Yikes! Is it Winter where you are?

[allenr]

It's summer where I am. Got to 42.7C (108.9F) today, 44.1C (111.4F) yesterday and 41.7 the day before, those are Bureau of Meteorology readings for Nuriootpa but at home in the shade I saw 44C today and 46C yesterday.

Forecast for next 7 days is 42, 40, 40, 39, 38, 38 and 40.

The grape crop is being reduced every day by the extreme heat which wouldn't be so bad if it weren't that I haven't sold any Pinot Noir, Merlot or Chardonnay at any price.

I'll be relying on what remains of Shiraz, Grenache, Traminer, Semillon and Cabernet Sauvignon to carry me through another year.

I'm praying that at least the Merlot (about 4 weeeks to maturity) might sell at a low price.

 

[LBrown59]

I just got in the house after clearing 33 driveways plus our own. It took me about 5.5 hours doing them all. I enjoy the comforts of my cab but did it open station for five years before I got the B3030HSTC.

do you have heat and air in the cab?

 

[Northland]

It's summer where I am. Got to 42.7C (108.9F) today, 44.1C (111.4F) yesterday and 41.7 the day before, those are Bureau of Meteorology readings for Nuriootpa but at home in the shade I saw 44C today and 46C yesterday.

Forecast for next 7 days is 42, 40, 40, 39, 38, 38 and 40.

The grape crop is being reduced every day by the extreme heat which wouldn't be so bad if it weren't that I haven't sold any Pinot Noir, Merlot or Chardonnay at any price.

I'll be relying on what remains of Shiraz, Grenache, Traminer, Semillon and Cabernet Sauvignon to carry me through another year.

I'm praying that at least the Merlot (about 4 weeeks to maturity) might sell at a low price.

Allen, sorry to hear of your troubles down under. I understand that the continued drought is due to climate change and isn't expected to get better, or is it?

We love the Australian wines I particularly like supporting Banrock Station since they are a major supporter of the Atlantic Salmon restoration project in the Great Lakes here in NA.

 

[LBrown59]

Yes, heat, air, and electric defrost on the rear window.

Ugh that just makes me hate to go out and plow my drive way worse than ever with my cabless heatless BX1500.

I just got in the house after clearing 33 driveways plus our own. It took me about 5.5 hours doing them all. I enjoy the comforts of my cab but did it open station for five years before I got the B3030HSTC.

Must be pretty small driveways.
33 drives in 5.5 hours is only 10 minutes per driveway.

 

[allenr]

Allen, sorry to hear of your troubles down under. I understand that the continued drought is due to climate change and isn't expected to get better, or is it?

We love the Australian wines I particularly like supporting Banrock Station since they are a major supporter of the Atlantic Salmon restoration project in the Great Lakes here in NA.

Opinion in Australia about climate change, is divided, much like it is all round the world.

I fear it is climate change and that we'll have to learn to live with it. I'd like to see governments tackling the issue more, but I guess we, as a populace get the government we deserve and unfortunately the majority of us are driven by greed and "keeping up with the Joneses".

Forgive my ignorance, but are the Great Lakes all freshwater?

 

[Oldchuck]

Yes, Allen, the Great Lakes are all fresh water, a very large amount. I believe they are the largest respository of fresh water on the planet. Dryer places nearby have had their eyes on all that water for years but I don't think the Lakes people are willing to give any of it up.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I was hoping that the ice storm would pass more north of us but when my one dog woke me up around 4am Monday morning to go out, I thought that my hopes were dashed. Then around 6am the power went out.

I have not yet gotten around to dealing with my total electric house with any kind of backup due to the cost and other seemingly more important issues. So, I shut off my mains and backfed the panel with my generator. At least I had power for the well pump, lights, the fridge, the phones, TV and a couple of portable electric heaters.

When I drove the 32 miles north to work, I quickly realized that though I lost power, it was indeed worse to the north. Being from up north, I am used to seeing this kind of weather but it looked like a war zone with trees and power lines down, everything coated in ice. On top of that, we had heavy rain all night. It did not seem to add or remove to much of the existing ice around my work place but when I got back home Tuesday morning after driving over some flooded roads, the ice was pretty much gone at home.

When the barn lights which are on a seperate hookup came back on around 8pm Monday evening while I was away, my wife shut off the breaker I wired the generator into and turned on the mains. Then the power went back off and she could not start the generator because it pulls to hard for her. Fortunately, the power came back up a few minutes later and stayed on.