It is ironic that I asked this same question last year (only on the 27th) There were 13 people left then, how many are left now?

By the by, I've been finding myself going more and more back to Homesteading because no one is really here anymore. What was that second forum made at the same time as us again? Anyone there?

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2005

Answers

I'm here! If you guys all move someplace else, can I tag along???

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2005

I'm here! Dee, do you go to Homesteading Today, or Today's Homestead? Stan started a forum here on Lusenet after Countryside morphed into Homesteading Today; it's still here but was on the inactive list the last time I looked, even though folks are participating. I have seen Marcia over there a time or two. It's called CountrySide Family or Friends or something like that. I'm sure he would appreciate the increased participation. Melissa started a forum on Lusenet at about the same time, it is now a part of Homesteading Today. Little Bit Farm also started a forum here on Lusenet but I don't know if it is still active or not.

I like the Gardenweb Soil Compost and Mulch forum, the conversation section. I also like Simpleliving.net. I really miss a lot of the participants from this board; and wonder what they are up to these days.

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2005

Well you know I'm still here. I miss lots of folks too. Sometimes I think maybe I should leave; at least a few of em would likely come back!

-- Anonymous, January 09, 2005

Eeek.. Don't you DARE leave!!! Okay, you can do what you want, but I'd have to follow you somewhere!

-- Anonymous, January 09, 2005

I've been going to Homestead Today because the goat site I used to go to is down and everyone went there. I have also been going to the horse site and someone helped me with my old horse. She said to get B-L Solution that has Devil's Claw in it. Someone told me once before but I forgot. She has been walking great again since giving it to her. I"m gonna try to give her less Bute now to see if it still works. She hates the Bute, even the flavored stuff. I've been giving it to her in melted alfalfa pellets lately but she started not liking that too now. If only we could like them know it's for thier own good.

Hey, did anyone hear that elephants giving tourists rides started trumpeting at the time of the earthquake, then broke their chains and ran for higher ground an hour before the tsunamie hit? They said dogs ran for higher ground too and apparently, so did all the wild animals.

-- Anonymous, January 09, 2005

Yes, I read that, Dee. I wonder if any humans had a premonition before it happened? I think most humans have moved too far away from the Earth to pick up on the signals that are sent, like other animals can. I wonder why, sometimes. Have we "evolved" past that point? Would we, as humans, be better off if we tried to enhance that part of us? Can we?

I am frequently amazed at the lack of perception that most people have about their bodies; and the effect that earthly (or lunar) events can have on them. My boss laughs at me because I keep a weather site up at work, but I can look at the barometer readings and predict how many pain meds I will give in a shift. If the barometer is dropping, I urge fluids on my patients because I know that headaches are likely to occur if they aren't amply hydrated.

I also believe that there is something to biorhythms; wish I could find an internet site for charting them. I had an ancient old calculator that used to do them, but it gave up the ghost several years ago and I didn't see anything to replace it.

I spend a lot of my down time at work wondering if I should go back to school and increase my "knowledge"; or if I should look deeper into some of the more "esoteric" fields of natural healing. So many different theories out there!

-- Anonymous, January 09, 2005

I wish there were more doctors out there that are more Holistic. I have had an appointment for a new doctor, a Holistic MD for three months. It takes that long for new patients to see him. By the time I get there, I will no longer have all my winter problems. (night terrors, dry sinus/nose causing trouble breathing, oh and a new one is the skin on my side hurts)

I also go to a Kinesiology (sp) that is outragous. (he suggested shingles for my side but didn't think so because there were no erruptions) He treats alot of my allergies that they don't bother me as much any more. Gave me energy.

Thing is, if you learn all the stuff possible, would the doctors let you apply it? They laugh at you now but if you could treat, say, constipation with a tea, would they let you?

-- Anonymous, January 09, 2005

I don't know if they would let me try stuff like teas at work, Dee. For constipation, I usually give prune juice, fruit, and water; and limit the amount of binding, and gas forming foods the patient gets at snack time. It's amazing how many patients will c/o constipation, then ask for 4 or 5 slices of cheese and crackers, and milk, at snack time. Our one Doc surprized me this week, though - we had a patient bring in a huge bag of misc supplements and things like Bach's Rememdy, evening primrose oil, melatonin; and he ordered them for the patient to have while on the unit (you can't take your own meds unless the doc orders them). He told me that there was some research to back nutrient deficiencies exacerbating bipolor. Huh. Who'da thunk it?

I love nursing, but I wish people would take more responsibility for their health, insteading of running to the doc for every new pill they see advertised. I sometimes think my psych patients are even more resistant to taking charge of how they feel than my other patients.

-- Anonymous, January 09, 2005

I still come and look in here a couple times a week. I usually don't have a lot to say though . . . . Julie is still alive, BTW. She has two "new but used" dogs, once since June, the second since early November. Both Cairn Terriers. Very cute. My fault, I found the site for her -- www.cairnrescue.com

I have a sick bird and a sick dog, though both are currently doing well. That keeps me occupied . . . . I am now sprouting seed for the birds all the time. I guess I'm a farmer! I'm thinking about trying to grow millet in a pot on the deck. I only will want it to get to the milky seed stage (most nutritious and desirable for the birds), so maybe it will succeed. But that won't happen until spring of course.

Well, gotta go, the dog needs her last outing for the night. I hate winter. Although snow certainly beats sleet & freezing rain!

-- Anonymous, January 11, 2005

I haven't had electricity since last Wednesday due to an ice storm, but I still check in here every once in a while.

-- Anonymous, January 11, 2005

I wish I had more time to spend online. I love staying in touch with all of you! It's weird....the time I have to be online is when it's hard to GET online!

Since I believe that it was entirely possible for Jesus to walk on water (and you know how I'm so NOT a fundamentalist Christian), I think there's a ton to be said for "non-scientific" (gee I don't even know what to call it!) science???! What I am pretty certain of is that our small evolving minds/consciousness/awareness are pretty naive, given the concept of "time." Whoa.... I guess what I'm trying to say is that I think it's silly to assume that our 21st century minds have any idea of what's *really* going on...just think how the Renaissance folks thought they had it figured out, or the Egyptians of pyramid time, or the Hellenistic Greeks, etc...they thought they had it figured out too. We don't know *much* (except maybe everything...Yin and Yang)! So why would we presume to think we have all the answers for the healing arts?

We just do what we can, and do the best we can.

Sheesh..where am I coming from?

Anyway....like I said I miss y'all. Stick around. We'll all be indoors soon enough. More cold and snow predicted around here. How 'bout where you are?

-- Anonymous, January 12, 2005

Funny you should ask . . . Our winter's get weirder and weirder. We had no snow to speak of until about a week ago, and now it is greatly diminished because it was pouring rain yesterday! Rain! In January! In Wisconsin. I don't ever remember that happening, and since I can remember about 47 or 48 winters (ugh, doesn't THAT wear you out to contemplate), that's a fair chunk of history.

Now it's 28*F with temperatures to drop all day. By tomorrow, we're supposed to be below 0*F, with overnight lows around -20*F, for the whole weekend and on into the early part of next week. Did I mention that winter, especially THIS weird kind of winter, really sucks?

However, SO FAR, it does suck to the extent of an ice storm taking out my power. I hope you're managing to stay warm somehow, Sherri. I would be in a panic if I lost my electricity. I do have a gas log fireplace, but I've never tried keeping the whole place warm with that. The birds would be the biggest concern. Also, I don't know that I would feel easy sleeping with the fireplace going, even if I crated the critters to keep them out of it. {sigh} If that happened, assuming I could actually drive anywhere (i.e., the ice was only local, and they cleared the roads fairly promptly), I guess I'd take everyone and go to a friend's place or even up north to Julie and Mom.

-- Anonymous, January 13, 2005