Jim Unger Knows My Heart

Has there ever been a better explanation of how it feels to roll out every morning?  Well, maybe Hoyt Axton.



Can't really complain, though. I'm not crawling around under oilfield trucks now, and I always have coffee handy.

Things I See

I run across yard art bottle trees on a somewhat regular basis.  My favorite of all time was made of Phillips Milk of Magnesia bottles.  That's a little too much information for me.

Skeeters

The wet summer keeps on giving.  I spend my time outdoors walking through various forestry projects when I'm not driving or typing, and the mosquito crop this year is remarkable.  We have tiny ones you don't hear or feel, normal sized ones that hurt, and really big ones that grab your attention.  No matter the temperature you wear long sleeves and cover up with lots of deet and Buggins.  You can cool off on the way back to the office, so you tolerate the heat.  I hear Zika on the news, but strangely, nobody is talking about West Nile Virus this year.  It has to be out there yet, and I don't want it, so I wrap up and spray.

Ruger's Auction To Benefit The Light Foundation

Ruger is offering another 25th Anniversary .44 Magnum Carbine this week.  Click Here to read all about it and to place your winning bid.  This fine little rifle will sell mid-day, Wednesday, September 7, 2016.  100% of the proceeds of this auction will go to benefit the Light Foundation. $1700

Tuedsay Torque

Wouldn't you love to park this baby in your garage?  It's a 25 HP Superior oilfield engine that was on display at the recent Pinckneyville show.  Engines like this pumped oil out of the ground for decades, pulling on rodlines from powerhouses.

Walnut Caterpillar Control, Without Pesticides!

Not My Victrola: A Little Mood Music For A Steamy Weekend

Mt. Pleasant, Iowa

Rollag, Minnesota

Weekend Steam: Marshall Corliss

This big cross-compound Corliss engine is running at Old Threshers this weekend in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.  During its working years it supplied water to Marshalltown, Iowa.

August e-Postal Results

Participation is definitely down this year.  Billll, Merle, Susan and her Mother, and me. are the only entrants this month.  This target looks deceptively easy, but I couldn't seem to shoot a perfect score.  I always pulled off for a shot or two, and I threw away a stack of targets where I did poorly.  Here are a couple of Billll's.  I tend to bump up scores where the shooters have been reluctant to go for close points.  Billll broke the line on both of the close ones, so I gave him another point on each one.

Class 1; Air Pistol, Iron Sights/Non-magnified red dot	Firearm	Distance	Score
No Entries
Class 2; Air Pistol, Magnified optical sights	Firearm	Distance	Score
No Entries
Class 3; Rimfire Pistol, Iron Sights\ non-magnified red dot	Firearm	Distance	Score
Susan, Mrs. TBS	Ruger 22/45 Lite, red dot	25 ft	29/30
David, TBS	Ruger Mk III red dot	25 ft	27
Billll	Ruger Mk I Iron	25 ft	25/30
Pattie Ann	Ruger 22/45 Lite/ red dot	25 ft	23/30
Class 4; Rimfire Pistol, Magnified optical sights
No Entries
Class 5; Centerfire Pistol, Iron Sights/Non magnified red dot	Firearm	Distance	Score
Merle	CZ-52, 7.6x 25 Tokarev	25 ft	22/30
Merle	CZ-82 9 x 18 Makarov	25 ft	20/30
Class 6: Centerfire pistol, Magnified optical sights
No Entries
Class 7; Rimfire Rifle, Iron Sights/Non-magnified red dot	Firearm	Distance	Score
Merle	Iver Johnson M-1 .22 Carbine	25 yds	29/30
Class 8; Rimfire Rifle, Magnified optical sights (25 yds)	Firearm	Distance	Score
Merle	M39A Mountie, Bushnell 4X	25 yds	30/30
Class 9: Centerfire Rifle, Iron Non-magnified Red Dot	Firearm	Distance	Score
Merle	4095 HiPoint 4095 Carbine	50 yds	3/15
Class 10: Centerfire Rifle, Magnified optical sights	Firearm	Distance	Score
Billll	4095 HiPoint 4095 Carbine, 4X	25 meters	15/15
Merle	Yugo M24/47 4X	50 yards	14/15

Midwest Old Threshers, Through Labor Day, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa

The annual celebration/reunion is going on now.  It has been called the Greatest Steam Show On Earth, and if it isn't, it's pretty close. I have spent many happy days there, but will be missing for the foreseeable future.  Here is a little video from 2011 in the big engine building.