The Grand Solar Minimum

[summerthyme]

Just finished watching this short podcast. As I've said before, I didn't expect this shortage stuff to show up until closer to the end of summer.

Sure doesn't soothe this uneasy feeling that I seem to have all of the time, now!

My mind has sort of gone blank. I try to think of anything I may have forgotten to put on my shopping list, and nothing more comes to mind. I know that some things I've had since before Y2K, like a well stocked tackle box, like a manual lawn mower, a well bucket and pulley, with a safe hose to get the water to the house, tarps in case there is roof damage that can't be fixed right away, that sort of thing. But surely there are things I've not thought of and even sitting and visualizing whole days during different seasons and different situations isn't giving me any new ideas.

I keep asking myself, what am I missing?????

This is where reading some good quality apocalyptic fiction can be helpful. I think in many cases, (especially newbies to prepping) it ends up overwhelming... it wouldn't surprise me if quite a few nascent preppers end up giving up before they start after reading some of the stories where the protagonists apparently have unlimited funds and a big group of like minded friends, all of whom are prepped. But if you've been prepping for a while, and are sort of stuck for ideas, a good story may bring something to mind.

Otherwise... got pens, pencils and paper? Lists and record keeping are alwsys invaluable... we could never run this farm without our multi-page "to-do" lists, calendars and recordkeeping on when calves are due, when the broody hen started to set, when plants were started or transplanted.

What about a way to sharpen knives and scissors? Not much more frustrating than a pair of dull sewing scissors!

Duct tape, electrical tape, string and rope, extra baling wire?

One thing that is vital here is bird and/or bug netting to cover the fruit bushes and plants. We have noticed thst our efforts to get several healthy, hunting female cats in the barn have paid off majorly... for the first time in decades, we have almost no
English Sparrows! Considering that before we built a treadle feeder for the chickens, the sparrows were eating up to 25# of layer pellets A DAY, I don't begrudge a single penny spent on cat food! I even discovered how they've done it... there is a platform high up under the haymow roof, built so we can service the motor that runs the hay elevator. The elevator goes through a large, open hole in the west wall, and the sparrows have used that opening as a highway for years... nesting too high for the cats (or us) to reach. The new cats figured out they can wait in ambush on the platform, and grab the spartows as they fly in through the opening... there is a six inch deep carpet of feathers on the platform!

So, my blueberries and strawberries are at much less risk, but there are other birds...putting up netting is a PITA, but not as bad as finding every berry missing or pecked!

But maybe you're as fully prepped as you can/need be under the circumstances... in which case, congratulations!

Summerthyme

[Martinhouse]

Summerthyme, I have all the things you've listed except for the bird netting. And I've gotten serious about finding a cat or two and I'm already using food goodies for enticing one or more of the strays to stick around. I just do NOT want to be without a cat here. They keep away birds and squirrels and even snakes. And I've found that once a mama chicken vigorously objects to cats stalking her children, I don't need to worry about the chicks any more. And I've seen my cats terrified of tiny chicks after they've been chased by a rooster!

I only have four very small blueberry bushes and was growing my strawberries in the greenhouse. Now the strawberries have been completely destroyed by the rats, if that's what's raided the greenhouse, and I sure hope I'm still able to order more this fall or next spring, because there is absolutely no one around here that I know of who could give me any starts.

P.S. My bookshelves are loaded with all sorts of survival books. I think I started out when I was a kid with Swiss Family Robinson (ridiculous!) and Robinson Crusoe, and went on from there. I even have When Worlds Collide and After Worlds Collide, by Wylie and some other person.

[TxGal]

Checked the local Walmart - several empty food shelf areas - canned veggies and fruit aisle, some of the prepared frozen items.

Not so much with the food items, perhaps - but am wondering what impact the China tariffs are having upon the rest of Walmart's retail inventory?

I know that Vitamin Shoppe was short a few common supplement items, a couple months ago, due to the China tariffs - or, so they claimed.


intothegoodnight

That's a good question, and I honestly haven't got a clue! I agree, I don't think the tariffs are affecting food items, at least not yet. Lets hope not, that will only increase prices that will likely be going up anyhow due to shortages/demand. Seems like we may all be heading into a perfect storm situation. No pun intended.

[Seeker22]

Adapt 2030 has a new podcast out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UtT3J57ZMs

(MIAC #213) Are we Living in a Feudal Society with the Illusion of Progress

Run time is 31:02

Michael Lazaro from https://www.evolutionaryenergyarts.com David DuByne creator of the ADAPT 2030 channel on YouTube discusses energetic changes on Earth as the Sun moves into its 400-year cycle affecting crop production, the economy and everyone on our planet. This is an energetic timeline for what you can expect from now to 2023. Michael is known for his studies in Pranic Healing, Quantum Touch, Polarity Therapy and the Nag Hammadi and Dead Sea Scrolls. Evolutionary Energy Arts YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd1B...

•City ordinances forbidding you from growing your own food
•City ordinances forbidding you from collecting rainwater on your own land
•Are we living in a feudal society with the illusion of progress?
•New 5G right of way and imminent domain laws in Europe
•Trees blocking 5G signal
•Wet leaves on trees block 100% of 5G signal
•5G as a crowd control frequency device
•Social media profiling to see who gets food
•Global food shortages 2023
•Energy vibration and perception of changes is amplifying

At that Frequency and power, up to 89 GHz, 5G is a linear microwave weapon.

I do not wish to be fried. Funny how I read Israel doesn't allow 5G in their country.

[von Koehler]

I have recently tried out Walmart's 2 day home delivery service and it is working as advertised. It is Walmart's response to Amazon's delivery.

You simply have to have a minimum of $35 in your checkout basket to get free shipping.

Walmart, at least in my area, uses FedEx to actually deliver the goods. They actually bring the order right to my doorstep. A tracking number is provided and the email notifications are timely. It saves me a trip transporting heavy and bulky food items.

The only problem is that they cannot ship perishable items, like fresh vegetables or frozen foods. So you are limited to canned or jarred type foods. However, much of the bulk of the storage foods fit this category. I noticed that some items, which have been long out of stock at my local Walmart Superstore, were obtainable through this service.

von Koehler

[TxGal]

Adapt 2030 has a new podcast out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXd089zWdgs

(MIAC #214) Global Currency Reset, How Will We Buy, Sell and Trade

Run time is 28:21

PJ Bardon who hosts the Bardon Report on the Republic Broadcasting Network (RBN) Saturday nights from 9 pm to Midnight U.S Central time and David DuByne creator of the ADAPT 2030 channel on YouTube discusses energetic changes on Earth as the Sun moves into its 400-year cycle affecting crop production, the economy and everyone on our planet. This is an energetic timeline for what you can expect from now to 2023.

•Smart contracts and cryptocurrency to keep the global economy moving past 2021
•Debasement of currency in the Roman Empire and collapse of fiat money
•How are we going to continue to buy, sell and trade global commodities after a currency reset?
•Doubling food prices will re-divert money into different segments of society
•Government issued sovereign cryptocurrencies
•First gargantuan global crop losses start 2021

[Martinhouse]

I just listened to this last podcast. It's basically about Bitcoin.

I have personally thought that Bitcoin is just a way to play with money. Sort of like playing poker with toothpicks instead of real money. It has nothing to do with the real world I live in with my feet on the ground while I stand in the light of the real sun or rest in the shade of a real tree. The ones playing the Bitcoin game will be standing on concrete in the shade of a building or basking in the light of their overhead office flourescents. If they have a way to keep the electrons flowing in their world, they can keep playing their game but it will touch me minimally if at all

It was even stated on this podcast that Bitcoins have to be turned into a physical exchange medium for some transactions. I wonder how many Bitcoin millionaires would be left after a Carrington event?

Maybe we peasants should start new currencies and call them Beancoin and Ricecoin.

[TxGal]

I just listened to this last podcast. It's basically about Bitcoin.

I have personally thought that Bitcoin is just a way to play with money. Sort of like playing poker with toothpicks instead of real money. It has nothing to do with the real world I live in with my feet on the ground while I stand in the light of the real sun or rest in the shade of a real tree. The ones playing the Bitcoin game will be standing on concrete in the shade of a building or basking in the light of their overhead office flourescents. If they have a way to keep the electrons flowing in their world, they can keep playing their game but it will touch me minimally if at all

It was even stated on this podcast that Bitcoins have to be turned into a physical exchange medium for some transactions. I wonder how many Bitcoin millionaires would be left after a Carrington event?

Maybe we peasants should start new currencies and call them Beancoin and Ricecoin.

Yep, I'm just finishing up now listening to it, and I'm kind of disappointed...not much interested in Bitcoin...at all.

Ice Age Farmer has a podcast going up today I think around 1 or 1:30...I'll try to remember that :-)

[Martinhouse]

Ice Age Farmer. Good, I have something to look forward to!

[ktrapper]

My wife is visiting family in Alabama and was able to find a good supply of different seed atvthe Farmers Co-op.
We have done that over the years for things that would grow in our short season in Alaska, like bush beans, yellow squash, zucchini, heirloom tomatoes for our greenhouse, carrot seed etc.
I have also been able to find some seed on Amazon.
They usually keep well in mason jars in the freezer. Germination rates go down a little each year though.
I hope to have a long enough growing season in MT to be able to save some seed
I am afraid seed will be harder to come by next year.

[TxGal]

My wife is visiting family in Alabama and was able to find a good supply of different seed atvthe Farmers Co-op.
We have done that over the years for things that would grow in our short season in Alaska, like bush beans, yellow squash, zucchini, heirloom tomatoes for our greenhouse, carrot seed etc.
I have also been able to find some seed on Amazon.
They usually keep well in mason jars in the freezer. Germination rates go down a little each year though.
I hope to have a long enough growing season in MT to be able to save some seed
I am afraid seed will be harder to come by next year.

That's great! We've been picking up seeds wherever we go, too. Usually we order from Baker Creek, but I'm like you - worried there may be seed shortages next year. I kind of wonder how there couldn't be, given the terrible growing conditions and what I think will be vastly increased demand. People are catching on.

[Martinhouse]

TxGal, I found the new Ice Age Farmer podcast but I get a message saying my browser doesn't recognize any of the formats available to watch the podcast. (Guess it's my IE, not Adobe as I thought?)

This has happened to me before, but the links you post here always work for me, so I sure hope it does this time, when you post it.

My stray kitty came when I called her this morning for her little dish of food. She ate TWO dishes of food and seems famished. A friend drove up an dhonked for me because she brought me my mail and the kitty moved away from the bowl, but not far and she didn't run away, just cautiously watched the friend. And she liked lots of petting and scratching. I'll give her a week. If she seems to have adopted me by then, I'll take her to the vet to get her big mistreatment of all sorts of checks, shots, wormers, etc. I've caught scabies twice from rescue cats, so I won't pet her as much as she's demanding until I know she's free of mites.

She is very vocal and bossy, so I'm thinking this whole set of strays I've got around here is from one litter that was dumped on my road and has a touch of Siamese, which would also account for their long lanky, leggy shape. If Edward was related, he was a muscular exception to this shape. I sure wish he'd stayed, but it's possible the raccoons killed him. Too bad, I really did like him a lot.
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I pick up the types of seeds I use, too. My big worry right now is that the roof rats destroyed ALL my strawberries and I don't know anyone in this area who could give me a few starters from runners right now.

[TxGal]

Bringing a link over from the Main:

http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showt...05#post7351205

[TxGal]

TxGal, I found the new Ice Age Farmer podcast but I get a message saying my browser doesn't recognize any of the formats available to watch the podcast. (Guess it's my IE, not Adobe as I thought?)

This has happened to me before, but the links you post here always work for me, so I sure hope it does this time, when you post it.

My stray kitty came when I called her this morning for her little dish of food. She ate TWO dishes of food and seems famished. A friend drove up an dhonked for me because she brought me my mail and the kitty moved away from the bowl, but not far and she didn't run away, just cautiously watched the friend. And she liked lots of petting and scratching. I'll give her a week. If she seems to have adopted me by then, I'll take her to the vet to get her big mistreatment of all sorts of checks, shots, wormers, etc. I've caught scabies twice from rescue cats, so I won't pet her as much as she's demanding until I know she's free of mites.

She is very vocal and bossy, so I'm thinking this whole set of strays I've got around here is from one litter that was dumped on my road and has a touch of Siamese, which would also account for their long lanky, leggy shape. If Edward was related, he was a muscular exception to this shape. I sure wish he'd stayed, but it's possible the raccoons killed him. Too bad, I really did like him a lot.
-----
I pick up the types of seeds I use, too. My big worry right now is that the roof rats destroyed ALL my strawberries and I don't know anyone in this area who could give me a few starters from runners right now.

I'll go check that out now....

Aww, that's great on the kitten! Any chance Edward was old enough to be her father?

Egads, if they are indeed roof rats, they're awfully destructive little things...ugh...

[John Deere Girl]

I was able to order heirloom seed in bulk pretty cheap from Amazon. I also found turnips and radishes in bulk at the local feed store.

[TxGal]

Martinhouse, the link below is for the podcast, and it's now available:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=613DJ8Kfb6s

Soil Building: Grow Abundant, Cheap Food Effortlessly with Matt Powers

Run time 1:31.

Description: Matt Powers of ThePermacultureStudent.com joins Christian of Ice Age Farmer to discuss how people can simply and cheaply build amazing soil and grow abundant food! Join us for this conversation as we cover Matt’s top 5 soil building crops; soil-building practices from Bokashi to EM to Korean Natural Farming; even changing biology WITHIN seeds through foliar applications on flowers … and much more. Lots of great information in this conversation — enjoy!

[nomifyle]

I have recently tried out Walmart's 2 day home delivery service and it is working as advertised. It is Walmart's response to Amazon's delivery.

You simply have to have a minimum of $35 in your checkout basket to get free shipping.

Walmart, at least in my area, uses FedEx to actually deliver the goods. They actually bring the order right to my doorstep. A tracking number is provided and the email notifications are timely. It saves me a trip transporting heavy and bulky food items.

The only problem is that they cannot ship perishable items, like fresh vegetables or frozen foods. So you are limited to canned or jarred type foods. However, much of the bulk of the storage foods fit this category. I noticed that some items, which have been long out of stock at my local Walmart Superstore, were obtainable through this service.

von Koehler

I used the Walmart thing twice in the last couple of weeks. Good prices and quick delivery. Keeps me out of the grocery store for prep things.

Judy

[Deena in GA]

Brown rice is also not great for shelf life.

We keep ours in the freezer and it lasts for a very long time.

[Marseydoats]

Ordering from Walmart has been hit and miss for me. I have had things show up the next day and others take as long as 2 weeks to get here.

[Be Well]

We keep ours in the freezer and it lasts for a very long time.

I store mine in bucket or glass gallon jars with some bay leaves, and in a very cool dark room. At least 2 yrs old brown rice is just fine.

[Martinhouse]

I just watched fifteen minutes of Ice Age Farmer's new podcast. All I've gotten out of it so far is that the guy being interviewed is more or less saying that we need to be peeing and pooping on our gardens. Hope he recommends composting it, at least.

Don't believe I want to listen to an hour and three-quarters of this guy taking ten minutes to tell me a minute's worth of his ideas. Plus he talks like Liberace must have sounded as a young man and it just gets on my nerves. Hope I haven't missed anything, but if so...oh, well.

[TxGal]

I just watched fifteen minutes of Ice Age Farmer's new podcast. All I've gotten out of it so far is that the guy being interviewed is more or less saying that we need to be peeing and pooping on our gardens. Hope he recommends composting it, at least.

Don't believe I want to listen to an hour and three-quarters of this guy taking ten minutes to tell me a minute's worth of his ideas. Plus he talks like Liberace must have sounded as a young man and it just gets on my nerves. Hope I haven't missed anything, but if so...oh, well.

Well, I think you just saved me almost two hrs, it sure doesn't sound like a great podcast. We've got plenty of chickens, ducks, and cattle so there's no poop shortage here. I know chicken's is hot, but we've plenty of room for more compost piles.

We're hot as the dickens again, downright blistering, and dry....but, there's a cool front coming in on the weekend and our rain chances go up. Tuesday I think is looking pretty good for some rain.

[Martinhouse]

TxGal, I'm sorry if I ruined your plan to listen to a podcast. I always look forward to them and was disappointed this time, but there are actually very few that I'd call a waste of time.

I'll get over it.
-----
My bossy new kitty friend sure is acting like she was someone's pet. I'm not going to handle her much until she's checked for scabies, but I do pet and scratch her a little and talk to her and feed her and her hollow legs. And for now I wash my hands and forearms really well each time I pet her.

Not sure if I mentioned this already, but if she decides to keep me, her name will be Mildred. The first time I saw her, up on top of the garden Sunday morning, I told myself "that's a girl and she looks like a Milly!" She is irregular black over white, short-haired, lanky, and is keeping herself sparkling clean. The white parts of her are almost blinding. If she leaves, I will miss her as much as I miss Edward.
-----
It's pretty hot here, too, but I think it's going to cool down some by next week.

[PJM]

We are having rain again here in Southern B.C. Of course, everyone who had not cut their hay in June took advantage of last week’s sun and cut. There is so much hay laying down now in the rain. Some did manage to bale and pick up, but I doubt that it was completely dry. The window was just too short.

I also heard on the radio this morning that the Okanagan Apricot harvest is just not happening this year. Warm temperatures in January caused the trees to bloom and then freeze in February. Apricots are not a major food crop, but it is still one more to add to the ever-growing list. I have not noticed any shortages in our local grocery stores, but mushrooms jumped 25% since I bought them last - two weeks ago.

It is so damp and chilly today, we had to light a small fire in the stove and yet, last week was so hot it was hard to sleep at night. Odd weather, indeed.

[TxGal]

TxGal, I'm sorry if I ruined your plan to listen to a podcast. I always look forward to them and was disappointed this time, but there are actually very few that I'd call a waste of time.

I'll get over it.
-----
My bossy new kitty friend sure is acting like she was someone's pet. I'm not going to handle her much until she's checked for scabies, but I do pet and scratch her a little and talk to her and feed her and her hollow legs. And for now I wash my hands and forearms really well each time I pet her.

Not sure if I mentioned this already, but if she decides to keep me, her name will be Mildred. The first time I saw her, up on top of the garden Sunday morning, I told myself "that's a girl and she looks like a Milly!" She is irregular black over white, short-haired, lanky, and is keeping herself sparkling clean. The white parts of her are almost blinding. If she leaves, I will miss her as much as I miss Edward.
-----
It's pretty hot here, too, but I think it's going to cool down some by next week.

Believe me, you didn't! Just saved me some time for a sewing project for DD. :-)

Love the name Milly! She sounds beautiful.

[Martinhouse]

Interesting to hear what's happening with our neighbors to the north.

Thanks for the report, PJM. I don't know where apricots are grown in the US but I'm sure that they too will be scant on the shelves sooner or later.

[TxGal]

We are having rain again here in Southern B.C. Of course, everyone who had not cut their hay in June took advantage of last week’s sun and cut. There is so much hay laying down now in the rain. Some did manage to bale and pick up, but I doubt that it was completely dry. The window was just too short.

I also heard on the radio this morning that the Okanagan Apricot harvest is just not happening this year. Warm temperatures in January caused the trees to bloom and then freeze in February. Apricots are not a major food crop, but it is still one more to add to the ever-growing list. I have not noticed any shortages in our local grocery stores, but mushrooms jumped 25% since I bought them last - two weeks ago.

It is so damp and chilly today, we had to light a small fire in the stove and yet, last week was so hot it was hard to sleep at night. Odd weather, indeed.

PJM, thanks so much for sharing! We so understand the hay issue, we don't cut hay but we definitely buy it since we raise cattle. Last year was horrible, prices almost doubled and there were shortages and limits. This year looks better, but honestly no one takes it for granted.

We barely got any peaches, plums, pears, or apples. So many variables hit us at just the wrong/right time. Warm spells then the freezes, high winds and too much rain, then hail. We got a handful of peaches, pears, and apples, and lost so, so many of each. We did far better with blackberries, but lost most of our strawberry plants.

You're way north of us, but it's interesting we are having similar problems.

[Martinhouse]

If another stray cat adopts me and it's a male, and if it spends as much time on my roof as Milly is doing, I will want to name him after whatever character inspired the title of "Fiddler on the Roof". I think I knew it but I've forgotten.

So if anyone can tell me what that character's name is, I'd be very grateful. (And I just hope it's not Fabrizio or Luigi or Guiseppi!) (spell?)

[Seeker22]

Interesting to hear what's happening with our neighbors to the north.

Thanks for the report, PJM. I don't know where apricots are grown in the US but I'm sure that they too will be scant on the shelves sooner or later.

THere used to be some in Washington state. By the way, what color are Milly's eyes? My Miss Kitty's are irridescent peridot green. Just amazing in that gray tabby and cream face.

[Seeker22]

If another stray cat adopts me and it's a male, and if it spends as much time on my roof as Milly is doing, I will want to name him after whatever character inspired the title of "Fiddler on the Roof". I think I knew it but I've forgotten.

So if anyone can tell me what that character's name is, I'd be very grateful. (And I just hope it's not Fabrizio or Luigi or Guiseppi!) (spell?)

I can't find a name for the fiddler. I ran through the character list and it just said Fiddler. Found this, though:

"What is the fiddler? What does he represent?

The Fiddler is a metaphor for survival in a life of uncertainty, precarious as a fiddler on a roof "trying to scratch out a pleasant simple tune without breaking his neck." The fiddler also represents that tradition that Tevye sings of in the opening number, the traditions that Tevye is trying to hold onto in a changing world. The main theme of the movie is that without their religious traditions, the lives of Jews "would be as shaky as a fiddler on the roof." The title stems from "The Fiddler", a painting by Russia-born artist Marc Chagall [1887-1985]. "

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067093/faq

And here's the painting:



http://www.marcchagall.net/the-fiddler.jsp

Now back to the thread.

[Martinhouse]

Seeker22, thanks for researching that movie for me! What a nice thing to do!

The only other name that follows the same reasoning that popped into my head was "Roofie" and I REALLY don't think that would be a good idea!!!!!

Don't know what color Millie's eyes are. The top part of her face is coal black so I can't tell from a distance, and when she's close, her face is in her dish or her eyes are all squinted shut from being petted and skritched.

Oh, and thanks for the discussion about the movie. I'm remembering the jist of it now. and don't know why I was thinking it was Italian. Probably because my mind was locked on opera rather than musical movie.

[TxGal]

Grand Solar Minimum News has a new podcast out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X3wD_u0PPQ

Food C R I S I S Looming Weekly Crop Report GSM Earth & Space Weather News

Run time is 3:16

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Editing to add: It's short, but it will get your attention. The pics of empty pasta/pkg potato products was kind of a shocker...I'm getting used to the MIA canned vegetables, but not pasta and instant potatoes.

[Martinhouse]

I went to Walmart and the 10Box this morning. Shelves for canned vegetables and for the instant potatoes looked almost exactly like those in the pictures of WM shelves, including those now-familiar signs. There were none of the small pouches of instant potatoes at all. There was a fair amount of tomato paste at the 10Box but the big empty shelf for it that I saw last time was just filled in with lots of tomato sauce.

Didn't see any empty shelves in the baking aisle. No empty bins in produce section, but there were lots of people stocking things in this section.

I didn't spend a lot of time wandering around the store as my legs were pretty shaky this morning.

Just watched the 3:16 video and I think a lot of people are going to start noticing this shortage thing pretty soon.

[northern watch]

Astonishing winter-like jet stream threatens two provinces with July SNOW

Tyler Hamilton
Meteorologist
The Weather Network

Thursday, July 18th 2019, 10:36 am - This is a jet stream for the record books and its consequences are...snowy!

There's no benchmark for a jet stream this strong roaring across western Canada in the middle of July. With such a cold upper trough and racing upper level winds in the middle of July, this could bring some snowy consequences to parts of western Canada to round out this week.

If you were to show any meteorologist across the country the satellite imagery above, they'd guess the season was fall or winter. In fact, if this jet stream would to occur during the fall or winter months, it's entirely possible it could create a severe wind storm for the Pacific Northwest.

This is quite the active storm track with ample moisture pushing into British Columbia and reminiscent of a fall pattern – but no, it's now, the heart of July.

Weather Balloons on Thursday will sample air moving at over 200 km/h across southern British Columbia and Washington State. If you don't believe it, watch the video below to see just how far of an outlier that is:

Not only are the upper level winds off the charts, the temperatures aloft are near climatological minimums. Just five or so kilometres above sea level, temperatures are forecast to be closer to -25°C, a formidable achievement in summer.

What does that mean? In short, high elevation snow is on the way to the Coastal Mountain range through Thursday, with the Columbia and Rocky Mountains continuing that snowy trend through Friday.

The highest peaks across the Rockies will feature in excess of 10 cm of summery powder, but we're expecting all mountain passes across the region will remain free from accumulating snow. One would at least hope, in the middle of July.

The sharp trough and powerful winds aloft also will create a severe thunderstorm threat on Friday across central Alberta, while snow falls simultaneously a few hundred kilometres to the southeast.

Welcome to Canada.

https://www.theweathernetwork.com/ca...d-upper-trough

[northern watch]

From Astonishing winter-like jet stream threatens two provinces with July SNOW

[northern watch]

From Astonishing winter-like jet stream threatens two provinces with July SNOW

[TxGal]

On the cold front - we've been hearing from our weather folks that around Tuesday/Wednesday we are getting a 'rare summer cold front' that will drop temps and humidity for a few days. For us, that means low 90s instead of near 100, and much less humidity with a chance of rain.

It is odd...

[TxGal]

I went to Walmart and the 10Box this morning. Shelves for canned vegetables and for the instant potatoes looked almost exactly like those in the pictures of WM shelves, including those now-familiar signs. There were none of the small pouches of instant potatoes at all. There was a fair amount of tomato paste at the 10Box but the big empty shelf for it that I saw last time was just filled in with lots of tomato sauce.

Didn't see any empty shelves in the baking aisle. No empty bins in produce section, but there were lots of people stocking things in this section.

I didn't spend a lot of time wandering around the store as my legs were pretty shaky this morning.

Just watched the 3:16 video and I think a lot of people are going to start noticing this shortage thing pretty soon.

Thanks for your shopping report. I think I'm going again this weekend and I'll also report back on what I find. I'm getting a little hinky about the instant potato shortages. Given the problems the farmers had with potatoes I shouldn't be surprised, but aside from fresh potatoes the instant is a staple around here. The LDS stores sell them for anyone looking for long-term storage options, but it's good to have them locally.

Rest up, Martinhouse, you've been doing a lot and the hotter weather can knock a person down fast....I seem to push that limit way too closely with some frequency, so speak from experience!

This is going to be an interesting fall/winter.

[Martinhouse]

TxGal, I can't rest until I finish unloading my truck. Then I have two new trashcans to set up on patio blocks somewhere. I'll need to get feed to put in them for when I (hopefully) get those few little chickens back, and then later, also hopefully, a buck and one or two do rabbits.

I just have to take lots of breaks to catch my breath and rub the sore spots.

Tomorrow I'll have to go all the way back to town to order a new large burner element for my kitchen stove. It irritates me no end that Lowe's stopped carrying burners for stoves that they sell. They told me I have to order them online, which I do not want to do.
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Just heard from my sister. The little stray kitty that adopted her this spring went to the vet for the big insult this morning and they found that she'd already been spayed! My sister is thrilled! Kitty gets to come home this afternoon and will come home feeling very well, having already had her shots last month at the mobile clinic. I'm afraid it will cost me the whole amount when I bring Millie in to have EVERYTHIB checked, although I'm wondering if there should not be at least one intact mama cat in the area if SHTF from the GSM? Maybe I should ask the vet if there are birth control pills for cats.

[summerthyme]

Believe me, there WILL BE at least one (hundred... or thousand) "intact mama cats" around if needed! Get Milly spayed... you can go from one nice, hunting female to several dozen faster thsn you'd believe. And no, tbere isn't any SAFE birth control for cats... there is a hormone they can be given that stops them going into heat, but it increases risks of cancers, diabetes, uterine disease and liver problems.

Summerthyme