Stormcrow's Hobby Farm

[U_Stormcrow]

Yes. Tonight's low will be in the low 20s. We'll stay sub freezing for 12+ hours, making it a hard freeze. I found the hidden duck nest, and no one seems to be sitting it - so this dozen eggs becomes no good after tonight's freeze. I found the missing chicken nest - a bunch of eggs on top of a rabbit cage, sitting in **stuff**. Rat *stuff*. Those are a loss.

One goat joined the menagerie, another kid was abandoned by mom, didn't take to being a bottle baby, and is now food for a grape vine.

A dog is joining us after this weekend (small, NOT a Herd dog).

The greenhouse is good for about 6.5* in passive heat retention overnight in sub 30s - so I may lose my turmeric and lemon grass.

Oh, and Minute Maid OJ makes a tolerable screwdriver, but not a good one. and a tractor is absolutely awesome for stretching chain link fencing.

and next week, assuming its not so cold I can't hold a knife, and assuming whatever injury I did to my dominant hand's tendons at the base of my middle fingers isn't screaming at me, will be a culling day. Need to take three chickens, maybe four. Two ducks. As many goats as I can fit in the freezer. That will get us to March, together with what's already frozen.

 

[Sally PB]

A dog is joining us after this weekend (small, NOT a Herd dog).

A new dog? A puppy? Pictures, please.

The greenhouse is good for about 6.5* in passive heat retention overnight in sub 30s - so I may lose my turmeric and lemon grass.

How tall are the plants? When I start the tender things -- mostly tomatoes -- I put clear totes over the pots. A green house in the green house. I also spread black fabric over the tables to absorb more heat. I don't know how cold the coldest overnight temperature was last spring, but 20s in April is common. I didn't lose any plants when I did this.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I picked up a bunch of CMUs (concrete blocks) by pinching my middle two fingers and my thumb together to grab the block by its central webbing. This part:


It worked great until there was a sort of snapping/popping sound from my hand. PLEASE do not repeat my mistake. This was two weeks ago, it still aches (but is 100% functional, seemingly no permanent damage).

 

[Sally PB]

OUCH!

 

[Sally PB]

I've stopped feeling like I'm a wimp because I need help doing things. Can't twist off the plastic top on a bottle? Run hot water over the top and use a rubber grippy-thingie. Sure beats straining the tendons/ligaments around the knuckles at the base of my fingers.

Hands are just too precious. Having been one-handed twice in my life while my dominant hand healed, I've learned to baby them.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Those rubber grippie things are awesome. I have no idea why they work - but they certainly do.