It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas, Bing Crosby

A Little Pre-Holiday Relief

Day after tomorrow we will be starting our annual Christmas music videos, so let's have a little relief ahead of time.  We have been neglecting music posts here because YouTube makes it difficult to post music videos, even though the records have expired copyrights.  It isn't worth the appeals and worry to me, but there are many who keep going; and Good For Them.  Now that Brat is gone, the Brunswick just isn't as much fun, but I still love the old tunes.





Smiles marks a dividing line. It came out in 1917, during the Great War and marks the end of the era of minstrel songs and pathetic ballads. It's a good song that is still loved a century later. Nobody remembers In The Baggage Coach Ahead, but we do know Smiles!

Whispering also is an historical marker.  This is the song that started the Roaring Twenties.  Paul Whiteman made his career because of this song, and he continued into the Swing Era.


My favorite rendition of Whispering is by the Comedian Harmonists.  It is well worth your time to look them up on the 'net. 


Let's listen to Tea For Two while I have the Comedian Harmonists on my mind. These songs should help you fight the holiday doldrums that us old folks may have.

Dusty And Daughter Doubled!

Our friend Dusty has been hunting our ground and sending us great photos of the wildlife he sees.  A couple days ago he hunted with his daughter from a ground blind on his farm and they both bagged a good trophy.  Moments like this are ones you will remember all your life.  Thank You, Dusty, for sharing this with us!

Ruger's Auction To Benefit Honored American Veterans Afield

Ruger is offering a Mini-14 this week with real collector appeal.  It is from a special production run in 1979 for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and it is marked O.H.P.  It is a blue model with a flash suppressor, bayonet lug, fiberglass handguard, fixed front sight, and adjustable peep sight.  A sling is included with this rifle.

This fine Mini-14 will sell mid-day, Wednesday, November 21, 2018.  CLICK HERE to see the entire description and to place your bid.  $2625!

Dave Rotigel's Big 16 HP Galloway

Dave Rotigel and his big 16 horsepower Galloway were spotted by Merle.  Mr. Rotigel was well known among antique engine fans, and he would haul his engines great distances to show them.  He purchased an Austral engine from a California collector and hauled it all the way home to Pennsylvania.  He showed that engine at Evansville, and also this Galloway.  Dave Rotigel has been gone for a year now, and he will be remembered and missed by all of his engine friends.   This video was shot by Rob Gill, who lives and breathes old engines. Rob makes new brass tags for old engines that have lost theirs, and that specialty keeps him busy.



 I shot a brief video, too.

Life Is Good. It Is Better With A Grinder!

Back To The Old Grind! (Not my video, but boy have we been using our angle grinders lately! Mostly on nails during our renovation.)

Black Oak Firewood Snagging!

We are off the tripod and on the GoPro for another thrilling episode of Old Man Motor Sports!  Today we are cutting a dead black oak for firewood.  It is sawlog size, the sapwood is rotting and the top is mostly fallen.  The tree turns out to be hollow, but the wood is still solid.  The top of the tree is dry enough to go right into the stove, and these dead black oaks dry fast once they are split and put under cover with good air circulation. 



Wear your protective gear and make a plan for every tree you cut.  Not mentioned in this video is the reason for the final cut being made from the opposite side from where I did the bore cut.  The remains of the top were on the same side as where I did the bore cut, and I did not want to be under it when the tree went into motion.  The little bit of top is also the reason that I took off immediately when the back cut was finished.

Weekend Steam: Russian Locomotives!

Thank You Merle, for keeping us in good videos!

Ticked Off!

Lisa found it.  She was out in the timber with me and she zeroed on a spot.  I checked right away to keep her from eating something nasty, as dogs like to do.  A deer had been shot through.  Blood sprayed from both sides.  I looked and found four good bleeding spots, but no trail to or from.  I spent a long time circling and searching; these four spots were all.  So, someone shot a deer with a rifle, before firearm season (No Rifles Allowed in Illinois), and retrieved the deer with a four wheeler and got it out before I found them, on land that is posted.  I have let my reputation with trespassers mellow, and that is a mistake.  They will be back, and that will be their mistake.

People Think I Won't Notice!

I have to run off trespassers regularly.  I had some Amish guys trespassing last year, and they pretended they didn't know there was a boundary.  That is the same excuse that today's trespasser used.  He told me he had permission to hunt the property east of us and didn't see the boundary.  He had to carry his stand over the old boundary fence, and since he didn't mention tripping on it, I assume that he did see it.  I was polite, though, because I don't want a fight.  I just want them to leave.

He did leave.  I checked his stand this afternoon and he was disassembling it and getting ready to move out.  I ran some orange flagging through the woven wire so he could easily see it from his stand.

I am still amazed at the hunters who want me to think they are the Lone Outdoorsman when they can't find or follow a fence or navigate with a compass.  We need to bring back the Boy Scouts, where kids learned these skills.

Ruger's Auction To Benefit Honored American Veterans Afield

Here is another rare treasure from the Ruger vault!  Back in 2005, Ruger made commemorative .357 Flattop Blackhawks to celebrate a half century of this iconic revolver.  This Blackhawk was engraved, and it was not a catalog item.  It is extremely rare!  CLICK HERE to read the full description and to place that winning bid.  This fine revolver will sell mid-day, November 14, 2018.  $780

Tuesday Torque: 5 HP Barn Fresh Galloway

Here is another good one spotted by Merle.




If you are lucky enough to come across an old engine in a building, please don't give in to the temptation to spin the flywheels. Go to a few engine shows and you will see repaired rocker arms. Those usually happen because someone spun an engine with a stuck exhaust valve. Shoot some oil on the valves and do not try to roll that engine until you know all the parts are free to move. Thanks, Merle!