Texas Fall/Winter thread!

[Western]

Been to windy and to dry to burn here! We have been under a Red flag warning for 3 days, which in my county exceeds the burn ban. (Red flag days is the county threshold)

Winter grass sure is taking off again, but without some rain, that wont last long.

 

[sseelhoff]

Winter grass sure is taking off again, but without some rain, that wont last long.

Hopefully Wednesday on the rain, according to the forecast here.

 

[Western]

Hopefully Wednesday on the rain, according to the forecast here.

Yeah, we show a 40% chance, but last night the weatherman said "don't expect any measurable amount", so..... That means it will be dry, or we will flood, have tornadoes, you know, the normal routine.

 

[jinman]

Yes, we must respect our elders. But I won't shave my head for our elder.:thumbdown:
hugs, Brandi

What? You won't even try the Sinead O'Connor look? BTW, I don't blame you. My head has never been so cold since I lost my hair. When/if my hair comes back, I ain't shavin' it.

 

[bindian]

We got a 1/2 inch of rain Thursday when the cold front relieved us of humidity.
hugs, Brandi

 

[farmgirl19]

I mowed the lawn today. Even with my "workout" plan that I was doing over the winter months, I found muscles that had been sleeping, while pushing that mower around! :grumpy: I need to hoe in the garden, and also groom on some critters, this weekend. I don't know that next weekend will be quite so nice, so want to do all that I can this weekend.

Breather for a late lunch, then back at it! :cool2:

 

[Western]

Got my 2 soil samples ready to go today:thumbsup: Want to know how the garden is setting up, also want to find out how the dirt is where my fruit trees are before I fertilize them. Now I cant wait to gt the samples back because it always fun to see what the dirt is like:laughing:

Planted 10lbs of Red potatoes and also trying 5lbs of the Yukon Golds, never tried those before. the ground is surprisingly moist 2" down, didnt think the last wintery mix had that moisture and didn't even look in the gauge:confused3:

FG, next weekend is supposed to be decent, tad cooler than this one, but not by much:thumbsup:

 

[farmgirl19]

FG, next weekend is supposed to be decent, tad cooler than this one, but not by much:thumbsup:

Looks like 20 degrees cooler to me. Started at 60* this am and it is 78* now. Long term says 40* next Saturday morning, with a high of 60* :irked:

 

[jinman]

Got my new battery for my little Pontiac Vibe today. My Optima red top was waiting for me at O'Reilly's in Bowie just as promised. The Vibe is so uncluttered under the hood that pulling the old battery and installing a new one was a snap. There was no rust or corrosion on terminals or battery hold-down hardware. One 10mm socket was all we needed. I took the old battery loose at my house and substituted a jumper battery in its place before leaving. When we arrived at the autoparts store, I only had to open the hood, lift out the old battery, and put my jumper battery away. With my grandson there, that was a snap. We were in and out of the store in less than 10 minutes even though they were busy.

The Optima has a platform you install under it to boost its height about 1" so the tie-down clamp fits perfectly. I don't think I've ever changed a battery that was easier. The new battery showed `12.65v before starting the engine and 13.99v when the engine is running. No problems with the charging system.

I'm glad we got the Optima and look forward to many years of service with no leakage or corrosion.

Oh yes, total out-the-door was $235 and change, worth it in my opinion.

 

[sseelhoff]

Got my new battery for my little Pontiac Vibe today. My Optima red top was waiting for me at O'Reilly's in Bowie just as promised. The Vibe is so uncluttered under the hood that pulling the old battery and installing a new one was a snap. There was no rust or corrosion on terminals or battery hold-down hardware. One 10mm socket was all we needed. I took the old battery loose at my house and substituted a jumper battery in its place before leaving. When we arrived at the autoparts store, I only had to open the hood, lift out the old battery, and put my jumper battery away. With my grandson there, that was a snap. We were in and out of the store in less than 10 minutes even though they were busy.

The Optima has a platform you install under it to boost its height about 1" so the tie-down clamp fits perfectly. I don't think I've ever changed a battery that was easier. The new battery showed `12.65v before starting the engine and 13.99v when the engine is running. No problems with the charging system.

I'm glad we got the Optima and look forward to many years of service with no leakage or corrosion.

Oh yes, total out-the-door was $235 and change, worth it in my opinion.

Who would have thought that buying a battery could have been such a positive experience. Many would find that shocking. Most people see replacing a batter as a negative thing. I'm pretty neutral on the matter. Last time I bought one, it was rather expensive, so instead of paying cash, we charged it.

 

[blueriver]

Days like today keep one going till dark ... It was a little breezy .. But was nice and sure got alot done ...

The winter wheat is looking great .. 68 tillers per square ft .. Just need rain so I can get fertilize on it.

Sold another hay system today ... More work and more income .. I love selling quality that folks just find a need to have !!!

 

[Western]

Looks like 20 degrees cooler to me. Started at 60* this am and it is 78* now. Long term says 40* next Saturday morning, with a high of 60* :irked:

That's a "tad":laughing:

 

[bindian]

I mowed the lawn today. Even with my "workout" plan that I was doing over the winter months, I found muscles that had been sleeping, while pushing that mower around! :grumpy: I need to hoe in the garden, and also groom on some critters, this weekend. I don't know that next weekend will be quite so nice, so want to do all that I can this weekend.

Breather for a late lunch, then back at it! :cool2:

FG,
I was standing on a step ladder all afternoon installing lights over my work benches. My calf muscles are aching. But a hot soaking bath helped, after I high dived into my tub.
hugs, Brandi

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

so instead of paying cash, we charged it.

You trickle charged the old one for the umpteenth time right?

 

[Bird]

Days like today keep one going till dark ... It was a little breezy .. But was nice and sure got alot done ...

I'm getting to where half a day's work wears me out. But the weather here really was perfect. I moved the vehicles and other stuff out of the garage, scrubbed the garage floor, and hosed it out, mowed, edged, and trimmed the yard next door, put stuff back in the garage after it dried good, took my wife to Walmart and Sam's Club, touched up some paint chips on her car, then moved everything off the patio into the shop in preparation to clean the deck today and hopefully apply a fresh coat of Sherwin-Williams Deckscape.

 

[Bird]

FG,
I was standing on a step ladder all afternoon installing lights over my work benches. My calf muscles are aching. But a hot soaking bath helped, after I high dived into my tub.
hugs, Brandi

My shop/recreation room has 8, two tube florescent light fixtures. They were T12 tubes with magnetic ballasts. And they've been a nuisance for several years; 4 of them on each of 2 wall switches, but all on the same circuit. And when you flipped a switch on, you never knew whether 1, 2, 3, all 4, or none were going to come on. Sometimes if they didn't come on, you could flip the switch on and off a few times and they'd come on; other times, maybe only one or two.

An electrician told me a year or so ago that the only sure fix would be to replace the T12 and magnetic ballasts with T8 and electronic ballasts. So I've priced those things a lot of places, and on the Internet found "retrofit kits" that show replacing the ends of the fixtures, maybe have to drill new mounting holes for the ballasts, etc.

So I figured I could do that . . . but my wife fussed a bit and was afraid I'd fall and break something . . . so Friday I had the professional electricians here to do the job; couple of real nice kids. And they simply replaced the ballasts (no drilling necessary) and replaced the T12 light tubes with T8 tubes; nothing else; nothing to it, very simple job that I could have done and saved money. Oh well, they left me 4 spare tubes in case any burn out, and guarantee their work for a year.

And I would have had some aching calf muscles myself.

 

[Western]

I built a couple bluebird houses out of 3/4 cedar, was actually quite fun. Got them covered with linseed oil and put up on 8' 3/4 conduit. Coated the one I put out 2 years ago, kinda PO'd the Bluebird pair that has been using it, but they just flew around complaining for a few minutes! renters geeez:laughing:

 

[lostcreekranch]

I built a couple bluebird houses out of 3/4 cedar, was actually quite fun. Got them covered with linseed oil and put up on 8' 3/4 conduit. Coated the one I put out 2 years ago, kinda PO'd the Bluebird pair that has been using it, but they just flew around complaining for a few minutes! renters geeez:laughing:

Dennis;

What is the reason for the linseed oil?

Building a couple myself out of cedar. Have several 12 ft. Pieces of 1x4 rough cedar trim that was replaced by Hardi Trim on previous house.

Thanks!

 

[sseelhoff]

Yeah, we show a 40% chance, but last night the weatherman said "don't expect any measurable amount", so..... That means it will be dry, or we will flood, have tornadoes, you know, the normal routine.

Our meteorologists must have gone to the same school.

 

[Western]

Seals and protects the wood. Was recommended by a member of the N American BB society. ONLY coat the exterior. I bought a pint size can at lowes (you want the "boiled linseed".

Give you a hint I learned several years ago to get then to the house faster, I cut about a 2" piece of Blue coffee can (plastic Folgers can) and screw it on the bottom of my BB house ( where they can see it bottom meant below the door hole). They are attracted to "blue"....Go figure:laughing: Some folks use blue flagging , but that doesn't last very long in Texas. Face the hole east.