owl sees all

9 hours ago, mommysboy said:

 

How do you relax in the evening? wrestle bears!

 

It must be hellishly hot up north.

 

I tracked my home temperature with reported figures, and they stayed remarkably close up until about 6pm, but while reported figures went down fairly quickly, the temp in my house and outside stayed pretty high.  At 8pm it was still 36, and at midnight an unbelievable 33.  Even now the 'feel like' is likely around 40 given 80% humidity.

 

Current example 12:31am : weather report 28 degrees/ 88% humidity/ feels like 34

                               my house 33

 

 

I'm not saying it's not warm; hot even. I've known hotter. Sitting in an air-con room all day is hardly getting the body acclimatized to anything. Or propping up a bar with so many fans yer can't move.

 

Right at the moment (10-25) it's 37 outside. I have to go to the farm shortly to do a bit of work. I'll not have a shirt on for 20 minutes, then put on my favourite cotton one. White with a top pocket. In a three hour work session I would normally drink at least a three litres of cold water. I take a few cold bottles with me in a poly box.

 

The other day I was out in the farm for 6 hours. TBH, that was a bit much for me. I'll do 3 hours max now. I'm not one of those that go into the sun for the sake of it. Like laying on the beach; or in the sugar field. But getting 20 minutes of sun, on as as much flesh as possible, is good for the body. Just do what needs to be done and appreciate at what nature is offering.

 

Drink plenty of water. Some laced with limes. Not easy to get lemons here.

 

Wouldn't be out of place up here in the boonies. People wouldn't even know what it said. Most popular 'T' shirt up here is 'Porn Hub'

 

I wear a trilby when I go out. Baseball caps are no good.

 

Great topic though.

Owl Log - Tuesday afternoon - Part 3

 

It's all about water. First live run on the palm solar system yesterday.

 

But first we had to bring over a couple of long PVCs from number one farm.

 

 

Looked at the lay of the farm and put it where it will get to most trees.

 

 

Turned the system on, and after 10 minutes the overflow kicked in. That meant that the two 1000L IBCs were full. Although they were half full to start with.

 

So far so good. But as good as the overflow was working, could it handle the inflow. The outpipe was 2 inch; the pump pipe in 1 1/2. Both IBCs kept filling. We could hear the water shooting down into the rings below.

 

Then they decided to overflow.

 

 

 

But at least we knew something. The top overflow was not man enough for the job. Just couldn't release enough water fast enough. Let's see how the lower one would perform.

 

 

Mildred went over to release the IBC water.

 

 

We waited no longer than a couple of minutes for the lower overflow to kick in. Coming out at a good lick too. Must have been 2 litres a second. Stopped the water from the BCI tanks.

 

But!!!???

 

 

Dear me. Waterfall!! Can only blame myself for underestimating the pump capacity. According to the pump data; at 32 metres down, the best it could give was 88 litres a minute. There was two litres a second out of the overflow. So a monumental miscalculation by me.

 

But on the upside. The palms were getting a long awaited drink. As luck will have it; most of number two farm is in on a slight down slope. For now; let the water flow.

 

 

Now some rough calculations.

 

Start time 10am. Finish time 4pm. Average pump output; 1 litre a second. So 6 hours x 60 minutes x 60 seconds x 1 litre. On a bright day that's a whopping 20k+ litres feeding the palms. And no more than 30/35 at one time. If I put in some more long PVCs, to allow the switching of water direction, and make sure there are little channels to let water flow where the soil is slightly high, the palms should be very happy.

 

Perhaps I'm being too sophisticated for me own good. It is Thailand after all; not Essex-on-sea.

 

Only one thing left to say; bye ya'll.

 

It's Tuesday the 22nd of April and this is the Owl Log.

 

Part 2 of 3.

 

The family all went off to Nong Khai and left me alone. Perhaps they didn't think I would like what they had in store. Anyway I took advantage.

 

I'm not so sure what the main reason for the trip was all about. They said to visit this special temple. But there was more to the day's activities that that. Much more.

 

 

Mrs Owl posing in front of the temple.

 

 

Up the stairs and in.

 

 

Very nice it was too.

 

 

That done it was off to a water park.

 

 

Sour puss Mildred thoroughly enjoying herself

 

 

Hire a table and it's soon time to eat.

 

From the left: Nok with the glasses. Jane in the white shirt. Chelsea in the pink hat. Chelsea's dad.

 

 

They all got back to the village at nine in the evening. I asked Mildred if she had enjoyed herself. Her reply; 'Sort of'. 'Why is that dear?' 'Wet for hours.' Glad I never went.

+++++

What to make of that Palace. Sorted out the Liverpool lot, then smashed in five against the Irons. Owls did themselves good by winning at Blackburn. Aveley make the play-offs. Be good to see them make the National League.

Only Villa did well in Europe last week.

+++++

 

My pineapple is looking the biz. It was about this time when the last one disappeared. Have to keep me eye on it.

 

 

The Big Mango lady is gonna make a mint with the hoppers. I counted 1,347 just in this cage alone. And there were many more, but they were spooked and jumped all over the place. Messed up my counting.

 

 

Haven't seen the pet piggie for a few days. Hope it's OK.

 

 

+++++

Sunday was a scorcher. Fortunately a rest day for me. If i work for too long in the hot sun, I get leg-cramps in the evening.No'.

+++++

Still not made it up with the Mrs. Last evening she kicked me on my dodgy left leg. As luck would have it; hit my knee and not further up.

+++++

The deal we had when we sold the farm, is still ongoing. There was 200k spare after all her debts were paid off. Shared 50-50. But I wanted the assurance that I could spend my bit on the farm. She bought gold. And the gold price is gradually creeping up. So she should be happy?! But now she wants me to spend what I have left on things she wants. I said 'No!'.

+++++

I've changed my morning tipple a bit. A cold soda, with honey and chlorophyll and a peeled lime. Very refreshing. In the leaflet that comes with the chlorophyll, it says that a tablespoon is equal to eating 69 fresh grapes. I squirt much more than that in the mix. Equal to three bunches I reckon. Loaded with vitamin C.

Not made any reishi wine for yonks. Don't seen to have the time.

+++++

That's it folks. Only one thing left to say; look out for an explosive part three.

 

Owl Log part one of three.

 

Monday afternoon. 22nd April 2024.

 

Pleased we missed out on WW3. Would have made me regret starting the Solar System venture.

 

Soo and Kun were with me on Thursday. Bit of heavy lifting to do. 

 

Everything arrived on time. And it was off to work we go. First thing was to get the base sorted. 10cm thick. The rings were well concreted in.

 

 

Concreting in 40C is an art. Make the mix on the wet side, cause by the time it's in place it's half off. Put another 50cms into the bottom rings.

 

 

Finished that about 11ish. Got to work on the underground pipework.

 

 

Not that deep. There was gonna be a soil/mud/clay covering.

 

 

About 13 metres altogether below ground.

 

 

Off to lunch to let the concrete set hard, and started again at 2.

 

Gradually built up the rings. Grouting them in as we went.

 

 

Was gonna go to 2 metres before capping, but decided - mostly for safety reasons - to only go 4 rings high.

 

Then on with the caps.

 

 

And finally the IBCs.

 

 

Just about 5 when we finished the first day.

 

 

Second day on Friday, it was pipework, and then more pipework. Only had one helper; Kun. Soo went off to cut trees somewhere. Not too much lifting to do fortunately.

 

 

Did the lower pipes first. Gradually worked up.

 

 

Connected the pump and filled it all up. Roughly 4000 litres in all.

 

Expected a few leaks. Filled the rings to see any leaks.

 

 

Not wrong there. 

 

 

Drained the system and it was home for tea.

 

Started on the grouting first thing on Saturday. Also removed some pipes and replaced them. The overflow pipes into and out of the system couldn't keep pace with the water coming from the pump. All the 1 1/2 pipes taken out and 2 inchers put in. Also put in an air valve.

 

 

Looks a bit confusing. Hope it all works!

 

 

Last job was to level out the soil. Kun on the wheelbarrow and me on the chog-chog.

 

 

Will need another load of soil later. But all in all quite pleased with the finished job.

 

Next task is to give it a live run tomorrow. See if all my planning was OK.

 

Sunday morning. Let the water flow. Sun came up at 9-30 precisely. Controller read 119 volts. Pump started. it was action stations. Oops!!!!! Dear me. I need a stiff drink. Didn't reckon on that!

 

Owl Log parts 2 and 3 later today.