Oct. 10-11, '09

Sally was in Colorado seeing Amanda and soaking at Gleenwood Springs, so this was a boys weekend (Tender and me).

Walnuts
I had picked up about three bags of black walnuts around Asbell earlier in the week. But I wanted more figuring this was the best chance to them hulled when I passed through Clifty. (Wouldn't be out the next weekend since Sarah and Dave were coming in.) So I stopped across Drake from the Agri Farm to pick up nuts in an old walnut grove. It took about an hour and a half, but I got another 3+ bags. For $7 I had them hulled by Clarence in Clifty -- ending up with 108 pounds. Chose to store them for drying in the work room at the house. (Sally's already complained about the smell.)



Weather
We had recieved over 5 inches of rain in town Thursday night/Friday morning, so I was a bit anxious about what I would find. The gauge was completely full, so 5.5 inches plus. The well house had a little water still standing, but the sump pump must have worked as there was no sign of high water. I have not completely filled the hole I dug replacing the yard hydrant behind the barn, and sure enough it was completely full of water (and mud). The pond was also full but there were no signs of it going over the main part of the dam -- just the lower part on the far side.

It was 62 degrees in the house, so I went ahead and lit a heater though I never used it. It was in the 30s over night and the high Sunday was only 50 with completely overcast skies.

Work
Did some mowing, some weed eating, and continued cutting, dragging and piling limbs in the pastures -- downed from the ice storm. I'm finally ready for the place to be brush hogged, but now its too wet.

Birds
There was still food in the green feeder, but very few birds around. The suet feeder had completely disappeared. Restocked the sunflower and thistle feeders hoping for some customers.

Burrs
The fields and non-mowed areas are full of begger lice and tiny burrs that stick to anything. I don't remember these in the past. Tender would get loaded up and I had to give him several thorough brushings. They were also difficult to remove from my clothes, especially the frayed areas of my jeans.