Aumann just finished their annual Pre-30 tractor auction yesterday. I think they may have set a record. The 40-70 Imperial tractor went for $959,500! It went up by $150,000 during the last two hours.
April 29 we had some strong thunderstorms blow through. We had tree damage, and around us there were trees blocking roads, damage to outbuildings, and minor flash flooding. We just have a bit of chainsaw work to do, but no real emergencies. We are going to a neighbor this morning to clean up limbs in her yard. Our old owl tree really was taken down a notch, but it will survive, for a while anyway.
...but he makes it run, sort of. I don't think the rest of this 1927 truck can be resurrected.
All that ether makes me cringe. It dries out any lube in the upper cylinder. It is much easier on engines to prime with two-stroke mix so your rings have a bit of oil on them.
Sunday was stormy, not a good day to be outside. I went out to walk one of the dogs and he zeroed in on an owlet that had bailed out of the hickory. No damage, but the little bird was tee-totally soaked. I made a call to a wildlife biologist and discussed options. Mama Owl was watching, so touching the little owl was out of the question.
We decided to set a folding table up over the little critter to keep the rain off of it. In a few hours it was dry.
...is as rare as they get. Geiser was in Waynesboro, PENNSYLVANIA. Anyone who grew up reading the Iron Men Album knows that! Thanks for the link, Merle! I did not know about this tractor. Click the photo for the link.
Just like dinner down on the Rio Grande. Back To The Old Grind!
The Next Pest...
Groundhogs don't cause near as much damage as armadillos, still, they can drop a barn by digging around the poles. Groundhogs are kinda cute, too, and they can make a Sunday dinner for the family. I have mixed feelings.
There is not much info available for this, but you can see that it is a massive undertaking. I bet this model easily makes more than 20 horsepower.
Many thanks, Merle! We are all becoming familiar with engines across the pond through your suggestions.
...and so did the owls! It's silly that we worry about them, but they are OK, and the turkey hen that has been hanging around the yard is fine, too. Our geese are nesting on Goose Island, and they survived the weather, too.
Merle sent a link for a nice Facebook page on old engines. It is the Old Iron Garage, and there is also a YouTube channel with the identical name. It looks like all the videos are shorts, so I think that these are "borrowed" from full length videos made by others. They are good samples, though, so it is worth a look. If you do YouTube videos you can select whether or not others can do this with your content. I made shorts available from mine for a friend to use, and now I am seeing segments of my vids popping up in other places. If they don't credit your channel, it does you no good. Thanks, Merle!
The first article on reloading I read was by Col. Jeff Cooper, about the problem of 38 Special target loads blowing up guns with 2.7 grains of Bullseye powder. That article has kept me safe for more than forty years. Bullseye and other fast burning economical powders are dense, and not much is needed in each load. A double load that gets past your quality control can blow up your gun. Exploded guns show up frequently on the Internet, and it usually comes back to quality control by the person loading the ammo.
Hercules/Alliant pistol powders have been difficult to obtain in the last several years, so most of us can't find Bullseye, Unique, Herco, Blue Dot and 2400. Study current burn rate charts to find powders that will be similar in burn rate to the old standards you have used, and then find published, safe loading information for them. I've been using Winchester 244 and Hodgdon Tite Group of late.
Merle sent a link for a 15-30 IHC Mogul prairie tractor, and that is a great idea. Thanks, Merle! Here are some shorts with some very nice Moguls.
"Why is it that a dog doesn’t get to live too long, but he still has to die,…old.*" Buster came to us as a foster in 2023 because Mary, his owner had a major health crisis. Giving him up was a painful decision for her. Buster was 15 years old, blind and deaf, but still active. We made the decision to keep him as a permanent foster, rather than adopt him out, and make him adapt to another new home. Our dogs accepted him, and he liked them. He soon romped with the rest of the pack in spite of his blindness, and would bark with joy.
Buster had two kennels; one in our living room and the
other in our bedroom. He could find both of them and would often retreat to his
kennels to rest. He was vocal when he needed out, day or night; a real easy
keeper. He always was easy to lead on leash for going in and out, until the
last few weeks when his arthritis slowed him down. He loved to stroll in the
yard outside the dog yard, where he could explore and sniff new smells.
Susan threw a birthday party for Buster when he turned
16, and he really enjoyed that. Mary, his former owner, was able to come and
visit Buster on a few occasions. Buster would recognize her immediately and
become animated. Those visits were special times for all of us. Mary visited us
just a few days before Buster had his final downturn in his health, and we are
thankful that she was able to see him one more time.
Senior foster dogs can be difficult to adopt out. Most
people looking for a dog are reluctant to take on a pet whose days are limited.
You never know how long a dog will live. Some die young, and some make it past
any expectations.
We always figure a Schipperke is good for around 16
years. Old Skipper made it to 18. Our first Schip, Merky, lived to 16. That
number is no guarantee, though. Old dogs are a joy. They don’t have wild
streaks like a pup, and they are usually content to sit and provide company for
you.
You love them just as much as a dog you have had for
many years, and of course when their time comes, the hurt and sorrow are the
same. They become family, just like a young dog. Rest in Peace, Buster. You
have been a great dog and a dear friend.
*Jim Stafford
