Well shed, rain, and freezing

Thursday was the day I had to put the one side of my well's shed back together and reinstall the shed's door.

The first order of business to replace a couple of thin sheets of metal that lay over the boards covering the well where the boards had a gap (opening) around the pump. The water that had rotted the boards had rusted the previous metal sheets.

Then I drilled a hole in the wall of the shed to permanently place the small hose that handled the excess water from the pump. No sense fixing the boards and metal to have the same problem occur a few years down the road by leaving the hose end on the boards over the well.

I drilled the hole near the bottom of the shed. As the dirt is partly way up the outside shed wall I dug down in the ground to place the hose. Hopefully far enough below ground the hose and water doesn't freeze. Even so, I dug a small hole around the hose's end, then placed boards around the hose creating a small box around it. Room to hold excess water until it is absorbed into the ground? I hope so.

Then before I was about to put the one side of the shed back on it started to rain. Really...? Rain was not in the forecast. Then it began to rain harder and the wind blew stronger. I ran to the house. The rain was coming down very heavy and mixed with heavy sleet. The sleet accumulated against some of the house windows. The fiberglass panels over the entryway was loaded with the sleet which slid off the panels like slush from a cup. The temperature dropped to the upper 30s F and I ended up with almost a third of an inch of rain.

I had to wait for the rain to end, the sleet to melt (it took hours to melt in some spots away from the shed) , the water to sink into the ground, and it dry somewhat before working on my shed again. I was able to close the opening and re-install the shed door again before dark. Success! Even if it meant my sore wrist was very sore by the time I finished. Now my well shouldn't freeze if the weather forecast of freezing temperature overnight was correct. After the rain ended the temperature had recovered to the mid 40s F. It wasn't far to drop to the freezing mark.

Who would have thought that a few days ago our high temperature was 90 F?! This evening I seen smoke coming out of a few fireplaces.

My garden needed protection and I placed plastic sheets, tarps, and blankets over my tomatoes (still green!), bell pepper, pumpkin, muskmelon and watermelon plants. I have zucchini coming out of my ears so I didn't look for more blankets to cover those plants. Besides, unfurling and draping the coverings made my wrist even more sore. And it was dark by now. With the sun gone the temperature was dropping.

Before it had gotten dark, looking over my pasture I could see a thick fog of white rising from the river. A rare sight.

Overnight the temperature dropped just below freezing. Cars that drove by on the road showed their exhaust. Thick frost was here and there on the grass and hayfield. It was good I covered my garden. Or so I think. I went hiking with the group today and the temperature was still below freezing when I left. We got back after dark tonight so I never got a look to see how my garden fared. Tonight the forecast is for a freezing low temperature again. Tomorrow I'll see how my garden fared.