Friday, October 8, 2010
Crankin' It Up: A Seasonal Repeat, Just Because I Like This Song
We posted this song two years ago, and since then it has had only 114 hits on YouTube, so maybe we can improve the stats with this post. Goldenrod has really packed the load for fall colors this year in Southern Illinois, what with the drought. It has been providing a show for the last month, but is fading now, just as some of the maples are coloring up. Hickories this fall have really fallen flat, going straight to brown. Sumac has been giving us some nice scarlets, and black gum is giving us deep reds now, too. Sassafras has been showing lots of orange and yellow, but most trees have remained green with the extended warm temperatures. You can always count on goldenrod for showy yellows, and most folks do not know that the snowy whites you see are from boneset, which grows alongside goldenrod in old fields. Boneset is supposed to have strong medicinal qualities, but I don't know what goldenrod is good for, other than providing nectar for insects in the fall. I made some tea with the flowers one time, and it just about closed my throat; very bitter and astringent.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Follow-Up Shots: Courtesy of Ruger Firearms
This video follows the lesson of last week's Ruger video, and guides you through re-establishing your sight picture for a second shot on the target. "Again?" "Why not?" Of course! More shooting is more fun.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Mr. Completely A TV Star!
Mr. Completely worked with King TV of Seattle to produce a very nice spot promoting Steel Challenge shooting. Click over to read all about it. The finished product is below. Kudos, Mr. C!
Troublemakers?
I don't know these guys, but it is very clear that they are always trying to start something. This was over at Evansville last summer.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Feeling Run Down?
Got that tired, run down feeling? The Boonville Antique Steam and Gas Engine Show is coming up next Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I spoke to one of the show officials the other day, and they expect to have a few steam engines show up besides the Kitten engine, along with tractors, old cars, and gas engines. They always have a great flea market, too, and you may find some real treasures there. The show grounds are just a couple miles north of Boonville, Indiana, and camping spots are available. Load up, have a great time, and rejuvenate!
Monday, October 4, 2010
...And Boy Are My Arms Tired!
Bea completed her concealed carry class on Saturday, and she was a bit surprised that everyone had to run 100 rounds through the gun they rode in with. (We thought it was 30.) Mom was glad she has Hogue grips on her Blackhawk, since she was shooting factory .45's instead of her reloads, and she was still all smiles after the workout. The .45 Blackhawk was the biggest gun in the class, and Mom had instant street cred when she strapped it on. There were some .38's, some .40's, and one fellow brought a .22. After raising her revolver up to fire 100 times, she had to feel like the guy who "Just flew in from Denver!"
Chad, the instructor, works for the Washington County Sheriff's Department, and he puts on a good class. Mom can apply for her permit under the new Iowa law after January 1, 2011.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
Weekend Steam: Spark Shows
A recent attraction at steam shows is the "Spark Show." These are dramatic, and are great crowd pleasers. The old-timers who used these engines to work would look on this as so much foolishness, but today the steamers are recreational, and educational tools, and you have to attract new fans to keep the steam shows viable. This video is courtesy of TheBoss4845, and the engine is a 13 HP Russell. The sparks are made by piling sawdust in the firebox, waiting for it to catch, then opening the draft doors and the throttle; great fun, and beautiful to watch.
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