Germany, water tank and rain

I got a call early (ok, early for me!) this morning. When I answered the phone I was serenaded by Olaf and Kathi from Germany singing "Happy Birthday". What a nice way to wake up and start the day. They were off by a day, but no matter, it's the thought that counts.

I was invited to come visit them again in Germany, which I would love to do. I had a great time visiting them in 1993(?). They were wonderful hosts and I got to see many interesting sites from 2000 yr old buildings to the vineyards along the Rhine. We even sampled ice wine. Their neighbors owned a vineyard. They gave us a tour then we had a visit and tasted their wine. A great time.

Then my day took a turn for the worse. I found my water pressure tank for my well is leaking. A slow leak so I can still use it and have water. The tank is very old - perhaps as old as the ranch? Where the leak is located the tank is rusty. A few years ago I had a pinhole leak in the Fall. With temperatures in the 20s F I didn't want to rip everything up and replace the tank. I used JB-Weld and was able to seal the hole. That is still sealed. The current leak is below that area and JB-Weld won't be able to seal this leak now. Too bad I hadn't used more JB-Weld before and coated the tank to the bottom. I might have gotten another year or two out of the tank.

I called Home Depot and another store and they both carry water pressure tanks. Tomorrow I will go check the tanks out. My tank is an old style steel tank. No internal air bladder, which I gather is what is in the current pressure tanks.

I also called Tony and left a message. Tony owns the well service just down the road. When I had problems in the past he fixed them for me. I didn't get a call back today. With all the building going on in the Valley I hope he has time for me.

It will be a job to replace the tank. The tank is tall and thin and is larger than the door to the little shed that houses the tank and pump. The shed must have been built around the tank.

A few years ago, after the winter where it froze inside the little shed, I added more insulation and also added dirt around the lower third of the shed for more insulation. I had tried planting tomatoes in this area but it was too shady. This year I planted old seed packets of flowers but none germinated. Which is good as I imagine I will have to dig the dirt away from the shed, then tip the shed up and over somehow in order to get the tank out.

The pump is old and the cover over the hand dug well are old boards. If I have to replace the tank, now is the time to replace the boards covering the well. And I imagine the pipes to and from the tank are old and rusted. That will be more work. Good thing it is the middle of summer and not November.

When I was checking the gopher traps around noon I got caught in the rain. Now the weather forecasters said nothing about rain. I could see blue rain clouds towards Whitefish, but those usually head into Glacier Park. I went to the pasture to check my traps. Today the clouds came my way. I still wasn't concerned as the clouds weren't that blue or threatening as they approached. They were moving quickly. A few rumbles of thunder and then large rain drops started falling here and there. I went under a large pine tree. Larger rain drops fell. Then a heavier rain. Soon I seen small white soft hail was falling. The wind picked up and I moved to another side of the tree and out of the wind. It really rained! Other than a few drops that found me I stayed dry under the branches.

During my bicycle ride tonight the sweet smell of cut hay didn't smell so good. Several fields of cut hay got soaked by the rain. In one of the fields I seen a tractor with a rake. This farmer was turning the rows of hay over so they would dry faster.

I got my rows of lettuce, onions and beets weeded today. Yes, I do have some plants under all those weeds. Jan planted her onions later than I did but now hers are larger than mine. Darn weeds!

While weeding I heard some cattle belloring. It didn't sound from the direction of my cattle. Still I had to look. It was cattle owned by my neighbor across the river. One or two times a year he moves his cattle onto his land across the river. It seems whenever the cattle go up or down the steep road/trail between the ridge and the land by the river they bellor. They did it other years and this year seems to be the same. At least it wasn't my cattle. They shouldn't be able to get over there, what with the high river flow in the main channel and the fences on the other side of the river. But ya never know. In the past I wouldn't have thought livestock would or could get through thick trees and brush, but the cattle did.