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Mr_Yan

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Oh yeah line of heavy T-storms passed through early last night. That culminated in a tornado warning and the weather alarm sirens going off at 10 p.m. We didn't really get much here - just rain and wind - but up near work it looks like a crazed guy with a chainsaw went through. There are several trees down and limbs all over the place.
 

w_r_ranch

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Well I have a pair of cardinals building a nest in my lilac bush. That wouldn't be a problem except for their territorial nature and the lilac is within arms length of the gate in and out of our yard. I've removed two nest starts since 4 p.m.

I wouldn't worry about them, myself. I never found them to be very aggressive here.
 

Mike

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Just finished applying stain to the new playground I built the kids.
 
M

Mr_Yan

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I wouldn't worry about them, myself. I never found them to be very aggressive here.
thanks @w_r_ranch
I may be losing the battle with these guys anyway. about 20 years ago my dad had a cardinal pair nest in a bush in his backyard. For the early summer the male would chase the Boston terrier back and forth through the yard.
 

w_r_ranch

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We have dozens here every year & even feed/water them to keep them around for our entertainment. We were just watching them from the back porch, LOL!!! They LOVE sunflower seeds, just like the woodpeckers & we probably go through 50 lbs per month!!!
 

w_r_ranch

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Lots of rain forecast for the next 5 days...

Made sweet potato jerky in the dehydrator for Dieter's treats.

Took down & cleaned 4 hummingbird feeders as most of them have moved on. We'll leave the last 2 feeders hanging up in the trees for the few that spend their summers here.

Harvested 13 jalapenos for stuffing to go along with tonight's supper. They're 5" long & beautiful!!! The first batch of eggplant ready for harvest as well, so I guess I'll be frying them in the next couple of days so Mrs. Ranch can start making Eggplant Parmesan...

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Continued weaving the squash vines up the bull panel trellis. While checking the tomatoes, I found 4 ripe Romas so I grabbed them, some tomatillos, serrano peppers & cilantro to make a batch of Salsa Molcajete. Life is good when the harvest starts!!!

Salsa _Fix'ins.jpg
 
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M

Mr_Yan

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cold and raining. I was hoping to go plant out my tomatoes, squash, and sweet potato slips. The local feed store has not gotten the slips yet as this week looked too cold.

Got a sourdough starter from a neighbor.
 
K

ksk

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Lots of rain forecast for the next 5 days...

Made sweet potato jerky in the dehydrator for Dieter's treats.

Harvested 13 jalapenos for stuffing to go along with tonight's supper. They're 5" long & beautiful!!! The first batch of eggplant ready for harvest as well, so I guess I'll be frying them in the next couple of days so Mrs. Ranch can start making Eggplant Parmesan...

Ranch your eggplant are way ahead of mine.I do have some jalapenos that could be pulled.Either later today or tomorrow I'm going to make some pineapple/jalapeno jelly.
 

wolffman

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thanks @w_r_ranch
I may be losing the battle with these guys anyway. about 20 years ago my dad had a cardinal pair nest in a bush in his backyard. For the early summer the male would chase the Boston terrier back and forth through the yard.

You guys must have a different breed of Cardinal. Around here, they are the most docile of them all.
 

w_r_ranch

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Made bread.

Mrs. Ranch just picked 3 of the 'Heatmaster' slicing tomatoes & let me have my first taste of the year... WOW!!! After eating store-bought tomatoes (basically tasteless) for almost a year, these are a real treat!!!

Researching a bigger dog crate... Dieter is already outgrowing the large one that we had for the labs, so it looks like I'll have to go with a Great Dane size (54"L x 33"W x 42"H). He will offically be 5 months old on Monday & he is just under 70 lbs now... none of it fat.
 
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M

Mr_Yan

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You guys must have a different breed of Cardinal. Around here, they are the most docile of them all.

Well we'll see. The nest is nicely formed at this point and within arms reach of my back gate. Naturally this is also in a lilac that is in full bloom and in need of pruning. I'll be reluctant to prune this with the nest in there as i don't want to disturb the nest too much.

On another note the robin eggs in the nest in my garage have hatched and there are chicks in there now. I guess when you have a bunch of plants around it attracts all kinds of animals even in the middle of a city of almost half a million people.
 
M

Mr_Yan

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Oh yeah, planted 15 tomatoes and 14 winter squash at my church garden this morning.

Trying my hand at making sourdough bread today.

Windy, cloudy, and in the mid 50s F right now.

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Cleaned the gutters, inserted a gutter guard mesh thing to prevent gutter cleaning in the future.

Filled a planter box outside of the fence. I think I will regret the way I filled it though.
 
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w_r_ranch

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Started raining sometime last night (0.35" thus far). I know we dodged 2 strong lines of thunderstorms that slid by just southeast of us...

Worked on prepping the last 2 cast aluminium porch chairs.
 
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K

ksk

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Ranch I ended up with .2 ! I'll take it.You're right,storms moved to my east.Took the wife to Houston for doctor's appointment and was in rain most of the way.Hit several showers on the way home around Rosenberg.
 

w_r_ranch

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Finished prepping the last 2 cast aluminium porch chairs. I was going to paint them tomorrow, but got them done today. Tomorrow I'll move them & bring the table in the garage (and move Mrs. Ranch's lil' table from the service porch to the back porch temporarily.

Mix herbicide for possible spraying tomorrow. I need to get the hay trap, roads & the entry ways done so I can move the cattle up front (grass is 3' tall).

Watered the garden since we didn't get the rain that was predicted & as luck would have it, it rained as soon as I was done. Now we have a severe thunderstorm watch in effect... winds are a constant 20 MPH (with gusts to 30 MPH). Someone remind me why we pay weathermen & pay millions of dollars for their toys when they suck...
 
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w_r_ranch

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Rotated porch furniture as planned yesterday.

Sprayed RM43 in the hay trap, the entry ways & around the barn (including the turn around area). I started the road, but still have to finish.
 
K

ksk

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Finished prepping the last 2 cast aluminium porch chairs. I was going to paint them tomorrow, but got them done today. Tomorrow I'll move them & bring the table in the garage (and move Mrs. Ranch's lil' table from the service porch to the back porch temporarily.

Mix herbicide for possible spraying tomorrow. I need to get the hay trap, roads & the entry ways done so I can move the cattle up front (grass is 3' tall).

Watered the garden since we didn't get the rain that was predicted & as luck would have it, it rained as soon as I was done. Now we have a severe thunderstorm watch in effect... winds are a constant 20 MPH (with gusts to 30 MPH). Someone remind me why we pay weathermen & pay millions of dollars for their toys when they suck...
Isn't that the truth Ranch.One can watch three different stations and get three different reports.I also had not watered ,then watered,and got one shower.My in laws in New Ulm got some of the wind that smashed Sealy.FIL had two trees down,one across a fence line.
 
M

Mr_Yan

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More rain and more cold. Only made it to about 60 F.
 

w_r_ranch

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Took the big truck in for it's yearly inspection/maintenance. Then did the weekly shopping.

Watered the hanging baskets & pots, then watered the garden & asparagus bed.

Got a pot of pinto beans soaking & seasoned up for tomorrow.
 
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w_r_ranch

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Got the pot of pinto beans going. Added the garden grown onions & peppers (4 jalapenos & 2 serrano). I'll harvest some fresh cilantro after I add the buckboard bacon.

Made bread.

Harvested 21 eggplant & made the homemade seasoned breadcrumbs. After peeling & slicing them 3/8" thick, we hauled everything down to the party barn & got them fried up (this is always a 2 person job). Afterwards, Mrs. Ranch made the Eggplant Parmesan while I put the excess raw eggplant into the dehydrator (for later use).



Seasoned_Homemade_Breadcrumbs.jpg





It was a very long day, but it was worth it.
 
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K

ksk

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I read your Picante Sauce recipe.What is the shelf life? I would probably make a smaller batch for the wife and I.
 
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