Nov 9, 2012 Fall Colors Remain



Brilliant Fall colors in an orchard I pass
on my way Down There



I spent the last two days going back and forth from Down There.  Lots of shopping and errands on Wednesday.  When I left at 6:45 am yesterday for laundry and two doctor's appointments it was a cold 24 degrees and snowing.  It seems my mamogram was scheduled for the 8th, not the 7th.  Fortunately I had plenty of time between the two. . .

When I arrived home on Wednesday, JB had all the piping done except for the last piece.  So I climbed down into the hole again and glued it in.  We let it set for a while then turned on the water.  JB could see it go through the flexible pipe we had inserted, but nothing got to the cistern.  Okay. . . 

We started digging where we thought the end of the cistern was and, hopefully, the pipe going into it.  This was much easier than the other end, as the cistern isn't nearly as deep.  Less than two feet down we found the pipe.  The broken pipe.  Now we know where most of the water was coming from under the house!  Well, by then it was dinner time and it was starting to get dark.

While I was Down There on Thursday, JB dug a bigger hole, cut the broken ends off the pipe and glued in new connections.  When I finally got home, he was just waiting for the glue to dry.  It had only warmed up to 33 but there was less than 1/4" of snow.  We turned on the water, held our breath and heard a huge rush of water going into the cistern!  Those pipes must have been leaking for a year or two because this is more water than I ever remember coming in at once.  The gusher only lasted for about 20 minutes, so we will try again today.  There may indeed be a low water table still and we may only get a little each day.  But it seems we do have water.

Before I left on Wednesday, we watched a couple deer just across the driveway munching on rose hips for breakfast.  The dogs were going nuts, but we didn't let them out til the deer were gone.

By the time November arrives, all the leaves have usually fallen and left the trees bare.  Not so this year.  The brilliant Fall colors remain everywhere.  The orchards are bright colored spots all over the valleys.  Just gorgeous!

According to the Old Farmers Almanac black bears headed to their winter dens yesterday.  I hope they had that date marked on their calendars.  Skunks are supposed hibernate on the 19th and I certainly hope they do.

Our son had to go to England on business for a week and just got back last weekend.  I had asked him to send me a postcard, which he did, and I received it this week.  I love postcards.  I buy them whenever I travel, and have quite a collection dating back almost 100 years from my Mother's parents.  There is one sent to my Grandfather about 1918 from a friend who visited Washington state.  The photo on it is of the Wenatchee River in Tumwater Canyon just west of Leavenworth!  I actually have a photo of my Mother and me that my Dad took in almost the exact same spot.  No, I do not believe in coincidences. . .

Thought for the day: