Strategic Living

Gaye Levy's Tips for Living a Joyful, Healthy & Stress Free Life

  • Home
  • Strategic Living
  • DIY
  • Essential Oils & CBD
  • Prepping
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Resources
  • About

The Relevance of Non-Electric Lighting: Interview with Ron Brown

37 Comments

Non Electric Lighting Interview with Ron Brown | Strategic Living

I have always had a hate relationship with the dark.  It started when I was a child and has continued throughout adulthood.  To this day, I rarely close the blinds and even when I do, my window coverings still let in a lot of light.  

It is for this reason that ten years ago I started collecting (hoarding?) flashlights and lanterns.   It was not long after that when a fellow named Ron Brown reached out to me with an advertising inquiry and the rest, as they say, is history.

Remember the 2000 hour flashlight?  Yep, it was Ron who shared that technique with us in one of his books.  He then went on to publish a series of books on non-electric lighting, each one addressing different methods of producing light without the benefit of electricity. 

This brings me to last summer when, on a camping trip, I decided to brush up on my non-electric lighting knowledge and pulled Ron’s books from the archives of my Kindle.  Of all of them, it became apparent that one stood out in its simplicity, availability, and usefulness.  That was Book 2: Olive Oil Lames &c.

Why this book and not one of the others?  Cooking oil, including lard and shortening, is commonly available, inexpensive, and non-toxic to pets and children.  Even if cooking oil is old, it can still be used to create light when coupled with strands of a dollar store string mop used as a wick. 

Brilliant!

So why is this relevant?

In an emergency situation when it appears that mother nature or human nature is out to get you, having light can be comforting.  It also affords you an opportunity to cook, read, play cards, interact with others and basically keep your mind occupied during a SHTF situation.

Let me be clear: at some time, the power WILL go out for an extended period of hours, days, or even weeks.  It is not a matter of IF but WHEN.

I recently reached out to Ron with some interview questions. He graciously responded and has also ponied up a print copy of his book to use as a giveaway. He also offered this nugget suggesting what could happen if we were faced with a global pandemic:

“Not to editorialize BUT when the Wuhan coronavirus spreads and the lights go out because the power-company workers are all quarantined along with the rest of us, this book will come in handy. That’s supposed to be a joke but somehow it doesn’t sound very funny at the moment.”

Enjoy the interview and be sure to enter the giveaway!

Filed Under: Book Festival, Preparedness 37 Comments

Encore: Why Food Storage is Not Dead

8 Comments

Preppers Guide to Food Storage for Free

Encore in case you missed it! Please help spread the word so everyone can get my e-book on food storage for free!

There was a time in early 2017 that preparedness bloggers were asking: is prepping dead? Shortly thereafter, a lot of sites went dark and emergency food and other supplies started showing up at deep discounts on eBay, Craigslist, and other outlets.  That was a shame, really, because the reasons we prepare have never gone away.

Mother Nature continues to wreak havoc, unexpected repairs or medical bills can decimate the family budget, people change careers and must start over, and, perhaps most insidious, governments, large corporations, and even the mainstream media attempt to instill influence and control over our daily lives. 

For these reasons and more, I continue to champion preparedness to anyone that will listen.  And while it is nice to have the latest and greatest survival doo-dad in our prepping arsenal, the fact remains that food typically takes a prominent place in our preparedness efforts.

So, as I do from time to time, I am offering my eBook, The Prepper’s Guide to Food Storage, for free for a limited time starting July 27 through July 31.  But first, a few things need to be said that reflect my current thoughts on the importance of food storage.

Filed Under: Preparedness 8 Comments

Who Is Samantha Biggers and Why Should You Care?

1 Comment

Interview with Samantha Biggers

For those of you that don’t know, Samantha Biggers is the editor in chief at Backdoor Survival.  We became friendly shortly after new ownership took over and did my best to mentor her relative to the ins and outs of full-time blogging.  Since then, I have grown to respect her opinions and her lifestyle which are both pretty remarkable given that she is a millennial.  You know, a member of the younger generation that is not known for independence, belief in free speech, and the other rights us “grays” hold near and dear to our hearts.

A few months back I asked Samantha if she would be willing to subject herself to an interview and she agreed.  It has taken me a while to post this, not through any fault of Samantha, but because of the personal funk I have experienced as I watch the degradation of what I perceive as the erosion of our freedom.  You may recall I recently wrote about that in Is American Freedom Under Siege?.  A must-read if I do say so myself.

More to the point, you should care about Samantha Biggers because she represents forward-thinking while at the same time embracing a traditional lifestyle of homesteading and preparedness.  While I do not always agree with her, she represents our future and that gives me optimism.

Filed Under: Preparedness 1 Comment

Encore: Get the Updated Prepper’s Guide to Food Storage for Free Oct 31 to Nov 4

9 Comments

Preppers Guide to Food Storage for Free

It is once again time to grab a copy of The Prepper’s Guide to Food Storage for free. The dates are Oct 31 to Nov 4. 

Those of you familiar with my book will notice that I have recently changed the cover in order to reflect that the book is no longer a part of or associated with the Backdoor Survival website. You will also find that I have updated the “About the Author” section to reflect my current life situation which is retired and living in Arizona.  There are a few other small changes, but nothing major.

It is hard to believe that The Prepper’s Guide to Food Storage was first published in December 2013. 

Although not a lot has changed relative to food storage methods and techniques, there are some pieces missing in the book, such as dealing with food storage when there are special health or diet concerns.  In addition, moving from Washington State to Arizona has greatly influenced my thoughts relative to the stability of canned and packaged goods when maintaining a steady 70 degree or less environment is either cost-prohibitive or impossible.   I will be addressing those issues in upcoming articles here on Strategic Living.

Filed Under: Preparedness 9 Comments

Strategic Living Book Festival:  Be Ready For Anything by Daisy Luther

35 Comments

Be Ready for Anything Book Review and Author Interview

Today I am pleased to announce the launch of the Strategic Living Book Festival.  This is something I have done in the past as a way to introduce you to the best new books in the prepping, homestead, and survival niches.  Going forward, I also plan to share books about life, hobbies, and just about anything else that will contribute to your overall well being.  As I have done before, with each book I will include a brief book review, an author interview, and a book giveaway.

It only seems appropriate that I start things off with one of the most credible and prolific preparedness authors I know, Daisy Luther.  Her new book, “Be Ready For Anything”, is a one-stop shop for all things preparedness.  I do not say this lightly because even with all of the great preparedness books out there, you would be well served with just this one.

Here is a brief introduction to the book itself, an interview with Daisy, and of course, details of the book giveaway.

Filed Under: Preparedness 35 Comments

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • Next Page »

CBD FLASH SALE

BOGO HIGH POTENCY FORMULAS
20% Off Everything Else Using Code GAYELEVY

Find it Here

Connect With Me

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • RSS

Meet Gaye Levy

Gaye Levy Oct 2018

Glad to meet you!  Learn more about me here!

 Subscribe via RSS

Great Deals from Amazon

Amazon Banner | Strategic Living Blog

Recent Posts

And Then They Came For Me

CBD for Stress + CBD Holiday Deals

Packaging Food for Long Term Storage Using Mylar Bags and O2 Absorbers

Create a CBD Rollerball for Joint & Arthritis Pain Relief

Stay Informed

Sign up to get newsletters and article updates sent to your inbox!

Privacy Policy

Categories

  • Adult Coloring & Other Hobbies
  • Book Festival
  • Current Events
  • DIY Projects
  • Essential Oils & CBD
  • Low Carb & Keto
  • Preparedness
  • Strategic Living
  • Strategic View

CBD Special Offer

BOGO HIGH POTENCY FORMULAS
20% Off Everything Else Using Code GAYELEVY

Privacy

I take your privacy seriously.  Here is a link to the Strategic Living Privacy Policy.

Affiliate Disclosure

I use affiliate links to help fund this website.  I earn a small commission when you make a purchase and for that I thank you.  This includes links that a part of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for bloggers to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

All that being said, some links are not affiliate links because I also promote companies and products that do not compensate me in any way.  I only promote products and use myself, most of which are purchased with my own money.

High Quality CBD Oil from OrganicaNaturals

CBD Oil from OrganicaNaturals | Strategic Living Blog

Get a 20% discount using code “gayelevy” at checkout. Free shipping and a 60 day return policy.

Recent Posts

Quote by Martin Niemöller
Using CBD to manage stress and anxiety plus free CBD
Make a CBD Roller Ball for Pain | Strategic Living Blog

Recent Posts

  • Real Prepping for Real Preppers
  • And Then They Came For Me
  • CBD for Stress + CBD Holiday Deals
  • Packaging Food for Long Term Storage Using Mylar Bags and O2 Absorbers

Meet Gaye Levy

I’m Gaye, just an ordinary gal trying to make sense of our changing world. I am addicted to DIY projects, essential oils, grown-up coloring, prepping, and ballroom dancing.

I live what I call a Strategic Life and believe you should too. Everyone needs to live a joyful life that includes wellness, happiness, and comfort.  Won’t you join me?

Click to read more.

Find It Here

Stay Informed!

Stay Informed!  Sign up for my newsletter and be the first to learn when something new is posted at Strategic Living 

Privacy Policy

I take your privacy seriously.  Here is a link to the Strategic Living Privacy Policy.

COPYRIGHT 2021 GAYE LEVY · STRATEGIC LIVING · BACKDOOR SURVIVAL LLC · ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

DISCLOSURE: SOME OF THE LINKS ON THIS WEBSITE MAY BE AFFILIATE LINKS. WHEN YOU MAKE A PURCHASE FROM THESE LINKS, I EARN A SMALL COMMISSION. WHILE COMMISSIONS ALLOW ME TO KEEP THIS SITE 100% FREE, I ONLY ENDORSE PRODUCTS I USE MYSELF AND TRUST.

I take your privacy seriously.  Here is a link to the Strategic Living Privacy Policy.