy or ration bars, and drink powders. Someone who uses mass transit or who expects major traffic delays in a crisis might stash some good boots and decent pants.

Others may be creating a network of chipmunk holes because their primary storage areas are limited, or because they fear theft, now or later. Still others may be motivated to create at least a little resiliency to tornadoes, house fires, and flooding – common risks to our primary storage.

The ability to pull up caches with even just the equivalent of a 72-hour kit can buy some less-panicky time to make a better decision than running around with absolutely nothing.

Buried Treasure

Blame my parents for hooking me young, but I love the moment pirates and archaeologists pop something out of the earth.

Thing is, in real life, the earth tends to hold onto her prizes pretty tightly. TV and movies are the only place where something that’s been underground 1-5 years (or longer) plops out without serious effort. See, dirt clings to stuff. Over time, it rains. Sodden soil oozes and fills in the gaps around what we bury. Then it dries and hardens there. Successive seasons repeat this, until the object of our desire is fully cemented in place. (Sandy-soil peeps have a whole other set of issues.)

I don’t have a whole crew of workers like Indy to get my Lost Ark out, so I have learned to be a little smarter about how I plant them in the first place.

Surface Changes & Handy Tools

One of the first things to stay aware of, is how much surface growth we have, and what type. Hand in hand with that, is the kinds of tools we anticipate having if we need our caches.

If we’re hiding 3 of 5 rifles we bought together with one phone call in case a foreign entity ever invades, maybe we have no problem heading out with a machete, loppers, and a trenching shovel or post hole digger, and we’re going to be wearing good boots, good gloves, and decent pants.

If we’re planning our “coming home from a wedding/funeral, truck went boom, had to bail with whatever is in the front seat” disaster-run stash, or if this is a cache built for a wildfire where we all raced for the river/pool after our tires melted, we might have …a pocket knife? …a good camping/hunting do-all blade? …an e-tool? …a hatchet?

So when we site our caches, we want to look around. Not just at “now” level care, but at what springs up inside 1-2 and 3-5 years in the abandoned areas around us.

Siting Snags

Brambles may help keep critters and peeps away from our goodies, but we’re going to have to get through them, too. So it goes with kudzu from nearby areas (that’s about snakes, tangling and tripping, and having to whack it) and poison ivy or ants.

The same goes for anchoring or burying stuff at the edge of waterways. That’s where erosion, sediment deposit, bank shifts, and undergrowth are most likely to exert changes.

We also want to look up as we dig and when we cruise through eyeballing things.

Are there nearby trees with damaged limbs hanging? Diseased branches or trunks? Tree roots in loose banks and shoulders? Those may drop big branches or a whole tree may come down, right on top of our cache.

Don’t just consider healthy, well-fed “now” conditions and abilities. Think about mud and the rolling marbles of a boom acorn year, already injured, and demoralized by loss of home, loved ones, and/or crops due to invaders, fires, or floods.  Consider icy ground, dehydrated, a cold bordering on bronchitis, and footsore after 50-80 dodgy miles on very little.

What tools and abilities will I have in the worst case?

Because, if we’re hitting caches, chances are good we’re in that worst case scenario. And I still have to get into the earth to get my cache of cold meds, Pedialyte, hatchet, and gloves.

Shallow vs. Deep Burial

The shallow-deep aspect is twofold. It’s looking at not only how far underground we stick something, but also the size and shape of our container.

If we go too shallow, our containers can bulge upwards as the earth moves or peek through from erosion. They or contents can be melted in big fires. Floods can unearth them if they and soil isn’t heavy enough.

If we go too deep, however, getting to them with a pointy stick, a rifle stock, or a Ka-Bar is going to be ‘funtastic’.

There’s a sweet spot by location, of 6-12” to the surface of your cache. You’re still susceptible to temperature fluctuations, but chiseling through clay soils in summertime isn’t as grueling as going deeper and they’re less likely to reveal themselves or wander.

If you’re healthy, you can plan on covering the buried treasure with something on the surface (tire, some lumber, small log) and use as little as 4” of topsoil.

That still gives you a buffer to scatter some old bolts, lead bullets, or similar over and in the area off to the side of a cache and cover them with an inch or two of soil. Deposits that build up will still leave a reasonable amount of digging, while it takes a serious flood and time to move four inches of earth once it’s packed down.

That leaves the container. There’s several aspects to wide-skinny containers to think about.

Container Size & Dimensions

First up, consider being off by a few inches. Like, this is for-sure the exactomundo square foot. Our container (or some edge of it) is 100% for-sure inside this here square foot marked by the old steel wheel or big rock. Start digging, Joe.

Only, something scooted. So we need to add 2-6” to our search area.

Most of our caches will be measurable in inches on at least one side. When we’re moving even just 4-6” of earth, especially by hand, do we want to be looking for something that’s 6” across, or something 10- 18”?

Now, consider that it’s not 4-6”, but 12” of topsoil. And not a square foot, but a square yard. Even if we have pre-staged some thin rebar right there by our cache so we can pole for our lid, which do we want to be hunting? The 6” cap to a piece of PVC, or 14” toolbox lid?

That’s just uncovering the top. We still have to get it out.

Earth Clings Tightly

If we need to actually unearth our whole cache to carry our goodies, holy cows. Please, please, please take the time to bury a bucket this autumn/early winter and then dig it up sometime after soil dries this summer. Earth clings. It clings harder the longer something is there.

It’s easiest to define the edges and then dig and spear-wiggle right around the edges of a container if you do need to pull it. That’s another place where shallow or wide has advantage over deep and skinny.

Don’t count on the finger grooves on the underside or the handle holding up to this abuse (or the elements). If it’s really, really smooth with nowhere to grip like a lockbox or PVC tube, for sure you’re going to have to free a big portion of it, depth-wise, to get it out.

Nesting Containers

We can avoid some of the pain of unearthing caches by not actually pulling up the outer containers.

Buckets are made for this. Stack two buckets, inner/upper one with a lid and our goodies. Clear the edges, lift, and go. Really. Storage totes, too, routinely come in stackable sizes. A single bucket or tote can be holding a backpack, tool boxes, etc.

(Psst…kitty litter comes in GOOD buckets, and usually animal rescues getting a bag of dog/cat food will happily let you have empties.)

Remember, ideally the outer shell is pretty tough. That shell is making it easier to unearth those. However, the inner container can be a softer target.

We can slide 4-6” PVC into 6-8” PVC – just the pipe, we don’t have to buy a second round of caps. Toss a chunk of wood or an old boot over the top and-or bottom of it, and-or wedge in an old towel to help keep soil from filling the space between them.

Another option is using a trash can as an exterior for a cache.

The round or squared 13-18gal types work well for various buckets. There are some 6-8gal sizes at Walmart that fit Plano ammo boxes, tackle boxes, and toolboxes really well. (Psst … they also fit inside a backpack while heading out somewhere.)

Slide your container(s) into your trash can, slide a pair of contractor trash bags over it, and slide your trash can into your hole. Top with a seat from an old chair, a freebie-site desk drawer, or planks from the curbside-pickup shelving unit to make it even easier. Bury, roll.

Tie-Offs

Another way to avoid having to un-bury a whole container, especially deep PVC tubes or trash cans, is to tie off each item inside with heavy-duty fishing wire or cord (paracord).

We unwind that all the way to the top, leaving extra trailing out. Tie off and wedge in the next, and eventually wrap the cords into a bundle that will sit on top. Wedging something that won’t settle much like a Ziploc of gloves or socks near the top, the cords above it, will help ensure the cords don’t wiggle down into the depths of our PVC. We can also duct tape the bundle to the inside at the very top.

Remember, if the PVC is 3-4’ long at a table, no big deal. When there’s another 6-12-18” of dirt or debris we’re reaching past and we can’t tilt it, no Bueno. Most of us do not have 4’ arms, and fingertips are not always sufficient for lifting 250 rounds of … lead fishing weights.

Treasure Chests

Caches are an excellent backup, whether we plan to relocate for disasters or just want to nature-proof and people-proof some of our storage.

How we pack our supplies and where we opt to put them so we can get them again are whole articles on their own. Buried caches have their own sets of pro’s and con’s versus other types, but can be pretty effective. A little awareness and others’ “oh, my” moments can help eliminate some of the drawbacks and keep you ready for anything.

  The post Buried Treasure – Caching Caches appeared first on The Prepper Journal.

from The Prepper Journal Don't forget to visit the store and pick up some gear at The COR Outfitters. How prepared are you for emergencies? #SurvivalFirestarter #SurvivalBugOutBackpack #PrepperSurvivalPack #SHTFGear #SHTFBag

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How to keep a Christmas tree fresh for as long as possible

New Post has been published on https://nexcraft.co/how-to-keep-a-christmas-tree-fresh-for-as-long-as-possible/

How to keep a Christmas tree fresh for as long as possible

After you’ve picked over the turkey carcass and officially bid farewell to Thanksgiving, it’s time to celebrate family and togetherness in a winter way: sawing off a life form’s vital organs, dragging it indoors, and keeping it unnaturally alive for several weeks. That’s right—we’re talking about Christmas trees.

Joking aside, that “alive” part is key. Nobody wants to gather around some drooping, brown-needled vegetation. Luckily, extending the lifespans of these plants is easy—if you understand the science behind it.

The botany of Christmas

Most holiday conifers belong to the pine, fir, or spruce families of trees, although if you live farther south, you’re more likely to find a cypress. As you shop, you should check the needles to determine which species are available, because each evergreen comes with its own pros and cons.

Pine needles are very long—up to 16 inches on older trees—and grow in clusters of two, three, or five (which identify it as a red, yellow, or white pine, respectively) out of a single origin point; it looks a bit like a handle holds the spikes. These trees will hang on to their needles for longer than the other options, even after they dry out. On the other hand, they have notoriously sticky sap, which makes them harder to handle, and they may have slightly droopier branches.

Firs have soft and flat foliage, with needles that look like they’re stuck to the branch with a suction cup. These trees boast the most aromatic smell, and they’re also likely to last the longest once cut.

Spruce needles are short and stiff, and they grow right out of the branch. These trees are a bit less aromatic than firs, so they may work better for people with allergies or scent sensitivity. However, they’re also notorious for spikier foliage, so you’ll need work gloves to handle them. Plus, they shed their needles the quickest.

If you can’t find your preferred species, don’t fret. With proper care, any of these evergreens can last for up to five weeks. However, that lifespan depends on the freshness of your chosen tree, and how you treat it.

Pick the right tree

Before you drive out to buy any holiday centerpiece, adjust the temperature of the room where you plan to store it. Keeping trees at a cool temperature will help reduce how much water they lose, which extends their lives.

Next, grab your tape measure and figure out the exact height of the ceiling in that room. Our brains are terrible at matching scale outdoors to indoors, so measuring ensures the tree will fit in your house. Check the width of your door frames too, so you’ll know which entrance to bring it through.

Once you’ve set the environment, you’re ready to start shopping. As you browse, give any tree you’re considering a freshness test: Run a branch through your closed hand to ensure the needles stay on and flex the branches to ensure they’re pliable. Also keep an eye out for discolored or overly brittle foliage, wrinkled bark, and musty odors. If you notice any of these red flags, move on to the next candidate.

When you’ve chosen a fresh-looking plant, measure the height and width to make sure it will fit into your home. While you have the tape out, find the width of its base. Live trees need a stand that can hold one quart of water for each inch of the trunk’s diameter, so a two-inch diameter means you need at least a two-quart stand. However, a gallon stand is generally enough for most commerical trees.

There’s one last thing you should do before leaving the tree farm. If you plan to bring the tree home strapped to the top of your car, wrap it carefully before transporting it. Otherwise, as you drive down the highway, winter winds can quickly dry it out. This will shorten the life of your little fir or pine—because it needs all the moisture it can get.

Plant care

A Christmas tree will die eventually, but a cool and reasonably moist environment, along with a steady water supply from which it can drink, will help it last as long as possible. Think of it as a very large cut flower, where the stand serves as the oversize vase.

When you bring home a pre-cut tree, saw off the trunk’s bottom inch before you put it in the stand (just like trimming a blossom’s stem before you stick it in a vase). A holiday conifer stays alive by drawing liquid up through vessels called vascules into the tree’s vascular system, which then absorbs water and nutrients. Once you slice down an evergreen, that cut starts drying out—within six to eight hours, the vascules at the base of the trunk clog up and the plant stops accepting water. Removing the bottom inch also gets rid of those stopped-up vessels, allowing the conifer to drink freely once more.

As you connect the stand’s supports, take care. Many Christmas tree stands use simple eye bolts that you twist until they fasten the plant in place. Help your tree out by avoiding unnecessary damage: Don’t grind the bolts into the trunk.

Once you’ve set up the stand, remember that trees get much thirstier than your average flower. Check the water level daily and refill it whenever it falls below the halfway point. On average, this happens every one to two days. However, you should still check the stand’s water daily to make sure the evergreen continues to take up fluids. If your tree stops “drinking” before the big day, you’ll need to pop it out and cut off another quarter inch.

As for potential additives, all you really need to keep your plant alive is plain tap water. You can find plenty of tales about potential mix-ins, including a combination of 7-Up and bleach, hairspray, Viagra, plant food, and aspirin. The simple truth is that none of them are meaningfully effective, as the Mythbusters memorably proved nearly a decade ago. In fact, according to the National Christmas Tree Association, those ingredients may actually make things worse.

Is there anything you can do to slow your tree’s aging? According to experiments done with balsam fir boughs, a plant hormone called ethylene, which the tree begins producing about 10 days after being cut, is what triggers it to drop needles. So interfering with this hormone might help—but that requires hard-to-obtain equipment and chemicals.

For example, some scientists extended a cut tree’s life by locking it in a gas chamber and exposing it to 1-methlocyclopropene gas. That method doesn’t exactly work at home. Another technique involves adding amino-ethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) to a plant’s water. Considering that AVG currently costs $338 for 25 milligrams (roughly the weight of a grain of rice), and handling it puts you at risk of skin irritation, eye damage, and acute organ toxicity, we can’t recommend it. Again, stick with tap water.

Good news: Tree fires are rare. Bad news: As the video above shows, the consequences of this rare event can be devastating. To reduce the odds of a tree fire, you should practice good plant care and keep that Christmas mainstay well-watered.

In addition to plant maintenance, you should check your tree for freshness every couple days. Use those tests we discussed in the section about choosing a tree, and look for dropped needles, changes in foliage, and other signs of wear and tear. If you start seeing signs of drying, take the evergreen to a garage or a colder room to slow down the process.

Meanwhile, take precautions to avoid sparks in the vicinity of your tree. Before decorating it, examine lights carefully to prevent loose bulbs or frayed wires. Only use bulbs certified by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory, which are labs certified by the government to test products for safety. Alternatively, stick to LED lights or smaller incandescent bulbs, which won’t heat (and thus dry out) the tree as much.

Even with well-chosen lightbulbs, make sure to read the manual closely. For example, there’s only so many strings you can daisy-chain together before you risk a short circuit. Modern lights will have fuses built into the plug, so if a string doesn’t work, either replace the fuse or throw them out.

Speaking of decorations, don’t weigh down your tree too much, at least until the big day gets close. Like any other organism, the heavier its burden, the more strain it experiences. And this strain can speed up its inevitable demise. In the time before Christmas, only hang a few light ornaments, and hold off on heavy baubles that drag down branches until the week of the holiday.

Disposal

Once the presents are unwrapped and the photos are taken, it’s time to get rid of the tree. In urban areas, check your local regulations to learn your city’s sidewalk-pickup policy. If you have a yard, mulching is a popular disposal method.

If you have the means of transportation, you can take the old tree back out to the woods and leave it there as a habitat for local critters. Or, if your town allows you to sink brush in waterways, you can weigh it down at the bottom of a pond for fish and amphibians to explore. But neither of these methods is ideal if your holiday decorations included tinsel, which can poison animals.

Written By Dan Seitz

[thecoroutfitters]

Written by R. Ann Parris on The Prepper Journal.

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I have a love-hate relationship with bamboo. I’m from parts of the country where the stuff takes over the edges of some roadways and chokes out some of the natural diversity found in some locations, usually locations with a lot of uses for wildlife and foraging. On the other hand, bamboo is really useful stuff. Whether somebody’s looking at a long-term, widespread, nation-altering event and wants the sustainable source of materials, or whether somebody’s just trying to save a few bucks to get ahead of the curve or save up for basic preparedness, a stand or two of bamboo has a lot to offer us. Even hitting some examples for inside and outside homes, gardens, and livestock I can’t even touch on all its uses. Feel free to list out what I miss at will, from its use as cups to the impressive BTUs bamboo can offer, furniture to bridges. It really is a handy material to locate.

Harvesting Bamboo

I’m going to encourage you to drive around looking and knock on doors or don a blaze-orange vest and harvest from roadsides instead of planting bamboo. Try to wash off boots, vehicles, and tools after any harvest of wild species, especially in damp areas. There are all kinds of things from phrag grass to kudzu that will hitch rides, plus various diseases and pests we can transfer between locations.

The great *they* like to tell us that you’re supposed to harvest bamboo from as close to the ground plane as you can.

I don’t do that.

I prefer not to create future punji sticks and heel-catchers we can’t see from all the future leaf fall. Nor do I cut at knee-height.

I tend to cut up in the rib to head level. It eats up the earth space or footprint and takes longer to die back and be replaced, true. However, pretty much nobody is going to get speared when they kneel down, nobody’s going to snag a boot or toe, and nobody’s dog is going to gash its face.

What size bamboo you want is dependent on your task, but as you harvest, don’t just abandon the leafy bits.

Remember, bamboo is really just a big, thick grass.  In most cases, the leaves make fine mulch and compost. You can also use trimmings as a fiber element for goats – especially goats that are getting rich tree and shrub fodders. Chickens and rabbits can have it as well.

There is a handy knife-type saw the Japanese and Koreans each have specifically for bamboo. I use mine for all kinds of harvests. However, for bamboo, I’m more likely to go with either style of long-handled pruners, a laminate or hardwood blade on a hacksaw, or the same on a sawsall – it depends on what’s waiting closest in my truck and sometimes how much I’m planning to harvest.

The hacksaw or pruners are handy for dropping, then immediately bucking off the tops and the leafy “branches”, and sorting as I go. I tend to always have good one-handed pruners in my pocket or bag(s), though, so there are times I alternate cutting and stripping instead.

Garden Trellis

I can’t do an article about bamboo and not talk about one of its best-known uses as a garden trellis material. However, because it is so well-known, I won’t beleaguer the point.

What I’ll say instead is that bamboo is fairly long-lived, but not indefinite, especially in the damp-soil conditions of a lot of gardens. It’s not as strong as steel. However, it is pretty tough, and it does last out a season or longer, easily. The thicker the bamboo, the longer it lasts. I will also point out that unless it’s the UV-resistant type, or painted, PVC is also going to crack under a lot of conditions – sometimes in a season, sometimes after two or three.

So if you’re able to find it for free, and are looking for a long-term sustainable material that can be whacked and added to compost or used as mulch when it’s failing, bamboo can be a super alternative to buying tomato cages or lumber for squash and bean trellises.

I also want to point out a handy trick. Instead of using just cord, or any cord at all, you can drill out holes near the tops of your poles, and use thinner stalks as a pin.

I prefer drilling bamboo while it’s green, first with a thin “standard” bit, and then either a larger drywall bit or a narrow auger, depending on the size hole and thickness of the bamboo.

You can use other lengths of bamboo as a spacer to create a wider tripod, or keep it snugged up tight for a teepee type structure.

The amount of “top” left above the holes and pin can change what the bamboo will do for you. You can lay out another thick piece or pieces across the tops to move water, form a longer bean trellis, or support a row cloth or plastic cover. Or, you can trim it nice and tight for a neater appearance and create fewer perches.

Other Garden Uses for Bamboo

Bamboo can be used in lots of other ways for our food production.

It has been used to create irrigation systems in both frigid and steamy-humid parts of the world for millennia. We can use it to create “gutter” or “PVC” style tiered raised beds for shallow-rooted plants.

It can be split or small branches can be stripped and bent while green to create exclusion nets or frames – to keep butterflies and thus their caterpillars off our plants, or to protect plants from dog tails, birds, or chickens. The same types of frames can be used to create feed-through graze boxes for chickens, preventing just how much of a plant they can reach and damage, which allows the plant to survive and grow back for continuous feeding.

It has also been used to create the framework for hoop houses.

Bamboo can be used to create our whole greenhouse, point in fact, and to build raised garden beds. By size and desired style, it can create everything from neat, tidy faces to woven wattle. It can be left raw and rustic, or have boards added to smooth the upper surface.

Again, this stuff isn’t cedar, it’s not CMU brick, and it’s not landscaping timbers. It will have to be replaced more frequently than those. However, it’s been used pretty much forever and it does offer that free, sustainable material instead of paying for something.

Fencing

While we’re building our garden out of free, sustainable materials, we might also want to fence it. Bamboo can also help either lower those costs or eliminate them.

We can weave it in wattle style, or get artsy and cute. We can fill in gaps on rail fences to prevent dogs and rabbits from slipping through, or extend the height of fencing to deter deer.

We can place it tightly or weave nearly mats with it to help buffer winds and create snow fences as well, which lets us almost pick the places snow will pile up or spread the snow load out to create lower drifts over a larger area.

Housing & Enclosures

Bamboo can also keep our livestock housed and where we put them.

From bird cages to goat pens, and even for the live otter and primate trade in parts of the world, it’s been doing so for centuries.

We can create full sheds and barns out of it, using either the lap-roof, tile or thatching styles for roofs.

We can also create fish traps and boxes of various types. Those boxes can be used in our aquaculture and aquaponics systems to separate breeders and growouts without needing separate tanks, or to purge our fish before harvest depending on our feeding systems.

Bamboo can also be used to create the drop-out or crawl-out tubes for various types of BSF larvae or mealworms for our feed systems as well.

Construction

Around the world, from places like snowy Nepal to steam Thailand, bamboo gets used for long-term construction on a regular basis.

The most effective roofing style is the split-overlap that prevents drips, although roofing is also done with mats and thatching styles using bamboo stalks and leaves.

In many cases where load-bearing is of issue, you’ll find bamboo bundled into pillars and pillars closer than we use in 2×4 stick construction.

As mentioned with beds and trellises, construction isn’t going to last forever. However, folks have been using it for centuries and in places with high winds and snow loads, they’re still using it.

If we have running water, we can use some of those eons-old construction methods to make our lives easier.

Water wheels use running waterways to lift relatively small amounts of water up into aqueduct style irrigation systems or through channels or piping to cisterns – which either hold it, or are used to create pressurized tanks to then distribute that water elsewhere.

Bamboo is also used to build mills that Westerners are more accustomed to seeing. Those mills can be used to do work directly – like threshing and grinding grain – or to spin low-level turbines for pumps or generating energy.

Similar designs for slow-moving fish wheels exist as well, spinning in rivers and streams and using scoops to drop fish into catchments. They’re not super efficient, but like a yoyo, they’re fishing while we’re off doing something else.

Creativity – Corn Crib or Coop?

Even if we don’t see plans for something straight off, the flexibility of bamboo and our minds can help us cut costs.

There’s no reason a shelf system can’t be combined with a plan for hampers to create a drying rack for foods, herbs, tea, or seeds.

Likewise, with some modifications, a coconut caddy we see from the balmy East can be modified into a corn crib, or a hay feeder that will reduce wastes and costs – even now. That caddy and what we know about cages can be used to create a bird coop or rabbit hutch, or that hutch can be converted back to grain drying and storage or curing potatoes or sweet potatoes.

We aren’t limited to the styles we see, either. While slender wands aren’t as strong, we can use them pretty much anywhere bamboo would have been split.

We can also take inspiration from the uses for bamboo, and apply them to things we may have in excess in our area, like young stands of aspen, copious privet, or willow.

Seventh Generation

As much as I love bamboo for all the things it can do, it doesn’t really belong running loose in North America. While certain species are less invasive than others, and it can be controlled by mowing around it and keeping it contained, I caution against planting it. Some of that is the Seventh Generation outlook on life. Sure, even invasive stuff can be fairly easily controlled on a property now, with mowing or due to other plantings or the terrain. But what happens when we’re no long fit and able, and it’s no longer our property?

So while I love it, I highly encourage preppers and homesteaders and craftsmen to find a patch of bamboo, not plant it. They’re out there, California to Wyoming, Florida to Vermont. They’ll usually be found on a secondary highway or county road, routinely in damper areas along those roadsides, or near homes.

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