Watermelons And a Quail Recipe

Four years ago this month we moved south to the coast.  We assumed our biggest weather challenge would be the occasional hurricane.  We moved right after Sally and we kind of understand the devastation a hurricane can bring; we are still finding what we call "Sally Glass" in the garden every time we til.  We witnessed the houses with blue tarps, the houses with only three walls, the tree damage.  

With all that in mind, we were eagerly anticipating the longer growing season and being able to start the garden crazy-early.  We learned along the way we MUST start the garden crazy-early because by July the garden ~ except for the hot peppers and field peas ~ will not grow.  We learned that if we could push ourselves to do it, we had the potential for a second growing season in the fall since frost was not a concern.  

We are at the season of life when cold, damp weather is not pleasant for our muscles and joints.  We LIKE the fact the only white stuff we see on the ground is the lovely gulf coast sand.

 

The weather today is a windy 67 with rain expected within the hour.

And then it starts.  Tonight the temperature drops to 46.  No big deal, right?  Well...

Tomorrow's high is expected to hit 47.  Through Thursday the highs will range from the mid 30s to the mid 40s.  The lows range from 20-29.  There will be wind.  The weather service is telling us the wind chills will range from 12 to 32.  Fahrenheit.  On Tuesday we are expecting a "wintry mix" with a good chance of an inch or more accumulation.  We are under a winter storm watch.  At the beach.

We comfort ourselves by looking at the forecast where we used to live (sorry, my friends!), and in Watertown, WI where Cletus used to have to travel for training.  But still.

Thus Friday was a rather busy prep day.

We rearranged our breeding groups

and added another layer of protection from the wind around the quail shed. 

It's called, "use what you have"!

We have both condos full and those are already shielded with plastic and have enclosed areas.  

 

The 30 babies in the tractor still have their heat lamp ready for them.  The remaining males in a tractor will be moved to a tractor whose tarped sides are closer to the ground, giving them more wind protection.  Our most recent incubation attempt was a bust so we do not have to keep babies in the house (whew!).

In the garden Cletus was able to get a LOT of tilling done (since it will be a while before he can get the tiller back out there).  

The landscape fabric will be used to cover the potatoes.  The fabric we use to cover the banana plants has been dried and is ready to go back to work.  I will likely lose the few loquat fruit I have but hopefully the bananas will survive.  The onions and garlic will hopefully be alright.  

The seedlings and potted plants have been moved indoors under lights.  

 

The under-house vents are closed.  The water spigots are covered.  

We have coffee.  

 

We have books.  

 We have blankies.  And kittens.

Best of all, we have each other.  We are in great shape!