This Sunday is another day of remaining alert for smoke in west and central Texas. Fire Weather Warnings have been issued. Red flags are flying.
Before we focus at noon until late evening on possible wildfires, errands are run and Star, our paint gelding is fed.
Star is out of isolation for rabies since Friday. Now, after two weeks of isolation, he can once again nuzzle his horse neighbors next door and set his huge neck upon my shoulder. Here is a photo of Star taken last week.
Star Bars Moore APHA 808164, loafing in arena pasture under mesquites.
So that is some of the good news here on Flying Hat Ranch or “Ranchito” as Donald Worcester, a deceased friend of mine, used to call his 142 acres near Fort Worth.
Unfortunately, later today we have to work with the following forecast from the National Weather Service:
URGENT – FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE…UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 436 AM CDT SUN APR 17 2011 TXZ091-092-100gt;103-115gt;119-129gt;134-141gt;147-156gt;162-174-175-171800- /O.CON.KFWD.FW.W.0014.110417T1700Z-110418T0100Z/ MONTAGUE-COOKE-YOUNG-JACK-WISE-DENTON-STEPHENS-PALO PINTO-PARKER- TARRANT-DALLAS-EASTLAND-ERATH-HOOD-SOMERVELL-JOHNSON-ELLIS- COMANCHE-MILLS-HAMILTON-BOSQUE-HILL-NAVARRO-FREESTONE-LAMPASAS- CORYELL-BELL-MCLENNAN-FALLS-LIMESTONE-LEON-MILAM-ROBERTSON- 436 AM CDT SUN APR 17 2011 …RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING… A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO DEEPEN ACROSS THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES LATER TODAY RESULTING IN GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS. SOUTHERLY WINDS 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG WITH HUMIDITY VALUES AROUND 20 PERCENT. THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS…LOW HUMIDITY…AND DRY FUELS WILL LEAD TO DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THROUGH EARLY EVENING. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT EXTREME FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW…OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS…LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY…AND DRY VEGETATION WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. AVOID ALL OUTSIDE BURNING AND WELDING TODAY. DO NOT TOSS LIT CIGARETTE BUTTS OUTSIDE. REPORT WILD FIRES TO THE NEAREST FIRE DEPARTMENT OR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICE.
Sage to Meadow ~ Jack Matthews 
Hang in there Jack, looks like the wild ride isn’t over yet. Any rain in the forecast?
So nice to see Star out an about. I’ll wager he is one happy horse!
Wild ride isn’t over yet. No rain in the forecast. Worst conditions around here since early-twentieth century. We’ve had that little rain two weeks ago, just around here. That’s all.
Star is quite happy, he’s running between one group of friends and another. That will take some weight off of him. Good medicine — the running.
Star is beautiful. So glad he’s able now to get out and socialize. I hope he doesn’t have to travel, though.
The Weather Underground fire map’s interesting this morning. East of I-45 the smoke cover’s traveling to the south. In your area, it appears to be heading north, which suggests a good day for you, absent any new fires.
That’s what we’ll hope for.
Yes, for us south of I-20 it was a safe day from fires. North of us about ten miles, it’s a nightmare in spots. Yes, Star is glad to get out of isolation. Thank you so much for your comments. I want to get over to your blog and read your posts when things simmer down here. I’m curious about “varnishgal.” Sounds like a story that could take all evening long to tell. I like those narratives.
Star is a beautiful horse! He’s probably much happier unrestricted!
I hope your area continues to stay out of the fire situation! About the only good news is that those burned-over areas do create fire breaks which can help a lot if the wind turns around.
That’s right, burned areas are fire breaks. That’s the word I was trying to use — fire break. Star says, “Thank you, Montucky.”