donnerSally- I for one ? believe that BGE is doing all they can under the circumstances.
This all sure reinforces how dependant we are on our electric. My turn is probably about to come. Now that many are back with power and having suffered, they'll understandably want to enjoy their AC this weekend. We might get our first taste of 100% voluntary AC cycling. Annapolis predicts 108 on Saturday!?!? we'll be making do with fans to boost comfort from our thermostat setting of 78 to 80.
I'm also filling up empty room my small freezers with ice in small plastic tubs. We might need to sleep with those on our faces if w have our ac cycled.
Your Neck of the Woods Chat Summer 2012 Part 1
TEN or 11 years ago with sub zero temperatures and a snowstorm we were without power for nine days.
MY little battery powered lamp and kerosene heater came in really handy then,Yeah I know p. u. odors as all about handling kerosene, it was a lot better than freezing. A small generator I keep that is not operating at the moment.(IT runs off of a battery bank,self built and needs new batteries) wouldn't run any a. c, only I sure would feel better passing away in front of a fan than nothing. (I don't get as many jokes from family about why I am like that anymore either) (the gadgets and gizmo thing)
Everybody does what they are naturally taught or trained to do,power line workers are put in extreme situations and dangers. After all think about when your using tools outside or doing outdoor work,it can cause fatigue pretty quickly. Takes a lot people doing what hey can to up hold all the support systems . Nothing and nobody is perfect.(and storms are vicious) nobody need to tell or say that to any of you. Experience ,learn ,and be patient, we all do (mostly) kinda sounds like gardening,doesn't it.
I 'm actually getting concerned about the heat here staying like it has, over 100 degrees and will continue until at least Saturday That will be six or seven days, much too much for here.
Heat is definitely in the forecast. It will also hit 108F in downtown Baltimore this Saturday, but I will be home in Damascus in a cool 101F ;-) I sure hope power holds up when everybody's AC is running :-(. I probably should shut my AC and go sit at Starbucks.
There is no rain in sight. How do you all water your shrubs in this kind of heat? I had some new trees and shrubs last year. I watered them every other day during the summer heat, and some azaleas and dogwoods died of rotten roots. Too much water. This year I have more than 30 newly planted/transplanted shrubs and trees. Is watering once a week too much?
Hello, Hello, Just had a call from John and Ruby, they are alive and well and sweating their Astilbes off. They had power for a couple of hours yesterday and a little rain that helped. Ruby asked I pass word along, so here it is. The old dog minds the heat and John gave up on roofing till his nail gun works, I'm not sure if that was the reference or not. LOL You go John! and thanks for callin' me Ruby! Ric
donner---
I seldom water my shrubs----they are all old and well established, except the Hydrangea. Only the flowers & veggies.
Have not done much watering at all on my lawn either. If the grass goes dormant (yellow) it is NOT dead.
It will recover quickly once we get some rains.
Hmmmm---Maybe I should really cut back my AC if I will be gone for the whole day???
As it is--I keep it around 78*. I have 50% recycling program--can hardly tell....
Every now and then, I can tell that the AC fan is running and running--but it is not getting any cooler.
Then I realize--i must be in the recycle mode at that time.
My house is a 4 level split. I can go all the way down--and it is quite cool (the Shop) but stinky. This is 80% underground.
The 3rd level--my club-room and a spare bedroom--is also nicely cold. Full bath, exit to yard, bar, running water, fridge,
Microwave--in essence--a full apartment. This level is about 50& underground.
Over the years--i have had 5 home-sharers live down there. Knew all but one of them personally.
Any of you w/o power--if you were closer--I would gladly take you in. Gita
I know this is very early to to be offering fall swap plants, but would anyone be interested in nursing a sickly butterfly bush back to health?
It's one of the smaller cultivars, but I have lost the tag. It's supposed to get to only 3-4 feet tall, but it's already almost 5 feet tall.
The problem is that it's full of spider mites, and I'm not very good with disease control and don't want to spray it with anything. Also, I don't get very good air circulation, so I need to replace it with something that's *very* disease resistant.
I'm going to return it to Behnkes before the one year warranty is up, unless someone is interested in it for the fall swap.
What would you recommend as a replacement? I have double red Knockout roses next to it that are doing great, even in this heat and drought.
It's right by the western side of the house, and gets sun from about noon to 6 or 7 or so. I'd like something 4x4 or so. I'm looking for something that actually loves heat and humidity and doesn't mind being close to the brick wall.
Donnerville -- azaleas definitely need regular watering in their early years. I have lost a lot (trust me) by failing to do this. Their roots are very close to the surface, so they dry out easily. (In fact, if you planted them deeply, that will kill them -- maybe it was that they were planted too deep, and not that they were overwatered, that killed them?) I would check the soil before watering -- don't water if it seems to still be moist. Consider mulching. Is it possible the ones that died were in soil with poor drainage? I suppose you could dig them up and put in some pine bark fines or something to improve the soil. Azaleas can be a bit of work for the first few years....
If you can turn off/raise the thermostat for your AC while you are away, this will help the power companies. However, I doubt that their problems getting people back on are [simply] demand; rather, they have lots of damage to repair.
We really have found some old-fashioned wisdom to be helpful, such as keeping the shades down or curtains drawn against the sun. You don't have to live in the dark! Just keep windows shaded on whichever side the sun is streaming at the time.
And, for heavens' sake: keep yourselves hydrated and don't expect to do the usual routines in such conditions!
Power was restored yesterday afternoon. It sure feels good to have running water again - I think that is what I missed more than anything else. Bad news, the home owner's insurance will not cover the removal of the tree leaning over the house after all. If it had hit the house, it would be covered. I wish they had told me that in the beginning. I think I'd rather have that kind of news up front rather than thinking we wouldn't have a huge expense to deal with and then finding out we do. The tree removal service is recommending that the safest way to take it down is with a crane - we are still working with them on other options since the expense is out of pocket, but the crane will likely be the only method they will undertake due to the risk. Estimate is $5K - arghhhhh. I think I'll just float on the pond all weekend and be happy I can flush my toilet without lugging 5 gallon buckets of water up the hill LOL!
Terri, sorry to hear about the tree. Yes, it really is expensive to get trees removed. We paid $6k to have a big tree cut down last year because it was leaning and we didn't want it to fall on our neighbor's house. I would rather pay that kind of money to get a tree planted :-(
Boo Terri, bummer news. Still and all, glad it didn't actually hit the house.
Ditto of course, keep the sun out. Fans do help one feel cooler in limited situations. A fan on me when I wash dishes sure helps.
I have old fashioned A/C in my car--a mister spray bottle of water and the top down in the car! Works well for me.
Terri, that is sure a letdown on the insurance not paying. Doesn't seem at all fair as it would cost them a lot more if it hit the house. Glad to hear you have power again!
I agree that having the toilets flush again was a huge plus. Having the fan again sure makes it more comfortable. We don't use the AC, and as Gita noted, multi-level houses get increasingly cooler the lower you go. Unfortunately during the outage, it was dark down there, so being a bit warmer but able to read seemed a better option.
I think you are justified in consoling yourself with Blizzards. Another option -- at the South Mountain Dairy they had a flier listing the 7 dairies in MD that also serve ice cream, including the one in Point of Rocks. It you go to all 7 and get the flier stamped at each, you can enter their contest for a $50 gift card at the dairy you prefer.
Our AC broke last year and we were without for 24 hrs - I about melted, so I cannot even begin to imagine what being without power for days would do to me...got in my car yesterday and the outside temp was 110!!! I constantly keep the house at 70 degrees, winter and summer - since I am home all day the AC sure gets its workout - we did install an attic fan last year and it helps tremendously on the 3rd floor...as a kid in Norway, on a tiny island way, way north we did lose power and often during the winter, but, that was fine, we had candles, lamps, stoves and fireplaces....water was no big deal, we melted snow :)
Sounds like you were quite prepared on that island, Becky. I liked having a gas stove when I was back in CT, particularly when we were without power. At least we could cook.
We keep it a toasty 57 in the winter, and keep the blinds shut and whatever else we can do in the summer, and usually are at least 10 degrees cooler inside. The primary goal when the house was built was for it to be energy efficient. Many of the trees that had to come down last summer had helped keep us cooler, but I think we would have been up close and personal with them in this past storm if they had not come down then.
Oh yes, life 'back in the day' was much simpler (still love that outdoor toilet) - could I do it today, probably - but, not here in the US...we have 2 huge trees that really should come down - buuuut, they keep the house somewhat shaded when the sun is beating down so we're reluctant to remove them...
Bec "had candles, lamps, stoves and fireplaces..." And a heart shape waffle iron...
We went to DC today for a special shopping outing for our daughter. Walked a bit in the area of the Capital Building, appreciated the shade of the huge oak trees in the green areas there. Some large rose plantings looked horrible, near death. There was a large planting of some Crepe myrtle that was no more than four feet tall blooming away.
Got in the van to come home, the therm said 107 sitting on the top level of parking garage, and did not get below 100 until we were two blocks from home. But I shouldn't even mention it after hearing about Texas drought last year, and record many days above 100.
Everyone - keep as cool as you can tomorrow...supposed 'break' is coming Sunday. I will be doing 'indoor' stuff tomorrow....might even partake in some dreaded house work....ugh
I was to head out this morning for a Kayak run with the kids but I pulled my back out again yesterday. So I am just going to drive up and do a drop and then come home and probably back on the couch for another movie fest.
We are finally fully functioning again. Got our phones back on Tuesday afternoon, power back on Wednesday. Our internet link did not work and the power supply was replaced on Thursday. The router apparently was fried, and consequently I had to feed directly into Pat's (ecnalg) computer. Last night I purchased and installed a new router before going to bed. Now that I'm connected I need to download and wade through 7 days of e-mails and catch up on DG forums so we are up-to-date by the time the next round of predicted strong-to-severe storms hit tomorrow. Whatever happens, at least next week is supposed to be substantially cooler.
David & Pat glad you all are up and running and a big Amen to the cooler temps coming ('cool' being relative of course)!!! Must be the week for replacing routers...all I kept thinking last night was what grandma used to say "gotta be smarter than what you're working with" - LOL. Apparently my 'smart' was delayed..the new router's...wi-fi was not being a good communicator with with the electronics that needed it. Finally, after playing guessing games with the settings...no one is ignoring another any longer...whew
Holly- ow! Hope it eases up soon, and you have enough books and movies to cope.
David- way to git er done, and yeah, can't wait to see cooler temps!
Chantell, way to trouble shoot!
I couldn't even imagine what these temperatures would feel like outside in the concrete jungles we call our cities. I have set for two days in air conditioning catching up to garden journals in my notepad. Except early morning and a very few minutes before dark it is to- to- to" HOT "to do anything!!!!
I am indoors with an air conditioner and I am still hot, 105 today, five days over 102 in row!!
After that storm with no power; My imagination....pointed ears,pitchforks, and little red guys with horns.
Sorry your back is bothering you, Holly. This is sure not one of those times when you'd be anxious to apply heat.
We are very thankful not to be near concrete, and always notice a drop in temperature when we come back from town. As Juhur7 said, it is just too hot to do anything outside, and we're willing to wait on the cleanup work that awaits.
Unofficially 102 in the shade here at 3 pm and rising.
Less than 1/2 inch of rain in last ten weeks (normal rainfall here is 4-5 inches per month) Beginning to see some cracks in the soil...
Can't imagine what a 'severe thunderstorm' would do to trees and power outage situations but hope that what's due to come down tree wise has already come down.
Remember to safely store gasoline for generators well away from the house and that gasoline deteriorates rapidly and should be rotated out every 30 days or so or it will go bad and harm your generator.
If you did or did not loose power this time round, and you have a garage door opener, make sure all members of your family can operate opr open the door when power is out. Several of my newspaper customers were without wheels because vehicle was stuck inside garage during outage and they weren't strong enough to operate manually, or physically able to climb a ladder to release dohickey at top of door!
Later, Judy
Here is a picture of the group going out this morning, Josh & Cortney with Cody, Jen & Mat with Lily & Lucas hope they had a good day on the River I haven't talked to Jen yet. Josh & Cortney are camping out again tonight on one of the islands. Jen & Matt are just doing a day trip with the kids. Back is feeling better this afternoon. Nothing really wrong with the back just muscle spasms. They can be painful but aren't serious.
Pat & David glad you are getting back on line.
Coleup Hot, Hot, Hot. WOW
Holly SO glad you're feeling better!! Those pics are awesome....I'm kinda a little jealous
Oh Chantell, I have a message from Ric. The scent from this corner of the yard is Heavenly.
OMG!! If there were only a breeze from your corner to my door....ahhhhh. I don't have nearly the amt you do but the ones I have - have been in bloom over the past month and yes...I DO enjoy inhaling!!
Chantelle--
Your (my) fragrant "whatever they are" have already bee dug up. The bulbs are quite large--
like a regular daffodil's. Will bring it to the swap. can't plant them much sooner anyway.
I also have a small book for you (a gift) called Dumont's Lexicon of "Herbal Remedies" .
Looks very comprehensive--nice color pictures and all that.
Kind of a padded hard back about 6"x7" in size and an inch thick. Very pretty cover......
Found it at Ollies---for $3.99. You ARE worth that!
Here is a picture of the fragrant, clustered, small Daffs (???)
See if you can figure out what they are.....
They are a bit late in blooming, and after blooming--the stems grow quite tall and take forever to
wither back. Much longer than the regular daffs. Kind of a pain in the butt!
Gita, hope I'm not butting in here, but those look like double daffodil 'Erlicheer' to me. They are late season bloomers so their foliage would also remain longer. Nice pics.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/38286/
Gita - I'll take that 'pain in the butt' any ole day to get the fragrance you're describing! Thank you....thank you!!! May I offer you (at fall get together) one of my Chinese Trumpet Lily Pink Perfection http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/57441/ That herb book sounds perfect - just the right size to take with me when I'm herb shopping...double thank you!!
Sorry for all of you who had to suffer thru power outages and damages
Friend at church went thru an ordeal, while her hubby was in the hospital finding out he had Lyme's disease, as the storms started to roll in her 4 kids were with her parents and they got into a terrible accident(car totalled), but no one seriously hurt (thank God) but her father had a heart attack and they found one artery 99% blocked so they put in a stent, in the mean time she was trying to get back home after checking on everyone at the hospital, storm raging around trees falling, what would have been a 15min trip took over an hour, driveway blocked because downed tree, and find out they have no power, about 10 days without power for them....sheesh
Jen - wow...if that doesn't put things in perspective, I don't know what will. What is your friend's name? I'd like to add her to my prayers.
Her name is Bekah, thanks Chantell....
Yes it does def put it in perspective, she gave her testimony at church this weekend and she said throughout the whole ordeal, she was reminded we are just a vapor and God is the one in control
We left NJ last Monday, so I can't imagine what it has been like there. We fared better than many. Glad everyone seems to be doing okay now.
Gentle hugs for your back, Holly.
Praying for solutions to the tree removal, car repairs, and all the aftermath of the power outages. Our son in Annapolis was w/o until late Sunday afternoon.
Arrived in Oregon this afternoon after driving 3500 miles returning our grandy home after her visit. Lots of heat. Thankful the car held up and the AC worked.
Gosh Jen, truly an ordeal ...I can't imagine.
Jan, glad you had NO ordeals,
There was rain in the forecast for yesterday, but it didn't come until 3am this morning. When I left home at 5am this morning, I saw more rain water in the back of the truck than we got during the thunderstorm last time, and it was still raining. The garde could really use some rain.
What a relief!!!!
Chantelle--
I would love to have your pink Chinese Trumpet Lily. So pretty! Thanks!
I have the Regale "Album" ones, and a couple Regale ones. These have the lavender striped backs.
I say "had" because after transplanting them all from a minute E. bed to my S. bed, there was not much
to see this year. They were pretty sparse this summer. Maybe just "settling in".
Seems the big white ones (forgot name) will not survive. There was just a puny
piece of one bulb when I transplanted them. They were so gorgeous in that small bed....
#1--the Chinese trumpet Regale Lily
#2--the Regale "Album--
#3--The big white ones (pic. from 2010). I bought all of these from (??) in 2009
Yes blessed rain yesterday and then this am I noticed everything wet again....you can just 'hear' the "ahhhhh " coming from the plants!!
Gita - if you remember who you got the Regales from let me know please. I've had this on my 'want' list http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1023/ - will probably plant some this fall. LOL My yard's slowly but surely being filled with 'white' blooms...along with the amazing scent that so many have