How are all the Chiffer's in the World?

[izzarina]

No comparison intended, but while we're on the subject of migrations, during the last two years, there's been a sizeable migration of Amish to this area. That's an extremely welcome development.

Holmes County in Ohio (where they are migrating from) has become tourist central, and very crowded. If you go there in the summer (which I did frequently because my midwife was there and it's the best place to get fresh veg this time of year), you have to almost literally wade through the people along the streets. And these are small towns.

I didn't realize that they were as far down as where you are, Jerry. Up here, we've had them around Heuvelton for as long as I remember (the Amish where I get my eggs have been there for over 20 years), but they are now all around me in Canton, as well as over toward Franklin County. St. Lawrence county is becoming another Holmes Co. it seems. I just hope that the tourist trade stays minimal.

[Jerry Freeman]

No comparison intended, but while we're on the subject of migrations, during the last two years, there's been a sizeable migration of Amish to this area. That's an extremely welcome development.

I didn't realize that they were as far down as where you are, Jerry. Up here, we've had them around Heuvelton for as long as I remember (the Amish where I get my eggs have been there for over 20 years), but they are now all around me in Canton, as well as over toward Franklin County. St. Lawrence county is becoming another Holmes Co. it seems. I just hope that the tourist trade stays minimal.

The Amish only started arriving a year or two ago.

We get some tourism already because of Lake Ontario and the rivers that flow into it, for fishing and boating, and there's quite a bit of deer, turkey and pheasant hunting that attracts people as well. It may be that the presence of the Amish and their foods and crafts for sale might become part of the tourism activity. This area is so economically depressed, that would be a welcome development, I think. It will be interesting to see what's in the future.

Best wishes,
Jerry

[Jerry Freeman]

You mentioned that you weren't aware that they're as "far down" as where I am, compared to "up here" where you are. We're 65 miles from the Canadian border. You come east from Cleveland, through Buffalo to Syracuse and then turn left and go 40 miles north to get here.

Best wishes,
Jerry

[izzarina]

You mentioned that you weren't aware that they're as "far down" as where I am, compared to "up here" where you are. We're 65 miles from the Canadian border. You come east from Cleveland, through Buffalo to Syracuse and then turn left and go 40 miles north to get here.

You have to understand that those of us that live on the border (I'm about 20 miles away from the border at the most) say that everyone is "down-state". And far for me would be past Watertown, which if you look latituderally, I am north of. Not that it really is far...I was more surprised that they (the Amish) actually went south of Jefferson County.

[Caroluna]

Hi all, I've been off-line for a while due to homeschool end-of-year review, but that's all done and now I can hang out again.

Cowtime, what do they think is the reason for your drought? Is it El Nino / La Nina / ???? Do they expect relief when the August storms come up from Florida?

Honestly I have been thinking of you every time I weed my garden. It's looking really nice this year, and not a squash bug in sight Last year we had crispy lawns and dying shrubs but this year the rain seems to be just right. I wish we could send you some.

I've never seen it so dry here. We've mown our grass twice in the last two months, and that was just to cut down the thistles and cornflower weeds that of course had shot up. Farmers have given up on a second cutting of hay. I don't even want to think what will happen this winter when much needed hay is not there. Folks gardens didn't come up, or are barely surviving unless they were watered. We have had two short showers and that is it. Vineyards are the only thing not suffering. But they got all their first buds killed by a late frost so sugars will be up but harvest will be less.

This year's weather has been awful so far.

[Jerry Freeman]

Ah. Now I get your frame of reference.

They came north from Ohio to get here, so it seemed strange to hear that you were surprised they had come this far "down."

Best wishes,
Jerry

[Sliabh Luachra]

and not a squash bug in sight

A year with no squash bugs is a great thing. Wish I could say things were all that good here.

I've also been invaded (sqash, zukes, cukes, and pumpkins) with Squash Vine Borers. They're nasty little pieces of work, I tell you.

You have to slit the stems longwise and dig out the little white worm that you almost need a microscope to see, cover over the part othe stem you cut with soil, and pray that roots start growing from there.

So far so good, but it was looking like a very sad Halloween was going to be in my future with no pumpkin crop. That would just be really irritating. I think I got to them in time though.

It figures the year I want to eliminate most of my lawn and plant a whole lot of fruits, veggies, and flowers, I have to fight the battle of the nasities everyday. I almost am ready to give up on being completely organic. . . almost. On the good side, since I got a bee hive, I'm seeing a lot of bees around pollinating everything like crazy.

Happy digging everyone!

Mark

[Sliabh Luachra]

besides the fact that this is all hell on wheels climate-wise. short-sighted and selfish-wise, i like the hot humid and dry. i am floating in my pool a lot more and enjoying that i don't have to cut the grass. the nights have been warm enough for a late night dip too. even before spring/summer came, i knew i wouldn't be able to garden this summer so i'm not the least bit upset that all fruits and veggies will come from roadside stands. my neighbors are quite willing and eager to share their flowers and let me cut a few when we have company.

All right Mr. Grasshopper. Party on. Everyone deserves a bit of a rest, but get back to your ant duties next summer.

Mark

PS I love seeing your avatar. . . what a time it was, friend, what a time it was. Hmmmmm

[sbhikes]

With all the craziness going on weather wise and natural disasters, I just wanted to do a headcheck on all the people out there to see else is experiencing the very weird abnormalities going on right now.

My air quality is shot from this fire in Lake Tahoe...I am starting to feel it in my lungs today. My favorite camping location is about to go up like a tinderbox and it has me in a very disturbed frame of mind.

Anyone else out there?

There's weather? Ain't no weather here.

Here's the forecast for you in case you were planning to come visit Santa Barbara in the next year or so:

Night and morning low clouds and fog with partial clearing by the afternoon. Lows in the mid-to-upper 50s, highs in the mid 60s.

It may be a little lower on the lows in winter and a little higher on the highs in fall but otherwise, that's about it every dang day.

[Whistlin'Dixie]

Here's the forecast for you in case you were planning to come visit Santa Barbara in the next year or so:

Night and morning low clouds and fog with partial clearing by the afternoon. Lows in the mid-to-upper 50s, highs in the mid 60s.

It stays that cold all the time?!?!?!?

M

[cowtime]

It RAINED!!!!! a good steady soaking rain for about an hour today!!!!

[pipersgrip]

It RAINED!!!!! a good steady soaking rain for about an hour today!!!!

i wish it would rain here it is too hot to bare.

[hyldemoer]

On the good side, since I got a bee hive, I'm seeing a lot of bees around pollinating everything like crazy.

The Globe Thistle and Bee Balm are in blossom here in Chicago and normally they're magnets for bees
but I haven't seen any yet this year.

So far all I've seen are the flies coming over from my eastern neighbor's yard. The flies breed on the dog poop over there (that his kids refuse to clean up because "its gross").

The neighbor to my west (age 82) decided not to hand weed what isn't grass in his yard this year. He's taking a scorch the earth policy on anything that doesn't look like grass. He laid the herbicide on so thick back by the garage that it killed an additional foot of vegetation to my side of the fence as well. The vegetation he killed were mostly day lilies and various mints.
<sigh>

Yeah, I know. I'm being such a whiner.

I really must move.
I don't belong in this neighborhood.
I envy those of you who live in less polluted areas of this planet and have pretty landscapes to look out at. The air around here in the summer is a mixture of diesel exhaust and fabric softener.

[Sliabh Luachra]

ARGH! If I had one of my neighbors do that I would seriously consider using a big old stick to. . .. well, you get the idea. What an eedjit. Yeah, you need to move out to the country.

Mark

[Key_of_D]

Weather is hot and dry here... With temps of 110 F and higher, it's no fun being outside. Lows are at the most (or lowest I guess) around 85-90 F at night. Tis summertime in Phoenix, AZ. Only thing missing are the thunderstorms and rain, normally called the "Monsoon," but as life goes on it's more like the nonsoon... Meaning no rain, or very little. Oh, it hasn't rained here since March.