J. Wayne Fears

MY AUTUMN RIDE

8 September 2016

J. Wayne Fears

There are people we meet on our journey through this life that we never forget. For me Jacob Nowland is one of those people. He is a mountain man, buck skinner, horseman, singer and poet. Jacob, like me, is getting along in years and he sent me this poem he wrote that puts meaningful words to his autumn of life. – J. Wayne Fears

MY Autumn Ride
by Jacob M. Nowland

The night makes way for mornin’ light

The day has just begun

At the pasture’s gate I anticipate

Some warmth from the rising sun

The breeze is cool, there ain’t no dew

There’s autumn in the air

My favorite time of year is here

As I whistle for the mare.

She comes to me as if she knows

And she knows a thing or two

THE NEW 9MM RUGER SR1911

23 August 2016

J. Wayne Fears

*Click small images for a larger view*

Now that there is an excellent selection of 9mm self-defense rounds on the market, gun manufacturers are developing some interesting pistols in this caliber. Among the most interesting are the new generation of 1911’s in 9mm. The past few weeks I have been range testing the 9mm Ruger SR1911 with a wide variety of ammunition and at various ranges. If you are not familiar with the pistol here are the specs:

Caliber: 9mm Luger
Slide material: Stainless steel
Capacity: 9+1 with the two supplied mags
Grip frame: Gray anodized aluminum
Barrel length: 4.25”
Slide Finish; Low-glare stainless
Overall length: 7.75”
Width: 1.34”
Height: 5.45”
Sights: Novak 3-dot
Weight: 29.3 oz.
MSRP: $979

BANNOCK THE BREAD OF ADVENTURERS

12 August 2016

J. Wayne Fears

Up in the North Country the seventeenth-century French-Canadian voyagers opened up the wilderness from the St. Lawrence River to northwestern Canada with their trapping and trade operations. These great canoeists traveled vast distances on light rations. One of their main staples was bannock, a simple bread of European and Native American descent.

The European version of bannock is said to have originated in Scotland and was made traditionally of oatmeal. The Native American bannock of pre-contact times was made from flour ground from natural substances gathered from the woods such as acorns, cattail heads, plant bulbs or corn. The first European explorers brought their version of bannock with them and between the two cultures bannock was the bread of the wilderness. The French voyageurs called it “galette”, the Scotch bannach, others called it bush bread, trail bread, fry bread and grease bread. Bannock, from the Scotch word, stuck.

From early history until today those who spend much of their time in the backcountry depend upon this simple but delicious bread. I learn to love bannock while exploring the Arctic where it was a staple of every meal. I brought the modern bannock recipe back to Alabama to cook in my home. It became a hit with all who tried it and remains a favorite in my house and when I am in the backcountry.

THE MODERN HOME BUILT FOR SURVIVAL

12 August 2016

J. Wayne Fears

“This is not a home built for survival!” a disappointed friend in the survival writing community exclaimed as we drove into the front yard of my new home. “It’s a nice modern home in a beautiful rural area”, he continued, “but no bunker, no solar panels, no cistern barrels, and it’s not hidden away in the woods.” I could sense his disappointment that I didn’t live in a fort miles from the nearest pavement.

Far too many people new to living the preparedness lifestyle think that the modern home designed for survival has to be a remote fortified mountain man’s lair that looks like a junk yard. When my wife, Sofee, and I decided to build our new home in a rural area with the design being weighted towards surviving our local threats – long hot summers, winter ice storms, tornadoes, long power outages, and possible long periods without going to the super market – we also wanted comfort and modern conveniences when they were available. We wanted a secure homestead with room to grow our own food, have a small private shooting range and entertain outdoors. Sofee was the chief designer and she designed a home that accomplished all this and more.