Buffy, Peg's roaster, likes the old oak
Christmas Week 2011
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Thanksgiving Weekend, 2011
This was an abnormal Thanksgiving as Mary and I spent Thanksgiving day in Houston with Kelley, Rocky and Rocky Sr. Jeff joined us later in the day. A nice day but not the same as this day has been for the past 38+ years: i.e. I have always been in Mobile
But, this year we drove to Mobile on Friday arriving about 3 PM and in time for Peggy and I to meet with Anna Williams. Returned to the farm about 6:30 and it was dark. Surprising how it seemed to get dark earlier but then we are on the east edge of the time zone. Continue reading
Work Trip – Oct. 19 to 23, 2011
This was the first trip in the “new” 2002 Ford F250, Super Duty, diesel truck. G
reat ride over with all the room and the bed loaded with plastic containers of dishes, curtains, tools, framed art prints, etc.
Everything at the farm is in good shape with the big pile of grape arbor debris and dead tallow trees tightly piled in the barn yard by Ted. House and grounds looks great: green and not too bad off from the drought this past summer. Continue reading
Ted Strange cleaned out the grape arbor area
Peggy reported that today Ted–who is renting land for his cows–and two young men were cleaning out the grape arbor area in the barn yard. When he and I fixed the broken pipe that takes water to his cows he said he would come back and push out the brush in between the fence and the grape arbor Dad built for Audrey. He said he enjoys “piddling around” with that sort of thing.
I told him to take out anything in the way and any trimming of the grape vines was a good thing. He said he likes “piddling around” with that sort of thing. He did a lot more than piddle around!
God bless Ted!!!
Photos taken by Peggy.
Cutting back, Chinese Tallow and Johnson Grass
A Great Sunrise
Went to the store and got 5 gallons of diesel. Mixed a gallon of Remedy (the last of the first gallon) and sprayed the Pyracantha stumps and the small Chinese Tallow trees that had not died across the street and along the west yard fence. Did not have my machete so did not hit the trees that survived. Left it for Frank. Remedy worked great on everything I sprayed last time.
Mixed a gallon of Roundup and sprayed the Johnson grass across the street.
Followup – The Remedy worked great as did the Round-Uup on the Johnson Grass.
Leaks, estate talk and BBQ
Found the leak in the line to the south side field under the large, almost dead Tallow tree. Peggy called Ted and when he got there I had dug enough to locate the problem but not see it as it is inside the stump area. We decided to locate the line on the north side of the tree and run a temporary line from that side to where I had found it on the south side. He went to get parts and a hose. We glued in the new fittings, mounted the hose and back in business.
After he left I took the line trimmer and went to the barn. Managed to hit a PVC riser behind the barn and now had a new leak. Went to Home Depot for fittings, glue and a pipe cutter–about $35.
Came home and found Mary and Mike Spanos had arrived and had taken apart the doorbell as it would not quit ringing and Lady (my dog) kept barking inside. Let them in and repaired the riser.
Peggy came over and the three of us talked about the estate. Came to an agreement–we thought.
Went to dinner at Tilmos on Airport Blvd near Baker HS. It is a new BBQ place that is very good.
Back after a hot dry summer
Good to be back after a long hot summer–and still far too dry. I have been away too long but had to fit it in to others schedule. Peggy and Ted had kept the grass mowed and it all looks good. Used the line trimmer with the blade around the house and yard. I brought two large asparagus ferns and them on the front walk in front of the columns.
Went to Home Depot and bought a shovel and yard rake. Needed the shovel to plant the four roses I brought. But later decided it was much too dry. [Took them to Peggy's Saturday and Frank put them in the middle of plastic where he had seedlings he is growing to resell.]
The MF21 cranked!!!
The water pressure was very low in the evening and when I turned off the line to the cows it was back to normal, the pressure rose to normal and the pump stopped. Must be a leak out there.
Ted Strange helps out
Peggy reported today that Ted cut the grass at Dad’s and pushed down some of the dying tallow trees I sprayed. Go Ted!
She said it has also rained over 3 inches in the past few weeks and everything is growing again.
Peggy’s Report July 18, 2011
“We have 3 inches in rain gauge for the last 7 days!!!!! It has rained for 2 days–slow easy rain. Nice! I see trees dying everywhere [from Tom spraying Remedy last trip]. Noticed those in midfield in low area dying. Grass is growing.”
It has been over four months since the farm had such a rain.
Cleaning up the Pole Barn area
Worked on cleaning out the pole barn of many years of dropped implement parts and bent bolts and things that Dad did not need at some moment and did not get around to putting away–although he never had a good place to put things away. Continue reading