Weather Report 

from Central Texas

by Nita Holstine

________________________________

08-25-04

We are having a few days of mid 90s and it is miserable. The puppies came up to the house yesterday, panting and seeming to plead for cool breezes. I did put out the water sprinkler on their yard space while they were up at the house so it would be cooler for them. We are forecast to be cooling off on Sunday so this won't last too long. Sure is nice to stay around 90 instead. I found another big bowl for their water so they wouldn't ever run out. I regularly change it so they will have cool, clean water. With their long floppy ears, they make a mess when they eat or drink.

With this next week and new month, I will leave these notes all on this page and start a new one. I was going to go for a year but that was back in May and I just kept saying I would do it the next week. Since I put everything into tables, it would take me a long time to move very much at all.

08-19-04

We had over 5 inches of rain over the weekend and on Monday. But this morning the clouds really let loose and we got at least another 6 inches. It had rained most of yesterday but it was light and didn't amount to much. It started heavy this morning before I could let out the animals. I had never seen the chicken yard such a mess. The area in front of the door was standing in water. The girls didn't want to come out but their roosting room is too small for them to stay inside very long. 

The hallway has sprung a new leak and my desk was half covered with splatter water from the window leak. It may be a long time before we have this much rain again but it sure makes a mess when you don't realize how many leaks the old house really has. 

The sun is trying to peak out and warm us up but it is a beautiful day. I won't need to water the garden for a week or so and that's if we don't get more rain. Our lows have been around 60 breaking records every few days. The highs are around 85 and not too hot at all. 

08-13-04

What mild weather! Night before last we broke an all time low, we were down to 57° which is downright chilly. All the jackets are still packed away but it will be a good while yet before we get that cold again. Fall will be here soon enough. With all the bug bites, I am about ready for a few hard freezes to kill them. But we are still enjoying lots of cucumbers, tomatoes, corn and beans. The beans are the blackeye peas and just as tasty as the other beans that died from the heat weeks ago.

Storms are popping up but I won't hurry out to turn off the water sprinkler. I finally got the fertilizing caught up and a good rain would be nice but not something we can count on. Labor Day and the county fair usually bring a good hearty rain.

08-05-04

I just got Arlene's notes about their crazy weather. Hotter than we have been yet now, they have cooled off, got a really good rain and will be even cooler tomorrow. Enjoy it! We were forecast to cool off and have a chance of rain but while the wind was from the North, it died out and is not any cooler at all. I make sure there are several water sprinklers running all afternoon for the birds. The roadrunner had come up to my window again, panting and obviously wanting some cool water. I can do that. He doesn't seem to like the water bowl I put out to the south end of the area. 

07-30-04

What a month! I was so used to doing my weather notes when Wanda sent in her Diary notes for the week and without her writing, I haven't taken the time to make my own notes. Usually July is a month of little or no rain. We started that way but in the last week, we've gone back to rain of plenty! We had just a little bit of sunshine yesterday and mostly sun today with just a few clouds that moved away quickly. I don't need to water anything for days yet. What a break in the chores. The garden is trying to quit except for the tomatoes which have hardly begun. Two ripe fruit so far.  A vase full of Zinnias. A few more cukes yet but the squash were destroyed by the bugs. The beets and carrots don't have anything below ground level. Don't think they will develop at all. 

Our highs have stayed below 90 for so long, we must be reminded that this is still summer and the Dog Days are yet to come. We've had only one day over 100 and are now spoiled to these mild days of not needing an air conditioner running until after noon time.

07-07-04

It's July and it's Hot! 96 tomorrow with a heat index of 100. But we had a cool front move through late yesterday bringing a light shower this morning and a low of 66 before it started getting hot. It was so very nice. Clouds all morning so it didn't start getting miserable until afternoon. 

The evening weather report looked at a big mean storm up in Kansas moving due South. Not the usual storm movement but worth keeping an eye on. In season, we always watch the hurricanes to see if they will give us a little bit of rain.

We are entering the time of year where we might not get below 80 at night and that is miserable. That means running the a/c day and night and that makes for a BIG electric bill. It seems necessary at the time but sure hurts when it comes time to pay the bill.

07-02-04

We have had such mild weather but rain and more rain. Our well won't be going dry for years should there be more drought to come. It is gradually heating up- edging into the 90's again and should be 95 by the first of next week. The cucumbers are wilted but only because they are in the sunshine. That means I need to make them a little more shade. For now, the grasshoppers have plenty of new briar growth which they like to be eating on. But many of the veggies are being eaten up fast. 

06-18-04

Ooh, we have clouds. That means shade and that's cooler than the 95 without clouds. I am working on getting a water hose run out to the young hens so I can make them a small wading pool. They get to panting and are so hot lately. I am reading where some folks are loosing their poultry due to the heat. 

The older hens love it when I let the hose run and make a Chicken Lake where they can cool their feet and slouch around.

06-11-04

What beautiful weather we are having. Highs are in the low 90's and the lows are around 70. Kind of hot but not as bad as it will get before it starts cooling down again. We had the one day of 103 and 93 is a world of difference. I am taking extra measures to keep the chickens and puppies cooler now but they have plenty of shade from the oak trees.

All the big bad storms of the past week have been just to the east of us and have gone on to cause great trouble for Dallas and Fort Worth but we've had just sprinkles of rain and are watering the garden every few days. The butterflies have been wondrous this year and the wild plum trees are making loads of fruit for the first time in about ten years. Or since we've been in drought. 

06-02-04

We watched yesterday evening as a huge storm was brewing and building about 120 miles off to the east of us. Huge tall clouds that were just boiling and rolling and after dark, full of lightening bolts. They didn't seem to be moving in any direction and we never heard the thunder.

06-01-04

We topped out at 103° this afternoon. There is a north wind and only 12% humidity but it is miserable. The forecaster says that a cold front will stall out over us and perhaps churn up some rain showers every day for the next few days. That would be all right. 

I had a message from Kim in AZ (Chicken News) and she is going to send her Installment #5. We'd talked of dealing with the heat and I had more questions about electrolytes. I like learning new things and sure don't want to lose any critters to the heat. I wet down Max's space today. He doesn't like wet but he sure doesn't like hot. 

 

05-28-04

62°F this morning and that's cooler than we've had in quite a while. Nice. We had big thunderstorms move through all yesterday afternoon. They've been timed for every other day for about two weeks now. Yesterday we got nearly 2 inches of rain so I won't need to water today at all. I had set out the heater to take it to the shop for summer storage. This time, I'm not getting it out again- it's not that cool. 

With the rain moving through came some strong winds from the north. That was a pleasant change but mighty gusty. A town to the west of here had lots of damage from the small hail (lots of it) and the winds that made a mess of many roofs.

I enjoy seeing how much alike the weather is for Washington State and England. Jeannie is talking of row covers to protect crops of the large scale growers while she carries in the containers her plants are growing in. Wanda was the same in protecting her babies. So many things haven't been planted for fear of more freezing temps. 

05-21-04

Another month just flying right on by. No rain and we could sure use some. The wind keeps it from seeming so very hot and it's not quite reaching 90°F but it's not cooling off below 70 at night. A few more clouds would help perhaps. It stays humid all summer so it stays muggy. The old "swamp" cooler just won't do it; a refrigerated unit will pull the water out of the air and leave it in a puddle outside.

05-14-04

Spent most of yesterday just sitting in the dark. Big and bad storms thundered across the area dumping lots of rain and tiny hail. Some places got bigger hail but there wasn't as much damage as the last storms. The rain was sure welcome and that makes me caught up on the watering for a little while. It will give me the time to get some alfalfa hay on a few beds to keep it from drying so quickly. The storms had lots of winds but we always get wind. 

Didn't seem like we'd top 50 today but about 3 pm, the sun broke through and the wind switched to coming from the east. We were down to about 46 this morning and will probably be the same tomorrow morning. Don't think we're breaking any records but it is far below normal and will drive our warm weather crops nuts. 

I just got a few lines in from Carlyn Ann, Country Gal, about their 38° low this morning. Wind chill of 33 and that's very cold. We won't have to bring in or protect anything from freezing this morning but it will stunt the growth of many veggies.

05-06-04

Last week's hail storm built up just after it passed over us. By the time it was less than 5 miles to our east, the stones were 3" in diameter. Leonie mentioned that they never get more than just tiny pieces so I want to include a photo to show her how big they get. The photo only shows 2 inch but that's pretty big. The smaller ones were more plentiful and covered the roads and fields making it look like snow.  Photo Here.

We've gone back to hot days in the upper 80's and lows in the 60's. The rabbits are eating the tomatoes faster than I could plant them so I've taken out all that were left and moved them to a protected garden. I have no space left at all. We are back to so crowded I wish I'd not started so many seeds. I have done enough digging and planting to be finished but have only a few tomatoes actually in the ground. 

04-24-04

We were hitting well over 80 every day, near 90 until a cold front hit yesterday. We had about 5 inches of rain from yesterday evening until this afternoon. Very nice and I don't need to water anything. I have a bale of alfalfa hay I will get to use for mulch to keep from having to water as often. 

The thunderstorms made me shut down the computer until they had passed and with a machine crash, I was beginning to wonder if I'd get the newsletter finished. But even with the north wind, today was a very nice day for working outside, getting a lot of garden plants into the soil. We had just a tiny bit of hail and nothing was broken by the heavy rain. I did have to chase off some evil bunny rabbits from the plants outside the fenced protection. 

04-16-04

The cold snap finally broke and we've had the nicest of spring weather. The cool stuff was great for the cauliflower, kohlrabi, turnips and broccoli. But gradually, we are back up to hitting 85 everyday. We don't usually linger around 70. It has been a few years since we had a week of 109 everyday the first week of May. That burned up everything in the garden. Sigh. The spinach had already gone to making flowers so it was shot already. The tomatoes are about two weeks away from going out into their beds. I have worms and they will go one to a tomato bed. Yippee. 

04-09-04

Today is forecast for a high of 80 degrees F. but tomorrow will only be about 50. The lows will be in the upper 30's and that's too cold for more garden goodies. The cool weather veggies will love it but the spinach is already going to seed. Most Easter mornings of my childhood were cold. I was always with the choir and we'd be set up for singing at sunrise. It was glorious but it never rained so we could be indoors, just in a cold wind until we were allowed to leave. Our worst blizzards have occurred in the middle of April but once they have ended, the weather settles and warms right on up to normal or above. The rush will be on to get the garden planted before the sizzle of summer burns up any crops left. 

03-25-04

We are having absolutely beautiful spring weather. Sure we could still have another blizzard and I do watch the weather map seeing what Wanda is sending our way. Our temps will have the cool weather crops making seeds if it doesn't cool off a bit. Our normal high is about 65 but we've been hitting 80 almost every day this week. 70 would be okay. It is a fight to hurry and get the beds dug and the seeds planted. If I hurry this along I can get back out and finish the cucumber bed. All the work of a new garden is mainly so the cukes could have a brand new fresh bed. They don't get bugs or diseases that way and it is sure worth the effort. 

We've had a few sprinkles in the afternoon but nothing measurable or that would soak in to do any good. The first chore of every day is watering. We have only one usable soaker hose left and the rest will be watered by hose and gallon water jugs. I will cute the bottom off, turn it upside down and fill with compost. It was one of Byron Tumlinson's suggestions. My way didn't work at all so I will plan the entire beds with the jugs and build everything else around them. 

03-15-04

We've had some cool days with highs about 50 but the rest of the week calls for some sunshine and about 60 which is very nice. It is working outside temps not that we stayed in this past weekend. We didn't get new chicks last spring and we are now ready for a new group. I am hoping we can get 2 dozen of all the same breed as to not have the big ones picking on the smaller ones. We'll see how it goes.

Randy spend most of the day hauling load after load of sand for the chick's space in the old barn. It was a great place last time for the new arrivals and now, they will have twice the space for twice the girls. I have toys picked out and will have them cleaned and ready for this evening when Randy gets home with the little fuzz balls. Randy has asked last week when and I said that Stacy Artis already had her new girls and that the sooner we got them started, the sooner they would be laying. It will be fall but oh the thought of having plenty of eggs again. When they are big enough to go in with the older hens, then we will get about 2 dozen straight run to have meat birds in a few more months.

The garden is not going well yet. The sand is wet from the recent rains which was most of this past week. I must plan on being out with shovel every day that is nice enough. I plan on getting the garlic corms and the walking onions planted today. I have everything ready to get at the area, compost, shovel and water hose. What more could I need?

Noticed the other day that everything is covered with algae from the rain and cloudy days with no dry days or sunshine. Everywhere! On the trees as well as the wild bird's seed table at the window here in front of me. Covered!

03-11-04

We've had many days in a row of spring weather, 60 to 75°F during the daytime and 40's at night. Now, a big cold front has moved through. We have frigid north winds and drizzle. The clouds are heavy and the first clear day in the forecast will bring with it a night of very close to freezing temps. 

I had taken some photos of the hyacinths that are blooming right now. They do seem to have more than doubled their numbers since their blooms of last spring. I want to take out everything from the big bed where they are growing now. The spring winds just mash them flat. The last time the giant white iris bloomed, the stems were broken before I could even cut them and bring them indoors. I had always thought that I would have a bed around our house but I may need to go ahead and plant them here, around this house. It is home after all. The south side provides excellent protection for plants and cats and dogs alike. 

I have started my current gardening notes so that is where most of my notes will be kept now. The new light area for baby plants is sure keeping me busy. Hope this is the best garden year ever. This is perfect weather for all the cool weather crops I hope to get going. 

03-05-04

Today is 70°F and a beautiful spring day. Yesterday we had 70 mph straight-line winds that moved many things around. Not as bad a a few years ago when trees were snapped in half. Many towns in the area had great damage mostly windows and things blown away. I spent the worst of the storm holding the window from blowing in. It worst of the wind only lasted about 15 minutes but it was starting to move the house and that was scary. When I remembered that on the other side of the Styrofoam piece coated with heavy foil, there were two broken pieces of glass, I started thinking I should run for our lives, grab the cat and all that stuff. We got LOTS and LOTS more rain. The wheelbarrow is broken and did not hold water; everything else that could hold water was blown far and wide.  

03-03-04

We've had rain, rain and then some more rain. Most has been fairly light but the forecast is calling for heavy measurable rain tonight. No freezes in the last week or in the coming week. Today was suppose to be in the 60's but the cloud cover held and the wind from the north kicked in and it didn't get over 50. It gave me more time to put in on the newsletter. I have seeds sprouting and ready to be put into bigger containers. 'Tis the time of year to be very busy. 

I am needing to start the new section on Randy's Shop. Part of it is for lights to grow the garden seedlings. They are sprouting and growing so well. I am surprised at how fast they sprout when they are kept uniformly warm. Now, I must hurry and get them planted into bigger containers. It will sure be a great start for the garden and lots better than the one little window sill. 

The daffodils are wanting to bloom but rarely will. There is another flower I don't remember its name but I'll go to the plant id and look for it and remember then. The iris are beginning to grow back but are usually lots bigger by this time of the year. 

I've been taking "sky" pictures for quite a while now thinking I didn't have many good ones yet. Good grief, I have lots and lots. I got one page full done and have two pages of notes, colors and page names. What a job. I look every evening now to check and see how pretty the sky show might be. I took one of the snow fall but it doesn't really look like snowflakes just so many shiny dots. 

02-23-04

What a couple of weeks we've had. On Friday the 13th into Saturday the 14th, we had 3 inches of snow. It was gone by noon but it was pretty while it lasted. By Wednesday we were in the middle of a sandstorm. Headache season is upon us, the winds were horrible but not as bad as Lubbock where the visibility was down to nothing, cars piled up on the highway and two people died. 

We had just a trace of rain yesterday but it started again this morning and by the old wheelbarrow, we've had about 2 inches so far. Hopefully, we will have more tonight and tomorrow. Except that tomorrow night's chance turns into snow and icy stuff. Our normal low for right now is 36 and the high is 60 and that's really nice weather. 

02-13-04

Our area made the national news this morning noting how cold it will be how far south. Not usual for south Texas and indeed note worthy. We've watched the approaching snow storms yesterday and today. Not a lot of movement yet but we'd rather not have to be driving in it. The forecast says we won't be above freezing all day, tomorrow and won't thaw until late Saturday night or Sunday. 

The morning local weather says it is 20 degrees F right now but the radar shows the snow well to the south of us. A winter storm warning until 11 a.m. but no warning beyond that. The scare of yesterday got about 40 miles away and fizzled out. Gone. 

Today's storm dumped a few pellets of sleet and then quit. They are not melting but they are evaporating since the air is so very dry. Today's main chore will be to take liquid water to all the critters and to stay indoors and warm as much as possible.

02-06-04

Every few days we have another cold front move through. The freezing has not been so low to freeze the water pans solid. The chickens can peck through the ice and get to their water with no trouble. Max is offended when he doesn't have the thawed stuff though. 

It's 47 F right now and that's with the sun shining. It's that brutal north wind that stings and makes the temp so cold. Yesterday was up to the mid 60's and that was running around outside without a jacket day. Nice. 

01-26-04

This is the second week that Wanda Lynch has not sent in diary notes and without her weather reports, it is most difficult to get around to preparing my own notes. Old routines are difficult to start over.

We've had most excellent weather for the last two weeks with this past week with no freezing at night. The forecast says that the arctic blast is just north of us this morning and our temps will keep falling to a low of about 20 for tonight. The silly television weather people tell folks to bring in all their plants. Like they'd put them all outside. Not likely ! 

We'd burned two huge brush piles on Friday night. We are still under a burn ban but calling around the county, I was able to secure permission. That still comes with the warning that if we cause damage, we pay for it. We are extremely cautious. We had rain last week and most of the neighboring counties had lifted their bans but not ours, the rain total was 2 inches at best. With water hose on and handy, we spent 3 hours getting the mountains reduced to ashes. I was glad that we went ahead with Friday night since Saturday and Sunday both were too windy to burn at all. We had almost finished before a breeze kicked up. Watered down the embers and felt proud to have that much useable space reclaimed. We'd waited 3 years so it was an occasion. I did get smart this time and ask Randy to help me. It made the newsletter just a bit late going out but it was sure worth the effort.

Just before they mentioned 20 tonight, they did say we had a slight chance of precipitation late in the day. That sounds like ice to me and we could sure do without that. The early morning weather report showed bad roads and wrecks; lots of wrecks. 

01-16-04

We are having wonderful weather while the west coast and the east coast are having the worst of the bad icy stuff. Breaking records for lows and making everyone miserable. This is the second day of drizzle and heavy clouds. Officially, last night the rain total was almost 1/4 of an inch. By the standing water this morning, we got about half an inch. Nice and slow and soaking in but not very deep. Max was able to dig a pit down to a dry layer of sand. It would be a good idea except for all the roots down there. They get in the way and he usually can't get curled up and comfy. 

The forecasters had threatened freezing temps with these days of wet but so far, those threats have been delayed or removed. We were at 60 degrees F this morning and it feels like about 65 right now. Telephone time & temp says it is 66 so I was close. Exceptionally humid, they call it 100%, light breezes and a cold front behind it somewhere boasting of 37 for a low tonight and not out of the 40's tomorrow. 

I noted in the Homesteading Section that I have Spring Fever. It has been so nice that I have a running start on the outdoor chores. I still haven't started cleaning the fenced garden used last year but we are having more nice days now. We are just about ready to send off our seed orders for this spring's garden. Some seeds we need to have in soil already, sprouting and growing. 

01-09-04

A few days of not getting above freezing but back up into the 60's during the day and back below or near freezing. Wanda said this morning that they have not lost power due to the blizzards but they are using lots of firewood. It was much too cold for her to get out and take any photos yet but I'm sure their will be more before the winter is over. I like hearing how very cold it is so I feel glad we don't get that cold here. We get miserably hot but not so brutally cold. Or at least not very often.

01-05-04

When I lost use of my computer last Wednesday evening, I had just added the photos below about our Good Old Texas Dust Storm. No notes and by the time I got my computer back and could finish last week's edition, there was no time for Weather notes. The newsletter was finished and sent by 1 a.m. this morning. Yawn !

When I was a little kid, I remember dust storms so bad that no one could go outdoors during the storms and they were frequent, during their "season" which was about this time of year, they were hitting every few weeks. Then the great people who decide if a problem can be corrected set in motion their plans for building huge windbreaks to the north of Texas. Somewhere there had been vast cutting of such huge forests and they went in and replanted. The dust storms ceased for the most part but every time we have one bad enough to see red in the sky, I wonder about that windbreak. Wonder if someone decided they needed the money from selling off the wood. And hope that it isn't so.

Got a message from Wanda yesterday telling of the snow storms that have hit their area. About being below freezing for a week and perhaps taking some more pictures of the beautiful snow scenes that are gracing their land. The latest cold front to hit us came through yesterday morning around 6 and the high for the day had been 65 but that was about 2 hours before the front hit. We had one day with 82 and low above 55. Ahh, spring time. But today we are hit by the North wind to remind us that no- it is really winter now and while we suffer less, we are also miserable and like to gripe about it. We don't have snow plows and we don't have snow boots or extra heavy gear.  Working outdoors is limited to the south side of the house and in the sunshine. 

Good Old Texas Dust Storm

12-25-03

I see pictures of the beautiful deep snow in Washington State, I read Country Gal in Iowa tell of their Brown Christmas and Arlene Correll describes their first Christmas in Kentucky watching the snowflakes fall. These are the joys of our Winter Season. Leonie is in their Springtime which amounts to lots of rain and still cold temps while dreaming of garden veggies to go with the roast duck! 

Some of our worst ever temps and icy conditions have fallen during the Christmas Holiday but not this year, not here. Plenty of places had the bad stuff, we did not. Last night on the weather news, they mentioned how we've already had more freezing hours that in all of last winter. No wonder there were so many crops of Mesquite beans on the trees. 

Today was 65 and tomorrow should be just a bit warmer, not cooling down again until Sunday. Sure is nice to not run a heater or two. 

12-19-03

We are getting up to 60° in the afternoon but that's in the sunshine and out of the wind. Brr... I know, other places are LOTS colder but when we're down to the low to mid 20's, it takes lots of sunshine for us to warm up. 

The early morning sunshine is shaded by the trees to the east and south of the house. It's well into the afternoon before the sunshine really gets us warmed up. 

Winter Solstice is coming up on the 22nd, then we can watch the days grow longer again. But it also means the beginning of our BAD winter weather. Not just cold but with rain and sleet and hail. We seldom get much of the beautiful snow and then it is usually short lived.    

12-12-03

It was still at 44° this morning when the front hit so it's just grown colder all day. If it wasn't so warn yet, the light rain would have been sleet, freezing to everything. For some reason Max wouldn't go in his new house- I looked out to see him in his old house out of the rain. He's a smart dog even if he did dig a tunnel from behind his house up and into his house and out again. What a mess.

Yesterday was up into the middle 60's and I spent the entire day digging up the septic drain line. That part was easy. Opening the cleanout was easy enough as well. Our water has such a high calcium level that by the time water gets to the bottom of the drain, the calcium builds up in great chunks in the drain pipe. I'm sure a plumber might say the the line needed replacing. I can, with plenty of time and patience, break up the deposits floating them out of the line and down stream. That is plenty of detail but the hours spent were not enough, I will need another halfway nice day to get out and finish. Today is too brutally cold. It's the wind that gets to me besides being stiff and sore from all the work yesterday.

There is another weather break just now. Where it is raining and where it is already freezing. Oklahoma has issued a storm watch, they already have ice. There is already enough wet on the roadways that if the temperature keeps dropping, all will be iced over. They are reporting 36° right now. Brr. 

 

12-05-03

We had beautiful weather all week in the mid 60's every day. One day to the lower 70's and it was not easy to stay indoors at all. I got quite a bit done but still have lots to finish. Today, it will do good to stay over 40 and I will do well to stay out of the wind - it is brutal. Fierce cold from the North. Finish the newsletter and get some inside chores done. I have yet to finish sorting out the seeds for sharing with everyone. 

Tonight is forecast to be in the mid 20's and that is a hard freeze. Our drain lines can hardly handle the water running on low all night and half of tomorrow. The drain tends to freeze a little and nothing can run through. The plumbing in our new house will be much better than what we have here ! 

11-28-03

Doesn't seem possible that November is almost over. We had another hard freeze last night but I left the water running just a tiny bit and it didn't freeze up. One of my most used outdoor faucets froze up with the last freeze but I didn't know it until it thawed and water was spewing everywhere. What a mess yet to fix. So, I've been carrying water in gallon jugs out to the chickens. 

I read Wanda's notes about their brutal cold and already several feet of snow on the ground. They have snow tires and chains, a wood burning stove and actually look forward to the wintertime. But they never like to get out and have to drive on the ice. What they like is to have the errands run and stay home where it is warm and safe. Our cold has been near record breaking for this early in the season but it has been dry. No rain not even a sprinkle with none in the forecast for the next 7 days anyhow.

Today might get up to the mid 50's but tomorrow is promised to be in the mid 60's and that's working outside weather. We'll be out today but extra layers of clothes and at least a jacket. Sunday is suppose to be in the lower 70's and that would be most excellent. The garden is bleak and forlorn in great need of cleaning and clearing. I want to get started soon on the coming year's new gardens. Fence posts to be finding and planning on new fencing.

 

11-19-03

Our nights are just above freezing but the days have been up in the 70's and 80's today. But the next front should move through on Sunday putting us down to near 25°F - that's a hard freeze for us. As in leave the water running or there won't be any water until the lines thaw.  By 9:30 on a sunny morning, it is warm enough to turn off all the heat. Even with the wind blowing from the north, it gets warm from the sun shining in the two small windows to make it nice indoors. With the cold front, trips outdoors will be limited to essentials. While it is nice, I want to get the water pans cleaned up and the yard tidied- things I don't want to be doing when it's miserable but notice all the same. I want to fix one of the seeds feeders to hold more small seeds. We don't get to buy any thistle or the mix for the goldfinches this year and I will sure miss them.

11-14-03

We've had such mild weather, feels like we are in for bad harsh spell. We've had lows near 35° but nothing has frozen yet. Still getting a few tomatoes off the vines but there's just not much left. More clouds forecast but no rain yet. A few days felt like it could start snowing but the next few days are suppose to hold southern winds and milder temps.

11-06-03

Tuesday's high was in the upper 80's and Tuesday night was 70. That was right before the cold front hit. Yesterday's high was 65 but that was at midnight and it kept dropping to 47 by afternoon. The low last night was 39 and the high today was 39. But it did start raining this afternoon and the wind picked up so the chill factor would make you get right on back inside just as fast as possible. 

Poor Max thought I was punishing him. I covered his hay bales with the corrugated metal sheets to keep them dry and he slept in the rain on the ground. I had to go and show him that he could go inside his house and get his treat. Silly puppy. We went for a walk about noon. I love my new coat- super heavy with a hood that snaps tight enough to keep wind out of my ears. Max has a nice heavy coat but when he gets wet and cold, he stays cold. I must get into the stored boxes and find an old blanket he can have. He tends to chew up anything that makes a ripping noise. 

It has been raining steadily for about 4 hours now. Fairly heavy but not amounting to much yet at all. The forecast gives us a 50% chance of rain all night tonight, tomorrow and tomorrow night. Excellent. We were sure getting way behind and making us think this was staying in more of a drought stage. 

10-27-03

The front hit with frigid cold winds from the North. Saturday and Sunday both were so bitter with no sunshine to warm even the afternoon. The sky is clear this morning and despite the 37 F degrees or so at the coldest, I shut off the heat inside by 9:30. The trees keep the house from getting warm very early.  The leaves are starting to fall but only when there's a brisk wind. To look at the trees, you don't really see any change at all, yet. I went out with the camera yesterday to find something colorful and ended up only taking a few shots of the little ornamental tree with the heart shaped leaves. It is yellow now. 

I have decided to get my act together or rather my yarn and knitting needles in hand and start making some of the socks that Patty gave us the pattern for last year. I still have my needles by my living room chair but the yarn took off for projects unknown and did not return. It wasn't enough though so I want to make some that can be used. 

Our next cold front will bring more North winds but before that happens, I want to cover all the leaks in the house that let in that cold air. These will be the nice days that I want to use for getting out with the brush cutter and start trimming. Making all the weedy areas nice and neat looking. As it gets cold enough, I will scatter my new wildflower seeds for sprouting in the springtime. I'd love to be getting some of the many different colors of bluebonnets going but they are expensive and I doubt I am going to find anyone with any to give away.

 

10-24-03

What a week of hot weather we have had. I was just reading Wanda's Diary notes and reading how they like to fill the wood stove and leave it going but they've been too hot during the daytime. We've been running the air conditioner every afternoon until about sunset or so. BUT there is a front coming through this evening that should drop our temps below normal instead of our being near record highs. Our winds have really picked up so I will go out and check the direction just to see if the front has hit us yet. We were at 90 yesterday and should see 92 today (unless the fronts gets here early.)

In the forecast for this weekend they mentioned the "upper 30's" and that means a possible light frost. Ouch ! Could get the last of the tomatoes. There is nothing else in the garden and while there are lots of new tomatoes, the medium sized have not been growing at all but every few days, I have been finding a few more that are starting to turn a little red.

The oak leaves are starting to turn yellow and fall like rain. The acorns are still falling but it's usually the squirrels or blue jays that feast as the nuts ripen. The trees will keep turning yellow and dropping leaves all fall and winter, never all at once. It doesn't take a freeze for our trees to start turning color. 

 

10-14-03

44° this morning and cold!! Yesterday was 48 with a very cold North wind. The chill factor made me run or at least hurry along! We had a hot day before the front hit and it didn't even cool off at night. But the forecast this morning shows highs in the mid 70's to low 80's with lows in the mid to upper 50's. Most pleasant fall weather just no rain yet.

It's almost 1 p.m. and already the temp is up to 69° and might be up to the lower 80's later. What a beautiful day. 

10-11-03

The forecast for today said to get outdoor activities done early that it would start raining by noon. Okay, I get up early and rush around. By 5:30 a.m. it is raining. Might as well slow down at least. The sound is so nice, refreshing. Getting a good deep watering is what the trees need for the fall, getting ready to rest for the winter. 

For the past week, our lows have been around 65 and highs around 75. Lots of clouds but not a lot of rain. When Phoenix, Arizona got one inch of rain yesterday, it made national news, the flooding that is. We don't even notice unless it gets over 6 inches, then we get flooding. The big city has had to raise taxes to clear creeks of debris. They used to do it routinely every year then we had the ten year drought and they didn't put any more money or time into the project. And it flooded several times before they put any money back into the effort. 

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10-03-03

We've been down to 52 twice this week and that's crisp ! Just another layer of clothing until the day warms but it is sure nice. We'll have two days of warmer and then the next front moves through to cool us down again. Last year was the first year I'd seen the leaves change colors before there was a freeze and it might be that way this year. The grasshoppers are really munching on what is left of the garden veggies and flowers. I won't miss them. 

We only have slight chances of rain but we'd take a good shower or two. If this goes on much longer, I will be needing to deep water the trees. 

I read Wanda's Diary notes early this morning and she is so looking forward to the colder weather. The change in seasons is so special even when the weather does go from hot to freezing cold. They've already had several freezes but the days are still getting hot enough to run the air conditioner. Wednesday we didn't get over 70 and needed no a/c at all. Excellent to look forward to a smaller electric bill.

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09-26-03

Yesterday brought about an inch of rain- no where near enough to do a lot of good but plenty enough to cool us down, give us a day of clouds and south winds and to rinse off all the leaves of the trees and plants. Our forecasts don't yet call for anything below 55. The front that was suppose to bring 50 didn't happen. Just fizzled out but there are still 2 more fronts coming through in the next few days. 

Wanda writes of how they are having freezes every night but nice days. They've had to start firing up the wood stove to stay warm and I haven't even thought about getting out the little electric heaters. It did cross my mind that soon enough I would need to clean off the top of the big propane heater and have it ready to hook up.

As soon as we do get a freeze or two, it will be time to get out the brushcutter and quickly cut all the areas cut before. It is so very nice to have it all nice and tidy and trim and it actually stay that way for months and months. Otherwise, it has grown back well before I get everything finished and I am needing to start over again. 

These are the days of doing indoor chores early while it is too chilly out and be ready as it gets a bit warmer. The highs have been in the upper 80's and that's not too hot to be outside all day long. We are working on our original homesite for building so I like to get a bit done every day.

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09-17-03

The cold fronts are moving through every few days right now and it is so nice. We warm up to about 90 during the day but drop to the 60's or upper 50's at night. To be proper nowadays, we must call this season the native American summer. It loses its romantic ring when you say it that way.

The rain has dried and we are needing more but we are also not getting enough to soak down to the tree roots. We need one of those that pours for two to 3 days and replenishes the water table way down where we get our well water from.

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09-11-03

All week now the weather forecasters have promised that we will have rain today. Since we started out clear and hot, it didn't seem likely. In 30 minutes time we clouded up and there was thunder moving toward us. The rain didn't last long and it started up again just after it quit. By the looks of the radar, we are on the tail end of a big storm system. Excellent. We don't really want the 80 mile per hour winds or the hail with comes with the worst of the storms. 

This is our week for the West Texas Fair and Rodeo and it ALWAYS rains during the fair. I only remember one time when it did not rain. They have dirt to contend with and when it rains, they have mud. We quit going when the price got way too high and the displays were no longer worth going to see. They started charging so much for space that few merchants wanted to participate and individuals just stayed at home since there was so little to the fair. We don't like midway rides or eating junk food so we don't go. 

The Fair and the beginning of fall mark a change in weather. We often get no rain through September but did get about 6 inches this year. Our wind has switched around coming from the North and it is SO very nice to feel that chill in the air. We are scheduled to be to the low 60's for the next few days and that sure makes a nice start to a day. We were only down to about 78 this morning but I'd bet it is cooler out now. So nice. We don't have a drastic change of color as the oak leaves start changing. We do get a beautiful red but it only last for about two weeks and it sure isn't the brilliant color of the maples. I was not able to get a Maple tree from the Arbor Day people to live but yesterday I was searching on plant information and found an article about planting trees in the fall. Just what I was after, now to find a nursery that has such trees available in the fall and not only in the spring. 

Wanda mentions getting down to 38°F last night. They get out tarps and sheets and cover their plants to keep them from being damaged. It will probably be November before we get down that low. I noticed where Colorado was having early snow storms and resorts were considering opening early. Seems they've had lots of requests from cold weather seekers.

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09-03-03

The past 4 days have been absolutely wonderful. Autumn Delight! We had highs 3 days not getting over 70° and total clouds until a little sunshine yesterday. Today started heavy with clouds and misting just a bit. The low this morning was 60 and such a nice crisp feel in the air but there was no wind, absolutely still. I don't mind the mid 80's with the lows staying around 60. We usually don't get cool until sometime into October. We have gone from clear back to heavy clouds in just a matter of minutes.  

I felt bad for Wanda Lynch and the Northwest United States where they were continuing to set record high temps. They had a low one night of 39 but were burning up during the day. She was trying to get her canning done and sweltering in the heat. It made me happy to look at the national forecast map and see that their high today was to be 70 degrees. Happy canning Wanda!! Now, if they could get a few days of rain to put out all those wild fires.

Over two of our cloudy days, we had between 4 and six inches of rain. A wonderful relief since I was going to have to start watering the Pine and Olive trees to keep them from dying. We lost quite a few of the Olive trees this year to last year's drought. They are really shallow rooted and just fall over after they've been dead for a while. But, they are easy to root and get going a bunch of new ones in the spring. It would have to be early since the grasshoppers enjoy stripping the leaves. This year the hoppers didn't eat on the Olives so thoroughly but then most of the trees are already dead. I wish someone had warned me that their spring blooms have a super heavy scent that can be sickening at its peak. I'll move the line of trees just a bit further away from the house. Cough, cough. The wild birds love the olives so the trees will be a regular part of the pharm crop. The oak trees have blooms every bit as aromatic as the Olives and there are thousands of them.

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08-29-03

Low last night was 78° and the high is forecast around 97, then this evening we are promised a cool front. I read Wanda Lynch's notes about how they had been down to 39 degrees and I am hoping they will push some of that nice cool air our way. Aah, relief in sight. They are giving us a really good chance for rain over the next few days with highs not out of the 80's and lows around 60. We've not been that cool in many months now. 

Rains in the area have been few and far between. Those who got a few inches are now dry and wishing for more. What we did get was good to rinse off all the leaves. The hoppers are slowly starting to eat things they usually save for last. The oak leaves are not that popular but already the young growth is ravaged with little left behind.

We don't notice so much the days getting shorter day to day but after a long weekend, see how much later it is before it gets light out. Same for getting darker earlier. It's October 26 before Daylight Savings Time ends for the year. Then it will be dark when Randy goes to work and dark when he gets home. I can do major cleaning and clearing during the week and it's the weekend before he gets to see it. 

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08-22-03

In this past hour, storms have popped up and dropped some sweet rain upon us. Not a lot and the sun is shining again but it was good while it lasted. Max hid in his house. The chickens ran for cover but the turkeys took off for someplace not known. I had found an old pan and put in under a leak in a hose out in the yard. The turkeys have taken it to be their personal watering spot. Well away from the yard and activity. 

Our temps are staying right at "normal" 95 in the day and 75 or so at night. It will be so nice when night temps are dropping into the 60's again. That's a chill in the air. 50's are tolerable and 40's are near freezing!! 

More storms are moving in with the waves of humid air. How sweet it is! Must go turn off the sprinkler and set the feed pans under cover. 

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08-13-03

I mentioned in my Homesteading notes what a beautiful day this has been. Cool at 85 for a high. After two weeks of everyday being over 100 setting a few records, then Monday night, we tied the record low for the day, we hit 67 and that was after not getting below 82 at night for 3 or 4 nights. Whew. This morning it was 62 and there was a distinct chill in the air with the slight North wind. What a welcome change. The thunder started in the early afternoon but by the time the storms got to this point, the thunder quit and the rain has been light. I called Randy to let him know not to put groceries in the back of the truck. Pile everything inside the cab and hurry home. 

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08-08-03

We hit 113 yesterday, time & temp, with an official record high of 107° and it was brutal. I've been soaking down Max's floor (sand) twice a day with nice cold water. Yesterday evening he was miserable but when Randy went to take him off the chain to go for an evening walk, he caught and nearly killed a hen. Randy didn't think to check to see if any prey was unprotected. Just after he got home from work, the storm that had been churning up started pouring rain and the terrific winds blew the gate open. Only a North wind can do that! Max is on my bad puppy list forever, never to be forgiven again. 

The rain shower soaked down about an inch so it wasn't a lot. But it did make everything nicely damp and all the dust was washed from the leaves making plantlife happy and shiny. When the power went off, I had just finished notes for the week's Homesteading Section. All gone and I may not get back to it this week. Wanda sent in lots of beautiful pictures of Baby Kaity so that takes priority!!

We're promised another week of extreme heat. Wanda mentioned in her diary notes this week that by the end of August, they would be having a chill in the morning air and maybe a touch of frost. Ahh, shiver. Just the thought is delicious!

I read another mention of this being global warming. I used to think there might be something to that theory until I happened to see a note on an "old" National Geographic map. There was a spot way, way up North with one of those little arrows and a sentence explaining how explorers had spotted tropical plantlife in an area that had thawed just a bit. So, if this is a global warming trend, it is only re-warming. Our planet has been with a lot warmer temps in areas that are now covered with ice and glaciers. We'd have to ignore what we see to think otherwise. Just because some celebrity types keep saying what they think doesn't make it so. 

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08-06-03

Just called time and temp and they reported 111°F and that is Hot to the Extreme. One little cloud passed over and we dropped to 107. All the little wild birds are hopping around with their beaks open, panting. The chickens are standing in their puddles of water. Max was a bad boy this morning and I didn't get to soak down his house. But he dug down to wetter sand so he wasn't stressed. Oooh, another cloud, yippee!! We don't hold out much hope for any chance of rain. They've even started forecasting 10% and they don't usually do that. We get excited over every cloud that gives us even a few minutes of shade. 

I didn't make weather notes last week since no one else had weather notes. I did update my Homesteading notes and pretty well covered all areas. The garden is so stressed from the scorching sun. Even with the drip on the cukes, the sun just cooks the fruits and vines. The tomatoes are looking fine. The hoppers are eating up the zinnia blooms before they can even open now. We've seen a summer so mild that the cukes keep going into the fall. Boy, it's been a long time since we've had a mild summer. 

It didn't get below 88 in the hallway this morning and it's right at 100 now. We had one day last week where it was 102 but that's rare! Our official at the airport high on Monday was 103. Yesterday, we stayed cloudy and it didn't get over 96 all day. Cold front!!  

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07-25-03

Our local telephone time & temp has been off for weeks now. Their thermometer is in downtown over the sidewalks and always reports about 4 to 5 degrees higher than the official temp. The official thermometer is in a grassy yard under the shade of a big tree. We've had another official 100° day and several at 99. The forecast last night on the weather report says that the middle of next week will bring us another cool front and rain, highs for 3 days in the upper 80's and low 90's. That sounds so good. Our lows are staying right at 80 and that's not cool. Makes it difficult to get everything done early before it gets too hot out. The a/c runs from early until real late.

The Pine trees were looking stressed with patches of brown needles. They are hungry for the acidifier fertilizer. We have 3 Pines and 4 native Mountain Cedars. The cedars are murder on the sinuses and allergies but they make excellent wind break trees. Lately the Russian Olives (NOT a good windbreak) had been looking wilted in the heat of the day. They need regular deep watering but only when there has been no rain.

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07-18-03

Fierce Hot! A few more over 100° days and then a few in the low 90's. I can sure tell the difference. Whew!! The refrigerated a/c unit will only work properly on low. Today's official was 96 but felt much worse. The chickens love their water puddles and are never seen panting even on the worst of days.

We had a brief mist of rain from Hurricane Claudette and clouds for three days but it's back to hot and humid but with little chance of rain any time soon.

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07-10-03

Time and temp just told me it is 103°F right now and that's just about what it feels like out in the sun. Even little kitten burned his paws when he stepped out of the shade. I am keeping the water sprinkler on all day today. The birds love it and it has become necessary to keep everything growing. The cucumbers in the sun are wilted but those already in the shade are very happy. 

The forecast promises no rain chances at all. Where Max sleeps (oh excuse me, guards from) during the day was getting too much afternoon sun to keep him comfortable. So, I gave up another of our old sheets to tack up and make a shade cloth. Just right to give him extra shade. His coloring is dark so he soaks up that sunshine quick. He enjoys it on a cold winter morning when the sun is just peaking up over the tree tops but not in this heat. The humidity stays between 55 & 75%. I still wet down the sand in his "house" early in the morning and it keeps him cool all day long. No more panting and looking so miserable. Now, he has energy, he is hungry more and wants to go out on three adventures every day. 

All these extra tips on keeping critters cool, I learned from Kim in AZ and her Chicken New articles. Thank you Kim!!

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07-04-03

This is always the holiday we hope for rain so there won't be fires started from fireworks. Even the most careful of users have accidents that can cause death and damage. The local television station has been running an ad about the recall of a lot of the products that are just waiting to create fun gone wrong.

Our weather has been clear but the humidity is extremely high staying between 55 and 95%. It makes the refrigerated a/c unit a necessity. I can remember when they were first on the market. My folks didn't buy one until they bought a used unit. It could only cool a place right in front of the fan. It was a stand alone inside a room unit and the water collected below. 

I've had the sprinkler going every afternoon just to keep everything going. The trumpet vine is virtually gone to being a grasshopper snack. But the honeysuckle is looking great. The wild birds sure enjoy the sprinkles; even the hummingbirds like to catch a little spray.

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06-27-03

After several weeks of not getting below 78°F at night, it was our high for yesterday. The great Northwest sent us a most unusual for the season Cold Front. We really have already started Summer Time and can now complain about the high humidity and heat.  We had probably 3 inches of rain and it was so nice not to have to start watering early to get everything by the end of the day. 

The mulch on the garden beds helps make it where I only have to water every other day. The gardening chore for tomorrow will be to put down another heavy layer. The water coming from the soaker hoses will leave a white coating on the plants and most are stunted by this and refuse to grow. The hay mulch keeps it going back to the ground and it made a tremendous difference in the tomato plants. 

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06-19-03

The rains that other parts of the country are getting are all missing us. We could use a good drenching but what appears on the radar, disappears before it reaches us. So, I take advantage of the great weather and try to get caught up on my outdoor chores. 

The rains of two or three weeks ago brought out all the frogs. Most cool croaking we'd not heard in a long time. Max killed one that ventured into his area. There is one that has taken to hanging out around the outside kitten's water bowl. I change the water every morning and night so it's usually clean and cool. One day I thought there was a leaf in the bowl and went to scoop it out. Croak! Make me jump backwards real fast. What a laugh but that was me laughing at myself. 

When I hear folks complaining how they cannot grow a garden with so much rainfall, I tell them to look back to Byron Tumlinson's (Bio-Intensive Gardening) article on how they flourished with 100 inches in just a matter of a few months time. Few crops could not do well but they have tried and succeeded. 

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06-12-03

Did you read Stacy's weather report of so much rain and terrible allergies? We also have stayed with getting regular rains. And Randy with worse allergies than ever! There are so very many wildflowers blooming you can smell them in the wind. 

The wheelbarrow had 6 inches standing easily. The top layer of soil is drying and new seedlings need watering. Randy plans of doing outside work on the new shop but the forecast says at least 20% chance of rain every day with a 40% chance on Sunday when a cold front moves through. Should drop out nightly lows from 75 to 65°F. Friday and Saturday will be in the upper 90's. Looks like they may increase the chance of rain tomorrow night. So often we see the storms build but get really bad by the time they move off to Oklahoma or Louisiana. 

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06-06-03

At about 3:30 this a.m. the thunder was so loud with the sheets of rain hitting the house with surprising force, we had to wait for the storm to move off just to get back to sleep. Sure needed the rain and most of the area was reporting 5 to 6 inch totals. We will steam in the sunshine until the next storm moves on through this evening. My watering chores are done for the day and every last plant and tree has been thoroughly watered. Even the oak leaves have been washed clean. The dust has been settled for the time being.

There are now two leaks in the roof over the hallway. This has been a bad area for a long time and this is making it worse every time it rains. The to do list will now be to get out the roof sealer and the ladder and beg Randy the Brave to climb onto the roof and fix it.

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06-03-03

Last Saturday was 107°F and then we were hit be a wave of cool fronts that kept our nights at record lows and our days in the 60's which is cold for us. The tomato plants look badly stunted but everything else likes the cooler weather. Soon enough we'll be back to suffering heat. 

Our forecast says rain late today but if not, I'll need to be watering. We got a good shower 3 days ago now but it evaporated more than soaked down into the ground. The new seeds and seedlings need moisture in the top layer of soil. I am scrounging up old hay to add to the garden as a mulch which should help. We have a shredder but it isn't working just now and repairs mean time in the shop and a hefty repair bill.

 

05-30-03

I just called Time and Temp and the recorded voice said it is 104°F which should mean that official temp will be 100. It is so miserable out, I can't stand but a few minutes at a time. Even little kitty, Min and puppy, Max, cannot walk on the sand when it's so hot. Even with my shoes and socks, the bottoms of my feet are burned from what time I have been out. Pop, Randy, has taken to going for walks with Max in the early morning before he goes to work. He gets up half an hour earlier just for the romp through the woods. It's the only cool time of the day that isn't dark! 

The last rain is just about dried out of the soil and not much chance of more rain in the forecast. All the birds like a sprinkler going on a day like this; even the hens like to have some water to splash around in. Since there is no hay to be found around here, I might just use Max's swimming pool for Max to play in. All winter and spring, I have used it to cover the bales of hay and keep them dry. We have lots of native grasses that are making lots of grass the chickens just love to eat. One of the last bales of wheat straw has sprouted and has made a nice crop of beautiful grass. The hens will love those tender blades. 

Must make garden notes next week to record how cool it has been for the last two weeks. The tomatoes have not even begun to grow above ground. I can only hope that they are spending their energy growing good deep roots. The nights are finally warm again and the okra has sprouted. Yippee !!

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05-20-03

After I wrote my notes last week, we got a nice rain of about 2 inches; enough to water everything fairly well. This morning we had a good chance of rain. And it rained and it rained. Most of the area only got one to 2 inches but the wheelbarrow says we got more like 4 inches or better. The road turned to mush but we drain quickly. There were big storms that came with lots of thunder and twice I had to shut down the computer and wait out the storm. This silly machine gets really mad at me when I don't shut it down the standard way.

Our high for today was only 58 and our expected low will be 52F. That's cold to us and to the garden plants as well. We've already hit 100 twice this spring and this will only stress the heat loving plants. I wanted to put the red sage out in the garden and it can stand the cool better than the kitchen window any longer. When we warm back up, we might just have some frogs. We brought one with us inside a big plant pot, it popped out the bottom drainage hole and only comes out when it's really wet.

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