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[Clansgian AT wmconnect.com]

> >However, we will certainly have more than enough jam (wild black raspberry 
> and strawberries from our garden) and watermelon rind pickles (I just 
> finished canning another bunch). <g>  I supposed that wouldn't be 
> considered 
> a balanced diet.
> 

I dunno.

We just finished putting up 50 pints of wild blackberry jam.  We put up four 
or five gallons of blueberries from our own bushes and then hit the u-pick 
farm higher up on the mountain.  So far we've got about fifteen gallons from 
there (and the season isn't over yet) and a lot of that has gone into jam. I 
don't 
recall how many pints of gooseberry jam we did, now a few of peach and this 
fall it looks like a good crop of grapes for more.

We have stashed away a good supply of that soft white wheat that makes 
excellent whole wheat biscuits (made with lard  of course).

Hot biscuits with butter and jam!  I can ignore a lot about what's going on 
in the world knowing I have the potential for that in the mornings.  

It hasn't been a banner year here either, but yet there's plenty and to 
spare.  I noticed that several neighbors are getting a second cutting of hay 
and 
last year there was nothing but dust so none of us are any too eager to 
complain.

And, yes, unless there is some sort of Horde Crash Training Program (Obama is 
problably going to try to fund it), the raw material for marauding hordes is 
pretty poor stuff.

Rather than hordes, I'm expecting a slow choke.  I would submit that it's 
already begun. People are down on their hands and knees thanking Jesus for 
$3.50 
gas (let the good times roll!)  Makes me think of Dinsey's "Emperor's New 
Groove" where the title character is changed into a llama, then to try to get 
back 
to being a person he takes the unlabeled magic potions one at a time turning 
into a parrot, whale, rabbit, turtle, etc. When he bumbles on the llama vial 
and changes into a llama he (David Spade) says, "Hurray!  I'm a llama again 
..... no, wait ...."

Gas goes from $4.19 to $3.75 and people are so grateful to be a llama again.  
When I stopped by the Mart to get some canning lids, I thought I'd been out 
in the sun too long picking berries.  I blinked and stared at the prices, you 
gotta be kidding .... any bread fit to give the pigs was $5 minimum, green 
(that's GREEN) bell peppers were $1.25 each, sweet corn (which is supposed to 
be 
$1 a dozen here in season) was 38 cents each.

How DO people do it??

I think most people are just going to whimper away to a very constricted life 
style.

Me?  That biscuit and jam does me fine.   </HTML>