Texas Fall/Winter thread!

[farmgirl19]

:laughing::laughing:That just might be the best looking witch I've ever seen.

Awwww. Thank you, bird!

 

[mikim]

I'm voting against it as well BUT all it means if it does fail (hoping) is that we won't be subsidizing the companies that will eventually drill and pump anyway. The city folks will have to pay a little more so the big companies can make their big profits ....but us little guys wells are still gonna drop / dry up because big money always will out and there are more folks in the cities than out here in the sticks so of course they come first. The ruling that we have nothing to say about it has killed us. Next thing is they'll want to say we can't catch rain water because it keeps the water from flowing downstream where "it's needed". Never mind the amount an individual will catch is so small as to be practically nil....they "need" that law on the books to keep it from becoming an industry......Bottom line -- hope I'm old enough to die before I see what is coming to the country. We'll be forced to buy our water from the corporation that pumped it out from under us in the first !@#$% place.

 

[farmgirl19]

mikim; You are correct! T. Boone Pickens has been working that angle for many years now. It isn't just oil and gas he wants to drill for and control. Ultimately, *everyone* will be paying dearly for every drop of water they use. The generation being born today will suffer tremendously.

Speaking of water, is anyone getting rain yet today? I see we have a 70% chance around here, but nothing falling yet. I've picked the garden this morning. It is slowing down, with the cooler temps. Maybe I can keep it going another week, if we get rain.

 

[txdon]

But we all may have our posts removed for being a political discussion in this forum.

Yea, I kind of thought we might get on the fringe of politics when Texas well water entered the thread, but with well mannered Texans, an epic Moderator and a hex throwing Witch we should be well protected....

 

[Bird]

Mike, it could be worse. I learned in 1988 that if you bought land in Colorado, or at least parts of the state, you had to get a permit from the state to drill a water well on your land, and in places, you could not get such a permit. Two brothers from the Dallas area moved up there. One had a motel and the other had a restaurant across the road out in the country. They had a big overhead water tank to supply both, and they bought their own tank truck because they had to go to town and buy water to haul out there. And that was right on the river where it looked like an endless supply of fresh water in the area.

 

[mikim]

I know it's illegal to catch rain in Colorado -- and I'm afraid it's the precedent that will be used against us. ....I can see the day that my well and rain collection will both be nullified. arrrrgh!....but how do they justify saying that God's rain (that falls on private land) belongs to the govt?....don't get it.......and that's one witch that can hex me any day!

 

[Bird]

Speaking of water, is anyone getting rain yet today? I see we have a 70% chance

NWS says Denton has a 70% chance. Early this morning it was "mainly" between 1 p.m. today and 1 a.m. tonight; now it's 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. I'd sure like to see some rain, but I'm supposed to have a Charter Communications installer here this morning to install cable TV/Internet/Telephone, so I hope he gets here and gets that done before the rain.

 

[jinman]

Without saying my choice one way or the other on the state constitution propositions, I find this whole process to be clouded in mystery until the propositions appear on the ballot. There don't seem to be enough town hall type meetings by our representatives to allow local discussions. Of course, some of the propositions effect small or exclusive areas (like the Hidalgo County tax increase). The whole state votes on whether the increase will be allowed, but local voters determine when and how much. It does seem a bit like I'm voting on something that's none of my business. I suppose if a person really gets involved (maybe that's the key) deeply in the process, they might know what is going to come up as a proposition, but I admit that I can have opinions about each of the propositions without knowing the genesis of the measure and the whys and wherefores. Waiting until the propositions appear on the ballot seems less than ideal for the discovery process.:confused2:

 

[Bird]

Jim, I'm afraid most of us voters vote on things that we know little about; kind of like the members of Congress.:laughing:

 

[jinman]

. . . I'm supposed to have a Charter Communications installer here this morning to install cable TV/Internet/Telephone, so I hope he gets here and gets that done before the rain.

Looking at the radar, I think you'll be high and dry, Bird. As a matter of fact, the TCU vs. UT game is probably also safe. The only place that looks like any significant precip is around Sherman. I should have known that when Delkus said it would start in the NW Metro area, it would be the NE Metro area. Sometimes his forecast for rain in my area is the "kiss of death."

 

[Bird]

I can't say I envy the weather forecasters their job, but the forecast is constantly changing. Now it's back to 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. and up to 80% tonight. But that may change next hour.

 

[jinman]

Yep! Weather reporter is probably more accurate than weather forecaster.

 

[Western]

My understanding, is prop 6 with basically justify more water use regulation, approving a $2b start-up from the "rainy day fund" mostly to transfer water from rural to urban areas. Didnt Texans just approve a $6B water plan fund 2-3 years ago???

 

[WM75Guy]

My understanding, is prop 6 with basically justify more water use regulation, approving a $2b start-up from the "rainy day fund" mostly to transfer water from rural to urban areas. Didnt Texans just approve a $6B water plan fund 2-3 years ago???

The plan was approved, just not funded. Prop 6 funds it by taking 2 billon dollars from the state Rainy Day (surplus) funds to establish a pool to fund loans to cities, counties and water districts to fund their water projects. The loans have to be paid back with interest. Prop 6 had been endorsed by the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and the Texas Farm Bureau. I am a member of both and they work to protect the rights of property owners. The ones who are against it and stand to lose are the private financial companies who made loans to or bought bonds from governmental entities. It does not create more regulations. I voted for it.

 

[jinman]

Jim, I used a table spoon of dishwashing detergent with gallon of water and all the ants are lying around dead. It was a quick kill. I'll try a few more mounds.

That tidbit of info did not escape me, Don. Thanks for posting. Considering your success, after the next rain shower I'm gonna of go hunting mounds with my Dawn soap to "clean up" some ants.

 

[pacerron]

That tidbit of info did not escape me, Don. Thanks for posting. Considering your success, after the next rain shower I'm gonna of go hunting mounds with my Dawn soap to "clean up" some ants.

Did TDon mean liquid dish washing soap or powdered dishwasher detergent?

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

The plan was approved, just not funded. Prop 6 funds it by taking 2 billon dollars from the state Rainy Day (surplus) funds to establish a pool to fund loans to cities, counties and water districts to fund their water projects. The loans have to be paid back with interest. Prop 6 had been endorsed by the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and the Texas Farm Bureau. I am a member of both and they work to protect the rights of property owners. The ones who are against it and stand to lose are the private financial companies who made loans to or bought bonds from governmental entities. It does not create more regulations. I voted for it.

I will type the article from the Giddings Times and News. they don't have a website.

Judge Denies water rights party status for property owners.
Lee and Bastrop county landowners to appeal decision.

Landowners in Lee and Bastrop counties have been denied their right to party status in a contested water case.

A group of four landowners had appealed a decision in a case involving water marketing company End Op's application for well registration, operating permits and transfer permits in the State Office of Administrative Hearings.

A State Office of Administrative Hearings Judge denied the landowners had petitioned Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District for the party status to have the right to legally participate in a disputed groundwater pumping permit hearing.

The decision has broad implications throughout Texas for landowners wanting to protect groundwater under their property.

Texas Supreme Court affirmed the ownership of groundwater in place as real property. The decision by the SOAH judge upholds the rule of capture. This means that whoever gets the water first owns it.

It has been noted this ruling, if left to stand, severely limits the rights of landowners to protect their groundwater property rights.

End of article.

This judge has gone and ruled, something that 1 person shouldn't have the power to rule on. How can he overturn what the Texas Supreme Court has already set? Wonder what the Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and the Texas Farm Bureau think about this?

 

[farmgirl19]

jinman; Several years ago, I sprayed out beneficial nematodes for fireant control. We had rains that year, and one could watch the line of where the fireants had been forced to retreat, even across the neighbor's property line, until they were met with the neighbor's chemical use. I had the only area around that was close to fireant free, with only the very occasional mound.

However, those nematodes need some moisture and humidity to survive, and this drought has taken its toll on them. I have thought about putting more out, but until the drought breaks, it is wasting money. They are non-toxic to humans and animals, and totally non-chemical. They will burrow down in the ground and into the ant mounds to eat the fireants. But, if you use chemicals against any other "bug" type pests, you will kill off the nematodes too. Since I am organic here, I am just waiting on Mother Nature to give us back some good soaking Spring and Summer rains, so that I can put those little critters out again, and let them begin feasting!

 

[jinman]

But, if you use chemicals against any other "bug" type pests, you will kill off the nematodes too. Since I am organic here, I am just waiting on Mother Nature to give us back some good soaking Spring and Summer rains, so that I can put those little critters out again, and let them begin feasting!

Yes, I too hate the thought of wiping out beneficial bugs as I stated before. Using chemical insecticides in isolated areas helps me get more of a level playing field to try other remedies. However, even soaps are not selective in choosing which bugs they will kill. I also think that control of fireants in residential developments is different from broad control over acres and acres of property. I don't pretend to know or practice all the correct organic prevention. Heck! I can't even keep the spider mites off the indoor potted mums I bought for my wife.:confused3:

 

[txdon]

Did TDon mean liquid dish washing soap or powdered dishwasher detergent?

"When we lived in Texas, I discovered that soapy water was the most effective tool against fire ant mounds. I used one gallon (recycled milk jug) of hot water and added about a teaspoon of dish liquid. Pour over the mound and it will be gone within 24 hours!"

About three down on this web site:
Homemade Ant Killer Recipes | ThriftyFun

It only works in Texas for some reason, everywhere else you just get clean ants.