What did you do in the garden today?

[WthrLady]

Yup, always have a spare pump and a spare stock tank heater on hand.

62 degrees yesterday with winds into the mid 40mph range
Today it is snowing, we have a Winter Storm Warning, it's 26 degrees and falling, and the winds are pegging at 50mph plus repeatedly. So Wednesday.

I need to wrap a couple thing, but DS got up early. Was woken up like I was when a 55 gallon drum from our neighbors barrel racing track 1/4 mile away rolled into the side of the house. No water, no sand in it. Idiots. They have at least 4. I can still see one there. And I have one. Where the other two are is anyone's guess.

All the critters are locked up or have access to inside.

No set plans for the day. Maybe work on slaying the loom. Doggie laundry must be done today.

 

[Lovem all]

Nothing today lol. All the plants are dead. Right now the baby goat and her best friends (2 roosters) took it over.

 

[Sueby]

Morning all!

Yea, they're saying 2-3 inches of rain & 70mph winds here. We got a call from Eversource telling us to expect multiple day outages & that they've called back all their employees that were on vacation. Thankfully the foot of snow on the ground has been melting a bit the last couple of days. It's going to be 60 degrees out!

Anyway, I just made 2 batches of crack, the meatballs are up next & then the cookie cups for the milk & cookie shots.

@Wee Farmer Sarah I like DDs idea. We decided years ago that we all enjoyed the appetizers more than the meal so for Christmas we've just done finger foods for the last bunch of years. We decided to get together super early at noon tomorrow so I'm picking up a sheet pizza for lunch. I think we're all sick of quarantine & can't wait to hang out so we're gonna make it a really long day. My parents won't be there because we won't risk it with COVID (plus Mom is having her busted ankle fixed as I type) & the rest of us have quarantined for the last 2 weeks so a get together is very much needed.

 

[WthrLady]

Morning all!

Yea, they're saying 2-3 inches of rain & 70mph winds here. We got a call from Eversource telling us to expect multiple day outages & that they've called back all their employees that were on vacation. Thankfully the foot of snow on the ground has been melting a bit the last couple of days. It's going to be 60 degrees out!

Anyway, I just made 2 batches of crack, the meatballs are up next & then the cookie cups for the milk & cookie shots.

@Wee Farmer Sarah I like DDs idea. We decided years ago that we all enjoyed the appetizers more than the meal so for Christmas we've just done finger foods for the last bunch of years. We decided to get together super early at noon tomorrow so I'm picking up a sheet pizza for lunch. I think we're all sick of quarantine & can't wait to hang out so we're gonna make it a really long day. My parents won't be there because we won't risk it with COVID (plus Mom is having her busted ankle fixed as I type) & the rest of us have quarantined for the last 2 weeks so a get together is very much needed.

THat's what we do New Years day. We just graze. It's more fun.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

Morning all!

Yea, they're saying 2-3 inches of rain & 70mph winds here. We got a call from Eversource telling us to expect multiple day outages & that they've called back all their employees that were on vacation. Thankfully the foot of snow on the ground has been melting a bit the last couple of days. It's going to be 60 degrees out!

Anyway, I just made 2 batches of crack, the meatballs are up next & then the cookie cups for the milk & cookie shots.

@Wee Farmer Sarah I like DDs idea. We decided years ago that we all enjoyed the appetizers more than the meal so for Christmas we've just done finger foods for the last bunch of years. We decided to get together super early at noon tomorrow so I'm picking up a sheet pizza for lunch. I think we're all sick of quarantine & can't wait to hang out so we're gonna make it a really long day. My parents won't be there because we won't risk it with COVID (plus Mom is having her busted ankle fixed as I type) & the rest of us have quarantined for the last 2 weeks so a get together is very much needed.

70 mph winds! I’m assuming there aren’t a lot tin roofs where you live. Half our neighbors and the chicken coop wouldn’t have a roof after that! We usually have to get on the roof to screw the tin back down if it hits 40-50!
As for the garden I revised my plans for the perennial bed I’m putting in. The original plan was about 8x12 and was supposed to have artichokes, strawberries and asparagus. I keep adding plants and now it’s somehow turned into 50x12. With artichokes, 4x the strawberries, asparagus, kiwi, blueberries and garlic.
today I’m finishing the strawberry bed and I’ll post pics tomorrow once I put the plants in and finish mulching everything.

 

[WthrLady]

we peg at 70 mph a LOT. we have tons of steel rooves here, and nothing needs reset.
Insurance don't like the steel rooves. LOL. Our hail is too large and it dents the dickens out of them. We had hail large enough two years ago to punch THROUGH the steel!

Snowing to beat the band here now.

Just sold my hives to a guy who wants to give them to his wife for Christmas. Works for me.
He'll be here in about half an hour, in a blizzard. LOL.

 

[Sueby]

@ChickenOwner57 no tin roofs here, except our shop, both my coops & run. They don't use them for houses much around here. I think they're exaggerating on the wind but we went through 60+ mph in the fall when all the trees came down & we had no issues. No issues with the tin roofs I mean, we had issues with no power for 5 days though. LOL

& that's a huge difference in you plan vs real size!

Phew, everything is cooked & cooling.

Wow @WthrLady, selling the hives, huh? Will you get more? I'm fascinated with bees & try them if we didn't have so many bears.

 

[WthrLady]

Ya, I've lost too much $$ and the hilltop just isn't suited for their survival. Between the lack of shelter and the swallows....good lord they ate a LOT of bees, and the moths. I'll let someone else try it.

I still have an orchard full of mason bees though.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Fortunately the winds aren’t supposed to be too bad here. I did mention to DD that we need to put the wheels on the new generator and have it set up in case we lose power. No tin roofs here but I do have corrugated steel roofing on the chicken run. The housing codes here require houses be built to be able to withstand the frequent Nor’easters we get.

 

[BReeder!]

Also, male ducks will have at least one curled tail feather. I don't believe the ladies ever have curled tail feathers.

@igorsMistress this is the tell that I rely most on. The curled feather near the tail is often referred to sa drake feather. Sometimes there's two of them. If there's a curled feather is a male. With certain breeds, there's also come variance in males and females as the mature. My Rouens have the color change so it's extremely easy for me to tell as if I wait until they mature. The females stay brown and the males turn grey with green heads.