The 10 Best Medicinal Herbs for Your Herb Garden

It's spring....sort of...in Arkansas. Which means it's time to plant the garden. I keep a window garden of herbs year round. And microgreens, of course. But spring means it's time to plant the full herb garden to keep up my stock of medicinal herbs.

I first became interested in herbal medicine several years ago. My dad had gotten an infection in his hand from a cut and the doctors were having a very difficult time treating it. They had tried ointments and antibiotics and were beginning to talk about some sort of surgery. I did what I have always done in these situations. Went home and researched the crap out of infections and how to treat them. In the course of my research, I discovered that melaleuca oil was being used very successfully to treat MRSA in the UK. A little more reading and I discovered the healing benefits of calendula. 

I always have melaleuca oil on hand. I use it for everything! And for some reason I had some dried calendula flowers in the house as well. So I made a calendula tea bath to soak his hand in, then rubbed melaleuca oil into the infected area. Within a few days it started looking better and within a couple of weeks it was almost completely healed. That was enough for me. Herbal medicine became my new passion.

I've been growing my own medicinal herb garden ever since. 

Now, I am not a medical doctor. I am not giving you medical advice. There are times when a doctor is absolutely necessary. And please do not use any herbs unless you have grown it yourself from seed or 100% sure of what you have and where it came from. Many herbal medicine "experts" actually aren't!

Before using any of these for medicinal purposes, consult your doctor and/or an actual expert in herbal medicine. 

Okay...my top picks for your medicinal herb garden. I chose these because of their uses and because they are easy to grow.

1. Calendula: Of course, calendula tops my list. After my experience with my dad, I make sure to always have some on hand. It has antifungal, antiseptic, and healing properties. And it's pretty yellow-orange flowers make a nice addition to your landscape. It is an annual, which means you have to replant every year. But it will bloom all season long, giving you a nice crop of flowers to dry.

2. Peppermint: Peppermint tea is my go-to when I'm feeling a bit bloated. And peppermint oil is one of the ingredients in the oil blend I use to soothe my sore muscles when I've overdone it in the garden! 

This is an extremely easy to grow herb. In fact, you might want to grow it in a container instead of directly in your garden as it can get out of control very quickly!

3. Rosemary: I love rosemary for its flavor. I frequently use it in my cooking. But it also has anti-inflammatory properties. It may also help treat indigestion and research shows that the aroma from rosemary can improve a person's concentration and mood. Rosemary has been used to relieve headaches, upset stomachs, and menstrual cramps. 

4. Basil: Again, most of us know basil from our kitchens. But it also has medicinal uses. Basil is good for digestion and has been used to relieve nausea and acid reflux. It has strong anti-inflammatory properties and may also help manage depression and anxiety. 

Consumption of basil could also result in slow release of sugar in the blood, which is beneficial for diabetics. The essential oil present in basil also helps cut down triglyceride and cholesterol levels, which is a persistent risk factor amongst diabetics.

5. Cilantro: Most people associate cilantro with Mexican food, not medicine. But cilantro may help rid the body of heavy metals, lower anxiety, improve sleep, lower blood sugar levels, prevent urinary tract infections, aid digestion, and may even protect against food poisoning. 

6. Catnip: It's not just for cats! Catnip tea has been used to treat anxiety, indigestion, insomnia, and gastrointestinal upsets including cramping and gas. 

7. Lemon Balm: Lemon balm is one of the few perennial herbs so be aware that when you plant it, it will come back year after year. Lemon balm is used to relieve stress and help you relax. Applied topically, it has been shown to treat cold sores. It has also been used to treat indigestion and relieve nausea. 

8. Feverfew: Feverfew is an anti-inflammatory which has been used to treat arthritis and migraines. This is another perennial herb so plant it where you want to keep it!

9. Thyme: Another common kitchen herb you may not realize also has medicinal uses. Thyme has antibacterial and antiseptic properties. Thyme tea can be used to soothe coughs and sore throats. Thyme is also packed with vitamin C and has been used to help prevent colds and flu. It's antiseptic properties make it a useful disinfectant for your home. And if you have pets, you may have noticed thyme oil (thymol) as an ingredient in their flea and tick repellent. 

10. Oregano: Oregano has some pretty potent benefits. It is rich in antioxidants. It has antibacterial properties. It may also protect against some viruses. People have used oregano for centuries to treat asthma, diarrhea, and indigestion. It may also help treat diabetes by improving insulin resistance. Other possible uses include treatment of croup, bronchitis, urinary tract infections, headaches, ringworm and psoriasis.

Baba (my grandmother) used herbs from her back yard to treat an infection on my arm. I used herbs to treat my dad's infection. People have been using herbal medicine for centuries. The more you know, the more prepared you will be in the event of a situation where medical help is not readily available. Start by learning how to use these 10 herbs. Once you're ready to expand your knowledge, I recommend you start by reading The Big Book of Backyard Medicine: The Ultimate Guide to Home-Grown Herbal Remedies.

Happy planting!

Chocolate

Yup! I'm devoting an entire blog post to CHOCOLATE!

Why? Because it is serious survival food. Really!

True, we are talking about dark chocolate not a Mr. Goodbar. Dark chocolate is good for your heart. It is rich in phenols and flavonoids that help maintain blood pressure and keep your arteries healthy. Limit yourself to about half an ounce per day since it is high in calories. And look for at least 70% cacao content to get the highest percentage of antioxidants.

Most of you probably knew that. Chocolate lovers will grab on to any information that justifies their addiction. But there are other health benefits to chocolate you may not be aware of.

Believe it or not, dark chocolate may help fight diabetes. Those same phenols and flavonoids that protect your heart also improve insulin sensitivity. Again, the higher the concentration of cacao, the better the results. 

Dark chocolate may also ease diarrhea. Yup! It's those flavonoids. They work by binding to and inhibiting a protein that regulates fluid secretion in the small intestine.

Foods rich in antioxidants and polyphenols may also help treat and prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs). And dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants. So the next time you have a UTI, consider snacking on some dark chocolate.

Chocolate can also help fight stress and depression. It's a comfort food. Look for chocolate made with real cocoa butter. The cocoa butter is what contains the beneficial antioxidants. 

Did you know that dark chocolate can actually help fight tooth decay? I know...right? Chocolate? Doesn't that give you cavities? Well it appears that the tannins in chocolate help stop bacteria from sticking to your teeth and the phenols limit oral bacteria. Again, we are talking about DARK chocolate. Milk chocolate is much higher in sugar which can indeed lead to tooth decay. 

Oh, and guys...chocolate contains L-arginine, an amino acid that can be a natural sex-enhancer (aphrodisiac). (PSSST....Ladies. It works for you too!)

Still not ready to add chocolate to your emergency rations? How about this? It's one more thing you can use to barter. I know I'd happily trade a kid or two for some chocolate. (Just kidding.) But I would accept quality dark chocolate in exchange for other goods or services. So would many others. 

Chocolate doesn't have an exceptionally long shelf life. But storing it in airtight jars will help. What chocolate should you consider adding to your supplies? Here are my recommendations:

1. Baker's Premium Unsweetened Chocolate Baking Bar: This is pure unsweetened chocolate with absolutely no sugar. It's great for baking. Baker's Premium Semi Sweet Chocolate Baking Bar is also good for baking and cooking, but it is sweeter so some may find it good for snacking. 

2. Hershey's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Chips: These melt quickly so they are great for cooking. Plus a handful of chocolate chips can be a good quick snack. Mix them with some nuts and dried cranberries for a quick and easy healthy snack.

3. Hershey's Cocoa: One of my happiest memories is making real hot cocoa over the campfire on fishing trips with my uncle and grandpa. This is real cocoa powder that can be used for baking, cooking, beverages, smoothies and many other uses. It is so much better than that instant stuff... and because it's real, it has all the health bennies. 

4. PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter (With Chocolate): All the benefits of PB and chocolate in powdered form. Use it in baked goods and protein shakes. I have friends tell me they mix it with water and it makes a decent spread for PB sandwiches. I have not tried that. I'll stick to my Crazy Richard's Peanut Butter!

5. Navitas Organics Raw Cacao Nibs: Like sprinkles only healthier. Because you can never have too many sprinkles! These come plain 100% natural cacao or sweetened if you need a little sugar added. Either way, they are my go-to chocolate staple.

A Real Life Lesson

Let me share with you how quickly a series of small events can quickly cascade into an "OH S**T" event.

My last post talked about cascading events. Well, I forgot to mention that cascading events don't have to be monumental disasters. A series of small things, all coming together, can also be bad...really bad

.
It started in February with "Arkansas Snowmageddon 2021". Between the massive snowstorm and the subzero temperatures, we didn't get out for a few days. -25 is COLD! I'm not going out in that if I don't have to. We lost heat. We lost internet. Thank goodness we didn't completely lose power. We weathered the storm pretty well and patted ourselves on the back for being so well prepared. 

Because we didn't go into town for groceries, the cupboards were looking a little bare by the time we made our first shopping trip. Here's where the first little blip happened. Ours weren't the only shelves bare. Trucks couldn't get through. Stores were already struggling to keep stocked due to the pandemic. Now it was worse. We couldn't get everything on our list. We bought what we could and didn't worry about it. All in all, the storm hadn't impacted us that much. We were pretty pleased. We'd get everything next trip.

Except we didn't. The stores were still out of stock themselves. A minor inconvenience though. I'd go to one of the other stores in town. Granted, prices were a bit higher there, but they always had what I needed if I was willing to pay for it. Again, we bought what we could and decided we would pay the higher prices next week if we had to.

Then the utility bills came in. We were a bit...I don't want to say worried...curious I guess is more the word...to see what they would be. We had let faucets drip to keep pipes from freezing and used the space heaters several times to keep rooms warm. We expected an increase in both the water and electric bills. So we were pleasantly surprised to find that although they did increase, it was not as much as we were expecting. Once again, we patted ourselves on the back for coming through so nicely. Granted, we were having trouble purchasing some of the groceries we wanted, but no big deal. We were good.

And then blip #2 occurred. We both got sick. We are still not sure if it was a reaction to the vaccine which we had both recently received. Or the actual flu. All we know is neither of us felt like making the drive into town to shop. And a week without the hubs going to work meant a week with no paycheck for him. It was now going on a month since I had last purchased our entire shopping list.

After about a week, we started feeling better. We were glad, grateful that all the irritations now seemed to be behind us and we could get back to normal.

And then blip #3 hit. We had been out running errands only to come home to find two completely unexpected things. Another big electric bill. And a note from the water company saying they suspected we had a leak. 

We had planned and budgeted for one larger electric bill, not two. And when the first water bill after the storm wasn't that bad, we figured we had managed to prevent pipes from freezing and bursting. Wrong...on both counts. 

While the electric bill was unexpected, our attention was more focused on the note from the water company. It had been a month since the storm. If the pipe had been leaking the entire time, we could be in for one heck of a bill. And that didn't even include the cost to repair the pipe. We quickly got to work looking for the leak inside the house and basement. 

Unfortunately, that just confirmed our worst fears. The leak was in an underground pipe. We would have to call a plumber.

Which brings us to blip #4. Despite the fact that it had been a month since the storm, every plumber we contacted was booked up solid. It would be at least a week, maybe two, before they could even send someone out to look for the leak.

This is a true story. We were out of some essential food and household items. The electric bills put a big dent in our budget. And we had a choice to make about the water. We could either turn the water off and do without for a week or two. Or we could just let it run and cause an even bigger blow to our budget. Any of these things on their own could have been a problem. Together...they could have been a BIG problem. 

Except....

We are prepared for emergencies. Empty grocery store shelves or unable to go to town for groceries? No problem. We simply dipped into our emergency supplies. We knew stores would eventually catch up and we would replenish when they did. And when we felt well enough to go into town, hopefully we could get everything we needed. (I get asked all the time. Why not just have groceries delivered? We live outside of town on a private dirt road. We like it there. It has lots of bennies. Unfortunately things like plowed roads during record storms, or pizza and grocery delivery are not among them. I'm grateful to get my mail on a somewhat regular basis.)

Lost paycheck? That's okay. We have multiple income streams. Maybe he wasn't going to work, but our home businesses kept the cash flowing. So instead of worrying about missing work, he could focus on his health.

Big unexpected bills and repairs? No big deal. We have an emergency fund just for things like this. We paid the bills, fixed the pipe, and are now putting money back into our emergency fund to replace what we spent.

No water? Annoying but not a crisis. We filled our emergency water jugs and then turned the water off. We turned it on for a couple of hours twice a day for showers and bathrooms. The rest of the time we used our bottled water and emergency water jugs. This did cause our water bill to be bigger than if we had turned it off completely, but we decided being able to keep clean was more important to us than extra money on the bill. Could we have gone completely without turning it back on? Yes. We had enough water on hand for both of us for more than 2 weeks. 

This is why I have jumped on the prepper blog bandwagon. When most people think of prepping, they think of doomsday scenarios. The Zombie Apocalypse. Major natural disasters. But few stop to think how just one blip to your everyday routine can have huge repercussions. None of the events of these last few months were catastrophes. But any one of them by themselves could have had a serious impact on our lives. Together, they could have caused major problems for months to come. 

No food and no water impacts your health which can cause unexpected medical bills. Big unexpected bills and repairs can take money from other things. No paycheck makes it that much harder to meet those obligations. It could have been bad...really bad. 

But because we were ready, all it did to us was cause some annoying inconveniences and give me a story to tell.

P.S. The water jug in the picture is the one I use. If you want to know more about it, it's available on Amazon. Here's the link.

Cascading Events...What To Do When SHTF!

It happened with Katrina in New Orleans. And everyone said that was a "once in a lifetime" event. Then it happened in Puerto Rico with Hurricanes Irma and Maria. But how often will two hurricanes slam the same locale in such a short time frame? 

Then along came COVID-19. No, not a hurricane. But we saw some of the same side-effects.

And we saw it again in Texas with the 2021 snowstorm.

Obviously, this is a bigger problem than some people realize.

What am I talking about?

Cascading events.

What is a cascading event? Well according to FEMA, cascading events are events that occur as a direct or indirect result of an initial event. So when storms cause power outages, that cause water shortages, that's a cascade. Or when pandemics cause essential workers to become ill, combined with mandatory lockdowns, which causes hoarding, which causes food shortages and price gouging, that's a cascade.

I hear you. There was no way to predict any of these events. And while I disagree with that somewhat, you are partly correct. No one can predict every possible potential catastrophe.

Arkansas, where I live, got hit by the snowstorm too. But we didn't have near the issues Texas did. Is that because Arkansans are better prepared? Maybe. We get bad storms, both summer and winter, often enough to know what can happen. We know that when these things strike, one event is undoubtedly going to lead to another. So even though I was not certain I would lose power, (which I didn't thank goodness!), I had plenty of firewood for the stove. I had food to eat and water to drink and blankets and everything I needed to survive. And even though I didn't lose power, my heat pump did give up the ghost trying to keep up with -25 degree temperatures. Fortunately, I was prepared. 

This is why I advocate being ready for ANYTHING. My sister, who lives in Texas, came through this nightmare relatively easily. She was ready. She didn't expect a record cold freeze and snowstorm. But she knows that power outages happen for a variety of reasons. And that event causes other things to happen.

It's obvious we, as a whole, are woefully unprepared for these events. Each and every time we've been caught with our proverbial panties down. As spoiled and pampered as we all are, it's time to realize that no one is going to take care of you in a crisis anymore. And so you and your family and your community had better be prepared to take care of yourselves.

If there's a lesson to learn from all these events it's this. Cascading events happen. They happen for all sorts of reasons. You must plan for all contingencies as best you can. You can't just be ready for the next power outage or global pandemic or flood or any disaster without thoroughly examining worst case scenarios for each. If the power goes out...what else can happen? If food workers can't man production facilities or trucks can't get through to deliver...what else can happen? If your city is suddenly engulfed in a flood...what else can happen? 

I've never been an "end of the world, doomsday" prepper. Most people are not ready for that and just don't have what it takes to get there. And my goal is to help as many people as possible. So I'm more of an "end of the world as we know it" kind of gal. As recent events have shown, that is a very realistic possibility. And while you may never see another record-breaking storm or global pandemic, planning and stockpiling for them...just in case...just makes sense.  

It's time...time to stop pointing fingers. Time to stop blaming. Time to stop worrying about all the trivial crap we see going on daily. 

It's time to get together with your family. It's time for neighborhoods to plan together. It's time to be ready for the next round of cascading events. Because it's only a matter of time.

The Survival Tool Everyone Should Have

You know all about storing food and water. You've got your first aid kit ready. But I'm willing to bet there's one tool you haven't thought about. Your flashlight.

"But wait!, you say. "I have a flashlight. In fact I have more than one." 

And if you're like most people, you probably do indeed have several flashlights stashed around your house. But those old flashlights you bought at Walmart or Dollar General aren't going to cut it in an actual survival situation. They aren't going to last long. They can be big and bulky. They usually aren't very bright. You need a flashlight actually designed for emergency situations.

A survival flashlight has special features designed for emergencies. Fortunately, there are a wide variety of options. So it's hard to know which one is best. I give the same advice here as I do when people ask me which fitness program or diet is best. The "best" is the one you will actually carry and use. I'm a senior citizen. I have arthritis in my hands. Fortunately, I don't live on a fixed income, but many folks my age do. So I look for flashlights that are easy to carry and use. I I look for a wide variety of price points. 

If you aren't sure which one is right for you, here are my recommendations:

1. Fenix PD35 - This is, in my opinion, the best emergency flashlight. It weighs just 3 ounces, which makes it perfect for anyone to carry everywhere. It also boasts of an output of 1000 lumens. For those of you who don't yet know what that means, let's just say it's BRIGHT. Bright enough to handle whatever situation you might find yourself in. I love the fact that it's very easy to use - even in the dark, half-asleep, in a high-stress situation!

2. Freedom Micro - I know. You are going to think I'm crazy when you see this little bitty light. But at this size and price, you can buy them by the handful. Which is exactly what I love about them. Stash one anywhere you think you might need emergency light. On your nightstand. In the bathroom. In the kitchen. In your car. In your purse. On your keychain. On the zipper pulls of the jackets you wear frequently. Give them to your kids and grandkids. 

3. SureFire E2D Defender - This one is neither small or cheap. But it is carried by everyone I know in the military. And yes, I may be retired. But I still have connections! It's bright. It's durable. And yet it's slim and lightweight. If you are ready to invest in military-grade quality, this is the light for you.

4. Streamlight 90540 Survivor LED Right Angle Flashlight, Orange - 175 Lumens - Not quite what you might expect from a flashlight. I love the fact that the right angle configuration allows you to hang it up so you can work and have hands-free light. And since it was designed for use by firefighters, you know it has to be tough.

5. Streamlight 88062 ProTac 2L-X 500 lm Professional Tactical Flashlight, Black - 500 Lumens - Not quite as bright as some of the others. But still a great compact, powerful light. It's compact and easy to carry. 

6. GearLight LED Tactical Flashlight S1000 [2 Pack] - High Lumen, Zoomable, 5 Modes, Water Resistant Light - Camping Accessories, Outdoor Gear, Emergency Flashlights - This is actually the flashlight I have in my home and my car. It's super bright and I love the fact that I can zoom in and focus on objects at a distance. 

I'm sure you will find one or more of these flashlights quite suitable for your needs. 

Do you have one that you would recommend that didn't make my list? Feel free to share in the comments. 

And as always, if you purchase any of these through my links, I may receive a commission. Thanks for helping me keep the lights on!

How to Prepare for Survival

If you have been watching the news this week, it's been a little bit scary. Armed protesters overran the Capitol building. And now we are hearing reports that the unrest and violence could very easily continue. We are even hearing rumors of calls for another Civil War!

Now I am not going to get into a political discussion here. Because the fact is it doesn't matter which side is right or wrong. The fact is that once the violence gets out of hand, ordinary people, like you and me, could find ourselves in a survival situation pretty quickly.

We've already seen what happens when people are frightened and uncertain. People were being attacked and even killed over MASKS! And remember the great toilet paper shortage of 2020? People who weren't prepared suddenly found themselves facing an unknown and unexpected situation and they panicked. And did something that made them feel more in control of their situation. They hoarded and stockpiled toilet paper. You and I know what a colossal waste of time and money that was. But they felt the need to do something to bring some order to their world and this is what they chose. 

And it only got worse. Because now others going to shop saw there was very little or no toilet paper on the shelves. They did the only thing that made sense when faced with that fact. They also hoarded and stockpiled when they could. Stores began putting limits on the amount you could purchase at one time. And still, shelves were empty for quite a while.

But those of us who knew this day would come in some form or fashion weren't concerned. We had toilet paper! And lots of other supplies as well. Because we were prepared.

In these uncertain times, being prepared just makes sense.

Here's what you need:

1. Food - shelf stable. Easy to prepare. Include options that do not require heating or cooking. Have enough for 3 meals per day plus snacks for 3 weeks per person.

2. Water - I recently wrote a post on storing water. The post says to have enough for 2 weeks. I now recommend 3 based on recent events. You can check out all the info on storing water here. 

3. Medications - if you or any family member requires medication to survive, make sure you have at least 3 weeks supply on hand if possible.

4. A first aid kit - and please take some first aid training so you know how to use it. Call your local Red Cross. If they aren't doing in-person classes due to Covid, at least take the online training.

5. Batteries, matches, and flashlights.

6. A battery-operated radio.

7. Depending on where you live, you might need to consider the weather. Sleeping bags, thermal blankets, and even something as simple as Hot Hands warmers can be critical if the temperature drops. 

8. Important paperwork. Birth certificates, driver's licenses, passports, insurance information, bank information. You don't want to be searching for these if you suddenly have to evacuate.

9. Cash. Again, you don't want to have to evacuate and hope you can find an ATM functioning along the way. 

10. Basic hygiene supplies. Yes, toilet paper! Paper towels. Shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrushes. Soap or body wash. Cleaning supplies. Cleanliness will do much to prevent illness. 

11. Any special needs. Diabetic test kits and strips, CPAP supplies. Anything you or your family member requires on a regular basis to maintain your health. 

12. Pet supplies if you have pets. They will need food and water as well.

13. (optional) If you are prepared to use whatever means necessary to protect yourself and your family, firearms and ammunition. But only if you know how to use them and are prepared to do so. 

Get your entire family involved in preparing for emergencies. Everyone should know where the emergency supplies are and what to do if something happens. The better prepared everyone in your family is, the better your odds of surviving in an actual survival situation.

Power Outages Are A Problem

I learned this lesson the hard way....

It was a fairly quiet day. We had been keeping an eye on the weather. We knew severe weather was predicted for our area. But to be honest, in Arkansas, those predictions happen a lot! And while some parts of Arkansas have experienced devastating floods and tornadoes, we have always been fortunate to not get much truly "severe" weather. 

And so we were totally unprepared when suddenly, without warning and for no apparent reason, the power went out. 

Breaker checked. All good. Husband looks at weather on phone. Nothing on radar to explain outage. Calls power company but can't get through. Decides to walk down the road to the nearest neighbor to see if they have power.

He was gone a little while when suddenly the dogs started acting very oddly. Running to door. Back to me. Back to door. Whining. They have all been through storms before so it was very odd to see them behaving this way when I couldn't see anything happening outside. But dogs can often sense things before we can, and so I grabbed my phone to check the weather and that's when I saw it....

I had neglected to charge it the night before. It was now all but dead.

With no way to find out what was happening and no way to contact my husband to at least warn him that something odd was going on, I spent the several minutes more than a little apprehensive, I can tell you!

I am fortunate. All I was worrying about was no cellphone and a refrigerator full of food. Food can be replaced. But I have friends who are in electric wheelchairs which they now can't charge. Friends who use CPAP machines. My house is all electric, my husband and I, along with thousands of others, can be without heat or air conditioning. 

And that's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

An extended power outage can disrupt communications, water, and transportation. Stores may have to close. ATMS may not work. Gas pumps will be down. 

You may be left alone, in the dark, with no food, no gas, no water, no money, and no way to get help.

Power outages don't only happen during storms. If you live in California, then you may have experienced a few planned power outages. PG&E now uses these as a way to avoid fires caused by downed power lines during high winds. (I don't think it's helping much, by the way).

And in this crazy time of escalating violence and civil unrest, an attack on the power grid would not be out of the question.

And if you think it won't happen to you, remember my story.  Prepare NOW!

1. Take an inventory of all the items in your house that rely on electricity. Refrigerators, stoves, heat and air are all fairly obvious. But also think about medical devices that may need to be recharged. Cell phones that are essential for communication. TV and radio to keep informed of the situation. Determine which items are essential for your survival in the event of an extended power outage. Plan for alternative methods (batteries, generators, etc) to keep essential devices running.

2. Take stock of medical supplies. Does anyone take medication that needs to be refrigerated? How long can that medication be stored without refrigeration. Discuss plans with your doctor for any critical medications. 

3. Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors with battery backup on every level of your home. When power is restored, a surge can cause appliances to short and spark a fire. Generators and camp stoves or other cooking devices can cause carbon monoxide poisoning. 

4. Keep your phone charged and get a solar powered charger.

5. Stock up on emergency supplies: Non-perishable food, water, flashlights, medication, first aid supplies, cleaning and disinfecting supplies, pet food if necessary, extra batteries, fuel for alternative heat and cooking methods (wood stoves, pellet stoves, camp stoves, etc). 

6. Keep your car fueled. Never let it get below half a tank. If you have to evacuate, you may not be able to find working gas pumps in a widespread outage. 

7. Ditto for your generator. Keep the gas tank FULL!

8. Place thermometers in your refrigerator and freezer. When the power is restored, check the temperature. If it's 40 degrees or higher, the food may not be safe to each and should be disposed of. 

9. Get with neighbors to create a plan to check on each other, especially older neighbors or those with young children. Older adults and children are especially vulnerable to extreme temperatures.

My husband and I were lucky that day. After stressing for a bit, it occurred to me that I could go sit in my car and charge my phone with my car charger. As I headed out the door to the garage, all the dogs followed me. Very odd! When I opened the car door, all three scrambled into the back seat. Odder still. I opened the garaged door, got in the car, plugged in the car charger, started the car, and turned on the radio. And that's when I heard the news. While there was no threat in the immediate vicinity, the town of Joplin, Missouri had just been virtually demolished by an F4 tornado. Joplin is a couple of hours north of us. I will never know if somehow my dogs knew, even at that distance. But I know now that if they start behaving strangely again, something big could be coming!