Joined: May 10, 2007 Posts: 1664 Location: Self-Exile to the "Planning for the Future" forum
Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 6:05 pm Post subject: Re: Spring Weather 2008
Ludi wrote:
That's not your neighborhood, wis-cur!
No my yard looks more like this:
But we are expecting 60's by Tuesday so I will get a lot of those, "plant as soon as soil can be worked" seeds in the ground. _________________ I can tell your fancy I can tell your plain
You give something up for ev'rything you gain
Since ev'ry pleasure's got an edge of pain
Pay for your ticket and don't complain.
-Bobby D.
Joined: Sep 14, 2004 Posts: 5249 Location: Rural Virginia
Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 2:48 pm Post subject: Re: Spring Weather 2008
dunewalker wrote:
Heineken, I thought Tulips were bright Dutch flowers. Well, the forecasters were pretty accurate--they usually are in predicting heat waves, but never at predicting rain or snow here--it's almost 80 out(the morning's low was 21). The creek made it onto the property for the first time today, then stopped just short of the pond. Maybe tomorrow. I've got a neighborhood prediction that the pond will fill this Wednesday. Talk about sticking your neck out--the creek bed is dry, the pond is dry and it holds 45 acre/feet. We'll see. I'll let you know, if anyone's even interested...
Tulip trees are also known as yellow-poplar, Dune. (They're not true poplars, though.) A member of the magnolia family. The largest tree in the East, up to 200 feet high, potentially, with very straight, limb-free trunks. They have large flowers vaguely tulip-like in shape, but not nearly as pretty or colorful. _________________ "Actually, humans died out long ago."
---Abused, abandoned hunting dog
"Things have entered a stage where the only change that is possible is for things to get worse."
---Me and my brother
Joined: Jun 30, 2005 Posts: 333 Location: northern California
Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 5:21 pm Post subject: Re: Spring Weather 2008
dunewalker wrote:
Well, the forecasters were pretty accurate--they usually are in predicting heat waves, but never at predicting rain or snow here--it's almost 80 out(the morning's low was 21). The creek made it onto the property for the first time today, then stopped just short of the pond. Maybe tomorrow. I've got a neighborhood prediction that the pond will fill this Wednesday. Talk about sticking your neck out--the creek bed is dry, the pond is dry and it holds 45 acre/feet. We'll see. I'll let you know, if anyone's even interested...
Update, Monday afternoon: well, the pond is within 2 feet of overtopping the spillway. That's almost 15 million gallons delivered in 48 hours, beginning with a dry creek. The desert is truly amazing. I expect it to finish filling by tomorrow morning, a day earlier than predicted. This is all from snowmelt from the 5,000 acre watershed. It's now about 15 feet deep in the center and spreads out over almost 5 acres. Guess the garden will be larger this year! Last year the pond never filled... _________________ "When hope is gone, action can ensue."
Buzzard, po.com poster
Joined: Jun 30, 2005 Posts: 333 Location: northern California
Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 5:24 pm Post subject: Re: Spring Weather 2008
Heineken, thanks for the info on Tulip trees. I flunked plant taxonomy, but did well in dendrology---local trees & shrubs, the relevance factor _________________ "When hope is gone, action can ensue."
Buzzard, po.com poster
Joined: Sep 14, 2004 Posts: 5249 Location: Rural Virginia
Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 8:59 pm Post subject: Re: Spring Weather 2008
You're welcome, Dune. Tulip trees are magnificent giants---a tree well worthy of the West, although not a citizen of it.
The biggest one I own would take three men, holding hands, to encircle at breast height.
Basically they've occupied the niche left by the American chestnut.
They are remarkably immune to insect pests and are relatively disease free. They are not immune to loggers, though. _________________ "Actually, humans died out long ago."
---Abused, abandoned hunting dog
"Things have entered a stage where the only change that is possible is for things to get worse."
---Me and my brother
Joined: Jun 30, 2005 Posts: 333 Location: northern California
Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 9:07 pm Post subject: Re: Spring Weather 2008
That's a good-sized tree, Heineken! I'm working on growing one of those here. It's already up to 7 feet--tall, that is & a good 3 inches dbh (Ponderosa Pine).
Here's another update on my pond/creek/weather: yesterday it was 82 degrees, that's what caused the snowpack to collapse. I'd go check the pond again before dark, but it's now snowing really hard! Go figure. _________________ "When hope is gone, action can ensue."
Buzzard, po.com poster
Joined: Jun 30, 2005 Posts: 333 Location: northern California
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 7:44 pm Post subject: Re: Spring Weather 2008
Final pond update of 2008. Last evening I went out into the snowstorm to check the progress of the pond. It had finished filling the last 2 vertical feet at the rate of 6"/hr. That calculates out to around 25 cfs. Not bad for a creek only 5 miles long, in the desert, where it hasn't rained or snowed much in 2 months. This morning at daylight I took the camera up to photograph the newly-formed ice on my newly-formed pond. The ducks must have been circling in fighter-protect-home-base formation for awhile, cuz they've already moved in. It's all very peaceful now, with a little creeklet flowing by the cabin here, after traversing the spillway. It did manage to run off with the cast iron bathtub I had sunk into the bank for a summer dog cooler--forgot to fill it to weight it down--it hung up on the foot bridge to the guest octagon. _________________ "When hope is gone, action can ensue."
Buzzard, po.com poster
Joined: Dec 27, 2004 Posts: 9354 Location: Village of Idiots
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 8:13 pm Post subject: Re: Spring Weather 2008
We got a little frost the other night. It killed some of the seedling green beans and summer squash, but didn't seem to damage the peaches. _________________ "...powerdown so soft and fluffy you'll think you're living in a pillow..." - jboogy
Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 7:07 am Post subject: Re: Spring Weather 2008
After a record warm winter here in Stockholm Sweden, we have had a very normal spring, with snow and sun in varying combinations. Due to the warm winter, the ground is not frozen, so I will be able to sow two weeks early. That is very good, it makes a difference, because the plants can make to most of our short season with lots of daylight and sunshine, here at the 59th parallel.
Joined: Sep 14, 2004 Posts: 5249 Location: Rural Virginia
Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 7:26 am Post subject: Re: Spring Weather 2008
dunewalker wrote:
Final pond update of 2008. Last evening I went out into the snowstorm to check the progress of the pond. It had finished filling the last 2 vertical feet at the rate of 6"/hr. That calculates out to around 25 cfs. Not bad for a creek only 5 miles long, in the desert, where it hasn't rained or snowed much in 2 months. This morning at daylight I took the camera up to photograph the newly-formed ice on my newly-formed pond. The ducks must have been circling in fighter-protect-home-base formation for awhile, cuz they've already moved in. It's all very peaceful now, with a little creeklet flowing by the cabin here, after traversing the spillway. It did manage to run off with the cast iron bathtub I had sunk into the bank for a summer dog cooler--forgot to fill it to weight it down--it hung up on the foot bridge to the guest octagon.
Post pics, dunewalker, when you get the chance!
Your pond sounds enormous compared with my little puddle. _________________ "Actually, humans died out long ago."
---Abused, abandoned hunting dog
"Things have entered a stage where the only change that is possible is for things to get worse."
---Me and my brother
Joined: Apr 03, 2004 Posts: 5695 Location: My Grandkids' Farm
Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 11:24 am Post subject: Re: Spring Weather 2008
Yea, the official last frost date here is April 15 - and it did.
It's been so cool and wet I have a bunch of corn and beans and tomatoes in the greenhouse just aching to get out!
Someone once said:
It's never too early to plant...
the first time. _________________ ...ladies and gentlemen, we're not here to indulge in fantasy, but in political and economic reality.
--Gekko.
"I hope my own children never have to fight a war,"
--GHW Bush, Naval Aviator
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