Texas Fall/Winter thread!

[robbyr]

Kyle, you do know that Timber Rattlers are a protected species in Texas, don't you? Certainly, if it had been run over, dispatching it would have been the humane thing to do, but I don't know if a game warden would see it that way.:confused3:

Wouldn't be a protected species if he was on my place

 

[farmgirl19]

Neat connections, bindian. You aren't the only one in your family to have the ability to work with your hands! :thumbsup:

Yep, your soil would let you stick him a LOT deeper than I could get him dug into here.

 

[jinman]

My wife was using the string-trimmer while I was mowing this week. She told me she had seen a tiny-tiny snake much smaller around than a pencil and dark blue-gray with a ring behind it's neck. Of course, she didn't cut anymore in that location so it could get away. That news really excited me because I've also seen another one on my place. It's the Texas version of the ring-neck snake. The picture below was captured from a website, but very close to what we saw. When you look closely, beauty is everywhere.

 

[Western]

Ring snake I think they are, I have seen a few on the edge areas of the yard usually around some cover

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

My new brother in law's family makes boots. They own the shop that is famous for making senior boots for the fighting Texas Aggie Corp of Cadets!!!
I get a lump in my throat watching the Corp marching band. They are my favorite and they are awesome!

 

[farmgirl19]

jinman; That is a very pretty snake! I wonder how large they can get. (Yes, I am too lazy this AM to look it up, as I am on my way out the door!)

 

[jinman]

jinman; That is a very pretty snake! I wonder how large they can get. (Yes, I am too lazy this AM to look it up, as I am on my way out the door!)

The one in the photo is probably full grown. They reach 10" to 14" normally with the largest ever recorded in Texas at 16". They do not bite humans, but feed on bugs and small insects. Their saliva seems to be toxic to insects, but I guess you could say my saliva is toxic to a hamburger because it never survives after I bite it. My book on ringnecks says they do not travel far from where they hatch. It says they have found and marked snakes and always find them within a 400' diameter circle around their discovery spot. They live in the woods under the canopy of dried leaves/grass and are very shy.

The first one I ever saw was the day after I read about them in my field guide. I was shocked. How could I go all my life and never see one, and then see one the day after reading about them. What are the odds of that?

Kyle:The reference for the Timber Rattler I saw yesterday said a maximum of 40". However, today I am looking at my Texas Snakes Field Guide and it seems we grow them bigger here (Of course!). The book says they are commonly 4' in Texas, with the longest being 74".

 

[bindian]

My new brother in law's family makes boots. They own the shop that is famous for making senior boots for the fighting Texas Aggie Corp of Cadets!!!
I get a lump in my throat watching the Corp marching band. They are my favorite and they are awesome!

I can't agree more about the Texas Aggie Marching Band. I cry anytime I hear the Aggie War Hymn now. I had it played in his church for his funeral service.
hugs, Brandi

 

[jinman]

I picked what I think will surely be the last of our blackeyed peas yesterday. This morning, I picked 3-1/2 lb of okra and 8 nice sized yellow squash. This afternoon, I shelled most of the peas and my wife helped me with the final ones. Bird, I sure wish you were nearby because with the large number of snaps and small peas, you'd love these, and we'd be happy for you to have them. We have to make room to freeze stuff these days. Yesterday, I even took 3 lb of okra with me to the county dumpsite to give the operator there.

 

[Bird]

Yep, Jim, we're coming to the end of another season. We went to the Denton Community Market Saturday, which includes the Farmers Market that is there on Tuesdays and Thursdays also and Saturday was the last day for this year.

My brother and his wife who spend the summers in Washington State arrived back in Elm Mott for the Winter today.

And tomorrow we'll pick up Margaret's sister at the DFW airport. She tries to come visit from West Virginia when State Fair of Texas is going.

And I hope we get a big rain tonight and tomorrow with the cold front coming.

 

[Western]

I cant wait for the cooler weather!! Buddy sent me a couple of photos of the area I will be headed to, one out of his front Seeing the snow makes me want to leave today:laughing: It will likely be gone before I get there, but getting "antsy"

 

[farmgirl19]

jinman; Thanks for the info! It really is a pretty little ring necked snake. However, even though the timber rattler might be pretty too, he is not welcome here. Why do we always get everything that sticks, bites or stings, in this state? :confused3:

Wouldn't want to live anywhere else though. Did that some years back, and ended up returning "home".

 

[robbyr]

Was looking at Tractor Supply the other day at a mower lift for my Scag. Looked kinda like this.



Instead I went home and found one.



Have a great day, y'all

 

[txdon]

Was looking at Tractor Supply the other day at a mower lift

Hey hey watch it, you messin with me???:rotfl:

 

[Western]

Reveille was 5am, outside temp was 74.6* and calm. At 6:30, the winds are picking up and temps feel cooler (72.1*). No rain, grrrr, just a misty sprinkle on occasion.

 

[farmgirl19]

Yep, the line split and missed all of Parker and southern Wise County. :thumbdown:

 

[lostcreekranch]

Really foggy in Colorado County this morning.

Rick

 

[Western]

Yep, the line split and missed all of Parker and southern Wise County. :thumbdown:

Yep, "splitting hairs" again, weather.com said a "thunderstorm was near" yeah paleeeze. 62.7 right now and feels GREAT!!!

I will have to water my fruit trees now, BUT doubt I will have to mow again:thumbsup:......maybe

 

[pacerron]

Was looking at Tractor Supply the other day at a mower lift for my Scag. Looked kinda like this.
Instead I went home and found one.
Have a great day, y'all

Every time I do that to the lawn tractor with the front end loader and chains, which is only a few times a year, I think of one of those lifts.
Bird has one, that is similar, but has never reported on how he likes it, to my knowledge.

I tried my engine hoist one time but the stabilizer legs in front, folded down, just won't fit under or around the mower axles. With even one up there is no stability.

I like the looks of the one pictured on-line at TSC but have never seen one in the store ( I forget to look ) as something else is always a priority at the time.
Picking the mower up to dig the wet grass my wife seems to get packed in there when she mows the orchard and around the horse barn probably would justify the expense of the jack... especially if I made her do the under deck cleaning, one time

For real clean up and blade changing, even though the nasty words start flowing, just thinking of it, pulling the deck out from under and flipping it over on some sturdy saw horses, in the garage, is the way I prefer. It's a lot easier on my old back joints. ( Once I get her to put it on the horses :laughing

I wonder how the majority of folks do this operation?

 

[txdon]

I wonder how the majority of folks do this operation?

If you are lazy like me the hd TS stands are easy and safe.