AL - Recording baby steps: Newest Addition

[ohiofarmgirl]

hey baby! glad i "cooled" down for you - ugh!

sending tons of hugs... wait, let me fan you with palm fronds and peel you some frozen grapes! and since i'm mixin' strawberry margaritas over at my place..........

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

and since i'm mixin' strawberry margaritas over at my place..........

Oh oh my favorite!!! may I come over, please???!!!

 

[AL]

Yum!!!

It is flapping HOT and no relief in sight. High of 99 or 98 through Tuesday, no chance of rain (except tonight, a 20% chance... woo. hoo. )
I got home from work at 145am and tended the rabbits chickens and horses while it was reasonable outside. Got up at 6 and put the sprinkler on the garden while I ran errands. I need to go pull weeds and restake a few tomatoes, but it is already heat index 101. I guess I will do it early in the morning.

The rabbits are gonna have to be moved. I am trying to figure out how to get the big cage moved under the pecan tree so it will still be in constant shade, but will also be more open to a breeze (even though they are warm too). The chickens just lay in the dirt panting, occasionally getting up to wade through the inch or 2 of water I set out for them in a tote bin lid . Horses are in the barn.... poor Skye is going to have a horrible time if this keeps up. They have pawed at teh ground so much they are destroying the pasture, so I let them out in my yard . Still no grass there, but it is a little better than the pasture. Then I'll move them to my parent's yard, then back to the pasture. I'll run the sprinkler in the east pasture tonight... though it covers so little area it seems kind of pointless.

June 1 always brings back some memories for us Gulf Coast folks. It isn't a magical date when hurricanes mysteriously appear - in fact our busiest time is generally August / September. But at work I have to lead my team in hurricane preparedness, and these are some links we visit during our meeting

http://www.ultimatechase.com/chase_accounts/hurricane_ivan.htm

http://www.2004hurricanes.com/misc-ivan-photos.html

and the most flashback inducing:
http://www.ultimatechase.com/YouTube/Hurricane_Videos/Hurricane_Ivan_Video.htm

 

[Denim Deb]

I could not live in Florida, or any other spot that had to worry about that kind of destruction from a hurricane! And while we've had hurricanes go thru this area, at least we're far enough inland that by the time they get here, they've lost enough punch to mainly just dump several inches of rain, blow down some trees, and do some minor wind damage.

 

[JRmom]

So sorry to hear about Buford. *hugs*

Wow, you are having much hotter weather than I am. Low to mid-90s here, and the humidity hasn't been bad at all. "Perfect" weather I say! Plus, we had a good day of rain earlier this week when that tropical system went through the middle of the state. Dreading July and August though... unless we start getting afternoon rain showers.

 

[AL]

I'll take hurricanes over tornadoes, earthquakes, floods and wild fire anyday!!
Thanks... I feel better, but I still miss him on his bed or in the shade.

WOW it was 104 today with an index of 106!!! WOW...

Of course we were right out in the middle of it. I tended teh critters and then took my 3 nephews (13, 16, 19), brother and a stray teen boy fishing. The first pond we fished in was moving kind of slow and I was roasting, so we headed over to a far pond where nobody else was (stocked catfish ponds on a great big Mennonite farm). The wind was blowing pretty hard there so we didn't expect much, but we ended up coming home with over 100lbs of catfish . Fortunately, I finance and provide transportation so I do NOT have to clean them hehehehe. The boys had a great time, my brother was the biggest kid out there and I have a smaller account and a huge "hot headache". Bottles of water and gatorade later we were all pretty content with our haul.

While they cleaned fish I tended my poor rabbits and chickens. I made a huge mud puddle under the pecan tree for the chickens (and we fed them the row from the fish - they had a fit!). I gave the rabbits fresh water and 2 frozen bottles each. My dad is going to give me a fan to put in their shelter. If this keeps up they will become air condition bunnies.

We sprayed the horses down, filled the dog's pool and then I took the boys home. They are going to the dirt track races tonight and I am supposed to go out to some downtown restaurant with friends. I would definitely rather stay home and relax!

I meant to get photos of the farmer's fields for OFGs blog.... just now can see tiny growth in the rows. I asked the farmer at the ponds about tomatoes and he said he didn't know when or if they were ever going to really make. They had a couple bushels of peas and some corn, but nothing like the big piles of it they usually have.

This is my pasture though. We are 16inches below normal rainfall, with the last significant rain back around March 9.

This is my west side yard.... every night I spend a few minutes spraying that one little spot with the hose. See any difference?

Poor cooked chickens before I wet the chickenyard

My Tuffy chick.... feather footed little ping pong ball of cuteness!!

 

[valmom]

Aw, I just saw this about Buford, too. Many condolences. I had my dogs cremated and they are in a cabinet in my house- when I get cremated I want all of our ashes to be scattered together. Our vet sends out for the cremation and they come back with the ashes in beautiful carved wooden boxes. I still miss my heart dog- I knew from the moment she was born she was my heart. I don't know why, but it still makes me sad when I remember her and it has been years.

 

[AL]

thanks... that is a cool idea!

Rio goes in tomorrow for his massive knee surgery. I realized last night it will be 2wks to the day since I lost Buford. SO my nervous Nellie just skyrocketed into Panicking Patsy! I am totally projecting my feelings onto the poor dog - I think he looks sad and in pain, he just wants to lay in the AC and get treats from my mom.

It is already heat index of 100, but I have fed adn watered the rabbits and chickens, turned out the big flock to the yard, picked an armload of mustard greens and a few tomatoes. I gave my rabbits some frozen blueberries and they loved them!

Yesterday I took all of the "trimmings" from cleaning fish and put them in one of my compost piles. This pile is fenced in so hopefully the dogs won't get in , dig up the perfume and roll in it

Still have to go feed the horses and give Skye her shower to cool her off. I am going to be tending a friend's animals (20 something cats!!) while she is laid up recovering from foot surgery, so I have to go meet with her in a bit. I work today and tomorrow, then I am off until Sunday so I can make sure Rio does ok.

30% chance of rain over the next few days - we are sure praying.


ETA - my Tuffy chick is still cranking along, but I think sometimes he has some breathing trouble. I am going to start transitioning it outside with a frozen water bottle - maybe being in the AC is effecting it some.

 

[BarredBuff]

Shew I cant stand heat. Its hot here but nothing like that. Im more of a snow and cold person

 

[Farmfresh]

We are at a heat index of 102 already this morning and an actual temp of 92!

Yup. Summer is HERE!