Sunday, February 28, 2021

St. Patrick's Day Festival! Sweet Rosie O'Grady, The Shannon Quartet

 Father Scally stopped Owen on his way into the church. "Owen, could you come back tomorrow night for confession? We have hundreds in the church at the moment. You haven't committed a murder since the last time?"

"Indeed I haven't, Father, Ill come back tomorrow night"

On his way out he met Declan.

"Go home, Declan, and come back tomorrow. They're only hearing the murderers tonight"


Everybody Wants A Durn Grindstone Now!

 Who Knew?  We had some thieves looting our barns the other day and we interrupted them before they made off with the (ahem) treasures. Some crusty copper wire, some iron junk, an old bait bucket, and an old grindstone with a big flat spot. Unfortunately, when thieves go back to the old grind, that means more thieving, not something productive. Oh Well, or words to that effect. Back To The Old Grind!



Saturday, February 27, 2021

St. Patrick's Day Festival! Where The River Shannon Flows, John McCormack, Fairies, Blarney!

 From 500 Best Irish Jokes and Limericks: The tinker was in court charged with stealing an overcoat. "My man, " said the District Justice, " three years ago you were before me charged also with stealing an overcoat."  

"Of course," said the tinker. "How long do you think overcoats last?"


Weekend Steam II: Count Those Drivers....

 ...on this fantastic model! Thank You for the thrill, Merle!


Friday, February 26, 2021

St. Patrick's Day Festival! It's A Long Way To Tipperary, John McCormack

 From 500 Best Irish Jokes and Limericks: The County Cork hurler arrived at the gates of Heaven and the shadowy figure guarding the entrance had a word  to say.

"Is there anything you have done that might keep you from entering Paradise?"

"Well, now you see, sir," said the embarrassed hurler, "I played for St. Finbarr's in Cork and in the last game I missed the ball with my stick and I kicked it into the goal and we won, and St. Finbarr's shouldn't have got the match."

"Pass within!" said the shadowy figure.

"But St. Peter, I don't think I should."

"I am not St. Peter. He is off duty, so pass within."

"Well, who are you, then?"

"St. Finbarr."


Weekend Steam: Rockin' and Rollin' In Sichuan, China

 Look Out For The Chickens!  Thank You, Merle!


Thursday, February 25, 2021

St. Patrick's Day Festival! Rocky Road To Dublin, The High Kings

 From 500 Best Irish Jokes and Limericks: Mrs. Moriarty was buying medicine for her husband and a preparation for the sick horse.

"Be careful," said the chemist, "that you don't get the bottles mixed."

"Oh, you can be sure of it," she said with emphasis. "Sure wouldn't it be awful if anything happened to the poor animal before the spring ploughing?"


Wednesday, February 24, 2021

St. Patrick's Day Festival! The Irish Rover, The High Kings

 From 500 Best Irish Jokes and Limericks: They asked Mick to break it to the family that their son Thady had suffered an accident.

Mick knocked on the door and the woman of the house came out.

"I'm sorry, Mam, " he said, "to tell you that your son's gold watch is after having a bad accident."

"What do you mean?" asked the woman. "My son hasn't got a gold watch."

"That's a bit of luck then," Mick went on,  "because ten ton of rock is after falling on him."


Brassman Bart Performs High School Cadets by John Phillip Sousa!

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Ruger's Auction To Benefit Honored American Veterans Afield


                                                                Click The Pic For The Link. Sold for $2802.00

We have another .223 Rem caliber Ruger® M77® Hawkeye® African Rifle up for auction this week! This rifle was first introduced as “NEW” in the 2012 Ruger Firearms Catalog. This model only appeared in the 2012 firearms catalog as subsequent M77® Hawkeye® African model rifles were manufactured and shipped with the Ruger® Muzzle Brake System. The serial number is 711-76780, and the roll mark date is May 3, 2013. This rifle has never been sold and has never been fired beyond normal factory test firing. This rifle features a 23-inch cold hammer-forged barrel, with a shallow “express-style” windage-adjustable “V” notch rear sight and large white bead front sight. Other features include: the LC6™ trigger; non-rotating, Mauser-type controlled round feed extractor; patented integral scope mounts (scope rings are included); and three-position safety. It has a satin blued finish with an American walnut stock featuring wrap-around cut checkering on the forearm and pistol grip. The stock also features a red rubber buttpad with the Ruger Eagle logo embossed in the center of it. It has a hinged solid steel floorplate, with a box magazine that holds five cartridges, and features an engraved Ruger logo. The rifle will ship in its original rifle box along with the original instruction manual and locking device. The Ruger® M77® Hawkeye® African Rifle is being sold “as is.” The purchaser assumes all liability for its safe and proper ownership, storage, use, and resale. It is a part of the Ruger factory collection in Southport, Connecticut and a Certificate of Authenticity will be mailed to the winner of the auction. PLEASE NOTE: The winner of this auction will be responsible for paying the Federal Excise Tax of $71.16.  This fine rifle will sell mid-day, Wednesday, February 24, 2021.

St. Patrick's Day Festival! Who Threw The Overalls In Mrs. Murphy's Chowder?

"Did you hear that I'm engaged to an Irish lad?"

"Oh, really?"

"No, O'Reilly!


Monday, February 22, 2021

St. Patrick's Day Festival! Whiskey In The Jar, The Dubliners

 From 500 Best Irish Jokes and Limericks, The Civic Guard was very anxious to discover where the poteen was being made, so he kept after Conan who was known to carry out repairs to stills. 

"Come on , Conan," he pleaded, "just tell me where you repaired the still."
"I will, Guard Clancy, " said Conan blandly, "I will."

"Where then? Tell me."

"To tell you the living truth, Guard, I mended it where the hole was."


Tuesday Torque: Alpha Diesel, Houmoller Brothers, Djursland, Denmark

 Engine collectors are a special breed. This is a one-of-a-kind engine from 1928, and the fellow who restored it takes it to shows to share with the public and other engine lovers. Pretty neat! Thanks for the pick, Merle!


Sunday, February 21, 2021

I Know Nothing More Comforting Than A Fine Spiced Pickle!


Back To The Old Grind! Are you ordering your garden seeds!?

St. Patrick's Day Festival! Come Back To Erin, John McCormack

 The innocent old lady had a bottle with her as she passed though Irish Customs.

"What have you there?" asked the Customs man with suspicion.

" 'Tis Lourdes water, I'm bringing home with me."

He took the bottle, tried some and spluttered.

"Let me tell you," he said, "That's not Lourdes water. That is first-class French brandy!"

"Lord bless us," she said. "It's a miracle!"



Saturday, February 20, 2021

St. Patrick's Day Festival! Swallowtail

 We have so much fun picking out songs for Christmas and Valentine's Day that we are picking up another holiday! We don't have a big play list yet, but we are going to jump in and go for it. Even better, I have a book of Irish Jokes that was published in 1968, and we can throw in a good laugh every day. Here we go!


"I'm afraid, Mrs Moylan, your husband will never work again," said the doctor sadly. "I'll go in and tell him and it might cheer him up."  Hmmm, that bears a strong resemblance to a Dad joke.

Turkey Creek String Band, performing Swallowtail!


Weekend Steam II: Buster Keaton Rides The Rails!

 Thank You, Merle! Little dog got a workout!


Friday, February 19, 2021

Dropped Another Leaning Tree! A Dead Ash Again, With Nothing To Hang In!

 ....So why are all my trees hanging up? This one had its own hanger-upper and stopped well short of the ground. Life is full of surprises.  We cut it yesterday, split it today, and the moisture is 20% and less, so it can go into the stove immediately!


Weekend Steam: 1883 Triple Expansion Torpedo Boat Engine!

 This is one of the neatest displays you will ever see! Many Thanks, Merle!


Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Brassman Bart: Liberty Bell March

Pushing Snow With The Leaf Blower


 We had plenty of drifting, so the amount of snow is difficult to measure, but it looks like about 8 inches. The solar panels had a solid 8 inches on the upper panels, and 6 on the lower. It took a long time to move with the blower, and I couldn't move the snow at the top. I found that pushing powdery snow with a blower generates static electricity.  You can feel it working on your back, and if you touch anything, like these panels, you get a real jolt. I added a wire from the blower to drag behind me as a ground strap. I got enough that my heart was jumping around a bit, but it's OK now. We blew frequently to keep a clean path around the house and a path in the dog yard. 


Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Ruger's Auction To Benefit Honored American Veterans Afield

                                                         Sold for $1025

 "This week’s auction item is a .22 LR Mark II Target pistol. The serial number is 210-53820 and the rollmark date is February 15, 1984. The pistol has never been fired beyond normal testing during manufacture. Features include a tapered 6-7/8” barrel with blued finish, a Patridge-type front sight and rear sight with click adjustments for windage and elevation. The black grips are made of impact-resistant delrin base material with a silver Ruger “SR” eagle medallion inlaid in the right grip panel. The 10-shot capacity magazine, included with the pistol, is not the original magazine. “RUGER .22 CAL. LONG RIFLE MARK II TARGET” is stamped on the left side of the barrel receiver. This pistol is being being sold “as is,” and the purchaser assumes all liability for its safe and proper ownership, storage, use, and resale. The pistol is a part of the Ruger factory collection in Southport, Connecticut, and a Certificate of Authenticity will be mailed to the winner of the auction."  This pistol will sell mid-day, Wednesday, February 17, 2021

"PLEASE NOTE: The winner of this auction will be responsible for paying the Federal Excise Tax of $19.25."

Monday, February 15, 2021

Tuesday Torque: Beijer Hot Bulb Engine...

 ...With the fuel adjusted way down. Pretty Neat, Merle! Great Pick!


Sunday, February 14, 2021

Weekend Steam II: Really Big Steam Engine!

 Not just big; the biggest steam engine in the world! 3.66 Meter bore! Here's the description: "During my visit to Madurodam I saw the attraction "Waterwolf", based on the "Cruquius" steam pumping station. This was one of the 3 pumping stations that pumped the Haarlemmermeer dry from 1849 to 1852. The real Cruquius is still there today and is now a museum. The steam boilers have been removed from the boiler house. This is now an exhibition space. The engine room from 1849 is still present. It contains the world's largest and best-preserved steam engine, the Cornish Engine with a cylinder of 3.66 meters in diameter. This machine drives eight balance arms of 10,000 kg each that protrude like tentacles. Pistons hang on these arms and act as water pumps. Together, they raised 64,000 liters of water with each stroke of the steam engine to the wooden dumping floor around five meters above the engine room, which then entered the ring canal through locks on both sides of the boiler house." Many Thanks for the pick, Merle!


Down The Street Is Mt. Pickle, Where They Have An Olive Factory!

 

Back To The Old Grind!

Saturday, February 13, 2021

2021 Valentine Festival! Tea For Two, Comedian Harmonists

 Here's our final song for this year. We have had a great time picking out a song every day for a month, and we hope that all of our blog friends have enjoyed this annual project as much as we do! 


2021 Valentine Festival! We Started With Ain't We Got Fun...

 ...and we are still having fun! Here are the Piano Guys with their Rockelbel Canon!


Friday, February 12, 2021

2021 Valentine Festival! These Foolish Things, Rudy Vallee

2021 Valentine Festival! Eighteen Wheels And A Dozen Roses, Kathy Mattea

Weekend Steam: Largest Triple Expansion Engine In The World!

 Great One, Merle! Try to picture 19 million gallons of water! I think the water tower in my hometown would hold 250,000 gallons. Seventy six of those would make 19 million. The little Tin Man water tower that little towns had all over the country held 100,000 gallons. This engine would fill a Tin Man 190 times in a day! Thanks, Merle!

"The Kempton Steam Museum in London is home to the world's largest operating triple expansion steam engine. Infact they have two such engines in their museum, however only one is restored and operational. The two steam engines, each 20m high and weighing 1000 tons, are housed inside a grand Art Deco building, where they were installed in 1927-28 to supply North London with water. Each engine was capable of pumping 19 million gallons of water daily and ran 24 hrs a day, seven days a week."


Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Five Chances To Die: Reviewing Our Break-In, February 2016

 Five years ago we had an unusual evening when a fellow went on a drug-induced spree. He stole and wrecked two cars before coming to our door, where he broke out windows, broke into the garage and stole our car out of the garage. He was a very lucky man. He crashed three cars, and through happenstance and the training I had, plus the training our local law enforcement had, he wasn't shot or injured during the altercations at our home. We are glad it is all in the past, but we think about it daily. We continue our study of self defense issues just in case we have another event. Get your training! Know what you can do legally to defend yourself where you live and where you travel.

2021 Valentine Festival! Passionate Kisses, Mary Chapin Carpenter

Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Ruger's Auction To Benefit Honored American Veterans Afield

                                                        Click Pic For GunBroker Link! $2925

 "These special make up Ruger® Mini-14® rifles were produced for, and sold only to, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol in 1979. Thirteen hundred rifles were stamped "O.H.P." on the top of the receiver and an additional 300 were produced without the "O.H.P." mark. This rifle DOES NOT have that mark. The rifle was test fired June 5, 1990, but the serial number, 181-48706, tells us this rifle was manufactured in 1978. This blued Ruger® Mini-14® rifle features an 18-1/2 inch barrel with flash suppressor, a fiberglass handguard, rear peep sight (adjustable for elevation and windage), and fixed front sight with bayonet lug. Other features include a one-piece American hardwood stock with a red rubber butt pad with embossed Ruger eagle logo. It has an M1 Carbine-style sling mount that accommodates the included rifle sling. The rifle is a 223 Rem caliber and will ship with one 20-round magazine. "

This fine Ruger rifle will sell mid-day, Wednesday, February 10, 2021. Click the photo above to go to the GunBroker page.

Brassman Bart: Washington Post March

2021 Valentine Festival! The Man On The Flying Trapeze, Spike Jones And His City Slickers!

 We can't always have a happy ending! 


Monday, February 8, 2021

Sunday, February 7, 2021

Good For Chickens, Pigs, And Your Coffee Boiler


                                                                Back To The Old Grind!

2021 Valentine Festival! Lost In The Fifties, Ronnie Milsap

Saturday, February 6, 2021

2021 Valentine Festival: Lulu's Back In Town, Leon Redbone

2021 Valentine Festival! Love Nest, John Steel

Weekend Steam Part Two:

 Merle has sent us another video link about Great War railroads; this one from an event in 2018. Very Nice, Merle. Thank You!

"Some footage from the third Tracks To the Trenches event held at the Apedale Light Railway near Newcastle-Under-Lyme. An excellent event with continuous action from First World War Living History Groups and displays including cavalry demonstrations as well as trains running on the Field Railway and the Apedale Railway running line. There were also a large number of First World War themed model railways on display too.

A large number of Simplex and other tractors were in constant action throughout the day. Steam locos included recently restored 1916 Hunslet w/n 1215, Henschel 0-8-0T "Brigadelok" w/n 15968, Kerr Stuart 0-6-0T "Joffre" w/n 3014 of 1917, Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0WT "Wee Pug" w/n 1238 of 1916 and replica Deauville Type1 ''Edgar''. Thanks to all involved with the planning and operation of this excellent event"

Friday, February 5, 2021

Weekend Steam: WWI Narrow Gauge In France

 Wow, Merle, this is a rare look at the Western Front. Driving spikes in campaign hats, no less!  Thanks for the pick!


2021 Valentine Festival! Let's Misbehave, Irving Aaronson

One of Cole Porter's great masterpieces!


Tuesday, February 2, 2021

2021 Valentine Festival! True Love Ways, Buddy Holly

Ruger's Auction To Benefit Honored American Veterans Afield

                                                                 Sold for  $620

                                                         Click The Picture For The Link. 

From Ruger's Auction Page:

 "We have for auction a P95 9mm caliber pistol. The stainless P95 Manual Safety model pistol was first introduced as “NEW” in the 2001 Ruger® Firearms Catalog. The serial number of this pistol is 314-42409 and the test-fire date is February 2, 2001. The pistol has never been fired beyond normal testing during manufacture. The pistol’s slide is made of Terhune Anticorro stainless steel and features nearly indestructible resin grip panels and a custom compounded polymer frame. This manual safety model pistol incorporates a manual ambidextrous lever that, when engaged, prevents firing unless the lever is in the “fire” position. Other features include high-visibility white-dot inserts on both the front and rear sights. The square notch rear sight is drift-adjustable for windage. The KP95 pistol will be shipped in a gray plastic pistol case along with one 10-shot magazine, appropriate instruction manual, and locking device. The pistol is being sold “as is,” and the purchaser assumes all liability for its safe and proper ownership, storage, use, and resale. The pistol is a part of the Ruger factory collection in Southport, Connecticut, and a Certificate of Authenticity will be mailed to the winner of the auction.

PLEASE NOTE: The winner of this auction will be responsible for paying the Federal Excise Tax of $26.77."

This fine pistol will sell February 3, 2021, at 12:30 PM EST.

Tuesday Torque: 300 Horsepower, 4 Cylinder Miller Improved Gas Engine At Coolspring, PA

Wow, and Holy Cow!