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Author: Gaye Levy

I grew up and attended school in the Greater Seattle area. After spending many years as an executive in the software industry, I started a specialized accounting practice offering contract CFO work to emerging high tech and service industries. Awhile back I abandoned city life and moved to a serenely beautiful rural area on on San Juan Island in NW Washington State.

These days I call Arizona home and am actively pursuing the purchase of a mountain retreat along the Mogollon Rim.

As you may have noticed, I am a bit of a glamourista but hope you do not hold that against. me. My bug out bag includes makeup and other items to make me look and feel good if SHTF.
The Ultimate Compact Survival Kit

The Ultimate Compact Survival Kit

The Winter Blast Giveaway has been a lot of fun and a lot of great products have been reviewed and offered as reader giveaways.  That said, one of the most fun…

BDS Book Festival – The Pocket Guide to Wild Mushrooms

BDS Book Festival – The Pocket Guide to Wild Mushrooms

The Backdoor Survival Book Festival 4.0 continues, this time with The Pocket Guide to Wild Mushrooms: Helpful Tips for Mushrooming in the Field by Pelle Holmberg and  Hans Marklund.  As…

The All New 12 Months of Prepping – One Month at a Time

The All New 12 Months of Prepping – One Month at a Time

Sometimes we all need to go back to the beginning to regroup, redefine and start over with a new perspective Back in 2011, when I first wrote about 12 Months…

The Miracle of Peppermint Oil: 20 Practical Uses for Survival

The Miracle of Peppermint Oil: 20 Practical Uses for Survival

Peppermint essential oil is so useful that is it comes as no surprise that even folks that are not well versed in the use of essential oils will have a…

The Plight of the Senior Prepper

The Plight of the Senior Prepper

It is a bit offensive to find that many websites refer to “senior” preppers as doddering old people with limited vision to what is happening in this world and limited ability to fend for themselves. This stereotype is simply is not true. Regardless of your current age, learn about the plight of the senior prepper and take stock of the skills and wisdom they offer to the preparedness community.

Preparing for a Wildfire – Are You Ready?

Preparing for a Wildfire – Are You Ready?

Wildfires are typically associated with the summer months but in truth, they can occur anywhere and anytime.  Whereas typical causes are lightening, droughts and freaks of nature, human carelessness as…

BDS Book Festival – Rivers + Interview with Michael Farris Smith

BDS Book Festival – Rivers + Interview with Michael Farris Smith

When the time came to decide which book to include in the next installment of the current Backdoor Survival Book Festival, I went to my stack of books and picked…

Clean, Drinkable Water – LifeStraw Family Review

Clean, Drinkable Water – LifeStraw Family Review

One of the first things newbie preppers do is get themselves set up with water.  In my own case, I purchased a 55 gallon water barrel and lots of bottled…

Six Ways to Get Ready for Going Off-Grid

Six Ways to Get Ready for Going Off-Grid

There is nothing that beats a camping for learning about life off-grid, whether planned or not. Here are some tips that will help you get ready!

Using Potassium Iodide Following a Nuclear Incident

Using Potassium Iodide Following a Nuclear Incident

Learn everything you need to know about using potassium iodide following a nuclear incident.

12 Ways to Homestead in Place

12 Ways to Homestead in Place

Whether in a large way or small, almost everyone thinks about homesteading at some time in their life. Alas, homesteading in the classic sense is not always possible. Still, there are ways we can homestead without ever leaving home. I call that “homesteading in place”. Learn how.

What Every Prepper Needs to Know About Hypothermia

What Every Prepper Needs to Know About Hypothermia

Unless you live in the tropics, winter is likely to bring uncertain weather, including bone-chilling temperatures, severe winds, freezing rain and significant snowfall.  Needless to say, such conditions are not…

BDS Book Festival – Living On The Edge + Interview with F.J. Bohan

BDS Book Festival – Living On The Edge + Interview with F.J. Bohan

Every once in awhile, a book will come along that fills me with inspiration and allows me to dream about things that perhaps I may never be able to experience…

Fast Track Prep Tip #3: Buy What You Need and Use What You Buy

Fast Track Prep Tip #3: Buy What You Need and Use What You Buy

Acquiring survival and prepping gear can be both a blessing and a curse.  The blessing part is easy to figure out; if there is an emergency, you will have what…

BDS Book Festival – The Amazing 2000-Hour Flashlight by Ron Brown

BDS Book Festival – The Amazing 2000-Hour Flashlight by Ron Brown

Next up the in the current Backdoor Survival Book Festival is a Q & A with Ron Brown, the author of The Amazing 2000-Hour Flashlight.   As always, there is also…

46 Pioneer Skills for the Modern Homesteader

46 Pioneer Skills for the Modern Homesteader

A while back I shared this list of 46 pioneer skills for the modern, 21st century homesteader. Here are three no one has mentioned: old fashioned photography and manual typing on a typewriter. And what about operating a slide rule? Can you think of some others?