What's the weather like at your place?

[DosArroyos]

Well the weather sayer said we had our best chance of showers yesterday and today.Wind,very cloudy,and humidity off the chart yesterday afternoon.No rain.This morning he changed his guess to 20% chance.Then said Saturday's temp could reach 108 and be in triple digits for 3 more days after Saturday.Had 3 calves yesterday and got 20 more due right now.I don't know how they will take the heat.This could be the straw,folks,that breaks my will.

 

[Mountain Cowgirl]

My Dad ran a plywood mill down in the Columbia Gorge. He said the wind blew 360 days of the year. The other 5 it was just changing direction.

Your dad was 99.9% accurate. That is why I took up windsurfing for a few years. However, my worst experience was at Thief Valley when the wind suddenly changed and blew me into the rocky end known as rattlesnake rocks. It is the most rattlesnake-infested spot on the planet. Leaping from rock to rock barefoot and bikini-clad while seeing all the snakes and snake dens below did not look good on my resume as a cattle woman and a Jill of all Trades. Getting the bottom of my foot stitched up in the ER wasn't all that pleasant either. That afternoon is still part of my ongoing PTSD. I hate snakes!!!! I sold that board and sail shortly after.

We had a beautiful 70-degree sunny windless day yesterday and as I walked the hayfield road I noticed where snakes had been doing their antics on the road. Baby bullsnakes no doubt but try as hard as I could, I couldn't fool myself into thinking they were just big earthworms. A few more nice days and they will be cutting hay. Yesterday I did 5 hours of edge of town pasture (lawn) work trying to mow up those dad blasted seed pods (from neighbors' trees) known as whirlybirds, helicopters, and unprintable names, with poor success. I will let them sprout into little elm trees in the flower beds and then pull them.

 

[Mountain Cowgirl]

Woopie daisy! It is overcast and sprinkling. The good news is it is warm and no wind. Strike any previous comments about sunshine and ranchers cutting hay.

 

[Faster horses]

Beautiful day here as well.
No moisture but sunshine and no wind.

 

[Nicky]

Starting to rain Have a good chance for the next four days!!

 

[Mountain Cowgirl]

Starting to rain Have a good chance for the next four days!!

That is great to hear! Our sprinkle turned into heavy cold rain for several hours and now just a gentle rain.

 

[webfoot]

However, my worst experience was at Thief Valley when the wind suddenly changed and blew me into the rocky end known as rattlesnake rocks. It is the most rattlesnake-infested spot on the planet. Leaping from rock to rock barefoot and bikini-clad while seeing all the snakes and snake dens below did not look good on my resume as a cattle woman and a Jill of all Trades. Getting the bottom of my foot stitched up in the ER wasn't all that pleasant either. That afternoon is still part of my ongoing PTSD. I hate snakes!!!! I sold that board and sail shortly after.

I have been going to go fishing on the reservoir at Thief Valley. But I am taking the boat. From the stories have heard about that place I am not fishing from the shore.

 

[Nicky]

Used to be lot's of windsurfers at Thief Valley when we first moved here. We would get a kick out watching them, especially when they would go down and come back up covered in green slime

 

[Nicky]

Well the weather sayer said we had our best chance of showers yesterday and today.Wind,very cloudy,and humidity off the chart yesterday afternoon.No rain.This morning he changed his guess to 20% chance.Then said Saturday's temp could reach 108 and be in triple digits for 3 more days after Saturday.Had 3 calves yesterday and got 20 more due right now.I don't know how they will take the heat.This could be the straw,folks,that breaks my will.

Ugh, would hate those temps this early, well really I hate them anytime. I am sure praying that you will get some rain and soon.

 

[DosArroyos]

Getting a few loads of hay delivered today.Not tractor/trailer loads,but gooseneck.I had bought enough hay,from surplus last year,from a local farm to have my 22/23 Winter covered.Now it looks like I will be using some of it to get to the next rain.The hardest part is figuring who is going to go and who stays.

Thanks for the prayers and words everyone.

 

[Mountain Cowgirl]

Luckily we have course sandy soil since no gopher wood is to be found in these parts and the only person I know named Noah is just three years old. I can't imagine treading water until he grows and perfects boat-building skills. I don't have the energy or attitude these days.

Rain most of yesterday and all night. After they bulldozed in the fall of 2020, 50 acres of what was once vegetation deprived unirrigated land with sparse short ryegrass, sagebrush, and occasional thistle, it became a carpeted goathead heaven during the spring, summer, and fall of 2021, and with this spring's rain has become a mass jungle of 4 to 5 foot high thick yellowtop weeds. It is almost spooky and makes me wonder if I have been kidnapped and put on the coast and I am confused about where I am.

One unirrigated pasture that hasn't had cattle on it yet has knee-high grass, so all the rain is great but it would be nice if we could share it with other areas where it is much too dry for spring.

I may go shopping for a burro or two today, pack gear and supplies, load on my pick and pan, and head south as I have become accustomed to being a semi-desert person. These barometric pressure changes as experienced from Wednesday through Thursday, cause me severe headaches and dizziness. Why a burro you asked? Because falling off a burro onto the desert sands is safer at my age than falling off a horse onto rocks.

 

[Mountain Cowgirl]

Today is overcast with a few clouds that show attitude. After my walk yesterday morning early, I hurried back just in time as the skies opened. We had at least six cloud bursts that lasted 20 minutes each, with moderate small dropped rain in-between. I have no idea what it added up to. Not much rain last night but there are still puddles. The good news is the water on my back patio has receded and is on its way through the sand to a better place. My taxes are high enough without getting taxed for waterfront property.

Here is the street by my place during one of the cloudbursts. All water and no hail! Just big drops!

 

[webfoot]

I had 0.4 in the rain gauge this morning. That would be from late yesterday afternoon and over night. It has been raining every other day. The question then becomes, why am I irrigating?

 

[Nicky]

We only had .20. Haven't gotten much in the last few days. You are irrigating because we are in a drought!

 

[webfoot]

We only had .20. Haven't gotten much in the last few days. You are irrigating because we are in a drought!

Not as much as you are. The hills are green and growing. The hay fields that I haven't irrigated yet are a foot tall and growing. It is strange how the little distance between us can make a big difference..

 

[Nicky]

Not as much as you are. The hills are green and growing. The hay fields that I haven't irrigated yet are a foot tall and growing. It is strange how the little distance between us can make a big difference..

That is good. Grass is green but short here. Better than last year for sure. Irrigated alfalfa is still short here tho

 

[DosArroyos]

The highest I saw here yesterday was 111 degrees and the wind was 25mph all day long.Hay man only brought me 3 loads of hay yesterday morning.Loads 8,9,and 10. 140 out of the 350 I had bought.All my cows are hanging close to the creek banks in the shade. Thank the Lord that the creeks are still trickling. Next week after this heat wave rolls thru,I'm going to start building small dams in the creeks so I can hold back as much water as possible.With no rain,the writing is on the wall about the creeks continuing to run. One has gotten down to a small trickle and the other is probably still about 30 gallons per minute.Just a few weeks ago I estimated it at 50 though.

 

[Nicky]

That is just disgusting. Still praying you get some relief.

 

[Mountain Cowgirl]

The highest I saw here yesterday was 111 degrees and the wind was 25mph all day long.Hay man only brought me 3 loads of hay yesterday morning.Loads 8,9,and 10. 140 out of the 350 I had bought.All my cows are hanging close to the creek banks in the shade. Thank the Lord that the creeks are still trickling. Next week after this heat wave rolls thru,I'm going to start building small dams in the creeks so I can hold back as much water as possible.With no rain,the writing is on the wall about the creeks continuing to run. One has gotten down to a small trickle and the other is probably still about 30 gallons per minute.Just a few weeks ago I estimated it at 50 though.

Do you have wells? If so how are they holding up? The dams sound like a great idea. Do you have stock tanks? We shall continue to pray for rain and cooler temperatures for you.

 

[leanin' H]

Got dusted with snow in the night. Mountains look pretty white in the predawn light. Temps dipped down to 11F.