• Join Home Gardening Forum

Whatcha Up To???

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,857
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
It was 35 degrees with a light drizzle (0.16") this morning, but the forecasted lows for the next 10 days are in the upper 40s to the upper 50's range. Were glad for that, we hate the cold.

Unplugged the heat lamps in the well house.

Made a molasses cake for our desserts.

Rearrange the stuff I have hanging on the pegboards in the garage.
 
Last edited:

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,857
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
It's 59 degees (with a light rain) here this morning. We've received 0.26" of rain thus far.

Finished rearranging the stuff on the pegboards in the garage. Now I can see what I have, LOL!!!

Fed the cattle.

The peppers & basil are starting to pop up in the greenhouse. Six more days to go before I start the tomatoes!!!
 
Last edited:

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,857
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
Cold with a north wind this morning, only 45 degrees here... It never got above 50 today.

Daughter brought over 3 dozen brown eggs!!!

Did the weekly shopping. Everyone I dealt with (with the exception of the gal at the package store) was incompetent.
 
Last edited:

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,857
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
On the chilly side here this morning, 50 degrees & with more drizzling rain (0.03" thus far).

Made 2 loaves of Italian bread.

Made a pot of pinto beans.

Fed the cattle.
 
Last edited:

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,857
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
It was 60 degrees this morning & drizzling rain (0.03" thus far)..

Seasoned up a pork butt with our Mexican rub for pulled pork. I also made ranch rice to go with it.

Picked up ranch fuel.
 
Last edited:

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,857
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
It is 70 degrees & drizzling rain (0.09" thus far) this morning.

Went to pick up a load of cattle feed.

Cleaned 10 half-gallon starter pots.
 
Last edited:

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,857
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
It was 58 degrees this morning, forecast is saying 71 for a high with clear skies today.

Prepped 3 more flats (60 starter pots) for the tomatoes & then planted 10 half gallon starter pots of 'Star of Texas' hibiscus. I was going to plant 5 peach seeds but they were bad when I cracked the pits open. Nothing ventured, nothing gained...
 
Last edited:

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,857
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
It was 38 degrees this morning, forecast is saying 74 for a high with clear skies again today.

Planted 30 'Bella Rosa' tomatoes & 30 'Health Kick' tomatoes.

Prepped the handle of my stirrup hoe that I use for weeding for painting.

Researching thermal scopes.
 
Last edited:

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,857
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
It was 46 degrees this morning, but it's a beautiful sunny day & 78 now.

Put the stickie traps up in the greenhouse.

Puttered around the house until the grandson came down to visit. We continued researching thermal scopes, but not a whole lot of choices in the $1K range...
 
Last edited:

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,857
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
It was 68 degrees this morning, the high is suppose to hit 78 again.

Watered everything in the greenhouse.

Ran to town to knock out some chores.

Started the yearly pruning of the Crape Myrtles.
 
Last edited:

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,857
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
It was 68 degrees this morning. Looks like a repeat of yesterday's weather... I'm good with that!!!

Continued pruning of the Crape Myrtles. My goal is to get them done before the next cold front hits next week.

Put out another roll of hay.

Received the new thermal rifle scope. I'll check it out tonight before I tell him it's here, LOL!!!
UPDATE: For a relatively inexpensive thermal, this thing is great!!! I can clearly differentiate cattle & deer at 300 yards, no problem!!! I also like the built in range finder!!!

AGM_Deer.png
 
Last edited:

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,857
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
It was 68 degrees again this morning, but it's overcast.

Mrs. Ranch wants to make a pasta bake for supper so I made the spaghetti sauce for her & I threw in 2 loaves of garlic bread as well.

Pulled the 'buck board bacon' out of the curing brine, rinsed them off & got them soaking in clean water.

Grandson came down after school grinning ear-to-ear after his mom told him the scope arrived, LOL!!! It's moments like this that make life worth living!!!

Fed the cattle.
 
Last edited:

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,857
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
It was 70 degrees this morning, but it's still overcast.

Trussed up the 'buck board bacon', slathered them with honey & then rolled them on coarse ground pepper. I plan on smoking them tomorrow.

Went to get my haircut & did the weekly shopping.
 

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,857
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
It was 69 degrees & overcast this morning.

Pulled all the bigger weeds in the back yard. I really need to spray it but the weather has me on hold...

Put the 'buck board bacon' on the smoker @ 0925 hrs. I pulled it @1300 hrs & let it cool before sticking it in the refrigerator. I'll slice & vacuum pack it tomorrow.

Grandson came down to feed the cattle for me.

Pruned another crape myrtle (3 more to go).
 
Last edited:

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,857
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
Sliced & vacuum packed the 'buck board bacon'.

Watered everything in the greenhouse.

Picked up the trash from the crape myrtle pruning.
 
Last edited:

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,857
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
It was 52 degrees & overcast this morning. It's not going to get much better over the next few days.

Seasoned up 2 sirloin roasts for our supper(s). Threw in the potatoes, onions, carrots & celery. One for us & delivered the other one down the road.

Picked up a new battery for the garden tractor. I installed it & then charged it up.
 

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,857
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
It was 52 degrees again this morning, with a drizzling rain (0.63" thus far).

I just puttered around the house today.
 
Last edited:

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,857
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
It's 65 degrees & still drizzling rain (0.26") here this morning. The temp is now down to 52...

Prepped 2 lbs of pinto beans & got them soaking for tomorrow.
 
Last edited:

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,857
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
Woke up to 34 degrees & a strong north wind this morning. The high for today was 50.

Took Mrs Ranch's Jeep to town to have all the tire pressure sensors replaced (I hate these damn things).

Did the weekly shopping (4 stores) & still couldn't find numerous items (I had to order things over the internet).

Made pinto beans & Mexican cornbread for our daughter's family since they have a lot to do this weekend (kids have basketball playoff games, a track meet & the FFA sale).
 

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,857
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
It's 38 degrees with a 5 MPH north wind this morning. It's not going to break 50 again...

Fed the cattle.

Puttered around the house doing little chores.

We had our final meal from the sirloin roast tonight so I turned the remains of it into beef/vegetable/barley soup. This will see us through the week of the incoming really cold weather.
 
Last edited:

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,857
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
It's 50 degrees & drizzling rain (0.06" thus far)...

Went to pick up a load of feed, cigarettes & beer.

Finished making a big pot of soup to see us through the cold weather.

Granddaughter won Reserve Champion for her FFA lamb. That should help her at the sale this afternoon.
 

w_r_ranch

Master Gardener
Administrator
Moderator
Plus Member
Messages
6,857
Location
South Central Texas
Planting Zone
8b
It's 36 degrees with a gusty 10-20 MPH north wind this morning. It's not going to break 50 again... Update: it made it up to 54, but with the wind chill, you would never know it...

Grandson & daughter came down to fed the cattle & put out another roll of hay for us.
 
Last edited:
Top