Weekend Steam II: No. 1 Stirling...

 ...worked from 1870 to 1917. The first and last of its kind. Thank You, Merle, for sending this one!

Weekend Steam: Steam Lorries!

 Steam lorries made a few appearances in the Iron Men Album many years ago, but if you didn't take that magazine, you probably never heard of them.  Great machines! Many Thanks to Merle for spotting this vid!

Swashbuckle Safely

 None of us are Errol Flynn.  Use safe techniques when running your saws. Make a plan for every tree. Wear your protective gear. Start your bore cuts with the bottom corner.

Chainsaw safety is serious business. There was a man killed just west of us in Jefferson County, Illinois, when a tree he was bucking came down on him. You always have to be looking for a tree to fall, roll, or kick back on you. Branches that fling when a tree comes down will aim right back at the stump.  Study those safety rules on the left side of this page, and review them frequently. Click This Link.

Challenges, Heroes, and Joy In Dog Rescue

 

Meet Fizzgig, one of the young Schipperkes rescued in Eagle Point, Oregon on January 6 of this year. Many people had to step in to help in this rescue. Jim Hamilton, Eagle Point Chief of Police, contacted Midwest Schipperke Rescue in Illinois for help, and veterinarians, techs, and other volunteers were organized in just a few days. Fifty eight live dogs were seized from a hoarding situation and were taken to the Jackson County Animal Shelter. The youngest dogs and their mother were soon taken in by a local volunteer*, and those dogs have all gone to permanent homes.  One of them is Fizzgig, the beautiful little guy in the photos.  His adopter flew to Medford, rented a car, met our Oregon foster volunteer, adopted Fizzgig and drove more than 1200 miles, an 18 hour drive, to take him home.

As remarkable as this rescue operation was, it is not over. There are still about forty young adult dogs who will be adopted over the next several weeks.  Every adoption will be made by good folks who step up to make a trip to help a dog. We have applicants from coast to coast, and volunteers will be transporting dogs east. Adopters will then have to travel to a central location to get their Schipperke. It is an unusual situation for a little regional rescue organization, but so far, things have been falling into place, and the adoptions so far have been successful.

*God Bless our volunteers out west. The family who took in those pups has made countless trips to their veterinarian with numerous problems, and has had to coordinate with adopters to meet at a remote location for meet, greet, and adopt, plus handle the paperwork for Midwest Schipperke Rescue.  The breeders who are handling the newborn pups are doing hard work, too. The dogs that came out of the hoarding house all had health issues such as worms, giardia and coccidiosis. Many people would have given up on the pups and watched them die one by one, but the pups are thriving now.  

A court decision gave the dogs in the county shelter to Midwest Schipperke Rescue. The dogs have been moved from the county shelter to Dogs For Better Lives, a service dog training facility in Medford Oregon.  From Michele Kasten: "Midwest Schipperke Rescue has given the trainers at Dogs for Better Lives the green light to assess any of these dogs that may fit into their service dog training program! Dogs for Better Lives trains hearing assistance dogs, autism assistance dogs and facility dogs that help physicians, teachers, counselors, police officers and child advocates. The organization trains shelter dogs as well as purpose-bred dogs to become service dogs. A Hearing Dog is a career that schipperkes could be well suited for and also allows clients that prefer a smaller dog the chance for one that fits their home better than a large breed dog. We are hopeful that one or more of these dogs has this unique opportunity, it would be a win-win!" 

 Many thanks to Fizzgig's new Mom for sharing his photos.  You can see more of Fizzgig on Schipperke Country on Facebook.

Lira And Glenda Are Part Of The Pack!

Lira and Glenda have been in the basement for not quite two months.  That's long enough for these good little girls, who have taken to being housebroken really well. The skunk that strayed into their dog yard forced the issue of taking them upstairs, so we have been busy. 

We set up kennels and an ex-Pen for them and have been teaching them in and out of the large upstairs dog yard.  They are loving it, but we are using leashes for a few days while they learn the new routines. Glenda has a new home to go to in the near future. We have held off on placing Lira, and she will be ready soon. She is losing her timidity now that she is part of the pack.

 

Wednesday Windage, Late Again!

 Foster dogs, Oregon hoarded dogs, skunk in the lower dog yard, hoo boy! We had good weather but I couldn't get out and shoot, so I am just going to share Michael Bane's latest video, which is mostly about lever guns. There is some real competition going on out there now that Ruger is cranking out new Marlins, and they are really nice. I like walnut, but the laminated wood stocks appeal to me, too.  I like that Michael ends this video looking at his Ruger LCP II in .22 LR.  I carry one of those, and they are a good little tool. Many don't like the manual safety that Ruger added to these, but I find it useful. I like to set the safety before I click my pocket pistol back into its Kydex holster, then I put it back on Fire. It is a nice layer of safety when you are pushing the gun back into the holster. Remember that a firm grip and regular cleaning and lube are more important with these pocket pistols than with larger ones. Get out and practice, then clean and lube

Tuesday Torque: Lanz Bulldog Detail!

 How cool is this? It's the crankshaft from a Lanz Bulldog, single cylinder tractor. I love watching videos of those critters, and this is what goes around inside.  Many Thanks, Merle for spotting this one!

Dying Can Be A Tough Process

 We had a sick skunk fall over the retaining wall at the end of our lower dog yard, and the poor critter could not get up and out after I opened the fence. It would move around a bit, and then curl up in a ball, occasionally having seizures as it fought for breath. It probably has either distemper or rabies. Both diseases are common with skunks. We don't want to kill him and get his blood and scent in the dog yard, so we have to let nature work its nasty, merciless process to the end.

Well, life continues for most of us, and there is plenty to do.  We moved the two fosters from the basement to be with the pack upstairs. We don't want them in their dog yard until I can spray a mild Clorox solution all over where the skunk could move. It's always something. Back To The Old Grind!

Weekend Steam II: Another Trip To Cass Scenic Railroad

 Thanks, Merle! We never tire of the Shays in West Virginia!

Weekend Steam: Moving Out!

 I am more of a 2 MPH guy when operating a traction engine!  Thanks, Merle!