January 13th, 2007
When Our Prayers Are Answered
2007-01-13. Austin, TX. I didn’t mulch one part of the paths because I needed to remove the old mulch (to use in the beds) and dig it out a bit. As you can see, this is a bit of a problem spot.
Whoo, boy! Austin needs rain. But I wish we didn’t get the entire year’s supply in one 4-hour deluge. It began pouring rain about 5:45 AM and got worse between 8 and 9. It’s just slacking off a bit now at 9:45. I’m guessing we got about four inches, so far. The rain pounded down and ran off instead of soaking in, like good rain.
2007-01-13. Austin, TX. Although the meadow has one of the gentlest slopes in the yard, it can wash out. Look at my new path!
I garden on a hill. I started terracing it when I began. I build planter boxes, too. But this rain overflowed my boxes and rock walls and paths and berms. It overflowed the retaining walls and flowed up against the garage and left three inches on my covered, concrete patio.
2007-01-13. Austin, TX. Looking at this photo it’s difficult to believe I’ve dug a drainage ditch here and filled it with gravel. The water is at least six inches deep and seeping into the garage.
How much cleanup time will I have before the big freeze tomorrow night? Currently the forecast shows 100% chance of rain the rest of today, 70% tomorrow, and 80% Monday–when the rain turns to ice pellets. I’m crossing my fingers the rain will slackk off a bit and give what’s fallen a chance to soak in.
Damn. Sounds like it’s starting up again.
PS. Bill, did you get hit with the ice storm yesterday? How are you faring up north?
by M Sinclair Stevens
January 13th, 2007
The Divas of the Dirt met for breakfast this morning at Elsi’s, and found that traffic signals were out & retention ponds along the way were reaching their limits. Later, I saw Shoal Creek rising to scary levels where Lamar enters downtown Austin, and saw water over some roads.
Yeah – flood or drought, that’s all we get. Good luck with the flooded patio, M!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
January 13th, 2007
We had light rain yesterday afternoon and evening. Temperatures went down to freezing overnight and there is still a lot of ice in places this afternoon. I stayed home today myself, so I don’t know what it was like on the roads. It’s not expected to get above freezing the next couple days. We did not get any more precipitation today but there are still predictions that there could be some tonight and tomorrow.
January 14th, 2007
Sunday the 14th in Fort Worth–hasn’t been above freezing for a couple days now, ice accumulating but not as bad as Oklahoma or the Panhandle. The sound of ice covered trees blowing in the wind is a new one for me having spent most of my life on the Pacific Coast…hoping to avoid hearing the sounds of tree limbs cracking though. looking forward to the challenges of gardening in Texas.