Nice Weather

The nice weather continues and it is going to make going back to winter all the harder.  But if you are a gardener, it is a nice break to get out and do a little quick clean up or even some transplanting.  Now is the perfect time of year to put in some trees or bushes or to do some transplanting.  It is also nice to have a break in the weather in order to get out and do a quick clean up of needles or other debris that has been left strewn about by the winds of the previous weeks.  So get outside, get some fresh air, some exercise and some vitamin D and a clean yard in the process.

Holiday Office Closings

The Pine Cove Water District will be closed on Monday, January 2, 2012 in observance of the New Year's Day holiday.  We will resume our normal work hours on Tuesday, January 3rd which are 9 to 4.  Everyone here at the water district hopes that each of you has a very joyous, healthy, happy and prosperous 2012!

New Year approaching

Good Morning blog readers.  Well we all made it through the holiday weekend and the nice weather continues to hold for the coming New Year's weekend as well.  While it is great to have such nice weather in December, it makes the return to winter, and you know it will return, sort of depressing.  But I guess we can just enjoy it while it is here.  From the weather reports, it looks like we will have highs of about 60 degrees all week and into the weekend.  So enjoy!

Reminder

Just a quick reminder that we will be closed Friday, December 23rd and Monday, December 26th.  We will resume our normal office hours on Tuesday, December 27th.  Should you experience a water emergency, you can call our emergency number which is 951-294-8282.  We have someone on call that can help you if an emergency arises. 

It should be a beautiful holiday weekend and  everyone here at the Pine Cove Water Distrct wishes the best this season has to offer to each of our customers.  May you experience joy, happiness, love, friendship and contentment.


Merry Christmas!  Happy Hanukkah!  from the staff here at the Pine Cove Water District.

Jerry Holldber, Becky Smith, Vicki Jakubac, Jerry Johnson, Jeremy Potter and Stitch

As always, please remember to turn your water off at your customer valve when you leave your mountain home!

Holiday Hours

We will be closed on Friday, December 23 and Monday, December 26.  Merry Christmas everyone!

First Day of Winter?

Tomorrow is the first day of winter, even though here on the hill, winter arrived several weeks ago. But as Christmas Day approaches, the weather is actually taking a turn for the better.  The holiday weekend should be clear sailing weather wise with highs possibly getting into the 50's.  So it seems we will be able to enjoy the holiday weekend without having to worry about any weather problems.  Enjoy your weekend!

Tuesday Morning

Good morning all.  It is a brisk morning, but those winds from last week are gone and the sky is partly cloudy today.  They aren't calling for any more snow this week and in fact, the weather service says it should be in the 50's by the weekend.  So a little reprieve from the cold winter weather we have been experiencing.  The roads still have the occasional icy spots in the early morning from the snow that melts during the day and then freezes up overnight.  So if you are out on the roads heading to work, be careful.  Otherwise, the driving is fine here in Pine Cove.

But don't let the daytime temperatures fool you. It still gets cold at night and water pipes can develop leaks at any time of the year. So don't let your guard down just because the daytime temps have warmed up a little bit.

Turning off your water at your customer valve, when leaving your mountain home is the single most important thing you can do to prevent damage and loss from a water leak or a frozen or broken pipe.

 It only takes a minute and could save you a lot of headaches and money. So get in the habit of turning it off when you leave your mountain home.



With the upcoming holidays, many part-timers and visitors will be here on the hill.  Luckily, the weather will be nice so we won't have snow covered or icy roads to contend with.  It should be a beautiful weekend for this time of year and we hope everyone has a memorable time while here in Pine Cove.

If you are visiting, please remember to find a safe place to play in the snow and not on the side of the road.  County Park in Idyllwild is a great place, as there is plenty of parking, lots of room, to run around and play, rest rooms, picnic tables for a picnic in the snow and no danger of accidentally going into a busy road.

REMEMBER, the turn outs are for cars that need to pull off the road and are not parking areas. It is also dangerous to let your children play in the turn outs because should an emergency occur and a car needs to pull in there unexpectedly, someone could get hurt.  It is also very dangerous to play along the side of the road. So please play in a safe area so that you go home with nothing but wonderful winter memories.

Freezing temps

When I went out to feed my chickens this morning, their water was frozen.  It was inside their coop, so this tells me that it was pretty cold last night.  That being the case, we would like to put out this reminder to everyone because it is the single most important thing you can do to prevent broken or frozen pipes.  Please remember that any and all water that goes through your meter is your responsibility.

Please, turn off your water at your customer valve when you leave your mountain home!

Hold on to your hats!

Update:  At 10 a.m., the sun is peeking through, but there are still dark clouds looming over us, so I don't know what the day will bring.

Wow, what a windy night we had. I was awakened at 3 a.m. by things hitting my metal roof.  That is the trouble with a metal roof.  A gentle rain sounds like a hurricane and small bits of branches sound like whole trees.  So I just lie there awake listening to all the noise.  It has died down some what, but it is still windy and snow flurries are flying around helter skelter.  The sky looks ominous and I don't know what is in store for us.

Here is what the National Weather Service has as the forecast for us.

Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 41. East wind around 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Tonight: A 30 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. Breezy, with a east wind between 20 and 25 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

I can tell you from where I am sitting here in the office, it is not partly sunny.  We had a small accumulation of snow late yesterday afternoon and evening.   The side roads have been plowed and cindered, but some of them are still slick as it was very cold and windy overnight.   Hwy 243 seems to be OK.  If you are planning to come up, I would advise checking road conditions first, just to be on the safe side. There are links on the left side of this blog to check weather and road conditions. 

Hope you all have your propane tanks filled or your wood shed full.  As always, please remember to provide for you outdoor animals.  Bring them in if possible.  In the case of other types of animals, please provide them with a dry, draft free shelter and fresh food and warm water.   This morning my chickens are enjoying hot oatmeal with apple cider vinegar and sliced apples, topped with meal worms and corn.  They also got hot water with vitamins and have a thick layer of pine shavings in their coop and in their nest boxes.  The warm food and water helps to warm them up from the inside out after a long, cold night. 

Winter doesn't even begin until next Thursday, but it seems as if it is here in full force, so we better be ready.  Hope you all have full propane tanks or woodsheds.  Please remember to check on your neighbors, especially the elderly ones, during these bouts of cold weather.

Weather

Great news this morning.  The sun is shining.  While it is cold and icy, I doubt it will last.  The roads are fairly clear as well.  I don't see any large storms in the near future on the weather forecast.  If one does hit, I will be sure post here what the conditions in Pine Cove are like.

Board Meeting!

The monthly board meeting starts this morning at 10 a.m. sharp.  Hope you can make it!

Tuesday Morning

Good morning folks.  After a day of on and off snowing yesterday and last night, we have only accumulated a couple of inches so far.  The side roads are a bit icy, but have been plowed and cinders have been put down.  They are calling for another inch or two today, and it is currently very overcast, but there is no snow falling as of 10:30 a.m. 

Please check the road conditions if you plan to be out driving today.  There is a link to the Cal Trans site as well as CHP traffic information under Websites of Interest.

They are calling for clear skies for Wednesday, which is great because it is our monthly board meeting.  The public is welcome and it starts at 10 a.m. sharp.  Everyone is welcome to attend.  We hope to see you there!

Reminder, Board Meeting

Just a reminder.  There will be a board meeting on Wednesday, December 14 at 10 a.m.  The public is always welcome to attend.  Our board meetings are held the second Wednesday of every month and are held in the board room of the water district office. 

Snow Fall Totals

I was asked to post snow fall totals here on the blog and I think that is a great idea.  So each time it snows, I will do that.  As I said in my previous post, it is snowing as I type today, however, it really isn't sticking to the roads at this point.  They are wet at this point, but that is about it.  If you have any questions about weather conditions or road conditions, I have posted a pretty conclusive list of places to get that information on the left side of the blog.  Just scroll down to where it says websites of interest. 

I know when you are off the hill it is sometimes hard to get accurate information about what is going on up here weather wise.  I hope these links are helpful as are my posts.  As always, it is best not to be out driving during a storm if it can be helped.  But if you do find yourself having to go out, it is best to be as prepared as possible.

Winter Weather Ahead

The official start of winter is still over a week away, but no matter what the calendar says, it is here now.  Snow is falling as I type and I have heard all sorts of wild predictions.  Everything from 1/2 of an inch of snow up to 20 inches.  I always say to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.  Emergency preparations are never a waste of time in my book.  I don't think anyone can be too prepared. 

As we go around our homes preparing for winter weather and storms, lets not forget out pets and animals that are outside.  Bring pets indoors when ever possible.  If you can't bring them indoors with you, perhaps you could put them in a garage or other protected area of your home.   If your pet must stay outdoors for some reason, please be a responsible owner and make sure that your pet has an adequate, clean, dry shelter complete with bedding such as straw and a few old rugs or blankets for warmth.  These suggestions also apply if your pet is in an unheated space such as a garage or basement.  Be sure they have plenty of fresh, clean food and water as well.  Many outdoor pets enjoy something warm to eat as well.

It is also important to provide clean, dry, draft free shelters for other animals you may keep outside as well.  Many animals, such as chickens, goats and horses, do fine in cold weather as long as they stay dry and draft free.  They too also enjoy some hot water on these cold, snowy days.  It helps warm them up from the inside out.

The CDC has some great information on their website about preparing for winter storms.  Here is a link to their site and I will put it in the side bar as well.

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/takesteps/

Please take some time to read over their site and make sure that you, your pets, your home and your car are prepared to deal with what ever Old Man Winter throws out at us.

Get Ready Folks

We have been having a nice spell of weather, but that is about to change.  Sunday night they are calling for snow and most of next week will be cold and have the possibility of snow showers.  If you are coming up for the weekend, please remember to turn your water off at your customer valve before leaving your mountain home. 

If you haven't done so already, now would be the time to winterize your home.  It is better to be on top of these things than to get caught unprepared.  Plus it is no fun working outside in the cold and snow, so do yourself a favor and get outside and get ready for the cold weather now.  You can never be too prepared.

December Board Meeting

Our last board meeting of 2011 will be held next Wednesday, December14, 2011 at 10 a.m.  As usual, the public is welcome to attend.  The meetings are in the distict office board room.  Just go through the gate on the left side of the office and follow the side walk back to the board room door.  We hope to see you there. 

Happy December Everyone!

I know this is a little late in coming, but I have been down and out with some sort of flu bug.  I finally made it back to my desk this morning and realized we are a week into December already.  Gees, where does the time go to?  I wish it was like when I was a kid.  Time drug on forever.  It took an eternity to go from one Christmas to the next and the excitement was almost more than I could bear.

But now, each day flies by at warp speed and days blend into weeks and months in what seems like a nano second.  I always try to remind myself to slow down at this hectic time of year and appreciate what is around me, here in this wonderful mountain hamlet we call "The Hill".

I like to take an afternoon and do some Christmas shopping down in the village, stopping at one of the local restaurants for a cup of tea and dessert. I enjoy looking at all the decorations and chatting with all the merchants.  I try to do this with my daughter as a Christmas tradition.   Soon she will be grown and gone and these little traditions will be just distant memories.  I hope my two youngest children, who have spent their childhoods here in Pine Cove, appreciate how special it is and how lucky they have been to have been raised in this wonderful community and I look forward to sharing it all with my 4 grandchildren as well.

 December is such a wonderful month here on the mountain.  Winter is just about here, everyone seems to be in a good mood and you can feel the mountain magic in the crisp, cold air.  I enjoy all the beautiful decorations and the spirit of love that abounds this time of year. The smell of woodsmoke fills the cold night air and blends with the fragrance of pine and cedar.  My sister once told me that Idyllwild and Pine Cove smell like Christmas.  We couldn't agree more and we realize that we are truly blessed and incredibly lucky to be living  here in Pine Cove.

 I hope that at this time of year and all year through, we can all be neighbors and help each other when the need arises.  Tomorrow I will be attending the MEMSCOMM meeting and one of the topics we will be discussing is what buildings would be suitable to be used as an Emergency Operations Center should the need arise.  But we need to remember that as residents in a rural area, we should all be preparing to fend for ourselves during an emergency and know which neighbors we need to check on.

Over the next several months, I will be making some posts about what to do or where to go should a disaster befall us.  Having the right information and supplies will help each person to get by if we are isolated during an emergency and have to fend for ourselves.  The chances we will have to do that are pretty high.  Should a major disaster strike, emergency services will most likely be helping the areas that have much larger populations and we will be left to manage things pretty much on our own.  Planning and preparing for this now, will save time and confusion later.  After a disaster strikes, things will be hectic and we will all need to pull together and work together as a team if we are to survive.

I look forward to providing more information to everyone in Pine Cove and in the meanwhile, there is a lot of information here on the blog in the side columns.  Now is the time to familiarize yourself with some of these agencies and how to prepare yourself, your home and your family for an emergency.