Weekend Steam: Steam Loco In Poland!

 Thanks, Merle! The video uploader does not allow embedding, so click on the screen grab and it will link you over to YouTube.

Dance Macabre

 We can't have Halloween without this one!

Salem Witch, by Sanford Lee aka Professor Barnswallow T. Farquar

 One of our all-time favorites from a Kansas City Friend who just completed his 39th year of touring and entertaining.

Cutting Dangerously?

 I would not cut an ash snag that hung up like this, but I was pretty safe working with a dead black locust. Their wood is more lasty after the tree dies. We have it stacked under the eaves, ready to go up the chimney.

Be Kind To Your Chainsaw Clutch Bearing!

 Your chainsaw clutch bearing is easy to ignore, but the payback is a ruined crankshaft and clutch assembly. Overheat the crankshaft and you can wreck the seal to the crankshaft on the clutch side. Maintenance is easy, because you should take your bar off every day to clean it and check for damage and wear. Keep extra E-clips on hand, and don't be taking your clutch apart in the woods where you will lose parts.

Wednesday Windage: 30-06 Accelerator Ammo

99 Years Is A Mighty Long Time

 Dwain (Dad) would have been 99 years old today.  He passed away at age 77. Jerry was born 4 1/2 years after dad, and he made it to 87. Their father was gone at age 40 from a perforated ulcer. His father was also dead at 40 from tuberculosis. So, things are getting better. I have to go more than two more years to keep this trend going. Take good care of yourself!  

Speaking of longevity, October 28 is the day my dear Aunt Bessye was born in 1892. She made it to age 94. She is the one that everyone in the family said would not live too long! Bessye is sitting next to Carl in this photo from their wedding day in 1917.

The Babe In Arms on the right side of the photo is a cousin. He took care of Bessye in her final years. A good guy! He handed me boxes of Bessye and Carl's photos and negatives. Dad's mother Orpha is in front of him, ten years before Dad came along. 

Tuesday Torque: Century Old Mack Truck...

 The teardown is not going to be smooth. Sixty years ago when I was more active with old iron, an engine sitting out and rusting wasn't so far gone from its active years. Add sixty years to twenty-five or thirty, and it is a different game. I wish him well and will have to come back and watch for updates. 

Fun, Fun, Fun!

New Pony!

Full Chisel!  Back To The Old Grind!

 

Weekend Steam II:

 I apologize for the delay. Sundays get busy around here... The Silverton train is a great ride this time of year!

Weekend Steam: A Charming Scene!

 I looked up some of the commenters, and this is in France.  Many Thanks, Merle for spotting this nostalgic farm scene!

Did You Miss Your Cuts?

 Don't go nuts trying more cuts to make it right. Make sure they pass each other, then wedge or push with equipment to tear the fibers holding the tree in place.

Gas Powered Threshing At Boonville

 Gas tractors for threshing was part of the evolution to the high-tech combines of today. One man could operate the tractor and you no longer needed a water boy to help keep the steamer operating.

Wednesday Windage II: .38 Wadcutters For Self Defense

 Back in the Eighties, gun writers were talking about loading hollow base swaged wadcutters backwards to have a super-spreading hollow point.  I think that loading would not do well on penetration, especially if multiple layers of clothing had to be traversed. .38 Special is an easy shooter in a full size revolver, and Plus-P ammo is easy, too, in pistols other than lightweight snubbies. Soft, swaged bullets need to be held to standard pressure and speed to prevent stripping lead into your riflings. Hard cast bullets can be pushed faster, and will perform well on up to black bears in a pinch.  Here are Mas Ayoob's thoughts on the subject.

Wednesday Windage: Tim Sundles, Why Carry A .45?

 I am enjoying my .45s, and visitors do pretty well with them, too. I use standard pressure loads. No bears in our neighborhood!

Tuesday Torque: Armstrong Starter Won't Do It!

 Thanks, Merle!  

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Excitement, Then Same Old, Same Old

 

The 66 Mustang has been residing in our barn for fourteen years, and the shirttail relative who owns it is finally ready to start working on it. He came last week and we loaded it up. Barns are not good places to let cars rest. It's MOUSY!  

After all of that excitement, it was back to business. I have two hickories on the ground to split and stack, and a couple of dead black oaks that have to be dropped.

We also take some time to enjoy the wildlife roaming around the yard. Dusty will be out this week, I think, to look for a buck.  Back To The Old Grind!

Weekend Steam III: Valley Hills Antique Power Club...

 ...Morganton, North Carolina. The Charlote-Mecklenburg Fire Department brought their steam pumper to the show. These machines are rare, and always a crowd pleaser. Thanks, Merle, for spotting this one!

Here is another video, with more of this show.

Weekend Steam II: Last Week...

 Boonville, Indiana...

This Weekend, go to Pinckneyville. The Fall Festival is still going Sunday!

Weekend Steam: Sentinel Steam Lorrie

 1931 Model, a real young'un!  Many Thanks, Merle!

Another Foster Schipperke!

 

Buddy is our newest foster Schipperke, coming to us from quarantine at a veterinarian's office.  Buddy was surrendered because of life changes in the owner's life, and he is a sweet dog. He appears to be housebroken and he likes to cuddle up to us on the couch. We will be learning more about him in the days to come. He should be an easy one to place in a new home. 

Necessary Task Every Fall

 Don't get too excited, this is a boring video! This is a necessary task we do before we light up in the Fall and again about halfway through Winter. A dirty chimney will catch fire, and possibly burn your house to the ground, so, pre-empt trouble and clean that chimney before you fire up in the Fall. Do not wait until the flue is not drawing well; that is inviting trouble! If you do let your chimney choke, it's a sure thing that smoke will be belching into your living room every time you open the stove, and an inch of ice will be on your roof so you can't go up there!

Wednesday Windage: Ruger Super Single Six

Tuesday Torque: Stover 7 HP and Buzz Saw!

 This busy display was next to the sawmill at Boonville, making firewood out of slabs off the green chain. The proximity of the blade to hands has always made me a bit nervous, but it's no problem if you maintain your attentiveness while working. The fuel pump was not working on the engine so the operator was adding fuel to the carburetor reservoir while the engine ran. Risky.

We Can Hardly Wait For 5 AM And Coffee!

 

                                     Back To The Old Grind!

Weekend Steam III: Sorghum At Boonville!

 Susan and I made a trip over to Boonville, IN on Friday and had a few great hours before we hurried back to take care of the dogs. Beautiful Day!  The sorghum shack smelled heavenly.

Weekend Steam II: I Want One Of These!

 Great One, Merle!  I need one of these!

Weekend Steam: AI Reports On Big Boy 4014

 Thanks, Merle! That appears to be mostly good info. Compounding was tried and used for a while, but superheaters improved efficiency without the problems of compounding locos, and the steam era finished out with simple engines.

Crunchers!

Every morning, every evening, and often in the middle of the day, we have acorn crunchers in the yard. This morning there were a dozen, all antlerless, mothers and their young'uns.

There are a lot of deer in the neighborhood. I had to go out after dark last night, and a herd of deer crossed the road in front of me. A nice buck nearly ran into me, but I shut down in time to miss him.  Had to dodge a few raccoons, too!

 

Painting The Clouds With Ag Lime!

 

Glorious Day In October!

 

!

 Beautiful day from beginning to end!

Boonville, Indiana Fall Show October 9-11!

 

Gas, Steam, Threshing, Sawmilling, and More!

Wednesday Windage II: 23 Years Of Deer Data and Best Times To Hunt

Wednesday Windage: Mas Ayoob on Handloads and Legal Problems

Tuesday Torque II: Forgotten Trucks, from Rocky's Rides

Tuesday Torque: Love 'em or Hate 'em?

 Maytags hold a unique place in the old engine community. Unlike other old engines, you will hear many disparaging remarks about Maytags.  I am not saying what I think because it is almost like making a political opinion known. Thanks, Merle! We are treading on dangerous ground here!

Lira Has Left The Building!

 Lira (previously Licorice) came to our Southern Illinois home nearly a year ago to be a foster dog and to learn how to be a pet. She has had a long road adjusting to being part of a family and a pack, but she is ready to move on, and she did Sunday! Lira is now several hundred miles away in her new home. Many thanks to the kindhearted lady who drove to adopt Lira. It is a great match and good times are ahead.

How do you know when a dog is ready to move on? Lira began jumping into Susan's recliner while we had our morning coffee. That is a huge change from the timid girl that came in a year ago.

Vesper and Leo are also ready to move on to permanent homes, and we hope to locate the right people soon. Back To The Old Grind!

Leo

                                                   Vesper

Weekend Steam II: Steam Powered Machine Shop, The End

 

We have watched many episodes of the Steam Powered Machine Shop, but it has now come to an end. The equipment will all be sold soon, and you can take part if you are in need of machine shop equipment. Click Here for the link.

Pioneer Acres Steam Festival, Irricana, Alberta

 The current Engineers and Engines Magazine features this show in Alberta, Canada, and it is worth looking at. This part of Canada saw steam come in near its peak, and countless acres of prairie suddenly became farmland producing wheat. It is much different from the progression of farming in the eastern U. S. and the Midwest, where mechanized agriculture developed during the Nineteenth Century. 

The video is a news report from one month ago, and I will add some videos from previous years below that.

Cleaning Gutters

                                                                                   

Also doing some repairs, such as adding new hangers. These gutters were installed in 1979, so a little maintenance is to be expected.  Just because you are not too old to climb, you must not forget that you are too old to fall! Keep that belt buckle centered while you work. 

The cistern at the end of the  concrete was there in 1903 when Susan's g-grandparents bought this place. A log cabin stood where this house is, and we used that cistern until 2000 when the water main came through our front yard. Water seemed like magic then! We moved to the farm in 1980, and pumping down the cistern and cleaning it was one of the first tasks we had to do. We learned the importance of clean gutters from that chore.

Fall Colors Are Coming In Better Than Expected....

 ....after the long, hot dry spell we had during the summer. We might get a little rain Thursday night/Friday morning.

The sumacs are looking great, but they will drop their leaves soon after they peak. Don't neglect enjoying them because they won't last.

Red maple has been teasing us, with little bits of color scattered about their crowns. It is more evident now, and there will be red, yellow and a bit of orange, often on the same tree. They are muted after all the dry weather, but they will be nice to watch.

Black walnut is turning its signature yellow, and the leaves soon drop to the ground. Note the nuts hanging in the tree. Some of our walnuts are already naked, and still have nuts hanging all over them.

Beautiful in the morning sun!  Get out early and enjoy the season change!