Texas Heat!

[kelloggguy]

Here in Houston, we're starting to get our typical scattered summer afternoon thundershowers. While they're not reliable, it is definitely a pleasant surprise to get home after work and see that it rained at your house.

 

[NativeSon]

Charlie, the evening news last night had stories on two channels about the Decatur, TX cattle auction. They said the number of cattle coming to the auction is more than they can safely take because if you pen too many cattle too close together in this heat, some will die of heat stroke. They are selling cattle at a maximum rate and prices are still good. If the ranchers wait much longer, the cattle will suffer from the drought much more and not be nearly as marketable. It's a "sell now or lose later" situation. Because of this, the price of beef will see a spike in the near future because early sales create a hole in the market that has to be replenished.

I had a funny call yesterday from the northern Sierra range in CA. The lady said, "Mr. Inman, I got your number from your neighbor who says you have a source for good soaker hoses." I couldn't believe it! Here is a lady I don't klnow in No. CA who is calling me to ask about the flat nylon soaker hoses made by Gilmour.:confused2::laughing: While talking to her, she asked me to wait a moment because there was a fire spotter plane flying overhead and she wanted to see what direction it was going. Sheesh! It sure brought home that we are not the only ones getting close to fire danger. I gave the lady all the info she needed when she returned to the phone. I have to admit that it made me feel like a watering superstar.

I think of you more as a watering Guru:thumbsup: Sounds like some consulting jobs in your future. Demand during a drought is high so those rates have to go up.

Charlie

 

[Western]

I saw the rains down around Houston, you guy's need to send us a tropical storm!!

I put out a water trough, since my pond has dried, you wouldn't believe the wildlife after a few day's. If my daughter will show me how to use her camera, Ill post some photos. We have a large Owl that comes in in the evening, he has started hanging around the house which is cool. The deer are eating about 4#'s of a corn pellet mix per day. Normally they have plenty to eat.

Jim, I have the same ideas on the sprinkler system, water at night. I think that way we will maximize the water longevity and soaking. I notice going to various jobs in the "big" city, most of them are watering at night too.

 

[Bird]

Bird,
I think you are correct. I was using my windows live email to compose, check spelling and copying to this site. I see now a spell checker in the upper right corner of the TBN message box. You know the saying... "might be an engineer, but can't spell it."
Please excuse my old eyeballs poorly connected to my old brain!
However, just clicking on the spell checker box brings up a message wanting me to download some ie-spell add on for Internet Explorer. Does it work on
IE-9 with no problems? A lot of browser add-ons create more problems than they are worth and sometimes are difficult to remove.
spell
Ron

I don't know because I've never used the TBN spell checker, so I've never downloaded that software.

 

[kelloggguy]

I saw the rains down around Houston, you guy's need to send us a tropical storm!!

I put out a water trough, since my pond has dried, you wouldn't believe the wildlife after a few day's. If my daughter will show me how to use her camera, Ill post some photos. We have a large Owl that comes in in the evening, he has started hanging around the house which is cool. The deer are eating about 4#'s of a corn pellet mix per day. Normally they have plenty to eat.

Jim, I have the same ideas on the sprinkler system, water at night. I think that way we will maximize the water longevity and soaking. I notice going to various jobs in the "big" city, most of them are watering at night too.

We try to water at night, or perhaps even better, very early in the morning, since that's the coolest time of the day with the highest humidity, so you have less evaporation.

We'd be glad to send you a tropical storm, once we sucked a good bit of rain out of it. But we'd try to leave enough for y'all too.

 

[Bird]

I would love to have an inground, head to head, sprinkler system, but I'd like one without the timer, electrical components, etc.; just a plain old manual valve for each zone. But I'm afraid they're just too expensive for me.

 

[kelloggguy]

I've got one with a timer and 6 zones, but it wasn't that expensive, since I have a very small lot, 65x120, with a good sized one story house and 2.5 car garage taking up a good bit of the lot. But even though I have a timer, we operate it manually most of the time.

 

[sseelhoff]

I would love to have an inground, head to head, sprinkler system, but I'd like one without the timer, electrical components, etc.; just a plain old manual valve for each zone. But I'm afraid they're just too expensive for me.

That is exactly what I have. Put it in myself when we bought the house. The expense depends on size of the yard. They must be easy if I was able to do it and get it to work. (Disclaimer-I did have a plumber put in the backflow preventer)

 

[Western]

Well, the Owl came in for a drink about the same time,(3:30pm) It's odd he would use this trough since he is so mobile.

This photo is of the Painted buntings we have coming to our feeders. It took about 4 different brands of seed to find what would attract them. They are so shy and tend to stay in the thicker brush. They sure are a pretty bird though.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Painted Buntings are beautiful. I see them eating seeds on skinny grassy weeds that grow about 18" high. They like to use my tomato cages as a perch while they eat. Yes, I have weeds in my garden that should be a xeroscape.

I'M ANGRY. It has rained all the way around us now for a week and NOTHING here...Not even enough to get the top of a cow wet.