Happenings At Go Away Farm

Rain and Cool back at Go Away Farm...

It is mid May and we had a cold front blow through this past week while we were away and Jarvis said we got a little over 7 inches of rain... much needed rain. We arrived home today to very green pastures, something that wasn't this way just a week ago.

The ponds haven't ever fully filled again since the 2011 drought, and this rain filled the small one and brought the large one up within a foot of so of the spillway... Thank the Lord!

We took a risk again and planted Wrangler Bermuda grass seed this year and fertilized it about a week ago... and this rain made things look really good. I walked the pastures this afternoon and that cool breeze combined with the lush grass made me very thankful... considering that Southern California is burning right now and half of the US is reported to be in severe drought. We are in for some interesting weather. Let's pray that this summer has some days of rain. Please...

This is a digital watercolor that I posted earlier that Molly did. Some little app... I find it amazing.

This was from the gazebo a couple weeks ago.

This will give you pause... it was reported today that half of the USA is in severe drought and it is May 16th... Poor California and West Texas. On the second thought, poor us on produce and almonds (California) and bread / wheat (West Texas). This has to have a serious impact on grocery prices.

Easter Weekend 2014 at Go Away

Welcome back... Thought I'd catch up a bit and add some new spring images at the farm. Here you go...

A snack for Mikki.. fresh Asparagus

The cold winter must have been great for the spring colors... our Bluebonnets were the best we have had in years. The wildflowers are beautiful this year.

After three unsuccessful years planting grass seed, we broke down this year and rented a seed drill and put down 500 lbs of Wrangler Bermuda. We'll see.. we are two weeks in with moisture and see nothing:-) Not that I'm out there looking for it.

Our mascot... Coal

We lost most of our peaches to a gail-force wind and deep freezing temperatures a few weeks back, but the Blackberries seem to have loved it. We are loaded!

I'm 60? What?

How can it be possible? I'm like, 45 or something like that. Not 60!

Ok, maybe I am 60:-) Jim in my office made me a poster. No, I didn't sit for a photo with this silly hat on, but it is a nice....

Me and my girls... Amber & Molly at my party that Mikki arranged.

This is the way I feel:-) Yeah, that's me... Check out the government approved bed... My head appears that it would have perfectly wedged in those bars nicely

A little chilly at Go Away

Can't add much to these images with words:-)

October's Rain and A Majestic Sunset

We got somewhere around 9 inches of rain at the farm (with many more inches rained around the farm) since the beginning of the year through September. Then October came... and we got 13-3/4" from October 17th through October 31st. That is a lot of water. Finally it stopped soaking into the ground and ran to the lakes. The small pond is brimming full, and the larger pond is about 18" from the spillway... I'm a happy boy. I bet I'm not as happy as the fish who have been swimming in a smaller and smaller pond for months. I think we'll plant some more grass, that always dries things out:-)

This was on October 27th

This is October 31st

What a majestic sunset - the trees look like they are on fire. Taken with my iPhone5 on November 2nd

Rain! Finally....

After a summer of almost no measurable rainfall, on top of a quasi-drought in 2012 and the catastrophic drought in 2011, our lakes have suffered, as have our pastures and grasses and trees.

Finally! After such a prolonged drought, we got 4 inches last Sunday and 3 inches last night.

The dry lakebed after the 4 inches

Proof of the 4 inches of rain:-)

The lakebed after the additional 3 inches of rain...

I said 3 inches, but you can see here that it is 2-7/8":-) We'll take it gladly!

In Spite of The Drought...

In spite of the drought, we have managed to get a few things. The onions, red potatoes and berries did pretty well.

Onions

Blackberries

Had to get all fo the new tomatoes off green. Now the grasshoppers are eating the tomatoes themselves. Never seen that. Also, the magnolia trees and pear tree leaves are being stripped. Amazing.