Cold

[Silver]

We got a layer of ice last night. I would say that travel conditions are the worst they've been. It is warmer 23 this morning. There's pretty much no choice but graze snow right now. There is no running water anywhere. I've been feeding wcs and cubes on the snow hoping they will figure out it's water. All gates are open so they can go where they please. Don't know what else to do.

Sounds like you are doing it right.

 

[1982vett]

Good Lord has blessed us during this. We've escaped much if the problems everyone is experiencing. I woke up at 4:30 this morning with the freezing rain hitting the window and my heart sank. Got up to see how bad it was and to check the weather radar. Third site I tried actually worked. Temp had shot up to 29f from 24f. Trees were iced up and heavy. Radar showed it was "raining" for a while and trees were heavy with ice.
While watching the radar something caught my eye.. a spot just SW of us and another just NE. At first I was relieved cause it thought it was turning to snow, but then I realized on this radar white was no precipitation... that strip formed and has been over us going on 4 hours. Still have to weather it moving on through but I'm excited about watching how God is working this and answering prayers.
Stay safe out their!

 

[HDRider]

I am finding dead starlings all around the barns. I call them rice birds. I have found almost 20 of them scattered around

 

[callmefence]

I am finding dead starlings all around the barns. I call them rice birds. I have found almost 20 of them scattered around

I m finding them burrowed up in the cottonseed shed

 

[HDRider]

I don't like them anyway. They fly over by the tens of thousands. I can hear wings flapping while I am in the house.

 

[callmefence]

Lol.... you are a grumpy old man...".dadgum birds flying over my house."

 

[HDRider]

I don't like sparrows either

Starlings and sparrows rob my bird feeders.

 

[greybeard]

I'd rather be sunburned and covered in skeeter bites trying to figure out how to stomp a copperhead in flipflops with my other foot in a fire ant mound than have to deal with ice and freezing rain.

Pouring rain/freezing rain here currently but at least the electricity is still on and we have heat in the house. Well and tank are probably not frozen but the main line that enters the house is busted, as is the whole house filter, even tho it was wrapped and has never frozen before.

I have 5 bags of cubes left but I can't get any more hay out right now. My ground is not frozen enough to run the tractor over.
Another night and day and they'll get fed proper but at least I have few enough that they all fit under roof. 18 mommas, 1 bull, 8 calves of various ages. No newborns that I know of.

This too shall pass.

I will be busy next week helping to get my 2 sister's water back working.
One evacuated to her son's place down at Crosby but says she turned the well off and drained all the pipes in the house. The other sister's water froze up when the power went off so all her piping under the house froze. Her house sits right down on the ground, maybe 18" off the ground. Not sure I can fit under it.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Plenty of cubes and alfalfa squares along with round bales. The rounds are the problem for the tractor on the ice along with my lack of skills operating it in ice.
The Mule is just having to make multiple trips.
Never had any water issues so far as all my lines are in the slab. I am sure there will be a faucet or two around the barn and shops busted, even though it was drained.
We have not lost power so far, like 89 for 9 days. Generac is ready. Switched over to propane heat Monday JIC.

 

[HDRider]

Generac is ready

How long you had that? I have a 22KvA now for about five years now. So far so good. Mine is on propane. I have two 500 gallon tanks for that, and the cook stove

 

[Caustic Burno]

How long you had that? I have a 22KvA now for about five years now. So far so good. Mine is on propane. I have two 500 gallon tanks for that, and the cook stove

Bought it after Ike mine is just 10kw. I didn't need a whole house setup.
Just needed to power the kitchen lights fans etc.
House was built with three heat sources wood, propane and heat pump.
Never was worried about the heat it's always been the cold.
Until Rita you could sneeze and we would loose power from down limbs. The co-op has done a good job since keeping the right aways cleared.

 

[ismith]

Well, I feel for you Texans dealing with this weather, but on the bright side, maybe it will run some of those Cali migrants back home?

 

[callmefence]

I don't like sparrows either

Starlings and sparrows rob my bird feeders.

Maybe if you get rid of the bird feeders the birds will quit flying over your house n

 

[HDRider]

Maybe if you get rid of the bird feeders the birds will quit flying over your house n

Seriously, it is a mass of birds. I could not guess how many are in a flock like that. You see them out in the fields mostly rice fields. The way they rise and fall, moving in unison. Seems like millions.

There will be a flock fly over and it might take five minuets before it stops going over. I am on a ridge with flat fields a few miles away east and west of me. Sometimes they stop in the big oaks in my yard and then they really make a racket chirping, talking that jive bird talk.

I've thought about taking a shot gun out when they buzz over and see how many fall with a single blast.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Internet and phones have been real spotty here as well.
I don't know if the towers are overloaded or ice is impacting them.
They are all on generator backup.

 

[Dave]

I'd rather be sunburned and covered in skeeter bites trying to figure out how to stomp a copperhead in flipflops with my other foot in a fire ant mound than have to deal with ice and freezing rain.

So tell us how you really feel about cold weather. I am sorry but some of you people make me laugh.

And I am absolutely ecstatic that I haven't seen a mosquito or a rattle snake since early October.

 

[ismith]

I don't like sparrows either

Starlings and sparrows rob my bird feeders.

So birds are eating out of your bird feeders?

 

[WFfarm]

I don't like sparrows either

Starlings and sparrows rob my bird feeders.

both invasive species

 

[MurraysMutts]

Spent an hour thawing the outside water hydrant so I could water the cows.
Sheesh...

 

[MurraysMutts]

My axe broke...

Apparently everyone elses has as well.
Not one to be found for sale anywhere.
I did pick up a handy lil hatchet tho!