Update 2025-05-01: Drainage ditches, Quarterman Road 2025-04-30.
Going to mow the niece’s driveway, I saw Glenda and Craig Palmer standing on the road.
Turns out they were actually Laurie and Denton Dye.
![[Drainage Ditch with shadows of jsq, Glenda, and Craig Palmer]](http://www.okraparadisefarms.com/pictures/2025-04-08--drainage-ditch/20250408_174746.jpg)
Drainage Ditch with shadows of jsq, Glenda, and Craig Palmer
They were admiring Lowndes County Public Works’ attempt to open up the drainage ditch across the road.
Maybe try again not on the day after more than an inch of rain. Continue reading
Tired of having boats taking up space under the tractor shed, I built a bigger boat rack.
As you can see, some patches were required. The steel roofing came from niece Peggy’s neighboring house, where she had some roof replaced after Hurricane Helene. The roofers were going to throw away the old roof. Nope, now some of it is boat rack roof, basically fancy sunshade.
The three canoes belong to WWALS, as does the jon boat and outboard.
The other boats are ours. Continue reading
When you don’t bring a measuring device, measure in cubits!
Gretchen had recently lopped off the freeze-killed tops of these banana plants, and she was observing how much they had grown out since. Continue reading
Yesterday, Bob Gronko sent a picture of the bowl he made from a cherry log.
![[Cherry bowl Bob Gronko made from one of these cherry logs]](http://www.okraparadisefarms.com/pictures/2025-03-27--cherry-bowl-bob-gronko/fbmany.jpg)
Cherry bowl Bob Gronko made from one of these cherry logs
He took a couple of the logs you see in this picture.
They came from the cherry tree I had to cut off the top of the corn crib after Hurricane Helene blew it onto there. Continue reading
A few days before, Gretchen whacked off the tops of these banana plants with a machete. She says this is necessary after they freeze in the winter.
That leaf measured a foot of growth.
River and Blondie assisted. -jsq
In case anybody has forgotten Hurricane Helene:
This is directly in front of our house. Continue reading
The cypress swamp is full of water and pollen.
That slash pine on the left is an example of a tree blown down by Hurricane Helene that still has a rootball and green needles.
Maybe some day soon the pine salvage operation will get here for such trees. They can’t survive like that, and they have some value as saw-timber of pulpwood.
-jsq
Hurricane Helene, or maybe the ice storm after, broke off a woods spigot.
It was a little more complicated to fix than expected.
![[Pipe pieces and fixed plumbing]](http://www.okraparadisefarms.com/pictures/2025-01-28--plumbing-blondie/many.jpg)
Pipe pieces and fixed plumbing
I got a replacement part and cut below the break. Continue reading
Cold enough the dogs did not want to go into the cypress swamp, after the January 22, 2025, sleet and snow storm.
![[Gretchen pokes it with a stick as Blondie, River, and Sky stay high and dry]](http://www.okraparadisefarms.com/pictures/2025-01-23--frozen-swamp-dogs/20250123_131539.jpg)
Gretchen pokes it with a stick as Blondie, River, and Sky stay high and dry
Honeybun did not even come down to the frozen water’s edge. River, Sky, and Blondie stayed out of the water. Continue reading
![[Rack full]](http://www.okraparadisefarms.com/pictures/2025-03-31--boat-rack/20250331_110115.jpg)
![[Banana cubit 2025-03-23]](http://www.okraparadisefarms.com/pictures/2025-03-24--another-banana-cubit/20250323_174531.jpg)
![[Before]](http://www.okraparadisefarms.com/pictures/2025-03-21--back-driveway-deadfall/20250321_162850.jpg)
![[At least a foot]](http://www.okraparadisefarms.com/pictures/2025-03-19--gretchen-measuring-bananas/20250319_122411.jpg)
![[Sproing]](http://www.okraparadisefarms.com/pictures/2025-03-19--gretchen-measuring-bananas/20250319_122417.jpg)
![[Hurricane Debris Daybreak]](http://www.okraparadisefarms.com/pictures/2025-03-11--hurricane-debris-daybreak/20250311_082525.jpg)
![[Cypress swamp pollen]](http://www.okraparadisefarms.com/pictures/2025-02-27--swamp-pollen/20250227_161613.jpg)