Hurricane Issac is so big we are getting a wind gusts WNW here in Houston.

[texanwitch]

My clothes on the clothes line will dry fast in this wind.

The temp is cooler also.

[HopeHoops]

1. Already? The fucker's only moving at 7mph!

Well, eye speed, that is.

[texanwitch]

2. According to the weather maps the hurricane is moving like it should.

It is suppose to go north and east, making a big turn.

No rain but wind gusts.

I turned off the ac, and opened a few windows.

[HopeHoops]

3. Yeah, based on experience it will hit us in three days. Nothing major up here.

And shit, I just had the house power-washed and that shit's going to fuck it all up with mold and stuff. $500 down the drain.

Note: they did a REALLY good job of power washing it!

[texanwitch]

4. We are so far away I don't know if we will get any rain.

The wind gusts are moving the tree limbs a little here.

Houston is on the far end from what I can see on the maps.

[HopeHoops]

5. They always move out to the coast and we get hit pretty hard, but not as hard as FL.

We mostly get a little rain and extremely high winds. The winds took out our pear tree and knocked over our cherry tree. It took my dad's F-250 and the neighbor's Chevy SUV to pull it back up. I'd have used my Montana but it doesn't have any tie-on spots. It survived. Still, we get a shitload of storms. Most of them divert to Perry County (ask LynneSin, she knows), but when they hit here they are destructive. We're going to get the remnants and I'm not talking about fabric. The tomatoes will like it.

[texanwitch]

6. I hope those who need the rain get it.

The storms can go a long way.

If the dry places get rain something good did come from this.

I quess.

[HopeHoops]

7. It won't hit the corn belt. I wish it would, but that's not the path they take.

We've got great local corn here ( two eaten ears on a plate by the computer ) but the feed corn Dubya ate isn't doing so well. He's got a lot of the blame for that. Despite the heat and rain, our garden crops are way behind schedule. I can't figure it out. Hot summer, lots of rain, lots of fruits, nothing ripening, well, other than the maters. It's just fucking weird. On the plus side, the good bugs like to eat potato bugs, squash bugs, horn worms, and general aphids and other such things. We don't use poisons.

[texanwitch]

8. Sorry about the garden.

My garden did really well, gave a lot to the church that gives food away.

I grow some stuff I don't like but the church puts it in the give away boxes.

I have lots of lady bugs this year, a few little lizards in the garden.

The bug didn't stand a chance.

[HopeHoops]

9. It's weird. The plants are doing fine, but the fruit isn't ripening.

We've got bigger peppers than ever and about 10 lbs of tomatoes on the table. The potatoes are going nuts and pretty much everything is in full bloom. The shit's just not RIPENING! If there was ever a season where I would expect things to ripen, this was it. I'm confused all to hell on this one. Nothing makes sense. No drought, high heat, healthy growth, good fruit sets, everything you expect in a good season - not much ripening. I've been gardening for 30 years and this is the weirdest season I've ever seen. I know when to avoid planting heirloom tomatoes. I predict storms. I know how to tie down or trim up plants. I'm really pissed off that I can't figure out this season. It's humiliating.

[texanwitch]

10. Wow.

You got me.

Climate change, maybe.

All the work and this happens.

Maybe next year will be better.

[HopeHoops]

11. It makes no sense. The fruits are huge but they aren't ripening. I've never seen that before.

We've got bell peppers larger than what the grocery store sells on 2' tall plants. The hot peppers are six inches long and not tuning. The maters are doing well but ripening is slow - the one growing out of the compost bin is doing the best. Most of the acorn squash has been invaded by stem worms. The Zepher squash has given us a lot of produce, but it's fading. The eggplants have set fruit but haven't ripened at all. Heat and water are what the plants need and while we've had plenty of that I'm not sure what the fuck is wrong! Perhaps I picked the wrong varieties this year. I just don't know. And I'm a seasoned gardener!!!! I should know this shit. Fuckedy fuck fuck fuckedy fuck fuck fuck.

[csziggy]

12. Here in Tallahassee we've had bands of severe rain off and on all day

First day for me driving since my second knee was installed and it was a challenge. It's not easy driving when you can't see the road!