Wish you were fine, the weather is here...

Its been awfully dry around here. The weather lady said this morning we've had only 3 inches since the 1st of November. That is typical for us, we get 3 inches per week for 26 weeks, then only 3 inches total the other 26 weeks. That's a tough environment for plant or animal. You'll see a lot of brown in the vegetation around the lake and lagoons in these photos, but it's not cold weather that does it....it's drought.

In this first shot, the Army Corps of Engineers is doing some type of construction work. I'm not sure exactly what...I think it may have to do with the restoration of the dike. They're probably trying to get it done while the lake is low.

The next photo shows some skullers enjoying the day. As much as I've complained about it being so dry...I don't know of any place have any more glorious weather. I actually took time today to check out the weather around the country and world where some of our friends are and here's what I found for the past 24 hour high temperatures in each of those locations:

Monterey, Va. 29 degrees

London, England 51 degrees

Congo 95 degrees

Perry, Fl 66 degrees

Savannah, Ga 57 degrees

Los Angeles, CA 63 degrees

Edinburgh, Scotland 50 degrees

Clewiston, Fl 82 degrees and tonight"s forecast low is 63

I think I'll shut up about the rain.....

Down below "for our out of town readers" is a shot of the lock from

the inside of the dike. The locks stay closed because the lake is
normally higher than the level of water in the lagoon and canals connected to it which meander through the town. There's not a great deal of difference right now, but by the end of the rainy season, the lake will be four or five feet higher which could cause some serious problems in town.

The bottom left photo is a picture of the actual levee. It averages
30 feet in height, 150 feet thick at the base, and runs all the way around the lake...143 miles. There's a paved road on top of it all the way around. It's a comforting sight when hurricane season rolls in.

Over to the right here is another group of scullers coming through today. You never know what you'll get off that old lake. One day 150 ft mega yachts, the next day freighters, and then rowboats and scullers.....But always, always screaming 250 hp bass boats and

v-8 powered air boars. When these barges come through, they're drawing so much depth, the water runs up the bank 3-4 feet in advance of the craft.

This guy had just come in off the open lake and was making the turn to head on West toward the Caloosahatchee River. Clewiston sits halfway along the cross state inland water way. These barges can come in at St Lucie...cross the Lake and then get through the locks into the Caloosahatchee River. Then they come out in Ft. Myers Harbor. A shortcut that saves hundreds of miles versus going all the way south through the Florida Straits at key West.

These last couple of shots are from the January FLW Bass Fishing Tournament. These guys are the last flight to leave that morning and they're just coming through the lock. 130 boats went out with two fishermen in each one. Just by way of information for Terry and Vickie....notice how these folks are dressed at 6:30 a.m. in late January. By the way,

there was no snow in the forecast that day. Right below is the Folgers Coffee Sponsored boat. Every boat has a major corporation sponsor. Everybody from Crown Royal, to Kellogs, to Castrol has a couple of boats out there. They've got some spanking paint jobs on them. Just like the NASCAR hot rods. And if you've never seen it, you just gotta be there when a 16 ft boat with a 250 hp outboard pulls a hole shot.

Well, you guys all have a good night. I'm about to punch the clock. My ole body is pooped.

I've been out in the yard digging holes since I got off work.....I

know, I know, one thing I don't need is another flower bed. But,
hey....that's my thing. I'll be crippled tomorrow, but I sure enjoyed today. Tilena's in Ft. Lauderdale having her hair done then staying with Del tonight so it's just me and the dogs...the boys are off being teenaged boys.

Till the next time, may God richly bless you all. Live righteously, pray ernestly, and go to church Sunday....and Sunday Night....and Wednesday for that matter. It will do you good.

And where ever you may be....enjoy the weather.

Don and Company

Palm Trees and Sand...............................