What If

WHAT IF

Its Easter Sunday, the weather is starting to change, suns out today and the grass is growing. We spent the morning taking care of chores, marking lambs, turning them and their mothers, out of the lambing jugs. Was an enjoyable sight watching the young ones experience their first adventure out in the big world! The new lambs are trying to run and jump, with their mothers following nervously keeping track of them. These are some of the most enjoyable and looked forward scenes around here every year. It is a scene that has been repeated through our history, for thousands of years and one that we expect to continue.

Now to the what if part of this post! I have been reading and listing to all of the commentary and study about Global Warming the effects it’s going to have on man kind and the world we live in. I am sure that, we as humans have had and will continue to have an effect on the environment and the conditions in which we live. How much of an effect we have I don’t know, there are a lot of different camps with different ideas, scenarios and out comes for the future. It does seem to me although that every one is concentrating on the causes, effects and solutions to the problem of Global Warming. I have not heard too much thought given to what we are going to do, if it does in fact happen. We as humans are far to used to being able to control our destiny, the future and all that surrounds us. For the last thousands of years we have as a species been evolving and progressing in our ability to control our immediate environment and way of life. We have progressed from hunter gathers to farmers to a major portion of us living in an urban environment, with no idea of the actual difficulties involved in survival. We have increased our average life span, concurred many of the diseases that took many of us at an early age.

SO, WHAT IF? If global warming does happen, what are we going to do? What, where, when, and how are we going to grow the food we need to support the population? Where are the masses of people going that are displaced by this event. Will the nations of the world come together and work this out together or will we do as we have done in the past and look for the advantages that will make one or more better off and superior to all others. Will we look past the differences in each other and look at the world population as one species of animal, all worth saving. Are we going to use the available water for agricultural uses, to grow the necessary food, or are some going to continue to want their share for play and esthetics. Are we as a species going to work together to survive and adapt, or are we going to do as we have always done, and see how we can take advantage of the situation to gain more than our neighbor. We may be able to slow down, maybe even stop the condition call global warming, then again there may be nothing we can do but prepare for the future. This planet we live on has gone through many changes since its birth, and will go through many more before it to dies by what ever death awaits it. It has seen many different type of life evolve and disappear, only to be replaced by a form of life suitable to the conditions present at that time. As I said before, change is probably occurring to our world, whether we have a hand in it depends on who you listen to and believe is right

Can we as a species survive the change? It is not likely that our world will be as we know it, to believe that our world is going to stay the same and never change, would be the same as burying our head in the sand to not see the change coming. Our world is changing, we are changing, and our best hope for survival is to figure out how to adapt to the change. Those who did not and do not will be study material for the intelligent life of the future.

BE FLEXABLE, BE READY AND KEEP SMILING

D. Bleak

Are You Ready

Are You Ready?

Last week, the week of March 25, 2007, a good portion of Wyoming was hit with a major spring storm. Wyoming-ites experienced everything from rain, snow, sleet, wind, thunder and lightning. Nothing new, to those of us who have lived here in this state for more than twenty five years! But to those who have just moved here or were born in the last few years, it was an eye opening experience. Snow depth’s ranged from nothing to 72 inches and wind gusts of over 100 mph to no wind at all. This is Mother Nature at her finest, and once again reminded us of our place here in her arms. With the temperatures dropping, the sun setting in the West and most people feeling happy to be home, safe from the storm. The power suddenly goes out. All at once there are no lights, no heat, no news via the television, computer or radio. The gas pumps don’t work, cash registers are down and our modern world we know and are used to comes to a sudden halt.

For some of us it is no big deal, we dig out the coal oil lanterns or candles, flash lights are made ready, camp stoves brought in from storage and extra blankest found. With all this made ready, a nostalgic calm settles and past memories flood ourselves and those near to us. To those who have never experienced the sudden loss of all things modern and no knowledge of what to do or expect, these can be trying times.

It makes me wonder just how many of us are ready and could survive if the things we take for granted in today’s world were no longer available? How many of us have the knowledge it would take to live as our ancestors only a couple of generations ago lived? How many even know what to look for or where to look for it? Remember there is no internet, no television, and no radio; all of the information highway we are accustomed to today is gone. We have to rely on what we know and who we know. I cherish the upbringing and knowledge I was given, literally from birth through the present. I have the confidence that I could survive along with most of those close to me. But how many others are there that would complete and pass the test. We never know when the next natural or man made disaster is going to happen. We have had many local or regional collapses of the modern infrastructure. To those involved all good things left, but help was and is always close, although it may appear to take forever and never be enough, help is there. What happens if there is no help? No one is coming, you are on your own! It is to late to get ready, find the knowledge and gather the material for survival. To those who know nothing, LEARN, to those who know some thing, LEARN, and to those who think they know every thing, LEARN.

And now it is time for me to end this post and see what else I need to do to keep myself and family safe and warm.

GET SMART, STAY SAFE AND KEEP SMILING

D. Bleak

Changing Times

Changing Times

Have you ever wondered what your part of the world is going to look like in one hundred years? Come to think of it even ten years makes a lot of difference. I myself can only personally relate back to the 50’s, although I do remember some of the stories that my parents and other older relatives tell. I can get a small inkling of what the Native Americans must have felt as they watched the flood of new people coming into their world. Since I was a young child growing up in north central Wyoming in the 50’s and 60’s, knowing what the country was like then compared to now, it does make me wonder what the future years will bring. Actually the country (land) itself has not changed that much, the same hills are there, same streams, even a lot of the same trees. What is changing is the culture of the inhabits of the area. A lot of the old timers I grew up listening to are gone, along with their values, stories and advice. Now I am becoming one of those old timers, trying to keep alive some of the things that I was told and taught. Those of us who were born and raised here are being crowded out, over-run by the influx of new comers from all points of the compass. They come here to enjoy and try and live the kind of life, those of us who are now considered natives have lived. The trouble is they bring all of their culture baggage with them, their ideals, goals, likes and dislikes. Most have come from areas where they may not have spoken to their neighbor in years; don’t know the meaning of a hand shake, or that a persons spoken word is to be honored. There are some left that, if they said they would do something, it gets done, come hell or high water. As a man’s or woman’s honor and trustfulness was and should be based on doing what they said they would do. Used to be that if someone needed help, with what ever they were doing, you went and helped no questions, no invite needed and never a thought of being paid for what you did. You knew that if you were in need, and the tables were turned, your neighbors would be there for you. Now all of this is not gone, there are still a lot of people left that come to their neighbor’s aid at the drop of a hat. But I do see the don’t get involved; don’t have time, and who cares crowd moving in. The land that used to be open with permission, for hunting, fishing or just enjoying the out of doors, is being bought up by individuals whose gates are locked and could care less what their neighbors and the locals do, think, or say. They keep the land they have bought for themselves and those they knew where they came from. They often complain about the lack of shopping, entertainment opportunities, phone service, T.V. reception and the culture into which they have moved. So they bring their baggage they left behind with them and wonder why the natives don’t appreciate what they have introduced.

As you can tell, I don’t necessarily like what is happening to the country of my upbringing. There is nothing I or you can do to stop these changes; we can only keep teaching our own the values we were raised with. Honesty, integrity, a good work ethic, compassion, faithfulness, loyalty and more are the foundation for a stable and sustainable society. We will be required to adapt and adjust to the future, as that is the nature of all things. Let’s only hope we can keep alive, all of the things that worked and made us what we are today.

STAY ALERT, STAY FOCUSED, AND KEEP SMILING

D. Bleak

For Looks or For Life

First off let me state that the opinions stated here are my own. I have done no extensive research (other than a life time of observation), had no Hundred Thousand dollar grants, or a team of researchers providing information to me. If any of this is scientifically factual, it is just because of pure luck, and if it is scientifically false, it is still my story and I am sticking to it.

Western outerwear (coats, jackets, hats, boots etc.) have evolved from being a working mans tool to one of fashion and prestige. In the beginning a cowboy, farmer or any one else who earned his bread and butter outdoors year round needed clothes that would protect him (her) from the elements. From years of experience I know that the wrong clothing could mean the difference between life and death, or the possibility of losing various parts of your body. Unlike the individual today, who wears the oilskin duster for looks, there are still a vast number of folks who still depend on these coats to bring them home at night. A sudden rain shower in the American west, Australian Outback, or any where a long way from home, with the temperature in the balmy 70’s or 80’s and a little wind. Without the protection of some form of water proof outer wear for the entire body, your loved ones may get to say goodbye at the funeral home.

As with all things that become popular, the best looking and often with the best all around protection, become more expensive. There are those that are still not as expensive but as the old saying goes “you get what you pay for”. Then again if caught out, without the right gear, a plastic garbage bag, can, and has saved lives. As have plastic tarps, scraps of canvas or any thing else to keep the elements at bay. Next thing you know some movie star will start wearing plastic garbage bags, and then these will no longer be affordable. As you can tell, I am not enthralled with the fact that most of the survival and every day wear, I have used through out my life has suddenly become fashionable. I have been in and out of fashion so many times I no longer keep track.

I have learned that in my part of the American West, that when you walk out the door in the morning, (all except maybe a couple of days around the first of August). You take enough clothes, (coat, hat, gloves, rain gear, etc) to protect your self from Mother Nature. That knowledge has been drilled into me by not having the necessary items, and paying the price. So for all of you out there getting ready to venture out into the great outdoors, THINK AHEAD, STAY SAFE, AND WAKE UP SMILING.

D. Bleak