Who Keeps Whom Hopping?

We have three fosters right now in addition to our own dogs, and we stay busy putting them in the dog yard, doing leash walks, and playing with them on their new exercise equipment.  This is Titan jumping through the hoop.  There are also lots of trips to the Vet.  In the last week we have had two of the fosters and our little Skipper to the Dr, and also took the two barn cats in for vaccinations.

Weekend Steam: The Modern Steam Locomotive, 1942

Great Film!  We even get to watch one being built!  Thanks to Merle for spotting this one!

Olney FFA Does It Again!

Jamie VanDyke's FFA team will be making their third trip to the FFA National Convention in October after winning the state FFA Forestry Contest at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.

Jamie's team took top honors at the sectional contest that was held at Sam Dale Lake State Park on September 11.  Jamie and his team stayed after the contest for a tutoring/review session and they have been working hard so they might go to the national contest again.  In 2016 the Olney team placed third in the nation; a remarkable achievement for kids from corn and bean country.

Tree ID

This year the contest consists of a written general knowledge test, tree identification, timber measurement, equipment identification, map interpretation, tree disorders, and chainsaw troubleshooting and knowledge.  Contestants at the national contest are also individually interviewed by judges.

Sycamore; An Easy One!

Team Photo Credit, Jamie VanDyke, Richland County Schools

Chestnuts, Chestnuts!

It's that time of year again.  Gotta do some pickup and put them away in the old fridge.

Hit The Deer, Possum, Coon, Whatever...

And teach your kids to do the same.  We all hate hitting an animal on the road, but the alternative is bad.

Buck's Branch Economy Is Getting All Dressed Up!

The 9 HP Sears Economy Engine that we collected in Eastern Kentucky nearly forty years ago is now sitting on a proper drop-center cart!  During its working life, the engine was bolted down on timbers in its mill shed, but a cart makes an engine much easier to move and to show.  Gary Bahre put the Sears on  cart he built with Case separator wheels and wooden timbers, but it stood too tall, and was hard to crank.  A high center of gravity also made the Sears worrisome when it was being trailered. Gary can breathe much easier now when he takes it to shows.

Mr. Mahnke of Mahnke Motorsports is the artist who stitched this all together.  He is also the builder of the rod for Gary's 8 HP Bessemer.

Stay tuned for updates.  Gary is planning to have this rig painted before cold weather arrives, and then it will be ready to show.

Photo Credit:  Gary Bahre

Ruger's Auction To Benefit The Wounded Warrior Project

Ruger is offering one of the best looking firearms they produce this week.  It is a 5 1/2" Super Blackhawk with a fluted cylinder, in .44 Magnum.  I have one of these, and it is a joy to shoot.  This revolver was sent to a distributor in 1989 and was returned to the factory for unknown reasons.  This fine shooting iron will sell mid-day Wednesday, September 27, 2017.  CLICK HERE to read the full description and to place your bid. $721

Tuesday Torque: Fairbanks Stack Talk and Smoke Rings!

Pretty music here!  Hat-Tip to Merle for spotting this for us.

Angle Grinder Ideas For Puttering Codgers!

Back To The Old Grind!

Ground Hard

I worry about little stuff.  If crops weren't being picked now, everybody would be talking about the drought.  The ground cannot be dug easily right now, and there are critters who will soon need to dig in and disappear for the winter.  Turtles are patient and persistent, but when you see them digging in dry soil to lay eggs or to overwinter, it pulls at your heart a bit.  We might get rain next week...