Coffee

[baymule]

Coffee is ready! Going for my second cup. Another scorching day today. Got an inch of rain Saturday, it has cooled down to only a high of 90F today.

 

[ducks4you]

Sorry, WE are having a full week's worth of Fall weather. Turned the LR AC Off and will probably leave it off, even though high's in the upper 80's later this week.
With weather like this the Texans who fled the Texas house for Illinois may decide to Stay here!

 

[Shades-of-Oregon]

A quick coffee and a race out to the fields to check for new under ground critters and of course deer …. No sighting of either. They sneak in early morning as soon as the sun starts to rise… I put down plantskyyd around the garden, seems to be working well so far.

I found a couple new ground bee hives. One in the dogs area and one on the north side of the pastures … under a tree. Sneaky. At least I didn’t mow over it. Been there done that . And notheing worse than being chased by a bunch of angry bees ready to take you out.

It has been chilly and colder the past few days . Sure feels like autumn is coming soon. I noticed the leaves on some tree are shutting down a starting to change colors. I find it a nice change since the past few years have been unseasonable hot in august.

 

[digitS']

We regained the ability to use the house phone and the internet that comes in the package deal.

Last week, there were thunderstorms on either side of us. One group of homes & businesses lost power –– a few thousand customers. We didn't lose power but surges must have taken out something in the company's box on the exterior of the house.

Using only the cellphones, internet use was not so easy as having the pc and tablets.

 

[Shades-of-Oregon]

Oh this internet and computer stuff is frustrating , I am so tired of the whole kit and kabodal. We don’t have fiber optic here and the issue can be tricky to use alternate services when lines and electricity are out . We can go to other networks in the area that offer a secondary service when power outages take place . To maintain internet access during a power outage, consider portable hot spots , satellite internet service , or fixed wireless internet with back up power. We use a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) set up to the modem and router can also provide backup power to keep our internet devices running.

The public utility company can turn off power during storms to avoid wild fires here as well. I am hoping that doesn’t happen soon as the generator is not working need a new one . The electrical box is set up to only service certain household appliances and internet. The generator runs on gas and needs to move outside of the garage. It’s way to heavy. Also natural gas is not up here which also makes it tricky to run alternate automatic generators set up when power goes off unless a t00 gallon propane tank is put in. Then problems with how to plaice it where it’s not llike a white or silver glowing eye sore. And it cannot be painted a differnt color due to safety issues. It also need to be place for occasional fill ups. To purchase one could be more cost efficient opposed to a monthly rental.

I finally gave up my landline last February. I read that At&T plans to discontinue landline service by 2029-30. Updating to digital will be the option.

 

[baymule]

@Shades-of-Oregon do you have any skunks? They love to eat bees and will dig out the ground bees.

 

[digitS']

I'm considering a hamster to generate energy.

Of course, he needs his own fuel.

Left a good job in the city.
Rollin', rollin'.
Big wheel keep on turnin', turnin'.

 

[Shades-of-Oregon]

@Shades-of-Oregon do you have any skunks? They love to eat bees and will dig out the ground bees.

Yes we have weasels, chipmunks, moles , voles, gophers, ground squirrels, mice , rats, owls, condors, hawks, bobcats, opossums, raccoons and coyotes . Phew… I have seen them all. And trapped a few raccoons that have picked on my cats.

However skunks I never have seen one around here. They are terrestrial animals and it’s a bit cold in my area for them in winters. But southern Oregon and eastern Oregon has many skunks, it’s a lot warmer there. I’m up in the mountains which has a much colder climate in winter than southern or eastern Oregon.

I have had several ground bees here because the pastures get very dry in summer. No rain for summer months and lots of plants around to encourage them to build their nests. Clover fields seems to be the biggest calling card for ground bees.

I sneak up on the nest at night when they are all inside the nest and add a foam spectracide in the ground nest opening .That is a workable solution out in the pastures where water is not available. There are other nests where I don’t like to use a spectracide near the dogs area. I use Dawn liquid dish soap pour down the opening at night and add water from the hose down the ground nest causing the soap to foam which covers the bees they cannot fly or larvae cannot mature. That works well if water is accessible to the nest and safer for pets in the area.

I don’t need to do anything with some ground bees nests that are docile bees. It’s only the yellow carpenter and yellowjacket bees that are very aggressive and will attack and sting anyone near by that gets to close to the nest.
Believe me been there and stung many times when mowing over a nest. Not a pleasant experience I swelled up like the Pillsbury doughboy , now allergic to them I carry an epinephrine pen primary treatment with me and wear a hazmat suit when spraying their nests. Aggressive little buggers.