Hurricane Idalia and aftermath 2023-09-02

A few scenes from during and after Hurricane Idalia.

We had many deadfalls, but no property or personal damage. So we were much luckier than many others.

[Deadfalls, power lines, cooking, rainfall]
Deadfalls, power lines, cooking, rainfall

This still just looks like heavy rain, but the video shows the wind was blowing. Idalia’s eye went a few miles east of us, but those were probably still 60 mph winds from the north. Continue reading →

Petition: Stop rezoning on Quarterman Road 2023-08-28

Update 2023-08-24: Packet: Two county rezonings, one plainly inappropriate @ GLPC 2023-08-28.

Please sign and share this petition:

https://chng.it/LDW47QsdSd

We the undersigned ask that the request for 2.5 acre lots on Quarterman Road be denied.

The smallest appropriate acreage in our area is the EA minimum of 5 acres.

Rural rezonings like this lead to additional developments in the future. We don’t want it now and we don’t want it later.

We ask the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission to recommend denial in its August meeting.

We ask the Lowndes County Commission to deny in its September meeting.

[Rezoning sign, site, Quarterman Road, Zoning Map, Agriculture/Forestry/Conservation Character Area]
Rezoning sign, site, Quarterman Road, Zoning Map, Agriculture/Forestry/Conservation Character Area

R-A allows 2.5-acre lots, while E-A allows only down to 5-acre lots. That is inappropriate on Quarterman Road, where there is no R-A, and the entire road is in the Agriculture/Forestry/Conservation Character Area. Many of us fought to preserve that Character Area only two years ago. Just last year we fought off a Dollar General on GA-122 at Skipper Bridge Road, in the same Character Area.

Now let’s stop this rezoning in the same Character Area.

According to the Lowndes County Unified Land Development Code (ULDC), Continue reading →

Snake in the Straw 2023-08-07

Snake in the pine straw by the not-a-driveway.

[Snake in the pine straw]
Snake in the pine straw

Appears to be a black racer, Coluber constrictor. It lived up to its name by vanishing in an instant.

Black racers are harmless to humans. They eat small mice and rats, and anything else they can catch, such as toads, frogs, and lizards.

The dogs never even noticed this snake.

-jsq

Pond, Dogs, Snake 2023-07-04

What kind of snake is this?

[Snake on the lily pad]
Snake on the lily pad

Probably not a moccasin, because it doesn’t have any stripes, and I’ve never seen one leave its tail sticking out like that. Usually a cottonmouth will face you and hiss.

The dogs found another snake earlier that probably was a moccasin, so we made them come along.

[Blondie joins Arrow exploring]
Blondie joins Arrow exploring

We also saw an anhinga on the surface. Usually we see them perched in a tree or flying. It did eventually fly off and perch.

[Anhinga on the pond]
Anhinga on the pond

Before

[Blondie in the bushes]
Blondie in the bushes

ItB

[Blondie and Gretchen]
Blondie and Gretchen

OWN

[Old wasp nest]
Old wasp nest

HT

[Heron tree]
Heron tree

GB

[Grinning Blondie in the boat]
Grinning Blondie in the boat

HB

[Gretchen, Honeybun]
Gretchen, Honeybun

ABH

[Arrow, Blondie, Honeybun, Gretchen]
Arrow, Blondie, Honeybun, Gretchen

Aswim

[Arrow won't admit she can swim]
Arrow won’t admit she can swim

AH

[Arrow, Honeybun, Gretchen]
Arrow, Honeybun, Gretchen

HA

[Honeybun, Arrow]
Honeybun, Arrow

HBA

[Honeybun, Arrow, Blondie]
Honeybun, Arrow, Blondie

RoalC

[Relic of a lost civilization]
Relic of a lost civilization

AgE

[Arrow goes exploring]
Arrow goes exploring

-jsq

Dig out the dog: Arrow stuck under a storage shed 2023-07-15

We came home after a day on the river and had to dig out the dog.

[Honeybun, Blondie, and Arrow stuck under a storage shed]
Honeybun, Blondie, and Arrow stuck under a storage shed

You can hardly see the little pooch, but you can sure hear her complaining about being stuck under a storage shed.

I got a shovel and dug the opening out more.

She’s fine.

No dogs were harmed in the making of this video.

How she got under there is still a mystery.

-jsq