Category: Random Awesomeness

November Gardening: Playing with Frost

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November is here and with it comes the first frost for my garden. I live in north central Texas in USDA zone 7b with an average first frost around November 10.

But I always flirt with danger, hoping to extend my garden season for a few warm season plants. With the impending doom lurking with the first freeze, I will be spending my weekend preserving what I can for the winter.

What’s thriving in my garden at the moment:

 

Fall okra. No kidding. I planted okra at least a year ago, but it’s just now coming up. [soon to be killed by frost]

Cucumbers … another one waiting to be bitten by the frost… Maybe I can make a makeshift vertical row cover… I had bad luck with my summer cucumbers because the aphids and mites sucked them dry.

Of course my favorite volunteer Porter tomatoes, god love them, they are tenacious, if anything.

 

Tomatillos. My first endeavor with this plant. I had no idea it would go all over the place. It’s growing habit is more like pumpkins with how it spreads and takes over.

And the ever-resilient Swiss chard. This stuff is hardy and fairest of all. It grows in the winter, spring, summer and fall. It tastes the best in early spring and late fall. It’s frost tolerant to about 25 degrees, which makes it a perfect choice for my winter garden! It’s also delicious, bright and beautiful.

 

Photos from Arcadia

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I’ve been writing all day for paying gigs and it’s been raining all day long—hallelujah. So tonight I’m going to do my post in photos.

 

A bee on a marigold.

 

A flower poking through the fence pickets. I’m not sure what it is … maybe a butterfly weed, standing cypress or cardinal flower.

 

Some kind of freaky wasp. It was huge, much larger than a [root] beer bottle cap.

 

A flag, because it’s Election Day, because it’s advanced citizenship, because your vote counts, because it’s your voice.

 

All photos ©2014 Arcadian Experience

Extreme Hulabaloos, Blue Northers & Snowpocalypses

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[Editor’s note: it’s been far too long since I posted to the blog. No time like the present.]

The Blue Norther commeth …

Extremes are the normal with North Texas weather. There is constant clashing of warm moist air with cool dry air. The dry air sweeps across the western U.S., over the Caprock then down the draw known as the Llano Estacado and collides with warm moist air coming up from the Gulf.

There is a diagonal  250 mile-wide strip where these prevailing winds smash into each other.

I live is in the center of this strip, so it’s common to have a 40 degree temperature change in a few hours. Friday, November 22, 2013 was one of those days. (it was also the 50-year anniversary of the Kennedy assassination.)

It was still, warm and humid with a high in the 70s. Then what is called a Blue Norther showed up. The wind picked up suddenly and the temps dropped 20 degrees in 30 minutes.

My tree before the wind.
My tree 12 hours later, after the wind.

These days, any form of moisture is welcome, even if it comes in frozen pellets of rain or snow. In a day or two the weather will warm up and the frozen moisture will thaw into ground-soaking water—something we need desperately in North Texas.

It is ridiculous when you think about the hullabaloo made over winter weather in North Texas. Every year winter shows up, freezes and ices everything, then is gone as quickly as it came. Yet we are bombarded with severe weather reports and warnings to bundle up, be safe on the roadways, and bring outdoor pets inside.

Everyone is hopefully anticipating a day to blow off school and work. However it is the opposite for nurses, doctors, insurance claims processors, wreckers, firemen, police and ranchers and farmers. Don’t forget the U.S. Postal Service always delivers – rain, snow, sleet or shine.

There is ever-increasing hyperbole and drama surrounding the extreme weather. Handy Husband always jokes with the next door neighbors that we will resort to cannibalism since “snowpocalypse” is forcing everyone inside for three days. Now after two days inside … I think I’ll emulate the Canadians and go outside even with a 100% chance of snow. Because I, like the Canadians, have cabin fever, and must go outside weather be damned (seriously, it’s only 30 degrees –I have wool socks and thermal underwear, it’ll be ok.)

Sombrero Potato

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A week ago (Feb. 21, 2013) Jdubs and I were out feeding the cattle.  As we were looking for our last herd, we came upon a momma cow that had just given birth to her calf. She hadn’t even delivered the placenta yet.

Momma cow just had this calf moments before we spotted her.

We approached the pair, very carefully, because you never really know how a new momma will react, even if you “know” the animal. Momma cow was looking a little nervous but settled quickly.  We sat close to the calf and watched him for a few moments. Then on occasion the Almighty lets us see a little miracle… This newborn calf stood up and took his first steps and we got to witness it.

A precious moment caught with my trusty iPhone. This baby calf took his first steps.
Just learning to stand up … I’ve probably seen thousands of first steps by newborn calves, but I’m always amazed, every time I see it.
Jdubs put his hand out and the calf came to him. Newborn calves don’t see well for a few days, until their eyes adjust to seeing light after nine months in total darkness.

A few minutes later he stumbled over to his momma and took his first suckle of colostrum. It was a precious moment and one that was worth a thousand hours in a classroom. These are the things that can’t be taught.  They have to be experienced, witnessed.

The first taste of milk … the hard-wired instincts are amazing to watch in nature.

We couldn’t stay long because the rest of the herd began to show up, which made momma cow really anxious. And she was hungry too. Momma cow and the rest of the herd haven’t had much grass to eat– we’re at the tail end of winter, just as the spring grasses begin to grow, not to mention the long-standing drought.  Our cattle really look forward to and rely on the high-protein cubes we feed daily.

We led and fed the herd a short distance from the pair. When we circled back around to count heads, momma cow and calf had rejoined the herd.

We departed the pasture double-time, no need to freak out the newborn calf, that can’t see with the loud feed truck and noisy, bawling herd.

I’m wondering what the conversation is going on between these two?

At the gate, I asked Jdubs if he had thought of a name for the calf. He very nonchalantly said, “his name should be Sombrero Potato.” I asked where that came from. He said, “the name comes from Mexico, mom. And he has a Mexican name.” And thus, we have Sombrero Potato. (I declined to point out that the Spanish word for potato is “papas.”)

Meet Sombrero Potato

Milkstache

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Today I was feeding cattle and found this little calf. He has a perfect and permanent milk mustache, and thus will be know as Milkstache. That little stache is the remnant of a genetically-dominant Hereford trait—the white face.

black baldy
Milkstache — the remnants of a bald face.

Our cattle are Hereford-Angus crosses, affectionately known as black baldy. As in, their hair is black and their faces are bald (white). The bald face of the Hereford is iconic. They are the cattle in all the western-themed art and photographs. However the Angus producers association has made the Angus breed a brand name– hence the Angus-branded packaged meat at the grocery store, and as noted on upscale steakhouse menus.

We used to be a pure breed operation. Herefords only. But the hybrid vigor of the crossbred cattle we have now is more suited to our climate and the economics of raising beef cattle. There is plenty of research in the animal husbandry world to support the complement of the breeds when crossed.

A gentle cow is a good thing to have with a little kid. This cow is eating a cube right out of Jdub’s hand.

I do miss the pure breed Hereford, but have come to love the black and white, bald-faced cattle we have now. Pure Herefords or not, one of the true legacies of our Lazy J Ranch is the demeanor of our cattle. They are gentle and docile. Most of them will eat right out of your hand.

We select for that gentle nature when choosing which heifers to keep as breeding stock and which ones go to sale.

I’m thankful that caring for our cattle and my family’s legacy are part of my daily to-dos.

Fun Photos from Arcadia

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It’s been a very long time since I’ve posted fun photos from our life here in Arcadia.

Black eyed susans from my front flower bed. This is a perennial favorite of North Texas gardeners.

Jdubs on the “Fastcat.” His grandfather rigged up a stampede string from a left-over strip of leather.

The real deal.

Textbook wall cloud. A few minutes after I snapped this, the sky opened up and hail stones rained down.

This photo represents the “why” of living where I do.

Spring Critters in Photos

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The birds of Spring have been here for about a month. I’m not a serious birdwatcher but I always have bird feeders out year round so I can watch them. I love birds in the wild but hate birds in cages. The bird society and pecking order among the different species is fascinating.

Our backyard has been abuzz with the activity of Spring. And occasionally you have a sweet surprise among the critters of Spring.

House sparrow

 

Carolina chickadee

 

 

Downy woodpecker

 

 

Grass lizard

 

My Dog, Ruby

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Ruby is a great dog; she’s my dog. I got Ruby in January of 2005 as a little puppy. At the time in my life I needed a companion and a loyal friend.

She is a loving, obnoxious canine with OCD. An Australian Shepherd, she is a working dog, and loves to play ball. I’ve never seen a dog play fetch like this dog. This is a photo blog of Roobs.

The ball.
Next to my bed.
Getting to go on the feed wagon.
A good shake after a Christmas Bath.
Jack and Ruby on the feed wagon together.
Ruby and Jack on a beautiful day.
Ruby wanting to come in.
Her other favorite pastime -- chewing her bone.
Photo bomb -- Ruby is also a garbage/begger dog.
Always my companion.

Giggle Trigger

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Today the husband and I drove to the big city of Whisky-Tango Falls [aka Wichita Falls] to run a few errands. We went to a local housewares store in search of door hardware. And while a sales person was showing us door handles, something triggered his giggle-snort. He lost it and had to leave the store to compose himself. Ten minutes later, when he returned with his giggle under control, all it took was for our eyes to meet and then it was all over again.

I can’t go into specifics, but the giggling was simultaneously inappropriate and uncontrollable. Even 12 hours later when he thinks about the situation, he falls apart.

This could have been my husband today:

Sweet Baby Calf: Jingle

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One of the sad parts of raising cattle is that occasionally a baby calf is orphaned. But God made ranchers who take those baby calves and feed them by a bottle. Then it becomes something sweet you can share with a little kid.

I remember caring for many orphaned calves throughout my childhood. One year my dad and I found a 2- or 3-day old calf sitting next to his expired momma in the snow. We were so surprised that the coyotes hadn’t gotten the calf. He was later named “Milk Dud,” and became a fixture in the barn long after he was weaned.

 

 

These little bottle babies can become pets. One thing I’ve always noticed is that they just never do as well as the calves that have mommas, even if momma isn’t that good. Today was Jdubs first time to bottle feed a baby calf.

It was precious and Jdubs decided to name him “Jingle.” On the way out of the barn today, Jdubs said, “don’t worry Jingle, you’ll be big someday.”

 

Jdubs bottle feeding baby calf, Jingle, for the first time.