Texas

[sarcasm]

Well that was WAY too much water WAY too fast.
Everything's fine except one bantam chicken who couldn't get back up out of the 8 inches or so of water that was racing through the bottom of the coop. She was barely floating when the lightning finally let up enough to check on them yesterday morning. We got her warm and dry and thought she was going to make it, but she was dead this morning.
One bird's a tragedy here, I can't imagine the devastation of losing a whole flock to flooding, let alone twice.

 

[Kiki]

Well that was WAY too much water WAY too fast.
Everything's fine except one bantam chicken who couldn't get back up out of the 8 inches or so of water that was racing through the bottom of the coop. She was barely floating when the lightning finally let up enough to check on them yesterday morning. We got her warm and dry and thought she was going to make it, but she was dead this morning.
One bird's a tragedy here, I can't imagine the devastation of losing a whole flock to flooding, let alone twice.

I am sorry for your loss.

 

[AllenK RGV]

@RUNuts shared an awesome idea either here or on the Imelda thread. His post was to soft taco roll up your birds in towels for transport or storage on higher ground, they really could even be stacked. Something that had never occurred to me previously.

Totally opened up my thoughts on what to do with my birds should I need to evacuate. Heck I could even velcro the birds to the Jeeps Roll-bar I have tons of velcro strapping in the shed.
I would love to see the look on an officers face checking my ID to make sure I lived in the neighborhood I'm trying to enter with chicken strapped everywhere including to my aftermarket head liner. Or even CBP depending on if I cross that border back into Texas from Texas.

 

[sarcasm]

@RUNuts shared an awesome idea either here or on the Imelda thread. His post was to soft taco roll up your birds in towels for transport or storage on higher ground, they really could even be stacked. Something that had never occurred to me previously.

Totally opened up my thoughts on what to do with my birds should I need to evacuate. Heck I could even velcro the birds to the Jeeps Roll-bar I have tons of velcro strapping in the shed.
I would love to see the look on an officers face checking my ID to make sure I lived in the neighborhood I'm trying to enter with chicken strapped everywhere including to my aftermarket head liner. Or even CBP depending on if I cross that border back into Texas from Texas.

We call that the “bird-rito” at my house. I’m not sure if I heard it somewhere or if it was just the obvious name.

 

[AllenK RGV]

I do have a question for you BYC'ers, Can anyone explain why the majority of my neighbors completely scalp their grass down to the dirt?

This is done even if they raise, chicken, geese, goats, sheep, and horses plus sundry other grazing or foraging livestock. Only the children around here seem highly proficient in english and it isn't something I would ask someone to intermediary for me. The town to the south in Indian Lake has the same general demographics as ours, but I see that area taking pride in their landscaping and lawns to the point of being neurotic with watering.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laureles,_Texas
"As of the census[1] of 2010, there were 3,692 people, 753 households, and 692 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 676.6 people per square mile (261.0/km²). There were 819 housing units at an average density of 168.7/sq mi (65.1/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 97.66% White, 0.09% African American, 0.33% Native American, 1.04% from other races, and 0.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 98.05% of the population."


Just a question that has been on my mind for the last 3 years, as an all over Texas Native Texan who has a wife who wanted to sweat in this sauna of a place.....I've always allowed my grass to grow tall and mow on the highest setting just because I never know when the next drought will hit and I want my lawn to be able to recover.

The only reason I can come up with is that helps to keep roaches and scorpions away?

 

[AllenK RGV]

My girl Cookie a foster fail sure seems to know where she is from. She is the sweetest little compost and scratch thief with the happiest tail ever. You guys see this too?

 

[AllenK RGV]

 

[AllenK RGV]

I have several cacti in flower right now. It seems the prickly pear are giving me a round 2 this year normally they only bloom in the spring. Here is another. I have no idea what its scientific name is anymore all I know is this one is a native, also that I need to sharpen up a machete and trim it down. Then I can remove its support tree to grow into its natural form. That flower is not wilted that is a fresh one and it seems this tickle bee is up to the pollinating challenge. It seems as though the local wildlife are going to have plenty of tuna this year, unfortunately, the green jays leave loads of wine colored poop stains everywhere on our porch when it is tuna season.

:

 

[Kiki]

I have several cactus in flower right now. It seems the prickly pear are giving me a round 2 this year normally they only bloom in the spring. Here is another I have no idea what its scientific name is anymore all I know is this one is a native, also that I need to sharpen up a machete and trim it down so I can remove its support tree to grow into its natural formView attachment 1916732 View attachment 1916733 :

You can borrow my mini Mex...he loves machete work.

 

[sarcasm]

I have several cacti in flower right now. It seems the prickly pear are giving me a round 2 this year normally they only bloom in the spring. Here is another. I have no idea what its scientific name is anymore all I know is this one is a native, also that I need to sharpen up a machete and trim it down. Then I can remove its support tree to grow into its natural form. That flower is not wilted that is a fresh one and it seems this tickle bee is up to the pollinating challenge. It seems as though the local wildlife are going to have plenty of tuna this year, unfortunately, the green jays leave loads of wine colored poop stains everywhere on our porch when it is tuna season. View attachment 1916732 View attachment 1916733 :

I think that's a dragon fruit cactus. I could easily be wrong though, but the shape and flowers look like it to my untrained eye.