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Post by dirtdiva on Jan 31, 2021 13:01:48 GMT -6
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Post by dirtdiva on Jan 31, 2021 13:24:13 GMT -6
Not much going on here. Mr. DD's first cataract surgery has been a great success and next week we move on to the other eye.
Storms have moved into the area with sleet yesterday and rain today. Tonight that rain is supposed to turn into snow. Not much accumulation expected maybe a couple inches.
Covid numbers are down again this week. The bars are reopening in Nashville and the surrounding area. Doesn't really pertain to us because we are a dry county. Restaurants remain closed but they are starting to reopen local schools. Starting to also receive vaccines in the area just not a very large amount at one time.
We actually did a small shopping run in person last week. Seems in this area we alternate between waves of panic buying and bouts of semi normal shopping availability. Right now we seem to be in the most recent wave of panic buying. In between any local bouts of hysteria we try to stock up on anything we may need. We try to stay out of the store during the panic. Has worked so far. Did notice that the fresh produce section was pretty bare this last trip with a drastic increase in prices. Paper products (TP) are still pretty scarce. Beans and canned goods are slowly beginning to show up back on the shelves until the next scare.
Gas prices in the area are up to $2.20 a gallon. It remained under $2.00 a gallon all summer and fall. After the election it has been on a steady rise.
While in town I stocked up on yarn from the local yarn shop for an upcoming project and bird seed for my feeders. So we should be good for awhile.
But for now the mountain is locked into winter alternating between rounds of rain, sleet and snow.
Everyone stay safe
DD
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Post by dirtdiva on Jan 31, 2021 13:32:30 GMT -6
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Post by kelabar on Feb 1, 2021 21:05:32 GMT -6
So is that Tennessee or northern Canada? Yikes. Just wondering coz I'm sitting around in shorts and flip-flops ATM! (insert irate muttering about cheeky Aussies!)
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Post by dirtdiva on Feb 16, 2021 10:54:17 GMT -6
We continue to be in the grips of a winter storm. Grocery stores have reduced hours. The roads are clear but tricky right now with lots of slick spots. Snow continues to fall this Tuesday morning . The wrecks have been cleared off the interstate and it is flowing again. State offices are closed as are schools. There are power outages in areas due to downed trees and limbs but we are fortunate to still have both water and electricity. It has been a challenge keeping animals in water. Also had to thaw out the bird feeders.
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Post by drhenley on Feb 16, 2021 15:17:31 GMT -6
Black ice on the roads but thankfully the trees and power lines didn't get enough to cause problems. Looks like we'll go through another thaw, then rain, then bitter cold by the weekend. Just hoping there is enough gap between the rain and the cold again. I believe some of the nighttime temps this week are the coldest yet this winter.
I guess the groundhog nailed it, LOL.
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Post by dirtdiva on Mar 1, 2021 8:05:55 GMT -6
March came in like a lion last night with a nasty storm with driving rain and high winds. Lots of limbs down but no real damage.
Sunday morning we work to the death of our little Scottish Terrier "Riley". He was 15 and had liver cancer. It was a hard loss.
Temperatures are slowly rising and we will start planting cool weather crops in about 2 weeks.
The Nashville area will be opening restaurants and bars again as of today and increasing capacities. They are now vaccinating people 65 plus. I am on the waiting list and my husband has already had his first vaccine.
Local stores are struggling to restock after the ice and snow storms but slowly the shelves seem to be refilling.
We are going out to medical appointments and I am having some physical therapy this week again. We continue to social distance and wear masks though when in public places.
Stay safe DD
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Post by sonic on Mar 1, 2021 8:38:34 GMT -6
March arrived here with some glorious wall to wall blue sky and sunshine, a real touch of spring, but it's too early to take it for granted. There have been some hard frosts overnight. dirtdiva I'm so sorry to hear of Riley's passing, it's tough to lose such a great pal. Working from home for a few more weeks and after a bit of confusion getting my Covid jab tomorrow. The government has set out the road map from lockdown and I think they have pretty much got it right, we are hopeful some sort of normality will return by June. Looking at a few campsites, can't wait to get out camping again.
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Post by dirtdiva on Mar 1, 2021 8:50:08 GMT -6
March arrived here with some glorious wall to wall blue sky and sunshine, a real touch of spring, but it's too early to take it for granted. There have been some hard frosts overnight. dirtdiva I'm so sorry to hear of Riley's passing, it's tough to lose such a great pal. Working from home for a few more weeks and after a bit of confusion getting my Covid jab tomorrow. The government has set out the road map from lockdown and I think they have pretty much got it right, we are hopeful some sort of normality will return by June. Looking at a few campsites, can't wait to get out camping again. They are slowly lifting and easing some restrictions here. Increasing the number of people in restaurants, Hospitals now allow some visitors and you can again visit people in nursing homes but you still must wear a mask and not be feverish. Schools are slowly reopening but sad that some small businesses will not be reopening but rather staying out of business. We too cannot wait to get outside in the garden as well as go fishing and spend some time in the parks walking the trails.
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Post by dirtdiva on Mar 17, 2021 4:03:39 GMT -6
Geez gas went up 17 cents a gallon in the last week. At the pump 2.69 as of yesterday.
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Post by dirtdiva on Mar 19, 2021 19:09:15 GMT -6
Topped off the truck today. Gas was 2.93 it has went up 50 cents a gallon in the last week.
Stopped by Walmart today and they had canning lids but are rationing them. You can buy 2 boxes per day. They did not have that many!
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Post by sonic on Mar 20, 2021 6:09:56 GMT -6
I have a week off work. *happy dance* weather is OK so off to the allotment today to take the covers off the cleared half and put them on the other half.
Hoping to clear the back yard this week as well, get rid of some rubbish and smarten it up for the better weather.
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Post by sonic on Mar 21, 2021 4:18:37 GMT -6
This is great news. COVID-19: Half of UK adults have received first vaccine dose, government says The government is half way to reaching its stated aim of vaccinating everyone aged 18 and over by 31 July. More than half the UK's adult population has now received a first COVID vaccine dose, the government has said. Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed the milestone as a "fantastic achievement" and said: "Let's keep going!" He said: "Like the rest of the country I am immensely proud of the progress we have made so far in rolling out vaccinations. "There is still further to go and I encourage everyone to take up the offer when asked to do so. "I received my first vaccine yesterday and would like to thank the brilliant NHS staff I met, alongside the teams and volunteers working across the UK to deliver this vital protection." news.sky.com/story/covid-19-half-of-uk-adults-have-received-first-vaccine-dose-health-secretary-says-12247856
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Post by billmasen on Mar 21, 2021 12:10:53 GMT -6
873,000 vaccines delivered in one day, Europe is spitting tacks.
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Post by sonic on Mar 21, 2021 12:33:08 GMT -6
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Post by dirtdiva on Apr 12, 2021 9:02:07 GMT -6
All is quiet up here on the plateau. Spring has sprung and times are busy garden planting, calves and kids dropping at the local farm across the road and life goes on in this small mountain farming and timber community. They continue to vaccinate those that are willing and we continue to see masks in the stores and such. Restaurants have reopened and I don't hear of as many sick in the immediate community. The grocery stores seem to be restocked for the most part as well. There are still shortages of some things such as canning lids, seeds, chicks, seed potatoes and onion sets and fertilizers. Fruit trees have disappeared from the market as fast as they appeared. In many of these cases it is simply a case of the demand has exceeded the supply for the most part I think.
My husband went and bought more lumber for the last garden box to be repaired and the guy at the sawmill said they can't keep lumber right now. I guess everyone else is building boxes with native lumber too. We did get what we needed. We also bought a small stock of straw as it is disappearing fast right now between people straw bale gardening and using straw to seed lawns. We are thankful that we have stocked most of what we need and just keep on quietly gardening, canning and prepping.
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Post by dirtdiva on Apr 27, 2021 8:09:39 GMT -6
Crock pot is full of beans and ham cooking slow. First day in the upper 70' this spring. First goal to clean out the chicken house, duck house and the chicken yard. Nothing like the smell of chicken sh#t to start the spring off right. Will put the litter from the houses in the compost heaps and mix in. The dirt from the run will be sifted and added to the gardens. Lots of shoveling today for me. Hot date with liniment and the heating pad tonight.
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Post by drhenley on Apr 27, 2021 19:12:14 GMT -6
They finally have 91% rubbing alcohol in the supermarket.
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Post by dirtdiva on Apr 28, 2021 5:03:07 GMT -6
They finally have 91% rubbing alcohol in the supermarket. Yeah I bought some the other day here as well. The groceries have been pretty well stocked lately until the next panic anyway. Boy there have been some price increases on some things though.
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Post by dirtdiva on Jul 22, 2021 8:38:26 GMT -6
July update: Frostbite I saw your inquiry into my well being and appreciate being missed. A wellness check is always appreciated. I continue to moderate here daily usually before daylight while enjoying my first cup of coffee. Things are fine in my community although even with vaccines available Covid is still present. I don't see many places requiring masks anymore. I continue to wear masks only when in the hospital or doctor's office because Ugh there are sick people there !! Not sure how effective the mask or really care but what the heck everyone has their illusions so I guess that is mine The hot weather of summer is upon us with temperatures running in the mid eighties during the day on top of the mountain. Down in the basins right now it is running in the 90's. With high humidity it is pretty sticky. I work outside mainly in the early morning and late afternoon and work inside in the air condition during the heat of the day. Okay I will admit to being soft. I am an air condition baby these days. Looks like half the US is in a drought and that same half is burning up in wild fires. We continue to get rain even though it is our traditional dry season. There are no wildfires in Tennessee to my knowledge nor drought conditions. Things seem to have calmed in my rural community other than some things missing from the shelves. Canning supplies are the first to come to mind. Gas is running a little high at about $2.89 a gallon right now. Jobs are everywhere although most are minimum wage jobs. I see a few businesses opening up so that is a plus. Lots of people buying property right now from the cities fleeing to rural areas so property is high right now. Despite a huge jump in the price of lumber I still see a great deal of building going on because interest rates are low. Everyone seems to have a garden in the backyard now which I enjoy seeing. As for me personally I have been having some medical issues to deal with so on top of my gardening endeavors I have been having more doctor visits than usual. I have two upcoming surgeries. One on my arm to remove a tumor on my left arm from a tear in the muscle wall. Similar to a rupture you see in the stomach wall. Only mine is in the inner crook of my arm. I do some light weight training on my arms daily but at some point probably when gardening I have managed to tear that muscle wall. Mr. DD is always fussing about me lifting things that are too heavy. Guess he was right. Imagine that! So I have been prepping for surgery to remove that. I am hoping to at the same time remove a portacath going into my heart that has been in there for several years and needs to come out. A remnant of cancer treatment. So as you see I am fine just busy as a little beaver. Instead of writing about prepping/gardening/sustainability/food production/food preservation/homesteading I am living it everyday and living it hard. But don't worry I am still lurking in the shadows keeping my eyes on you all so play nice!! I'LL BE BACK
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