Category Archives: Rancho Roly Poly

Flash floods possible

Posted on March 25, 2007 | Comments Off on Flash floods possible

Tonight’s forecast storms–brought to us by a low pressure system moving in from the west and colliding with an atmosphere laden with moisture from the Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico–could be memorable, according to Bob Rose. He was predicting on Friday 2 to 4 inches across the Hill Country, and that was still in other forecasts last night and this morning. The only problem is the ground is still wet from recent rains, so creeks and streams could rise rapidly enough for some flash flooding.

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Posted in Rancho Roly Poly, Texana, Weather/Climate

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Catkin time

Posted on March 23, 2007 | Comments Off on Catkin time

The worst thing about spring in Texas, other than the second raking to get up all the live oak leaves that didn’t fall in the fall, is when the trees tassel. The tassels are really pollinating catkins, long dangles which appear before the new leaves do. Then they turn brown and fall in such numbers that they clog the pool and stain the white concrete deck around it brown, and generally make a huge mess. It seems to be almost over, where it counts, above the pool and the deck. So it’s almost time to get out the power washer and try to restore the pool company brochure look to the area.

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Posted in Rancho Roly Poly, Texana

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Clouds streaming overhead

Posted on March 22, 2007 | Comments Off on Clouds streaming overhead

Wind from the southeast at about 15 mph is bringing in lots of moisture in clouds off the Gulf of Mexico, while a low pressure system out west is sucking in Pacific moisture and clouds from off the Baja Penninsula. Clouds just flowing across the rancho tonight, from the southeast, and it’s still 70 degrees. Not much rain expected, tho, until the low moves east on Saturday and Sunday, and then as it will only skirt us, just a moderate inch or so. Would be nice to have several inches, but it isn’t to be, apparently. Following Bob Rose’s forecast on Tuesday rather nicely.

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Posted in Rancho Roly Poly, Weather/Climate

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Home from the trail

Posted on March 15, 2007 | Comments Off on Home from the trail

Still a little dizzy from 6.5 hours on the road to get home from Fort Davis, but it was worth it. Time flies at 90 mph, which you can do on I-10 from about 20 miles east of Junction all the way to Balmorhea. The speed limit is 80 mph but, of course, no one drives the speed limit in Texas or anywhere else. Burns a lot of gas, though. It’s mostly flat land so not many curves to force you to slow down. We were surprised at the big windmills lining the ridges on the north side of the highway from about Ozona to Fort Stockton. Big three-bladed electricity generators, turning briskly last Monday in a stiff breeze, which continued, Lubbock-like, most of the time we were in the Davis Mountains, but finally settled down Wednesday night. So coming back the big windmills were turning more leisurely. More on the trip later.

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Posted in Rancho Roly Poly, Texana

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Happy trails to you

Posted on March 11, 2007 | Comments Off on Happy trails to you

We are off in the morning to Fort Davis, about a 6-hour drive, via the scenic, Hill Country route and on to Interstate 10 and farther west into the desert. Will visit the old home of the 9th and 10th Cavalry–including the famous black Buffalo Soldiers–when they were hunting Apaches and Commanches, with side trips to Alpine and Marfa. Two of our after dark side trips will be to McDonald Observatory and their visitor center with its nightly telescope tours of the solar system and beyond. Forecast so far is for two clear nights to see the panoply of stars overhead even without a telescope. Hope you have a pleasant week and stay tuned for an update long about Thursday night.

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Posted in Rancho Roly Poly, Scribbles, Texana

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Private road movie

Posted on March 10, 2007 | Comments Off on Private road movie

Just about 50 hours away now from the beginning of our Spring Break, private road movie to far West Texas. In which Mr. Boy, Mom and the geezer will pile into a rental sedan and hit the rodeo for Fort Stockton and beyond. Well, Fort Davis, actually, which is well beyond FS, but no longer on I-10. Rather well off the beaten track. Or so it was the last time I visited, in the late 90s. Even West Texas changes. So who knows what it looks like now? Weather forecast looks good: mild  days and chilly nights. Mr. B. is going to get his first taste of "…the stars at night are big and bright…"

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Posted in Mr. Boy, Rancho Roly Poly, Texana, Weather/Climate

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Leaf vacuuming

Posted on March 6, 2007 | Comments Off on Leaf vacuuming

One of the joys of the Live Oak trees of Central Texas is that they stay leafy green all winter. Then, come late February-early March, in other words the end of our winter, all those green leaves turn brown and fall on the ground. So we get to rake and vacuum leaves twice a year, at a minimum. That’s what I did this morning, finishing up in time to shower and go pick Mr. B. up from school. Of course, being the beginning of our spring, the other trees are starting to tassel. So we’ll have that mess to clean up soon enough.

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Posted in Rancho Roly Poly

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