Hurricane Hilary - SoCal

[Jeff214]

Looks like most of the wind is over the mountains east of San Diego. I'm just getting some occasional gusts of wind here. Maybe I should have left my orchids outside for a nice soak - ah well.

Hopefully the interstate/highways here will be ok. Last time one collapsed and others go underwater...

[Dimples]

We’re getting some nasty gusts too. Nearly lost a window to a large potted plant + metal trellis I forgot to pull back against the wall. I’ve also collected nearly 100 gallons of water that’s destined for the turtle tank. Ran out of buckets and tubs to fill.

[WaterWitchin]

I wanna hear about the turtle tank!

[Louis_W]

How did everyone fare?

[Roberta]

No problems at my place. The worst of the storm was farther east, especially the winds, Rain fell pretty much constantly but not too heavy so it sank in, the best kind. I won't be running sprinklers for a few days, everything pretty sopping wet. Wind also stayed within "historic" ranges so no damage. Got lucky.

[Dimples]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

I wanna hear about the turtle tank!

My husband is a high school bio/anatomy teacher and his coworker found a red eared slider in a bush a couple weeks ago. So, now we have a turtle in a 40 gallon aquarium on our deck.

She (Lady) may still end up as a classroom pet as originally intended, but for now she’s staying home and we’ll soon get a 100-150 gallon stock tank to turn into a pond for her.

Storm: We got a ton of rain. By mid-afternoon yesterday, we’d already gotten 2” at the house, and it poured all evening and night.

[WaterWitchin]

What a treat! I was hoping it was a RES story. Growing up I had a turtle tank on the back patio. It was formerly a wringer washing machine tank. Dad would move it into the basement each winter.

Then decades later I found a little RES at a local pond. Brought it home and bought a 125 gallon aquarium for it. Husband thought I was nuts of course. It was the showpiece in my dining room for many years. Got up to around 8" and I had to release it into the pond next door about ten years ago. I still occasionally see one in that pond, and like to believe it's the same one.

This really makes me want to dig out an aquarium and my turtle paraphernalia and give it another go 'round. I just love 'em.

[MateoinLosAngeles]

I’m just very glad that I never got bit by the aquarium bug. However, I used to be the “I’ll never grow plants” guy, and here I am, sitting in my growing area with 60 plants in sight, wood chips fermenting, broom and duster out, heat mats, grow lights…

My father in law is a diver and he would build crazy aquariums and ponds. Still has the pond… God I would need to get another job to finance that hobby!

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by MateoinLosAngeles

I’m just very glad that I never got bit by the aquarium bug. However, I used to be the “I’ll never grow plants” guy, and here I am, sitting in my growing area with 60 plants in sight, wood chips fermenting, broom and duster out, heat mats, grow lights…

My father in law is a diver and he would build crazy aquariums and ponds. Still has the pond… God I would need to get another job to finance that hobby!

When I started that "pond" hobby, was already pretty deep into aquariums. The "hobby" became expensive enough I had to open a water garden store in order to afford my hobby.

[Dimples]

My husband is the aquarium enthusiast. He worked at the Long Beach aquarium for awhile and has hopes of getting into planted tanks one day (not while we’re renting lol).

I wasn’t interested in being a full-time turtle owner at first, I liked the idea of having a turtle “away at college” and only being a caretaker over breaks, but she’s definitely grown on me. It’s like having a grumpy aquatic golden retriever. The second we step outside she’s begging for food!

Still hopeful she can make it to the classroom at some point, but she’s cute so she can stay.