December on the 'Stead

Must be an omen... Beware the feral Fruit Loop!

Jay, I'm with you...cocoa puffs is best, but fruit loops are pretty good sometimes too. Glad to hear SO is doing better.

Cajun, that last picture is beautiful! I understand though you going through culture shock with the cold and snow.

Had my last MG class tonite. Got 100% on my final exam. I'd been kicking myself if it was any less, since it was an open book test. lol

Good idea on finding calves!

Congrats on the MG exam, Robin! I took that course several years ago & it's been a boon to my gardening for sure! And I enjoyed the volunteer work as well, met all kinds of great people. Pity it's not available out here in my little burg. I'd like to do it again. =0)

Another sunny & even warmer day today, woke up to 39º... come on! Is this for real?! We are bouncing all over w/the overnight temps; that's got to be hard on the plants. Talk about your mixed messages! LOL Big change is it's breezy enough to be really annoying working outside, tho' not quite breezy enough to call windy.

Those fruit loops looked pretty tame, porkpal, just sedately floating in a bowl of milk. I think my inner child was having a mental moment. =0)

I see in Johnny's there is a pipe bender for making hoops out of chain link top rail... has anybody used this? I'm wondering if someone weighing 145# can use it... it'd be a whole lot cheaper to buy the pipe locally than order the completed hoops & have them shipped. Johnny's has smaller ones for conduit for 6' & 4' beds... but the big one for 12' wide hoop houses is the one I'm interested in. Thoughts?

Slightly off topic, but maybe some of you have experienced the normal death from old age of a beloved pet and can give advice. My little dog Wick is 13.5 years old, a Border Collie mix I got from a shelter 7 years ago. My BC book says BCs typically live from 12 to 14 years. She has loved it out here on the ranch, where she gets to run a lot, chase rabbits & coyotes, great dog fun -- she had been a frequent runaway at her previous home. Anyway, in the past 3 or 4 weeks she has slowed down lot and wants to sleep cuddled against me, which is okay because she is warm! In the past 3 or 4 days, she has spent most of her time in bed, and when she goes out she walks very slowly, where she used to run. Her eyes seem not to be as bright as they used to be. Her appetite is not as good as it used to be -- she used to eat anything and everything. She has no fever, no lumps, abdomen feels fine, never associates with other dogs except for my other BC mix, Hope. I have never lost a pet to old age, some tragedy has always befallen them before, so I don't know if Wick is nearing the end of her days. I have searched four dog books and find she has no symptoms of any dog diseases. Night before last she began wheezing and had a rapid heart beat during the night, but last night only a little wheezing. I'm giving her lots of extra attention and loving, keeping her warm, and think it is all I can do. Taking her to the vet in H/O, an hour away, is not really an option. What do you think?

Personally, I think she needs to go to the Vet. What's an hour's drive there and back compared to the companionship of a beloved pet?

I will second the trip to the vet. Over the years we have had many labs that were really active that lived to 12 to 14 years old. Fairly vintage for a large dog. In my experience, we've never seen one go down that quickly. The aging process is normally gradual enough that the adjustments happen before we realize how much we are altering our lives to accomodate the dog.

You are quickly picking up on something being wrong. It may be an internal tumor but it also may be something like congestive heart failure that can be controlled so she can live out the balance of her life in comfort. From past experience, meds for the pets are really economical compared to the same drugs prescribed to humans.

At any rate, a suggestion... on the Southwest Gardening forum, there is a vet ~ Kandredvm. I would dmail her with what you posted and ask her advice. I suspect she wouldn't mind.

Good luck... being a caregiver for a loved one in later years is not easy be it a human or a pet.

I wish our pets lived as long as we do. It's hard to lose such devoted friends. I am keeping by BC inside now. He is nearly 12 and slowing down. Has arthritis in his legs. I give him a smidge of bute paste at night so he can sleep well. I have to bring him to the vet. He has a lypoma that has not given him any problems and I found what I suspect to be another one last night. What has be worried is that one of his testicles is twice the size of the other. This is not normal for him. He has cateracts and his hearing is not good. But he is still the most devoted dog ever and I love him to pieces.

AZgrammie, I agree about taking him to the vet if you can, however, I also know that is not always possible. I googled "free online vet advice" and there were quite few where you could ask a vet a question and get advice.

I sure hope Wick is OK.

My first thought is kidney failure, which can be treated for quite a while before the animal can no longer compensate. Congestive heart failure would be another one, but that is usually accompanied by a long standing cough.

Really, he's a geriatric dog, so lots of chronic things can start to manifest, but they are treatable. Please don't ignore this any longer, don't just chalk it up to inevitable death... take the drive into town for your buddy. Even if you don't or can't do the treatment, at least you can end his suffering.

Here's a little something to bring a smile to your face... it has nothing to do w/homesteading, just joy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0&feature=player_embedded

How much fun was that?! Thanks for posting it.

Hoooo-tay... we set a new record high today here. 66º!!! Nearly 20º higher than average. Supposed to be the same tomorrow. It simply could not have been a more beautiful day, unless it had been in spring & I could have planted something.

Went into town & rented a tiller to break up the new patch, but of course that didn't work quite as planned. It's been so dry the tiller didn't go but a couple inches before it just started polishing the clay. So set the tiller aside & go thru the plot w/a shovel, breaking the clay up–fortunately it was a little moist, so I could jump up & down on the shovel & drive it thru, then pry up a clod. The tiller will break up the clods nicely now.

Next I'm putting down 2-3 inches of aged manure/shavings to till in, then I'm going to water the sucker. Deeply. Then mulch w/more aged stuff. Hey, I think we're about halfway to making coal on the bottom of the manure pile.... the shavings, etc have compressed to form a pretty solid mass that is lovely when damp, but hard as a rock when dry. I mean, you can jump on it, smack it w/a shovel & it is not impressed. I'm going to try to light some one of these days. It'd have horse apples beat all to heck for emergency fuel. LOL

We're finally supposed to get some wetness Wednesday.... 40% chance. We don't start taking things seriously until it's up to 40%... too many 30% have just dried up & blown away (hayuck-yuck). So I definitely want to get this patch done by manana.

Hoo, dang, I just remembered I've got to split some kindling. Tah-tah, lovies.
=oD

Wow! I'd love to have those temps. Our weather is awful. My legs are killing me onight from having to slog around in the snow. I shoveled most of the long drive so we could get the vehicles out. DH had to cancel his heart cath tomorrow because of the weather.

Sounds like you have been really busy. You always accomplish so much. I hope SO is taking pics so we can see your progress. Are you putting up another high tunnel? Sure hope you get the rain you need.

This is more a short tunnel... it's only going to be about 7-8' tall. They're calling these caterpillar tunnels. LOL 12' wide and as long as you like. I'm going to get the pipe bender Johnny's is selling... $70 bucks compared to $550 for another frame kit. I'll buy chain link posts & toprail locally for the frame, so hopefully that will save on shipping. And I'll have a tool that will let me make more caterpillars.... this one is sort of a short, stumpy one being only 24' long. This is the one I'm going to cover in shade fabric for hail protection & wind break for things that don't really need a GH... beans, tomatoes, mid-season lettuce & peas, squash. Oh wait, not the squash. They need bees & this will be enclosed. Hmmm....

I'll be ready for a break & we've got a good chance of something Wednesday. Hooray!

Johnny's has one that don't need to be pollinated.
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-6953-partenon-f1.aspx

It's a hybrid,and will probably not have seeds anyway. I like to save my seeds, or at least have the option to do so.

I'm thinking right now of some way to leave the ends open for the bees somehow, while still being able to close it up when the big winds come. Swinging panels of some sort, placed high up... insects seem to fly up & they get caught in GH, unable to get out. What few bees we did have this year probably died in my GH. =0(

It's a puzzle to be sure but I think you are on to something.

What kind of plastic do you use on your tunnels? I bought a 100' of 4ml (not UV protected) for mine. I have a problem with it tearing on the folds. I wasn't expecting any long term use, just long enough for the tomatoes and peppers to finish riping and it was cheap enough per tunnel. But I need something stronger and more long lasting.

Robin, on my high tunnel I have 5.2 oz. Clear Woven Greenhouse Covering w/UV inhibitors. It's got 85% light transmission & a 4-year warranty. I went w/the woven because it reduces the dripping from condensation. I'm pleased w/it.

I think for low tunnels like you are doing, there are better choices. FarmTek has a number of row covers, from a 6' wide 6 mil, 4 year clear plastic (UV protected) to the various Agribon products, which allow rain to reach the plants, breathe (unlike plastic), and gives excellent insect/wind protection. I use that on all my outside beds. My biggest problem is that it's not available in the widths I need for full grown plants in reasonable lengths... I don't really have a use for 500' of 10' wide row cover. If you get a roll, can I buy some from you? LOL A 1000' roll of the lightweight is only $234 plus s & h. =0)

Seems you couldn't go very high with just 10' wide? I have a green row cover I got from Lowes. It's a big square. Not sure how big. I finally pulled my greens but I still have the cover over the carrots. You can't see it. It is completely covered with snow. I have it up off the carrots. I put 5 gallon buckets around the carrots and cut poles to use as "rafters". It works pretty good for fast contriving. I'll do better into next fall. This was just a trial run for the SFG. I need to make it a bit more narrow.

That's why they're called low tunnels. They really just cover the plant, they're not for walking in. Sand bags are used to hold the sides down, & you remove them to lift the sides & access the plants. Wire hoops are used to give some structure when the wind blows, keeps it from flattening the taller crops, like tomatoes.

I tried the 4'wide beds & also found them a bit wide for comfort. For my height, I think 3 1/2 would probably work... oh but that would mess w/the foot system. LOL Like I never mess w/systems.

I made a great discovery this last year... I got aphids on my lettuce. =0( I had been tardy in getting around to covering them w/the row cover (my bad). But I captured a few lady bugs & released them under the row cover... voila! aphids down to very few, certainly bearable & didn't have to use any chemicals or daily spraying w/the hose.

My bad. I thought we were still talking about the high tunnels.

We get lots of ladybugs here. Maybe I can send you some. LOL Great discovery. Don't you love it when something like that happens.

AZ, how is your dog doing?

I gotta get out and get my work done so I can get my last 2 horses out of here. Need to borrow a smaller trailer and a 4WD truck. This is my driveway right now. Grrr

I do NOT envy you your beautiful snow. Be careful!

Shaq is heading for the feed tub. I was on the porch dipping his feed and that's his cue to go wait by the tub. He loves his grub. LOL

Ew, ick. I sure don't envy you having to haul in that. Blech!

It's really windy here today. Things are banging, bumping & moaning here something fierce. Tomorrow we've got a 50% chance of rain/snow & Friday a 70% chance of snow... I'm hoping, keeping my fingers crossed. We can so use the moisture.

We have wind today too, otherwise nice and warm. Friday is our first chance for rain - 30%, oh whee! We are really dry as well.

We are not dry in the least. The ground was full of water puddles when it froze and snowed. That's fun to tromp through. Those big frozen clods are good to break an ankle. And you can't see them under the snow.

Well my feet are a bit warmer. I have to get back out to work.

Well, I was half right. (Not bad for a half-wit.) I took Wick down to the Valley to a _good_ vet, a 4 hour trip each way, not an hour. She would probably have died if I had not, and not from old age like I thought but because she has some kind of unknown malady, including a high fever. Her symptoms do not match up with anything specific. The vet examined her and said I had three choices, take a bunch of expensive tests, put her down, or try antibiotics. I chose #3. He gave her a shot and a prescription. I brought her home and she has been responding to the anitbiotics -- her tail is up again, she comes to the kitchen for her treats, goes outside to eliminate, watched TV with me last night, all very much like normal; but she still spends a lot of time sleeping/resting. Her breathing is better but not yet back to normal. So I am continuing the antibiotics and watching her carefully, and yes, giving her lots of hugs. I will be going back down to the Valley Christmas Eve and if Wick is not well or nearly so, will take her in to the vet again.

Glad to hear you made it to the vet's & that there was something to do. =0) Yeah, those tests can really rack up a bill; sometimes they help, sometimes they don't.

We're getting snow! Thank heavens... literally! With the high winds yesterday (30 mph sustained, 70 mph gusts) somebody's "controlled burn" got outa hand in the next valley & we had a forest fire... 150 acres consumed, but thankfully the wind died in the evening & now there's moisture. We were put under an evacuation warning around 11 am, but the phone was turned off, so we didn't know 'til late that evening.

It's not a lot of snow yet, little flakes, but it's been coming down steadily all morning. Melting pretty much as soon as it hits, the poor earth just sucking it right up.

So glad the vet was able to help Wick. That makes me smile. I just love dogs and happy endings.

Glad you are finally getting some moisture. We had a drought during the heat of the summer and it got pretty bad. Our creek all but dried up. The creek at the barn over the mountain did dry up and we've been hauling water for months now. We hauled every 3 days. Took a 55gallon drum on the truck. Good thing there are only 2 horses at that barn. Now we just have to take a couple gallons of hot water to melt the ice on top of the tubs. That's not so bad as long as we can drive to the barn but if it snows and they don't salt up the last hill, we have to park at the bottom of the hill and carry the water up by hand. The feed too so that is 2 trips up and down a snow covered hill.

What kind of a nut would think they could carry out a controled burn in that kind of wind? Some people's children.

Yeah, & it's not like it hadn't been predicted for days... hope they send him the bill.

Boy, I'd sure hate to have to haul water & feed up in your weather. Major yuckness. Yep, I'm loving the snow, but as a change, not as a more permanent feature... there's a reason I don't live in Alaska. LOL Or the southern half of this state... I like a little of everything. Potluck weather. =0)

AZ, glad to hear Wick is on the mend. It's sometimes hard to make that call whether or not to go the vet, when you don't know what's wrong, but wonder if it's something really simple or just old age. However, most pet owners feel their pets are every bit as important as our own children.

Whew...we dodged the bullet on this ice/snow storm. Didn't get near as much as was predicted for our area. A little freezing rain, so it's still slick, but it's in the mid 30's right now.

I get nervous around here just burning trash in a 55 gal drum with our wind and it's nothing compared the winds you've been having.
Hope you get enough snow to help, Jay.

And I hope everyone is staying warm and dry.

God was gracious to us too on the weather. Didn't get nearly what was predicted. At least not right around our house. It was worse on both sides of us. It was between a mist and a drizzle most of the day but the temp got up to 38*. A lot of the snow either melted or turned to slush. I am praying the temps don't drop below freezing tonight or there will be sheets of ice everywhere in the morning. Won't have to haul water to the barn for a few days as this melt has the creek running again. That is a blessing.

We did get our horses moved though not without incident. DH tried all day to borrow a 4wd truck and a smaller trailer but was not successful. So about an hour before dark we hitched our big rig up and knew we had to give it a good try. I prayed like I have never prayed before and the truck and trailer moved up the long hill. Just about to the top a vehicle came up the road and all DH could do was pull out into the road in front of them. If he had stopped or even slowed down he would have been done for. Thank the Lord the vehicle saw him in time and stopped for him. He drove up the hill to the church and parked. We lead the 2 horses up the driveway to load them. I was leading Shaq, my BIG TWH gelding who can be a bit jumpy. He walks very fast with big steps but he is respectful and didn't give me any trouble. DH was leading Glory, the mare who put her eye out. She is gentle but does not respect the lead rope. She started pulling DH along on the icy road and he was pulling on her to try and stop her. He was afraid a car was going to come along. His chest was hurting by the time he got her under control then he had to stand in the road until the pain quit. We got them up the road and loaded the mare. DH shut the gate between them and then realized the locking mechanism was frozen shut so we had to haul them next to one another without the gate in place. Had to tie Shaq's head toward the back because he has been known to bite a horse next to him in the trailer. I had to walk back down to the house to get the van, feed, flashlights and a lead rope with a chain shank for the mare. The ride over the mountain was thankfully uneventful. By the time we unloaded next to the highway, it was dark. Then we had to lead them up the hill to the barn. We hayed them well and shut them in for the night. It was so strange last night. I did not realize how often I checked on them at the house. I kept going to the window to see how they were, to see if they needed anything, to make sure the electric fence had not shorted out. It took me a few hours to relax and let it sink in that they were not out in the snow anymore. It is such a relief.

Heard NM got hit with a winter storm...Jay, did you get the snow you needed without serious weather issues?

Cajun (and DH), please be careful.

Darius, how are you faring?

Yes, Robin, we've gotten some nice snow! It snowed lightly all day yesterday, melting as it hit the ground & soaking in. As evening came it started to stick & this morning we awoke to ~4 or 5 inches. It's still snowing those little flakes & we've probably gotten another inch so far this am. That's a good dose of moisture, & I'm confident they've gotten that fire over the hill under control.

Pancakes for breakfast while rejoicing.

It's so nice to have the wood stove going. We have to rotate the dogs thru the bed by the fire, or the River-bum will hog it all day.

Y'all gettin' anything down thar in TX?

Glad to hear things went smoothly w/moving the horses, Cajun. Sliding into the ditch w/a rig can be such a royal pain in the backside.

Darius has been to the caberet... I stole this off her blog.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid271521316?bctid=53156488001

East Texas says no rain, no snow, no how, no where. We are way too dry and as Porkpal said windy. I think we are downhill from Jayrunyens' wind in New Mexico. High fire danger here and worried as it is so wooded with lots of hunters and oil and seismic workers in the woods. Glad your neighboring fire is under control.

Cajun ~ sounds like you have a hard winter ahead. I am glad the horses were offered a stable. You and your honey need to be extra careful in the ice, snow and cold.

I got my chainsaw back from the shop today so am hoping to get some smaller wood cut for the greenhouse this weekend.

Gram ~ I am glad your pup is better and hope the antibiotics will cure the ill. Hard to deal with the sickness or loss of a special friend.

Speaking of antibiotics ~ does anyone lean toward eating the foods that are natural antibiotics? When constantly in the diet, they tend to help your system ward off infection. Do you suppose that would work for our pets too?

I don't see why it wouldn't work for pets too. Now I'm off to search what foods are natural antibiotics. I need all the help I can get. :)

Let us know when you find out.