looking for benita...

Warmed up just enough to get out and about.  Too windy for gutter work so I thought I would go on a longhorn hunt....a bit worried about my prize cow.  Three hours driving - one hour hiking.  Good news is that she left 2 days ago with about 20 others and I didn't find a single longhorn today.  Hopefully they all found their secret place they go to when it is really, really cold.  She at least could have called...45,60,11,0,W

TFL 2.0

The big chill finally broke today.  68 hours of below freezing temperatures.  Thermometer on the solar shower said 29º.  2" of ice in the house water tank and water frozen solid in Benita's water bowl and a bucket.  All my systems remained intact - no leaks, no power outages, plenty of heat.  That's the nice thing about a bad weather event - there is usually more than enough warning to be prepared.  Very empowering to not have to rely on outside assistance and be able to come to the aid of a neighbor who is not so diligent.  Looking forward to much higher temperatures.  32,42,2,0,B
   

The Great Blizzard of 2011

16,25,12,T,0

Coldpocalypse!

The SW Texas desert is in the deep freeze...but no rolling blackouts at TFL today.  This is the first time I have experienced sub freezing temperatures for a 24 hour period since moving to the desert.  Beats the hell out of below zero temps for months at a time back in upstate NY.  I think I can live with the cold for a couple of days.  No need to wait till late April here - we should be back in the 70's by next week.  15,26,14,0,W

why build a greenhouse?

Back in NYC, I briefly dated a girl who worked for Kraft Foods.  She was an excellent chef with a sophisticated palette.  Her job was to taste Kraft concoctions to see if cheaper ingredients would render the same flavor satisfaction.  That job description just didn't set right with me.  We only went out twice but I must give her credit for introducing me to beer can chicken.  

Food from corporate America:  Nearly every ounce of Kraft cheese products (from Velveeta to Kraft Singles) spends part of its life in a 680-pound container inside this 400,000-square-foot subterranean fridge. It’s not about aging, it’s about cheap storage: Moving refrigeration underground saves massive amounts of energy, since the temperature 100 feet down is a constant 58 degrees Fahrenheit. An above ground pump sends 13,000 gallons of chilled brine through the system every day, keeping the warehouse at a cool 36 degrees.  Something tells me Kraft Foods is not as concerned about providing a healthy product and being environmentally conscious as they are about profit.  27,46,39.0,W

gutter contemplation...

Lost a half day due to civic duty - got called for jury duty.  Because the trial is a lawsuit against the Terlingua Ranch unofficial POA...of course all TR land owners got booted from the pool.  At least I made 20 bucks for my trouble today.  Home in plenty of time to ponder the first section of gutter to be mounted.  Clamped it into place and gave it just enough thought to figure out how best to proceed.  I must say that it will make a brilliant functional accent to my structure.  Now bracing for the impending cold that is about to descend on this desert paradise for the next few days.  66,76,30,0,B

Sunday

54,80,38,0,B