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Monday, January 11, 2021

PREPPING FOR THE FREEZE

Got to the farm Saturday.  It was clear and cold but really pretty.  The yard and pretty much everywhere was SOAKED.  We had another couple of inches of rain on top of the almost six inches we had last week. I was going to work in the garden but it was just so wet and still pretty cold. 


Found two shingles in the yard so we had some pretty strong winds out there.  Of course, we've lost a few others over the years.  The house is safe though, that old hard wood in the attic repels water.  Another reason we need to do something out there so we can make the house our permanent home.  However we don't want to sink money into a new roof for something that might be torn down or gutted and remodeled.  We'll just include the new roof with whatever we do.

Anyway...then we had to wait for this:


...yep, we might have sleet and/or snow! We know those of you that live with snow all Winter probably go, "um, no, not big snow fans here", ha. 

The temps will just touch freezing but not for long and not enough to worry about freezing roads (at least in the Houston area) but with wind chills currently at 29, we need to protect the plants at the farm so that was my goal on Saturday...


I put our old standby box around the banana trees that are on the porch...


I covered the pineapples (have had those things in the pots for over a year, not going to lose them now, ha)...


And lastly for the citrus, I did something a bit different than last time.  The last time I used larger freeze cloths  and there was too much extra fabric flowing around and it touched the trees.  So this time I put blankets around the base of the trees and up the trunks and then used these smaller freeze cloth bags.  I put the poles with the tennis balls around the base and the fabric was perfect not to touch the trees (don't have to worry about leaves, they have all fallen off, ha).  

It's only one day and one night of crazy weather then temps go back up.  2nd Family is going to to go uncover the stuff once the danger is passed.  

It's all we can do long distance.


2nd Man took the cold weather in stride and made a pot roast with vegetables with cornbread on the side.

OMG so good and so wonderful on a cold, yucky day!

16 comments:

  1. nothing like a good pot roast! i think we are all going to be in for some really cold weather in a couple of weeks.

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    1. Isn't it great? It's like the ultimate cold weather comfort meal. Yep, cold weather coming for a lot of us, stay warm and safe!

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  2. Replies
    1. It kind of is a good day for that huh? And we had the leftovers tonight and they were even better, ha.

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  3. Your pot roast photo looks scrumptious! The perfect way to eat on a cold blustery day!

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    1. Thanks, it's kind of made for this kind of weather, ha.

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  4. Pot Roast meal looks darn delicious.
    Oh, ghost trees:} Boy, talk about being under wraps; your citrus trees are it. Being wrapped like that should really help.
    Well; our Winter Wonderland is almost gone. Just a little snow left and that is in the shaded areas. Sure have good moisture for the soil; and that folks is a Good Thing.

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    1. Thanks, it was yummy (and again tonight ha). Ghost trees for sure, too bad it's not halloween I could put eyes on them or something. For those reading this, Colleen shared some snow pictures with us and wow it was so pretty up there. Alas we got sleet and that was it. And yes, moisture is a good thing for all the soil and plants.

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  5. Looks like you got everything all buttoned up very well for the freeze tonight. Your citrus trees should do very well with the excellent protection you constructed. You sure earned that delicious supper 2nd Man made.
    I spent 3 hours preparing today. I covered up everything and, on the advice of my nurseryman, I also picked all my citrus since it looks like we will have freezing temps from right after midnight until morning. It was sooo cold and there was water standing everywhere. My rubber boots leaked and my feet got wet and cold. Not fun. I could happily live where it never freezes.
    Thankfully, I still had plenty of the Taco soup and cornbread I made yesterday and my fuzzy slippers to warm me up when I came inside.

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    1. Hopefully that will do the trick. It's about all we can do. We have three citrus trees, if we can keep all three alive great but even if we lose one at least the other two will have a year further along in their growth. Taco soup sounds yummy!!! Cold wet feet is no good. Stay dry and warm and healthy!!!

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  6. Oh my goodness that soup looks amazing - I haven't had cornbread in months! I should make some soon!
    Jenna ♥
    Stay in touch? Life of an Earth Muffin

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    1. Thanks for stopping by. Isn't cornbread wonderful? Just one of those things we need every so often, ha. Thanks again!!

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  7. I want pot roast, now. It looks warm and delicious.

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    1. It was filling and so perfect for a couple of cold days.

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  8. Pot roast would be lovely. It's chilly in Northeastern Florida, too.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. Yep I heard our cold weather has moved that way too. Stay warm and safe.

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