Everyone But Me

Everybody I talk to is eaten up with turkey hunting this time of year. Southern Illinois has an abundance of these birds, which are so common now that I don't get too excited by them, except when one launches at my feet when I am looking up in the trees. A covey of quail always gives me a thrill, but a turkey taking off in my face just about causes a heart attack. When we want a dead bird we go to Kroger.

Finally...Sure Signs of Spring

April 14, 1865

Fire Weather

This spring has had narrow windows of opportunity for prescribed burning, with the frequent precipitation events interrupting plans regularly. I did get a chance last week to participate on a burn, and it was a good one. The wind shifted near the end, and the ladies with the drip torches had to string fire fast to prevent the fire from making a getaway. This grass had been flattened by an ice storm, so the flames aren't terribly dramatic, but they were hot enough. It started raining as we were loading up our equipment after we finished.

Not My Victrola

Here is Sophie Tucker performing her signature song, "Some Of These Days" on an Edison four minute cylinder in 1911. This fascinating look at Sophie's early career is courtesy of Barndog44, on YouTube.



And, as a bonus, here is the Red Hot Mama performing on a 1927 unreleased OKEH record, uploaded to YouTube by bsgs98. I hope all of you have had a great weekend.

Monday's Coming!

Back To The Old Grind!

Bore Cut Demonstration and Practice Post

Chainsaw instructor Joe Glenn is shown here building a hinge in a storm damaged elm tree, then releasing it and escaping. After it is safely on the ground he makes a practice post out of the stump for his students to use in learning how to perform a bore cut. Lots of loggers resist using this method, but they are clinging to methods devised when the axe and crosscut saw were the only tools available. Modern saws increase our options for methods in cutting and bucking trees, improving production and safety for those willing to learn. Remember to always start your bore cut with the lower corner of the bar.

Crankin' It Up: Heating Things Up A BIt

I saw over on Hobie's blog that he had snow this week; the Grouchy Old Cripple had snow in Atlanta on the 7th, and the same day I had ice pellets falling on me while I worked. On April 7, 1949, my Mother had two inches of snow on her first garden as a newlywed. Since winter can't seem to quit, I picked the spicey 'Chili Bean' out of the record cabinet to warm us up. It is a quick Fox-Trot, and should be a good one to try out your Charleston moves.

Special Chainsaw Technique For Small Leaners

Small trees with excessive lean pose a special problem if they must be felled. The loading they have from the lean will make them explosive if you drop them with a conventional cut, and there may not be enough wood to set up an open face and hinge with a bore cut. We all like to go home in one piece at the end of the day, so here is a way to safely fold down a heavily loaded tree: treat it just like you would a springpole, by shaving out the compressed side until you hear the fibers pulling on the tensioned side. Back away, and let it come down.

 UPDATE!  Click here to see a quicker, easier method!

That Was A Close One

While I was working on equipment one day I heard Scooter sneeze. Pretty soon he sneezed again...and again. I checked on him and he was a sick kitty. We had him to the Vet in short order and found that he had a fever, and a rattly lung. The Doc gave him a shot of antibiotics, put half a liter of water under his skin to fight deydration, and counted out eight day's worth of pills. If we had ignored the sneezing, our little rose colored kitty would have been a goner. Veterinarians are amazing people. They have the ability to size up a situation with an animal they don't know, reach a diagnosis and treatment within minutes, and save a life. And they do this for several different species. It makes me wonder if I should be going to a Vet instead of our family physician.