Bad Air ~ Smoke Haze

 

At 7am yesterday, we were at an air quality of 174.  If you see the chart below, that put us in the "red" zone (unhealthy).  Very close to the "very unhealthy" level on the chart.  So there was no outdoor work at all.  Areas within in hour from us were in the 300's - hazardous, stay indoors at all times.

We've been praying for good winds to change direction and give us a break.  I was miserable all day, and the numbers reached to 204 (purple level) according to our local health department.  I had to run to the store, and the library ( needed their fax service).

Speaking of library.  I walked into our little library for the first time since Feb. of 2020.  It's been that long since I've been to our library.

This morning we did a complete turn with the air quality.  When I look outside, I do not see any haze at all, and the air quality number is a healthy low of 28.  However, today there will be more rain.  I am not sure how much time I will get in the garden, if any, but glad the air is clear again.

This and That

 

We have been getting rain, so I'm not doing any garden work currently.  I weeded out the larger weeds in the rose bed, but the rest will have to wait until the the rain stops.

I have been successful with my new to-do list (the 7 areas to tidy up).  I have now crossed 2 off of my list of 7.  My husband hasn't noticed.

Speaking of my husband, there is no sign of the long work hours ending.  He promised me a "date" night, which was taking the motorcycle out and dinner out.  Didn't happen.  They held him over at work.  We are all tired of it.  He has been forced over every night.  One night he was to be home by 8pm, and ended up home at 9pm.

I'm considering going back to work.  We never see each other, and there is no sign we will be getting our projects finished.

I still have a list for us when these hours stop, but I not able to vision any of it being accomplished.  I'm still upset half of the garden was not planted.  Nothing we can do about it.  I probably sound like a broken record.  It can be very depressing at times.  

July is almost here, and the coop materials have not even been bought yet.  We still need more supplies for the raised beds.  The solar fence is still in the box.  I never got my potatoes planted....

I'm getting burned out crocheting.  I have been using up some yarn, and making hats for winter.  I went on Etsy, and was shocked that some people are selling hats for $50-70!!!  What??  And here I was worried that $18 or so was too high.  As for that, my husband said he does NOT want me to do any craft show this winter.

I also saw knitted dishcloths being sold for $7.00!!  What??  I've also noticed that everyone is selling something, and no one is buying.  I read that the area garage sales were a flop as well.  They said "no one was into it" this year.  Well, no one has the money.

I'll be back when I have something more positive to post.  I have just been drained of all positive mojo so far this summer, and feeling like we haven't accomplished anything is mentally draining.

This isn't "throwing in the towel" on homesteading, but the thought is there.

Carrots, or lack there of....

I finally took a look-see at the carrots.  I managed to grow the world's smallest carrots in 5 months of watering.  Dang drought.  Oh well.  I can't leave them in the ground either.  They will never grow to size by Nov even if I left them in.  Sheesh.  We did get a chuckle out if though.  Our one daughter's rabbit will love to munch on some of these teeny tiny nibblets.

We've harvested 95 bell peppers so far this year.  The season for them is winding down.

We've harvested 19.47# of jalapenos so far this year.  They have done amazing this year.

Random Tidbits

Photos of the sky before the sunrise this morning.

Well, we are not camping tonight.  Not at all this weekend.  I had to cancel.  We decided that the return of the awful heat would make us miserable.  We cook all meals over a campfire, and it would awful to do in 89-90 degree weather.

Yeah, I am bummed.  I was looking forward to unplugging and it won't happen.  Not anyone's fault but the weatherman.  The weather up until now was absolute perfect camping weather.

I got my dentist visit done.  So, first I went and got my crown glued back on, second, I went back the next day for a cleaning, so that's done before winter.  All the hoop-la they say about going to the dentist on social media is false.  I just had to wear a mask until they worked on me and wear it out.  That's it.  Other than they don't rinse as much due to the splatter of water, but they have face shields on etc.  Such a different world right now.  I took my crochet work with me, and finished another jar opener.  Then I drove over to my younger brother's house where Mom was babysitting the grandkids.  I gave them 3 cucumbers.  Apparently, my niece and nephew LOVE cucumbers.

On a good note, our youngest has an interview today with a different salon.  I think she is looking forward to it and she will be able to actually cut hair if she is hired.

The garden has been so-so.  The yellow squash is finally coming on, but plants are small.  The tomatoes are turning red, but the leaves are already turning brown. 

As for flowers, the zinnias haven't even bloomed and it's the end of August.  Despite watering, it's been a rough year.

I'm not sure if I will can pickles this year.  We don't really eat them that often (sliced pickles).

The chickens are doing well in the new coop, and no one has flown the coop since the last incident.  No raccoon sightings either.

There has been discussion about the new engine for my car.  It's been a slow process, but nothing is cheap.

I hope your weekend unplugs you somehow.  I will have to find another way now.

2020 can go away....

The year has been crappy overall.   I feel like the government is keeping us from family and friends, so we may have a bonfire out here, but it depends on the heat.  It's been dry and hot.  That's not a good mix for burning.

I'm seriously concerned for our state.  A few days ago, after midnight (in the big city two of my daughters live in), there was what they called purging.  I can't make this stuff up.  People with cars without plates went around shooting at people randomly.  I read a toddler and an elderly man were shot and killed.  Purging?  The world has really gone to h-e-double hockey sticks.

Oh, and I have 2 more dead hens.  This time it was a weasel that came in the top of the fencing (which we recovered with harder wire fencing, and he said it would hold until we get the fencing up on the new coop).

Well, he felt awful, so we moved the hens last night.  Temporary fencing goes up tonight.  Then we start removing debris from the cement slab (cutting trees down etc).  I went from 8 adult hens to 2.  I have 6 newbies.  So I have 8 vs. 14.  It is the first time in 12 years I do not have a rooster crowing out there.  I miss Sparta.  He was the best rooster ever.  Anyway, I will (and I repeat) never buy straight run just to get a rooster. I still plan to get some photos of the new ones.  

We have never, ever had a problem like this in the 12 years living here.  I am pretty much sure it's due to our drought.  We have never experienced such a dry year in all the years living here.

Speaking of drought, we will rely on rain water that's in the rain barrels.  We are very worried about our well and water for winter at this point.  I may be sacrificing flower watering to save on the well. I may sacrifice my root veggies as well.  Just frustrating.

We have a few chances of rain this coming weekend, but not much.  Whatever comes down will be saved in the rain barrels.

Well, on a good note, I spent 5 hours cleaning my kitchen.  It's back in order, other than I need a storage area for my new pressure canner.  I'll worry about that later.  I think today's hot spot is the utility room.  It's a hot mess.  First, I have some zucchini to get in the freezer, and I need to count eggs to see if I can make a breakfast casserole.  Now that i have only 2 laying, it really, really stinks.  So if you are getting eggs, count your blessings.  

Update on our youngest.  She hasn't been home for 3 (going on 4 days).  She can't be around anything that reminds her of him, so we stay in contact, but her absence is weighing on us.  

I have a library movie due back, and have no way to get it back today.  My car is still up on the jack.  There has been so much mentally and physically going on, we've not had a minute to even think about the repairs.

Sorry for the long post today, hopefully the Rain Gods will bless us and I'll have some bounty to share.  I'd just be peachy keen if I start getting eggs from the newbies.  Oh, by the way, Hubby said "absolutely no way" on raising meat birds next year.  We have no secure place to raise them.  Too many other jobs to get done before building a secure building either.

Garden ~ "Local" Adventure Day ~ Storm

I brought in more green and wax beans, but boy are they not as large as they should be.  Watering has been almost daily with this drought and heat index, it's so frustrating.

I put 1 1/2 cups of blackberries in the freezer too.  The green beans need cleaned and put in the freezer today.  Not sure how I'll have time for all my work today.

My 21 year-old knew that I have been having a very difficult time lately, so after diligent watering, and prepping dinner for 2 crock pots, she swooped me off to a day of fun.  However, we found several of the local shops closed on a Monday (and Tues).  That sort of put us in a depressed mood, but we located another town with a general store open and drove there for some local shopping.  Then....

We hit Adli's for some much needed adult beverages and picked up some hard root beers to try as well.

Returning home, I had to batten down the hatches for a storm rolling in.  First they said 75mph wind, then 60.  We took precautions, but all we got was a little bit of wind and a teensy bit of rain.  Urgh.  We need the rain badly here.

I'm totally done with the herb garden.  It's a hot mess of weeds.  Thyme died, parsley died, not sure if there is rosemary or any green onion in there or not....gonna dig the entire thing out and lay cardboard in, fill with dirt and completely start over.  It won't happen right now, but by fall I should have a start on it.

Flower beds are full of weeds (why they grow and nothing else is mind blowing).  Zinnias haven't bloomed but a few, gladys have died, with only one bloomed.  If there was a year I should not have planted flowers it would be this year.

As for my house cleaning.  It turned into a hurricane as fast as I had it cleaned the last time I washed 5 loads of dishes.  Don't even ask me about the dishwasher either. 

I offered a dozen ears of corn to some friends a few days ago.  The corn is still here.   Not sure what I will do with it, but that needs taken care of too.

If there was a day I wish there was 10 of me, it would be today. 

Garden Visitor ~ Glorious Rain ~ Canning Begins and other Tidbits

My garden visitor the other day, and oddly, orange and blue.  Those are the favorite colors of daughter's deceased boyfriend.

Monday we got a glorious pour down from the Rain Gods!  So happy to have that happen.  We were getting worried about the well and no rain lately.  However, in the morning, you could never tell it had rained (it's been that dry here).  Youngest was gifted a butterfly bush and a rose bush.  She planted both just before it rained.

I canned.  It was a half batch of hot pepper mustard sauce.  A success, even though splitting all the ingredients in half taxed my brain.  Thank goodness for google to make sure I was accurate.

In total, I have now lost 3 hens and 2 roosters.  Trap has been re-set, and only time will tell.

Somehow I scratched up two of my pairs of readers.  I ended up ordering some on Amazon.  I didn't want to go to the store and most likely I wouldn't find them.  The last trip to town I noticed (one store) they were all removed from the stand.  

My hair dryer blew up on me.  Not exciting news there, lol!  I most likely will order a new one online as well.  

It's a beautiful 68°F this morning, but will heat up to 90°F, so watering resumes.  I spent about 5 hours in the garden yesterday and brought in another 2.5# of green and wax beans.  I also had to tie up the tomato plants (thrilled they are looking great so far).

Happy Homemaker Monday

What happens when your husband takes the laundry down, lol!  Sort of made me chuckle.  He had told me "I probably didn't do it right."  Ha ha!

I'm joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom today, although it's not been happy around here for a very long week. 

The weather . . . 

Well, it's supposed to thunderstorm this afternoon.  We'll see if it actually happens.

How I am feeling this morning . . .

Frustrated, mad, sad....

On my mind . . .

A lot.  I may be canning for the first time this garden season.  We shall see.

On the breakfast plate . . .

(I'll add a picture later)

Sausage, egg and cheese muffins.

On my reading pile . . .

Nothing right now.

On the TV . . .

Anything interesting.

On the menu . . .

I'm going to cook for the first time since last Friday - crock pot sloppy joes and oven baked sweet potato fries.

- have no idea otherwise

From the camera . . .

Nothing.  I would have taken a photo of the green beans I picked yesterday - put up another 3#.

Looking around the house . . .

It's still a hot mess, and the dogs destroyed some dog toys and there is now fluff all over the living room. Sigh....

Chore I am not looking forward to  . . .

Canning.  I am just lacking the motivation to get anything done right now.

To relax this week I will . . .

Work on crocheting more jar openers.  I will put them up for sale once I have some done.

Something I want to share . . .

I have nothing.

On my prayer list . . .

Our country, my youngest daughter and her boyfriend's family, his best friend's family.  Us and to catch these dang raccoons.  More on the coons later....