Texas Fall/Winter thread!

[bindian]

I ran over to Austin today to pick up my daughter, then we headed up to Comanche to pick up a ton of sodium bentonite clay. From Lampassas on up and back down, the wind was ripping. Every where the ponds were full and surprisingly blueish to blue in color. Very pretty. Wish my pond cleared like that.
tiredhugs, Brandi

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Can you believe it's been over 50 years since Hurricane Carla?

Photographs - The Daily News -



.

Yep, I was 1 year and 2 months old. The eye track actually went through Victoria/Edna but Galveston was on the high tide and heavy rain side.

My brothers went outside during the eye which they remember as eery(sp?). My mom said the neighbors across the street filed a claim against us as they said one of our shingles flew off our home and broke one of their windows. Never were very good neighbors after that.

You now know my age....

 

[Western]

Going to feel like summer Thursday, 81* and windy again. I hope this year we at least have 3 days of spring weather:laughing: Last year it went from mild cold to hot in what felt like a couple of days.

 

[jinman]

I took my TLB out to go exploring for clay yesterday. The ground was so wet that my fat indutrial tires were spinning on any slight slope where I tried backing up (in 4wd). When driving forward, I'd look back and see water seeping into my tracks. I managed to get to one place and found a thick layer of red clay with absolutely no rocks. Perfect! As I was digging, I noticed the clay was wet and gummy down to about 2-1/2' and then it dried out for the next 18" deep before turning to a light gray caliche mix. I'm thrilled to find this clay source, but I have to transport the clay a very long distance. The short path crosses 10'-12' deep gullies. I can't use my dump trailer because the ground won't support the tires empty, much less loaded. So, as happy as I am to find perfect clay, all I could do is make a big pile and hope for some drying. I need about 15 to 20 more yards minimum to finish my dam. 50 yards would be nice, but that many trips with my tractor will probably wear me out. Dare I wish for a little bit of dry weather?:confused2:

I've added illustrations below to show the location of the clay (red star) and only acceptable route to haul it (green).

 

[bindian]

I took my TLB out to go exploring for clay yesterday. The ground was so wet that my fat indutrial tires were spinning on any slight slope where I tried backing up (in 4wd). When driving forward, I'd look back and see water seeping into my tracks. I managed to get to one place and found a thick layer of red clay with absolutely no rocks. Perfect! As I was digging, I noticed the clay was wet and gummy down to about 2-1/2' and then it dried out for the next 18" deep before turning to a light gray caliche mix. I'm thrilled to find this clay source, but I have to transport the clay a very long distance. The short path crosses 10'-12' deep gullies. I can't use my dump trailer because the ground won't support the tires empty, much less loaded. So, as happy as I am to find perfect clay, all I could do is make a big pile and hope for some drying. I need about 15 to 20 more yards minimum to finish my dam. 50 yards would be nice, but that many trips with my tractor will probably wear me out. Dare I wish for a little bit of dry weather?:confused2:

I've added illustrations below to show the location of the clay (red star) and only acceptable route to haul it (green).

Jim,
What about stock piling all you need, then rent a dumptruck to move it?
hugs, Brandi

 

[txdon]

Dare I wish for a little bit of dry weather?:confused2:

Don't even think of it!!!!!

I bet a dozer could make that shortcut happen in about a day. It would need repairing with your tractor blade after each rain till you're finished.

The wild plum trees are blooming in Lee County and the bees are a buzzing!

 

[two_bit_score]

Yep, I was 1 year and 2 months old. The eye track actually went through Victoria/Edna but Galveston was on the high tide and heavy rain side.

My brothers went outside during the eye which they remember as eery(sp?). My mom said the neighbors across the street filed a claim against us as they said one of our shingles flew off our home and broke one of their windows. Never were very good neighbors after that.

You now know my age....

I was a few years older when Carla came through and remember watching the storm. We lost a really good German Shepherd dog in that storm.


.

 

[jinman]

Jim,
What about stock piling all you need, then rent a dumptruck to move it?
hugs, Brandi

Brandi, there's just no access for a dump truck. If I had one, I couldn't use it. It's all I can do to haul a bucket full in 4wd and not get stuck. My bucket holds 1-1/2 yards, even a 7-yard dump truck would sink to the axle. Getting one dump truck unstuck would take longer than just hauling with the tractor.

Don: I thought about cutting a trail, but that also would take longer to arrange for the dozer or do with my TLB. The first gully I'd have to cross is actually more like 20' deep and there are two others around 15' deep. The first rain after making that path would wash all that silt right into my pond I had cleaned out a few years ago.

The ground was dry enough that I got 25 yards of clay moved, placed, and compacted in about 3 hours. I can live with that. I have a picture of me moving dirt today, but I don't want to turn this into my pond thread. I try to keep my posts relative to the weather. I need to update my thread in the Projects forum and show all my photos. Shame of me for not doing that.

 

[Bird]

Is it Springtime already? 31 degrees this morning, but clear and sunny and went to 67. And with the sun and no wind, I started using the string trimmer this morning when the temperature was 32 and within 15 minutes had to shed the light jacket I had on. I was doing the string trimming while waiting for the ice to melt in the rain gutters; not deep ice of course, but a thin layer of ice. Anyway, I then cleaned out all the gutters and downspouts. Going up and down a ladder that much about wore me out. And then I mowed, and the yard really needed mowing, too. My ground still appears very wet, but it's solid or firm, so no problem with the little ZTR.

 

[Bird]

Wow, I thought it was warm for February yesterday when it got to 67, but this afternoon it's 75.:shocked: And the forecast for tomorrow is 80 degrees. Lots of small birds around my birdfeeder. And I saw a cock Cardinal trying to fight his own image in the side view mirror of a Ford F150 next door. I've seen videos of such things on the TV, but right now can't recall seeing one in person until today.