It Seems Summer Is Here!!

 It seems that Summer has gotten here with a vengeance! Today was 91* with a heat index of about 99-100. Now I know some of you out West are going "what are you crying about!?"  LOL!  Been there and done that also! The difference is when it gets to this point temperature wise....and...the humidity is 91-95%....well, you don't seem to sweat because it just sits on your skin! It is just a bit miserable! 😐

 For those of you that don't know, I grew up in central Texas where it is just about as bad. Then moved to GA and NC, which are still humid areas of the country. Then, in 1974, I joined the Army and spent the next 21 mnths on the East coast. Nothing better than 8 weeks of Basic Training in May/June at Ft Jackson, SC! Talk about losing some weight...it took it off!!  LOL!

BUT....the next 9 plus years were.....total of 6 years in the desert of New Mexico and a 3 year "break" assigned to Ft Wainwright, Alaska! I didn't expect Alaska to be a low humidity place, but it actually is! AND....I learned a whole new meaning to the word "cold"! The first winter up there the "HIGH" temperature for the month of February was -21 degrees! NEGATIVE TWENTY-ONE!! It was so cold and the air is so dry that to make a snowball you have to melt the outside of the "snowball" so it will stay together! Have you ever been hit by an ice cube thrown at you?? Think about a 4-6 inch "snowball", the outside of it very well frozen to keep it together!?  NOT a fun game! LOL!

On the other hand, you were able to build a little dike around smeone's vehicle in the parking lot, at nite, with snow. It only had to be 4 or so inches high....then fill it with water. At -25 or even down to -65, in about 1-2 hours....that vehicle will not move!  LOL! There were some folks that got attitude adjustments the hard way!! It takes a while to chip your way oit of it!  LMAO!! 

But at -30 and below there is a great thing to do for the kids...all ages of kids...and all it takes is a pot of boiling water, some food color and a good mug.  Dip mug in water, add color and get outside and throw water in air!!! You can hear the steaming water freeze and it falls across the yard as colored ice crystals! So Cool!  It was easy to tell which quarters had kids or new arrivals to an Alaska WINTER!!!

 

As I shared last post, cabin is here,,,,still in it's box! But it is here! I'm going to get the lumber for the floor in a couple of days and I'll be taking pics and video of the "raising of the cabin"! Still have some rearrainging of trailers and Lily and canopy to do, plus the clearing of the area where the cabin will be sitting. Have to try to get ahead of the hens due to the fact that there seem to be a lot of really good bugs in the dirt around where the cabin is going in!  LOL!

And the hens and the chicks seem to just gravitate to my area! LOL! And I don't mind them. But the roosters that sit under my open windows at 0545 in the mornngs....well, let's just say that it is now at the point that when I HOLLER  shut-up and git...if they haven't trundled off by the time I come out the door...they are on the run as soon as my feet hit the ground!! LOL!

That pretty well sums up the current situation at the "TwF Tiny Mini-Homestead" for this week! Things are slowly progressing even with the heat and the rains.

I hope this finds everyone healthy and being prepared! Cool weather will be here again before we know it!!

Be Safe, Travel Easy, Go To The Woods Often and Live the Preparedness Life!

C'ya - Frog 🐸 & Rosie 🐶

 

 

 

 

 

My Cabin is Here!! 😉🐸

Well I just wanted to let you see my cabin!!!!

How do you like it??  LMAO!  Well, we do still have to put it together! I use the Royal "We" when I say that! I will be present and doing what I'm able, but Cary will be doing the most of getting the floor laid and the cabin up!!  😉

 Tiffany came over yesterday and said "Look at this, Daddy". Think you might be interested?

 And I must say that I was quite interested in it! Especially for the price that it was on sale for! 

In fact, by the time I get the lumber for the floor, the 4x8's for floor....It will actually save me quite a bit in cost. And I do not have to worry about too much maintenance to keep it up.  

 In fact the options of what all can be done are quite numerous! Will still need to find a front door (there's one in the barn but not sure it will work).
I try to be a re-user/repurposer, but there are two windows in the barn that were to be used in a VW van camper. But....if they still operate properly....well....they will be mounted in the cabin! 

They are the louvered type of windows and I think they will look pretty cool! Big enough to let some decent light in, pretty good air flow and being louvered they will be able to stay open more when raining!!

Now...I doubt very seriously that my cabin will look like this when done....

I mean...yeah....it's "purty"....but I don't think it is quite what I would be able to live with!
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And this is just a bit to upscale "cabiny"! If you get my drift!!  LOL!

 I figure when I'm done I will be in a rather "left over, rather reused style" of cabin!!

I mean, what else would you expect from Frog???

Heheheh!! 

 

So that brings me about up to date. I'm still working on my "cookbook" and Part 2 of my first book. And I have literally started 3 different videos that I will try to finish by this coming weekend! Really!! 😀

 So til next time...Be Safe, Travel Easy, Go To The Woods When You Can....and live in the Preparedness Mode!!

C'ya   Frog🐸 & Rosie🐶 

 

 

Looking Back In Time

 Hi gang! I spent a large part of the day downloading pictures from my past travels, both  during my trucking days and "retirement" days that have passed so far! And I was actually rather surprised at the number of places over the past 5-6 years. And the number of camp sites I have had the pleasure of occupying!

 If I'm totally honest...I really do miss the desert! I like it so much...during the winter months!  LOL!

These pics do not follow any timeline! LOL! And I have to think about locations and dates...which is kind of a lost cause!  😏😉

Abbie was always just amazed at the big dogs we kept seeing. LOL

The sunsets are awesome out West.

Bisbee was a cool town.

There is just so much to see! The mine outside of Bisbe was a little bit overwhelming

I don't remember exactly, but the hole left by th mine is, I think something like, as least, over 300 feet deep! Now that is a hole!!

 

The Saguaro cactus are just amazing!

The thing about being out West driving the backroads...the number of people you run into is really small! And the quiet is really amazing.

Wide open land and skies and lots of miles between gas stops.

The one thing that you have to be sure of is to make sure that you do not let your gas tank get below half!!

 

 

 

 

 I just wanted to take a few minutes and share a few pics with you. I'll be loading up more as time goes along.

I hope you are preparing for the upcoming months. From what I heard and saw today, we might have only 4-6 weeks to tank bottom here on the US. And apparently we are hitting targets in Iran again today and tonight. So we'll see what hits the news tomorrow. 

I hope you are well and planning! Keep looking up!!

Til later,,,,C'ya, Frog 🐸 & Rosie 🐶 

 

 

Have You Thought About The Gas?

Hi gang! I have been thinking about this "Middle East" thing. And listening to reports, Bloomberg, Goldman Sacs...etc, etc. And all the numbers that keep being bandied about! Almost all the information that seems to be coming out of our "news" channels keeps talking about the price of oil. But I do not see/hear much, if any, talking about the amount of oil that is here, in the US, in storage. Basically nothing and it seems the public is not interested.

 

 

 

 

I asked Google AI....As of May 29, the level in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) was 357.1 million barrels. But that report was dated May 22. Tank bottom is 159 million barrels. I heard today that it is at 279 or so million. Last week we drew down approximately 9-10 million barrels.  

 

At this rate we will hit "tank bottom" sometime in August from what my math says. "Tank bottom" is 159 million barrels due to the fact that the oil is stored in salt mines/caves, and the last 150 million barrels or so has dirt, rocks, "trash" in it and can not be pumped out. 

All this does not take into consideration the fact that we are exporting oil AND importing oil also. We use "heavy oil" in our refineries, "sweet oil" (the light stuff) is what we ship out to other countries that refine it. So you can chase numbers all day and it still seems a guessing game. 

But let it suffice to say that at the current rate, the situation in the Middle East, etc.....even if "peace reigns" tomorrow....it will take several months to get that oil here and processed into the fuels we need to keep our economy running.

I will not go into the numbers being thrown around for a barrel of oil if tank bottom is reached...both here and in Europe and all the other countries that are already almost out of oil/fuel. Let me just say that IF regular gas hits $7 or more a gallon, we will probably not be in a good spot! And if gas gets that high....diesel fuel....well, $12-15/gal is being talked about if not higher. Apparently for every $10 increase in the cost of a barrel of oil, gas from the pump goes up .25 cents. Diesel goes up .29 cents. And for those that don't really think about it....everything in our economy rides on/in a semi (tractor trailer) that we take for granted in the grocery stores, online shopping, pet supplies....EVERYTHING....will slow way down or could just stop getting to the stores or wherever you shop from. And those shipping costs have to be paid....and the products that they carry is what we see as the price increases at the pump. Which means....WE will pay for the increases in the prices we pay for everything! It could make the bare shelves of COVID not look as bad as they did.

 Today a "War Resolution" was passed in the House of Reps, now goes to the Senate. So it could be a way to "gracefully" get out of this conflict. Or maybe there will be a signed agreement that brings this to a close.

But whatever is in the coming days the one thing you can be sure of....we are going to pay for this in more ways than one.

So I again say that I hope you have put back some basic food stuffs. That you have some gas stored away just in case. Might not be a bad idea to have some bottled water tucked away, extra meds, fashlights....etc, etc.

Rosie and I are stocked up, looking down the road, prepared for flood, rain, heavy rains, high winds, power failure....all those great things! I hope all of you are also!

Til later and brighter days to come.....

Frog 🐸 & Rosie 🐶

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Morning!!

 Good Morning Gang!! We have just gone through some really wet days and quite a few really strong thunderstorms! At one point there were over 160K people without power in the state. 

But it cooled down the air, was just 59* this morning! Felt just fabulous! And cooler tomorrow also. But by this weekend it will be back up on the mid to upper 80's.

I stumbled across the video below on YouTube that I found very interesting. For those of you that don't know it, I am a fanatical listener to Shortwave radio! And it has had a tough life over the past few decades. It is slowly coming back, but still not where it was 50 years ago.

I hope you find this video as interesting as I did!

 It is just another instance of the habit of chasing the dollar and the fact that government does not always has it's act together....In fact, it often does not have it's act together! 😏

Hope this finds everyone doing ok. And I hope you are still in a Preparedness Mode!!

Til later....C'ya   Frog🐸  & Rosie 🐶

Are you listening and watching!?

Folks...there are many things happening right now that should be of concern to all of us.  I don't know how many of you keep up with "the news", but most of what I hear on legacy media is very diluted and behind time. I listen and follow several individuals (and you know how I hate social media, but it happens to be where I get some of the most accurate information about what is going on in the globe right now). And very little of what it hear and read can I put a positive spin on. 

 ************************************************

Peter Thiel relocates to Argentina.

New York Times: “The billionaire’s new roots in Argentina are said to be partly motivated by concerns about the future of the United States and shared beliefs with Argentina’s right-wing leader.”

************************************************* 

From Hal Turner, several reports....

May 28, 2026 - 5:25 PM EDT -- within the past 60 mintes, IRGC missile forces launched rockets towards 4 ships in the Strait of Hormuz, which were passing through the strait without agreement with Iran - among them, one is presumably an American military ship.

At the same time, explosions are being reported in southern Iran, and loud bilateral gunfire is heard along the coastline.

UPDATE 5:34 PM EDT --  Attack CONFIRMED.

Iran's IRGC Navy carried out a missile attack on four vessels attempting to bypass the Strait of Hormuz without IRGC coordination, including American vessels.

UPDATE 6:32 PM EDT --

Now being told "fierce clashes are now underway between the US Navy and the Revolutionary Guard in the coastal Bushehr area."

UPDATE 7:43 PM EDT --

Reports are STILL coming in saying lengthy "fierce clashes" are still underway in the coastal Bushehr area after Iran launched five, one-way, attack drones, toward a US commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz.

The US Navy shot down all the drones without exception, then immediately launched a strike on the Iranian land launch site before it could launch more attack drones...

*************************************************

Yesterday Morning, 5/27.....

May 27, 2026 -- 11:11 PM EDT --  Iran has launched a Ballistic Missile and Drone attack against Kuwait.

11:13 PM EDT -- Air Raid Sirens blaring throughout Kuwait . . . .

Kuwait Army Has Issued a NOTICE:

11:20 PM EDT --  Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued a statement claiming retaliation.

The IRGC said it "carried out an attack on a U.S. airbase in retaliation for an incident near Bandar Abbas Airport today,"  Tasnim News Service is reporting.

11:32 PM EDT -- MORE:  In their statement, the IRGC says "aggression will not go unanswered."

Oil prices are up nearly +5% on the news.

7:35 AM EDT -- THURSDAY -- CENTCOM says Iran carried out an “egregious ceasefire violation” overnight, launching a ballistic missile toward Kuwait and multiple attack drones near the Strait of Hormuz. 

The missile was intercepted by Kuwaiti forces while the U.S. took out five drones and prevented a sixth launch from Bandar Abbas.

President Trump still has faith a deal can happen, but he’s signaling he’s willing to finish the job if Iran keeps pushing.

****************************************************

Kaliningrad Attacked By Drones; Flew Through Poland and Lithuania Air Space 

The countries of Poland and Lithuania seem to have voluntarily made themselves "Party to the Conflict" between Russia and Ukraine today.   The remote Russian enclave of Kaliningrad was attacked by drones.

The countries of Poland and Lithuania seem to have voluntarily made themselves "Party to the Conflict" between Russia and Ukraine today.   The remote Russian enclave of Kaliningrad was attacked by drones.

The only problem is that the drones had to fly through the air space of Poland, Lithuania, or both, in order to attack Kaliningrad. The map below shows Kaliningrad, which is Russian territory despite not being physically attached to Russia, sort of like  how Alaska and Hawaii are US territory, without being attached to the continental USA.

As seen on the map, except for a sea attack, the only way drones could get into Kaliningrad would be through Polish or Lithuanian air space.  

Since those two countries are already on a "war footing" over the Russia-Ukraine Conflict, and have numerous NATO troops, radar, and weapons systems on their soil, they MUST have known the drones were crossing their air space and either LET IT HAPPEN . . . . or perhaps they simply gave Ukraine permission.

Either way, it now appears that Poland and Lithuania are legitimate targets for Russian retaliation by force.

*************************************************

As of 9:26PM CDT WTI oil is at $87.89/bbl, it has jumped up almost $10 today. Our refined inventories are are at a low not seen in a long time. 

Silver is at $76.40 as I type this. Barely a week ago it was over $100/oz. 

If you have not seen or heard, with all the infrastructure that has been damaged/blown up/shut down in the Middle East (M.E.) oil fields & the refineries that have been attacked, we are headed for hard times. When the heads of those M.E. companies and countries come out publicly and state that it will take  12-24+ months minimum to get the damage repaired and all the infrastructure back online....what that means is....we haven't seen anything yet from what I am gleaning out of all this turmoil and information coming out. 

I do truly hope that all of you have made some kind of provision of putting back extra food, maybe gas, have extra batteries, think "disaster" when you think about what you would need to get thru a possibly long time of shortages. I honestly hope that I am wrong, that I am looking at the worst case scenario and that these things will not come to pass....but I have a bad feeling about the near term future.

So folks, stay safe, think safe, get into a preparedness mode of mindset....we all will be needing it if this keeps heading down the road it is on.

Take care,

Frog🐸 & Rosie🐶

 

Missiles & drones in the air in Middle East

As I get ready to go to bed the Middle East is heating up again. Oil has jumped up about 5% in the pst couple of hours.

As I have been trying to say for a few months that we all should live in a "preparedness mode" just in case. Well I think the "just in case" keeps getting closer and closer.

If you have not done anything in the direction of putting back/up some of wht you need for daily life.....I just hope it is not too late to do something about it.

My personal feeling is we are about to come into a rough time in all our lives. 

I hope I'm wrong. But it really isn't looking very promising right now.

Take care & God bless.

 Frog 🐸 & Rosie 🐕  

Extracurriculars have slowed! 😉

 Things have slowed down a bit here. But there is news about all the end of season happenings.

Soccer season has ended. So the evenings are calmer. But the kids did well over all. 🏐🏐

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The "growing up" of pigs went pretty well. Ribbons received and soon a full freezer! Good job J2! 🎊🎊

 

And after an extended break from gymnastics, J1 has returned to competition & ended up with pretty good results. Well done young lady!  🎉🎉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 There has even been some "quiet time" to work a little bit on gun safety....

 

 

 

 

....And lord help us.....Driver's education!!! Women and children off the sidewalks!! 😉

 

 

 

J5 & Rosie "The Road Dog"!

 

 

 

 

  

And for the past couple of weeks we have been catching up on rain that we didn't get in Feb or Mar. So much so that we've been under flood watches again! But no complaints because the land really needed the moisture.

And if all goes well I hope to have my lumber by weekend for my cabin and get started soon on it and the "mini-homestead"! 😉 

I hope this finds everybody healthy and safe. 

 So until our next meeting .....  Be Safe, Travel Easy, Go to the Woods when you can....And live in a Preparedness Mode!!

C'ya - Frog🐸  & Rosie🐕

Waiting for Dry Days Now!!

 

Hi gang! Still in a rather holding type pattern. It has been raining for the past 2 weeks on and off...and we are still in need of more wet!! 

As you can see I have settled into a cabin size of 8'x14'. It seems to look rather small, but....when you consider that I have lived in an open floor space of less than 23 sq ft for the last .... oh ....12+ years.... having an open floor space of right at 100 sq ft is a massive increase in living area!

And that open space is just that, open floor space. That does not include the utility/pantry, bathroom, daybed/couch, kitchen area or secretary and wood stove spaces! So it will be very open to me! And with the utility/pantry area I'll have actual storage space! There will also be storage areas under daybed, kitchen counter and shelves along walls!

I will not know what to do with myself!! 🤠

I don't know how many of you are keeping up with the goings on in the M.E., or for that matter, Europe & the rest of the globe. Everything revolves around the oil that is not getting delivered. Or the LNG for that matter. The shortage of fertilizer supplies and the "dryness" of the farm lands. I know that there are folks that will think Frog has fallen on his head. Well, could be! But with what the "big guys" that have to deal with all the oil infrastructure have been saying the past few weeks, they are getting louder each day.

With all the infrastructure that has been blown to hell and back in the Arab countries, all the tankers that are not moving on the oceans, it is only going to get worse for EVERYONE in the coming weeks and months. There is already oil coming up short on the store shelves. Gas just keeps going up and we have not seen anything yet. I am seeing things that I normally would get each month on my monthly restock run come up limited or just not there.

I have been putting back food and supplies and "necessities" for the past several months. I'm hoping you folks have also! I have even tried to get stocked up on Rosie's food! You can't find it on Amazon, Wally was out for several weeks (the 4+ pound bag is now a 3.5 pound bag). I'm not going to harp on it, but I hope that you are not listening to the daily BS from ALL the media news services and have stocked up on at least some of your daily/monthly things....because like it or not, we're in for a roller coaster ride soon.

So...how is you summer starting? I hope you are getting some rain. We are finally here in Alabama. In fact, over the next 10 days they are now calling for 4-5 inches, on top of the 2-3.5 inches we have gotten over the past few weeks. The latest "drought monitor map" came out today and the state is still 90+% in some stage of drought by the measurements. I'm very hopeful that we get that 5 inches of rain, maybe more before June and summer! If we don't it will be a long hot season!!

OH! Almost forgot to mention, Jude (grandson) was in a walking boot for a few weeks. The gym bit him! Light fracture on lower leg, right at growth plate. But seemed to come thru that ok....until yesterday afternoon. He was released with no restrictions. Well......

He got to gym yesterday, got on the trampoline (not going to say he didn't
do what he should have)  but was back in the ER and at the orthopedic Dr's office this morning early! He just royally sprained it this time, but they are probably casting it this time. His mom told him that if he even LOOKED at a trampoline during the next 4+ weeks she would give him a shot of horse sedative!!  LOL!

So things are just rolling along here and I'm still working of getting used to the fact that I will not be on the road as much as the past 20 or so years. But I guess it is about time!

Hope this finds everyone well, in a good place, living the preparedness lifestyle!!

Until next update.....

Be Safe, Travel Easy, Go To The Woods (often as possible)...and live the Preparedness Lifestyle!!

C'ya  Frog🐸 & Rosie 🐶

Out of bad drought into plain drought!! LOL!

Just a quick little video to share the rain we got!! It has gotten us pretty well out of bad drought and into just plain drought!! LOL!!

 

 

May Newsletter 🐸🐶

🐸🐶 Can you believe it!?!?!?  I am getting the May newsletter out in May!!!

 

 

 

 

Clearing has begun - In earnest!!

We have begun the clearing of the property here in earnest. It helps when you can get someone to being equipment that really helps to make a dent in the project at hand!!

 

April '26 Newsletter

 I do not remember if I sent this newsletter out....so here it is! I'm slowly getting my act back together!!

 

It's Clearing Time!!

Hi Gang!

This was the view looking into the "orchard" area of the property about a week ago. The clear area is what I was able to get to/thru with the little tractor mower we have here. And it was quite a bit of work to get that far! But it was a start.

 

But this is the same view now! And I don't hesitate to say that most of that
land you now see has not seen the sun for several decades!! There is still a lot to get cleared but it is a very good start!!

 

 

And when I say we have a ways to go yet, I'm very serious!! One of the main
projects that comes with clearing land is being able to burn the brush!

 

 

 That is the big pile that is next to the area that is where I will be building my cabin! And that pile is just growing each week it seems! The other side of the area is where the last tree went down in a storm. I've been working slowly on getting the area cleared, the wood cut to "stove" lengths and a "brush pile" going on that side of the area! 

 

The real issue right now, besides being in the way and a mosquito heaven and maybe attraction to yellow jackets and other not wanted critters...we are under a burn ban from now through October 31st!! So we can't burn anything until November 1st!! But...it does look like the chipper that was in the little metal storage building that the tree fell on has survived! Except for a bit of denting on the top of the feed chute it looks like it has not damaged on the bottom where the engine and chipping blades are! So I'm very hopeful that it will run and I can "chip" my way through a lot of these brush piles!

 

 

Just a couple of short videos of end of the day for two days! One the work done with the excavator and one of a tired me in Lily!!  LOL!

                                                                                                     (ooppsss,,,forgot that I had the mic clipped on!!)

 

A lot of the "dirt" here has not seen the sun for several decades!! And hopefully we will have a lot of "dirt" uncovered over the next few months!!

 

That's about all for today. It has been a full week and quite a bit has gotten done. We are supposedly going to have rain the coming week...maybe 3-5 days of it on and off. And we really do need rain this year! The whole state of Alabama is in drought basically. So we hope for some decent rain amounts                                             ...but not flood levels!

 

I hope this finds everyone well. So....

Be Safe, Travel Easy, Go To The Woods & Stay in Preparedness Mode!!

 

C'ya.... Ray🐸  &  Rosie 🐶

Still clearing stuff!

 The tree is officially down all the way!

And it has given a lot of firewood already....

 

But there still quite a bit of clearing & stacking to be done....

 

Not to mention the amount of splitting that will have to be done!! But the worst of it is over with and now comes the "ugh" part of the job! 

And my little handheld chainsaw have been hard at it the past 2 days. And the little saw has been a real trooper!

 

The next part of the job is more clearing and stacking...And....burning the brush piles I keep making! Lol 

So that covers the past 2 days! Oh.....

Today was also Rosie's spa day! 

She is all clean,

smells purty, and, 

looks almost like the terrier she is! 🐶

 

 

Tomorrow more of the same! I went and priced wood today....That was an eyeopener for me! It has been quite a few years since I last bought lumber.....Good Lord! It is ridiculous! Soooo....It might be a couple of months before I get to settle into my cabin! 🙁

But it will happen all in good time!

Hope this finds everybody healthy & living in the Preparedness Mode!

Until our next visit....

Be Safe, Travel Easy, Go To The Woods (At least a little bit) & Keep In Preparedness Mode Always!!

C'ya, Frog🐸 & Rosie🐶