Early Spring scheduled to end

Nice Linda, that fence sounds fantastic!

Linda,
Take photos please!
WIB,
SW

Aha! SW . . . go to my front yard landscape design thread http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/899514/ (a tome, to be sure, filled with questions and ideas from across this great land and even from Europe responding to my need for assistance in designing this project) and scroll down to the last three replies from me. The first two are photos of the outcome from yesterday; the last is the sleeping lion I want to add to the finished project.

More than you could ever want to know about my process from my design mentors!

Linda

Dry here today, but it's gonna be COLD tonight, I think.

Wet, wet, wet here...and windy...all day. Our windmill fell over! DH had it anchored with cement blocks, but the wind gusts were wild today. I heard a big bang when it went down. Hopefully any damage will be minimal and he can fix it - we love that windmill.

Hope you're able to get your windmill fixed!

Speaking of wet...my sister and I spent the weekend in Death Valley (she was running the Death Valley marathon, and I went along for moral support and to take in the scenery). It was sprinkling a bit on Friday as we were driving in there from Vegas, but of course I reassured her that this was Death Valley and they only get 2 inches of rain a year so it would maybe rain a little more overnight and then a few sprinkles in the morning but it shouldn't bother her much for the race. (She lives in Ohio so she runs all the time in rain and snow, so a few sprinkles wouldn't have been any problem for her).

Boy was I wrong! The day she was running (Saturday) there was close to an inch of rain--they had to switch the race to a different course because the one they usually run was already closed from Friday's rain, and by the time she was done running it was pouring rain and she was running through ankle deep puddles. That night as we were eating dinner overlooking the river of water flowing through the hotel parking lot, we learned that they were closing pretty much all the roads in and out of the park because of flooding so we were starting to think we might be spending a bit more time there than we'd planned!

Fortunately it cleared up a bit yesterday afternoon so we were able to do a bit of sightseeing, and the main road to get back to Vegas opened up as well so we were able to leave this morning as planned. Now that they've had that much rain I think I need to find a way to go back later and see the spring wildflowers--with that amount of rain I think there may be a good show this year!) I'll start a new thread and post some pics of my trip once I get them downloaded from my camera.

So, how did she do?

She finished in just under 5 hrs...she was the 1st Ohio woman to finish the race (and also the last...but we'll forget about that part!) LOL She was disappointed because the "substitute" course was very flat (run down to Badwater and back, all below sea level) vs the original trail they were supposed to run in Titus Canyon went from 3000 ft up to 5000 or so and then down to sea level. The 5000 ft part of that course was under 16 inches of snow and the road to get to it was closed, so they decided to move the race. I'm not sure I believe the 16 inches of snow part because while she was running (and before the rain really started coming down) I'd driven across to the western side of the park to do some hiking and the pass I went through was at ~4900 ft or so and there was barely a dusting of snow)

Well California neighbors, this is Sharon in Las Vegas. If you have rain, we usually have it the next day. We have had wonderful rain for three days. Slow, steady rain. My garden thinks it has been moved to Oregon. After the first day, I was running around in the rain throwing out some fertilizer for the garden just to take advantage of God's present to the Southwest. Usually it just goes around us so when we heard rain, we said, "Oh sure". This morning I was awaken at 5am by heavy rain. I have a Koi pond and it is filled to the top. I feel your pleasure. I have been in Nevada since I was 2 months old. Spent one year in Pittsburgh because my DH was transferred. Never been so cold in my life. If it gets below 80 I am cold. You must realize we have no moisture in the air so when I go to another climate that is colder with moisture in the air, I freeze. I live in a city that gets up to 118. They chamber just does not let that news get out. I have learned to garden from sun up until 10am and then head inside. Anyway, us gardeners are feeling you joy. Final, I was in Fresno and had a wonderful time. I was raised in a mining town before I moved to Las Vegas in 1960. I like the laid back atmosphere of Fresno. Another storm coming our way. Yea. We were in the 70's now we are in he upper 40's. Pray for our DG friends in Australia.

Oh, my, clouds of all sorts about town today. Lovely white cumulus (sp?) following dark black with large patches of blue sky. Thought there'd be lots of intermittent and stormy periods, but alas, nothing but empty threats.

However, there was a tornado touchdown 60 miles from here in Merced and hail south of us. Quite a day in the Central Valley.

Ecrane, Death Valley? Wow! That must have been quite a drive this weekend. And . . . how did each of you do, girl?

And, KC? It's pretty unbelievable that your windmill pooped out on you, isn't it? My my! I sure hope you can get it back up and anchored solidly. I hope it didn't damage anything else in the process.

We are expected to have a dry day tomorrow. I hope the tree trimmer I've scheduled to be here tomorrow doesn't get electrocuted on my roof. I told him he didn't have permission to do so, but you know how these guys are . . . they do what they want to do their way [chuckling]. I can't wait to see how my trees look when he's done. They're full of tons of little tiny branches and will look awesome when he's done with 'em.

A blessed California early spring day to y'all!

Linda

Hey, SK, I crossed paths with you and ecrane.

So, you liked Fresno? Yes, our temps are just a tad lower than yours at times during the summer. But I'll take my tad [chuckling]. Glad to see you on-board.

Linda

There is a reason the water runs after a small amount of rain. About 12 inches below our soil is a layer of hard pan. The rain is only absorbed so far down and then starts running down hill. To start a garden you need dynamite or a rock crusher. Since dynamiter is illegal, you either use the rock crusher at $250.00 per hour or you do not have a great garden I was lucky and had very little hard pan and a landscaper with a very large bulldozer. ecrane, you are right, with all this rain the whole desert will be in full bloom in the spring.

Every time we drive to San Diego to spend two weeks at the beach we always get on the same subject. How in the world did the pioneers make across the desert between Las Vegas and the ocean? If you drive that stretch, you go over one mountain to see another mountain. Try that in a covered wagon. Just something to think about...

Heck, I marvel at my parents and siblings coming here in one car in the 30's. I do remember traveling as a kid w/o air-con (remember the canvas bags of water on the front of the car?). If you've ever been past Torrey Pines, I transcribed a memory by one of the local settlers about reversing up the hill because cars in those days couldn't make it over the hill frontways!! We have things so easy now, thank goodness, but I admire my hardy ancestors going by sea, then wagon, then ye old clunker to get me born in beautiful SoCal!

A neighbor told me we had hail today, though I didn't see it.

Oh my, SK, 12 inches before you hit hardpan?!?! You lucky duck (uh, are there ducks in the desert?) I've hardpan running anywhere from 4-6-8 inches across my entire lot! True, no embellishment here. A number of years ago I put in my own sprinkler system in the front yard. Had to run it from the front flower bed where there is some history of soil enhancement with leaves and such, down the middle and edges of the front lawn. My dear . . . there were some spots where I couldn't get it low enough to place a sprinkler head at the proper height and we kept knocking that stupid head off over and over and over.

Once upon a time I tried to dig a hole for a plant and couldn't get deep enough so I kept digging and filling the hole with water, but just couldn't get further down. I finally figured out that the water was being absorbed at the sides of the hole after I awakened one morning after 24 hours and the water hadn't moved even a smidge. Yep . . . hardpan. No, not clay . . . hardpan. I had a skiploader with a big ol' drill out here last summer to drill out holes for me to plant a dozen stupid metal fence posts. Unbelievable! Nothing goes through hardpan but power!

Hardpan is a well-known evil in Fresno!

Linda

Boy, and I thought our having to use a jackhammer to dig holes was bad!

We have granite. Luckily, DH has an auger attachment. ^_^
WIB,
SW

I was raised in a mining town about 180 miles from Las Vegas, toward the Utah border. My father in the late 50's used dynamite to plant trees and build a basement below the house. We would have to leave the house when he was going to set off the dynamite. He was a boss at the mine so we had full access to Dynamite. Another thing I got from him was, "You do not quit when you are tired, you quit when you are done!!!!! Still implanted in my brain after all these years. After over 35 years. Some of my gardening friends do not like that quote;

One of my sisters and her husband had a house in Agoura Hills, which had the worst soil I've ever seen. It was so chock full of rock, you couldn't get a shovel through it. When you wanted to plant something, you had to soak the ground for days, then use a pick to pentrate it.

Then, you had to fill the hole you'd dug with water. Whatever kind of rocks were in the soil would literally dissolve and the water in the hole would look like milk. After the water seeped through, it was workable and things actually grew well in it.

JasperDale sounds like a lot of talc type rock mixed with granite. I sometimes have to water my holes to dig them deeper, too.
skwinter, they are all sissies, the job ain't done til the tools are cleaned and put away. Never made me popular either, but I have the satisfaction of knowing I've done the job (no matter what it was) well.
DH's Grandfather used dynamite to excavate the old well on the farm. He even built a special bunker (now gone) to store the stuff in. Good for busting up rocks, but dangerous.
WIB,
SW

My dad dug a basement under the house while we were living in it. The house they had purchased for $3000,00 in 1948 only had one bedroom, kitchen and one bathroom. No living room. There were 4 children. Thank goodness i do not remember the first year but I can guarantee we were OK. My parents were always for the family. He worked in the mines and was off on weekends. He would set up the dynamite and then come up stairs and say, "Everyone out of her house". We would stand in the street and then a big boom. After that all of the children were to report to the hole at the side of the house to help remove the debris by wheelbarrow. It was a lot of work as a young child at that time but taught me many life lessons. WE were raised on deer meat that my mother made taste like steak, or rabbits or chickens that we raised. Of course, we never had beef so we did not know what steak tasted like. My dad and a few neighborhood fathers felt that it was deer hunting season when the freezer was empty. The game warden always tried to catch them, but never did. All they were doing was feed their families. You know me, I cannot tell a short story.

Great story skwinter. Very interesting !

GASP!! You mean he blew up the ground under the house???? Oh my . . . not sure I'd want anyone blowing up the ground under my house. The foundation here isn't even managing tree roots, LOL. What a story, skwinter! What a story.

Linda

Isn't that what earthquakes do ? LOL

Great story skwinter. I do believe you. Bet you got tired of breathing rock dust and hauling rocks! Hard work never hurt anyone. I bet your Momma soaked that tasty venison in saltwater overnight to help get rid of the "gamey" taste. I also would bet that she was a dab hand when it came to seasoning. Your Dad and my Grand Dad sound like they had a lot in common. Including "fooling" the game warden! LOL!
I really enjoyed your memory story! ^_^
WIB,
SW

Anyone ever had elk burgers? I don't know how we ever came to have them, but my dad used to bring them home. None of my sisters would eat them, but I loved 'em.

I'm sure I did when I was little. My granddaddy was an experienced (and responsible) hunter. He always got at least one deer or elk a season. His Christmas gifts for friends and family were homemade gloves, made from the hides he tanned himself.

Aaaah, lovely, quiet, gentle rain on my roof-top windows this morning. Rain expected throughout much of the remainder of the week. YES! High 5 to all!! Thunderstorms anticipated this afternoon, though.

Temperatures in the mid- to high 50's and up to low to mid-60's. Thank-you SoCal for sending me these fountains. You are so generous and I love you for your generosity!

Linda