My day off chore list

[Gypsi]

Well I have shipped the order, Vivianne (age 16 months) helped me hang the thermal curtains in the office last night so it is habitable (I did the rods before the massage for the inevitable shoulder blade knots, and before my assistant arrived).

The new curtains made the office so dark I cleaned the fixture and added a 2nd bulb this morning so now it is both warm and bright;

gave Happy the neighbor's pup her 2nd shot,

guess that leaves photo processing about 2000 digital images,

 a kitchen drain line needs a snake run through it.

I am SO not working on the front porch today, too cold.

Neighbor is going to help me get the fenceline trees out while the bees are asleep.

And the 3 buff orpington chicks age 2.5 weeks are merging with the fish room brooder flock just fine. Too cute, and no telling how many hens in the hatch. They are the egg insurance.

Still have to write my bee talk and as I go through images, find some good ones to display.

[Perry]

I got exhausted just reading the list!

[Gypsi]

I am taking a break.  I am familiar with the plumbing on that drain line, been about 12 years since the last fail, digging it up where the snake stopped, right at 10 ft where there is a coupling. We have had a lot of drought then flood and I suspect the ground has shifted and dirt got in

I have a valve on the kitchen drain and use gray water from the kitchen to water the slab under my garage, which drops a LOT in drought, and is too thin to be jacked up for a repair.  Unless I want to get into the $10K to $20K mess and have the garage rebuilt (which I wouldn't mind some day) I have to water the slab continually in summer. So the gray water from kitchen has been going there and I had no idea there was a problem on the line to the septic til I opened that valve to do dishes a few days ago.

Eyeing the 20 ft long 4 inch sewer drain pipe on the lot but replacing the whole thing is a monster best left for another day.  I already have a couple of other parts to replace after pond season is over. 

This is a working old style septic system with a sand field that has never failed in spite of floods. The cheapest ticket repair is likely to be $6000 as I am grandfathered in.  City sewer now runs in front of my house. For a $2 coupling, I have a shovel

Back to work.

[Gypsi]

Chinaberry tree roots, keeping them watered to save the first tank so the line stays open. 

I will have some more work to do this spring, meantime, if California can water vegetables with fracking waste water, I can water buffalo grass seed with dishwater. And I will just move my gray water line around. Been trying to germinate grass seed and failing for a couple of winters.

Permaculture is hard work, but particularly in north Texas it is the fine art of hanging onto every drop of water you can get ahold of, and not having your house wash away in a flood. It is worth it I think

[lazy shooter]

How does California, "the green state," use frac water? 

[Gypsi]

California oil industry has been selling used frack water to farmers to irrigate their crops with for the last year or 2

[lazy shooter]

In the many states where I have drilled and completed deep wells, once frac water is mixed it has to be pumped down the well or disposed of in a Class II disposal well.  Before the frac water is mixed (blended) it is simply fresh water like we all use in our homes.  I have never worked anywhere that allowed the selling of frac water.  If you sell in Texas, there is a good chance you will end up behind bars.  The same for Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, New Mexico, Wyoming and the Dakotas.  Environmental laws at the state and federal level carry severe penalties.  I carefully read and write all of the truck manifestos for any and all chemicals leaving my  jobs. 

[Gypsi]

Jerry Brown - governor of California - is making some bad choices.  They have got some rain now so maybe will get better.

[Gypsi]

Here is the article.  I have been buying Mexican produce over California grown for several months now, don't remember where I first read it. I actually might have seen the frack water used water crops on CBS news or PBS?  not sure 
But this is the current Ecowatch, apparently they have finally caught on.
http://ecowatch.com/2016/02/10/farmers-irrigate-crops-oil-water/

[apisbees]

Thanks Gypsi for the story Here is links to the series so far.
Spotlight California

Ep 1: Heart of the Drought


Ep 2: Water & Oil


Ep 3: In Our Air

[Gypsi]

Thank you Apis.  Lazy Shooter will have some reading to catch up on (or video).