Seasonal preps, we all have them; be it changing the batteries on our smoke detectors or getting out the snow chains.
One of mine is lights.
Yes, lights.
Growing up, heat was never an issue in the winter as we had a well-insulated basement and gas heat. In the summer there was the pond and creek to cool off. But lights, there was nothing….absolute blackness when the lights went off.
Where I lived, there was nothing but stars. Luckily, my parents were old time country folk who had various coal oil lamps sitting around. When the lights went out, the lamps would be lit. All was fine in the world.
There are many alternatives or modern lighting. Humans have had various light sources throughout the years.
First off, there was oil lamps. Simple oil lamps and rush lights. Animal fat is put into a holder such as a sea shell and a wick of some sort is put into the oil and hangs to the side of the shell. Easy, simple and available everywhere in the world. Later, special holders were made, but a hollowed out rock or shell works.
http://www.ramshornstudio.com/early_lighting_4.htm
Made out of any available fat, these were smoky and often smelly. But they worked and they are essentially free if you use your own old grease.
Rush Lights are simple candle like lights that are super cheap to make. They are also smoky and smelly, but essentially free if you can get rushes.
http://jas-townsend.com/combination-rush-light-4040-p-1037.html
http://www.colonialsense.com/How-To_Guides/Interior/Rush_Lighting.php
Torches were simply rags wrapped around a stick or a piece of metal. Soaked in oils or pitch/tar, they were lit to create a fire you could carry. Dangerous, as they can drip oils that can catch fire, these are not recommended for any inside use. Tiki Torches are the modern equivalent of the tar torch.
http://www.jonsbushcraft.com/birchtar.htm
Candles are the most commonly thought of emergency light. Today, these are super cheap and a great alternative to electric lights. Pets and children notwithstanding, they are relatively safe, not smoky and most of the time, they smell great. With stores like the Dollar Tree around, they are also a cheap solution.
Kerosene lamps are a homesteader’s mainstay. They are relatively safe. If used correctly, they do not smoke and do not smell. – depending on the type oil used. Pressure lanterns are a form of kerosene lamp that uses pressure to make a brighter light. Alladin Lamps are a non-pressurized lantern.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerosene_lamp
More to come.....
