Just need to talk to my friends (186)

Iris L.

Lorita, every day I get robocalls, but the barrage that I got a few days ago was unusual.  

Do Texas and Oklahoma have a big agricultural industry? CA is said to supply 80% of fruits and vegetables, which sounds like a very high amount to me.  At the same time, I still see some fruits and veggies imported from other states (Washington and Oregon), even other countries (Mexico and Chile).  We used to see strawberries and peaches and watermelon only in the summer, now they are available year-round.

Iris

jfkoc

Iris...we have pecans, water mellons and peaches but I do not know how far theose make it out of Oklahoma.

I feel certain that Mike keeps the edges of the pond ice free for the cows. How big are yourwater troughs?

Still a big inside day. All available tax things are organized, Now the wait for K2's.

I organised my glassware and my food wrap drawer. I am going to tackle 1 junk drawer then turn on NetFlix.

Making a meat loaf. Just using a packet of Lipton's as a base. I have a potato to bake and some zucchini so I am in hog heaven come dinner. 

Lorita

Hi,

Judith, I'm not sure but I imagine the water tanks are about 200 gallons.  You'd think there would be a tag on it to tell but there isn't.  The ones I'm using now are the oval, black, rubber ones. We've always used the metal ones but they tend to rust out after a while and there's no way to fix them that we've found.

I haven't received all the financial papers I need yet either.  Supposed to be here by the 31st so may be at the mailbox.  I haven't been in two days and won't go today, or maybe tomorrow.  I'm going to make a concerted effort to get my tax papers in to Sam earlier this year.

Those junk drawers - how in the world do we collect so many things to go in them?    I need to organize mine, too - but another day. 

There's a rerun of the Chiefs' game on so may watch a little of it while the water tank fills.  It's so cold outside but nothing is falling right now.

Iris, I'm not sure - I know they grow a lot of wheat out in Western Oklahoma but don't know how much is exported.  I would guess out biggest export is oil and cattle.  We used to have orchards around here but the closest one now is probably 40 miles away - north of us.  Nothing much is grown around here except cattle.  Like Judith said, watermelons SW of us and peaches north.  

My cousin, Patsy, who lived in California, said there used to be all kinds of vegetables grown out there but she said when she got older most of the orchards had been turned into housing developments.  Her daughter does live at the edge of a big almond orchard though.

Have things dried out in California after all that rain?  I saw pictures of mudslides you all have and they look awful - no way to stop mud or water.

Wish I had some more birdfeed.  I'm ordering some more from WM but it'll be three days before it gets here.  Maybe they can find some grass seeds in the hay.

Lorita

Checked with At woods and 200 gallons is too much. Must be 110. Mike and Sidney just brought more mineral tubs for the girls.   They are the same thing as the liquid feed we always used except it is cooked and the cows lick it.  He said the roads were slick.  He also said the little calf is doing okay. He has her on feed and she is going to make it.  She's inside a barn.

Just heard Dallas has an ice storm warning.  Not good.

Mint

Be careful Lorita if there’s ice.  Mike is in the cattle business he’ll see that his cattle get water.

Ohio exports a lot of soybeans, corn and dairy.  Besides US lot of produce here from Mexico, Canada and Peru.

Have not received all my tax paperwork either.

Cold, sunny day.

ladyzetta

Lorita.

When you add potatoes to your Bear Creek Potato soup do you just boil then and cut them up then add to the soup? Iam going to make some tomorrow and I want to add some potatoes. Thanks Zetta 

Lorita

Thanks, Sara, I'll be careful.  There's a thick layer of sleet everywhere but I've kept it swept off the steps so they're okay.  I just have to go out the backdoor, around the storage building and I'm almost there.  Just hooked up the water so I have about 20 minutes before I have to go out and turn it off.  

I asked Mike about the little heifers that are still in the west pasture and he said the ponds aren't frozen.  I think the big one in front of the house is because I can see sleet all over it.  They're going to cut ice in the morning when they feed.  He's worried about Thursday morning - we're supposed to have freezing rain tomorrow late and tomorrow night and it will freeze on the netwrap on the bales of hay.  So, when they're able to pull it off it takes a layer of the hay with it.  I think I've mentioned that years ago we had an ice storm and Charles and I had to use shovels and whatever we could to beat the ice off the bales so we could get the netwrap off.

It's supposed to be 60-65 this weekend and he's said everyone will be sick with the drastic change in temps.  So, everyone will have to watch for pnemonia in the cattle.  Seems like there's always something to worry about.

We also have a lot of soybeans - had forgotten about them.  Our neighbor used to raise a lot of peanuts, too.

Zetta, when I make the potato soup I peel and dice (about 1/4-1/2" pieces of a potato, add a little water to the bowl with the potato pieces and cook them in the microwave, covered with plastic wrap with an opening to let off the steam.   When the soup's done I use an immersion blender to make it smooth.  I don't like those little pieces of potato the soup has.  Then I add the cooked potato pieces without the water and it's just fine.  I think the last time I even added a little bit of instant potatoes to make it thicker.  I  may make some tomorrow, too.  I finally got the two packets I ordered over a month ago from Amazon.  WM has the chili mix for just under $4.00 but it's pickup only.  

I have a container of brown beans with potatoes and carrot frozen and also one of the soup I made a month or so ago.  I should use those things before I make soup.  You know, there's a spice in the cheddar broccoli Bear Creek soup that I don't like.  No idea what it is.  In 1995 when Charles and I went to Washington we ate at a big pizza place - didn't get pizza but whatever we ordered had a spice in it we didn't like.  I think the Bear Creek soup is made in NJ so it may be a northern thing.

Stormy and Sheena went out with me and now Stormy's doing his bicycle exercise.  I think his allergies are beginning to act up with an itchy back so he does the bicycle thing to scratch his back.  Looks really funny.

Better stop and go check the water.  Hope all of you have a good evening.  Ron, you may have some sleet or freezing rain - it's worse the farther south you go in Oklahoma.  Be careful.  Hope you don't have an appointment tomorrow or Thursday.  I think you said you had one Friday so maybe it will be better by then.

 Sleep well.

ronald71111

Rain, rain, rain and more rain! Guess I shouldn't complain, it could be ice! Most of the freezing rain has stayed north and northwest of us. We are right on the edge for freezing rain, but they expect it to stay right above us. Oldest son in Dallas sent me some pictures of the road there and told me his boss called and said stay home they had shut his work down at 3 that morning. Called my brother in Plano and he said it had been raining ice pellets all day.

Have a VA appointment tommorow for lab to see how my blood is clotting. Hope the weatherman was right, but if not I'll just cancel and stay home. All you rockers having bad weather please stay safe.

Ron

ronald71111

Ice is still staying away from me, rain is still the main problem. Lakes around here are reaching a high level and street flooding is a big hazard. I remember when we lived in Shreveport I had to go a longer route to work due to certain streets flooding. Still expecting rain for next couple of days, 2 or 3 day break and more rain. Dont like this much but I'll take rain over the ice any day.

Lou had home health nurse and physical therapist yesterday. She went through her therapy fairly well, but he signed off on her and want be back. Her vitals were excellent when the nurse checked her. I asked the nurse if she would measure my knees when she had her tape rule out. I had noticed shortly after the blood clot below the knee that my left knee looked larger than the right. It was 2 inches larger, I believe that is all part of having blood clots.

Hope my relatives in Texas stay safe! Beside my son and brother, several cousin. nephews and niece leave in the area.

Stay safe everyone!

Ron

Joydean

The ice is really bad right now. I live close to Rockwall,Tex in a rural area. I’m concerned about all the tree limbs that are heavy with ice and leaning way down. Just hoping that don’t break and land on power lines. We can’t get out because county roads are solid ice. Just hoping dh stays okay. But this will pass. Ron hoping you guys stay safe with all that rain! 

Lorita hoping all your babies are safe. 

Hope everyone has a great day and are safe and warm. 

Lorita

Morning,

Happy February - hope it is a happy one.  January has ended on a bad note.

Joydean - I know how you're feeling.  We've been snowed in and I was always worried that something would go wrong with Charles and we'd need to get out.  Thankfully, it didn't and hope it doesn't happen for you.

Is Rockwall close to Dallas?  I saw on the weather Texas has been having ice all the way south.  We're supposed to get a little freezing rain later today - they don't know for sure where it will end but we're on the edge of it.  We still have a lot of sleet on the ground.

Mike and Toad came and fed.  I haven't seen the babies this morning - I imagine they have them bedded down in the loose hay.  I filled the water tank - can't believe it wasn't completely empty.

Ron, what does that mean - that the therapist won't be back.  Is it that Lou is all right and doesn't need therapy?

I hope you stay on the warmer side of this awful weather.  Maybe this will be all we have this winter.  

We even saw about a minute of sunshine a while ago but it's clouded up again.  It's 26 right now so much better than a day or two ago but still awfully cold.

All of you stay safe out there as this bad weather moves east and northeast.  Stay in and stay warm.

dayn2nite2

17 and sunny here.  Worked my little 2 hours of overtime, I could work 20 hours and not make too much of a dent in the workload but I get crabby when I work too long.  

Chucky is resting next to me, we're about to go outside - he won't take long at all at these temperatures.  Snow on the group, but none coming from the sky.  Going to do some laundry and watch TV the rest of the day.

Have a good day everyone!

Mint

Cold, sunny

Ron believe Sunday is the full moon.

Lorita

Gosh, sounds like we're in a heat wave compared to all of you.  It's 27 here and going to be, we hope, about 34 mid afternoon.  There's still ice everywhere.  Just went out to refill the water tank and saw half a dozen cows or heifers walking around the pond trying to get a drink.  I called them and all but one came back - a red Angus?, not sure, but I told her to get a drink in the garden.  These girls seem to understand what I say and the heifers are beginning to - they don't run from me now and one actually touched my hand the other day.

Joydean, are you still having freezing rain.  By the radar on our weather station looks like you are.  I can remember so many times standing at the kitchen window and watching the ice build up on the elm tree.  I don't like that.  It's a huge, very old tree and it worries me.  A few years ago we had an ice storm and one of the big limbs fell, barely missing the house and another time one fell across the power lines to the house.  Darwin was up here for some reason and we got it off the line.  One of the worst sounds I can think of is the tree limbs breaking from being so heavy with ice - sounds like gunfire.  I hope you don't have that, Joydean.

I'm almost out of birdfeed, ordered some this morning but it'll be next week before it gets here.  I have a little left and gave them some - then broke up two or three slices of bread and gave to them.  They'll be okay as soon as the ice melts.  Should have ordered that bird feed a few days ago.

Day, I bet Chucky thanks his lucky stars all the time for you adopting him and giving him a good home.  They really seem to appreciate it.  I know Sheena seems to.  She was a year old when I got her - she wouldn't have a thing to do with any kind of junk food and when I'd start to pet her she'd flinch.  She belonged to an older man and I bet he never petted her - I probably shouldn't say that because I don't know but I do know she has really changed.  The one thing she has never done is get on the furniture - she has put her feet on the recliner when she was anxious to go outside with Stormy.  Stormy, on the other hand, thinks the divan belongs to him - he's asleep there now.

I think I can leave the water hose hooked up because it's getting a little warmer.  I couldn't get the handle up on the hydrant at the barn but maybe I can by this evening.  I know that water that was in it is frozen solid.

Meals on Wheels has closed today but the volunteers are still getting out and delivering food.  I think that's a wonderful thing and I have begun to contribute to that.  This bad weather is when shutins really need food or someone to check on them.

There's been a lot of wrecks on I-40.  News is showing a semi that lost control and went back and forth across the highway - no injuries but I bet there were a lot of scared people.

Better stop and go check the water.  Lots of flights cancelled, the news just said.  

Stay in and stay warm.  Awfully easy to slip and fall and we do not need that to happen.

ronald71111

Sayra, shame on you telling me about the full moon Sunday, now I have 4 days to look forward to it instead of just be surprised. LOL

Lorita, the therapist not coming back meant he has signed off on her for home therapy. It was really nothing he could do to help and they have certain medicare guidelines they have to go by showing improvement.

I was surprised that the traffic was so light on my way to the VA this morning. Even the handicap parking was easy to find a spot. So many times, especially mornings, you can forget about a handicap parking unless your real early. The Shreveport VA has a lot of East Texas, southeastern Oklahoma and southern Arkansas veterans that come here, so guess that's why it was so light in traffic. 

Another rainy day tommorow but at least I'll be staying in. Believe gumbo and a salad is on tap for tonight so guess I'd better get started.

Ron