Another day on the hill

The last two days have been absolutely beautiful; crisp morning air, beautiful blue skies, no clouds, and lots of sunshine! The flip side of another magnificent day is we've had too many "beautiful," clear blue skies. We need rain desperately.



I've lived in the Texas Hill Country since 1982 and have never, ever seen it as dry. Our top soil is literally blowing away! Creeks are dry that have never been dry. I keep telling myself the rains will come....but WHEN? If I am not mistaken, the drought lasted close to eight years during the Thirties; and again if I am not mistaken, there virtually was no rain for at least five of those eight. I cannot help but wonder if we are at the beginning of a prolonged drought such as that one.



Since we have a rain water collection system, I started keeping a "rain" chart beginning in the 2nd quarter of 2006. I started recording the rainfall because we were all complaining of a drought in the previous years. We have had a total rainfall of 11.3 inches this year with the last rainfall of 2/10" on October 15.



Most of us in this area have our own wells and wells dried up in 2006 that had never dried up. After the 2006 experience, we ordered a second water storage tank, 5000 gallons, just in case our well dried up. We use the well for the cattle and rainwater for the house. Fortunately we are low water users and learned to conserve since we started using rainwater for household use in 1998. As our appliances needed replacing, I'd search out for low water replacements. So far this year we have not had to switch to the well but if it doesn't rain soon I'll have to go to the well. Ugh. We have the worst tasting water. I've never gotten use to it but I remember my dad saying over and over again how good the water was....it was ALIVE not like that treated Houston water (our former hometown). Well, my dad may have appreciate this water but I haven't in 26 years!



On the positive side the dogs don't track in mud, nor do we. The deer are in full force when traveling from one place to another. We saw a hugh buck for this area walking across our land yesterday morning. We see a lot of does and yearlings but not many bucks. In another week or so, we'll not see a one buck since deer season is soon to start. The dogs feel so frisky in the cool weather that you have to keep a close eye on them on their walks. They get into running and playing that you have to be ready to get out of the way if they forget you are there. An eighty-five pound Lab and a sixty pound Heinz57 running at full speed gives one a hard knock if they happen to run into you. Just ask my husband.



Had a good friend drop by for a visit this morning and haven't done much with my glass except wash labels off empty wine bottles so I can put them in the kiln to make cheese and cracker trays. Got a blue wine bottle from my daughter-in-law a year or so ago with the intent to slump into a tray. It is way too big for my kiln...kiln is only 14 inches...so I plan to clean it, smash it, stack and arrange the pieces, fuse, then slump into a bowl or some such. The blue of that bottle takes your breath away it is so luminous and the bottle demands it be recycled and not trashed.

Day One

This my first attempt at a blog. So far, it's been relatively easy.

Went to a small Bible study this morning but not before pulling out of the kiln the fused glass pendants I capped overnight. I couldn't have been more pleased with them; I'm finally getting to know my kiln!

Dropped by Cowgirls & Lace to pick up some material for my "show" table in the upcoming Christmas on Mercer Street festival on December 6. This too is a first; I've just talked about doing a booth but never wanted to follow through enough to do the work. As soon as I got home today, I went straight to the hobby room in the barn to put the finishing touches on all the pendants, etc., so I'll be well organized at least a week before the December show.

Hubby thinks I've moved out since I'm spending more time in the barn than in the house!