Wondering about wild grapes

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Not this week!!

I was wondering when Spring would get here. Well, one thing I know for sure, it ain’t going to be this week!! Now, I really should not complain, I don’t have it near as bad as most people in our great country. And my water is still running when I turn on the spigot. It was just a hair below 20 degrees when I got up a few hours ago and hasn’t gone up much since then, just less than two degrees.

It is not how low the temperature gets, but how long it stays there, that causes the problems. If it stays cold long enough to freeze the surface of the ground and doesn’t warm up enough to thaw it out, then more things will freeze the next night when it dips below freezing. That warmth that radiates from unfrozen earth sure does make a difference, and when it is absent, water pipes and such freeze up much faster. Tonight will be the most dangerous for the pipes. If we get past tonight, we should be OK. Winter was a little slow getting to this area, but it is sure making up for lost time.

Hey, I am not complaining, most of you out there are having much worse weather. When I lived in Pennsylvania, it was much, much worse than it ever could get here. The difference is, up there the buildings and infrastructure was designed for cold below freezing weather. Where I live, freezing temperatures are never in the mind of the builder. It is up to the home owner to take precautions.

I always get prepared . . . well, maybe a few days after it gets cold. Why do today what you can put off until . . . . .

Stay warm out there.


*****
Our friends in Australia are about to be hit with the largest cyclone to hit them in years, if ever. yesterday it had winds up to 175 mph. I wouldn't want to be in the path of that one and a lot of good people are. Let us hope and pray for the best outcome possible.

9 comments:

  1. Got to have water!! keep an eye on it.

    About that Storm down in Australia, Do the winds in a hurricane travel the opposite direction as up here ?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I heard that they did, will have to check on that to make sure.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I was in Dutch Harbor Alaska and there were 160 mph gusts but not sustained..Wow that is going to be a mess. Guess I'll quit whining about some frost!

    ReplyDelete
  4. We are supposed to be 14 degrees here tonight. But we missed the snow and ice,so not complaining. I will be glad when spring gets here. But then we will be worried about storms. Keep an eye on those water pipes and stay warm. Blessings jane

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yes the rotation is opposite of the northern latitudes. Same difference with the bath tub drain.
    Course that's why aussies spew so much crap out their mouths too har har.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yea Frann, that will be quite a blow. My old Dad always told me "Son, nothing is so bad it can't get worse". How many times I found out just how true that is.

    Jane, Your right about Spring time bringing storms. As I have posted before, I have way too near too many tornadoes.

    Spud, All this rotating is getting me dizzy. Oh yea, that is my name, isn't it?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Let the water run just a bit tonight. Keep it moving and you'll be OK, and open doors under the sink or anywhere there is a pipe.

    If you have a real cold spot, there is always 'The Ole 100 Watt Light Bulb Trick!"

    I had an old truck that didn't like to start on cold mornings. (30 below zero) I put a space blanket on the engine and put an extension cord out there with a 100 watt light bulb in it under the space blanket.

    The space blanket didn't like the heat that much. It was damaged by morning but the truck started.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ernest, I use a 60 watt bulb in a trouble light under tarps to keep my well, pressure tank, and pipes from freezing. Has worked for me so far. You know it is getting harder and harder to find the old fashion incandencent light bulbs any more.

    ReplyDelete
  9. 60 watts in Texas, 100 watts in New Hampshire!

    ReplyDelete