Journal: Saturday, 11/22/08

►  Chilling down.  27ºF/-2ºC @ midnight.

►  Time for some sleep.  Clear, wind coming up  and 26ºF/-3ºC @ 4:00 AM.


►  Mostly cloudy, damp and gusty south wind and 36ºF/2ºC @ 11 AM. Jo says the day began mostly sunny. Our forecast predicts mostly sunny for this afternoon.

►  Sky well on its way to becoming clear again.  (44ºF/6ºC @ 12:30 PM)

►  PM weather summary:  49ºF/9ºC @ 3 PM.  41ºF/5ºC @ 5 PM.  Clear, moderately gusty south wind and 36ºF/2ºC @ 7 PM.

►  Started kiln on a glaze firing. (Clear, moderate south wind and 35ºF/1ºC @ midnight)



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Journal: Saturday, 11/22/08

Journal: Wednesday, 11/12/08

► Temperature and cloud cover have held steady for the past twelve hours. Fortunately, the wind laid. (54ºF/12ºC @ midnight)

► New day; same overcast. Wind calm. 57ºF/13ºC @ 11 AM

► Skies are trying to clear, but progress is very slow. (61ºF/16ºC @ 2 PM)

► Gradual clearing continues, but it's looking as if there will be no sunshine left by the time skies become completely clear. Oh, well. There's always tomorrow. (55ºF/12ºC @ 5 PM)

► Got a start on loading the van, but didn't get very much done before time for our afternoon walk and then darkness. Getting the two large dog crates worked in may prove very interesting. Normally, we board Rusty and Bucket because it's too hot to leave them in the van. Since the weather is cooler for this fall show, we decided to economize and bring them along. I'm hoping we don't regret that decision.

► Clouds persisting. Forecast calls for dense fog. (54ºF/12ºC @ 7:30 PM) (We never saw any fog up here on the ridge.)

► Skies have finally cleared revealing a big, bright full moon. (Clear, calm and 46ºF/7ºC @ midnight)




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Journal: Wednesday, 11/12/08

Journal: Saturday, 11/08/08

►  Had to crank up the wood stove this evening for the first time in well over a week. (42ºF/5ºC @ midnight)

►  Out of propane. Need to swap propane bottles. The kitchen stove is the only propane burning appliance we have. (54ºF/12ºC and sunny @ 10:30 AM)

Got the propane bottles swapped out with no problems.  I'll get the empty bottle refilled on my next trip into town.

►  Hearing gunshots in the distance every so often. Today is opening day of modern weapons deer season. (60ºF/15ºC @ noon)

►  A brisk north wind quickly dried the towels hanging on our clothesline, making them very fluffy too. (Mostly clear skies and 57ºF/13ºC @ 2:30 PM)

►  Afternoon walk not all that relaxing with deer hunters out and about. Our dogs thought we out to track the hunters. Chasing their 4-wheelers would be even better. (44ºF/6ºC @ 4:45 PM)

Even though Rusty and Bucket seldom get to travel, they are really pretty good dogs when we are away from our place, but they are terrible about barking, pulling on their leashes and just generally going crazy when we are home.  Too many territorial impulses kick in, I suppose.

►  Got Jo's kiln started on a bisque firing. (Clear, calm and 36ºF/2ºC @ midnight)




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Journal: Saturday, 11/08/08

Journal: Friday, 11/07/08

► Started Jo's kiln on another glaze firing. (51ºF/10ºC @ midnight)

► Fully closed lid on kiln. The temperature is getting chillier tonight than is has been for a week or so. (44ºF/6ºC @ 3:30 AM)

► Checking in under clear skies with a moderately gusty north wind. (53ºF/11ºC @ 10 AM)

► Back from PM walk. Partly cloudy with a moderately gusty north wind blowing. (56ºF/13ºC @ 5 PM)


► I saw a pretty good sized buck down by the creek behind the house around dusk. There were too many branches in the way and it there wasn't enough light for me to count the points on his antlers, but he had a nice rack. It was way too dark for me to get a photo. He needs to start staying deeper in the woods. Tomorrow is opening day of modern weapons deer season.

► Yesterday's really nice weather led me to leave the basement/shop door open for most of the day. The open door led a little field rat to venture inside. I saw it several times while working during the evening. The thought of herding it back outside crossed my mind, but I rejected that idea, figuring the rat would chose to hide rather than be herded. Trapping would be necessary. Late in the evening, I heard scratching over by the door. The rat wanted out. I assumed it would flee when I approached, but it stayed put, letting me open the door and then scampering out into the night.

► Had to crank up the wood stove this evening for the first time in well over a week. (42ºF/5ºC @ midnight)



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Journal: Friday, 11/07/08

Journal: Thursday, 11/06/08

►  Partly cloud skies. Clearing with the arrival of a new cold front. Wind calm at the moment, but it's forecast to increase. Early morning storms greatly overrated. Only .4" (10mm) of rain and no thunder and lightning. (65ºF/18ºC @ 11:00 AM)

►  Clear skies, little wind and 74ºF/23ºC @ 1:00 PM. What happened to the cold front that was supposed to be moving into our area?

►  Back from afternoon walk. Very little fall color left after yesterday's wind. (63ºF/17ºC @ 5:00 PM)

►  As the sun sets the temperature is  falling faster and farther than it has in well over a week.  We really did receive a fresh cold front.

►  Started Jo's kiln on another glaze firing. (51ºF/10ºC @ midnight)

►  Blog post on Nature in the Ozarks:  Camel Cricket.



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Journal: Thursday, 11/06/08

Journal: Wednesday, 11/05/08

►  Skies clear ... gusty south wind blowing ... 58ºF/14ºC @ 1 AM.

►  Sunny, very gusty south wind and 69ºF/20ºC @ 11 AM. The arrival of a new cold front and accompany storms are in our forecast for early tomorrow morning.

►  From clear skies to mostly cloudy in about an hour. Weather going downhill fast. (67ºF/19ºC @ 5 PM)

►  Shingle ripping south wind blowing. No rain yet, but NOAA radar show that showers are in eastern Oklahoma and heading this way. I don't think many  of our pretty fall leaves will be left after all this wind.  (66ºF/19ºC @ 7:30 PM)



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Journal: Wednesday, 11/05/08

Journal: Monday, 11/03/08

 “Another glaze firing started. (60ºF/15ºC @ midnight)”

“Kiln up to 1095ºF/590ºC. Vented lid now fully closed. Time for me to hit the hay. G'night y'all. (59ºF/15ºC @ 4:00 AM)”

“Initial daily coffee consumption underway. Sunny, gusty south wind and 70ºF/21ºC @ 10 AM.”

Blog Post -- Nature in the Ozarks: Sunday Walk
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“Enjoying our string of beautiful fall days, but really wouldn't mind if it were a bit cooler. (Will probably regret that statement.) (76ºF/24ºC @ 1:45 PM)”

“After returning from afternoon walk, barely enough time to play a quick game of fetch with the dogs before dark. (67ºF/19ºC @ 6 PM)”

“Finished working in my shop for the evening. Now to some online time. (57ºF/13ºC @ midnight)”

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Journal: Monday, 11/03/08

Journal: Sunday, 11/02/08

Finished working in my shop for the day. (63ºF/17ºC @ midnight)

My computer's clock just jumped back an hour, but I'm going to stay on DST until later Sunday morning. (62ºF/16ºC @ 2 AM)

Time for bed. (62ºF/16ºC @ 3:30 AM CST)

G'morning world. (66ºF/18ºC @ 9:30 AM)

More clouds and south wind coming up. No rain in forecast, though. (71ºF/21ºC @ 11 AM CST)

Found an extra hour because of the switch to standard time; lost it piddling around on the computer. (72ºF/22ºC @ 1 PM)

Finished our supply of store-bought potatoes; starting on home grown Yukon Golds. Our 10# harvest won't last long. (67ºF/19ºC @ 4:45 PM)

Jo's fixing sweet and sour chicken for supper. She has the dogs' undivided attention. (62ºF/16ºC @ 8 PM)

Another glaze firing started. (60ºF/15ºC @ midnight)

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Journal: Sunday, 11/02/08

Journal: Tuesday, 10/28/08

►  Started Jo's kiln on a glaze firing. (36F/2C @ midnight.)

►  Jo's kiln is up to 1034ºF/556ºC. All the wax has burned off and the fumes vented. Shut the lid fully. (36F/2C @ 3 AM)

The area right behind our garden.  This area was cleared only a year or so before we bought this place.  The previous owners were trying to make a pasture out of it, but Jo and I decided it was much to steep for that purpose.  We've let the trees grow back.  

►  Time for some sleep. (34F/1C @ 4:45 AM)

►  First cuppa coffee is so-o-o-o good. (They're all pretty darned nice.) 41F/5C, sunny skies, light wind @ 10 AM.


►  Time to move on to off line projects. (51F/10C @ 1 PM)

Our garden for 2008 is over.  Temperatures a few degrees below freeze did in everything except for some dill weed.  Of course, there's still a lot of work needing done out there, but no more produce to harvest.

►  Back from a pleasant afternoon walk up the road. (55F/12C @ 5 PM) Temps forecast for tonight not quite as cold as last night's 30F/-1C.

►  Midnight: Clear skies ... calm wind ... 39F/3C. A perfect time for a midnight snack, I'd say.

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Journal: Tuesday, 10/28/08

Journal: Monday, 10/27/08

Early Morning:

► Midnight: Down to 47ºF/7ºC and dropping. Gusty north wind has not abated. Chilly out considering I'm dressed for our mid-day 77º.


► 3:00 AM: Down to 41ºF/5ºC outside and 65ºF/18ºC inside. Time to crank up the wood stove before the house loses any more heat. Surprisingly, the north wind seems to have mostly laid, at least for the moment.

Late Morning:

► Sunny, breezy and 42º/5º @ 10 AM. Thermometer says temperature only fell to 36º/2º overnight, but there's a thin ice layer on the birdbath. Methinks the thermometer pickup is located too close to the house.

► Sunny and 51º/10º at noon. It would be almost pleasant outdoors were the north wind not gusty so strongly. Always staying in the sunshine and out of the wind is tricky.


Afternoon:

► Back from PM walk ... 51F/10C @ 5 PM. The north wind that came up again this AM seems to be laying now. Seems warm inside the house after walking. Wish I hadn't thrown those last couple of logs into the wood stove.



► After our end of season harvesting over the past couple of days, we didn't bother turning the electric fence back on. There really wasn't anything needing protection from the deer left out in the garden. This afternoon I saw a doe cautiously approach the garden and then slip inside. She never made it as far as any ot the plants before getting spooked. Now, does the deer entering the garden on the first day the fence was off demonstrate how well the fence is keeping out the deer? Or, was it just a coincidence? I don't know but suspect a little of both -- and probably more of a coincidence. The fence has been off many times.

Evening:

► Spent some time in the basement getting som spoons made.

All photos take on today's afternoon walk.

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Journal: Monday, 10/27/08

Journal: Thursday, 10/23/08

Early Morning:

Light to moderate rain continues. No storms just soggy fall funkiness. 52º F (11º C) @ 1 AM.



Blog post: Hodgepodgery: Journal: Tuesday, 10/21/08

(Features photos of monarch butterfly and bumble bee.)

Since most of our fall wildflowers have already bloomed out, the zinnias in our garden are a very popular place among the butterflies and other pollinators.

Light rain continues falling at 4:00 AM. Temperature has only drop another degree to 51º F (10º C).

Bedtime. Very light drizzle falling at the moment, A 60% chance of showers forecast for the remainder of the day. 50º F (10º C) @ 5 AM.

Late Morning:

Sunny and 50º F (10º C) @ 10 AM. Rain moved on through dropping only .5" precipitation. More clouds and slight chance of showers forecast for tonight and Friday.

Since the sun is shining, Jo washed a load of clothes and hung them out on the clothesline. South wind coming up. 58º F (14º C) @ noon.

Blog Post: Nature in the Ozarks: Bird's Foot Violet (Viola pedata)

Normally a spring-blooming wildflower, a few bird's foot violets along the road out insist upon late summer or early fall blooming too.



Afternoon:

Took our normal walk up the road to the gate and back. It still hasn't gotten cold enough for Jo, Rusty, Bucket and I to start venturing back out into the woods. And, when venturing into the woods, there's always deer hunting season to keep in mind. Deer seasons of various types will continue for a while. That concern isn't as bad as it once was since our neighbor became much more restrictive about allowing others to hunt on his land. Still, there occasionally hunters unknown to us on Jerry Joe's property, not to mention the possibility of a trespasser.



Fall color progressing, but it's a race to see how many leaves change color before others just fall off. My guess is this year's fall color is going to be below par, but I'd love to be proven wrong.

Evening:

Fired up the wood stove for the first time this fall -- just a little fire to keep the house from being nippy inside tomorrow morning. We might have had a fire a couple of evening last week had I gotten the stove pipe cleaned out sooner. (65º inside and 50º outside at 11 PM).


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Journal: Thursday, 10/23/08

Journal: Monday, 10/20/08

Morning: Each new day warmer than the last as our last cool front fades away. Mostly clear skies with only a few high, thin clouds. Light to moderate south wind. Weather conditions have not gone downhill as rapidly as I expected. Rain is still in our forecast for mid-week, though. 75º F (23º C) at noon.

Researching, cropping photos, etc. for a blog post on squash bugs, but I need to get on with my day leaving the post unfinished until this evening.

Afternoon: Lots of little projects. None of them really worth talking about.

This photo was taken about a month ago and shows poison ivy growing up a pine tree providing our earliest fall color.

Dogs: Play with the dogs for a while again this afternoon. When I discussed playing fetch with Rusty and Bucket yesterday, I made it sound like a purely altruistic activity. It isn't. Yes, I am concerned about them becoming total couch potatoes and preventing that is one of the reasons we play, but we also play fetch to burn off some of their energy. Someone once said, "A good dog is a tired dog." There's a lot of truth to that. Our cooler fall temps have boosted the dogs' energy level several steps. We burn off a little of that excess energy playing fetch, helping protect the inside of the house from being totally destroyed when Rusty and Bucket play with each other.

Cucumber: Jo harvested a cuke this afternoon. That's got to be a late season record for our garden. Of course, this cuke did not come from one of the vines we planted. Those sucuumbed to wilt before producing more than a half dozen fruits. A volunteer cucumber vine in the strawberry bed produced several cukes and this is the latest of those.

Temperatures: 79º/55º. 61º at midnight.

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Journal: Monday, 10/20/08