Weekend Steam: Moving Out!

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

Oregon Dogs Update

 Back on January 6, the Eagle Point, Oregon Police Department served a search warrant for a dog hoarding situation. There were 58 live dogs taken out of a home, and 30 deceased dogs. Nine pups and two adults were surrendered by the homeowner to Midwest Schipperke Rescue that day, and all of the dogs went to the Jackson County Animal Control shelter. Midwest found a volunteer to take the surrendered dogs and care for them in just a few days. There were too pregnant bitches.  One was put in the care of a local show dog breeder, and the puppies arrived soon after.  The other dog whelped her puppies at the shelter and another show dog breeder stepped in to care for those pups. 

Pups in their foster home, with mother. These dogs have all gone on to their adopted homes already. Because of their age, adopters signed a contract to spay or neuter between 9 and 12 months of age. Midwest will cost-share the expense of the surgeries.

Sweet Pea, on the day she was rescued. 

Sweet Pea with her pups.  All are doing well, and Sweet Pea's coat is growing in again.

The rest of the dogs were surrendered by the homeowner last week at a court hearing. They have been moved to a great dog training facility in Medford where they are being evaluated by trained staff.  Vets and techs have been working this week to bring them all up to date on vaccinations, heartworm and brucellosis testing. They will all be spayed or neutered before going out to their new homes. Many will be adopted in the west, but many will also come east.  We have applications from coast to coast from folks who want to adopt them. 

Susan and I are screening the applications, and others are coordinating supplies to the western fosters, Jackson County Animal Control, and the training facility that has the dogs now. Transport east will probably be by volunteers who fly dogs around the country. Boarding facilities to house the dogs until adopters pick them up have to be arranged. There is a lot of activity that will be happening to get these dogs into their homes. 

Wedneday Windage: Aiming vs Turning

 Watch just  a few chainsaw videos and you will hear the cutter talk about "Turning" a tree. I have yet to see it happen in videos or in the woods, and I have looked at a lot of stumps and treetops. If a tree turns (deviating from the aiming of the hinge), that means that the hinge has failed and the tree is going where gravity will take it.  That is a bad situation, and you give up your control over the tree if that is your method. Aim the hinge where you want the tree to fall, make it long enough and the proper thickness. Use a trigger to put the tree in motion so you can get away quickly. 

The tree in this video is a very dead pin oak, and a fancy new pit toilet is just out of view. I had to not crush that!  The wedges were placed to give support to the hinge, just in case the wood had rot that could allow it to crush. This was at Sam Dale Lake, Wayne County, Illinois, eleven years ago. I had a spare saw warmed up and ready to go, just in case I had trouble.

Tuesday Torque: Going Up To Maine For Some Winter Logging

 Merle, I have seen the steam powered Lombards, but never the gasoline powered ones. Pretty neat. Gotta love the Ts set up for the North Woods.. Many Thanks!

Winter Is Fading Fast...

Right now we have entered Mud Season. A few snow bones are left, but rapidly shrinking. The owls are necking and cooing, geese are passing through, and the Old Gobblers' Club is out showing off and looking for ladies. 

                                                       

Susan is starting cabbage seeds! Back To The Old Grind!

Weekend Steam: Painted Up Pretty, 1912 Case 45 HP, and Minneapolis

 Many Thanks to Merle for sending the link for the 45 Case. While looking at that one, another video popped up with a Minneapolis. Both of those brands always look good!

Valentine's Day Song Festival! Smile!

 Susan and I have had a good time posting songs for our viewers this last month.  I hope that you all have had a few smiles! Happy Valentine's Day!

                                           Click Photo

Valentine's Day Song Festival! I Can't Help Falling In Love With You! Elvis Presley, Arlo Guthrie

 

Valentine's Day Song Festival! Where Did Robinson Crusoe Go With Friday On Saturday Night? Al Jolson

Valentine's Day Song Festival! Ain't Misbehaving, Ruth Etting, Louis Armstrong, Leon Redbone

Louis Armstrong and Ruth Etting recorded this classic in 1929.  Listen closely to Louis.  At 2:12 he quotes Rhapsody In Blue.  Listen well to Leon Redbone, too. This is from his debut album in 1976, and jazz violinist Joe Venuti plays with him on this track. Joe was working hard during his revival, and this is one of his last recordings before he passed in 1978. His playing is unmistakable.  When I checked this song I immediately looked up info on the recording, and there was Joe Venuti. 

Valentine's Day Song Festival! Dancing In The Moonlight, Rudy Vallee

Ten Year Anniversary

Valentine's Day Song Festival! Maggie, Yes Ma'am, Come Right Upstairs!

Valentine's Day Song Festival! Margie, Red Nicholls and His Five Pennies

Valentine's Day Song Festival! Love's Old Sweet Song, Joan Morris and William Bolcom

Valentine's Day Song Festival! Stardust, Hoagy Carmichael

Tuesday Torque: IHC 10-20 Titan

 You gotta love that rhythm! Thank You, Merle!

Build A Barrel Stove, Upgrade Your Independence!

Back To The Old Grind!

Valentine's Day Song Festival! Spanish Pipedream, John Prine, "Go To The Country, Build You A Home!"

Valentine's Day Song Festival! DIggy Litty Lo, Doug Kershaw

 

Weekend Steam II: Trevithick's Locomotive, The World's First

 

Many Thanks, Merle, for the suggestion!

Valentine's Day Song Festival! Desperado, the Eagles

 

The interview with Don Henley is well worth listening to, plus he sings Desperado at the end!

Making Hay While The Sun Shines

The temps were good for outdoor work today and snow was melting.  Susan and I got out, split and stacked 45 rounds from the black oak snag that I finished picking up a few days ago. 

 

Weekend Steam: Steamboat Engine Room

 This is a fantastic look at a well kept engine. Note the angled blades on the paddle wheel as it turns.  That is high tech in the steamboat realm, and greatly increases efficiency.  Many Thanks, Merle! 

Valentine's Day Song Festival! Cherish, The Association

Valentine's Day Song Festival! Burning Love, Elvis Presley

Gathering Wood In The Snow

We got all the top wood out of the timber before the snow and cold snap, but thirty some feet of good, long dead black oak got a foot of snow on it, and we had days of single digit temps. It finally go up to almost 30 degrees F, so I grabbed the rest of the wood before the ground has a chance to thaw. I think we are set now until warm weather. Now, to split forty-some big rounds of oak.

Valentine's Day Song Festival! My Gee Gee From The Fiji Isle, Tod Weinhold, 1920

 Poor old Hiram Perkins falls in love with the dancing girl at the circus. I wonder how it turned out for the lad. Recorded in November, 1920.

Wednesday Windage: 357 vs 44 Magnum Carbines, A Re-Visit To Paul Harrell

 

Valentine's Day Song Festival! Everybody Loves Somebody, Dean Martin

Proper Escape Direction

 The final part of putting a tree on the ground is to escape from the stump at 135 degrees from the direction the tree is falling, or 45 degrees off the back of the tree. Forces going out will reflect directly back at the stump, so a 180 degree escape route is dangerous. These events happen with regularity, so incorporate your escape into your falling plan.

Valentine's Day Song Festival! True Love Ways, Buddy Holly

Tuesday Torque: Coolspring Power Museum Fall Show, Someplace Or Another

Valentine's Day Song Festival! Fever, Peggy Lee

 

Sciple's Water Powered Mill

Back To The Old Grind!