Friday, December 28, 2018
Even more PV
Thursday, December 27, 2018
Wednesday, December 26, 2018
1983
I notice the record low for the day after Christmas here was 14 deg F in 1983. That would be probably be the time we spent about a week below freezing. The effects I remember:
1) Tanks were frozen over. I remember tying a rope around Jean's waist and sending her walking across the surface of the big tank, ~ 100' across. When she did not break though, I walked across with the rope tied around my waist. I think we tied the end to a tree so I could try to pull myself out. Photos were taken but lost. The search for those photos continues. Since then, I have not seen tanks frozen all the way across. I have seen some ice around the edges.
2) Water supply lines were frozen under the house. We went about a week without water. After the episode, I installed electric heater tape under the house on the pipes. That heating has never been used but is still in place. The wire comes through the floor in a closet.
3) Grey water drain into the yard was frozen; no sinks would drain for near a week. Black water did continue to drain so we could flush the toilet.
4) Figs through the area were killed to the ground and were years in recovering.
5) Peach trunks were frozen on the north sides so the trees were deformed for life. Some were killed to the ground.
6) At that time, we still had a couple of open flame propane space heaters so did not solely depend on the wood stove. One much appreciated propane heater was in the bathroom. Though there was little bathing done. Wiping off with wet clothes mostly done in front of the wood stove from a pot of hot water on the stove.
I think I may prefer "global warming" to "global cooling".
1) Tanks were frozen over. I remember tying a rope around Jean's waist and sending her walking across the surface of the big tank, ~ 100' across. When she did not break though, I walked across with the rope tied around my waist. I think we tied the end to a tree so I could try to pull myself out. Photos were taken but lost. The search for those photos continues. Since then, I have not seen tanks frozen all the way across. I have seen some ice around the edges.
2) Water supply lines were frozen under the house. We went about a week without water. After the episode, I installed electric heater tape under the house on the pipes. That heating has never been used but is still in place. The wire comes through the floor in a closet.
3) Grey water drain into the yard was frozen; no sinks would drain for near a week. Black water did continue to drain so we could flush the toilet.
4) Figs through the area were killed to the ground and were years in recovering.
5) Peach trunks were frozen on the north sides so the trees were deformed for life. Some were killed to the ground.
6) At that time, we still had a couple of open flame propane space heaters so did not solely depend on the wood stove. One much appreciated propane heater was in the bathroom. Though there was little bathing done. Wiping off with wet clothes mostly done in front of the wood stove from a pot of hot water on the stove.
I think I may prefer "global warming" to "global cooling".
Saturday, December 8, 2018
EVs in Caldwell County
An article on a neighbor recently appeared in the magazine put out by Texas electric coops:
http://austinfarm.us/homegrown/downloads/BLUEBONNET-MAG-DEC-2018_The-Electrified-Life.pdf
If your browser doesn't offer pdf rotation, you can try downloading and using more capable software to view.
A noteworthy statement is that there are only 50 someodd registered EVs in the several counties of our coop's service area. Here near Dale, there are six within a mile.
http://austinfarm.us/homegrown/downloads/BLUEBONNET-MAG-DEC-2018_The-Electrified-Life.pdf
If your browser doesn't offer pdf rotation, you can try downloading and using more capable software to view.
A noteworthy statement is that there are only 50 someodd registered EVs in the several counties of our coop's service area. Here near Dale, there are six within a mile.
Thursday, December 6, 2018
Claunch
I hate traffic. I hate to travel high population density areas. I love to ponder "what came before". Claunch is an example of a reward. I was driving through a desolate area between Ruidoso and the Rio Grande. I went through Claunch without paying close attention. Then, I turned around and looked closer and took some photos. Most striking is the pinto bean elevator, where dry harvested beans were stored. I had not thought of this part of New Mexico as being a Dust Bowl area, but I guess it was. The population now is essentially zero but it apparently was a semi-thriving farming area in the 1930s. There is no indication of irrigation; I guess they made do with rainfall. That's what happened all through the Dust Bowl; farmers had sufficient rainfall to produce dry land crops for many years. Then, it turned dry.
What will the country look like after cities have built out over crop land and they have taken all the water needed for irrigation? We don't need to grow our own food or have our own farmers. We can just buy what we need from Mexico, South America, Australia, etc.
http://elchuqueno.com/city-of-dust-claunch-new-mexico/
Claunch Women's Club
Pinto Bean Elevator
Old School. Above door: "Claunch School WPA 1938".
Zoomable photos here:
https://plus.google.com/+WillieMcKemie/posts/9e5211nYrAu
I failed to take a photo of the post office. As described in the first link, it looks to be active and a library also. I regret that I did not seek out the postal person. Claunch is pretty close to being a ghost town though many of the buildings, including the post office, show signs of care. I'm guessing the post office serves hundreds of thousands of acres containing ranches of 10,000+ acres.
The El Chuqueno link says there used to be a home about every section and now it is more like 20 sections per home. A "section" being 640 acres.
The vast surrounding plain looks like pretty good grass grazing but very dry. Very flat. Not enough runoff to create many creeks. The whole area grew pinto beans up until mid 1900s. Hard to imagine from the way it looks now.
What will the country look like after cities have built out over crop land and they have taken all the water needed for irrigation? We don't need to grow our own food or have our own farmers. We can just buy what we need from Mexico, South America, Australia, etc.
http://elchuqueno.com/city-of-dust-claunch-new-mexico/
Zoomable photos here:
https://plus.google.com/+WillieMcKemie/posts/9e5211nYrAu
I failed to take a photo of the post office. As described in the first link, it looks to be active and a library also. I regret that I did not seek out the postal person. Claunch is pretty close to being a ghost town though many of the buildings, including the post office, show signs of care. I'm guessing the post office serves hundreds of thousands of acres containing ranches of 10,000+ acres.
The El Chuqueno link says there used to be a home about every section and now it is more like 20 sections per home. A "section" being 640 acres.
The vast surrounding plain looks like pretty good grass grazing but very dry. Very flat. Not enough runoff to create many creeks. The whole area grew pinto beans up until mid 1900s. Hard to imagine from the way it looks now.
Saturday, December 1, 2018
From cousins recently moved to near Anchorage
We feel blessed. First we heard the freight train coming. And we knew.
Then the world shook, seemingly for ever. Lights off. Things crashing
off walls and cabinets. We just froze like dummies. Should have ducked
undercover. All our utilities restored by mid-afternoon. Local tv saying
the stringent construction codes have paid off as less structural
damage than 1964. Our house built 2011. It was a big experience. Learned
a lot. It was so violent even long timers had not experienced such.
Messing with "My Maps".
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1wX1rHflygX9hJ2_deNumWlCZQvweKktN&usp=sharing
https://plus.google.com/+WillieMcKemie/posts/HTYnU8cKswG
Points along a route I walk regularly for exercise and to check on hog snares.
I don't see how to start the map covering the area of interest; you will just have to zoom in on the marked places.
https://plus.google.com/+WillieMcKemie/posts/HTYnU8cKswG
Points along a route I walk regularly for exercise and to check on hog snares.
I don't see how to start the map covering the area of interest; you will just have to zoom in on the marked places.
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