Baymule’s Farm

[baymule]

took the mule to the paved road. My road is in bad shape. One place the ruts are s deep, my car drags bottom on the hump in the middle, so I ride the hump. But the sides of the road are a mud pit, can’t get through in my car now.

Then there’s this. That’s a phone cable, landline and internet.

This spot doesn’t look bad, it’s no problem for a truck. But the cut across the road is deep enough to be a problem for my car

Another washout, it’s taken out 1/3 of the road. Can get by, narrow, but can get by. It’s about a 3 foot drop off. And there’s that pesky phone cable again!

There is a pasture gate on the right. Water comes off that field, down the incline of the pasture entrance, cuts ruts in the road.

Just up ahead, around the bend, was a bunch of black head vultures surrounding a newborn baby calf. I jumped off the mule and ran to the fence, shooing them off. No momma cow nearby. The calf could barely raise its head.

I called Peggy and told her. The field and cows belong to Bennett’s sister. She called his sister, she and husband were in Lufkin. Bennett and Peggy came, and he approached the calf. Cows, being curious, came up and one was the momma. Bennett stood the calf up, fortunately it was a calm cow. Calf wobbled and fell back down. Peggy talked to his sister, they were on the way. Bennett kept trying to stand the calf up but it was too weak.

His sister and her husband showed up, she had a bottle and tube. They put feed out in the lot, and they got the momma in the squeeze chute. She tube fed the calf, then they got it to nurse its momma.

Saved the calf!

Went home. Fed my bottle babies. Peggy called, invited me to go to Lufkin with them for lunch, and run errands. Sure! We had lunch and they went to the GMC dealership to check on her car.

Well………. Lufkin got a lot of rain last night. 5-6 inches. Her car was parked at the back lot. There is a creek……yup. Her car flooded and it’s toast. She was shocked and started crying. I hugged her , I felt so bad for her. The dealership is going to have to settle things with Peggy and Bennett, she test drove2 cars. They will have to have a meeting to settle things.

Came home. Raining. Did chores. This place is a mud hole. I feel bad for my sheep. I can’t even be mad at the one that thinks she’s a goat. Look closely.

 

[Carol Dee]

Oh my , what a mess. Praying for the rains to stop. TX has had enough.

 

[baymule]

Going to be sunny today and tomorrow, rains come back Thursday and Friday. Then 4 days of sunshine. I think I’ll graze the ewes and lambs in the yard again today. They can enjoy the grass and trample down the tall stuff.

Talked to my sister last night. She was in good spirits and decided to stay in her house while the FEMA buyout drags on for the next year. Her daughter in law suggested it. The upstairs did not flood and is livable. A small refrigerator and microwave and she’ll be set . The downstairs is gutted, all the furniture, appliances and everything is gone, set out at the street and scavengers picked it all up. Sheetrock is out and cabinets are coming out. There will be nothing left but the studs and outside walls. Rent on another place is higher than her social security, she can’t do that. She can park her car in the garage, enjoy her outdoor living area in her covered deck and survive the next year until the buyout is completed.

She has a gambrel roofed portable building that my son wants, it is lodged against a tree now. She said he can have it, he just has to get it moved. I’ll go see what the damage is, probably won’t take much to get it back in good shape. He wants it for his land In Houston County.

She has a 2 car, free standing garage, metal building that she said I could tear down. Waiting to see if FEMA says it’s ok. Y’all cross your fingers and toes, say your prayers, stick your hand in stump water and chant, “Baymule NEEDS this metal” 29 times, turn around 4 times and make a wish on the moon. That oughta do it.

That metal would build me at the very least 1 open front barn, a good running start on a second one, if not the whole thing. Game changer. Chris and his brother are ready to go help me tear it down and bring it home.

 

[flowerbug]

... Chris and his brother are ready to go help me tear it down and bring it home.

would be great for sure to reuse it instead of having to let someone else come get it for scrap value.

curious if FEMA will want to deduct it from what is paid...

 

[pjn]

Wow your road looks bad. Always an adventure sure hope some of this
water adventure slows down.
Fingers crossed for the barn/garage and building.

 

[ninnymary]

Bay, I'm gonna say a little prayer that you get that metal garage. Even if FEMA were to deduct it from the payoff as someone mentioned, it may still be cheaper than if you bought that metal. So may be worth it to buy it from your sister if it's deducted.

Mary

 

[baymule]

Yesterday was sunny, today is sunny, tomorrow the deluge. Rain Thursday and Friday. 3-5” of rain, over the watershed of the Trinity River and the San Jancinto River. I hope the areas that flooded don’t get hit again.

My sister has decided to stay in her house while the FEMA buyout drags on over the next year. The bottom floor has been gutted to the wall studs. She can stay upstairs, 3 bedrooms and a bathroom, turn one bedroom into her living space. A small refrigerator and a microwave and she’ll be ok. She can’t afford to rent a house or apartment, it’s higher than her monthly income.

She will be “home” and can park her car in the garage, enjoy her 1500 square foot covered deck and can live there until the buyout is completed.

 

[baymule]

It started storming around 1:30. I fed all the animals early and barely finished before the rain dumped.

Lightening struck the transformer on the pole by the house at 2:50. Power went out, I called it in.

Power company showed up, 2 guys in raincoats, but still wet. I have power now. Only 2 hours and 40 minutes. That’s pretty darn good. It’s still blowing rain. Houston news is following a possible tornado east of Houston.

I’m so glad my car is at the church. The road is going to be even worse. Not to mention all the other roads the county is struggling to repair are going to be worse.

Bennett has lived on this road his entire life, 67 years. He has NEVER seen it this bad. There are places in Trinity county that are STILL flooded, this rain is only going to make more misery. The Dallas area is getting hammered and it comes downriver to Southeast Texas, adding to all the rain we are getting.

I am ok. My farm may get mushy, but I’m not going to flood. The road is crap, but I have my Kawasaki mule that I can drive to my car.

If Southeast Texas gets hit with a hurricane, on top of what we already have, it will be devastating.

Saturday is going to be sunny, through the next Saturday. We sure need it.

 

[baymule]

I went to the Sheriff’s Breakfast this morning. 11 applicants for trade school scholarships were approved by a board of directors out of those who applied. Those that were rejected was because they are going to college.

He awarded a little over $4,000 for each student.

 

[flowerbug]

It started storming around 1:30. I fed all the animals early and barely finished before the rain dumped.

Lightening struck the transformer on the pole by the house at 2:50. Power went out, I called it in.

Power company showed up, 2 guys in raincoats, but still wet. I have power now. Only 2 hours and 40 minutes. That’s pretty darn good. It’s still blowing rain.

great to hear they got it done so quick. when it is very stormy here they won't often come out until the storm has passed... though i think with recent regulations and reimbursements for outages they are going to have more incentives to get out and get things fixed quicker. that was part of a rate increase.

Houston news is following a possible tornado east of Houston.

I’m so glad my car is at the church. The road is going to be even worse. Not to mention all the other roads the county is struggling to repair are going to be worse.

Bennett has lived on this road his entire life, 67 years. He has NEVER seen it this bad. There are places in Trinity county that are STILL flooded, this rain is only going to make more misery. The Dallas area is getting hammered and it comes downriver to Southeast Texas, adding to all the rain we are getting.

I am ok. My farm may get mushy, but I’m not going to flood. The road is crap, but I have my Kawasaki mule that I can drive to my car.

If Southeast Texas gets hit with a hurricane, on top of what we already have, it will be devastating.

living in any lowlands along the coast will always be a danger. i hope for sure that things are allowed to drain off and dry out before any more storms show up.

Saturday is going to be sunny, through the next Saturday. We sure need it.

i sure hope so! give the grass some time to grow with the sunshine and all that rain.