12 degrees F this morning on the farm.
Thursday, December 28, 2017
Wednesday, December 13, 2017
16 degrees F Dec 13, 2017
On Sunday December 10, 2017 the morning low dropped below 21 degrees F, it was 20 point something.
This morning, Wednesday December 13, 2017, the temp dropped into the teens for the first time for this year.
This morning, Wednesday December 13, 2017, the temp dropped into the teens for the first time for this year.
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
24 degrees F November 20, 2017
On Monday morning November 20, 2017 the low temp was 24 degrees F at the farm.
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Linux runs on the fastest 500 supercomputers in the world
Linux has been dominating the high performance computing space for a while.
Now, linux runs on the fastest 500 supercomputers in the world.
http://www.zdnet.com/article/linux-totally-dominates-supercomputers
China has topped the US and now has more systems in the top500 list than any other country.
At ORNL we have the Titan supercomputer, now five years old, it has dropped to #5 in the rankings. A new supercomputer called Summit is being developed and installed at ORNL and is expected to take over the #1 spot on the top 500 list of supercomputers next year.
Switzerland has the #3 supercomputer.
www.top500.org
Monday, October 30, 2017
27 degrees F October 30, 2017
Definitely got some frost on the pumpkin this morning, coldest temp of the season so far, the temp hit 27 degrees F. Outside water drinkers froze, including the ones in the coops.
Last week one morning we hit 32 degrees F.
Last week one morning we hit 32 degrees F.
Thursday, October 19, 2017
October 19, 2017: 36 degrees F and first frost of season
This morning the low was 36 degrees F and there was ice on the windshield of my truck and light frost on the grass etc.
The sky was clear, beautiful and starry last night.
A pack of coyotes came up fairly close last night, the dogs kept things under control.
The sky was clear, beautiful and starry last night.
A pack of coyotes came up fairly close last night, the dogs kept things under control.
Sunday, October 1, 2017
Saturday, September 9, 2017
47, 46, 47 degrees F, September 7 - 9, 2017
Beautiful weather the last three days with cool morning low temps of 47, 46, and 47 degrees F.
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
That's something I've never seen before ...
September 3, 2017:
Outside doing evening chores, I saw a group of at least 20 night hawks, with the distinctive pointed wing shape similar to gulls, with a very visible white spot on the bottom of each wing, they were flying mostly above the field in between the house and the bee hives, and they remained for 30 minutes or so, feeding up above on insects. Again, the chickens and pigeons completely ignored them. Very interesting.
September 5, 2015:
I was outside just before dark this evening and saw something I don't recall ever seeing before. I saw a couple of large predator type birds flying about 100 feet over the pigeon / chicken / duck / rabbit / peacock area.
Uh oh I thought, this could be trouble. However, the chickens et al did not seem bothered by the presence of these birds overhead. Then I noticed these birds were darting about in the sky, much like bats feeding on insects. Could they be large bats?
These birds had pointy wings with a white mark visible on the underside of each wing. I searched online and found that these were common nighthawks, which today are not that common.
Outside doing evening chores, I saw a group of at least 20 night hawks, with the distinctive pointed wing shape similar to gulls, with a very visible white spot on the bottom of each wing, they were flying mostly above the field in between the house and the bee hives, and they remained for 30 minutes or so, feeding up above on insects. Again, the chickens and pigeons completely ignored them. Very interesting.
September 5, 2015:
I was outside just before dark this evening and saw something I don't recall ever seeing before. I saw a couple of large predator type birds flying about 100 feet over the pigeon / chicken / duck / rabbit / peacock area.
Uh oh I thought, this could be trouble. However, the chickens et al did not seem bothered by the presence of these birds overhead. Then I noticed these birds were darting about in the sky, much like bats feeding on insects. Could they be large bats?
These birds had pointy wings with a white mark visible on the underside of each wing. I searched online and found that these were common nighthawks, which today are not that common.
Thursday, July 20, 2017
Big rain event Friday July 14, 2017
Last Friday afternoon July 14, 2017 we had a big rain event, it was localized and embedded near the farm. Just a few miles away it did not rain at all.
We lost power at the farm for a couple of hours, there were branches down in the road.
My next door farm neighbor has a pond that overflowed across Clifty Creek road, something I have not seen happen before, you could slowly drive through with a truck or SUV but you would not want to attempt with a lower / smaller vehicle.
Another neighbor had all of the rock and gravel washed away leaving a bare metal culvert pipe exposed at the entrance to his gravel access road.
At all of the water locations on the farm you can see where heavy water flow flattened the vegetation. In the wildlife pond the water flow plowed open and folded over two sections of thick sod, I saw it and it took me a little while to figure out what it was and what had happened.
I have a swale or dip near the bottom of the driveway to divert water and that dip was almost filled up with rock/gravel/sediment.
We lost power at the farm for a couple of hours, there were branches down in the road.
My next door farm neighbor has a pond that overflowed across Clifty Creek road, something I have not seen happen before, you could slowly drive through with a truck or SUV but you would not want to attempt with a lower / smaller vehicle.
Another neighbor had all of the rock and gravel washed away leaving a bare metal culvert pipe exposed at the entrance to his gravel access road.
At all of the water locations on the farm you can see where heavy water flow flattened the vegetation. In the wildlife pond the water flow plowed open and folded over two sections of thick sod, I saw it and it took me a little while to figure out what it was and what had happened.
I have a swale or dip near the bottom of the driveway to divert water and that dip was almost filled up with rock/gravel/sediment.
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
49 degrees F June 28, 2017
Another beautiful clear cool night with a morning low temperature of 49 degrees F.
Monday, June 26, 2017
49 degrees June 26, 2017
Beautiful evening last night followed by a cool morning, 49 degrees F at 6am today.
Friday, May 26, 2017
46 degrees May 26, 2017
It has been nice here recently, this morning it was 46 degrees F and foggy, then just a beautiful morning as the sun burned off the fog and started to warm things up.
Friday, May 12, 2017
Super P is back home, April 23 river crest
Our peacock "Super P" left on April 1 this year for his spring break, see earlier post.
On April 23, 2017 the Emory river at Oakdale crested at 27.98 feet. Clifty Creek road was closed, the water level was above the railings on both sides of the bridge across Clifty Creek.
I drove down to the bottom of the cliff that day and met a few neighbors who also wanted to see the high water, one neighbor asked if we were missing a peacock and I said yes and she said that he had shown up at another neighbors farm.
Yesterday Debby and Mary stopped by the neighbor's farm and Mary caught Super P and they brought him home. When I got home from work yesterday I was greeted by Super P's familiar honk-honk greeting call.
On April 23, 2017 the Emory river at Oakdale crested at 27.98 feet. Clifty Creek road was closed, the water level was above the railings on both sides of the bridge across Clifty Creek.
I drove down to the bottom of the cliff that day and met a few neighbors who also wanted to see the high water, one neighbor asked if we were missing a peacock and I said yes and she said that he had shown up at another neighbors farm.
Yesterday Debby and Mary stopped by the neighbor's farm and Mary caught Super P and they brought him home. When I got home from work yesterday I was greeted by Super P's familiar honk-honk greeting call.
Monday, May 8, 2017
ice on windshield May 8, 2017, snow in the Smokies
Cool mornings lately, 41 degrees May 6, 37 degrees May 7, and 40 degrees May 8.
Excellent grass growing weather.
I turned on the windshield wipers yesterday morning on my truck and was surprised to see the wipers create a small pile of ice.
Mt. LeConte in the Smokies has 6" of snow.
Springs and creeks flowing nicely.
Beautiful weather.
Excellent grass growing weather.
I turned on the windshield wipers yesterday morning on my truck and was surprised to see the wipers create a small pile of ice.
Mt. LeConte in the Smokies has 6" of snow.
Springs and creeks flowing nicely.
Beautiful weather.
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
31 degrees F Sunday April 9
This past weekend was beautiful, clear skies, cool mornings. On Saturday morning the low was 32 degrees F and on Sunday morning the low was 31 degrees F.
I don't see any freezing temperatures here in the extended weather forecast.
I don't see any freezing temperatures here in the extended weather forecast.
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
Spring Fling for Super P (our male peacock)
Our male peacock is named Super P, he is really quite a beautiful specimen, his tail and his colors are incredible, shimmering, bright, vibrant.
We learned a few years ago that female peacocks are wanderers and will not stay here on the farm if we free range them, all of the females left and have not returned. Every once in a while we might see one, although it could also be a female wild turkey, they look a lot alike. Male peacocks and male wild turkeys are very different looking however.
Male peacocks are territorial and they stay put. Super P normally stays within 200 yards of our house, he sleeps in a pine tree at night. He does this all year round, hot / cold / rain / sleet / wind / snow.
Last year, about this time, Super P disappeared for a few weeks, we did not know if we would see him again, and then he was back.
Recently, with the beautiful spring weather, I have seen Super P start to range a little farther than normal, and he has been more vocal than normal.
Super P was at home on Friday March 31, but has not been seen on the farm since. He has gone on spring break, he is out wandering the area, looking for love. Hopefully things work out and he will be back home in a few weeks.
We learned a few years ago that female peacocks are wanderers and will not stay here on the farm if we free range them, all of the females left and have not returned. Every once in a while we might see one, although it could also be a female wild turkey, they look a lot alike. Male peacocks and male wild turkeys are very different looking however.
Male peacocks are territorial and they stay put. Super P normally stays within 200 yards of our house, he sleeps in a pine tree at night. He does this all year round, hot / cold / rain / sleet / wind / snow.
Last year, about this time, Super P disappeared for a few weeks, we did not know if we would see him again, and then he was back.
Recently, with the beautiful spring weather, I have seen Super P start to range a little farther than normal, and he has been more vocal than normal.
Super P was at home on Friday March 31, but has not been seen on the farm since. He has gone on spring break, he is out wandering the area, looking for love. Hopefully things work out and he will be back home in a few weeks.
Thursday, March 16, 2017
13 degrees F March 16, 2017
The temperature was 13 degrees F this morning and 19 degrees F yesterday morning.
Smoky mountains are snow covered and beautiful, clear skies.
Smoky mountains are snow covered and beautiful, clear skies.
Monday, January 9, 2017
3 degrees F January 8, 2017
We received 2" of snow on Friday January 6, and a little more overnight. Temperatures stayed below freezing on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The low temperature on Sunday morning was 3 degrees F, the coldest of the season. Temperatures are expected to warm back up this week.
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