Weather Report from Central Texas by Nita Holstine

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Wee hours of the morning but it has magically changed into Wednesday. The storms are still showing off their lightening bolts all around us. The air is heavy though the wind is gusty; it's the humidity that makes me sweat and hurry back inside. Max wouldn't finish his supper which was leftover from breakfast. No treats for him. Lady wouldn't eat any of the Mighty Dog that I thought she'd sure like. So she didn't get any treats either. Now Beau, he eats like a horse and is as big as the neighbor's pony was. I have learned what they like and how to chop it up so they'll each eat. It's not that they are spoiled, I just don't like for their food to be wasted.

This unsettled weather has brought out the flies. Regular houseflies and a few huge horse flies. Glad they have a short lifespan. Gross.

I will water tomorrow if we don't get any rain. Only the tomatoes and zinnias are needing watering. What is showing up on the radar is not much; dying out faster that it is building and hardly moving any direction. One weather guesser always says that the storms will die out at sundown but they usually don't. I rarely watch that channel as he's usually wrong. 

It's still raining lightly. Started several hours ago and made us glad we'd finished some of the chores. Randy walked the pups early and took the trash down to the can. About the time I finished taking supper out to them, it starts raining. I made a dash to brink in the clothes from the lines but still got soaked before I could get back. Beau was already wet and I scolded him that I didn't pat-pat a wet doggie. So I put his food inside his house and made a run for it. It started in little bits but then it really poured. For several hours it did pour but then let up to a light shower and kept it up for hours more. I will have another round to make but can still wait until I've finished washing dishes and ironing a shirt or two.

I was going to be watering the tomato bed tomorrow so this is grand. I want to trim up the vines and see if we can coax a few more fruit before the season is over. The forecast shows lows in the upper 50s for the next few days and that will be most wonderful.

This is our time of the fair and rodeo so the old saying is that it always rains during the fair. It didn't last year so it was pretty certain that it would this year.

We were hit by the rain bands from what was Tropical Depression Erin. There might not have been much left but it was more rain that most areas could handle. Abilene, Texas is a city of about 160,000 and while much of the city doesn't flood, it does have its low lying areas that are easily in trouble. There are creeks through the city which all were over their banks. They combined to form walls of water that at 14 foot tall, caused the death of one young woman when her vehicle was swept down stream. There were 200 people taking refuse in the city's shelter and the Salvation Army. Once the peaks have been seen, the streams and rivers levels were receding. But people were quickly getting back to begin cleaning and looking for what could be salvaged.

While some areas had 14 inches of rain, we only had about 7 to 10 inches. Everything that could hold water was full and overflowing. Must get that rain gauge set up. Took me days to find 2 little screws to attach it to a board but there are signs of progress. The ground was dry and I couldn't dig a hole, now the ground is soaked and I can dig. 

We got about 4 inches of rain last Thursday. Enough to make the roof leaf and we were very glad it quit when it did. In time for everything to dry before time for bed. We don't have any place else to sleep. I'd told Randy that if we could get the doors on the house and seal up the seams, we could sleep on the floor and at least be dry. I am serious. Not sarcastic. We need options and to hurry. 

It was nice to have the garden watered for several days. Our air has dried out and the temps have gone on up. Until yesterday, we'd not been above 94 all summer. So we reached 95 and tomorrow will be 96 or 97 but they warn that as the temp stays so high, we could easily go over 100, not counting the heat index. Also with the lesser humidity, we will be getting cooler at night again and that sounds oh so nice.

We've had no measurable rain in many weeks now. Randy's loving it so he doesn't have to wait for the wood in Beau's new house to dry so he can work on it again. Such is the way of building. The 2x4s he's using were already warped so he's having to use nails and the hammer. The long screws just won't work though they are much easier on his arm, shoulder and hand. But it is almost half finished. 

I've been watering the tomatoes and peas and they are happy. The strawberry plants are hiding under the Johnson grass. Since they aren't making fruit, that is okay. These are our dog days of summer but we've still not hit 95 this season and already our lows are dipping down to the mid 60s. That's near record breaking lows. Makes a nice brisk chill to the early mornings. Very nice.

It's raining. There have been smatterings every day that didn't amount to much at all. Today's is only slightly more that most days. I watered the peas yesterday and they won't need more for a while. That's good. As I ran out to turn off the sprinkler, the front was moving through and the wind was from the north and it was COLD. I shivered and enjoyed the sudden change from the 93 of an hour earlier. It was fun to call up the radar and watch the front cross our area. 

But the rain quit just at the right moment for Randy to head out with Max and Lady for their evening prowl down the road. They all look forward to it. Even Beau because he knows that he is next. When it had started raining, I made a mad dash to his area and unhooked him. He thought it was play time but minded when I went to his dry place and after he peed in several spots and ran through his new (unfinished) house several times, he followed. What a good boy.

But the storm clouds were kind. I was able to finish 3 loads of clothes and the last were only damp. The weather guessers say rain all day tomorrow. We'll see but at least I won't cry if I can't wash and dry clothes. 

And still no more rain. I've watered the garden a few times but there have been no more showers. No storms or even anything close to wet stuff. The forecast calls for slight changes but nothing shows up. They do say that the conditions are setting up for another round of storms that build up over us and just hang around making more and more rain. But they will bring strong winds and hail.

We've not had any rain in 3 days now. I am finally caught up on the laundry even if much of today's is hanging in the bathroom to finish drying. The humidity is still very high so the drying is slow. The weather guessers have put the chances of rain back into the forecast for the next week. 

With the 0% chance of rain came over 4 inches of downpours. But they did wake up and put the chances back in for every day. That did the trick and we've not had another shower since. I ran the sprinkler yesterday for the little wild birds, they were hot and wanted the cool water. The hummingbirds had a big time party. Several dozen frolicked through the spray and then drank from the feeders and then got another misting. What fun they have. 

Randy had found an old chair tossed out at the end of our county road and brought it home. Rustic is a good word and the birds love it when the find lots of their favorite seeds scattered around. He is working on arranging it and the rocks with the water sprinkler. On hot days, the birds really expect a cool spot to visit.

With the excessive rainfall has come extras. The frogs can be heard late at night somewhere in the distance and while last year we had LOTS of big frogs around, this year we have some small ones and LOTS of tiny ones. Very interesting, indeed.

One drawback to having lots of rains is that when the sun does finally show its face, the heat index on 93° is 106° and that is plenty miserable. The garden will need watering today right before I fertilize. We watch the news to see all the places in Texas getting near a foot of rain in a matter of a few hours. Flooding the worst in many, many years.

There are only slight chances of rain for today and tomorrow and then the chances are taken out. And so begins the summer of our season. Arlene writes that they are so dry and it is so much trouble to water their plants that she doesn't want to do much gardening next year.

Yes, indeed. Just this morning I was wishing for some rain so I wouldn't have to water the garden. There was nothing on the radar yet about one p.m., but I could hear thunder. I had to keep calling the radar back until a tiny mass began appearing to our northwest. We never watch that TV station (ABC) for news or weather but they have the best and easiest to read radar image. It's live only if you grant them 15 to 30 minutes before it is real time. 

There were numerous lightening strikes and I'd worried there would be fires but then the thunder continued and the rains began. Torrential downpours that drove the rain sideways. There was not a dry place in Lady's house. Her house is small and has no porch or overhang. She was frantic from all the noise and lightening flashes, pacing back and forth getting soaking wet. 

We had winds that turned the trash can over; that's a very large and heavy object. The ladder I had used by the new chicken coop was on its side but nothing else had moved. Those winds were coming from every direction just no let up. About the time I'd think the sound of the thunder was moving off, I realized it was only building and there was more of it. The big window in the living room was shaking but the scariest part was the sky. It was pitch black, dark as night. 

If you've ever lost a modem when the power was knocked off during a storm, you have learned to turn off the computer and turn off the power strip it is on. Better safe that waiting to get a new modem. 

So I am scanning the tv channels to find a weather report. Channel 32 was allowing a fellow named Dan Edwards to show the radar. But as he mentioned what was occurring, he says that "oh, it's just rural area." Like there are no humans at all there. Just empty pastures or maybe a few cows. There must be 50 to 100 farms and families just in this area. We are only about 20 miles NW of Abilene as the crow flies. We must also wait out the power failure. We must hope the windows don't break and fly inward. We're trying to figure out how long the worst of it will last and when it will be safe again. By the time the storm had finally moved over the city of Abilene, we didn't need his weather reports. He often refers to Interstate 20 as being a dividing line of some sort. It is actually within the city limits with lots of businesses and homes "on the far side." He is not from around here and certainly doesn't understand why people turn on the tv to see what the mean old storms are doing. Yup, he has worked for the Weather Channel. Don't think they deal with people, just do the report and go home. Everything else is automated and digital. 

Judging by how full the puppy's wading pools were, we had 4 to 6 inches of rain in just the 3 hours it fell. There were 2 hailstorms with one at 3 and another at 3:30. The stones were small and did no damage to the gardens. The forecast of more for the coming week was also given by two other weather guessers so it might actually happen. Mr. Edward's attitude will leave him out of the running as a professional by any standards. 

Thanks. I feel better now. I was sure angry earlier but I'll get over it. 

The rain has been less and less with the need to water increasing. I did get the blackeye peas and corn planted and the tomatoes are doing great. With the last rain, the frogs had been croaking and it was a joyous sound. I even saw a baby frog. They tend to stay around their water source as the conditions grow dry again. We have quite a few now that Max quit eating them. 

Had a nice 4 to 5 inch rain 4 days ago and the forecast kept threatening more but it just stayed cloudy. One day did have a light misting. Two evenings were foggy with the air looking like the moisture was just stuck in it. Didn't fall or float, just hanging there. Made Lady bark at it. 

There were a few hours of sun this morning then the clouds have grown heavier. The radar shows nothing at all. Some storms build up but die out just as fast. I'd like to brag on the tomato plants. There is one probably damaged by a sneaky bunny rabbit that is dying. I tried but it is time to replace it. Some of the bigger ones are needing staking again. All the little blooms are making little fruit. Oh so nice. I still have to water them since the beds are covered with a weed barrier. It keeps out the rain as well. Everything else in the garden will be watered by the sprinkler. I was out with the brush cutter yesterday and today with the cultivator. I should be planting the black eye peas tomorrow. They will appreciate all the rain showers.

We've had such mild weather that we wish we'd been able to put the cukes and green beans in very early. They would have flourished. Right now it is a race to get tomatoes started and growing before the grasshoppers can eat them. We've had chances of rain but nothing measurable has fallen. Just enough to make me race to the lines and bring in the yet wet laundry. Ah well. I've already broken the shower curtain rod in the bathroom. It is still where it should be, just drooping and threatening to fall again. 

Today was about an inch of rain which fell late in the day. The sky cleared but the drops were still falling off the leaves. It was sweet to see a canopy of clear stars above an otherwise soggy land. And a slightly greater chance for later in this Sunday. It is still part of the Saturday but I have not given up the day yet. 

I had waited for drier days to finish work on the chicken yard but we've not yet found a good day for getting the babies. There is not a lot yet to do but I will need to finish trimming the brush to put up the wire. Randy had set the posts before his surgery so that part is ready. There are some spots along the bottom of the new chicken coop that need closing and then I can run the water and electricity inside. Then I can take in their "toys" and a good amount of the hay. They will sure like that. Baby birds grow so much faster when they have activities and little roosts for practicing to be big birds. We are past the time of cold so that will not be a great factor. I will still have warmth to bring them through the first week of their little lives. There are only a couple of watering cans I will need but then... bring on the pullets !

This weekend had been forecast as dry with no chance of rain but so far, so wet. Since Randy isn't working on the house just now, it doesn't make a lot of difference. He is so anxious to get back to work. 

In between Sunday and Tuesday of this past week, we had 6 to 8 inches of rain. What wonderful relief. It did mean that I was driving from and to town in pouring rain and big thunderstorms. But it's over and Randy is back from the hospital. Healing more every day. 

The weather has warmed and I took down the pieces of styrofoam in the greenhouse so the cooler air could circulate. It's getting hot. We've gone directly to summertime. I am so far behind on the garden work that it's not funny so just quit that laughing. We were forecast for more rain starting today but the clouds have been light. The humidity is high but so far no rain. Nothing needs watering except for the tomato plants in beds covered with weed barrier. It also keeps the water from getting through and already the soaker hoses are falling apart. 

No more frost in our forecast but very glad we hadn't planted anything out that would get hurt. Only mid 50s for lows and that means I'll start planting the tomatoes out this coming week. I am still starting a lot of new seeds but am running very far behind for them. We had a nice rain but have well dried out again. I took the brush cutter to the old garden and it is ready for some beds and soaker hoses. There will be more tomatoes to plant and then there are things like the cucumbers that need complete shade, same with the squash, but the corn and such can have the full sun. Such fun when we try to wait out the frosty nights and hurry before the days get too hot. 

The snow is almost gone now but spent most of its time dripping from the trees and house. Lady kept looking up to see what was throwing those BIG drops at her. I am getting reports from so many people saying the crops they lost and how bad it was, so we didn't have it bad at all. We may have lost some oaks and some of the flowering trees and vines but they will bloom again. There are many weeks of unsettled weather yet to come and of course, there's always the pesky hail storms that can destroy everything.

The forecaster said no precipitation for tonight or tomorrow so it figured that it was sleeting when I was out tending the doggies. Didn't last long and wasn't much but then it's been just a few days since we were hitting 80. This is one big mean old cold front and the best we can do is to hope it's the last for the spring season. On the 5th, they told how back in 1996 we set a record ever snowfall of over 9 inches. We remember that blizzard very well. Barely made it home in the little old pickup and then got stuck turning into the driveway. Thought we'd freeze before we could make it to the house and then it seemed to take forever for the heater to warm up the house. The snow was melted by the next morning since it wasn't very cold but the drifts were deep and you couldn't see where the road was to look. Lots of folks off in the ditches. The freaks of the weather season are why we don't ever put out tomatoes until after the second week of April. Lots of warm weather doesn't mean the bad stuff is over. We have the wall of water rings to use but that's for emergencies and something you hope you don't have to use. Time to set them up and then the time to take them down again keeps you from doing other things. 

The beginning of another month and oh so close to time to plant in the garden. The weather has been incredible. That's despite the rain, rain and more rain. This last round of storms brought somewhere between 4 and 7 inches. All the pans were over flowing including the water pools and that's a lot of water. With the rains came some days of cool, 60 for a high, and lows in the upper 40s. The tomato plants are doing great and near a foot tall now. Time to get a lot of other seeds into dirt. Cukes and squash need only a few weeks before going outside. We always judge the time by the middle of April knowing we could still have another blizzard. 

We've had the a/c running during the heat of the worst days but it became necessary. This trailer gets brutal hot in the afternoons with the sun hitting it so directly. But it's not so bad after the sun is down and the day begins to cool.

We've gone from the cold of winter to the heat of springtime. Hitting 80 or just above for several days. Randy moved things so I could turn on the a/c when needed. I would have turned it on today but must yet go find an extension cord. Today was 12 degrees cooler than yesterday. These are the days to wear T-shirts and not need heat even in the bathroom. No blanket, just a sheet for cover. Aaah. But I know from past years not to put away the heater, just keep it handy in case of a cold snap. We've had a blizzard as late as the first week in April so it could happen again in any spring. 

It has been most mild. Not needing a heater at night but having to turn on the fan during the heat of the day. Today we have fog. The weather kid said that visibility was 1/4 mile and indeed we can look across the yard and see the heavy foggy stuff. It's fun to shine the flashlight on it. But it sounds like rain since it is on the trees so thick that it is dripping off.

It's raining, again. Started earlier about noon and rained fairly heavy for an hour or so. It's almost 7 and raining lightly. The radar shows some fierce stuff coming this way and the thunder is getting close now. Most outside chores are finished for now. I wouldn't mind several inches of rain, one was nice but a bunch more would be needed before I won't have to water the trees. They need a very deep watering to get the spring started. 

And rain it did. It rained for hour after hour with some very heavy rain. We don't have any run off so it all soaks in nicely. The burn ban was lifted so we might be able to burn off the brush pile in what will be the court yard. 

We've had a week of very mild weather. Some nights only about 55 for a low, highs in the upper 70s. Now, we're at 79 and that's probably a few degrees lower than the official high. It is 95 in the hallway so it is most miserable. BUT we are expecting a cold front to keep the next few days more seasonable.  

I am watering all the trees and plants. It's been a long, long time wince we've had any deep watering or rain. Even the squirrel is out in the water sprinkler today and they usually don't like getting wet. 

The forecast cold spell is toned down and not nearly as cool as expected. But 15 degrees cooler will be nice. We'd hoped to bake a turkey roast but for something that takes over 2 hours to bake, we'll probably opt for something cooked on the stove. Indeed.

I finally downloaded past photos and want to post the Blizzard of 2007 photos. There was another group taken of snow we had in 2006 and to me, they look just the same. CLICK HERE.

Guess you'd have to consider a dust storm to be weather and we sure have a nasty one today. The forecast rain for last night all stayed to the west and east of us. Not a drop here. There was the mention of very strong winds but this is almost March and our expected Ides of March. I looked out the window here by my desk to see the goldfinches and blue jays and cardinals. But a glimpse to the sky beyond showed a reddish brown sky. To look across the pasture, it appears as fog on an early fall morning. 

Today was glorious. Fairly clear skies with southerly breezes just right for drying the clothes on the line. It didn't really seem like the 65 they weather guy said was the high but it was the 26 for a low. Ice on the water pans and the water line froze when the water winked out. Weird glitch but we have water most of the time. No freezing at night for the next week or so they say. Now, if I can just get myself into the garden and do some work. 

Randy finished the layer of tar paper and the first layer of shingle material on the roof. Soon, we won't have to wish against the rain just so he will have dry weekends for working. A bit more on the outside wall seams and we can start working on the inside. 

After such a noisy start to the day, the clouds have cleared and the sky is blue and clear. The wind is from the south and I have clothes out on the lines to dry. Try to get caught up before the cold front makes it too miserable to stay outside for very long at a time.

But Max hates thunder and doesn't want to come outside today at all. Lady though is sunning and enjoying the warmth. Sly is still on his kitchen boxes soaking up all the rays he can. It's been a good while since there was any sunshine at all. This is a wonderful treat. He's had to learn that it does him no good to be mad at me when he doesn't get his warmth. Poor kitty.

Today was a miserable day of heavy fog and drizzle that left everything wet. No drops, just solid moisture. Randy had been on the roof yesterday and tacked down fresh tar paper. Today was too wet to continue so he had another day of rest. Perhaps next weekend will be dry. Sure hope so.

The forecast says near 70 for tomorrow. BUT then we get a new cold front for Tuesday and the temps fall again. Perhaps some rain but more likely it will be drizzle at least for tomorrow. Miss Marcy mentioned the S word for Wednesday and that's snow.

We have had just over 3 days of 65 to almost 80 today and it was so very nice. The cold front hit here about 4 this afternoon. It is very cold now and will be nearly freezing tonight. We got a bit spoiled to having 40 at night and not worrying about the water freezing. But we had a taste of springtime and it gave me Spring Fever. I asked Arlene about their weather and with 28 for a high, she was not in a gardening mood. Ah well. The day was too odd to get any of the gardening done that I had planned. See the Homesteading page for those details. It's amazing how something that scares you silly turns out to be just something okay and then you are glad to have learned a new lesson. 

Yesterday's extreme wind coming from the South was enough to tear the tar paper off the roof of the new house and send it flying. Some was in the back yard, some to the front and much piled on the roof. What a mess. Randy says he has plenty of the material but now he has to start over. The boards that were holding the paper down were blown over the sides and to the ground. It was 63 yesterday but today was 50 just before noon and had fallen to 36 by 1 so the front came in with a vengeance. Brutal wind straight out of the arctic.

The weather report says that we were down to 23 this morning and that would explain the thick ice on top of all the water pans. I've learned to take a 2x4 or a length of plastic pipe for breaking up the ice and letting the critters get to their water. We were only up to 47 and that's almost 10 degrees below average. Tomorrow will be over the "norm" and that will feel warm indeed. I hope to get some time in out in the garden to begin work. Our Park Seed order was in the mail box today so I can start getting the tomato seeds into dirt. Go through and see what all needs to be planted early. 

Yesterday was 45 but with a strong north wind, the wind chill kept me staying inside most of the day. Today the wind was light and I didn't even need ear plugs. The sun was shining all day and all the kids were catching rays to stock up on the natural warmth. I stayed outside as much as possible and did get most of the Shop cleaned, swept and rearranged. Looking very good and I found a lot of useful things. Lots of garbage to carry out and make space for needed items. They talk about little bits of rain but we need the house to dry out so Randy can get back to making progress.

We reached 120 hours below freezing which makes for a worse winter than we've seen in 70 years. There are still chunks of ice in the yard from the frozen water pans. But we were above freezing yesterday and again today. Tonight will be freezing and probably tomorrow but they say there could be more snow. This coming front was first said to be our worst of the past few weeks but now they are not seeing it as so bad. We can hope the worst are over and it will begin to warm up. I am actually looking forward to being able to hand laundry on the clothes lines again instead of the bathroom. I have probably broken the shower curtain rod with the weight of the clothes hung there wet. But it's not like I have any other place to hang them. Okay, I'd rather have my dryer again but that won't happen anytime soon.

Happily, we heard the word sunshine used in the forecast for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Sly will be back to happy cat again and that's a very good thing. 

The forecast was for more sleet and snow this morning but the storms are just now showing up in the far south areas. It's a heatwave at 29 degrees. And nothing is thawing. The critters don't like the bowls and pans I substitute but we'll make it through. Lady barked at me last night until I came and broke up the ice on her water pool. Icebergs with just a little patch of water left as a liquid.

The radar shows the big mass to be breaking up into many smaller patches but there are 5 times as much as before. Randy ventured out onto the roads and made it into the city. Just pray he'll make it home safely before more starts up again. 

We are in the middle of this "arctic blast 2007" as the weather station people are calling it. For 2 days now, we've had snow and sleet. Very, very light but it's not been over freezing or even 25 degrees. That means that all the sleet is an ice coating all over everything outdoors. It is 24 now and predicted to be down to 14 tonight. The heavy skies were clear when we watched this morning. Beautiful bright sun but a mean North wind is bitter, sending the toughest back inside after only a few minutes out. The weather folks warned of these extremely high winds breaking the tree limbs and power lines that were already heavy with ice. I watched the TV reports and saw what we feared actually happening in Oklahoma. Power out and still out. Big trees split and in the middle of a house. Not good. 

The police department in Abilene had declared that the streets were impassable and that meant that Randy stayed off the streets. Don't think our insurance company would have understood him having an accident on such an awful day. 

The gulf coast had been preparing for the ice and it was just a little behind the predicted schedule. They rarely get cold fronts that dare move that far south. Many a forecaster said it wouldn't make it as far south as Brownwood but it sure did that and much more. 

All the critter's water pans are full and frozen solid. We crack the upper layer of ice so they can have liquid but by this afternoon, there was no liquid left. Just solid ice. I have to fine some bowls to take and fill with the bottled water. There are no outside lines that aren't frozen. In the 30s for Tuesday and Wednesday but on Thursday, it will be to 45 and that means thawing.  

We are having such nice afternoons this week it is most difficult to stay indoors and I am getting lots done outside. There will be enough time to stay in this weekend and next week when we don't get above freezing for 3 or 4 days in a row. They mention ice, sleet, frozen rain and even the "s" word. Snow.

I made cookies this afternoon so the oven heat is still warming the house. That's very nice. Won't need the heater lit for a good while yet. And it smells like peanut butter and jelly in here. Sweet !

Our air is so very dry. 27% humidity on the weather report. That makes the lips and skin really hurt.

Today was beautiful. If you could stay indoors with the heat on and out of that mean old north wind gusting big time. A few more days of slight warm up and then another cold front hitting. It will be below freezing tonight so there will be a little water running through the lines to keep them from freezing up. The highs will be in around 60 with the lows freezing until Wednesday or so. I was out turning the water on for the chickens today and noticed that the daffodils have sprouted and are up 2 inches tall already. It isn't spring time yet though. 

All these months of no rain and now it has begun. Just when Randy will be having so many days off, it will be raining or just too cold to be outside. This slow drizzle makes me glad that I had finished deep watering the trees for their winter journey. The Cedars and Pines do their growing during the winter and now, they are very happy. 

We hit 78 the day before yesterday but it sure felt like 85. By the looks of the forecast, we'll barely get above freezing for Saturday. Probably no ice but they make no promises. 

The rain drips seem to be slowing so I hope to be out to the puppy houses with the Christmas presents for this year. New blankets. I think that Lady will enjoy a couple of toy animals to keep her company. Randy was out on Sunday night patching all the leaks in her house so anything new wouldn't get wet. 

Yesterday was 60 and today was 70. Very nice weather to be out and about but the wind was very strong and kept Randy from carrying the roofing up onto the house. It will be as nice this coming weekend and maybe not so windy.

We have a few chances of rain scattered but nothing much. I have the hose going to water the trees. I left the hose going on the biggest Pine tree for 3 days just to get down to its roots. 

We've had some hard freezes but last night and tonight are 45 and that's quite mild. Winter begins the 22nd of December and that means that the days will begin growing longer. 

Here we are waiting for another cold front. Probably no rain but should be some clouds. We are hoping for dry so Randy can get work done on the house. This past week was spent on the water well so the house sits lonely wondering where we are. 

We were down to 28 this morning but should be down to 20 tomorrow morning and that will be a hard freeze. It will thaw but only to about 40 tomorrow afternoon. 

What a wild week it has been. The front came through on Monday after a balmy day of 72° and a fine day to catch up on the laundry and line drying. But by Tuesday morning we were seeing sleet, snow and just a little rain. The skies have cleared but the temps are in the low 40s during the day and lower 20s at night. I had hung clothes on the line this afternoon and by the time I brought them inside this evening, they were frozen stiff. That is a unique way to cool a room. Brr.

The water well quit giving us water on Monday afternoon so the freezes haven't affected the water flow. There was none. I had over 130 gallons stored but we still ran out on Saturday. Randy replaced everything to the pump and the pump itself and still it will not work. Now, he must take off work and take the stupid motor back to Jack Leonard Irrigation and have them check to see if the pump actually works. Now days, new doesn't mean an item will actually work. Sighs. We've pulled the pump back out of the well so many times I don't remember how many. Randy is worn out and frustrated and I am right behind him. I couldn't pull that much weight no matter what.

It has been too cold to do much at all outside. Yet, the spinach and lettuce mix is doing great. Really they are cold weather crops. Two of my airplane plants in the greenhouse look dead despite the heater going full blast. But I do still have 3 inside that look fine.

We were sick of the long and so very hot summer but we are already tired of the extreme cold and it's not even winter yet. The worst hit at the tail end of November and still very much fall.

The cold waves have been fairly mild with the times between, very nice. There were a few days with the upper 80s but then it leveled off to the lower 70s. How very enjoyable. We had ordered the bigger trash can so I could be cleaning and throwing away things that were bad and only in the way. Don't think that includes useless computer parts though. It takes me several days just to collect the trash and I plan to be out raking and gathering on our nice days this coming week. Then I'll be ready to stay inside catching up on inside chores by the time this artic blast hits us. Lows in the 20s and at least one day, probably Thursday, only getting up to 44 or so. Sigh. I have plans to cover the new spinach bed and the greenhouse is sealed and a heater ready to keeping the plants safe. There are lots of mums still doing great. The geraniums are lovely though the Lantana are looking puny. They need fertilizing. Always plenty to do no matter the weather. Every fall I remind myself I want to get some Pansy's started. They are such a beautiful winter flower. I was surprised that the old spinach seed had sprouted but they never make it in our hot late summer or early spring days.

What beautiful weather. Nice and crisp but dry. Randy spent all weekend out working on the house. He'll need the week at the day job to rest up. But isn't the house coming along nicely? Ah yes. 

We've had a few nights right at freezing this past week but still the little tomatoes keep growing and turning ripe. Wonderful.

Our TV weather girl is so worried that we are now over 2 inches below normal. That's not drought and we so remember what that is like. We could sure do to not have any rain at all for another month or so. 

The weather this past week brought us 30° one night. It was enough to kill all the rest of the tomatoes. We don't like the taste of the tomato ripened indoors so we will look forward to this next season. 

Tonight there are storms all around. There was enough rain this afternoon to send Randy back inside and give up on building for the day. The storms have been hit and miss but dying out before they get very close. With these south winds, we've had warm temps. That will bring out the wasps and bees again but already the trees are changing color. The Redbud is completely yellow with the leaves falling fast now.

The temps have been staying warmer with the coldest being 40 one night this past week. But we've not had the air conditioner on all week. That will make for a very nice electric bill. No building on the house this weekend since it has been raining on and off since Friday. Not enough to measure; just enough to keep everything wet. Randy needed some days of no hammering to irritate his arm. Rest is good. 

The forecast has another cold front but no more rain. We are promised and nice and dry weekend coming up. Randy had run the chainsaw yesterday and now I have a lot of cut limbs to drag to the brush piles. We must start on the septic tank pit and drain lines soon. I am much slower now than when I dug the hole for the first tank. Much older, too.

Another year and a new page. We have been hoping for dry weather while Randy gets the house covered and waterproof. He has been wearing himself out trying to hurry and get to the point where he is not hammering on the roof. I tell him, become ambidextrous. It helps. It just isn't easy to master especially with a hammer.

We had been well above our normal rainfall but as it was passed, we became below normal. Then they talk drought. They don't remember how long we went without any measurable rain and for 12 years of hurting. The trees all needing watering and what it took to get them watered so deeply.