CLSranch a journal to compensate my lack of memory.

[farmerjan]

@CLSranch ...

thankful for your rain for you. We are also very dry, not as bad as you but very dry for here. April we only had 2 inches until the 28th and we normally we have 3.5 or more. Then we got 1.5 inches the 28th which really helped... except that we only had .8 the whole month of May, until the 30th... and got 1.1 inches ... so that meant about 2 inches for the month.... and this month we have had only a trace. Enough to get a swipe with the windshield wiper on Monday. The air is so much drier and no humidity in the air as we normally get. And cooler, which has been the saving grace for the grass.

I realize that is not near as dry as you have been. BUT, if I am not mistaken , your climate is a little drier there normally, than we are ????? Maybe not... but we average 3.5 to 4 inches a month average, and we are not getting about half... at the time of the year when all places should normally getting a little more for the spring/summer growing season.

I am really glad you were able to save the grass so it could take advantage of this rain you got.

Any news on any jobs? They say the inflation rate is slowed some and maybe not a raise by the feds today on the prime rate... but we are seeing things getting a little tougher here... and with the drier conditions, our hay is running 2/3 normal yield... and that can mean some possible problems with the available feed for cattle for this winter too....

 

[Baymule]

Rain! You finally got some rain! I’m happy for you, hope you get some more!

 

[CLSranch]

I realize that is not near as dry as you have been. BUT, if I am not mistaken , your climate is a little drier there normally, than we are ?????

It is a little drier here, on normal. We hope for a couple of good rains Feb-May before we get the 2"s for June-Aug with 20-40 days of 100+ (45 days straight of 110+ some years with dew point on the 80s). Every year is a race in Aug hoping it rains before the grass dies. Last year most was dead before the rain. Then it rained, it cooled, the cool season grasses started. At 1/2" tall we got 18 degree freeze 2 months early. That would've helped the roots get deeper to help this season.
Besides right here and the panhandle I'd say OK has gotten a lot more rain than you this year. The last couple of days it was raining in half the state at once. Several days after the rain that split around us last week? I went to town and 10 miles down the road they had water standing in the low spots on some driveways while I watered everyday after, including the day it rained. This morning 20-30 miles to 2 hrs south of here got an inch more than us.
That one storm last week put 5" in one small spot in a short time that got hit hard again this morning.

I'm still trying to get the grass tall enough to shade it from the next 2 months dry spell, so I'm not watering everyday. I need another little pasture to switch them to.

 

[SageHill]

It is a little drier here, on normal.

Seems like you all are a little drier than normal, while out here we are a little wetter than normal (and cooler so far).
Strange weather patterns, perhaps doing the average out thing??

 

[CLSranch]

I did a hive inspection the other day. I never wear a veil. Much later in the summer I may not wear a shirt if they behave like last year. I have one hive that I can mess with long enough to do a full inspection of the top box then they start to get irritated before I get into the bottom box and I leave them be. I've already found out what I want to know, so no biggie if I stop. They have a queen, she's laying and how full it is.
I decided to wear a veil keep both shirts on and get to the bottom of that hive (literally), after the other 2 hives. On the 2nd hive I have something stuck in my sleeve and crawling around. I stop, can't find it, roll on. Right after opening the 3rd hive, the little girl has made her way under the short sleeve and almost into the armpit. That's when I noticed the sting after squeezing her into me I guess. I like to stop after the 1st sting. Not that it hurts usually. That one didn't at all. But it does start to put off a "target" pheromone and I'm not so used to getting stung that I want a bunch at one time, even if it would help the RA.
I love clay. The day after the rain.... you couldn't tell. I put another 750 gallons in little 1?ish acre spot. Stopped in a few spots to let it just pour and on the 2nd round was spinning mud tires but if you got out and stood beside the truck with the 2nd round still pouring out, you'd still need a 9 lb hammer to drive in a rail road spike. At least the clover and some of the turnips are growing well. I planted turnips for the tap root. Hopefully to help the spring rains get down into the ground instead of run off and (see above) spin tires after a 1/4" of rain.

 

[CLSranch]

We've had a few snakes lately. 1 is funny. Last week I got a decent sized rat snake out of the chicken coop. There was a blue racer 4'ish crossing the road, leaving my ditch days later. A few days ago I was looking at the buckwheat flowers to see if the bee's were working them. I turn around and start to walk. 2 steps later I see what I thought was a mouse shoot under a piece of old barn tin. I stomp on said mouse, then lift the tin with my foot to see if I got said mouse. Something much larger and shiny was under there. I never got a look at the whole thing, or much of it at all for very long. It was the size of a large rat snake and slightly greenish color. I have no idea what breed that one was. I almost accidentally stepped on it, then I stomped on it thinking it was something else.
The next day I stumbled upon a large king snake shooting under the cabin/feed room. The next day we catch a baby rat snake (maybe a foot long) in a mouse trap. Tried to save that one for a friend who's having a rat problem. Should've done that with the 5'+ that I got out of the coop. There was another Gartor snake somewhere in this last 2 weeks as well. I don't remember when though.

 

[Baymule]

Did you ever get to the bottom of the hive?
I’ve seen a few garter snakes around here, they are striped and pretty.

 

[CLSranch]

Did you ever get to the bottom of the hive?

No I just stopped there, after the sting. They can smell the sting and start thinking there was a reason for that sting, so I should go help out my sister and sting also. That's why I usually quite after the first one. I usually have the boys with me. I don't care if they get stung but don't want them to have a bad experience either. I make them wear a veil, but that's it.

 

[CLSranch]

At 2.30 we had a little lightning, 3 a little sprinkle, 5 tried to walk around and find the heifer but to overcast and dark. After day light I got a couple of surprises. 1st walk I discovered we got .8" of rain and a few water puddles. 2nd walk I noticed 2 pieces of tin on the west side of the house are upside down on the east side of the house. The news says one town had 98mph straight line wind. 60mph wind near here. Can't tell what it was here, this news channel doesn't show here well. The channel that does, doesn't come on, on the wkends.

 

[farmerjan]

Did you find the heifer?