Saturday, November 30, 2013

Last Call For Mr. Completely's 2013 e-Postal Match

http://sandcastlescrolls.blogspot.com/2013/11/november-epostal.html




The end of November is coming up Saturday at Midnight, and that's when you should be sending your targets to Danno. ( UPDATE!!!!  Danno just wrote to say he will be accepting targets through Sunday; and if anyone asks, he will add an entire week to the contest!   You don't have any excuses now, so head to the range and join in the fun! ) Spend time with your family on Thursday, but head to the range on Friday or Saturday to shoot the final contest of 2013.  Click Here, or on the target on the left side of this page to read the rules and print your target. 

We have had some great contests this year, and lots of entries.  We will be organizing for the 2014 matches during the winter months and Mr. Completely's postal matches will resume next spring.

Not My Victrola: A Little Player Piano Action



Sing Along!  Courtesy of Pianosyncrazy.

Friday, November 29, 2013

Weekend Steam



Berkshire Doubleheader, by TrainTapes.

 Ex Nickel Plate 765 and Pere Marquette 1225 2-8-4 Berkshires in action on a Lerro photo charter out of Owosso Michigan. Alone, double headed and side by side runby's.

Mashed Potato Love...or...The Pie Of Life

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation

"Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789." G. Washington

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Tired Of Busting Your Prop In The Rocks?



 You have to wonder if this is the first jet-drive. It's hidden away in a private collection in a secret location in Southern Illinois.

UPDATE!  Info gleaned from SmokStak:   Walter Schnacke of Evansville, IN built these until he passed away at age 94.  This one has a Tecumseh engine with a Lauson carb, and is most likely from the early 1960's.  In later years he used Briggs engines.  A commenter on the Smokstak forum says that about all these were good for was to make smoke and noise.  Mr. Schnacke worked at the Hercules factory in Evansville from 1915 to 1920.

Monday, November 25, 2013

Cleared For Takeoff: Another New Barn Door!


We need to do a bit more surgery on the east end of the barn, then we will be ready to hang the last section of rail, and then the other new door.


Boy do we hate this dark time. 

Ruger's Auction To Benefit Homes 4 Wounded Heroes

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=376089746


Literally one-of-a-kind, this .410 gauge Ruger shotgun is a prototype for a model that was never produced.  The collectors are being very predictable, and have run the price up into the stratosphere, but go have a look, just to be amazed.  100% of the proceeds of this auction will be donated by Ruger to Homes 4 Wounded Heroes.  The hammer falls at mid-day, Wednesday, November 27, 2013.


$5544!!!  Well, that was certainly educational, and wonderful for the veterans this will help.  A big Thank You to the good folks at Ruger for your remarkable generosity!

Tuesday Turkey Turbo Boost

Courtesy of The British Smile.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Not My Victrola



From EdmundusRex, " Published on Nov 20, 2013
George Olsen (March 18,1893 - March 18,1971) was an American bandleader.

Born in Portland, Oregon he attended the University of Michigan, where he formed his band, George Olsen and his Music. He made the transition to Broadway, appearing in Kid Boots, the Ziegfeld Follies of 1924, and Good News. George Olsen and his Music were prolific Victor recording artists and their records are among the most numerous found by record collectors today, testifying to their original popularity.

He and his orchestra were in Eddie Cantor's 1928 Broadway hit Whoopee!, and in the 1930 movie version. He met a singer, Ethel Shutta, who sings and dances memorably in Whoopee!, and they married, appearing together in nightclubs and on radio. They had two children; following a divorce, Olsen opened a restaurant in New Jersey.

In 1936, Olsen became leader of Orville Knapp's band after Knapp died in a plane crash. Olsen was chosen to lead the band by Knapp's widow. Morale problems plagued the group, and in 1938, after many musicians had already left, the group disbanded.

Olsen died 1971 in Paramus, New Jersey.


George Olsen and his Music - The Best Things In Life Are Free (1927)"

Friday, November 22, 2013

Weekend Steam: Engine Maintenance

From across the pond we have an informative video on maintaining your locomotive.


This Just In.....

Obama Affordable Veterinary Care Act

And, You Can Keep Your Testicles If You Want Them!
 
Thanks to JD, my veterinarian friend!  What's going to happen when the Kennel Mandate kicks in? 

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Crankin' It Up With Our Old Buddy Brat

The upload to DailyMotion will be done just before 2A, so look for the new record in the morning.

And here's your favorite kitty....


Ramshackle Rag "Band" by TrueBlueSam The United Talking Machine Company slapped their label on records they bought from Columbia, and made an extra big hole in the middle. They sold their phonographs (also made by Columbia) with an extra big spindle in the center of the turntable so customers had to buy United records to use the machine. CLICK HERE to hear more United records.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Out Behind The Barn....

...we are finally buttoning things up a bit.  We started on the backside of the barn in 2003, rebuilding rotted framework and re-siding some big open spots.  The back of the barn hasn't had doors since before we moved to the farm in 1980.  That is about to change, and we have the doors built except for screwing tin onto the frame.  Our tin should be in Friday, and our doors should be installed by Saturday evening.  Here is the back of the barn in 2001.

 And today.  The corners need to be closed in, but the frame is good, and most of the siding is good.  The field east of the old barn is now pole size timber.  In '01 it was in the sapling phase, and today it is prime deer hunting cover.  Our friend Troy will be hunting from the old barn this weekend, and I bet he takes home some venison.

This is how it looked out behind the barn in the fall of 2001...

...and this is how it looked in the fall of 2012.  We planted this field around 1990.  I drove our old John Deere B, Susan rode the planter and stuck every tree in the ground.

More Photos from 2001, and 2003:

 2001

 '03, Dad passed away in 2005.

 '03

 '03

 Green Berry and Cora Soper Darsham milking behind the barn about 1924.  Green and Cora signed the papers to buy the home place on September 11, 1903.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Paul Castle, July 6, 1979- November 12, 2013

 A Fine Young Man Was Buried Today.  He served in the Marines, came home and got a good job, was killed by someone that was either on dope or alcohol.

Ruger's Auction To Benefit Homes 4 Wounded Heroes

How much is a longer barrel worth to a collector/shooter? Click over to Ruger's auction of the week and prepare to be amazed. If you have some cash to spare that could be used to help a wounded hero, make a bid on this fine 10/22 Sporter prototype, and maybe you will win this one-of-a-kind Ruger. The hammer falls mid-day Wednesday, so don't delay. If you are looking for a rifle to set up with Tech Sights for shooting from the various sling positions, this rifle is for you! The four extra inches of sight radius on this rifle will make it a real winner for you when you are shooting at an Appleseed event.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=374967228

150 Years Ago....

...."It's the old humble bit, Abe."  Bob Newhart was (I think) the first person to get laughs with Abe Lincoln jokes.  It's still good....


National Ammo Day!


Buy at least 100 rounds!

Monday, November 18, 2013

Do You Have A 1911-22?

If you do, you are in luck right now.  MidwayUSA has magazines for German Sport Guns 1911-22, which is the same gun as Sig-Sauer's 1911-22.  Sig sells extra (all metal) magazines for $40, GSG's mags (the same mags) go for $35, and now Midway has the GSG magazines on sale for $30.  Review comments say that these will work in the Kimber .22 conversion (which comes with plastic mags).  I don't know about that, but it is good news if that is true.  Click over to Midway to pick up a few.

Southern Illinois Tornado Reports

Click Here for coverage (with several videos) on WSILTV3, Marion, IL.

More coverage Here on KFVS12, out of Cape Girardeau.

Tuesday Turbo Boost

It's a darn shame that someone hasn't assembled a video or slide show to go along with this song, but oh well.... Paint your own pictures.


Sunday, November 17, 2013

Wall Cloud

I saw this wall cloud passing by a few miles north of the farm.  This cell killed two in Washington County, and did quite a bit of damage in Wayne, Edwards, and Wabash Counties, Illinois.   Local news outlets are reporting that a home was destroyed in Edwards.  These two photos are looking at the south end of the east bound storm. (UPDATE:  This storm destroyed a home in Sims soon after these photos were shot.)
Deep Southern Illinois had severe storm damage, and you can see some of that coverage on WSILTV3 news, and KFVS12.

Can't Trust That Day


Back To The Old Grind!


Saturday, November 16, 2013

Not My Victrola: Is Everybody Happy?

KSPM0220s shares Sunshine Alley, a new-to-me Ted Lewis record from 1922, still in the acoustic recording era.  The slide show of Ted Lewis sheet music is a treat, so be sure to watch the show.



Ted Lewis & His Orchestra - Sunshine Alley by kspm0220s

Friday, November 15, 2013

Weekend Steam



 Avery produced traction engines in three basic styles. They made return flue engines with the engine on top of the boiler, undermounted engines with a double-simple engine mounted on a frame underneath the boiler, and traditional traction engines like this one, with a locomotive style boiler, and the engine on top. The firebox door is a fascinating piece of machinery on Averys, and the feedwater heater on the left side of the boiler is distinctive.

Crankin' It Up With Our Old Buddy Brat; and Bart, and Rambler


Swingin' Down The Lane, Isham Jones' Orchestra by TrueBlueSam

 Swingin' Down The Lane, Isham Jones' Orchestra, May 3, 1923

 Brat and Bart started out together on this Isham Jones' record, but Rambler insisted on being in on the action, and I had to switch cats in mid-stream.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Why We Clean...

I don't always clean a gun right after I use it, but I do clean regularly.  Probably more often than most of my guns need it.  Last week my brother Chester and I took Dad's Remington 550-1 out to the range and gave it a good workout.  I think the last time it was cleaned was over twenty-five years ago when I mounted a scope on it for Dad.  He has probably not shot more than 100 rounds through it since then, and if I know Dad, he gave it a few drops of oil for its trouble every time he fired a shot or two.  We oiled the action before we shot it, and took it apart afterward.  Good thing we did that; the accumulation of powder residue was getting almost embarrasing. 



I read up on the Remingon 550-1 tonight, and I never appreciated what a neat machine it is.  It was the first .22 auto that could shoot Shorts, Longs, and Long Rifles.  The way Remington made this rifle work was with a floating chamber, which they called a piston.  It is just a bit longer than a .22 Short, so the pressure from a short cartridge acts on the front of the piston, greatly adding to the pushback on the front of the bolt.  Save the photo of the action so you can blow it up, and you can easily see the back end of the 'piston'-'floating chamber.'  Pretty neat, and I never noticed it before.  I will have to make sure it is oiled properly, and exercise it with some  .22 shorts the next time I visit Mom.  The 550 is easy to tear down and clean.  Use a screwdriver to break loose the fitting at the back end of the receiver, and pull out the spring and the bolt.  Hose out, blow out, oil, and reassemble.  Remember to oil the floating chamber.


Here I am, cleaning Mom's 10/22 Compact, which we have customized a bit with an adjustable lightweight stock, Volquartsen parts for the trigger assembly, plus a scope and sling.


Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Hey Kids!

How many old appliances can you find in the woods today?






The only things I have found of worth in all my years of looking at old dumps in the woods was a globe for a kerosene lantern, some twenty-five years ago, and a belt pulley for an Economy gas engine.  But, I always look.

I count four; one of them is hiding behind the tree top lying on the ground.

Ruger's Auction To Benefit Homes 4 Wounded Heroes





Ruger's auction this week is one of the final Mk I Standard Model Pistols made in 1982.  Collectors really want rare pistols like this one, and you must be bold to bid.  Click Over if you have the right stuff, and put in a bid that makes you feel good.  All proceeds go to help wounded service personnel.  This gun sells mid-day, Wednesday, November 13, 2013.

Monday, November 11, 2013

Pre-Winter Shooty Weekend


I had a great weekend with Mom up in Iowa.  We did her Christmas shopping, took care of some yard work, changed light bulbs, and we went shooting a couple times.  Mom shot a pile of guns on the first trip to refresh muscle memory for operating her pistols and revolvers.  She wears out fast shooting double-action-only, but she can empty her LCR a couple times with just the short break to reload.

 
The next morning we did speed drills, and Mom came home all energized from that.  We set up five targets across the front of the shooting lane, and she did V-drills with her Mk III 22/45 until she couldn't hold it up.  I let her rest for a few minutes and had her do double taps from one side to the other; then we repeated the entire exercise with her 10/22.  She is really getting some good speed now, hitting a target twice and moving to the next target.  She is making pretty tight groups, too, for fast, flat-footed shooting.  
In between the above range trips with Mom, I spent most of Saturday afternoon shooting with my brother, Chester.  We took his Marlin 39 that has been resting in the gun cabinet for more than thirty years, and he found that it shot just as well as he remembered.  I'm back in Illinois now, and it's back to the old grind tomorrow.

Tuesday Turbo Boost

At The Eleventh Hour...

...take a moment, say a prayer, and thank the vets in your life.


Saturday, November 9, 2013

Not My Victrola: Edison Army-Navy Phonograph

Just in time for Armistice/Veterans' Day, VictrolaMan has cranked up his Great War vintage Edison. These were made to entertain our soldiers in France, and this one is one of the few that came back to the states after the war. It's a very rare glimpse into the past, and my only complaint is that VictrolaMan should have played a tune from 1917 or 1918.



In order to enhance your enjoyment of this musical treasure, you should soak your feet in a muddy trench for several days, have a case of cooties, munch a Red Cross doughnut, and wash it down with coffee from an aluminum canteen cup.  God Bless Our Vets.

Ralfy's Finest Video

Friday, November 8, 2013

Weekend Steam: Rare Feedwater Pump

 This Minnesota Giant engine is rare by itself, but it has a little secret that makes it a very rare gem, indeed.


This Clark feedwater pump is just about as rare an accessory as you can find at steam shows.  Most engines will have two injectors for feeding water to the boiler.   Many will have a crosshead pump, and some will have a reciprocating steam powered pump, or a gear driven pump. 


I have never seen another pump like this one, and the man who restored this engine had a dickens of a time restoring this engine driven pump; because he couldn't find another complete one in captivity anywhere.  He persevered, and if you go to Old Threshers at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, you can see this rare treasure in use, every Labor Day weekend.  Listen to the video.  You can hear the valves in this beauty clicking away as it performs its calling.

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Crankin' It Up With Team Brunswick: When Old Bill Bailey Plays His Ukulele

Rambler has decided that he sort of likes being up on the phonograph during the weekly video session.  He gets ear and cheek rubs and I think he likes the heat from the lights.  The down side is that Brat can't get up and strut when his stage has Rambler spread out all over it. 

Nora Bayes recorded this musical oddity in 1916.



When Old Bill Bailey Plays The Ukulele by TrueBlueSam

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Back To Boonville

We still have a bunch of photos and a little bit of raw video from the fall show at Boonville, Indiana, and we need to use it up before it goes stale.  This vid is a New Holland hit-and-miss engine.




Monday, November 4, 2013

Fall Color Update


The trees have put on a great show this year.  Walnut and sumac started showing off early with bright yellow and scarlet, and they held onto their leaves until the others kicked in.  These sourwood leaves are on a tree we transplanted from an Eastern Kentucky stripmine bench nearly thirty years ago.

   

Even the oaks have gone beyond their usual drab fall colors.  This swamp white oak has better color this year than it has ever shown.  Most of the white oaks are a similar yellow, and the red oak species are showing lots of deep red.


Oaks and hickories in the middle and right; red maple on the left.


This sweetgum catches the light at sunrise, and it just about puts your eyes out.


I learned something new to me last week.  Red maple leaves become toxic to horses after they fall from the tree and begin to wilt.  One of my clients has had horses in the same pasture for twenty-five years, but this year two horses ate red maple leaves and died.  The owner was understandably shaken, and we spent a good bit of the day touring his pasture and the adjoining woods.  He is going to have his hands full making the place safe for horses.  He also has lots of black cherry growing in his woods, and he is going on a campaign to kill all of those when he removes the maples.  


Good old Sassafras.  This tree has three different kinds of leaves, (oval, one-thumb, and two thumbs) and does a pretty good job with color variety, too.  You can find sassafrases that are yellow, orange, and red, and all mixed up on one tree, too.


Ruger's Auction To Benefit Homes 4 Wounded Heroes

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=372352810





Ruger's auction this week is a Bisley .44 Magnum Revolver built in Februray 1988.  It was returned to the factory in November of that year, and has been residing in Ruger's safe ever since.  Click Over to Ruger's GunBroker page to read the entire description, and to bid.  This fine shooting iron will sell mid-day, Wednesday, November 6, 2013.  28 bids, $965!

Tuesday Turbo Boost

October e-Postal Scores

We had a good turnout on the Pizza Night contest, and here are the scores, along with the details of which toppings folks were able to hit.




October e-Postal Entries
Rimfire Pistol
Iron Sights
Distance
Score
Ruger Mk I
25’
25 (1 Anchovy, 1 Olive Pit, 1 Olive, 2 Crusts, 5 Pepperonis!)
R J
Ruger Mk II Target
25’
23 (3 Anchovies, 1 Crust, 5 Pepperonis)
Mike B
S & W 617
25’
21 (2 Olive Pits, 1 Olive, 6 Pepperonis)
Pat B
Ruger Single-Six
30’
18 (1 Crust, 4 Olives, 3 Pepperonis)
True Blue Sam
Ruger Single-Six
25’
18 (2 Olive Pits, 6 Pepperonis)
Ruger Mk III .22/45
33’
16 (2 Olives, 1 Crust, 7 Pepperonis)
Chester J
Ruger Shopkeeper
25’
16 (1 Anchovy, 1 olive, 1 crust, 5 Pepperonis)
Kim J
Ruger Shopkeeper
25’
14 (3 Olives, 1Crust, 2 Pepperonis!)
Merle
Ruger Standard Model
25’
14 (1 Anchovy, 1 Olive, 1 Crust, 4 Pepperonis)
Ruger Single-Six
33’
13 (2 Crusts, 1 Olive, 4 Pepperonis)
True Blue Sam
German Sport Guns 1911-22
33’
12 (1 Crust, 1 Olive, 6 Pepperonis)




Rimfire Pistol
Red Dot Sight
Distance
Score
High Standard w/OKO Red Dot Sight
25’
37 ( 2 Anchovies, 3 Olive Pits, 2 Olives, 1 Crust!)
Ruger Mk III Bushnell Red Dot Sight
25’
21 (2 Olive Pits, 1 Olive, 6 Pepperonis)
Merle
Ruger Mk II Red Dot
25’
9 (1 Crust, 6 Pepperonis)




Rimfire Pistol
Scope
Distance
Score
True Blue Sam
Ruger Mk III Bushnell 3X
25’
26 (2 Olive Pits, 1 Crust, 3 Olives, 2 Pepperonis)
Merle
TC Contender .22 LR, 2X scope
25’
10 ( 1 Anchovy, 1 Crust, 1 Pepperoni)




Centerfire Pistol
Iron Sights
Distance
Score
Merle
S & W M625
25’
20 (1 Anchovy, 1 Olive Pit, 2 Crusts, 3 Pepperonis)
Pat B
Colt Detective Special .38 Sp
30’
19 (1 Anchovy, 1 Olive Pit, 1 Olive, 5 Pepperonis)
True Blue Sam
S & W 66-1, 2 ½”, .38 Sp
33’
18 (1 Olive Pit, 2 Olives, 1 Crust, 3 Pepperonis)
Merle
British No 2 Enfield, 38/200
25’
17 (2 Anchovies, 2 Crusts, 1 Pepperoni)
True Blue Sam
Ruger Blackhawk 4 5/8”, .38 Sp
33’
16 (1 Olive Pit, 1 Olive, 1 Crust, 4 Pepperonis)
Chester
Bersa Thunder .380 ACP
25’
13 (1 Olive, 1 Crust, 7 Pepperonis)
Chester
Springfield XDM .45 ACP
25’
12 (1 Anchovy,1 Crust, 1 Olive, 1 Pepperoni)




Centerfire Pistol
Scope
Distance
Score
Merle
TC Contender 2X scope, 9mm
25’
12 (1 Crust, 1 Olive, 6 Pepperonis)




Rimfire Rifle
Red Dot Sight
Distance
Score
Pattie Ann
Ruger 10/22 Bushnell Red Dot Sight
25’ (Shooting off bench due to disability)
24 (1 Anchovy, 5 Crusts, 4 Pepperonis)




Centerfire Carbine
Iron Sights
Distance
Score
M1 Carbine .30 cal
33’
15 (1 Anchovy, 1 Crust, 1 Olive, 4 Pepperonis)