Blastfurnace 2021

[texasdago 7585]

20 hours ago, hornian said:

47 this morning according to my backyard weather station near Bull Creek and 2222

Niiice.  And this morning was another killer morning.

[Storm the Field 5302]

Muggy as hell in Houston again, but looks to dry up starting Monday and settle into a more pleasant early Autumn pattern. Lot of sunny 85/65 days with ~50% humidity on tap starting 10/5.

[Guest Lobo]

Soupy out there today.  Tuesday rains were awesome, but lawn is already showing off its brown spots again.  My body and lawn are ready for this weekend, godspeed to you ACL'ers this weekend.  Still, looks like 90 degrees everyday for the next couple weeks.  Rain will take the edge off, but looks like we're headed for an unseasonably warm October.  

[ztejas 43547]

4 minutes ago, Lobo said:

Still, looks like 90 degrees everyday for the next couple weeks. 

[Guest Lobo]

upper 80's with high humidity====feels like 90 degrees.  Sorry, but real feel temps/heat index temps mean more to me and my balls than "well, it's only 87 with 60% humidity"  Not saying it's hot, but it's ball sweat inducing.  South Austin's Mom out front shoulda told ya

[ztejas 43547]

3 minutes ago, Lobo said:

upper 80's with high humidity====feels like 90 degrees.  Sorry, but real feel temps/heat index temps mean more to me and my balls than "well, it's only 87 with 60% humidity"  Not saying it's hot, but it's ball sweat inducing.  South Austin's Mom out front shoulda told ya

Yes but when does it actually only feel like 90 when it is 90 here? 

[Guest Lobo]

On Tuesdays?  

[SimonBolivar 10960]

Looks like highs that will be 10 degrees above average next week. Oh well what are you going to do? 

[texhorn 351]

Looking like no fall this year. Moose out front shoulda told you & such.

[Guest Lobo]

Dah Fuh?  Why we gotta be skipping the best season of the year, every fucking year?  Looks like mid-90's heat and little rain until the very end of the month.  Some bullshit.  At least bring some more rain.  Probably our first freeze a few weeks after that.  Then our first grid failure after that and ensuing deaths by 1 December.  
What do you people have against Autumn dammit?

[SubliminalHorn 6811]

It’s almost like some weird phenomena is happening where the climate seems to be changing quite quickly. Oh well. Might as well get used to longer summers 

[Hate 20146]

The average October 5 temperature in Austin, Texas is 82 for the high and 61 for the low. It’s supposed to be 89/59 tomorrow. So a little warmer but also a little cooler. It’s almost like some of you people forget that you live in Texas sometimes.

[UT_OB1 2225]

28 minutes ago, Hate said:

The average October 5 temperature for October 5 in Austin, Texas is 82 for the high and 61 for the low. It’s supposed to be 89/59 tomorrow. So a little warmer but also a little cooler. It’s almost like some of you people forget that you line in Texas sometimes.

No shit. We just went through a slightly cooler than average summer in  most of Texas (I think it ended up being all) and people are going to bitch about nice weather that is a few degrees warmer than the average. Yay internet

[mchookem 16409]

i'm still using the pool daily, so it's cool with me 😎

[Hate 20146]

Exactly. I’ll be at Port A this weekend and it’s a perfect time to be at beach. The weather is supposed to be absolutely beautiful.

[Newdoc 3453]

2 minutes ago, Hate said:

Exactly. I’ll be at Port A this weekend and it’s a perfect time to be at beach. The weather is supposed to be absolutely beautiful.

Well, I was supposed to be drankin’ some Pumpkin Spice something latte crap and wearing my fluffy pullover, rolled up skinny jeans and ankle boots but now the temperatures are too damn high.

Have fun at the beach pendejo.

[Guest Lobo]

Nobody's really bitching.  The hotter temps are one thing, but when it occurs with zero precipitation...that becomes concerning to the grownups who don't wanna spend every weekend still adjusting the sprinkler system.  We are not having normal Octobers and Novembers the last decade.  It's not bitching, it's called "pause" and I haz it. 

[Hate 20146]

Ok.

[Anastasis 23487]

Bitching about adjusting your sprinkler system is a new one. Buy a Rachio and never think about it again. 

[workswithseed 2119]

6 hours ago, Lobo said:

Nobody's really bitching.  The hotter temps are one thing, but when it occurs with zero precipitation...that becomes concerning to the grownups who don't wanna spend every weekend still adjusting the sprinkler system.  We are not having normal Octobers and Novembers the last decade.  It's not bitching, it's called "pause" and I haz it. 

Holy hell. Are you actually bitching about having to water your yard? 

[Okie State 3848]

Just run it every day regardless of whether or not it rains.

[Guest Lobo]

1 hour ago, workswithseed said:

Holy hell. Are you actually bitching about having to water your yard? 

It’s a big yard and I have to hand water  large sections of it.  So it takes time out of my week and costs a great deal of money.  I would prefer it if October either had more seasonal temperatures or more precipitation.  I prepare/allocate for this through September but thought we’d catch a break, again to save money and time.  
 

it’s a thread about the heat, what that heat does to lawns is going to arise as a sub-topic.  Have a nice day. 

[Wulaw Horn 19153]

8 hours ago, Lobo said:

Nobody's really bitching.  The hotter temps are one thing, but when it occurs with zero precipitation...that becomes concerning to the grownups who don't wanna spend every weekend still adjusting the sprinkler system.  We are not having normal Octobers and Novembers the last decade.  It's not bitching, it's called "pause" and I haz it. 

My wife ripped up all the grass in our back yard and put down rock. I guess you could do that it the adjusting of the sprinklers is too much. 

[Guest Lobo]

Those little parts are so damn small.  It's really the hand watering that is a waste of time.  And I figured my water bill would come back down to a manageable number this month, but I was wrong.  

I'll stop discussing it if you agree to help your wife rip up all your sod and haul xeriscape rocks to every corner of the lawn.  Poor thing, you at least give her a shoulder rub? 

[workswithseed 2119]

1 hour ago, Lobo said:

It’s a big yard and I have to hand water  large sections of it.  So it takes time out of my week and costs a great deal of money.  I would prefer it if October either had more seasonal temperatures or more precipitation.  I prepare/allocate for this through September but thought we’d catch a break, again to save money and time.  
 

it’s a thread about the heat, what that heat does to lawns is going to arise as a sub-topic.  Have a nice day. 

As I have advocated, and gonna guess what @cactusflinthead will say is go native. You'll have to water less, in turn is better for the Texas environment in general. Let your yard grow out some to protect the soil, and you don't have to mow as often, or you could go full xeriscape as @Wulaw Hornsays.

[Guest Lobo]

I told my wife to get out there and rip out the sod and lay down rock like Wulaw's lady, but she said she has to work today and then pick the kids up from school.  She didn't even fetch me a beer.

Yeah, we put in zoysia 15+ years ago and have been pleased overall.  It requires far, far less water than the types of grasses my neighbors have (but the water bills still stack up with our yardsize and no swimming pool).  The downside is our particular strain of zoysia likes to go dormant earlier than most...typically in mid-November.  But in order to do that naturally, it likes to be in decent shape before it settles in for its slumber (like a bear gorging on food and drink before a hibernation).  If it gets to dormancy season and the zoysia has been scorched/drought-stricken...it gets its timing thrown off like some kinda reverse lawn menopause. 

Luckily, October usually brings mild temps (monthly high in the low 80's) and is the 2ND most abundant rainfall month for Austin after May.  So most of the time, lotsa rain and mild temps mean sleepy time by Thanksgiving and it's good to go until February when growth patterns resume.  It's a beautiful cycle.  If we're gonna run a few more weeks in the mid 90's and no rain, shit gets ugly.  Just shooting the shit with yardtalk  on a grassy thread until either some rain or the OU game hurries up and gets here.  

[cactusflinthead 27606]

1 hour ago, Lobo said:

I told my wife to get out there and rip out the sod and lay down rock like Wulaw's lady, but she said she has to work today and then pick the kids up from school.  She didn't even fetch me a beer.

Yeah, we put in zoysia 15+ years ago and have been pleased overall.  It requires far, far less water than the types of grasses my neighbors have (but the water bills still stack up with our yardsize and no swimming pool).  The downside is our particular strain of zoysia likes to go dormant earlier than most...typically in mid-November.  But in order to do that naturally, it likes to be in decent shape before it settles in for its slumber (like a bear gorging on food and drink before a hibernation).  If it gets to dormancy season and the zoysia has been scorched/drought-stricken...it gets its timing thrown off like some kinda reverse lawn menopause. 

Luckily, October usually brings mild temps (monthly high in the low 80's) and is the 2ND most abundant rainfall month for Austin after May.  So most of the time, lotsa rain and mild temps mean sleepy time by Thanksgiving and it's good to go until February when growth patterns resume.  It's a beautiful cycle.  If we're gonna run a few more weeks in the mid 90's and no rain, shit gets ugly.  Just shooting the shit with yardtalk  on a grassy thread until either some rain or the OU game hurries up and gets here.  

Zoysia is tough. It would appreciate a nice drink before bed time. It's normal to see it go dormant earlier than the rest.

[Guest Lobo]

Yeah, it's doing well for the most part (it was awesome to see it as green as the other lusher breeds well into August).  Just needs extra hand watering in some spots (I do mine in the morning because our particular strain is more susceptible to mold overnight).  I'm optimistic rainfall later this month into mid-November will get back on track, but not a lot of 30-day models support that hope.  Ah well, hang back and wait for forecast updates from the resident experts.  

[texasdago 7585]

The house we bought in Austin had great xeriscaped landscaping.  Our backyard doesn't have a lick of grass... all crushed granite paths, beds and trees.  Super super low maintenance.  I love it.  The front is 80% the same with agaves, cactus, sotols and other water-wise plants worked in.  Only two reasonably sized patches of St. Augustine... way way less than what we had in Houston.  The previous owner was maybe a horticulturalist so she chose her trees well... our biggest are either live oaks or Mexican white oaks.  Quite a few crepe myrtles, chaste trees and a few other random natives.  

 

[Storm the Field 5302]

A fairly sultry weekend on tap for Houston and then another week of "Summer Lite" before "Autumn-ish" weather kicks in the 3rd week of October. No highs above 80 on the forecast starting 10/16.

Edited October 8, 2021 by Storm the Field

[Guest Lobo]

That rain/temp shift on Wednesday gonna be sweet!  As of now, already 84 here at Zilker park at 10am.  Balls still dry.  Not for long.  

[kevwun 15935]

Next weekend is looking pretty great at least.

[Guest Lobo]

Good point.  Gonna be beautiful for Oklahoma State game and accompanying events.  

Really long term looks gorgeous for U.S. Grand Prix at COTA as well.

Bummed out, I knew one of our Monterey Oaks was done for (about 35' tall) after the winter storm.  lost of a couple of junk shade trees as well that I cut down earlier this summer.  But we have three very well established loquats (one facing East, one South, one North).  East one is struggling but is actually flourishing on some branches and made fruit, other spots it's still shedding bark and some new growth down low.  I thought I would save the North facing one.  I pruned the hell out of it and we gave it extra love this summer.  But the shock of the freeze, and then it kinda tried to hang tough over the summer, but this August-October dry spell just beat it to hell.  Arborist and I spent poured over it one morning this week and the thing is just done for, it's waiting to fall over.  We found some good cut points and I'll take it down to there and see if it make a comeback next Spring but it's doubtful. 

Really pleased so many of our trees bounced back, but what I thought were our most resilient---our loquats---between the February freeze and this last 6 week dry spell...just couldn't bounce back.  They flourished even in 2011 during the crazy hot drought.   Bummer too, one of the few quarantine activities we did with neighbors in April/May of 2020 was families would take turns coming over to pick loquats from the tree, they'd jar them, and add their own extra ingredients to make jam/preserves and we'd meet out in the street to taste test them with (wine for the adults) crackers and cheese.  Onward through the fog...

[Trey3216 15376]

17 hours ago, Lobo said:

Good point.  Gonna be beautiful for Oklahoma State game and accompanying events.  

Really long term looks gorgeous for U.S. Grand Prix at COTA as well.

Bummed out, I knew one of our Monterey Oaks was done for (about 35' tall) after the winter storm.  lost of a couple of junk shade trees as well that I cut down earlier this summer.  But we have three very well established loquats (one facing East, one South, one North).  East one is struggling but is actually flourishing on some branches and made fruit, other spots it's still shedding bark and some new growth down low.  I thought I would save the North facing one.  I pruned the hell out of it and we gave it extra love this summer.  But the shock of the freeze, and then it kinda tried to hang tough over the summer, but this August-October dry spell just beat it to hell.  Arborist and I spent poured over it one morning this week and the thing is just done for, it's waiting to fall over.  We found some good cut points and I'll take it down to there and see if it make a comeback next Spring but it's doubtful. 

Really pleased so many of our trees bounced back, but what I thought were our most resilient---our loquats---between the February freeze and this last 6 week dry spell...just couldn't bounce back.  They flourished even in 2011 during the crazy hot drought.   Bummer too, one of the few quarantine activities we did with neighbors in April/May of 2020 was families would take turns coming over to pick loquats from the tree, they'd jar them, and add their own extra ingredients to make jam/preserves and we'd meet out in the street to taste test them with (wine for the adults) crackers and cheese.  Onward through the fog...

Yeah, I’ve got a really nice loquat tree that is on the serious struggle bus right now.   Finally shed all of its dead leaves, but it’s blooming a bunch of new ones still.  Have watered the hell out of it this summer and gave it some organic editing tree food.  Highly doubt it’ll produce fruit this year.   I got about 50 lbs of fruit off of it last year.  

[Guest Lobo]

What brand of food did you use?  I need to try something like that for my east one that’s doing ‘okay’

Edited October 9, 2021 by Lobo

[InkaUtexas 26175]

30 minutes ago, Lobo said:

What brand of food did you use?  I need to try something like that for my east one that’s doing ‘okay’

for fruit trees this time of year I would make a mix of Hasta Grow, seaweed (MaxiCrop) and make a batch of compost tea. Had a pretty large orchard and that was my fall prep. 

[Trey3216 15376]

3 hours ago, Lobo said:

What brand of food did you use?  I need to try something like that for my east one that’s doing ‘okay’

I honestly can’t remember.   It was during the spring and I bought what they had a my local nursery. 

[Storm the Field 5302]

Just hold out until the weekend, fellas. Should see 15-20 degree cooler temps by Saturday.

 

[Amos Moses 795]

Went to the air show here in Houston yesterday … it was brutal.  Thank goodness for the steady breeze, otherwise I might have folded like the Texas defense.  When we arrived at noon or so there was already a steady exodus of red faced kids screaming in their strollers.  Wonderful early October weather.

[Surly Bevo 25196]

90 fucking 5 degrees when I got in my car leaving the Fair a little after 4pm yesterday.  In addition to being sick and fucking tired of going to see us lose to OU I'm sick and fucking tired of being baked while I do it.  

[ztejas 43547]

90 with 53% humidity in Austin today. On October 10th.

Give me a fucking break. 

[hornian 5228]

4 hours ago, ztejas said:

90 with 53% humidity in Austin today. On October 10th.

Give me a fucking break. 

Yeah but it was breezy all day, so didn’t feel horribad 

[Biff Tannen 45750]

80 degrees in my bedroom right now with my busted ass AC. Awesome. 

[ztejas 43547]

1 hour ago, hornian said:

Yeah but it was breezy all day, so didn’t feel horribad 

 

2 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

80 degrees in my bedroom right now with my busted ass AC. Awesome. 

Yes. Where I'm living right now doesn't have an AC at the moment. I have a window unit that does it's best.

So the breeze didn't help. 

[hornian 5228]

1 minute ago, ztejas said:

 

Yes. Where I'm living right now doesn't have an AC at the moment. I have a window unit that does it's best.

So the breeze didn't help. 

Go outside? 

[texasdago 7585]

11 hours ago, hornian said:

Go outside? 

That wind yesterday was awesome... until I went on a bike ride and the last 1/3 of my ride was uphill and with a headwind.  

[Guest Lobo]

^

Ha. I have to laugh.  Same thing happened to me.  My road tire had a complete blowout beyond repair just riding around with my daughter. I didn't have time Sunday morning to go buy a replacement (most bike shops don't open until Sunday noon for some reason---never noticed that---maybe they also sell liquor?).  So I put my old trail tires back on, so I'm already moving quite sluggishly as it is.  I haven't ridden on those things since I was in my 30's. 

I'm biking home from ACL last night, thinking "Wow, it was 95 technically today but it felt okay with the cloud cover and breeze."  And the breeze feels great as I'm biking along.  Then I make the turn to make the Uphill 3 mile ride to my neighborhood, and the wind picks up to what felt like 25mph in my face, and my barrel chest just turns into a giant sail.  What nature gave us yesterday in the way of a break from the heat, she made up for in taking away youth.  /csb 

Some welcome rain coming today into Friday.  But the real "temp shift" looks like it happens Thursday night/Friday morning.  Sure temps will still peak out at 85-90...but suddenly the lows are 55.  Much of the day will be spent in the 70's it would seem.  Gonna be a really nice day for football on Saturday.  

[texasdago 7585]

Try having an old ass bike that my "way into mountain biking" neighbor looked at and said, man, you would enjoy this so much more if you had a current entry-level bike.  I guess its making me work harder so ... profit? 

[Storm the Field 5302]

23 hours ago, Storm the Field said:

Just hold out until the weekend, fellas. Should see 15-20 degree cooler temps by Saturday.

 

[Storm the Field 5302]

Houston felt like walking through a damn steam room this morning. Already 83 with 70% humidity at 10 am. Rest of the week looks just as unpleasant up until a front starts rolling through Friday evening. After that, we'll finally see something that can legitimately be called Fall.