I came across this on the cheaprvliving forum and decided to give it a try.
http://www.cheaprvlivingforum.com/post/Cooking-with-a-Nissan-Thermos-5995048?trail=15
I’m making a breakfast of garbanzo beans and rice cooked by that method even as I type this. Seems to me there are some kinks to be worked out, but overall it’s a shockingly easy, economical, energy-efficient way to cook up a simple meal.
Posted in 2012, America, Solitude, Survival
Tagged cooking, country life, cuisine, culture, economy, food, Human Behavior, Life, lifestyle, psychology, senior citizens, society, sociology, survival, technology, thermos cooking
Good morning readers. Thanks for coming by for a read this morning.
We were blessed with a few days of rain here, beginning with a frog strangler during the night. Most of the cats and I were in the RV when the tree fell on the roof of the cabin, but it made enough noise to satisfy our needs to hear something.
I made a run for the cabin to see how bad things were, but it turned out nothing came through the roof this time. Just a wake-up call, though. Lots more dead trees around the cabin.
After the big rain came a day of light, intermittent rainfall which allowed me to chase down and caulk various roof leaks in the RV roof I’d noted and I plugged a good many of them. Found a few more when the rain began again, but it’s coming along.
Second night after the rain the feral hogs came in, snorting and banging around between the RV and the cabin. I just ignored them, let them do their own thing because I wasn’t needing any altercations with that sort of individuals.
Meanwhile, the neighbor up the hill was able to burn a lot of the piles of cedar he’d been pushing up, clearing it. Looked like a thousand campfires across there. Beautiful sight in the dark. Must have been the way it would have appeared for a Civil War army looking across the landscape at the enemy camps the night before a battle.
Next morning the cats and I had our muskets loaded, bayonets fixed crouched in our hidey holes, waiting for all those Yankee soldiers to swarm across the meadow, but I reckons we scared them off.
Old Jules
Posted in 2012, Adventure, America, Animals, Country Life, Human Behavior, Texas
Tagged animals, cats, country life, culture, Human Behavior, humor, Life, Nature, philosophy, psychology, Reflections, senior citizens, society, sociology, Wildlife
Good morning readers. Thanks for coming by for a read this morning.
Someone during the 1960s built this, put up a small RV park with water and electrical connections around it, evidently for potential pilgrims. It’s on the boundary between desert and Columbus, New Mexico. I used to go hang around there most times when I’d visit Columbus for other reasons. Never saw anyone there, though the shrine did have palm leaves fresh every time during the early 1990s.
But the RV park is grown up with cactus and creosote, doesn’t appear to have ever been used. The power boxes are full of mud-dobber nests. I’ve been thinking for some while about the place as a winter refuge. I gather the place changed hands after someone died, the new owners live across the street and aren’t followers of Meyar Baba. They work for USFS in Arizona several months a year.
I was talking to one of the cats about the place last night when I was trying to sleep and she was trying to keep me from it by kneading her claws on my chest. She likes the thought of it being somewhat remote, while having the potential for desert mice and lizards. Probably fairly warm, too. Suggested, once I get footloose, if something else doesn’t get in the way, that I try chasing down the current owners. Try to get a feel for whether they’d take kindly to having someone park in there occasionally.
I’m thinking that cat might be onto something.
Old Jules
Posted in 2012, Adventure, America, Animals, Country Life, Human Behavior, New Mexico, NM, Outdoors, Senior Citizens, Solitude
Tagged animals, cats, columbus NM, country life, culture, home, Human Behavior, humor, Life, lifestyle, nomadic lifestyle, psychology, rv travel, society, sociology, travel
Good morning readers. Thanks for coming by for a read this morning.
I entered a friendly discussion yesterday about the particular issue everyone’s bathing in today, yesterday on Cheaprvliving forum, so I’m cleansed of any temptation to discuss it here.
http://www.cheaprvlivingforum.com/post/Remembering-911-6005480
I’m gratified to have certain suspicions confirmed regarding a particular sort of individual in the virtual bathtub, but the thread got locked before all the usual suspects came up out of the woodwork.
Anyway, we ain’t going to discuss that here.
Been doing a lot on the RV, filling in voids with insulating foam, preparing to lift the rearend to install the shocks and helper springs. Devising a means of keeping the cats in the overhead during travel, and sleeping inside it nights with one, or another cat as company.
The felines tend to become a lot more affectionate when I’m trying to sleep in there, I’m finding. I attribute it to a recognition we’re going to be on the road together soon and they figure I might put the top-cat position up for grabs.
They’re running for election, in other words, telling lies, saying lies about themselves and telling the truth about the others.
But Hydrox is savvy. He knows Top Cat is a position comes without anyone having to vote, without me having to lift a finger or make any contribution to the process at all.
So, shouldn’t be any reason at all for Jeanne to have to lock this thread. I’m staying low-key, not planning any bathing in synthetics or simulations to influence the outcome of the Top Cat issue.
Old Jules
Posted in 2012, America, Animals, Government, Human Behavior, Senior Citizens, Solitude
Tagged animals, cats, country life, culture, Human Behavior, humor, Life, lifestyle, philosophy, politics, psychology, senior citizens, sociology
Good morning readers. Thanks for coming by for a read this morning.
A nice little norther blew in here the past couple of days, cooled things down something awful. I slept in the RV, and by ones and twos the cats volunteered to join me inside for a bit of quality time, sleeping on my chest, purring and kneading claws pleasantly. They tell me, with reservations, they think they’re going to be able to hunker down and live in there.
Came just in a nick of time, too, because what? Three daybreaks ago? I noticed something coming out of the now-open chicken house just after dawn. Double-take revealed it to be a bobcat, small for a bobcat, but large enough to make a meal out of any of these wannabe toughies. Last night the cats and I played fruit-basket-turn-over, two inside alternating with two nearby waiting their turn to come up next time I got up to pee.
Got my ‘Work for RVers and Campers Newsletter by email this morning:
http://www.work-for-rvers-and-campers.com/.
Nowhere near as many listings in there for west Texas, New Mexico and Arizona as there were last issue, which had a couple I found exciting. This issue only has a couple in Texas, neither far enough west to suit me, and one in Arizona up in the neighborhood of Sedona. They want someone in an RV park up there to do various things in exchange for a place to park.
But me going to Sedona would be carrying coals to Newcastle, I reckons. Besides, they wanted applicants to send a photo of themselves, along with a resume. With winter coming on I reckons I’d have to figure out which winter pic of me to send:
I’d naturally want to throw out the best possible impression of myself I could.
And they want the resume to demonstrate how I’m a people person, which of course, I am. Ain’t hardly any more people people out there than I am, taken from certain perspectives. But I’m not sure how I’d go about conveying it to them.
Been a long time since I wrote a resume, though I used to count myself a fair hand at doing it. If I was the one doing the hiring out there, I’d jump at me.
Old Jules
Posted in 2012, America, New Mexico, NM, Senior Citizens, Survival, Texas
Tagged animals, cats, country life, culture, economy, employment, environment, home, Human Behavior, humor, jobs, Life, lifestyle, Nature, New Mexico, pets, resume, rv, senior citizens, society, sociology, travel, Wildlife
Hi readers. I posted this on the Intentional Communities website. http://www.ic.org/
http://directory.ic.org/24101/New_Mexico_Farmer_Nomads_Circuit_Community
Figured I’d run it up on the flagpole and see if anyone salutes:
New Mexico Farmer Nomads Circuit Community
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Proposed [forming]migratory community to occupy BLM and National Forest lands with water available capable of growing food crops. Members would occupy each site and tend gardens 14 days maximum to stay within BLM and USFS regulations, then rotate to another community site at least 25 miles away, replacing another rotatee[s] who’s been tending the garden there.
No permanent structures are allowed on these multi-use BLM or USFS public lands, though if, say, a mining claim is filed [a cheap, easy means of establishing certain legitimate, defined rights of occupation], a storage for ‘tools’ building is allowed.
Members will need to be willing to live in tents, RVs, campers, or converted school bus shelters while occupying the sites.
The only reason ‘community’ is an issue is to assure crops get planted and tended at each site through the growing season, and because of the 14 day occupation limit per site.
Some rules regarding wood cutting, site cleanup and maintenance, and waste disposal will be needed, along with a rotation schedule for each member unit.
My thought is that if there’s sufficient interest in this alternative lifestyle it should begin before spring planting, 2013.
contact me at josephusminimus@hotmail.com.
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You just never can tell until you try, I figures.
Old Jules
Posted in 2012, Adventure, America, Government, Homesteading, New Mexico, NM, Outdoors
Tagged community, country life, culture, desert nomads, homesteading, Human Behavior, humor, intentional community, Life, lifestyle, Nature, New Mexico, nomad, nomad farming, occupy, philosophy, society, sociology, survival
I told you that silky rooster was intelligent, but I thought he’d outsmarted himself by getting loose and left behind here. All those hens he came up with as a chick, the surviving rooster. Kay’s hens and rooster. All now joined with a free ranging flock somewhere else.
And he was sorely depressed being alone here.
But he must have known faith would see him through. A lady down the road with 17 hens and no roosters emailed me after I listed him on Kerrville FreeCycle. We arranged to meet yesterday at a pullover midway between her and me.
“What a beautiful rooster!” He preened.
“What’s his name?”
“I’ve never given him a name.” She scowled and stroked him.
“I always name my chickens.” Attractive pucker.
To which Mr. NoName Silky replied, “I’ve been to the wild wood, mither. Mak my bed soon.”
All’s well that ends well.
Old Jules
Posted in 2012, America, Animals, Chickens, Country Life, Free-ranging-chickens, Human Behavior, Outdoors, Texas
Tagged animals, Chickens, country life, culture, Human Behavior, humor, Life, lifestyle, pets, Poultry, psychology, Relationships, silky rooster, society, sociology, texas
Good morning readers. Thanks for coming by for a read this morning.
I’ve been getting some fascinating emails for the past couple of days, maybe from one of the readers here, maybe from one of the Toyota RV forums I’ve been visiting to learn about problems and solutions encountered by others who have more experience with this particular method of escaping reality.
I retired in 02. A friend happened to see a little clip about the slabs on TV one night and told me he had just heard about a place that he thought I’d like. I googled it and agreed. A couple weeks later I loaded up my old 1971 Volvo 144 and left Tennessee for the slabs. I spent a magic 10 days out there living under a bush on a hammock. Meeting people who were, like me, searching for adventure and fun. In that short time, I found everything that a man could want. And for the next 10 years I have returned again and again. I have spent winters out there in motorhomes and tents. It dosen’t matter. Every visit has been good.
There are several clubs on the slabs. I belong to the Oasis club. There is also the Traveling Pals Club and LOWS, Loners on Wheels Club. Everybody fits in somewhere. There is no mayor, There is no law. (The imperial county sheriffs and CHP do come onto the slabs if there is a problem.) There is an anarchy that functions, a collective justice system that operates that seems to do the job. If someone is behaving in a manner that is unacceptable, a group pressure will build and build until that person decides to change or to go elsewhere.
There is the Range, a magic spot on Saturday night where musicians come and people come and best of all it is free.A big party under the stars. It is hard to describe. When you are there and the music is playing and people are dancing and you just know that you are in the best place that you could be even if you could be anywhere else. Magic.
The 1 mile square abandoned military base that is the slabs has been settled in different areas. East Jesus, an art colony, is situated in the NE corner. The LOWS in on the opposite SW corner. There is a Canadian area on the south central side. After a while you will know it like a monopoly board. And wait until the first time you find yourself lost at night walking across the slabs in an endless maze of campers and cresote bushes. You will soon learn to recognize the local landmarks, the blinking lights on the towers in nearby Niland, or the lights of the prison located about 6 miles south of the slabs..
Many people hear of the slabs and drive into it for a look see. You can spot them a mile away. Eyes wide, windows up, they’ll circle a few “blocks” and then drive out, never stopping and speaking to a “local”. They can’t get by the the ultra casual dress “code” of the slabs, but appearances are misleading. There is no average person at the slabs. Everybody there is special with a story that is usually bigger than life. At night, by the campfires, the stories gradually materialize until you begin to know these individuals. And then you are hooked.
Just from the litle we’ve talked, I feel that you would find that you fit in there just fine. Its not perfect. There are some bad people there. Outlaws, fugatives. But you can be sure they are keeping a low profile. Amazingly, there are plenty of women there, too. Its really hard to describe, it would take a book, and it changes every year. We will be going out there again this winter (my new wife and I). This time we are going to rent a motor home that is parked out there and just drive our car out-which should save enough gas money to pay for the rental.
Oh ya, forgot to mention the nearby town, Niland. It has a lot of support for the winter campers. There are 2 stores in town, May’s that has about everything you might need. food, meat counter, beer and liquor, drinks, bread, toilet paper and even some hardware, and Mike’s Store, he has less but also has shorter lines. I go to them both. There are 3 restaurants in town. Balestero’s that serves great mexican food, and pretty good hamburgers. They also have a bar and a pool table. Across the street there is Uncle D’s Pizza Shop that also serves breakfast. And there is a new restaurant further North on rt. 111, Buckshot I think, that serves pretty good stuff. . There is a laundromat. And a flea market at the “fair grounds” that operates on the weekends. Vendors are moving through every so often so its good to run by there once in a while. There is also a public health building there that treats less serious medical problems. And a gas station that fills propane tanks, too.
8 miles south of Niland is a town names Calpatria. It has a library with internet, a donut shop, and a great hardware store. Also auto parts, and more. You will have to drive another 10 miles south to get to Brawley and the nearest walmart. You can get just about anything in Brawley, but if all else fails, another 10 miles south to El Cantro where I think you could find anything.
Being California, there are a million nearby things to do. trails to hike, roads to drive, hot springs to bask in. It just occurred to me that you might be more interested in this than my earlier description.
If the distance weren’t so great, the money so dedicated to various other priorities I’d be sorely tempted to spend some time there. But Slab City’s 1250 miles from Kerrville, Texas. At current gas prices I could spend half a months pension check getting there. And there’s no telling what manner of bowling balls the Coincidence Coordinators would throw into the route to distract me along the way, have me taking all manner of routes elsewhere.
Old Jules
Slab City links:
http://www.dogpile.com/search/web?fcoid=417&fcop=topnav&fpid=27&q=slab+city%2C+ca&ql=
The Slab City Library entrance
Inside the Library
Internut Access
The Doooooowey Decimal System
Reading area
Posted in 2012, Adventure, Country Life, Homesteading, Human Behavior, Solitude, Survival
Tagged anarchy, community, country life, culture, economy, humor, Life, lifestyle, philosophy, psychology, senior citizens, slab city ca, society, sociology, survival
Good morning readers. Thanks for coming by for a read this morning.
I spent an unanticipated lot of time yesterday learning about leaf springs on 1983 Toyota Motor Homes. I knew I’d have to do something about those sagging springs and began the day knowing pretty much what it would be. Namely buying some helper springs or spring supports from JC Whitney, installing them, then going on about my business.
Except JC Whitney doesn’t have them.
So I visited the Toyota RV Discussion group with the intention of finding out what others who don’t know as much as I do have handled these problems I’ve never handled. Got a lot of knowledgeable, helpful suggestions gradually indicating the problem isn’t so inexpensively solved, the solution so patently obvious as I’d originally believed.
But before any solution a person’s got to know what’s under there now. Airbag spring supports? Retrofitted helper springs?
None of the above, turns out.
But new springs, helper springs, or airbags are clearly the way to resolve the issue. On the forum there’s disagreement as to which. As time allows, today I’ll spend more time at non-JC Whitney sources for the options, learn as much as I can with a head full of already knowing so much at dawn yesterday I thought it unlikely I’d be learning much else between now and dying.
But sometime soon I’m going to have to lift that house up and get under there with a tape measure and find out how long, how thick, how something else I can’t recall at the moment, those springs are. Then spend some time on long distance phone calls with [probably] people in China or India who answer technical questions for suppliers in the US.
Meanwhile, it’s quiet outside these batwing doors. Too quiet.
Poor old silky rooster outsmarted himself yesterday, missed an adventure a lot of chickens would pay the poultry equivalent of good money to experience.
Old Jules
Posted in 2012, Adventure, Country Life, Education, Senior Citizens, Texas, Transportation, Trucks
Tagged 1983 Toyota motor home, animals, Chickens, country life, economy, Life, lifestyle, society, sociology, springs, suspension, technology, transportation
A friend of Linda’s [the lady who runs the Habitat for Humanity Thrift Store in Kerrville] has agreed to take my flock of free-ranging chickens. As well as Kay’s smaller flock. He’s been taking care of Linda’s free-rangers when she isn’t home, lives adjacent to her, and Linda vouches for him being a responsible person.
So it’s one more bug on the windshield of this old life, thinks I.
Sometime today he should be coming out to pick them up. I’ve kept them caged so I’ll be able to catch them.
One small step for a man, one giant step for mankind, I figures.
I’ll miss them, but you can’t take them with you, as the saying goes. Once the Great Speckled Bird joined the Great Rooster Fight In The Sky things haven’t been the same around here anyway. A lot of the joy that came with having the flock around went away, and the hens quit behaving themselves without him to keep them in line.
Old Jules
11:00 am addendum: The birds are history, except for the silky rooster commie pictured above. He got loose and I’ll never catch him today. But a silky of his stature oughtn’t be too difficult to find a home for. Everyone wants a chicken with his kind of class, thinks I.
Posted in 2012, Animals, Chickens, Country Life, Free-ranging-chickens, Homesteading
Tagged animals, Chickens, country life, Human Behavior, humor, Life, lifestyle, senior citizens, society, sociology
74 years old, a resident of Leavenworth, KS, in an apartment located on the VA campus. Partnered with a black shorthaired cat named Mister Midnight. (1943-2020)
Since April, 2020, this blog is maintained by Jeanne Kasten (See "About" page for further information).
https://sofarfromheaven.com/2020/04/21/au-revoir-old-jules-jack-purcell/
So Far From Heaven 
