Tuesday 5 January 2010

Help! We are snowed in

It hasn't stopped snowing here all day. I've shovelled it off the drive twice but it's covered again, and I keep putting food out for the birds and changing their water but it just gets hidden by another layer of snow. The silver birch trees at the bottom of the garden are very pretty, like they have had a dusting of icing sugar, all white and crispy.


I am getting a bit low on food, I could do with going to the supermarket, but it says on the radio not to drive unless it is absolutely necessary. Well looking at my food stocks I suppose I could always have soup or prawns for breakfast, or perhaps runner beans, carrots, and peas would make a change :-) Ha ha, not quite that bad. I have some bran flakes and porridge oats left, but if it carries on like this and I can't get out I will be having some weird and wonderful combinations on my plate.

This has got me thinking about how society would manage if extreme weather conditions became the norm, certainly we would all have to drastically alter our shopping and eating routines. How many would cope if we got snowed in for weeks at a time? Some would panic and stockpile all those familiar items they couldn't live without, ready meals, snack foods, and booze.

Looking at my food stash I could probably live off what I have in for 3 - 4 weeks. My imagination would take over and I would stretch out the ingredients to concoct some strange but wholesome meals. I am not a fussy eater, plain and simple that's me, so I wouldn't be bothered if I had to make a few variations of the same dish.

Imagine the worst case scenario, if no one could get in and out of the village. We have a small mini market/general grocery store, there would soon be queues outside there and the shelves would be stripped. The two pubs would sell out of food, then that's it. Next would be the allotments getting raided. I have some sprouts in my garden so I could eat them, and there is a smallholding down the road where I could get free range eggs, that's if they will have any left. They might have a few winter veg in their poly tunnels as well. I suppose we could all go down to the fishing ponds and the river and try and hook something for tea. And if we were really desperate we could raid the kennels and cattery for any tins of chum or Felix, I believe it is tasted by humans so it can't be that bad.

I have got the usual rice, pasta, and a few tins in the cupboard, and a freezer full of mostly veg, so I will be ok for a while. If this snowing keeps up I am sure my self sufficiency skills will see me through. On second thoughts, maybe I will ring the bus company in the morning to see if the buses are running. It might be wise to get a few more essentials to top up my stocks, just in case the snow gets worse.

8 comments:

  1. shop online get tescos to deliver. use your surplus cash to pay for delivery. thats what I would do.

    I have a stock pile that we rotate an replenish. it works well for us

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  2. Oh, your garden does look pretty!

    I have a food store of around a week or two put aside, I think it is very wise to have a food store in case of unforeseen circumstances.

    Take care, Ilona :)

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  3. I have just returned home from a walk on the beach, it was very warm and still and the tide had been very high. As I walked back a man said that it was going to be 27c today, wish I could send you all some of our beautiful summer weather.

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  4. The real trick is to remember to get your emergency supplies before everybody else realizes there could be a problem; I guess that it's the difference between planning and panic.

    ...and if you must use a car when there's a chance of getting stranded by snow, make sure that you're dressed to stay comfortable and warm.

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  5. The garden that you can see looks pretty, the bit hidden away beyond the hedge at the bottom is the empty veg beds, that looks a bit messy.

    A walk on the beach in the sun, oh now I am green with envy.

    I will see what tomorrows weather brings. I still have six slices of bread left and some cream cheese which I can use instead of margarine, so that will last me another day. Oh and I have some crispbread to use when the bread is finished. I'll hang on a bit longer.

    At the moment I am always dressed comfortable and warm, even as I sit in my house :-) I spoke to my brother on Skype yesterday, and he said, You've still got the same clothes on as you had last time, jacket, scarf, gloves. Ermmm, yes.

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  6. OH! When you said raid the kennels there I had a nasty moment until I read you meant for tins of food!Those of us with simple needs and a pantry would be fine for a while but in the long term we'd all be stuffed or maybe that's the wrong word!

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  7. What a breath of fresh air you are, my friends and children, (not my husband) think I'm mean, I say that I'm frugal, definately not mean.

    I love your money saving Ideas, here are some of mine,
    I cook everything from scratch,including bread, cakes and biscuits.
    I make hedgrow jams and slow gin, medicinal of course.
    I grow as much veg as possible, we only have one car (husband needs it for work) I use the bus or walk.
    I only put on the washing machine for full loads and I make my own washing powder - more like a gel actually, its very cheap and works.
    I buy wool from car boots and charity shops and knit my son and grandson stripy jumpers, my daughter gets over her anxiety's, by telling her friends that I made my grandson festival jumpers (a trendy thing to have apparently)- that seems to stem the flow of shock of her fashion concious friends, and my son just loves his quirky jumpers.

    I could go on and on and on.

    from....Just past 52.. hurtlling towards 53.

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  8. I had to trudge 2 miles through the snow last night with my son ( his Duke of Edinburgh award ceremony). We were surprised how quickly places close in this weather...two of the big supermarkets had closed early because of lack of staff and customers. The council buildings where the ceremony was , was down to minimum care taker staff . Really makes me wonder how the infra structure will fall apart if this snow continues.

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