Bogieblog

Rain, Glorious Rain

Yesterday, my place received 1" of rain which is fantastic. That 1" equals the amount I had received in the last 5 weeks; consistently there has been 1/4" of rain each week except for about 3 weeks ago when I received none. From the UNL Drought Monitor :

Sure, we aren't as bad as some areas, but the average for the state is somewhere around 8-10" below normal (after a mild snow winter).

Finally got some shots of a cardinal that has been hanging around for most of the summer. He has been very skittish and bolts anytime I open the door . Since most of the summer has been extremely hot for this area, the door and shade is normally closed. However, it has been cooler and cloudy for a couple of days, so the shade has been up on the door. With the lights off in the kitchen, and moving slowly, I could keep from startling him. Although in the last picture, he must have caught a reflection off the phone, or I moved, so he played peekaboo.

I am leaning toward a color mutation for the pinkish, although it could certainly be a young male that hasn't come into it's final colors (none of the young males I have ever seen look like this though).

For the last couple of weeks I've also had a female Ruby-Throated Hummingbird hanging around the planters of flowers on the back porch railing. I finally put a feeder out for her last Monday since those flowers probably don't have much nectar (geraniums) and there aren't many other flowering plants around because of the dry conditions and the goldenrod hasn't opened yet. Haven't seen a male around though so don't know if she is a transient or what.

And that is pretty much the exciting news around here - everyone have a great week!

Hurricane Isaias Remnants

The morning prior to the hurricane remnants hitting us, I saw a dark blob in the back yard. I thought it was a turtle, but when I got the binoculars out, it was a bird. It took me a while to figure out it was a juvenile robin that had jumped, or fallen out of the nest. It was not yet at the stage it could fly (or maybe just hadn't figured it out yet). (following three pics taken about 9:30 am on 8/4/20)

After a while, I saw Mom and Dad in the area.

That afternoon, I got alerts from both my personal and work phones - tornado warning!The local channel had Hillsboro in the warning area also, just can't see it in this picture. The tornado was indicated by radar (not by sight) and at that time was in Peterborough area, but the storm was moving 50-70 mph (so they said). I let my boss know I was logging off from work, then grabbed the youngsters, put them in their pen, and rolled it into the hallway (closing all the doors around it). Then I grabbed Rita and put her in the basement (she respects the gate at the top of the stairs.

My side of town saw only about 1/4" of rain (as has been usual, 1/4" of rain per week since the 4" more than a month ago). and very little wind. However, at higher elevations there were lots of trees and electrical wires downed, although no tornado or straight line winds.

A couple hours later, I looked around and finally found two juvenile robins. Both were beside the red rhododendron at the side of the house. Before I could grab my phone for a picture, one had gone behind the rhodie or under the burning bush that is behind it, so I could only get a shot of one.

We must have gotten more wind that night, because the next day I found some large limbs had come down. Thursday evening, since the dump is open late, I gathered all the limbs and took them to the shrub pile

I haven't seen the juvenile robins around, and I've only seen one adult robin, so it is hard to say if they got taken by the neighborhood fox, a cat, or are fine and on their own (or even being taken care of by parents somewhere in the swamp). And, previously I had rarely seen both mom and dad robins at the same time, so all I have a questions.

Just looked it up and it seems that the fledglings take a couple of weeks before they fly. They are taken care of by dad while mom lays and sits on more eggs, so I'm going to go with that explanation :)

 

Tornado Warning 5-15-20

Had a tornado warning last night as radar indicated some minor rotation south of me and bow echos directly in my area. This picture was taken about 15 minutes after the warning blared on my phone - as you can see, the worst had already passed my area.

Earlier, they had predicted a low to medium chance of tornado, and winds up to 60-70 mph, along with torrential rains. So I was prepared when the warning came out. Rainey was already in the pen (at lower left, in shadows) so I only had to corral Spot and Rita. That way I could roll the pen into the hallway, keeping the cats safer, if the weather warranted it.

My area got the torrential rains, but the wind did not amount to much, not even howling as it has most days in the last couple of weeks. So after the warning expired, I opened the pen. They all came out, but 10 minutes later, the youngsters had gone back in. Rainey is now on the top, left bunk and Spot on the right.

Rita was up on the couch with me begging for pets

Pretty anticlimactic, but I'm not complaining.

One of my clusters of creeping phlox is blooming. The other clusters, in the tiers above, are different colors and get more shade so they are only now setting flower buds.

Yesterday was cold, raw, very windy and snowy. The high was 42 - and like most of May so far (except 1 day), the high temp was way below average. The ground was warm enough that the snow pretty much melted as it fell, but there were some spots it tried to accumulate. I looked out at the side window and at first thought the invasive roses over in the swamp were blooming. I thought it was rather early in the season. Then I realized that the "blooms" were clumps of snow sticking.

Next weekend it will probably be time for the first mowing for some areas of the lawn.

Brightening a Gloomy April

We didn't have much of a winter with no major low temps (I think our lowest was -6 or -8), no extended cold temps and not many good snow falls. Most snow that did fall was very heavy and wet. I March we were all thinking early spring/summer.

But, Mother Nature laughed and laughed as April has been cold, dark, gloomy and wet. The few days it has been sunny (or even partly so), have mostly been very windy with 25-40 mph winds. We did get two nice days to tease us, Saturday of last week and yesterday where it was sunny, around 60* and calm winds. In between the two warm days it snowed twice. I have not been able to do any yard work because it is so wet out. To indicate the amount of yucky weather we have had, the only time I have gotten anything done for yard work was on March 29. And the daffodils that were showing greens on March 22 haven't yet produced flowers. And hey more rain today and unless the storm track moves, we will have measurable snow tomorrow (the amount keeps moving for my area from a dusting" to 4"-8").

On 4/22, I took some picture of thing that are starting to emerge. The first two pictures are of daffodil greens - yes even in the roadside garden that I thought the squirrels had ravaged

Burgundy Bell maple is flowering - it starts earlier than the other maples

One lonely English Primrose

Nicky tall Phlox

Autumn Joy Sedum

Lily greens are shooting up around the yard

Purple Hyacinth flower buds

And yesterday, 4/25, three days after the previous picture, the purple Hyacinths were beginning their bloom

And the dappled Willow, Sauce Hakuro Nishiki is starting its leaf buds

I got to rake some more leaves and spread them out in the yard to dry for future mowing/mulching yesterday afternoon. And added bonus, I sat out in the back yard sitting area to read in the sun and warm weather.

Snow on 4-18-20

It snowed for about 8 hours yesterday - first picture about 5 am

3 hours later was about the apex of the accumulation. After this the snow was melting faster than it was falling. Love how the snow is starting to droop off the fence from meltage.

Roof was just starting to dump for the first time - only because it was so wet.

Spotty Planting

As I mentioned last week in the Cleaning Up post, last weekend I picked up a couple of plants while I was getting birdseed. Sunday I potted up Rosemary, Lavender and a start off my older Angel Wind Begonia (left to right). Spot was a HUGE help - LOL

It was too cold to pot everything outside, in the 30's and raining, so I used an extra cat food mat to help contain any errant soil.

I did pot up this Nanking Cherry outside, then promptly put it in the garage since it was so cold, and there were several evern colder mornings coming up.

Spot has been helpful in other ways than just during potting. One day she was a speed bump, ya know, to slow me down as I went running around the house :)  (following pictures taken 3/26/20)

As you can tell, it was sunny out. However, NH has not enjoyed much sun since then. If you recall, last Sunday I mentioned that it was heavily overcast on Saturday. Sunday it rained, and that lasted thru Wednesday morning. Oh, that got broken up by the light snow we received early Monday and Tuesday mornings. Wednesday there were 2-3 hours of sun in the morning, and then the clouds took over and it rained / drizzled until early yesterday morning. Once again we were treated to some sun that morning, then it became heavily overcast again - but no rain. Even after at least 24 hours of no rain, the pond that had developed in the backyard hasn't completely drained yet (picture taken this morning).

Hopefully we'll get some sun this coming week.

Stay at Home Order in New Hampshire

I sent the following email out to family on Thursday. There have been a few edits  to remove sensitive names, and add explanations. I also added additional information at the end:

The NH Governor has issued a stay-at-home order (not shelter in place – which he says he can’t do) until May 4. Most likely it was done just because we are surrounded by states that have been that way for at least a week. This shuts down non-essential business as of midnight on Friday. Doesn’t affect me one bit. People in my group received their “VIP” papers yesterday in case any of us HAS to visit another company or another state that has an enforced shelter-in-place. However, any visits or travel has to be okayed by upper management and the company expects us to be smart and not go anywhere if you are sick.

My Workplace is also helping suppliers get the Fed’s designation as an essential business since we can’t build if we ain’t got the stuff to build with. The Fed is telling us they expect us to hit all our due dates regardless of circumstances – national security don’t ya know. We have had some over seas companies send in Force Majeure declarations, so we have to make sure our local sources are up and going.

I’ve been working from home for nearly 3 weeks anyway [the week of 3/9 I worked from home for 4 days because I was sick], so what is another 4 or 5? Sure saves on gas not putting in 100 miles each work day! I just went to the dump and saw I had 110 miles on the car. The last time I got gas was on 3/14 when I gassed up both vehicles and 100 of those miles on the car was going in to work on 3/16 [the day they told us to start working from home]. I have another 19.6 miles on the truck (yes, I went out and checked). Also, saving another $1.50 in tolls each day.

ADDITIONAL INFO:

Of course the HOG Chapter has cancelled the monthly meeting, and the annual Bake Sale at the dealership was cancelled (as have all other events). The Dealership has been super responsible having enforced having nobody but employees inside the building for a couple of weeks. You can call in, or email an order for parts/merchandise, and then pick up (outside - personnel deliver to your vehicle). Even bike drop offs and pick ups are conducted outside only and riders insert their keys in the night drop (regardless of time of day). Test rides have been by appointment only and you have to do your inventory perusal online, then indicate which bike you want to try out so they can have it ready outside when you arrive.

A friend bought a bike on Friday, before the stay at Home order took affect, and he said it was the strangest experience. Everything, including paperwork was completed outside. He posted pictures on FB of the loan officer at a table outside, and she was wearing gloves. There were two pens, one for her and one for him.

Sickly Me

UPDATE 3/15/20, at 1:50 pm shown at the bottom of the post

I rarely get ill, at least not with common colds and viruses. I may get conditions (allergic reactions, trigger finger etc.) but I don't get anything beyond a mild sniffle. And I mean a MILD sniffle that lasts about a day. I am just this side of an OCD hand washer when I am at work, use paper towels to open the restroom door (faucets and paper towel dispenser and touch-less), and wash my hands frequently outside of nature's call.

Tuesday I went to work as usual feeling just fine. By 9:30 (4 hours into my work day), I had developed a sore throat and my nose was getting stuffed up. Being sensitive to the current times, the fact that I hate it when other people come to work sick, and that my boss always wants us to go home / stay home if sick, I gathered my computer and some paperwork and headed home to work. By late Tuesday evening it had settled into my upper chest and by last night it progressed to mid chest and had some heavy coughing up of phlegm.

Wednesday was more of the same, except it had moved to the middle of my chest. Thursday was more of the same, although toward the afternoon I also had a couple of chills (no fever, just some chills which might have been a psychosomatic reaction to the heavy overcast and rain we had). Thursday night it changed direction and went back to my sinuses. Friday and yesterday my eyes got itchy, I was a snot machine with occasional hacking cough attacks. I finally opened a box of tissues, instead of using TP as I normally do. To go along with the runny nose, yesterday I could have earned the nickname "Sneezy" too.

By late afternoon on Saturday, I had lost my sense of smell and taste. I didn't even realize it until I was making shower gel and couldn't smell any of the essential oils I was using. That includes Ylang-ylang and patchouli which are powerful scents. I could get a bit of "sharpness" smelling rosemary, but that was it. Thinking back on what I ate that day, cinnamon was a bit flat at breakfast and I didn't get any heat or sharpness from the salsa and guacamole I had at lunch.

This morning the sinuses have slowed down, my throat is not sore and the sneezing has ended. Still have the occasional hack, and the sinuses are backed up a bit. Haven't gotten my sense of smell or taste back yet.

Thru this whole thing I have not had a fever - my temp has been between 97.6 and 98.8. The rest of my body has felt pretty good - no aches, no tiredness etc. So, according to my symptoms I do not have flu or the latest health threat. Just a nasty cold or other bug.

I've had people ask if I'm getting myself tested for COVID-19. No I am not for a couple of reasons

• I do not qualify. First question is if you have a fever - nope (one of the signatures is a fever of 100.4 or higher). Second question is do you have a dry cough - nope, cough is very productive
• I have not even been out of 2 counties in the last couple of months, much less overseas
• I haven't come in contact with anyone who is a known carrier
• I don't have a social life so it is highly unlikely I unknowingly came in contact with any of the known cases in NH
• And because of the point above, I most likely caught this thing at work. I am surrounded by people who have small kids (or grandchildren that they live with). Those people are constantly sick themselves or staying home with sick kids.

Even though I am 99.99999....% sure I don't have COVID, I have been pretty much self-quarantining since I left work on Tuesday. Yesterday I did go to the dump and stopped at the grocery store for some perishables. The store wasn't crowded and I kept my distance from people, used hand sanitizer at the register, and wiped down the cart I used with the sanitizer wipes the store provides. Otherwise, I have been at home either working remotely, reading or wishing the weather was decent so I could go outside. However,  I do not plan on being out for 14 days, unless something changes. As I stated before, I most likely caught this at work and I would be the least common vector for anyone else to be affected.

Work has been proactive in keeping everyone informed. They have pretty much shut down international travel and discourage travel at all unless required. And that travel has to be okayed by management.From what my boss says, there have been a lot of people out of work in my building (an office building). The cafeteria sent out a notice that all "self-serve" areas such as the salad bar, soup pots and pizza carousel are being shut down and they will pre-package so 100's of people aren't handling the same utensils.

NH has declared a state of emergency, in order to give the government flexibility (that lasts 21 days). The SOE gives schools the ability to shut down (all schools in the county that has confirmed cases have shut down for a coupe of weeks) . It also gives towns the ability to reschedule town meetings (which is not allowed unless there is a SOE) - and several have taken the opportunity.

EDIT: I was supposed to have an eye appointment on Tuesday. It is the first of my bi-annual appointments. I called Friday and rescheduled it for the first week in April.

EDIT II: As of 1:30 pm Sunday, the Governor of NH has ordered all schools to shut down - giving them 1 week to develop remote learning plans to last at least until April 3. I assume this is because overnight the state's cases of COVID-19 have nearly doubled from 7 to 13).

Snow Shrinkage

Last Monday the weather guessers were saying we should get plowable, maybe even significant snow on Saturday (yesterday). Instead, the N'oreaster stayed out at sea and the other system that might have joined it got pushed south.

So, the snow continues to recede from the yard - in fact most is gone except for berms from the road plow, snow blower and roof dumpage. The following pictures were taken 3/6/20. Yesterday, although not warm, was sunny enough to continue the trend .

Today should be over freezing and Monday they are saying maybe up to 60*, so the snow won't be here much longer.

Oh, and the maple sugaring business is going great guns. Last year was not a good year as the days were too cold but this year they say the sap is running quite well, so there shouldn't be a shortage.