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Garden Gate:  Sweating, Sunburns.... In the Garden  |
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CMac
True Blue Farmgirl
1074 Posts
Connie
Ashland City
TN
USA
1074 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 20 2011 : 07:09:27 AM
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Hey Kris, That storm rolled through here during the night. We got about an inch of rain. The wind was awful! Woke us all up. We heard that train sound for about 30 sec. and then it was gone. I was sitting up wide eyed deciding what to do. The storm part did not last very long. Now it is cloudy with sprinkles and 56 degrees. Hope the storm is as short lived for you. Be safe!
Connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company."
Author: Henry David Thoreau |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Apr 20 2011 : 07:27:08 AM
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Connie, I was just out back cleaning water troughs and buckets and notices the big privet tree was broken in half. Abby goat was munching away on it. A very happy goat. There are alot of big branches all over the yard and pasture too. It didn't last long but the power went off once but came back on. I didn't even turn the tv on because we have Dish and a little bit of rain wipes it out. S I knew this would keep it off for awhile. I will go see what it did around here. I am so glad y'all didn't get a tornado but I bet someone did close by. This is great for the garden though. And ducks.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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CMac
True Blue Farmgirl
1074 Posts
Connie
Ashland City
TN
USA
1074 Posts |
Posted - Apr 20 2011 : 07:47:55 AM
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Ha! The ducks and frogs are not complaining for sure! We have no damage here at the city house. There are lots of leaves and small limbs down but nothing that is a problem. Have to go check the farm later today. Some counties west of us had real damage. They haven't said if it was tornado or straight line wind yet. Our cable goes out when the weather is bad to. The weather radio went on the fritz last night too. I'll have to pick one up on the way to the farm. It was terrible not knowing what was going on. We have so many tornados around here.
It is damp and cool right now. I'll be weeding the flower beds here at the city house this morning. Again. I hate to spend on mulch for a place I'll be leaving soon. But I am spending a lot of time weeding.
Hope there is not a lot of damage in your neck of the woods.
Connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company."
Author: Henry David Thoreau |
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CMac
True Blue Farmgirl
1074 Posts
Connie
Ashland City
TN
USA
1074 Posts |
Posted - Apr 20 2011 : 7:32:28 PM
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I did a tour of our main drag when I went to pick up my G daughter today. Counted no less than 6 houses with trees down on them. Lot's of downed limbs too. I guess that noise we heard was a tornado. It was loud and fast moving. I said a prayer of gratitude during that drive. My sweet grand baby was sleeping in the next room. Thank God we were spared. Those huge old maple trees will not stand forever but please God let them stand till we are gone.
Connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company."
Author: Henry David Thoreau |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Apr 20 2011 : 7:41:23 PM
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Connie, my goodness, I bet that was scary. I'm so glad your family is ok. That sounds like what we had back in March here. Trees all over houses and cars. There were 2 people killed. I saw on the weather channel earlier today that there have already been almost 300 tornadoes so far in April alone. This is crazy weather. A drought in some states, flooding in others, winter hanging on in others and wild fires raging in Texas, New Mexico and Colorado. Ya just never know what April will bring.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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CMac
True Blue Farmgirl
1074 Posts
Connie
Ashland City
TN
USA
1074 Posts |
Posted - Apr 20 2011 : 8:03:09 PM
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Thanks Kris. I know! Now that I know folks at least by name and posts from here I see the news/weather and can't help but wonder who is coping with what. It's funny that you seem to get our weather about 12 hours later. I actually thought about you after the worst of the storm, around 3:30 am. I just knew it was headed your way. I watched the weather and it was supposed to weaken by the time it got to you. I thought about sending an email!
If this weather is any indication of what summer is going to be like it should be interesting.
We are supposed to have our 13 year locusts this year. Do y'all have them? I need to google when they hatch. I can't remember from the last time.
Locust, flood,fire,drought. When toads start falling from the sky let me know!
Connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company."
Author: Henry David Thoreau |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Apr 21 2011 : 07:52:43 AM
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Connie, I was woken ealry this morning about 1 with very loud thunder and very bright lightening. Again. It lasted for hours it seemed. Power went out for a minute. Man, I hate this. Also on the walk we saw a huge oak tree that was blown over. And it was broken at the base. It didn't just fall over at the roots. It was broken. Maybe it was struck by lightening. And it looks like more rain. It's cool too. This is perfect for the tomatoes though. To get them established without the really hot heat. ANd my beets are popping up too. So it looks good so far out in the garden.
I don't know about the locusts. But I did see a dead frog on the road on our walk this morning. Oh no! I thought it was strange. So maybe it fell from the sky. Instead of cats and dogs it's raining frogs!
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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CMac
True Blue Farmgirl
1074 Posts
Connie
Ashland City
TN
USA
1074 Posts |
Posted - Apr 21 2011 : 12:42:04 PM
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LOL! How many plagues were there? I'm glad you are OK. I'm a bit tired of the storms. It can rain more but enough with the wind! The trees here were broken too. The storm before that there were some up rooted. The farm is fine. I have this awful anxiety about something happening to the new place before we get moved in. I guess because it has taken so long.
I have never grown beets. I'd like to next year. I'll need so good recipes. I did not grow up eating them so I have never tried them. I've had pickled beets but that's it. Embarrassing for a 54 year old to admit!
Connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company."
Author: Henry David Thoreau |
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Dusky Beauty
True Blue Farmgirl
1108 Posts
Jen
Tonopah
AZ
USA
1108 Posts |
Posted - Apr 21 2011 : 7:44:09 PM
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Today, hubby and I got to work on our first, honest to goodness, garden patch. We tilled up a 20x20 ft square in the front corner of the back yard the old fashioned way; shovel, rake, and sending our kiddos behind us picking out weeds, roots and rocks.
I was apartment bound (container patio garden) for the first several years of my adult life, leased this place 2 years ago, got permission to garden it up at the end of the growing season the first year, fell pregnant the next, and finally got my round to it!
I drug my broken toe outside (stupid story, don't ask. I'm not about to let any excuses keep me indoors this year!)and it was the best possible day you could ask for to garden in Phoenix. About 80 degrees, with a lovely breeze right in our faces drying our sweat, and the dirt was *gorgeous*. A rich dark reddish brown with a teeny bit of sand, and earthworm rich!
From my "wish garden" box last year, I have on hand : Peaches & Cream Sweet corn, Kentucky Blue Pole Beans, a packet of Cherokee Wax yellow beans, Romaine Lettuce (my fave!) 2 varieties of watermelons, garlic and sweet spanish yellow onions. Last year (planted while I wasn't yet full preggo-waddle status)I did snap peas and beans in a row along my back porch, and this year I extended that row and did broccoli and cantalopes last week. I still want to pick up some zucchini, and I'll probably do some good herbs in my porch pots. I've got tomato seeds, and I'm debating weather I should plant the seeds, or just get some started plants from lowes. My growing season down here goes well into october, so I could probably get away with either way, except I've never raised tomatoes from seeds before.
Since I'm just getting my feet wet on real life gardening, I'm really trying for beginner level stuff. I'm getting fowl for my bug pests (still debating the merits of chickens vs. Campbell ducks) and I've got a top notch couple of dogs for my varmint pests. As long as I come up with more than 4 salads, I'm way ahead of last year! lol
After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.” ~Will Rogers |
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CMac
True Blue Farmgirl
1074 Posts
Connie
Ashland City
TN
USA
1074 Posts |
Posted - Apr 21 2011 : 8:38:02 PM
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Wonderful Jennifer! Just do it and learn. Research does lessen the learning curve but getting your hands dirty and working in your garden everyday teaches things you didn't even know to ask. I'm still learning all these years later. I'm gonna grow beets, chard and artichokes next year for the first time. Just never tried to grow them so I think I want a new type of planting to learn from.
You will do fine. Some plants will too. Some won't. Just the way it goes!
Have fun with it!
Connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company."
Author: Henry David Thoreau |
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Dorinda
True Blue Farmgirl
1023 Posts
Dorinda
St. Cloud
Florida
USA
1023 Posts |
Posted - Apr 22 2011 : 05:17:22 AM
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Hi Kris, So happy you are in your garden. My garden is in full bloom right now except for my Tomatoes. I have been cutting squash and eggplant so far. My potatoes also have been coming on a little slow this year. They have not bloomed yet. I wish we would get some rain we need some so badly. I think that would help alot. Any ways also our Datyl peppers are doing great so we will have alot of pepper sauce to make and give as presents this year at the end of summer. If you would like a bottle I will mail it to you. Just let me know. My tomatoe plants are big and bushy just not alot of Tomatoes yet. Also I bought some thornless blackberrie plants to try this year. I will not get any blackberries though for a couple of years. Anyways happy gardening and have a hoppy easter!!
Seize The Day!
Dorinda |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Apr 22 2011 : 05:25:28 AM
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Jennifer, on the ducks V chickens, in a garden ducks are better. They are messy and will sqish a plant so they have to be bigger when the ducks go in. But they will eat bugs and not veggies. Chickens will peck on every little veggie out there. Especially ripe juicy tomatoes. Every time. And what's even better than ducks are guinnes. Much better. I miss mine but not enough to get more right now. The other thing about ducks, you'd have to watch them around the watermelon and canteloupe because they will waddle around and mess the plants up. I know, I have had them.
As far as starting tomato seeds, they are easy. Then when they are about 6" tall, plant them. They need to be staked so tomato cages work or just a stick with twine works good. I do both. My tomatoea are doing great so far. All the cloudy days are doing wonders for them at the start. And the beets are popping up! I see more potatoes popping up every day now. Sp I should have a full row pretty soon. No beans yet. It's been a week tomorrow.
We have had so much rain that the gorund is saturated right now. I cannot even get in the garden. I am walking around it. But not in it. I'd sink to my knees.
Y'all have fun in your gardens. Plant new things. Try new ways.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Dusky Beauty
True Blue Farmgirl
1108 Posts
Jen
Tonopah
AZ
USA
1108 Posts |
Posted - Apr 22 2011 : 10:12:08 AM
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Thanks Connie!I have 3 excellent homesteading books, but to be honest, just reading some of the garden sections goes over my head (like reading about computer networking if you're not very familiar with computers.) Even if the vermin and horses wreak havoc there's no substitute for the hands on experience I'll get. I asked another local about tomatoes, she says they need afternoon shade because they scorch in summer's direct sun, so I guess I'll do them in my pots so I can drag them under the shade, and get more pots-- or stick my herbs in a corner by the veggies...
Kris, thanks for sharing! Ducks it is! Ive got a hankering for duck eggs.
After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.” ~Will Rogers |
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Dusky Beauty
True Blue Farmgirl
1108 Posts
Jen
Tonopah
AZ
USA
1108 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2011 : 8:53:35 PM
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Ok, I'm proud of myself. Hubby and I took the kids to the water park an hour away, stayed for six hours, came home. I only intended to water the garden before dark, but instead I planted 3 more rows of seeds I picked up this morning to fill my empty spots. Kinda proud of myself for finding the energy to work at the end of a long day!
After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.” ~Will Rogers |
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paulas party flowers
True Blue Farmgirl
191 Posts
paula
golden valley
az
USA
191 Posts |
Posted - Apr 24 2011 : 07:40:45 AM
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hi jennifer.. I am in arizona too..north of you. Phoenix is where you are? Tomatoes for me have been a lot of trial and error..mostly error. Years ago I had beautiful tomatoes. But since the wind blows pretty hard every day, combined with our heat just frys them..then it gets so hot the blossoms don't fruit. Come fall when cooler weather comes, here comes tomatoes then frost.. I try to leave them until the last minute to let them get big. So this year iam trying pots in the shade and sheltered from the sun.. The air is so dry here, I think that has alot to do with it to. The herbs do really well....my lavender is in full bloom right now..hope to harvest this week. Happy gardening........
the best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched.they must be felt with the heart. Helen Keller |
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CMac
True Blue Farmgirl
1074 Posts
Connie
Ashland City
TN
USA
1074 Posts |
Posted - Apr 24 2011 : 07:50:33 AM
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BIG thunder storm just rolled through here. Lots of lightning and 1.08 inches of rain in an hour and forty five min. They say there was rotation but nothing touched down here. Looks like a safe but soggy Easter!
Connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company."
Author: Henry David Thoreau |
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Dusky Beauty
True Blue Farmgirl
1108 Posts
Jen
Tonopah
AZ
USA
1108 Posts |
Posted - Apr 24 2011 : 9:14:47 PM
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Paula,
I'm about 40 miles west of Phoenix, and my weather varies only a little from what they get in metro. I had a gorgeous patch of rosemary and sugar peas, then my well meaning brother "weeded" my bed for me :O
Some things take off, some things don't, which is why I did so much variety.
After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.” ~Will Rogers |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Apr 25 2011 : 04:01:44 AM
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Dorinda, I don't know why I just now saw your post. Sorry. We have had so much rain here. I'm surprised you haven't down there. Do you sell your veggies or is this all for y'all? I have done that but won't be this year. I am about out of alot of stuff so this is the restocking year for us. There are some things I need to throw out too. Make room for the new fresh veggies!! And yes, I would love some of the hot sauce. I will swap you for some soap or whatever. Let me know.
We will get out tiller fixed next time hubby's home. I have the gear in the car, waiting on some money now. I have to get a new windshield this week. It's been losing the black rubber seals for a long time now. And a few weeks ago I locked the keys in so my SIL came to help. The only way to get in was to lift the windshield and reach my arm in to unlock it. That was great but then while he was pushing the window back in it cracked in 3 places. So 3 cracks about 3" long have turned into some really pretty window art now. And they have made little baby cracks too. And it's SO loud while driving. SO that will be $170. Then I had to pay my tiller guy $180. for the garden. Isn't that an awful lot? So I hope hubby makes enough for that.
Connie, we never got any rain here yesterday. It was cloudy and really hot but that's it. I'm glad you were ok. We are supposed to get some of that this week though.
Jennifer, y'all are swimming already? Must be nice. And I have to walk around with my hubby when he has the weed whacker. He will whack everything down. Men are just that way. A friend's hubby told their son to weed the strawberry bed and he took everything out. Men!
My garden looks good so far. I have seen some beets. I will check the beans today to see if any have come up.
I hope everyone has a great week.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Apr 25 2011 : 7:26:17 PM
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I got some FREE toamto and bell pepper plants today! I am so excited! I have a friend who plants a few acres in mostly tomatoes and some other veggies for the market. he had some extras and said I could have them! So I will plant them tomorrow. I also got 2 huge Rutger tomaot plants with flowers on them! So I will have early tomatoes. I can hardly wait.
And I saw my 2 rows of beans coming up!!! I have got to get that tiller fixed so I can plant more. But it's supposed to rain the next few days.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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CMac
True Blue Farmgirl
1074 Posts
Connie
Ashland City
TN
USA
1074 Posts |
Posted - Apr 25 2011 : 8:28:34 PM
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Yea for free plants! Enjoy your garden, I love hearing about it! I can't wait till next year so I can really grow some things.
I think the ground is warm enough here for me to plant my pole beans now. I am totally out so I am really looking forward to home grown and canned beans.
Connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company."
Author: Henry David Thoreau |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Apr 26 2011 : 07:21:18 AM
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Connie, I have about 10 jars of beans left. So this is my canning year. I just planted 21 free tomato plants and the 2 I bought. And the 6 pepper plants. That is alot of work. I first have to go rake up under the cedar trees in the goat and chicken yard for that free black gold soil. I'll dig a hole, put a big hand full of that in first, then the plant, then water real good, then cover with the existing dirt, then put more black gold on top. Then I pour about a 1/2 cup of the manure tea around the plant. I have already put tomato cages around the first 20 Rutger plants. And that's all I have. So I will use wooden stakes and twine to stake these. I am still going to get some heirloom tomato plants from a friend who grows them. SO I have 43 tomato plants right now and will be getting more. I will mulch them real good with grass clippings and old hay.
I went to a friend's place yesterday. They are starting to do the no till gardening. She said she started by laying newspaper real thick, then soaking it real good. Then adds a thin layer of good soil. Then plants seeds or plants then mulches really deep. She had a bed of cabbage and broccoli plants real close together that were about 2' high and probably 2' around. It really looked good. I have been gathering cardboard boxes and mom has been saving all their newspapers and I have grocery bags. So I am going to start doing this. I am going to go get a few truckloads of sawdust and start composting grass clippings and get old hay from around here. This will save me alot of money. It cost $180. to have my garden turned then tilled. And we'll have to spend about $100 on the tiller to get it going again. Has anyone else heard of this? There is a blog I just love called www.farmama.com. They are in Pueblo, Col. and they have a few acres they do this with. They have a big market garden and greenhouses. Y'll should check it out. They are amazing people.
Ok, as usual, I didn't get the right blog address for farmama. You could just type in farmama and it should come up. Sorry. She is just one of my favorite blogs to go visit every day. I have to see what they have been up to.
We are supposed to be getting some storms rolling in any time now. Tomorrow will be the worst. SO get ready, Connie. Here they come. I don't know if you'll get them first or us. We are already 5" over the drought mark.
kris
Happiness is simple. |
Edited by - kristin sherrill on Apr 26 2011 08:40:11 AM |
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CMac
True Blue Farmgirl
1074 Posts
Connie
Ashland City
TN
USA
1074 Posts |
Posted - Apr 27 2011 : 09:24:24 AM
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The garden report is so exciting! I am living through your gardening this year! I have heard about this type of gardening. In fact that is exactly what we have done for where we plan to plant the beans this year. I want to do the same for the expansion next year. Hopefully I'll get some of that done this summer. It should be ready to plant by spring.
We are fighting the weather right now. Night before last I was up reading when the wind turned ferocious. I was swinging my legs over the edge of the bed to get everyone up and down stairs when I heard a huge CRACK and then the sound of a tree falling right out side my window. We lost a 100 year old maple. Well. at least we lost the top 30 feet of it. Just cracked right off. It was healthy, no rot in the trunk. We spent the next hour huddled in the downstairs. We got lucky and the house was not damaged. It came so close it knocked the flag pole off the column and busted an urn on the stairs. So it came with in inches of the house. Next door a tree came up by the roots and missed 6 cars by inches. I feel so lucky! Youngest son called a friend a they cleaned up the mess and stacked the firewood for next year. If it would stop raining I'd clean up the sawdust for the compost.
Just an hour ago lightening struck a half block away. Lit up the room I was in. I am soooo tired of this!
Connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company."
Author: Henry David Thoreau |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Apr 27 2011 : 10:17:52 AM
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Connie, I'm so glad you're all ok and there was no damage to your home. I told my DD to save the wood, we;d use it for firewood next winter. There should be plenty. So the sky was nice and blue with the sun shining and now it's windy and cloudy again. They said this one is fast. But the worst of it could miss us in Ga. I am so close to Chatt. that we get all their weather so who knows.
I just went and tied my 2 big tomato plants to some stakes so they won't get blown over by the wind. And chased a chicken out of the garden while I was out there. There are a lot of worms. Every hole I dug had at least 10 worms. That's a good sign.
Stay safe and hopefull this next round will pass y'all by. Knoxville should get hit the hardest from what I hear.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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CMac
True Blue Farmgirl
1074 Posts
Connie
Ashland City
TN
USA
1074 Posts |
Posted - Apr 27 2011 : 10:27:50 AM
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Smart lady to get those plants secured. I'll bet there are those that wish they had! If there are worms the girls will find them won't they. Watch her, she will be back!
You stay safe too. Looks like we made it through this one. Just 2.5 inches of rain! Our water table needs it. Hope it does not all run off into the river before it can soak in. I'll bet our little creek at the farm is roaring right now. Wish I was there to hear it instead of all these sirens. :)
connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company."
Author: Henry David Thoreau |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Apr 27 2011 : 11:10:14 AM
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I just talked to my hubby. He's heading to Knoxville right now.He said the wind is reallt whipping around and hitting his truck. So I told him to keep both hands on the wheel and be careful. I hope he'll be ok. He said 24 west was closed but didn't know why. Probably because a tornado was heading to Whitwell and Kimball and Jasper just now. I called my SIL and she lives in the basement apt at her Dd's so she should be ok. But it was headed right at them. This is not good.
Mt other Dd caleed and said they had been riding around looking at all the damage. The house right up the road from out other DD's has a big huge tree right in the middle of the house. And a huge tree fell on some cars at Ace Hardware near there too. So really bad damage all over.
Also talked to my other 2 grands. They go to 2 different schools. Chloe goes to middle school in Dade. Co. She said there's a bank near it that the roof is now in the front of the school. The other one goes to the elementary school and several roofs were torn off that too. So it was pretty powerful.
Connie, we are 5" above for now. We have had lots of rain lately. So what sirens do you hear?
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Garden Gate: Sweating, Sunburns.... In the Garden |
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Sweating, Sunburns.... In the Garden
