We Survived The "Bomb Cyclone"

That's about the end of the rain. It's been raining non-stop for about 36 hours. 

We didn't need the kayaks, or the PFD's. The most we got were some puddles in the previously dead yard which seems to be coming to life again. Note to self, get the sod cutter...soon. 

Fortunately we have really a good drainage system in our neighborhood. Between Saturday and this morning, Jackson received a little over 7 inches of rain. The yearly average for Jackson is 30.4 inches. Not a bad start. 

Going back to the "Bomb Cyclone", it's just a new name for a rain storm we get every so often. We used to call it the "Pineapple Express" due to it coming from as far away as Hawaii. 

Down to Sacramento, I want to touch on something kind of new. An area called McKinley Park in Sacramento County has what's called a Water Vault. It's designed to hold excess rainfall in the area, prevent flooding, and then release it into the Sacramento River when the raining stops. Two things happened this weekend. One the vault filled up (6 million gallons) and two, McKinley Park still had some flooding although the flooding could have been much, much worse as it has in past years. So I guess it worked pretty well. Besides, once it was built, they made a really nice neighborhood park on top of it. 

Upcountry there were a bunch of evacuations due to the chance of mud slides in the burn scars of the many fires we've recently had including the Caldor Fire. And is usually the case, Highway 70 out of the city of Oroville has had a rock slide. Seems to happen with every heavy rainfall. 

So, we're all good and the storm seems to be heading East. 

Stay safe ya'll.   

Holy Cow It's Raining

California has been talking drought all Summer. Actually we've never been out of a drought since about 2012. 

Yes, we've had years where it's rained a lot, but it's not the surface water, it's the aquifer where the real drought is. If you're not familiar with aquifer's, let me give you a little tutorial. 

According to Wikipedia: An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock, rock fractures or unconsolidated materials. Groundwater from aquifers can be extracted using a water well. The study of water flow in aquifers and the characterization of aquifers is called hydrogeology.   

The above picture gives you some idea of how the aquifer works. 

I've lived in two places where I've accessed water via a well. One well was 500 ft. deep. The other only 50 ft. The second well was already in when I bought the property. The first one I watched the well driller find where to drill by witching. 

According to the Farmers Almanac: Some call it “the gift.” Others refer to it as “dowsing,” “doodlebugging,” or “water witching”—the practice of locating water underground using a forked stick. 

When he witched my first well, he uses 2 "L" shaped metal rods. He walked all over the property (I had 10 acres) and when the two rods came together, that's where he drilled. The well produced enough water that I didn't need a pressure tank. I'm a believer. 

So back to the rain. It rained off and on the last couple days and more expected tomorrow, but the big day is Sunday. We're expecting something called "Bomb Cyclone" because of its ferocity. It's an atmospheric river that brings torrents of rain and feet of snow and it's headed right toward Northern California. These atmospheric rivers extend thousands of miles from the tropics to the West Coast. 

The measurements on a barometer are in millibars. Normal air pressure at sea level is about 1,013.25 millibars. A hurricane will drop a barometer 30 millibars. We're expecting a drop of about 24 millibars. 

Don't fear my friends, we have kayaks, but we're about to get walloped. Time to batten down your hatches and get out your PFD's. The rain's is coming.  

Won't get us out of the drought by a long shot, but we'll take every thing we can get. 

Stay safe everyone. 

That's It, I'm Done Talking

 I've followed this pandemic since day one. I've watched a President do nothing and allow 401,000 people die, under his watch, that didn't have to. I've urged you all to get vaccinated and hopefully save your life. 

This morning I read an article where Chiropractors are giving exemptions for Covid vaccine shots. Chiropractors, not even a medical doctor. Merriam-Webster defines a Chiropractor as follows: 

"A licensed health-care professional who treats disorders (such as back and neck pain) chiefly of the musculoskeletal system especially through the manual adjustment or manipulation of the spinal vertebrae to correct nervous system dysfunction."

I've tried to help. I've tried to encourage the anti-vaxxers to get vaccinated. I've even got down and dirty with the Russian Roulette comment back on August 11th. 

I give up. I'm done talking. Good luck to all of you unvaccinated out there. You're going to need it. 

I think I'll go out and trim some bushes. 

700,000 and counting

As a child, I got all the shots required. Measles, Smallpox, Polio, and I don't know what else. Granted the Polio vaccine was in a sugar cube, but I'll take sweets any way I can get them. I'm 75 years old now and I've had both Covid Vaccine shots and plan to get the booster when my 6 month waiting time is up. I also get a Flu shot every year with this years coming on the 23rd of this month. 

I've suffered no ill affects from any of those vaccinations and there is nothing wrong with me from the recent Covid vaccine shots (although some of you probably think there is). 

Yesterday, the first day of October, 2021, deaths in the United States passed 700,000 deaths from Covid 19.  

Deaths passed 600,000 on June 14th, 2021. That's just 3 1/2 months ago. Yes, I'm keeping track. 

Of the 100,000 deaths between 6/14 & 10/1, 70% were unvaccinated. Those vaccinated people who died with breakthrough infections, most caught the virus from an unvaccinated person.

Florida suffered by far the most deaths of any state during that period, with the virus killing about 17,000 residents since the middle of June. Texas was second with 13,000 deaths. The two states account for 15% of the country’s population, but more than 30% of the nation’s death. 

Yup, Florida with a Governor who refuses to mandate masks and vaccinations for school children. Nice guy, huh? You can bet he'll be running for President in 2024. 

I know you're probably tired of reading about this on this blog, but I fear for all of you. So get vaccinated and I'll shut up.