HOw To THE COLD IS HERE


Got to the farm Saturday and it was SO windy.  We've never seen winds so strong out there (when it wasn't during a bad storm of course).  We had gusts to 40mph...it was like walking in a wind tunnel.  It was also cloudy and misty raining, humid and the temp was 79 degrees.  The official high in Houston got to 80, which broke the record.  


Everything at the farm is looking more like Winter.  Desolate and whatever leaves are left are blowing off.  Soon it will be all brown.  

"R" from 2nd Family came up and helped us with the house water.  We turned off the main valve, opened all the faucets and let them drain out.  Then he brought his air compressor and put the hose in the outside faucet and blew air through the pipes.  It was pretty amazing, with he water shut off, and all the taps drained to where nothing was coming out and you'd "think" it was empty, however enough water came out with the air that it was like the faucets turned on high.  That's how pipes freeze even when water is turned off and you think it's all drained out.  Water expands as it freezes and any left in the pipes will freeze and split the pipe. There was still a lot in there but NOW we can be certain that it's empty. We also left the taps open just in case.

We were worried about the pipes because of the wind, our windchill is in the low 20's and with the house raised like it is (pier and beam) all that cold air is blowing around the pipes under the house.  

Of course, now I need to get an air compressor for our own use so I don't have to ask him to help every time we need it.  That way, we can turn it on and off as we are out there, in case we have a spell of warm weather and need the water turned back on again. 

Jalapeno Poppers
A nice snack to warm the insides...the recipe here:

JALAPENO BACON POPPERS

Flannel Shirts
On the way back Saturday, I stopped and picked up a couple of flannel, long sleeve shirts for the farm.  I realized a couple of weekends ago when it was cold out there, we didn't have flannel shirts for wearing around in the cold.  We have coats but it was that temperature where you didn't need a big coat but you needed more than a regular shirt.  So I snagged a couple 100% cotton flannel shirts for $8 each at Walmart and then ordered a couple more online.  

Now we'll both be warm when outside doing stuff and even warm in the house where there is no heat.  When we sleep out there, we do have flannel sheets which are wonderful, and an electric blanket.  Of course all those do is make you not want to get up in the cold mornings, ha!


Brisbane decided to photo bomb my flannel shirt picture.  
Is that flash too bright Brisbane?  LOL.  
I think he was looking for a place to sleep but the flash made him run off.  

Sleeping Kitties
But never fear, he found his warm bed (and blanket) about 10 minutes later, on the couch across from Hobart who was already doing the same in the other bed (see top of picture).

Now the cold is here, it's been at or below freezing for two days now with wind chills in the upper teens and low 20's.  It's our coldest temps since sometime in 2015.  Definitely cold for us anyway.  

Stay Warm!

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