Ruger' Auction To Benefit The Youth Shooting Sports Alliance

Ruger has posted a 10 1/2" Super Blackhawk this week, from 1983.  The generous folks bidding on this one have run it up too high for me (as usual), but go have a look, and maybe you will want to bid.  100% of the proceeds of this sale will go to benefit the Youth Shooting Sports Alliance. The hammer falls on this sale mid-day, Christmas Eve, 2014.

$1775

Tuesday Turbo Boost

Any Month Of The Year

Oyster mushrooms are always a pleasant surprise when we find them.  They will pop after a rain any time when it is above freezing, so we literally pick them in every month of the year.  We have had them at Thanksgiving, and this beautiful bunch appeared in in December this year.  In warm weather months you have to find them before the little black beetles consume them, and squirrels love them, too.  They keep well on the wood where they grow this time of year, and with the leaves down they are easier to spot.  This bunch is growing on a downed black oak limb, but they will grow on a variety of woods.  We have found them on hickory, ash, willow and cottonwood.  Carry a sharp knife, and string to lash your knife to a long stick, just in case the mushrooms are out of reach.

UPDATE!!

 They were Heavenly.

Must Have Been A Monday

Back To The Old Grind!

Not My Victrola: Fourth Sunday of Advent

Weekend Steam: Treat Yourself!

I haven't had one of these for many many moons, but I remember it is pretty good stuff.  There is a picture of a locomotive in here somewhere, just to make this post legal.

Crankin' It Up With Brat The Cat

 Maud Powell is a fascinating artist, and was a pioneer in in recorded music who began recording classical violin for Victor in 1904. You can read all about her HERE, and you can purchase copies of her recordings HERE. 

Always Putt-Putt-Puttering Around

Our friend Gary keeps finding fascinating old iron.  This is his latest; a Lockwood-Ash marine engine.  These were popular in the days before outboard motors came along, and they are still popular in Louisiana.


I doubt that Gary will be taking this down the Mississippi, but the Kaskaskia would be smooth sailing, without any barge traffic. A neat feature of these old 2-stroke engines is that they are reversible. The timer sits up front, and has a lever for the operator to use in adjusting the timing, and for changing the direction the engine runs.

OK, OK, But How Much Did He Steal?

This is a self-writing joke: Bazillion admitted he burglarized a building in Dahlgren.

Engine Crank-Ups

Engine show season may be over until Spring, but engine collectors are a hardy bunch and they have their own private little shows during the off season.  This video (by Rob Gill) is from Rob and Bob Gill's Crank-Up last week.  They had a lot of wheels turning, good food, and good times for their engine friends.