Ready, Willing, and Able

Back To The Old Grind!

The Holy City

Pop A Pair Of Postals, and Send Mr. Completely Get-Well-Wishes!

 If you have been checking Mr. Completely's blog you know by now that he is in the hospital because of triple bypass surgery.  Because of that, he hasn't posted the March scores yet, so I want you all to show Mr. C some love and send him more targets to score when he is up and around.  I know nothing would make him happier than getting a bunch of Well-Wishes in his In Box with target scans attached.  So, head over to his blog, roll down the page to his March e-Postal instructions and print your targets.  Do it this weekend, because he will be up and around soon, ending the March contest by posting the scores.

While you are making preparations to head to the range be sure and print out the April target from the Couserveative UAW Guy's blog, and shoot that contest tool  These monthly contests are great for honing your trigger skills, and you will enjoy the fellowship with bloggers and blog followers.

Not My Victrola

Cobblestones is a nice little fox-trot by Ted Lewis in 1927. The slide show is a great bonus.

Crankin' It Up

We're going way back to 1904 this week to have a listen to Pryor's Orchestra, playing what they say is an Arabian Intermezzo.  Sounds OomPah-ish to me.

Weekend Steam: Valve Timing On A Steam Engine

Tree Planting Payoff

Crabapple trees are a common landscape tree, and most are planted because they fit in restricted spaces, and they have showy colors from both flowers and fruit.  The fruit is more important than most of us realize.  Northward bound robins feed on these trees, and this week I saw a flock of Cedar Waxwings feasting on the colorful fruit. 

These trees can be used in urban or rural settings.  Plant them away from sidewalks so folks don't track the little apples into homes.  Expect to see robins and turtledoves nest in these trees.

Walking The Plank

 We put up a couple new Wood Duck boxes this spring, so we have a total of three around the pond now.  This one went up on a cypress that is out in the water, and I had to walk the plank to get up in the tree.

It was a bit awkward, but I didn't lose any tools in the pond.

There is a pair of Woodies that just moved into a box we can watch from the house.  The female likes to land on top of the box and crane her neck around to look inside before she goes in.  We've been reading about these pretty little ducks, and predators really hit them hard.  Snakes, squirrels, coons, possums and turtles all prey on the little ducklings, and it's a wonder that any of them survive.  I hope ours get lucky.

Looking For A Hero

This cute little Studebaker would be a fine, rare vehicle for restoration, and it might get lucky, since it sits along a state highway in rural Wabash County, Illinois. 

Ruger's Auction To Benefit The Light Foundation

The collectors are piling on for this week's Ruger auction.  The firearm is an early (under 1000 Serial Number) Number 1 rifle, made in 1967, and used by none other than Mr. William Ruger.  This rifle is in the versatile and useful .308 caliber, so it's a gun you can use for hunting and recreational shooting.  Click over to Ruger's GunBroker page and read all about it.  This fine, desirable rifle will sell mid-day, Wednesday, April 9, 2014.  100 % of the proceeds will go to benefit the Light Foundation.

$3035!