Saturday, December 22, 2007

Blizzard, Oklahoma Style

Can't figure out why anybody'd want to live anywhere but in Oklahoma. We've got it all. Grandest sampling of weather anywhere in the country. Well, that's just the reason we've got so many awards for our weather research and just about any weather practioner in the nation would give his eye teeth for a chance to work here just one year.

Take that mini-hurricane we had earlier this year. You don't find one of those just everywhere. And right now we've got high winds and blowing snow up here with roads closed in the panhandle because of whiteouts (That's Oklahoman for "mini-blizzard"). It was nigh on to 70 degrees yesterday.

Mary's closed the library for Christmas, but I heard tell that she was close to blowed off her feet in Enid this morning, trying to get her vacuum cleaner from the repair place to the car. We're all a lot concerned about them human kids in their 4 wheel vehicles trying to get home for Christmas.

Down here in the prairie dog hole, we're all snug and dry and ready for our winter's nap, and we hope you human folk all get to where you're goin' safe and sound and sleep well tonight, yourselves. Take care up there!

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Ice on Toast?

Dang... How's a prairie D. ever to figure out when it's time to hunker down and give it up for the winter?

Last week, we were froze in--solid ice, some snow. Just the kind of weather to send you down deep in the burrow and tight into a ball, ready for some serious shut-eye. Then, derned if the drips didn't start drizzling down on top of us. Ice melted, snow blowed away, and the sun toasted the ground until we were all steaming down below. This is no way to run a winter.

I figured I might as well go top-side and look for some seeds or what have you, and I heard Farmer K. saying that the sign on the bank down town said it was 76 degrees today. Tulsa and Oklahoma City are still trying to get the lights on after the biggest ice-related power outage in Oklahoma history and we've got 76 degrees.

And you folks expect me to make a prediction come February...

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Counting Sheep

Down here in the burrow, we should be getting a little sleepy. It is almost Thanksgiving topside, you know. But how does a prairie dog hunker down for a little seasonal shuteye when the temps stay in the upper 70s and lower 80s? Can't sleep in that kind of weather. Never could.

Got to admit, though, the last few days have had a good November wind that smells like fall. You pop your head up out of the hole and you better hold on tight. Dern wind can suck you up quick as that and carry you off. Heard about a P. dog got blowed clear to Kingfisher once. Never did get back across the river. They say he tried to start his own P.dog town south of town, but that new Walmart Super Center interfered with his plans.

There's not many of us left in this part of the country, anyway. Sure not enough to start a new town. The books all say that there arn't any P.dogs in Kingfisher County, and there's surely few enough of us to let what the books say stand. Too many plows.

Well, it's 45 degrees here at 10:51 pm, wind 7 mph from the NNW. That's all right. The cold'll get here.

Yawn...

Sunday, October 14, 2007

October Already?

Where did the summer go? Hot and dry after the fourth of July--sounds like a folk saying to me, but that's how it went. Not so hot as usual, though, and the grass grew and grew and grew. Lots of seeds, lots of tasty forage for a fellow like me.

But now the fields are turned for planting, empty red blankets of blowing dirt kicked up by autumn winds. Makes a prairie dog antcy (or is it ancy? Never knew how to spell it, just knew it when I heard it).

For all the rain we had early on, we could use an inch or two now.

Friday, June 15, 2007

How High's the Water, Mama?

Two feet high and risin'...


The North Canadian is over flood stage, the Cimarron is deep and wide, Turkey Creek is at her banks, and the combines are stuck in the fields. We are all mighty grateful that Farmer K. John got his wheat cut between storms. The field sure is soggy though.


We go out to lunch and everything is so wet that we end up more full of water than grain! Prairie Dogs don't drink, you know, don't have to. We're the original Tee-Totalers. There's plenty of water in our forage to keep us happy when every thing's normal but, I'll tell ya, right now, I feel like I squish when I walk!


Sometimes I think all those prayers for rain that went up in the last 2 years got stored up somehow and are just now getting answered all at once! This is one P. Dog that is not complaining, however, no sir. You don't dig down too far before you hit dry dirt. We got a lot of catchin' up to do. I just hope this flood of rain doesn't just run off and float the farm away!

Friday, June 8, 2007

Who Was That Bearded Man In Sandals With All The Animals Following Two-by-Two?

It has been a little wet of late here in Hennessey. Mama P Dog has the pups out of the burrow and in Farmer K. John's field to sample the wheat. Mighty tasty. Just a little on the thin side though--that late freeze really hurt. Then there were the army worms--yum. Like plump spaghetti... Farmer K. John wasn't too happy with the worms, but the pups thought they were mighty fine.

Had a real scare this morning. There we were, up early and out munching on wheat, staying just a little later in the day than we should. It's still pretty wet, you know, after all those May rains, so we were a little longer in the fields, not really noticing that the wind we had yesterday had dried things out considerable. Got the pups all scattered out, chowing down pretty good, Mama P Dog watching for hawks and such--owls turned in already--P. Dog Heaven. Life was good.

I felt it in the ground first, a vibration, you know? A tremble that you feel in the palms of the paws, then that odd sound. I never can figure why the two-legged folks go in for noise. I gotta admit, though, it's a good thing for us. I whistled to Mama Dog to get those young 'uns back to the burrow, like scat!

Trucks comin'. Combines startin' up. Birds flying. P. Dogs scattering to the four corners. You ever try to round up six PD pups that haven't seen the world and are chewin' their way through wheat like a two-legged critter in his first candy store? Darned if they didn't run toward those slice and dice death traps just to see what all the commotion was about.

We got 'em underground, finally. Out of the field and back to PD Town and into the burrow safe and sound and sorely irritated. It was like snatching Christmas out of their paws, but at least they were alive to grumble.

The fields are quiet right now. Just a little too much moisture comin' up from the ground for Farmer K to run into the night. Perfect time for Mom and the pups to have a little supper while I watch for early owls.

It just doesn't get any better than this.

Saturday, May 5, 2007

Storms Everywhere, but not for me...

It's a rocky night in Oklahoma, but Kansas has been hit hardest. Wedge tornados, the true big boys, are crossing the plains. The prairie dog hole is a good place to be.

Greensburg, Kansas was near to wiped off the map yesterday with just the local bar left standing and it was set up as a morgue. They don't know how many deaths yet and had to call off rescue searches because of the new tornados today. Sweetwater, Oklahoma was hit earlier tonight and there's a supercell moving toward Mooreland, but Hennessey is high and dry. Not even a rumble of far-off thunder.

Mama PD is having fits trying to get the pups settled down. They keep wanting to pop out topside and look for storms. Gotta admit, I've been to the surface a few times myself. The humidity and pressure makes my skin creep and my fur fluff out, but no action yet.

Howsumever, the night is still young...

Thursday, May 3, 2007

This Is More Like It

Ah, the 3rd day of May... Popped up topside to see what the world is looking like: dense fog, roses blooming, 61 degrees with 70s coming and the possibility of rain. Looks like the drought has broken around here, folks. It's getting a little damp in our entry tunnel.

Mama Prairie Dog is weaning the youngsters and it's about time to get back out into the world again. Not today, though. Too foggy. Too much opportunity for that sharped-eyed hawk to come swooping down out of the mist and taking me off to lunch!

Plant those annuals!

Monday, April 23, 2007

Ready to Rock 'n Roll?

There's tornado warnings out for the panhandle and the air has had that peculiar feel to it all day. It's coming our way and tonight could get exciting.

Hello, Spring!

Monday, April 16, 2007

Punxsutawney Phil's Not Doing Too Well Either...

Just checked the weather underground here in the prairie dog hole and found that Punxsutawney, PA is at 34 degrees with a freezing low of 31 expected tonight with snow showers. You know, Phil predicted an early spring too. Just to keep it all in perspective...

Mother Prairie Dog is pretty testy these days, burrowed down with 7 pups to watch and them all 4 weeks from weaning. Let me tell you, I've tried to make myself scarce. Added on a few rooms, just to give us a little more space. Thinkin' about building a new privy--two holer this time, what with the pups and all.

I popped up to the surface today just to catch some rays. 72 degrees and clear skies, not much winds. Such a relief after last week's cold snap. I'm telling you though, don't trust it. It's spring, sure enough, with the grass green and the wheat up to the cows' bellies, but this roller coaster has yet to coast into home. Remember: Don't put out your annuals until after May Day!

Friday, April 6, 2007

I Said There Would Be Unexpected Cold Spells...

Ok, Ok. So it's snowing. So it's April 6th. It's Oklahoma, what do you expect? Maybe I was wrong about the early spring, but I was dead on with the unexpected cold spells!

It's warm and dry down the prairie dog hole. All that rain we got last week hasn't soaked down this far. Don't be deceived by that 6" downpour. The Drought is not over--not until our little black feet get wet down here.

I'm telling you, though, and you can mark my words. As sure as my name is H.Hank Prairie Dog, this is the last freeze of the spring.

But don't you go out and plant those annuals just yet. Wait until after May day.