Weather Where You Are

flowerbug

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the small tornado that came near us here some years ago i was busy making this batch of freezer jam:

100_9321_Strawberry_Freezer_Jam_thm.jpg


you notice how dark that room is for 3pm?

i didn't really think anything of it, because i'd checked the radar earlier and while there were some pop-up storms coming our way they weren't large cells.

at the time of the tornado the rain was pretty heavy and the wind was coming from all directions but i didn't notice the sudden pressure change that often happens when a tornado or strong storm with down and updrafts goes over.

the only damage here was a plaque hanging on the wall by the back door of the garage fell off and that was only sitting on a nail.

the damage down the road and around the corner in the other direction was more significant. the neighbor's place out back had some of their roof blown off and some windows blown in. they'd just gotten down in the basement when it came by. the other neighbors had their small garage blown away and their house shifted a bit on the foundation. other people had trees taken down or other damage (2x4s going through their walls of the kitchen or through the garage door). luckily nobody was hurt. the surprise for me was looking out the window after the rain calmed down a bit and noticing the neighbor's garage was gone - then the sirens kicked in and the power went out as it took down the lines over to the NE.

our house is built like a hexagon with a very strong central core fireplace. i think it would take a direct hit by a bigger tornado to damage the core structure. the side room here and the garage might get peeled away first before the rest of the house would fail. plus we have a thick stone wall along the S-SW facing surface, that will take a lot of abuse before it comes down. and the walls are six inches thick instead of four.

the interior utility room and safe room i would go into in case of a tornado heading towards us directly is right next to the central fireplace. it is a small room. i'd just sit in the shower with a blanket wrapped around me and hope for the best. the shower has some glass panels but i doubt that would be an issue since if anything were strong enough to damage all those walls and fireplace it would probably be pretty big tornado.
 

flowerbug

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the weather here recently has been hot, humid and some rains. in other words almost perfect for tomatoes, squash and some of the other plantings. right now nothing is struggling to grow.

we had about an inch and a half of rain in about a half hour yesterday. i had spent some time making ridges in the north garden to help hold back as much of the rains that come along as possible. i was able to survey them this morning to see where any washouts were starting to form so i can build those back up and make them a little stronger for the next time. it looks though like it all really worked well and captured almost the entire heavy rain event. :)

this week the temperatures moderate a bit so it should not be as icky outside for trying to get a few things done. mostly i will be trying to make sure the weeds get removed from the cucumbers and a few other gardens. i'm not sure i'll get a chance to mow, but it will have to be done sometime. i'd love to be able to get some work done on the bigger project i have just sitting here waiting for it to get cool enough, but i don't think that's possible in this heat. i still get too overheated too easily and i don't need to make anything worse... gotta be patient...
 

digitS'

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An inch and a half of rain in a half hour!?? My bet is that we won't have 1 1/2" of rain in any summer month, @flowerbug . And, no, we don't have monsoon summer storms here so it'll be 1/2" adding up 3 or 4 sprinkles. Floods are snow-melt situations but, I'm sure that your have to deal with that, also.

Gonna put a picture of my tomato plants on here:

IMG_20200720_075838.jpg

I'm happy with how they have grown :). I lost one plant - no idea why and that sorta thing seldom happens with the tomatoes. Maybe I'll put a picture of one of the better looking eggplants on:

IMG_20200720_084929.jpg
That's Epic. It usually does okay (not last year!) The potato bugs have to leave these guys alone or some of them are still in trouble. Nevertheless, the weather has turned a corner and even some of the melons are doing okay (Gris de Rennes & cucamelon :)). The cucumbers are growing like crazy, suddenly! I don't know what I'll do with so many cukes! (FlowerBug says he already has them coming off the vines ... i may have a flower or 2.)

Steve
 

flowerbug

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An inch and a half of rain in a half hour!?? My bet is that we won't have 1 1/2" of rain in any summer month, @flowerbug . And, no, we don't have monsoon summer storms here so it'll be 1/2" adding up 3 or 4 sprinkles. Floods are snow-melt situations but, I'm sure that your have to deal with that, also.

Gonna put a picture of my tomato plants on here:

View attachment 36255

I'm happy with how they have grown :). I lost one plant - no idea why and that sorta thing seldom happens with the tomatoes. Maybe I'll put a picture of one of the better looking eggplants on:

View attachment 36256
That's Epic. It usually does okay (not last year!) The potato bugs have to leave these guys alone or some of them are still in trouble. Nevertheless, the weather has turned a corner and even some of the melons are doing okay (Gris de Rennes & cucamelon :)). The cucumbers are growing like crazy, suddenly! I don't know what I'll do with so many cukes! (FlowerBug says he already has them coming off the vines ... i may have a flower or 2.)

Steve

the same melons here have a lot of flowers but no fruits showing yet. it is like we are opposite tracks. which is of course ok just interesting. :)

past three weeks they've been doing well. still doing well. growing through the fence already.

picked about 30lbs of cucumbers day before yesterday - all are now given away as desired. *whew* 30lbs is much better than 100-150... which is what we had to deal with last year - that was way too much.
 
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Rhodie Ranch

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UGH. 106 degrees here in my town. Medford OR hit 105. Then this morning woke up to clouds and humidity and its supposed to be 101. Everything out front and back is fried. The golf course has been watering in between groups of golfers.

I did miss the large lightening display east of us...sound asleep.
 

digitS'

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1 August -- some day soon, I will have that Endless Summer feeling. It's not a bad thing for me. I am sheltering-in place somewhat. I won't start the lawnmower before 9 but I have only so much energy to survive much hot weather activity.

And, hot it is! Yesterday, it was 104°f officially at the nearest WS station. Every day this week had/will have temperatures above 90 and mostly, well above.

There were 2 sprinkles of rain in July, back in the first 7 days. A total of .23 inches for the entire month. The distant garden has been watered adequately by the property owner. I am so appreciative of him! He's an olde guy and decided not to go anywhere this summer. He has only to walk across his driveway to reach the irrigation valve. I'm afraid that he seldom walks out to see how the sprinklers are doing in his and our gardens but - so far, so good!

Going somewhere? I used to vacation fairly regularly just down the road from here. Yes, it still appeals to me :D:

salishan-CME-KCVI-2019-CROP.jpg

Oh yes, it does ...

Steve
 

Carol Dee

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We have had LOVELY weather for the past few days and for the foreseeable future. Days in the mid to upper 70's and nights in the upper 50's can it really be August in IOWA! i am not complaining at all
 

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