I love Texas. What cowgirl wouldn't? On the other hand, I don't think I could ever live there. April, May and June is tornado time, when storms come through and devastate the state. July, August and September is hurricane season, when storms come through and devastate the coastline. There's one hitting the coast right now. Say a little prayer for Texas on this morning. I think I can live with the heat here just fine.
Sprinklers ... the bane of my existence. There must be a gremlin that goes around at night messing with them just for fun. No matter how hard I try, I cannot seem to get the entire lawn green at one time. I just put in a new sprinkler for the BROWN at the top left of this picture. Now all of a sudden I've got THIS!
The sprinkler is in the flowerbed, so I can't blame the Gardener, though the top has disappeared off this one too. I must say, there's nothing as refreshing as trying to fix THIS one when the one next door slaps you in the face with enough water to soak your hair and shirt. How can that be? That much water and it's STILL brown!!
I messed with this thing for ten minutes, getting hit in the face, until I THINK I got it fixed. At least it was cool, but a dip in a swimming pool would have been better!! We will see if it worked.
I didn't even know this one existed. It was completely overgrown with grass and NOT working. I'm guessing gophers are the reason most, if not all, of my sprinklers are sinking into the sand. It was 102 at 8:30 when I began digging this one out. I added an extension to bring it up higher, but may have overdone it. I'm guessing this will get eaten by the lawnmower, so a stake of some kind is in order.
I spent the next two hours paying bills. Seems like a lot of time for so few, but when your computer is old and tired, you have to be patient. Plus, it seems they like to almost HIDE the due date. California DMV send it out two months in advance so you will pay it early. Sorry Charlie ... not happening. On the other hand, my Verizon internet account sends theirs out ten days before it's due, sometimes making me late.
Cooper and I spent most of the day on the couch watching Cowboy Christmas with some of the craziest bucking horses and bulls I've ever seen. How those 2,000 pound bulls can do that is beyond me! I worked on sewing the binding on this quilt until it was finished. Done at last!!!
AND ... I have company coming to the hotel for one night. This is what I think I look like after washing and drying the sheets. Just fling them out there (like on TV) and VOILA the bed is made.
This is what it looks like when I'm done. It's a King size ... and hard to FLING over. It's also in the hottest room in the house. Maybe she won't notice!!!
Today I have to chase down a jug of DEF. I picked up a 2.5 gallon container, but quickly found I have no room to carry it in the rig. I'm on the hunt for the smaller one. I suppose I could just wait until I run out, but my stress level won't allow for that, especially since I have no idea at this point how much it will use.
Then I'm off computer hunting ... for that elusive creature that will run all of my photographic software and not cost two arms and a leg. It will be hard to type with my nose!!
Love your quilt!
ReplyDeleteSprinklers can be a royal pain.
Stay cool!
Frances:)
Nancy you can buy individual containers of DEF at the Mercedes dealer. I get them at our dealer they are about 2 liters. A bit more expensive but take up less room.
ReplyDeleteFrances:)
That's exactly what I need. Though a dealer is 60 miles away. Maybe on this trip I'll find one. Thanks Frances!!!
DeleteMr. Ed said go to Walmart for your container . Also if you fill up at a truckstop, they have a separate filler at the fuel island just for DEF
ReplyDeleteSo there’s your problem
Incorrect sprinkler head height most common problems leading to brown spots and poor growth. If the head is too high, they go to chop it off of the lawnmower too low you’re going to get it a poor pattern and sand The other thing is you have sand sand gets in to the pop-up your best defense you need guards to keep that sand away from the pop-up
The head should be about a half inch above ground grade
Helpful hint number one you’re cutting it too low it’s not a golf course. Have your guy raise his blade up? A mowing height between 2.5 to 3 inches is best for most of the season, except during summer stresses when the lawn mowing height should be raised one-half inch to mow at 3 to 3.5 inches. Raising the mowing height provides more insulation from summer heat and reduces water loss from your soil.
Another helpful hint number two
This is a do it yourself trick we use here in Florida You could make this yourself Home Depot has this product. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Advanced-Drainage-Systems-3-in-x-10-ft-Singlewall-Solid-Drain-Pipe-03540010/202522641 All you have to do is cut the tubing at 8 inches dig around the sprinkler head until you get a cavity put the tube in so that it’s 1 inch above grade and then fill in the dirt. it’s soft enough that you could walk or hit it with the lawnmower with no damage
I actually do have him cutting it higher now. This is all the damage from the OTHER guys that I let go. Maybe we'll go up even more. The drain pipe would work I'm sure, but a lot of work to do. I probably have 40 sprinklers!!
DeleteWishing you success with the computer hunt! We've never had sprinklers so avoided some stress and frustration, I guess. Hand watering or using the sprinkler that goes back and forth was our method. Now we just let the grass go brown if we don't get rain. However, your yard looks good!
ReplyDeleteI pretty much let the back yard go, but the front yard ... I at least try to keep it somewhat green so the neighbors don't turn me in!! Just kidding ......
DeleteMy Sprinter van camper dashboard gave me a notice that I would need DEF days before I needed to find some. I wasn't even in Texas yet when my notice came up but I still made it to San Antonio before filling it.
ReplyDeleteLinda Sand
Oh thank you Linda!! That's really good to know! In my old rig if you ran out (there was no notice given) you were dead in the water. That makes me feel much better!
DeleteWhat is DEF? I look forward to your post every day. Friend you know how to get things done.
ReplyDelete
DeleteI hope you don’t mind me, stepping in here for this explanation
If you hear of a truck driver, saying he’s going to stop AND pee in his tank or he’s going to stop and GET some cat or weasel piss….. This is the explanation DEF(diesel exhaust fluid) is used in diesel vehicles to reduce nitrogen oxides in exhaust emissions by way of selective catalytic reduction (SCR). In order to meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s emissions standards, all manufacturers of heavy-duty vehicles have turned to a form of SCR, or DEF
Q: What is DEF?
A: DEF is a concoction of 32.5% UREA and 67.5% purified water. It is an odorless, colorless and non-hazardous liquid.
Q: What is UREA
A: UREA is an organic compound used for reducing the nitrogen oxides that cause smog. (diesel exhaust fluid ) DEF break nitrogen oxides into nitrogen and oxygen so that they are not harmful to the environment when combined in the exhaust.
DEF passes right by the engine and works directly with the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system. The tank is sometimes controlled by a pair of pressure regulators and injected before the catalytic converter
What is UREA? Human urine is composed primarily of water (95%). The rest is UREA (2%), and molecules in lesser amounts
And a quick sidenote, you can use DEF as a lawn fertilizer And It’s harmless to the environment
DeleteEasy answer ... it's a liquid that gets sprayed into the exhaust to supposedly help with smog emissions from your vehicle. If you let it run out, you will either limp along at 20 mph or have to call a tow truck. It's also a BIG pain in the butt!!
DeleteLove the quilt! Congrats on getting it finished.
ReplyDeleteCongrats also on the sprinkler system. Hope that fixed it.
We didn't have them either so like Marlene. Saved ourselves some grief.
This is the first time I've had a house with sprinklers. I've been lucky up to this point. YOUR lawn always looks amazing and GREEN!!
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