California winter #2

Hope she lays lots of eggs~

Found a link for the weather info, in case anyone wants to share. http://weatherwest.com/current_weather/

Yes, thanks, QG. Wish you'd passed on news with an occasional 1/2 day break or two, tho.

Ima, pretty little blossom. I've got rose trees with miniatures at the top which have only little pink blossoms, no leaves. Odd looking.

I have a photo of a rose I often use as a photo to identify myself rather than a picture of this 60+YO face. It's the pic with the praying mantis in the center. I've not had any aphids in my roses in the rear yard for 2 years and while I haven't seen any evidence of a colony of PMs I am assuming they live here because of the lack of aphids. Quite remarkable that they can stay hidden so well for the entire season.

Don't have any hatches to batten down any longer, as the sailboats are all gone now. But we do have furniture to make sure is covered and will go check it out tomorrow a.m.

Linda and The MopTops

Thanks Kathleen, good site. It will be interesting to see if they update that and how frequently. I usually take the 'storm' warning with a grain of salt, being as how we seem to be in the shelter of the Ortegas and get little rain. But this looks pretty positive! Stocked the shelves and fridge, hate to schlep groceries in the rain. Getting everything else around here put away and giving the horses and goats better shelter (they are spoiled). Hate to have trash cans blow down the street.

Just what I need: MORE blasted palm fronds in the coming days...
You'd never guess there's rain due by how beautiful it was today.

I can't wait for these storms. I love the rain!!!!!

Ima... beautiful!!!!! I need to get out and prune...I guess it will have to wait.
But, look what's blooming again. My Double Treat mini rose and the flower is not too small.

And what's up with Gallardia blooming in Jan???

And I thought these were late blooming bulbs???? Confused?????

QG,
I'm glad to hear you've been on the mend, and I know exactly what you mean about aging overnight.
Hang in there sweetie. When I came home from TX when Dad died, my house was worse than yours. I went on strike. Didn't do any good. Just drove me nuts. Don't do anything other than take care of yourself. We need you! The mess can wait, and they (your kids) need to learn how to do for themselves. It's been a battle but mine are finally starting to get it. You need help, call me!
One note, in our area we are more likely to have coyote and feral dogs inter-breed, which is more dangerous than a wolf / coyote mix. Yes, they can all interbreed. Problem with the coydogs is they aren't afraid of people.
Dad told me his first job on the farm when he was three years old, was to go out with a stick and chase the coyotes away from the chickens and turkeys.
Twincol, what can I possibly say to you except, how sorry I am about your four footed furry friend. I was devastated when I lost my half pit and half Dalmation mix dog, named Blessing. DH is the one who encouraged me to take Spirit into my heart. He is a big goof, but he makes me laugh. When the time is right another four footed companion will find you. My heart goes out to you. I am facing the same situation with my two older girls (mutt dogs).
I'm sure you all know that I've been having problems with the computer. Terry at DG Admin seems to have corrected the problem. For which I'm very grateful. I was starting to go through withdrawals. LOL!
With the weather changing, and the rain coming, I've been spending a lot of time, working on getting things ready for the rain. I even managed to get some strange poppies planted. Tomorrow, no matter how cold it is, I'm going to the top of the hill and scattering California Poppy seeds. Hopefully some will get established. Then it's just a matter of gravity and enough rainfall.
We are losing so many of our native wildflowers, sigh . . .
I love my cats Sally, I like your sign. I just resent having to be their chambermaid. LOL! I'd like to take out a pane of glass and put in a kitty door leading into the Jacuzzi room so they can get to their cat box. Right now, I'm up and down a lot opening the door for them brats! My pet cats don't like being out at night, and the ferals hide under the cabin. BB Jr. hangs out on the roof or sleeps on the back porch with the dogs. Then again, he's dragged home full grown rabbits before. Nobody messes with BB Jr.. Such a sweetie too. Unless you are messing with his females (all spayed and he's neutered but he doesn't seem to know that), that is.
The good news is that when it starts to rain, I'll be able to start a new thread for all of us! I promise you'll like it, and you should all be able to participate. ; - )
imapigeon, I hope she lays lots of eggs too!
claudcat, I'm still trying to figure out why lots of things are blooming early and why I still have that beefsteak tomato bush growing. All the others died a month or more ago.
JD are you talking about those long skinny palm fronds? I hate them too.
Must be the "mild" winter/ El Nino weather. So get out your wellies, 'cause it's going to be raining soon. Thank God!
Enjoy the photos, keep 'em coming.
Hope the folks below the burn areas are going to be okay, and that we don't have any more shakers for awhile. The one last night was a jolt. DH heard it coming again. I was up and walking off the pain, and didn't hear, just felt it.
Be careful with the driving in the rain.
WIB!
SW

Hey SW, glad to have you back, I was wondering where you were. We do have a love/hate relationship with these computers, don't we? We have been doing that for a couple months now.

Good idea with the wildflower seeds. I have some in the garage, that are too old, but heck, they may have a chance. I also have some perennial packets in the house I could scrape some dirt off and scatter those and cover. I have some 'done' compost I am thinking of putting in a trash can to put in the garage since it is near a spot that is known to 'pond' with a lot of rain. Guess I should get some other tree 'starts' in the ground too. DH, mostly, and DD have been doing the yard stuff, but they have no interest the plants. I, too, have out-of-season buds, but on my gardenia bush and the tomato plants potted in Oct are still growing, albeit slowly.

I am hoping we don't have more electrical problems with this storm, we only just got the last of the items fixed this week (yay, I have an oven) from the SDG&E caused problem with the Dec 14th rain. Have been forgetting to call them to let them know I am on oxygen now. DH has this sequential leg pump he needs to use each night, and they have that, so we do get some priority now. We have been saying for years we need to get a generator, preferably propane as we have that. With the generator we would at least be able to run our well and since we have gas range, we could cook. It would be nice to have the fridges covered to. To heck with TV and computers, though I would like to keep up with y'all. Missed not having wi fi in the hospital.

Linda, A belated, but heartfelt condolence. Those of us 'animal people' know what a grand chunk of our heart is held by those critters - wether we have one or a dozen. I sometimes just look at whoever is curled on my lap, or standing in front of me and get teary thinking of the hurt to come.

Lynda

Lynda,
You still have my phone #. Give me a call. Start taking better care of yourself girl. You're supposed to help me with the RU, if nothing else moral support. : - )
I'm awfully glad my DH finally got the built in Microwave fixed, but it sure is hard to lift the stuff over my shoulders to put it in the microwave. Ahh well.
Ovens are really nice to have working. I'm glad yours is fixed.
In between showers, if you can get your DH or kids to plant those trees and bushes, scatter seeds, this is the time for our area. That way the seasonal rains help water them in.
I did scatter poppy seeds all over the top of the "saddle" on the hill behind my house. I'm thinking of going back for more seed.
I think I mistakenly said I found them at HD, but they came from Lowe's. They were $2/pack, and there were thousands of seeds in that pack. They have bare root roses and trees for sale right now. Spent most of yesterday and today getting things ready for the rains.
Got that warped fascia baseboard replaced outside. Yea!
Not sure yet about the low spot on the back porch that drains into the Jacuzzi area. I hope I fixed it, I'll know tomorrow. It ain't pretty though. LOL!
I have to do a computer update, and hopefully it won't take forever, so if you don't hear from me tomorrow, either we've lost power, or I'm having computer problems again.
Drive careful in the rain y'all!
Oh, I am so surprised, I have berries on my Potato Bush!
WIB!
SW

Well, I am taking it easier now, and did not shovel compost. We covered it with an old plastic swimming pool that was on its way to the trash cans. Some rain will get in, but hopefully not enough to wash it away. Have a big bag to add to it that I keep in the fridge, but no one else cares, and they say 'later' so it will wait.

I was catching up with a couple friends in the medical field yesterday and they were emphasizing how I need to rest more, should wear a mask while cleaning or going out against germs and dust. I don't do well in recovering when I don't feel bad. Heck, I was washing the kitchen floor 6 days after my caesarean!

DH said I am obsessed with this rain, but does anyone else follow along on weather.com, put in your zip code and go to the 'hour by hour' tab and you can see the % of precipitation expected. They were right on at it starting at 4PM yesterday. Anyway, I am disappointed to see low percentages for Tuesday, but I guess it is good that the rain can soak in before more comes. I just hope all the hype is not for naught again!

Claudcat, lovely photos. Yes, a bit confused, it would seem. But then, given the temps, aren't we all? It's 54 degrees outside and the rain is coming down pretty heavily.

But speaking about confused, the mockingbirds and finches are about flapping their wings in the rain and eating from my stashes. The finch socks I have have been only partially filled since late last summer when the finches seem to have deserted them. But they're back, the finches, that is, and they're eating the seed. So I need to get out there with the sieve and clean the seed then fill the socks up. But it sure seems early for them to show up, the finches, that is .

The birds seem to have broadcast the news that Ezio isn't coming and going with their movement this season. Olivia isn't up to taking up the slack, as it were. So they're in birdie heaven, LOL.

BTW, let me ask you . . . I have a neighbor who has an outdoor birdcage with, oh what are those black and white birds? larger than parakeets, smaller than parrots? Well, they're covered up, but those guys'n girls are out there throughout the winter with temps down to freezingish. But I hear them squawking it up and chirping. And they're out there all summer long, with temps up over 100. How on earth can they manage such temps? UNBELIEVABLE!! That reminds me, I must try to find the DVD about the birds of San Francisco, ummmm Telegraph Hill? I loved that film.

Linda and The MopTops

Ooops, not supposed to talk about birds, sorry.

And I meant to say to you, SW, QG, you take care of yourselves. Take it slow enuf to heal and nimbly enuf to keep your bodies healthy. Your flowers need you, your family needs you, you need you, we need you.

Linda and The MopTops

Birds, birds, birds, birds, birds...more birds!!!!! LOL

They probably have heaters in the outdoor aviary, Twincol. So don't worry about them so much.
As KC said, Birds, birds, birds and more birds!
Cold and rainy but am warm and snug for now. Roads are flooded in some areas though and we are due for more rain now that it's cleared out of the LA basin it's, headed east towards us.
We need it though.
WIB!
SW

Yes, but I could do without the flickering lights. Hope DH has the generator hooked up in case we need it. He will really flip out if the power goes off - his new TV arrived today! LOL

Gee, I am envious. I have been after DH for years to get us a generator. Someday. Hope you don't need it and that John can watch his new tv.
I went out to check my rain gauge. I was so disappointed to discover that it had somehow been turned sideways. I'm going to have to secure it better. Anyway, even sideways, it still had a tenth of an inch of water in it.
We also have a new lake. Hope to get photos of it tomorrow. LOL! You know I'll be out there making a drainage channel and bridge. I'll dress warm and wear the rainsuit and my wellies.
I don't mind the rain, but the cold really hurts.
Wanted to send you all a photo to cheer you up. This is a red penta out in the gh, I took this photo the other day, but I really like it. Would have shared it then but was unable to log on to DG.
Enjoy!
WIB~
SW

We've been getting hammered off and on, but it's not the sustained downpour we got earlier this winter. It's breezy---gusts up to about 20---but it's not all that bad here. Of course, I'm not out on the road.....

I was earlier, and the water was sheeting over the surface of the road. Already some flooding going on out here. Around here if the two surface streets that cross Salt Creek are covered with water, make a U turn, and go to the 215 fwy to get into Sun City. Some day our new little city will have to build a bridge. Have it on good authority, (had lunch with one of the City Council Members today), that they've been working really hard to clean out those storm drains. Unfortunately they built more houses than the infrastructure of our town can support.
I just hope people are careful no matter where they are driving. I couldn't believe how many people have forgotten the first rule of safe driving.
Never drive faster than conditions permit. People were passing me in a 60 mph zone, and I was doing 60 mph. I did slow down a lot more on the way home when the rain was really pouring down.
Even then people were passing me. I was beginning to feel like a little old lady from Sun City (oh wait I fit that description now!). I'm a very cautious (scared stupid) driver. I am not scared of my driving but everyone else's.
Okay be careful out there on the roads!
Another photo. This is that strange Blue Bird that's been spotted several times on the farm. It actually came into my yard on Jan. 10th and I got several photos. Have posted one of them to the Bird Watching forum for help with ID.
Also posted a series of 6 photos of this guy on Dad's Memory Thread.
Enjoy!
WIB!
SW
WIB!
SW

Lovely bird, SW. We have several ponds now, but unless we continue with the same volume of rain (and weather.com says not), they will be gone by tomorrow. Our river bottom soil lets it all soak in.

We got Decomposed Granite, so we'll see, QG. Our new lake may soak in, but I doubt it.
Hope you are well today. It wasn't too bad outside, and really late this afternoon I did see a small patch of blue sky.
You get some rest, and stay out of the rain til you are all better! We didn't get to visit long enough the day you came by to get the Society Garlic. Be good to yourself, first!
I'll change out the memory chip in my camera, and take photos of the mud if the lake be gone. LOL!
~Hugs to QG~
WIB,
SW

Looks like a jay to me, SW.

Lights stopped flickering. :-) Delivery company brought the wrong TV the first time, so they had to come back later. LOL Right in the middle of the strongest downpour of the day. Picture is great - DH is happy.

My gallardia is going nuts, too, claudcat.

QG was right it did soak in, but the lake is forming again.
KC, I found out it is a Scrub Jay. We have Stellar (sp?) Jays, but never saw a Western Scrub Jay before! : - )
The seasonal creek (Sweetwater Creek), is flowing too. Hoping for a break in the rain before dark so I can get photos.
WIB,
SW

Birds? Did someone say birds on this thread and forum? lol
Well, let me show you what was hanging out in my backyard yesterday during the rain. I put the camera flat against the window and couldn't believe how well it came out. He/she has been hanging out around here for several weeks, as I feed the birds in the winter. It must have got one about 2 weeks ago as there were feathers all over the place one day. :-(

Don't know what type of hawk it is but it was a small one.
It doesn't look like it was raining during this pic, but it was windy and raining for sure.

We have more scrub jays than any others here---maybe yours was blown south from here, SW. Had a big flock of bushtits and an oak titmouse taking advantage of a nice break in the weather earlier. Oops--better get off the bird kick. DH and I took advantage of the same break to clean out the gutters on the yurt. You all wanted to know that..... Pouring here again now; lightning and thunder, which we rarely get!!

Thanks for the head's up, ima, we know it's heading down here to us.
I was out digging drainage channels, so I think you can talk about your gutters and the birds, SoCal and ima.
SoCal, that is a pretty good photo considering what you were working against. Birds are way cool. I got a photo of a hawk (I think) today when it wasn't raining, poor baby, all his feathers were wet and all rucked up.They have a hard time flying when they are so waterlogged. Poor feathered friends.
Since the last time I checked the rain gauge is now showing 9/10ths of an inch of rain. More is coming in today too. I should go dump it out, but am out of dry shoes, and can't find my wellies. : - (
Maybe I left them on the back porch. I'll go look.
WIB,
SW

Did you all hear about the tornado warnings? LA/Long Beach to Oxnard this afternoon. DH and I cracked up. People like my DSS say, "it's just a little rain, folks" but they don't realize how crazy CA gets when we have weather! LOL Seriously hope the burned areas are doing OK, though.

We had thunder and lightning, rain, pouring rain too! It did get a little scary every now and again! :-)
Just as I was pulling the trash cans out, a huge BANG! above me and a flash, followed by a sheet of water! I never ran faster!!!

I thought I heard thunder coming, then realized it was the Marines at Camp Pendleton (bless their hearts) doing artillery practice. LOL Gets me all the time, as it's a background noise, not real close. I wonder if they make a point to do some of it in/after the rain - less chance of fire.

Even up here we can hear the noise from Camp Pendleton occasionally. When we looked at some property in Fallbrook years ago we saw the smallest bit of ocean from the ridge and also realized there would not be much to absorb the Pendleton sounds from there. We had no thunder and lightning yesterday. That is one of the few things I miss from Wisconsin. That and green. I was a kid when we lived there, so I enjoyed the snow, but as an adult would not want that much of it.

After a dry night and morning and most of the puddles soaking in, I noticed that when it started raining it puddled immediately. All the water is just below the surface. But it only rained a couple hours here. As soon as it stopped we had our neighbor and his old tractor come over to help move some dirt into the horses corrals. They had huge puddles in the middle, so maybe this will give them more area to walk on without wading. When driving to pick up DD, saw less fortunate horses that had huge fenced in areas that had turned into ponds and only about an 8X8 area to stand without their feet in the water. With what they are saying is supposed to be the biggest storm coming, I feel bad for them.

We Californians, especially Southern Cal, are a riot to be making such a big deal about rain - but it is such a novelty and something our infrastructure has difficulty handling. I still like the idea of walking in it and watching it. DH thinks I am weird.

QG,
So good to hear from you, I was worried. I do that really good, you know, worry that is.
I don't think you are weird for liking to walk in the rain, but worry about your health. So Don't! Not until you are better any way.
I heard a rumble I thought was thunder yesterday, then I realized it was someone driving with an empty trailer too fast on our dirt road. Laugh was on me.
KC, I didn't hear the artillery yesterday. I can tell you from personal experience that they train during the rain so the Marines learn how to do it in adverse conditions. The fire retardant factor is just a bonus. They never know what kind of weather the Marines will have to work in. Be prepared, and if it's a fubar, improvise! My step dad was a Drill Instructor and he had to be there in the rain to show them what to do when things didn't go as planned. I learned a lot from him.
My new drainage systems are working, but I'd sure like to go to Lowes and get some rain gutter and a water barrel for the one area that causes my jacuzzi room to flood. I really want to use the Jacuzzi.
Hang in there folks, we've got more coming our way.
Oh, and QG, I love thunderstorms, I like to go out and watch them. Maybe I'll get that long sought photo of a lightning flash. I did see a double rainbow on the news last night. Hope to get a rainbow shot too. Am keeping my camera with me now, if I walk out the door the camera is attached to me.
Be careful, and take care on the roads. : - )
WIB!
SW

Shot from the one break in the weather we got yesterday afternoon. Rain started up again about 3:30 this morning, and it's been pretty steady ever since. All the work DH did last fall on our drainage system has definitely paid off---no standing water, except where the neighbors' yards drain into ours. WOOHOO!!

Gosh, I am so envious that you got that rainbow photo. It's beautiful ima. : - )
The rain is headed our way.
Before I went in for my tune up, today, I did some more work with plastic and the staple gun to try make a run off gutter type thing that empties into an old wagon. So far with what little rain we have had this morning it seems to be working, but I don't know if it will withstand a hard rain like we had yesterday or if it will fall apart. Just making do with the materials at hand. If it works I'll take a photo. Too tired and damp to consider it right now.
WIB,
SW

Don't mind a little thunder and lightning now and then, but I can live without ever again seeing the sheet lightning we had a couple of years ago.

We saw major sheet lightning (not really) when a squirrel got inside an electric transformer box a few years ago. It blew the power out for the entire street. We got all new appliances as a result from So. Cal. Edison. Poor squirrel...R.I.P.

Back to the rainstorm: I've had the sump pump running here since 3:30 this afternoon. The water in the garden was 6" deep. It's now only 3" deep. The soil can't hold another drop.

Tomorrow I'll go down and look at where the L.A. River empties into the ocean...you wouldn't believe what ends up down here from up there.

We actually had waves here today.

Donna...looks perhaps like a peregrine falcon. Well, between yesterday and today I think we've seen all of the weather Calif. has to offer. Left yesterday about 1 p.m. heading to Northern Ca. Really, really treacherous going up to about Corona. Saw quite a few accidents.I always have the radio set on 1070 AM for the freeway reports when heading from here toward the Grapevine..heard about the mini tornado that touched down in Seal / Sunset Beach, tore up roofs (rooves? lol), overturned a car, blew out a store 8x10 plate glass window in Costa Mesa. The Grapevine was snowing and CHP running escorts, but by the time we reached there, it was clear..pretty with snow on the ridges. We decided we'd best head back home today since we got all of our business taken care of early enough and tomorrow is supposed to be the worst day of all...we were going to head straight home, but the 'Vine was closed due to more snow and so had to cut over through Los Banos/ Gilroy (hello again to pigeon) to take the 101. Looked longingly at the Monterey cutoff but knew it was yet another trip where I would not get to stop at the Aquarium...sigh.
Just got home, got unloaded and will have to wait until a.m. to see if we had any trees blown down while we were gone...or pots blown away...

After hours of off and on rain and wind yesterday I prayed, "Rain rain go away, come again another day," and lo and behold here it comes. We had 6 PGE trucks, several HUGE ones, sink into mud up to and into their axles, wheel hubs. Even with the amount of clay and hard pan hereabouts, these silly trucks sank!!!

Are all flying critters off topic? Let me ask a question, is now the time to crawl up into the eaves of my house in the front yard and knock the wasp nest down to be discarded? Is there a reason to keep it (other than to rescue the "babies")? Do they eat my root-devouring ants? Inquiring minds want to know.

Hang on . . . thunder and lightening today. Olivia will be grateful today to be nearly deaf.

She's actually done well on the vet's medicinal intervention in her pain syndrome. Thank goodness, as she was actually failing and I just wasn't ready to lose my second in the first month of the year. Doin' good. Doin' the happy dance here, for the time being.

{{H}}
Linda

JD, take your camera and get photos of the LA river. Did you know that they use to run steam boats up the LA river. I saw a picture some where and I just couldn't believe it myself, at the time.
WC, I am glad that you made it home safely, and I hope that all your trees were strong and are still standing, and you didn't loose any pots.
Linda, you have my deepest sympathy. I am sad to report I lost my buddy, Berthold the Chinese Goose. ES came in and told me that he had died of old age. Bless his heart. See photo.
I cried for a while 'cause Bertie was so gentle that he would eat right out of your hand and never nip a finger. He'd always Honk, hello when he saw us. He was brave too, and more than once alerted us to coyote attacks and once when the bobcat/cougar came by thinking he'd get a quick bite. His spirit and his Honk will be sorely missed. I feel really bad for his daughter, Pretty Gertie. She hasn't honked once since we buried him. She does have chickens and a peacock for company though.
My son took care of digging the grave under the walnut out back, we covered it with the dog house to keep our dogs from undoing his work. All of our small pets are buried there. Still very sad.
Linda, I am glad that your Olivia is suffering less pain, and she is still with you to comfort you.
Twincol, yes get rid of those old nests now. Great time, although I'd spray them if you suspect someone might be in there with that Raid spray that shoots out like 20 feet, first. Most of them are either dormant or hunkering down to keep warm if they are still alive. I've got that huge one on the underside of the eave of the cabin, that I want to get rid of, myself.
Meat wasps eat me, I don't think they touch ants, but could be wrong. I usually see them eating on carrion, and sometimes they bother the dogs. Usually right after I've fed them. I try to feed the dogs when the wasps aren't active. The only thing I've ever seen eat wasps was a peahen who loved to run around the Pumpkin Patch and catch them. Peep was a great pea hen.
My son is growing up and being more responsible. Then again too, he was trying to soften the blow, he knows I am attached to my pets, and get emotional when they die.
Before I know it, at this rate, I will wake up one morning and ES will be all grown up!
WIB,
SW