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Preparedness for when
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MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »The guy on the news this morning was actually saying that TPTB are now talking about planting more forests to do exactly what you've described and trees will take up the water as it falls, planting up large swathes of the countryside again, which certainly would help in the long run but will take time as trees take quite a time to grow big enough to be any help.
One article I saw noted that the area covered by willow is now 3% of the amount that used to be covered on the Somerset level, all those tree drawing water out of the ground. (cross posted with GQ)
On a wider scale I read an interesting article about the old forests (including redwood) in the Rockies. They are renowned for the fact that there are year round streams despite there being virtually no rain between snowmelt and the onset of winter rains/snow. When they log those streams run completely dry.
Eventually they worked it out. There are no streams based on springs or ground water; what happens is that the giant trees and their roots trap enormous amounts of water in the winter and spring that are slowly released during the dry season.If you've have not made a mistake, you've made nothing0 -
GQ you can use small cones drizzled with melted stubs of candles in the KK as firestarters, they fizz and crackle lots so aren't too good to keep it running when the fire is established, unless they're all you've got in which case, burn away. I run my KK mainly on silver birch twigs as my neighbour has a row of very mature trees just on the boundary line between the gardens. Birch sheds masses of twigs and small branches after a good blow and I can collect a good sackful every few weeks. Wonderful stuff burns very hot and boils the water in a jiffy. You can burn most dry garden debris in a KK, they're very amenable to using up bark, old wood, dry leaves, dried out hollow stems etc but you have to get the fire well alight before using them, Lyn xxx.
Willow is inspired, there is a field just as we go onto the motorway that 20 years ago was always sodden with standing water, it slopes towards the bottom. They planted withies and I scoffed at the idea, little tiny weedy things they were but, within 3 - 4 years they'd grown into sizeable bushes and now are sizeable trees, the field is dry and used to graze ponies and the trees are a screen from both the noise and view of the motorway. Simple but really effective solution to a problem area.0 -
Thanks for that, Lyn, I shall gather suitable twigs as the opportunity presents. Ye olden days people would have been sure to have tinder and firemaking materials to hand. Mum had given me another small bag of part-spent tealight candles via her SIL, my aunt.
I'd mentioned that I re-use candlewax and she'd offered to get me these as they otherwise get binned. They're used in church. Didn't know the C of E was much into candles but I'm ever up for avoiding waste. Have had another batch at Xmas which have already been incorporated into a pringle candle.
I found that most things burn readily in the KK, they burn fast and you need to have a fair few bits by you to keep up a boil. KKs fascinate people who see them in use for the first time, they're wide-eyed like little children and are desperate to have their own. Think was a boon boiling water is in a grid down situation; hot drinks and pkt soups reconsititutes, hot water for HWB, for washing dishes and washing yourself. I've had many a strip wash in cold water and something which raises the temp even from cold to tepid is welcome.
Those poor poor people in the floods. Can't help but look around my snug little home and imagine how revolting it would be to have feet of filthy water swilling through here. My heart goes out to them.Every increased possession loads us with a new weariness.
John Ruskin
Veni, vidi, eradici
(I came, I saw, I kondo'd)
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what can I use the water for
As we're in a dry spell, use it to water the garden.and should I treat the containers with something?
I put in half a cup of unscented bleach, 1/4 fill the container with cold water, put the lid on and give it a good slosh around, then drain into the next container, repeating until all containers have been sloshed about, then drain the solution down the sink.
There's no need to rinse the containers, prior to refilling.
It's a good idea to keep some unscented bleach on hand, to treat the water, prior to drinking.0 -
Yes, I think I will collect small twigs and cones to take with me (I have stuff at home, it is just carrying stuff there for use over 5 days - last year I resorted to using a piece of hexamine tablet and ripped up magazine pages - it's a farm, I figured there'd be loads of stuff to burn. Nope!). but I guess a bag of small twigs and pine cones won't weigh anything. it is our only source of hot water when we are there.
I think my desert island disc luxury would have to be very hot water - or the means of obtaining it.
I too am inspired by Bealtaine cottage - thanks whoever provided the link.I wanna be in the room where it happens0 -
Delurking to ask;
What would those of you who have cats do with them if you had to leave home in an emergency? Over the last week or so I have seen many people on TV/newspapers having to be rescued from flooded properties and being taken to emergency shelter, and many of them have their dogs with them. Now a dog on a lead is fairly controllable, even in a strange environment, but a cat is a whole different kettle of, er....feline.
I've got two cats, and they've both got their own sturdy metal wire carriers which are prepped (lined with newspaper and old towel) and ready to go, in the event of some emergency. But although they're fairly roomy, they aren't designed for the cat to be in there for any length of time, and there's not enough room for them to move around much. I wouldn't want to leave them in their carriers for more than a couple of hours at most.
So what would I do once I had been evac'd to some place of safety, eg church hall, sports centre etc, and the cats need to be fed and watered, or attend to other bodily functions? One of my cats would be off like a rocket as soon as the top of the carrier opened, possibly never to be seen again, particularly if she was stressed out.
The only thing I can think of would be to try to get them into a cattery, but it might be easier said than done in an emergency situation where I might not have independent means of transport. I did try the little cat harnesses and leads you can buy, but have never actually succeeded in getting the things on the little blighters!
Anybody have any ideas?Above all, I have been a sentient being, a thinking animal, on this beautiful planet, and that in itself has been an enormous privilege and adventure.Oliver Sachs 20150 -
That's a good question, rosiepup2000. I have 4 of the little dears, one of them very recently ex-feral, who has literally just come in from the cold & hasn't even been to the vet yet, two sisters who don't get on and their niece, who doesn't get on with any other cat who might need attention from the human slaves! My heart quails at the thought of trying to stuff even one healthy cat into the carrying basket - and we only have the one…
I came to the conclusion a while back that they would have to stay here in an emergency & I would have to gamble that I'd be able to get back at least daily to feed them; ditto my chickens. However, we're reasonably well-placed here & aren't likely to have to leave for very long in any foreseeable scenario.Angie - GC Aug25: £106.61/£550 : 2025 Fashion on the Ration Challenge: 26/68: (Money's just a substitute for time & talent...)0 -
It's funny but, in all the years we've had her, Buggalugs has never travelled in a cat basket, or on a lead and harness.
She travels by car, on the front seat passenger's knee, and travels from the car to the destination (eg. vet) in my arms.0 -
Thriftwizard, what are the chances of our house flooding? We've the allotments between us and the river but its swelling higher and higher now, it's not likely to get to us is it?
How likely is the smaller river A likely to flood? Has it done so in recent years? I notice the sand bags are as standard near there at the moment.0 -
Bob, I envy you having such a well-trained/calm cat! I know someone who takes their cat (and other animals) on holiday in a campervan; they can stop for lunch somewhere, open the door and the cat will sit quite happily outside and then get back in again when they're ready to go. No hope of that with mine!
Thriftwizard, I wonder whether that might be the best thing - to leave them here with supplies of food and water upstairs and hope I would be able to get back to check on them reasonably soon. Goes against the grain to leave them, though. I've had semi-feral cats before who have adopted me, but the semi-ferals in my experience tend to be fairly street-wise and able to look after themselves. My present two are spoiled housecats from a rescue centre and not street-wise at all.Above all, I have been a sentient being, a thinking animal, on this beautiful planet, and that in itself has been an enormous privilege and adventure.Oliver Sachs 20150
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