Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[flowerbug]

wow to those in the deeper south, i sure don't expect to see those temperatures that far south. i hope you don't have any complications from the cold!

up here, we're not too complicated, the well pipes are deep enough to be under the frost line, even with our worst and longest cold spells it didn't freeze. the house itself will hold heat for a day or so underneath so we have no had problems from the power going out becomming a problem. it could if we get a really severe spell without power but as of yet in 26 years that's not happened.

no complications for animals outside, they have ditches and snow and they're wild if they can't figure it out they won't survive. the two bigger ditches run unfrozen almost all winter in spots so there is access to open water.

p.s. glad to hear your experiment with the strage greens went ok, still no rash or other odd events? blurry vision? no green monteczuma revenge? etc.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I’m getting granddaughters today.

At least that's a positive!!

I wonder if you can bury your "stuff" deep enough to not have to worry about it again? Or build a little well house? IDK, heat tape works but a permanent solution would be nice!

There are only a few areas that aren't underground. Mostly where the lines come out of the well casing and goes to the tank and where it comes out of the tank before it goes back underground to the house. Those areas are wrapped and have never been an issue. But maybe they haven't been an issue because of the heat tape, lol.

Last year we had a problem with an area on the north side of the house. Turns out when we cut into the wall to repair it we noticed there was a lack of insulation in that area. That's probably the only reason it froze - but now I'm paranoid, lol! So, I'm checking everything twice to try and get ahead of any issues. I do NOT want to repeat that experience.

I'll need to move a round bale - probably Wednesday. After that I'll tuck the tractor into a south facing protected area between several bales that will act as a nice windbreak for it.

Noticed last night that some of my stoopid chickens are roosting outside. Tonight, and every night until they learn, I'll toss 'em in their coop and close the pop door until they figure out to stay inside at night. Bird brains!

This is a chance to check how well we've prepared. Hope we haven't forgotten something major, lol!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

p.s. glad to hear your experiment with the strage greens went ok, still no rash or other odd events? blurry vision? no green monteczuma revenge? etc.

Nope - all is well! I was pleasantly surprised!

 

[flowerbug]

all i can suggest about things major is that if you both go out into blowing snow make sure to have a rope between each other so one of you doesn't wander off...

 

[FarmerJamie]

Me too.

Thursday night. 18F
Friday night. 12F
Christmas Eve. 18F
Christmas night. 22F

I’m getting granddaughters today. I’ll leave Christmas Eve, spend night at sister’s house in Conroe and come home Christmas evening. 2 ewes are heavy bred, one is bagging up. She is 8 years old, experienced mom. I’ll turn off water, drain pipes, draw up water in house.

I’ll feed good before I leave. A neighbor has offered to feed, think I’ll take him up on that. I can leave out dog pans with kibble and canned dog food. And I can pre measure out horse and sheep feed. It would make me feel a whole lot better to have someone check on the animals mid day. I don’t want to be gone, but granddaughters, family stuff…… I’ll be worried about my animals until I get home.
No generator. Power goes out frequently. I plan on being miserable.

We are driving south into that mess Thursday as we head to Mississippi. Not looking forward to it

 

[frustratedearthmother]

if you both go out into blowing snow

Yikes!! We only have a very small chance of snow!

We are driving south into that mess Thursday as we head to Mississippi.

Oh dang - nothing like jumping smack dab into the middle of it! Ya'll please be very careful!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Whew - I'm tired! I've been outside most of the day. Temps weren't horrible. I kept busy so I didn't really feel the cold too much.

I had to rebuild a pen in the barn for the Myotonic girls. It started out as a kinda cobbled together pen that was just there for convenience when I needed to stick a goat in there. When I got the Myo girls and started feeding them in there the horses thought they should have everything the goaty girls had. So, my sweet little mini horses turned themselves into horse-dozers and literally created their own access into that pen. Baaaaad horses. So today I rebuilt it with a whole buncha more support. Stoopid horses better stay the heck out or, or, or something bad is gonna happen. I don't know what that might be but I'm sure I can come up with an appropriate tortur... I mean punishmen....I mean negative consequence for them.

Wrapped the one exposed pipe in the barnyard. Moved a bunch of hay and started mulching around some plants. My broccoli plants have tiny little heads of broccoli starting. I really don't want them to freeze! I'm thinking most of the root veggies will be ok. Not sure about potatoes though. Hmmmm....gonna have to look that up.

Picked 90% of the kumquats. The tree is supposed to be hardy down to 15 degrees. Our forecast is for 18 or 19 depending on which weather person you're listening to. I think that's too close for comfort so I'm going to try to provide some protection for it

I wanted to mow today - one last time for the season. However, the lawn mower decided it was already 'retired' for the season. We had a bit of a talk and it got hooked up to the battery charger. Tomorrow, if it's not raining, we will mow. If it rains the lawnmower might get it's wish and not have to do anything else until next spring. Slacker...

I put a pork shoulder in the oven at the crack of dawn. My house smells so good right now! I'm about to pull it out and start munching. Bring on the food coma! Maybe an adult beverage is in order too.

 

[tortoise]

I don't know what that might be but I'm sure I can come up with an appropriate tortur... I mean punishmen....I mean negative consequence for them.

 

[baymule]

Sounds like a productive day! Poor horses only want a little goat feed…… mean ol’ mommy locked them out!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Yesterday - ugh!
I did get quite a bit done before the bad thing happened, which was nice. I picked through most of the round bale that's been out for a while and moved what was left into hay racks or into the garden for mulch. All of that was in prep to put a new bale out. Hopped on the tractor and noticed that it wasn't really happy to start. But it did after another crank. Leaned down to look at all the tires and saw that the same one that was low/flat last time was totally flat AGAIN! I should have gone ahead and moved the dang bale since all the weight would have been on the back tires and the front wouldn't have had much pressure on it. But, noooooo - I decided to be responsible and air up the tire. That means driving out of the pasture and up to the garage to where the air compressor is. Mistake! I rolled the tire off the rim. ARGH! I need a portable air tank that I can fill up at the generator and then take back to the tractor if/when needed.

All this happened around 3 - so I was gonna yank the tire off and run it to town. I get on the driveway and turn the tractor off and go inside to grab a drink. Get back on and turn the key - click, click. I cursed a little and tried one more time and it cranked - thank goodness! Looked down at the fuel gauge and it's below empty - argh. I've always heard that it's terrible if a diesel vehicle runs out of fuel so I panicked. I run around to the shed and find the diesel can and get back to put fuel in before it runs out. Can't turn it off to conserve fuel because I'm afraid it won't start again. Anyway, that crap is heavy! I have to climb up on the tractor to reach the tank and have to try to balance me and the can and hit the hole. I need more practice, lol.

After that - there was no "yanking" of the tire. There was me grunting and groaning and giving it my entire effort to break the lug nuts loose. LOL - and guess who put that tire on after the last time we had to take it to town and get it fixed? That would be me. I didn't really tighten the lug nuts that hard - a least I didn't think I did. We got to town, they fixed the tire (replaced the valve stem) and it's still in the back of my truck. Hopefully, mounting it back on the tractor will be easier than getting it off. Hopefully, moving the round bale this morning will go smoothly. Hopefully the stupid tractor will start! (I left it running about a half-hour yesterday to hopefully charge up the battery.) Hopefully that damn cold front will make a U-turn and go the other way, lol. Hopefully!

Other than that my day went smoothly. Lots more to do today - especially since I lot several hours yesterday. Cold front should be here mid-afternoon Thursday so hopefully I'll have a couple hours that morning if I still need to finish anything up.

Right now I need to finish this coffee and go put that tire on the tractor. Blah....