Seasonal Frustration

Every year you can count on seeing some of this in farm country. After the harvesting is done farmers start pushing out fence rows and timber edges to increase their acreage or to rearrange their fields. This is one big reason that I am always pushing for landowners to plant trees on land that is idle. Illinois is actually gaining forest land, but it takes a lot of effort to stay ahead of clearing for agriculture and other uses.

The Lightning Rod Is Good!

Transmission Error

I have always done most of my own vehicle maintenance, and the first time I serviced the transmission on our Chevy Astro-Van I was taken aback by the filter. After dropping the pan you simply pull the old filter straight down to remove it. You then have to pull the old retainer/ seal (circular object), install a new retainer/seal, cram the new filter up into the retainer/seal, reinstall the cleaned pan, and add the proper amount of transmission fluid. I had always assumed that the pan fit closely enough to the filter to keep it from working out of the retainer. I was wrong.

A couple weeks ago I noticed the transmission slipping a little, and it was slow to go into gear. I checked the transmission fluid, and it was way over full. That didn't quite compute, but I pumped out some fluid and then the van could not move at all. I dropped the transmission pan and the old filter came down with the pan. Luckily, with the filter disconnected, the fluid level was high enough for some to be picked up, but the torque converter was not being kept full. After I had pumped some out, no fluid could be picked up by the pump.

We drive on gravel, and we go over lots of washboards, so I will drop the pan again, take some careful measurements, and install a shim pack of flexible magnets under the filter to keep it in place.

Our previous vans were Fords, and the transmission filters on those cars were bolted on; they never came off. The next time we go new car shopping we will be looking for a better idea.

Ranch Security

Hey-Joe (Right) showed up in June of 1998 and has been part of the family ever since. His old companion Henrietta's heart gave out this year, and HeyJoe was pining away. We looked at dogs at local shelters and brought Jack home with us. He and Hey-Joe became buddies right away, and Joe is once again a happy doggy. Jack was a city dog and was a bit spooked by the country, but now he likes long walks around the farm and practically dives when I tell him 'Down.'

Not My Victrola

Here is your Monday Morning Mood Modifier, courtesy of 240252 over on YouTube. If this one makes you want to Fox Trot, that's OK.

Monday Again!

Back To The Old Grind!

Weekend Steam

Here is a nice mix of steamers running around at Old Threshers. This is a string of short videos we shot while we were going from one attraction to another; nothing special, but fun to watch.

Crankin' It Up

We had to make a run to town this evening, and Christmas music was playing in the stores already. You won't find any of that here until well after Thanksgiving--guaranteed! Here is a peppy jazz record made in April, 1925. The song is "Down And Out Blues" performed by The Cotton Pickers, an all white house orchestra employed by Brunswick. The hot trombone playing on this record is Miff Moles, and he is quite interesting to read about on the internet if you are into the history of forgotten musicians.

T Tips

If you want to get around like this guy you better keep reading these pages and save them to your hard drive for future reference. Here are two more pages from "Dyke's Automobile Encyclopedia, Ford Supplement" for your reading pleasure. Click on the pages to enlarge, and then save them if you think you might ever have to work on a Model T.

Next time we will have more pages of transmission information. Stay tuned!

Armistice Day, November 11, 1918

On this Veteran's Day ninety years after The Great War ended, we should pause and reflect on the sacrifices made by the men and women of that generation. World War I was overshadowed by the Second World War, but it had horror beyond our ability to imagine today. From the time we entered the war in April 1917, until Armistice Day, we had 117,000 combat deaths, and 205,000 wounded. Those are really big numbers for the few months we were in the war. Worldwide there were about 10,000,000 killed by the war, 3,000,000 widows, and 10,000,000 orphans.

The first video in today's post is "My Dream of the Big Parade," performed by Henry Burr, Billy Murray, and the Peerless Quartet. The second video is a lighthearted song I am sure you have heard before. Spend some time reflecting on the debt we owe all who have served to protect our freedom, and be sure to thank a vet today.

Here is Nora Bayes in a 1919 recording of "How Ya Gonna Keep Them Down On The Farm," posted on YouTube by RReady555.

Not My Victrola

Heigh-Ho, Everybody! Here is 'The Song I Love' by Rudy Vallee, posted by Victrolaman1 on YouTube. It should lift your Monday morning mood.

Monday Again!

Back To The Old Grind!