So, we went to the farm to check things out.
This was last week, it got to a low of 16 at the farm. This was at 6:33am but I capture this because the "feels like' was 1 degree. ONE! Now, we realize that there are plenty of areas in the country that are well below zero for actual temps, but down here in these parts, for us to even feel like it's 1 is highly unusual.
Temps in the teens have definitely turned the grass into normal Winter grass. I'm OK with that. No mowing anytime soon. Speaking of, almost time to send the Zen Machine II off for his annual spa day, ha.
But alas...
...there was a pipe casualty. Sigh. This one burst and split. The water to the house is turned off, but the house is so old and has been patched so many times, we're not sure where the water is coming from, ha. The only active water to the house is supposed to be the one that runs to the front water faucet. But wherever, I was able to crawl under the house and patch this. I basically just sealed it off. There is a small drip now but we can live with that. It won't be long before we don't have to worry about it.
The truck started right up! Didn't even hesitate. It's been sitting un-driven for a week, parked outside in the mid teens...meanwhile, my car that was driven just two days before the freeze, and in a parking garage where it didn't freeze, needed a new battery, ha.
I popped the hood on the truck to see what kind of battery it had (the previous owner had replaced it before we bought it) and it's a Duracell. We didn't even know they made car batteries but hey, this was a great test and it passed!
The plants we took inside enjoyed their respite from the cold and looked great. We took them all back outside onto the porch and gave them a good drink of water.
We're hoping the fruit trees/bushes survived, they are all hearty down to single digits so fingers crossed there. Well, except for the fig...not sure if it will come back but we shall see here in a couple of months.
Now we are expecting flooding rains all week.
Never a dull moment in the Houston area!
You wrote "It won't be long before we don't have to worry about it." Have I missed a post about future plans?
ReplyDeleteNo you haven't missed it but a post is coming soon about that very topic. :-)
DeleteWith weather it is always something new and different isn't it. We made it through the freezing blast and now it is supposed to feel like spring by mid week . Mother Nature can be a nasty B can't she.
ReplyDeleteRight? Fickle for sure, ha. Yep, 70's here by Wednesday.
DeleteWe R at 39 deg. at the moment and having light rain shower - Wed.
ReplyDeleteI still look on having freezing temperatures come Feb. Winter is not over with just yet.
Thought for Today:
“What good is the warmth of summer,
without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.”
- John Steinbeck
Enjoy your evening.
Yep, I was just telling 2nd Man we still have February. But please, no more hard freeze, ha. I love that John Steinbeck quote!!
DeleteIf you’re like us, the farm is getting dumped on big time! Deb
ReplyDelete2nd Family sent a picture of their front yard and driveway, monsoon for sure!
DeleteIt seems like extremes of all kinds are our fate. We won't worry about flooding right where we live, but it seems like there are flood warnings all around here with high 70s this coming week. In the meantime, it still feels cold at 47F but not frigid.
ReplyDeleteYeah, same here, it's humid and yucky (and rainy) during the day but then gets a bit chilly at night. Go figure. Stay warm!! And dry!
DeleteI remember a few years back that we received snow the night before
ReplyDeleteValentine's Day but warmed up the next day and melted the snow and ice the day of Valentine's Day.
Don't put them winter clothes away just yet.
Yep, we still have February to go.
DeleteBrrr! When it comes to the fig, don't give up on it too soon. I had a Brown Turkey fig in a pot left in an unheated breezeway over winter (in Iowa). It was slow to decide to live, but it did come back from the roots for several years. I suspect it was overwatering during the winter that really did it in, not the cold. I'd bet that being planted directly in the ground, your tree's roots are better protected from wild temperature fluctuations than mine was in a pot.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a brown turkey as I recall. Will wait to see how it goes. It did survive last year so we shall see. Fingers crossed!! Thanks for the hope! :-)
DeleteI live in AUSTRALIA and love reading your blog. We use pool noodles for many things around the house, just wondering, could you use them for insulating your pipes under your farm house.🏡
ReplyDeleteAwww, thanks for that! Yes, we did use pool noodles one year, they deteriorate a bit after a few years and the last time I bought stuff to cover the pipes, it was already winter and I couldn't find pool noodles int he stores, ha. Good reminder to buy a stack in the Summer when they are everywhere. The good news in a new house, it will be on a slab and PEX plumbing, no huge worry about pipes (plus heat, ha). We'll see. Thank you for visiting!!! Don't be a stranger!
DeleteToo bad about the broken pipe. Glad you didn’t have any further damage.
ReplyDeleteGood ol’ dependable Bill the Farm Truck! He’s built tough.
Hoping your fig tree is just dormant and will come out in the Spring.
Ok, I’ve had enough of winter. Time for a warm, sunny day! 🌞
Yep, but it's ok since we don't really need the water in the house. Yep the truck has survived three really hard winter freezes so far (well since we've owned it). Fingers crossed for the fig! And the others.
Delete