Open Thread - Thurs 22 Dec 2022 - Just Stuffs
Just Stuffs
Today, Thurs, 22 Dec 2022, is dastardly cold in the PacNW.
I've only rarely seen daytime temps this low here. 25! WtF! And, last Sunday, Monday and Tuesday it snowed. Snowed 8 inches, here, at about 80 ft above sea level. Nuts. It's supposed to be in the upper 40s on Xmas, err, Mithras' birthday, 2 days post the end of Saturnalia, so it should all melt fast enough, fingers crossed.
The goats do NOT like the snow, but they came out to eat in it anyway 
The fenced garden in the snow. Yes, it needs weeded, some day after the melt! This snow event hasn't featured strong winds, so the snow is still piled on the picket fence. Yesterday, the little snow picket spikes were taller than the actual wood spikes of the fence.
I'm currently working on my seed/plant orders for 2023. It's a bit late this year, but I'll get it done before New Year's. I guess I'm more oriented to Saturnalia than I thought, even if I'm not planting during the festival, I'm planning to plant, at least! I use a spreadsheet that I wrote years ago when we selling vegetable shares and not retired to compute how much seed I need and when it gets planted and so on. The basics are simple with no spreadsheet required.
There are two aspects to consider:
1. the seed specs: when in the season does it grow, where does it grow (some things, like eggplant, don't grow in WA state where I live, for example), how long does it take to mature, what temps are needed, how much water, etc, all of those, ohh, and how much space does it need.
2. the personal specs: how much do you want, when do you want it, are you going to save the vegetable/fruits/berries by canning/freezing/whatever, do you want to grow it intensively (like every month or whatever) for harvest every week, or less intensively?
The answers to questions above about these two aspects will make it easy to determine the amount of seed needed (never more than a packet really, if you are only raising food for a family of 4 or so), how often it needs to be planted, when it will be ready for harvest, and how much land it will take can. I make a calendar/schedule for every season so I can remember when each veg needs to be planted (and when I've got to prep the bed/field so I can plant it), when it should be fertilized, and then harvested and so on.
Other Stuff:
In other, unfortunately sad news, Terry Hall passed away. He had pancreatic cancer which had spread to his liver and he died soon after the cancer was discovered. His band, The Specials, is still one of my favorites. They did the early 1980s song 'Ghost Town', which became one of the most iconic anti-Thatcher songs ever. That song forever brings my other home town, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, to mind. Newcastle was definitely a ghost town, in the manner of The Specials' song, when I moved there in the mid 1980s. Hall went on to form Fun Boy Three, which was also a hugely popular band in Britain in the 1980s.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ2oXzrnti4]
Ghost Town by the Specials
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cntvEDbagAw]
A Message to You, Rudy by the Specials
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWweHBpscDU]
Pressure Drop, by the Specials
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rA2-6ZlOXeg]
For New Year's: Enjoy Yourself, by the Specials
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdlhLfwCE6c]
Our Lips are Sealed by Fun Boy Three. Check out the clothes and hairdos! So awesome! Hall wrote this song with Go-Go's member Wiedlin. It was a hit for both bands.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_kjctTbMHA]
Ain't What You Do, it's the Way that You Do It by Fun Boy Three
So, thanks for reading, listening, and dreaming about the garden, and here's the open thread - and remember, everything is interesting if you dive deep enough, so tell us about where you're diving!
Comments
Happy Thursday!
Hello! Sounds like lots of people are having super cold freezing weather, not just me. Suckage! I hope everyone is as warm and as dry as can be, and has a hose to attach to an 'indoor' garage sink faucet to get warm water to the animals (like we do, heh!). Our feral cats are currently living in the house for most of the day. They are too old and it's too cold to make them stay outside, 20 degrees below normal. They let us pet them, and seem happy to see us. What a change!
We are supposed to warm by about 20 degrees and have lots of rain on Christmas Eve, Christmas, and beyond. That'll take care of the snow and ice, and bring on flooding. Woot!
Have a great holiday weekend, enjoy the time! And post whatever you are learning, caring about, listening to, whatever, down below!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Weather, Cats, and Goats
They kept of saying that it was going to get into the teens here in Sunny Florida. Now it looks like the 20's tonight.
I too feed a Feral Cat. He wasn't there yesterday. I was worried but I saw him this morning. He's not feral in the sense that he's wild. More like I used to be someone's pet until they dumped me. I like having an outside cat. They kept the small animals away, but after I get the girls fixed next year, I may coax him inside.
As someone who used to have pet goats, you can post goat pictures every day. I love goats and would love to get a couple more, except I don't know if I could take care of them. It's getting harder and harder to take care of myself.
Our ferals are farm cats..
We adopted them from PAWS after they were rescued from a bad situation with a cat hoarder. They are inbreed (one has 7 toes on one foot) and 'special'. It was about 11 years ago we adopted them. For maybe 9 years, we weren't allowed to touch them, although we fed them every afternoon and morning and they did/do a great job of keeping away the 'vermin' from our hoop house plantings, house, garage, etc. Anyway, the cats generally go and hide under the house when it's cold, but this is too cold. So they are inside and quickly learning to be indoor cats. They already adore the dog. We might not have any outside farm cats after this
What breed of pet goats did you have? Our goats are Nigerian Dwarves, so they aren't very big. They can produce a lot of milk though. We have basically retired from doing the milk production (and the cheese, much to my sadness). It was getting too hard to oversee the breeding and birthings as we got older and have had to take care of family much more intensively, although we did have some unexpected kids last year (a buck got out and did his business). Anyway, we have sold a lot of goats to people who wanted nice, tame, smallish pets. And, I'm rambling!
Have a great holiday weekend, and whenever you wanna talk goats, or cats, or whatever, lemme know. I'll post more pics now and then
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
More Goat News
Not sure what kind of goats they were. Most were given to me. In this area, I have never seen so many people get animals and give them away a few months later. That is also how I got most of my cats.
Did have a previous "feral" cat for about 3 years. One day he was sitting on the porch. I opened the door and asked him if he wanted to come in. He did. I guess he knew that he was getting too old to live outside. He lived an additional 2 years.
Sometimes I just absolutely hate this country. We have throw away animals and now throw away people.
Throw away animals.. and people
Ain't it the truth. When my husband wanted to get goats, so many years ago, I looked at him very seriously. 'If we get them, it's for life, their life. We can't just get rid of them and go on vacation or whatever.' He told me he understood and agreed. I'm the same way with the dog, the cats, the chickens.
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Good morning...
We've got one more day to prepare for the big chill/freeze. Headed to 6 degrees in the AM and 20 for the high
Yesterday we harvested the last of the broccoli and lettuce...
Plus a couple of cabbages...
I'm headed out here in a bit for some wheat straw to cover the collards and a few cabbages, then a row cover, and then plastic sheeting. I'll report back if we can nurse them through three days of below freezing weather. We canceled our Christmas family visit, but hope to see them next week when it warms up.
When you live in the boonies you have to be adaptable ...and on hand to tend to things...especially unexpected things like losing power. Hope everyone stays warm!
Thanks for the OT!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
NYC Bad news
What could go wrong?
New York weighs opening the door to for-profit hospice
"New York state Attorney General Tish James has filed lawsuits against several for-profit nursing homes, alleging that the owners neglected patients in order increase their personal profits, resulting in the inhumane treatment of residents.
For-profit hospices are now on the cusp of making in-roads in New York state."
But a bill awaiting Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signature would prohibit new for-profit hospices from entering the market —
Will the Governor do the right thing here?
IDK
NYCVG
A Governor do the right thing?
Sometimes they do. Maybe she will. The WA state governor, Inslee, does good things from time to time...
Hope you are doing as well as possible, and have a good holiday weekend!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Row Cover!
We use it too. We got the last of the broccoli harvested a couple weeks ago. Lettuce? It got too cold and turned into mush. We will start some in the greenhouse in a couple weeks, and let it grow inside. We use straw to cover the beds too, or we used to. Now we use old straw, hay, whatever, in barn cleanings, from the goats. It's pre-loaded with manure! Goat manure is good that way, it's so hard and in such little pellets that it doesn't need composting/aging. It takes long enough to break down that it ages in place!
Our high today was 23-24. With a breeze, it's too dang cold for me, wind chill around 12-15. I keep forgetting my mittens and end up freezing my fingers!
Years ago the power here went out for around two weeks. It was NUTS. The electric system was so old here, they had to get parts shipped in from... Russia! They've since upgraded everything and the power only goes out for a day or so, if that. Phewww. I have a generator because of that historic power outage, just in case...
Have a great holiday weekend! I hope the cold snap ends soon. Ohh and thanks for the great pics of the veggies, I love them
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
As advertised,
-14degF here this morning. We only got 1-2" of snow, though. All our remaining animals are elderly indoor-only beasties, and they are all saying "Thank you!" to us with their eyes. It'll be staying cold enough that the little powdering of snow will stick around, so we'll be having a white Christmas after all.
Boy, -14 does get your attention. Even as far along as I am with getting the PT done on my knee-bones, that cold soaks right in instantly and turns into a most gnarly ache. I hope that everyone who could possibly find shelter has done so. The fact that I'm privileged, that there-but-for-the-grace-of-Gawd-go-I, is not lost on me; not one bit. I'm more grateful than words can describe for my continued employment, for our pretty-Cadillacish health insurance, for the roof over all our heads, and for the hot meals that TLOML preps for all of us. I simply hope for it to continue for as long as possible, for us here, and for all of you out there...
Be safe, stay warm, and live as well as you can for as long as you can!
Merry Christmas, all.
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
-14? Gads!!!
I would turn into an icicle, I think!
I have been really glad to hear about how well your knee surgery(ies) have gone and how quickly you are recovering. It's very good news!
All the weather shelters have opened around here, to give the homeless warm places to be and warm food to eat. I can't get out of my driveway yet, or I'd go volunteer at the local shelter. I'm glad that all your animals are inside! Our chickens have a warming lamp, they are hovered around it. And the goats have the barns and each other. They are doing ok. And the dog, well the dog is Finnish, and she loves to go out, even now, and lay in the snow. Then she eats some, from time to time... nutters!
Have a great holiday weekend and I hope the knee continues on like it has been. You'll be running marathons soon!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Only a brainwashed individual or a congress critter would
believe this malarkey.
Insofar as the Feebs are, in fact, an evil conspiracy,
is not all information by, of, from or about them, by definition, a conspiracy theory, regardless of its source? Asking for a friend.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Just acknowledging their Existence
Is a conspiracy theory!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Good grief...
Who would believe that crap from the FBI? Of course, the FBI feeds the public sh*t and calls it 'truth'. They will cover up the leaked twitter files as much as they can.
Thanks for posting this!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
Good morning Sima. We had a coldish snap last week,
warming yestidday, today and, allegedly, thru Mithrasday aka xmas. Planning gardens and seed ordering are a bear here, also have to allow for journeys and travels - if we plant x will we be able to tend it during key periods of growth cycle, etc. If you're gonna keep getting snow, you should plant a couple of rhubarb, btw, we have to hit ours with some ice cubes every so often in winter to keep them happy.
Have you heard the good news about chaos? And randomness? Between them they obviate the mental need for magik and gods to explain shit. Somebody needs to go door to door with pamphlets extolling the virtues of randomness,
Ah well, enough of that. Why are holidays so damn much work?
Thanks for the Specials' playlist; they were, in fact, special.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Glad it's warming some there
It will be here, soon. We've another day or so, then it should climb back up into the 40s and rain, instead of snow. Your advice about rhubarb is spot on, and made me remember that there's some very old heritage rhubarb at my parents' place. It was planted in the 1930s or 40s. I need to nab some and get it started here.
I forgot about travels and so on when doing the seed planning for the season. That can make it tough! Although I think I can program that into my spreadsheet pretty easy.
I like the randomness and chaos thing. But... people would soon make them into gods! Ha!
Have a great weekend! Holidays and all!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
It is going to freeze here in the Houston area
for 2 days. As we drive through Houston, head for Galveston, we will see lots of homeless people. I wonder how many will be under the bridges when we return on Monday?
Any time we start bitching, complaining, or feeling sorry for ourselves, we need to stop, appreciate how lucky we are. And, don't mark the calendar at December 25th to do that.
My outside cat at the office has a warm bed on the deck. When I am out of town, my assistant feeds her daily, most of the time, twice daily.
I should finish packing. It is so weird to pack for in-country trips. If you forget something, just go to a store, buy it. Not easy in other countries. Someone dropped my camera in Budapest. Replacing it was difficult. Buying make up in Madrid was...interesting. (Not that big of a market for pale, ivory colored make up there.)
Let's all have some fun, make some great memories!
Thanks for the OT, Sima!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
We get lots of homeless here too
Well, Seattle does. I think it's because, like in CA (and parts of Texas), the weather is 'nice' (relative to other states) most of the time. The other day I drove by a homeless man sitting on the sidewalk outside of a Burger King wolfing down a burger someone had given him. Tucked into his coat was a little dog, who was getting a little piece of burger given to it when the man took a bite himself. I stopped and gave him some money. Most of the homeless shelters around here won't take animals, and if it were me and my dog, I'd be out there with my dog as well.
Outside office cat? Awesome. Just awesome. If these two 'feral' cats become indoor cats, I'm going to have to adopt another homeless kitty or two, for the vermin patrol! In return, they get fed and are safe!
As for packing, I know what you mean. I hope it's a breeze and your trip is great!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
-14 and 6+ inches of snow
I've been in much colder and for long periods, so it's just a matter of putting on some clothes. Cars cranked right up, electronic ignition is magic.
-9 at 11:00 in the morning and bright sun out.
We were around 11 here at 11...
It does just take putting on more clothes to get through. Unlike hot weather, which one can't escape at all. I much prefer it to be cold. The problem with cold can be that the infrastructure here isn't ready for it. So the roads are awful, people don't know how to drive or even walk in the ice and snow, and so on. Ohh, and none of the animals are used to it. The song birds are confused. They can't land on the ground, the snow is too soft and they fall in. They are getting their feeders filled twice a day, and eating it all! The coyotes came to look at the compost heap, from the evidence of their tracks. But, it wasn't worth digging through the snow to get any goodies. I threw some old stew bones into the field for them, instead.
Have a great holiday weekend and thanks for stopping by!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
my wishlist to Santa: a mood uplifter and no dream down loader
hmm ... somehow I have lost all trust and all hope.
I'll play bingo, may be I win. WTF.
Do you like jigsaw puzzles?
I play those all the time, at a website online. https://www.jigsawexplorer.com
It really calms my mind, kinda empties it, actually. But it's not as exciting as bingo, that's for sure!
Be Well, Mimi, in these hard times. I am suffering a bit of the same as you are with my family. I can relate a bit and know how hard it can be. Be strong, be well!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so
my wishlist to Santa: no idea why all comments are double editio
hmm ...
I hate the internets and all that stuff.
Thanks for the OT, Sima
I am just starting to experiment with staggered plantings. Still trying to determine the length of the growing season here which keeps changing y-o-y.
The Farmers Almanac used to be a good source but has grown inaccurate and obsolete as there has never been climate change metrics associated with it. Everything is changing and the historical record from which the FA has always relied on fails us now.
17F this morning in my Vancouver suburb and tonight calls for freezing rain and snow through Saturday.
Happy Saturnalia!
Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.
Growing Season!
The length does change, it sure does. And moreso now, I think, than when I started. When we ran the CSA we'd do a 'spring' CSA, which stated that we weren't sure when it would start, and if it started late, it would run late. It's all dependent upon the weather.
I have a personal weather station from Davis Instruments. I used that to keep detailed records of the weather, so I eventually had a sort-of self-created almanac. But at first, I used things like info from Territorial Seeds (their founder wrote a book back in the 80's I think it was) and other local seed companies, and the local agricultural district about weather and which varieties of seeds grew well, when to start growing them, and how long the season lasted and so on. NOAA records can help too.
We were at 11 this morning! Brrrr. Never got over 23-24 either. We are supposed to get snow/rain and maybe the freezing rain, but not as much as you down south, since we are 'north sound', not 'south sound' and further south. Heh, whatever all that means!
Happy Saturnalia to you as well!
If you're poor now, my friend, then you'll stay poor.
These days, only the rich get given more. -- Martial book 5:81, c. AD 100 or so
Nothing ever changes -- Sima, c. AD 2020 or so