Fasting BG 2018

[walkerwally1]

98 this morning.  We had a high of 96° yesterday and an overnight low of 62° so no problem grilling outside here.  It looks like the wind will be a factor over the weekend.  High wind warnings starting tomorrow afternoon through Sunday.
Everything has been in bloom for about a month here and I have to take a Benadryl each morning but that seems to take care of it.
@Tamagno, I wanted to give you an update on my weather station.  It is working quite well.  I finally got it connected to the weather underground web site and it is interesting to compare my readings with the several other personal weather stations reporting in the area nearby.  We all seem to be within about 1° of each other.  Once I learned how to use the information for my station I found all of the data I wanted.  It gives a very detailed report of all of the data the WS collects. 
I just thought I should let you know that all is good and my problem was just my lack of understanding of how to use the application.

[Grammabear]

97 this morning.

We also have trouble with gophers that like to come eat under our bird feeders.  Their most favorite food in the garden is green beans just sprouting.  At that point we dispatch them if we observe them raiding the garden.

[bigskygal]

89 this blue sky morning, 107 at bedtime last night.

The high today was 69°F (20.56°C), beautiful day.

I have mice problems. The pest guy was spraying today and he told me about these "rock" shaped bait traps you put outside the house, one on each side. The mice go in and eat and go out and die somewhere else. He said they work really well. So I got 4 and the bait and will try them out.

[Shanny]

Must be the season, cuz we're seeing mice again too. DH got out the bait yesterday & put a few around. I wish it were safe to put it right on the countertop because I know they scurry around all over the kitchen.

We just took a trip to town & my goodness! The flowering trees are just gorgeous! The prettiest may be right on our own yard down by the garage & driveway . . . it's a mature redbud tree, and it's just loaded with blossoms. There aren't may that can hold a candle to a healthy redbud.

This isn't ours, but it looks a lot the same as ours:

https://www.virginia.org/listings/outdoorsandsports/redbudcapitaloftheworld

[Tamagno]

143 this morning.

Thanks for the update, Wally. I'm glad to know your weather station is working the way you want! Now to overcome my frugality sufficiently to buy it.

Living in the country like a number of you, I've found it pretty much impossible to keep mice out of the house. So far, it's looking like I've got them under control since my trapping campaign last winter.and I'm hoping to keep it that way.

Shanny, redbuds are beautiful and we've a couple of them up here. I expect my wife would like to plant a couple more especially having lost our huge old kousa dogwood over the winter. The first thing though is I've got to find an arborist to clear that out and take down a couple of other trees.

[Shanny]

I do have to laugh at your frugality, John . . . having suspected my whole life that my own middle name is not really 'Shannon', but 'Skinflint'! I remember once as a youngster having taken a whole nickel to town, and my mom being shocked at my cheapskate ways. Well yes, I was already a cheapskate at that age, but I also knew that for a nickel I could by a bag of roasted cashew nuts, and that's all I wanted!

As for the flowering trees, so many of our are wild ones, even the dogwoods & redbuds. Right now the serviceberries are in full bloom also.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2473/3486/products/Serviceberry_Shadblow_spring_flowers_Horticopia.jpg?v=1510265995

[walkerwally1]

102 this morning.  We got up to 97° yesterday but it should be cooling down a bit starting today.  High wind warning starting 2:00 PM today through the weekend. 
Yeah John, I just thought I should update my thoughts on the PWS as I had kind of put it down before.  Mostly because I didn't know how to use it.  Just for the fun of it you might want to take a look at :
https://www.wunderground.com/wundermap?lat=35.61999893&lon=-117.69000244&zoom=8&pin=&rad=1&rad.type=00Q&wxsn=0&svr=0&cams=0&sat=0&riv=0&mm=0&hur=0

That is the weather underground map and see what is broadcasting in your area.  There may not be much near you but here in town there are 18 other weather stations on the map.  You can click on one and get the details for that WS and even what hardware they are using. 

[Grammabear]

101 this morning.

Shanny - Your trees are beautiful.  I've always wondered what a redbud tree looked like.  Now that I know what they are, one of our neighbors has one in his front yard.  It is outstanding in its beauty.

We live in the country area and mice are all around us.  Hubby sets traps in the attic and in the basement.  And when it gets time to do further planting in the garden, he sets a trap next to the gopher hole by the peony bush.  Best way to dispatch gophers.

[Shanny]

I'm beginning to suspect there's another factor at work with our mouse problem . . . family pets! Up until last fall, we always had dogs and/or cats, and seemingly fewer mice. Methinks they may have been here, but kept their distance due to our four-legged protector/defenders! We haven't gone in search of replacements for Fritz or Waylon, thinking as they had - that something would turn up. Perhaps we should reconsider . . .

[bigskygal]

107 this beautiful morning, 99 at bedtime last night.

It is still too early here for blossoms, the trees are just starting to leaf out. Shanny, your trees are beautiful!

[Shanny]

It's looking like the serviceberry, redbud & dogwood trees will be blooming simultaneously this year, which is unusual. And the redbuds at least, are going totally overboard. Even the tiniest twigs are loaded with blossoms - shouting to the world 'It's Springtime again!' 

[Tamagno]

188 this morning.

Great looking trees, Shanny! Our flora is just starting to bloom and it's a bit early to be able to see how they'll be, but as always am eager for a brilliant spring like yours.

Grammabear, if your well can take it, drowning by running a garden hose into rodent holes is a good method. Takes some consideration though as you don't want to have to use too much water.

Wally, thanks for the link. Looks like I may be the only one in my area to do this, so it might be fun to be first on board. I'm still wondering about the physical maintenance of the outdoor installation. Seems like it would want some sort of periodic cleaning in any case.

[Grammabear]

117 this morning.

Tamagno - We've done the drowning procedure a few times.  Only trouble with that approach is that you have to be fairly certain of which holes are the entry and exit holes.  Hubby put the hose into the entry hole and told me to stand with each foot on the two remaining holes.  It didn't take long before something hit the bottom of my shoe repeatedly until it made a soggy exit through the entry hole where hubby did the "quick step" and dispatched it.  Our boys, who were about 8 and 10 at the time, thought their Dad was superman. 

[walkerwally1]

99 this morning.  Well, true to the predictions the wind started up yesterday afternoon and it will be here through Monday.  We even have a chance of thunderstorms on Tuesday. 
Tamagno, yes, the weather station does need some maintenance so it needs to be accessible.  They say the rain gauge needs to be cleaned every 3-4 months and the batteries need to be changed every 2-3 years.  Mine is on a pole about 12 feet high and I can tilt it down to get to it.  Putting it on the roof does not look like a good idea.

[bigskygal]

 108 this partly cloudy morning, 103 at bedtime last night.

I think my sore knee is messing with my numbers some.