Wednesday, September 30, 2020
Brass Man Bart: Alexander's Ragtime Band
Monday, September 28, 2020
Tuesday Torque: Historical Look At River Rouge
Hazard Mitigation/Firewood Gathering
We gather firewood year round, and we especially appreciate wood that is close to the house and easy to process. This black oak snag was a good one. It just needed a bit of extra thought for safety's sake.
Sunday, September 27, 2020
Good Advice For Street Goblins...
...depending on donations for pizza, porta-pots, bail money.
Back To The Old Grind!
Saturday, September 26, 2020
Weekend Steam Part II: Confessions Of A Train Spotter
Many Thanks to Engineering Johnson for spotting this one!
Friday, September 25, 2020
Youngstown, Engine 58!
The Youngstown Steel Heritage Foundation is located at 2261 Hubbard Road, Youngstown, OH 44505. Their mission statement is to preserve Youngstown area's steel industry history and heritage on their 1.2 acres of land.
58 was originally built by the Jones and Laughlin Steel Co. by the H.K. Porter Company in 1937. It is a 23" 0-4-0T with 15x16 cylinders, 33" drivers, a traction effort of 16,700 lbs, and in working order it weighs 93,000 lbs. It worked the J&L's Pittsburgh Works mill moving ingot trains around. In 2015, Youngstown Steel Heritage Founder and President, Rick Rowlands, purchased the locomotive from a private owner in Middlefield, OH. After a full restoration, J&L 58 ran once again on March 24, 2019. On select weekends, it gives rides to the public. ----------------------------- Thanks for watching! Please hit that subscribe button and like this video! Enjoy this video! There is more to come!Thursday, September 24, 2020
" I will send hornets before you."
That little quote from Exodus has been a favorite for many years. It happened. Our burglars came back, and examined the Weber Grill sitting outside the garage. It held a secret, and the heinous perpetrators got a nasty surprise.
Roll That Beautiful Bean Footage!
Susan rode along for a couple of rounds with our farmer today. That was a huge thrill! One more 40 to go.
Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Brass Man Bart Is Hunky-Dory!
The Hunky Dory Cakewalk!
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Good Outdoor Work Weather This Week!
Monday, September 21, 2020
Tuesday Torque: Trust The Man Who Wears Blue Flannel!
We are going to look at a few Avery tractors firing up, and note that a blue polo shirt does not mean the same thing as a blue flannel shirt.
Sunday, September 20, 2020
We Burn 'em or Let Them Rot
Fun to watch, though!
Back To The Old Grind!
Friday, September 18, 2020
Thursday, September 17, 2020
Got Milkweed?
One of the commenters on our Monarch Butterfly post mentioned that there might be readers out there who don't know milkweed. It's so common to us that I didn't even think about that, so we are correcting that right now. I even found a couple more caterpillars this morning. It's a thrill.
Wednesday, September 16, 2020
Inspect Your Brass!
I bet I've had this .303 brass on hand, unopened, for at least ten years. Components that have accumulated are being assembled, and that means every case is scrutinized. This one was a surprise. It should have been caught at the factory, but I have wrecked a few myself in forty years of loading, and one case is not worth worrying about. Anyhow, if you are catching up on loading, be meticulous. Check for stretch on rifle cases. Check length after sizing. Do not exceed published loads. Use hard primers for semi autos.
Monday, September 14, 2020
Don't Mow Those Milkweeds!
You probably know that Monarch Butterflies are in trouble. Monarchs need milkweeds to reproduce successfully, and there just aren't enough of them. The researchers don't seem to know why, and I think this problem began with genetically modified beans that tolerate glyphosate herbicide. You don't see any milkweeds in bean fields like you used to. Monarchs prefer to lay their eggs on milkweeds far from the edge, so the roadside milkweeds are not preferred, but that is what they are using at our place. Leave 'em be. You can mow those areas after frost when the little critters have moved on.
Sunday, September 13, 2020
A Job Well Done
Susan's pumpkin patch is picked, except for a big Cinderella pumpkin that is still very green. We had a couple kinds of squash with dinner today, and also some nice watermelon. The foxtail got out of hand, so we are going to mow it down, till it in, and hope that it sprouts so we can kill it out with a pre-Winter tilling. You are supposed to follow pumpkins with a legume, so we have some planning to do. Maybe a big patch of green beans?
A job well done means Back To The Old Grind!
Saturday, September 12, 2020
Weekend Steam II: Kory Anderson's 150 Case Pulls 36 Bottoms!
It looks like the James Valley show went on out at Andover SD! Kory was having the 150 HP Case stretch its legs a bit, but it pulled the load with no trouble.
Thursday, September 10, 2020
Roaring Twenties Music: When My Baby Smiles At Me, Ted Lewis
Wednesday, September 9, 2020
Brass Man Bart: Excelsior Gallop
Brother Ben has run off to the circus. I feel just like I'm under the Big Top!
Barberchair In Minnesota News
Regular blog readers here know that I am always pushing proper falling techniques. Failure to make a plan for dropping trees makes every one you drop an accident, and sooner or later that will catch up with you. This tree was cut from the tensioned side until it split lengthwise, gained elevation, and fell on the operator. He paid a horrible price, being trapped for four days before he was rescued. Here is the link to the report:Chainsaw Accident
KARE 11 posted a video on their news site:
Tuesday, September 8, 2020
A Sincere Pumpkin Patch
Tomorrow we are going to pick the rest of the pumpkins and squash. The patch looks much different than it did in May. Susan kept the weeds down for half the summer, but then it got away from her and we have foxtail up to our head all over now. After we have everything picked we will mow it. Next we will till it and wait for the weed seeds to germinate, then we will till it again.
Monday, September 7, 2020
Tuesday Torque: One Of Our Favorites, The Page Diesel
The Page ran a dragline for many years and now resides in the Machinery Building at Midwest Old Threshers. The Page has an addictive rhythm, and you could dance to it.
Sunday, September 6, 2020
No Days Off When You Retire!
Saturday, September 5, 2020
Weekend Steam Part II: More Things We Miss This Weekend
Friday, September 4, 2020
Weekend Steam: What We Miss This Weekend
Thursday, September 3, 2020
Roaring Twenties Music: Wang Wang Blues, Paul Whiteman, August 1920
Wednesday, September 2, 2020
Brass Man Bart: Billboard March
Tuesday, September 1, 2020
Meet Sunka!
Sunka is a 15 year old Schipperke male who has outlived two owners. He has been in a private kennel for two months since he became homeless, and now that Betty Boop has been adopted we had room to take Sunka in. It is difficult to find a home for a 15 year old dog, so he will probably be a permanent foster for us. He is a perfect little gentleman, but he is deaf and mostly blind. He navigates around the dog yard very well and is enjoying life here already. The other dogs are being kind to him, even energetic Sisko. Many Thank Yous to all who have donated to Midwest Schipperke Rescue! Your generous donations provide healthcare for Sunka and other lifers in the Midwest family.
Turnip Greens!
The turnip patch is doing great! Susan brought in some greens for a special treat this morning.