Author Archives: NotClauswitz

71-Degrees at 6:30AM

Last week ranged in the 100’s except for a stray 98 on Thursday, and this week’s forecast is more of the same. The main thing is it doesn’t cool off at night very much, and we’re not getting much “Delta Breeze” from the ocean coming up the river. So yardwork is curtailed and the main focus is keeping the dog cool – and where to go walking in the early part of the day.

Fortunately the dog has discovered the refreshing joy of playing in the lawn sprinklers, and has attuned herself to when they go on in the afternoon – and thusly eliminated my need to wash her or add more block-ice to the dog pool.

UPDATE: 81-degrees by 9:00AM

Good Morning and Happy Birthday America!

We have been enjoying a brief interlude of mild and cool-morning weather, instead of the usual July inferno. The first wildfire of the season, up in Bridgeport where I used to go dual-sport riding, is 45% contained and not growing any further. Yay for that!

Yesterday was in fact cool and overcast most of the day, allowing us to complete weeding on the Embankment, and use-up all of the remaining “gorilla hair” (shredded bark) we had. I still need to get another yard-and-a-half to complete the area under the birch trees, but so far so good.

No festivities or travel is planned for today, just relaxation, so have a Happy 4th of July!

Abby Normal

This is plain weird, to get rain up here in June – even early June – but it’s happening. Got to accept the blessings as they come, and a dump-run of yardwaste had to go, so a bit of light rain helps damp-down the fetid scents at the “Material Recovery Facility,” where inflation also rears its ugly head as prices climb…

Sunday Drizzles

This is a wonderful but unexpected beginning to June, even if only 0.08″ of rain, it’s cool and quiet.

Work on The Embankment has proceeded with the semi-dismemberment of a couple thickly intertwined oleander bushes up by the fence, along with removal of The Jungle of overgrown weeds and vines and baby butterfly plants among the quince. I need to do something about the rotted-out “privacy” screening, a roll of reed fencing that is nearly transparent after seven years – has it really been that long?

Sprinkles?

Good thing I set-up the canopy, because we needed protection from…the rain? Unusual end of May this year. I was expecting more sun and higher temperatures, but I’ll take this mild weather! The dog likes it too, and chasing rabbits across the field. Also weeding cleanup on the sun-facing Embankment is much more bearable.

First Canopy

I’m calling it a week early, Springtime is over.

The temperatures have risen into the mid 90’s for the last few days, and any yardwork is over by 8:30 AM, especially on The Embankment (where much progress has been made). I moved the big 9-foot umbrella onto the Tanbark, over the birdbath. The dog has nearly finished shedding, but not entirely.

Clearing Skies

After a little bit more than two-inches rain yesterday, things are clearing-out in the skies above, and draining-off in the land below. We’re still short of our “average” rainfall, but a lot of Sierra Cement landed on the High Country and several resorts are extending their ski-seasons. Temps are expected to climb rapidly over the next few days with a mix of sun and clouds – but no further rain is in sight.

Yesterday: 1.02 inches

After a foggy morning the skies cleared to puffy clouds, sunny and breezy. Another “rain event” is forecast for tomorrow, headed down from Alaska, then another Monday night into Tuesday – about a half inch, each. So I’m glad I got the field mowed, but on the other side of the house The Embankment is covered in a flourishing thicket of weeds that are choking-out the Day-Lillies and Iris, and obscuring the steps.

Meanwhile the doggy is loving the cool and wetness – and sleeping in the sun when she can.

Second Cut

Before another “threatening” rainfall, between the two of us we got the field done. The near dog-lawn was cut last week, and the bit of field across the fence was mostly cut. Cutting came to an abrupt halt when the 5-year old secondary belt (the one that runs the blades) which had suffered malign use, abuse (and had been ” smoked” a couple times), finally came apart and flew away. Fortunately my wife was mowing at the time, so the blame didn’t fall on me – except for the part about having savaged the belt in prior years…

The next step was to lower the mowing deck, un-do the primary, and go get a replacement secondary belt. Two nuts that held the spring-loaded, rear retaining pins had been over-tightened and prevented the pins from releasing the deck from the rear draw-bars, but engaging the use of a claw-hammer and brute force accompanied by minor bruising and scuffed knuckles, allowed that situation to be rectified – and with a 5/8″ socket I loosened the nuts sufficiently to make future repairs easier. Sheesh