Uncovering the Judge: An Offer for 'Offing'

A mere 'few ages' ago I started a blog series, Uncovering the Judge. My intention was to give you a window into my mind, scary I know, of how and why I choose the books I do. Nearly 99% of the time I pick my books based on their covers. I decided to start this series back up and begin the insightful trip into my mind.

Born and raised in the ‘city’, I have long yearned for the simpler life of the country. I have often thought the idea of moving to the mountains, off the grid, would be like no other earthly peace out there. Funny how I’m so involved in the technology of this world, that I would even consider leaving it all behind.

The books containing this freedom of self-sufficiency are like gold bricks in my hand. Tell me how to build a log cabin, pluck a chicken, birth a cow, make soap, make sausage – with rabbit – yeah not so much, and you can hog tie me and marry me. I act like a kid in a candy shop when these books are in range, a kid who hoards their candy and SHARES WITH NO ONE.
I’m featuring four books that have recently joined ranks with the off grid bookshelf in my home. Do you think they have a section on how to fake your own death, even furthering your off the grid experience?

Keeping Chickens by Ashley English – I’m moving to where she lives. Do you think she will adopt me? This book is not only eye candy from a distance, but once you feel it’s ‘hand tooled leather’ like cover you will want to keep it close by at all times.  The cover boasting ‘All You Need to Know to Care for a Happy, Healthy Flock,’ well heck if I was a chicken I’d love all the ideas this book has about taking care of me.

The Encyclopedia of Country Living byAbigail R. Gehring – Any book with the word Encyclopedia in it's title is enough for a book ‘touchdown’. Plus there is a baby goat on the cover (if you read that in a preppy girl voice, kudos to you)! From beekeeping to soap making, I hear that off the grid radar slowing beeping into silent ‘dead’ mode. Photographs and illustrations throughout detailing everything you need to know and maybe some things you didn’t want to know.

The Backyard Homestead Guide to Raising Farm Animals by Gail Damerow – I was ordering the previous 2 books for someone else, whom I caused lust like symptoms in when I showed (ahem), okay bragged about them, and this book popped up as a suggestion. The simple farm animals on the cover reminded me of my childhood and collecting Usborne books (similar art style). I didn’t read one thing about the book, except for the title’s pronouncement of BACKYARD Homestead. What can be better than having your self-sufficiency right there?!? It came in the mail yesterday and it is better than I could have expected. The book tells me how to choose a milk cow, every kind of chicken or poultry breed you can think of, and explains everything to me in step by step pictures and descriptions.

Twelve by Twelve: A One- Room Cabin Off the Grid and Beyond the American Dream by William Powers – Do you really need an explanation for this book? Cabin? Off the Grid? Beyond? Dream? Hello!?! It is all there at my fingertips. Now can I replicate his techniques or maybe just live vicariously through him?

Be sure to visit Ashley English’s blog and checkout her other books; books that will soon be joining the ranks of other off the grid titles.

Do you have any off the grid suggestions? Let me know, I always love suggestions.

Add All the Books from this post to your Goodreads!


New banner art courtesy of my little brother, Reece. He plans on editing it, but I wanted to use the rough draft today.