Snow gage

It was a great day today! I was outside with just a sweat shirt. I put up my snow gage. Each birds beak is 6 inches. Also serves as a Christmas decoration that I leave up till spring.

Very unusual and a great idea to measure snow.

Ruby

nice! my snow gauge is an old bucket....or run out and stick a ruler in on the table. snow is a relatively rare event here. .what is the correct sp for gauge? looks funny both ways.....

Sally, I guess the spellings are interchangable but yours might be the more correct in this case. Any Teachers in the group?

I have to watch the snow drifts and where I place it so it is out of the way of the snow blower, I get a lot of false readings that way. LOL

Chris

I'm not a teacher but was a writer and editor for years so does that count? And I spell better than a lot of teachers. Gauge is the correct spelling. I've seen gage as an alternate spelling but I've never seen anyone actually use that spelling.

Chris - love it...how cool is that?!!!

Hart, I have to laugh, I guess I'm the first for you.! And I think writer & editor weights heavy as far as proofing our posts. Love it!

And here is a picture of the evening sky, had to share the colors with you all.

Hi Chris.........Have you ever seen more beautiful weather here in NW Pa. at this time of the year? Spent the entire day outside in a t-shirt and even put a few Christmas lights up. I usually wait too long and end up putting them up in a snowstorm.........

Here's what that sunset looked like 7 miles down the road from you.


early_bloomer

Hi early, How is it going? Yes the weather was beautiful! I was out in the yard today too, but I am still taking it easy. Doing what I can, I'll leave the Christmas lights up to DH.
I see the weather is in for a big change on Friday and I have a Dr's appointment near Cleveland. Good thing DH does the driving for that. I'm ok going back and forth to work in Conneaut Ohio but that is about it.

I see you also have one of those hugh evergreen trees in your yard too, I get my pines and spruce mixed up, is it a white spruce?

Chris

Chris........It's a big old Norway Spruce. It has those long cones.

Yep, it looks like the weather is in for a big change next weekend. At least we get 3 more warm days without rain. It's so nice to finally dry out a bit.

I like your snow gauge-- but only 3 feet? You must be an optimist:) After all the rain the past 2 months I was wishing I had a rain gauge. I'd love to know what the total was.

Here's a photo of that little stream that runs just east of Albion at the 6N--Rt. 18 intersection.


early_bloomer

Yes I know the snow gauge is a bit short. I guess they make stackable gauges with just the #s on them, But I like the tree and birds, adds some color in the winter.

I'm really glad they redid the bridge on 6-N going West, with all the rain I know I would have had to find a alternet way to work.

Thanks for the picture, I use to walk another dog I had along the stream in the Albion park, she loved to swim in the deeper swimming holes.

Chris

Great Pix Chris & Early_Bloomer! And that snow gauge is a neat little trick! I'll have to see if I can find one, although, I do like Sally & just go out on the deck with a ruler (or yard stick) and measure at the retaining wall.

Joey

If the old rhyme, "Red sky at night, sailors' delight. Red sky at morning, sailors take warning" proves out, it should be another good day for us. I got the last of the new peonies planted, and the foliage cut on the old ones. All the leaves are fallen, shredded, and piled up to turn into compost.

I still have to cut back the sedum and astilbe and asparagus. Funny thing, I put in a small order of asparagus two years ago and split with a neighbor. None of hers survived, but 2 out of my 4 did. They were supposed to be all male, Jersey Knight, but they are full of bright red berries! The Jersey Knights in my asparagus bed in back have occasionally put out a few seeds--nothing like this!

A few years ago I tried planting 4 asparagus from this seed and have one extra surviving plant, now. My SIL wants some of these new seeds to try, but I'll have extra if one or two of you want to experiment next spring. Oh, I think I remember reading somewhere that asparagus berries were poisonous so maybe not if you have small children.

Great pictures! I hope we won't need a snow gauge again any time soon, though. Take care all and enjoy the day.

Yes, it feels good yet again! I'll have to wait for biting cold to d o outdoor decorating, because that's usually what i end up with, no matter how many times I say'i should do it while it's nice'
I had a row of asparagus and decided to move some around last fall. I thought I did a nice job, but most didn't come up-grr! they weren't all that healthy but still.. Right now, one big plant is a pretty gold, so it stays a little longer. Sedum tops stay so I can see how they look in the snow. Oh, here's a thought, I'll go measure some plants and memorize their heights to be my snow gauges,,'baby hollies 4" sedum 13 " salvia 30" -If it gets to salvia, we're in trouble......

Sally, Early and I are always in trouble, 30 is nothing here, Right, Early?

And dayli, how long for asparagus from seed to eat? Just asking, no place to plant them yet. But maybe next year if things go right I might get a bed ready for rubarb & asparagrus.

Chris

Sally, Chris is right. I was only half-joking when I said the snow gauge "only" went to 3 feet. Here in the snow belt when the lake is unfrozen and the winter wind is out of the northwest we can really get dumped on in a big hurry. Feet--not inches.


early_bloomer

That picture is beautiful beyond words, early, thank you.

Chris, I don't know what to tell you. It's a trade off. Maybe the 3rd year you can take some asparagus without weakening the plant too much. Or you could plant extra and take what you want without worrying about whether it came back or not. Soil fertility is a factor, also the quality of the winter. Weather that warms up, then freezes, then warms up again puts a lot of stress on the plant.

Some years ago one of my neighbors researched asparagus, ordered a large number of expensive crowns, and hired the neighborhood boys to dig a huge trench. When the older boys quit she hired a couple of younger ones and when they wore out the only volunteer was my 9 year old.

He came home after a couple of hours with what I remember as 3 dry husks of something. Said that they were left over when the neighbor finished planting and she wanted to know if I wanted them. But he WASN'T GOING TO HELP PLANT THEM! As I recollect I just stuck them in on one side of the garden. I didn't know anything about asparagus but the plants grew and prospered and spread widely. I found out a few years later--you can guess the end of this--her asparagus had just not come back after the first or second winter.

Asparagus is a flat-out gorgeous plant, and it either grows or it doesn't--seems to be a lot of randomness involved. I tried moving some of mine too, Sally, carefully following the directions in a newspaper gardening column. It didn't work for me either.

Hey snowbunnies! I expected you to tease me about that 30 inches!! But for the beauty of that pic- worth it.
Asparagus- hard to figure. How can they send dry bundles of roots that live, and carefully moved ones die? argh. I do have freeze/thaw winters, and was eaten alive by beetles(the 'spar, not me) so a t this point I pick a few stalks and eat them right there fresh. Must note groundhogs do not seem to eat it. My friendwith horses said her neighbor used lots of her manure and grew it great.
dayli- have you grown potatos? my boy and his buddies love to dig them up, its like finding gold. really easy to grow.

Actually, I have grown potatoes. One of the little girls in the neighborhood (all grown up now) worked on an organic farm summer before last. She brought me 4 little blue seed potatoes to plant. I got several delicious side dishes out of them and I must have missed digging some of them up because they put in a repeat performance this passed summer. I know this can't go on but it is fun while it lasts.

Thanks for the info on Asparagus, I would be the only one eating them so a few would be perfect, I'll have to try them sometime, I just to love picking them when I was a kid.

"Snowbunny 1" here. We are suppose to get snow this Friday. Will update you if this happens. LOL

Chris

For those of you who live in the valley, or just like a day trip to the valley, Rinker Orchard in Stephens City (just south of Winchester) has fresh picked asparagus available in the spring. I think their prices are very reasonable. Here's the info on the orchard including the other products they offer:

RINKER ORCHARDS, INC.
Mrs. Ruth B. Rinker
1156 Marlboro Road
Stephens City, VA 22655
(540) 869-1499

Directions: Take Route 11 or I-81, exit 307, to traffic light in Stephens City. Go west on Route 631 (Marlboro Road) approximately 2-1/2 miles.

Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m., daily during season.

Special Comments: Containers furnished. Children welcome. Picnic area. Call before traveling long distance.

Products: Fresh picked asparagus - April 10-June 10; pick-your-own red raspberries - August 5-frost; select-your-own Ginger Gold and Honey Crisp apples - August 15-September 15. Pick-your own/select-your-own apples - Red and Golden Delicious, Idareds - September 10-October 20; Nittany, York, Rome and other varieties - after October 1. Pumpkins - October 1. Fresh cider - September 15 on.

Wow, thanks Hart! We are on our last gallon of the incomparable Rinker apple cider. Our local source disappears at Thanksgiving. Do you know if they are still selling it on their home ground?

Chris, you have D-mail.

Why don't you call them, Dayli? I have no idea but they are the nicest people. The orchard is really easy to find. Just take the Stephens City exit off of 81 and go west off the ramp and stay on that road. The orchard is on the right maybe a mile or two past the light at the intersection of that road and Route 11. Might as well get you some Route 11 potato chips while you're out there. LOL Just take Route 11 south to Middletown.

http://www.rt11.com/default.cfm?URLKey=ChipFactory

Sounds yummy--there goes the diet!

Chris, just thought that I'd stop buy to see how you're feeling. Are you getting ready for Christmas?

Joey

No snow, but I thought I would share this pic with ya!

Good morning Joey, What an beautiful picture!

I am feeling really good compared to last month at this time. I'm getting my energy back. Went for a mamo on the left side Friday there is some calcification in 2 areas and they were/ are looking for the previous films for changes. When I got home they left a message on my answering machine that they found one film and there is no changes, but will have the other films sent to them to compare those too.

I have been cleaning house and putting out decorations for the Holidays, a little at a time. Will do some shopping on line. and get some Christmas cards ready tody, And if I feel like it do some quick breads for the freezer for gifts.

Chris

Glad to hear that you're feeling better. And am also glad that you're taking it easy with the decorating. I (IMO) think that decorating for Christmas really boosts the spirits! And I play a lot of Christmas Music! :-D
Glad to hear the one test looks the same....hope there is no change in the rest. Keep me posted....(((hugs)))

Joey

I love clouds...

I am relocating to south central ohio in mid winter, I would like to move my asparuagus plants with me. Any ideas? Do I pull them now? or plant them in a pot of sorts and overwinter them. I fear the ground will be frozen when it would be time for me to dig them up. Any help out there? Lueby

Leuby, welcome to DG!!

I think you'll probably get more and better responses to your question if you start a new thread for it (either here or over in the veggie gardening forum). The question is a little buried here with the snow gauge subject of the thread, even though asparagus did get discussed!

I wish I had answers... but I know we've got some expert asparagus growers over in the veggie gardening forum!

How are the gauge birds today? I heard Altooa mentioned for snow showers. Brrr