4-30-o9 To much to do

Went out this morning finding dead calf at birth. Way I understand it, the calf’s enlarged head didn’t timely pass out/through the birth canal as it should have and die in the canal. The cow, remaining strong managed to push the calf out regardless. Life going on I had my physical therapy appointment to keep.
My 1 ½ houred PT went easily enough. Coming home a couple slices whole wheat toast with honey was breakfast. No rain, out the drive I was turning left the second time this time the grain wagon in tow, yup, I thought I’d get a jump on supply before I’m empty wagoned caught short unable to timely grind when the feed is needed next. Corn supply was backed up at least two days. I’m pleased with myself I had initiated this jump.
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Shelled corn unavailable so to speak, I had messed up leaving my juice can off the exhaust pipe, an 1850 Ollie. I thought I had better start it and let it run awhile for drying out any water gotten in the engine.
Spent a good deal of time looking for a misplaced JD parts manual? Never found it. Did discover the shop is one Hell of a mess. It needs a thorough cleaning up, things put away trash and scrap thrown out. The Manual just may come out of hiding once its uncovered?
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Somewhere in there I put the fluids back into the 4020. This was the second time this overhaul got them without having yet let me hear the music sweetly coming from the engine’s smoke stack. A funnel designed for each use the tall slender one I used for pouring the oil back into the engine I had drain just days ago, the skinny necked full bellied funnel hosting three screens temporarily accepted 50/50 coolant on its way into the radiator, and lastly I vertically dumped gasoline into the red necked gas tank‘s top. Sjayzooks, I goofed again. Pouring gas in the top the gas was running out the bottom, the floor making a mess of it. Shucks, What’ll I do? I grabbed the first gas can my hand touched and the same funnel I pour the now polluting fluid in in the first place. Next I threw saw dust all over the spilled gas. While it soaked away I hit the can’s looing for that odd brass fitting I already knew we didn’t have. I found two, one to large the other to small, I kept up my search narrowing it down throwing all the big stuff back into the can I had dumped in the first place. I found another fitting, taking it to the open pipe spilling it heart out a pail catching now rather than the smelly stuff hit the floor. It was a mite to big. Darn it a guy as got to have a bit of luck once in a while? I found it, the perfect brass coupling> I couldn’t plug the pipe but should fit. I tried it hoping I could Rub Goldberg it providing it fit. I hopefully tried it , it was no go. Something wrong with the threads. No don’t force it I went back to the last of the fast filling brass fittings can. What’s this, I didn’t believe it, my eyes deceiving surely me. I grabbed it as if I had no choice, and scurried to the flowing pipe. I didn’t even go at fitting the pieces together as I already knew they couldn’t fit together… I was wrong, without effort the new piece in my finger turned right screwed right into the leaking pipe, and amazing as it was neither that fitting nor I needed a plug as there already was one on it. A couple wrenches The gasoline flow had come to an end.
What a mess I had across the floor. The saw dust has always been a good substance for the farm shop’s floor. It has always done what I had expected to stopped the tide’s flow going any further across the floor. I needed the broom and shovel for starters. I swept the wet saw dust into a pile. The wet spots that remained I brought with the tip of the broom into the still clean and dry saw dust pushing it away from the pile to color as dirty as that material deeper in the pile. When all said and done all the sawdust of equal colors I had to put the sopping wet stuff somewhere. It’d been best to have taken it out and burned it immediately, but was raining as hard as if it were coming for a big cow standing over the scene. I put the contaminated saw dust in a supplement feed sack I had been putting my soiled newspaper rags in the last few days. All the saw dust deposited in that bag I rolled it shut and it in Ugly for the ride home. I could do with a rosy evening fire to warm my being as well as my soul.
Entering the house I assured Frieda I had the makings of a rosy fire, the rosy fire idea I was not about to loose sight of. I squished that supplement sack making sure its top was rolled and creased so it’d fit the stove’s anxious belly. The hazardous firelighter in place I stuffed several pages from one of my favorite magazines under the loaded supplement bag, placed some logs of varied sizes upon the sack, and reached for the box of safety matches. The next thing I did, I could say was crucial! I left the woodstove doors open as I struck that first and only match. Leaving the stove’s doors open I wanted to see that bag burn with plenty of air and open space about it. I was in no hurry to close that stove’s door on an explosive content. I had rather not seen such as our woodstove lifting off into orbit before settling back into place to keep me and mine warm.
All went well. The stove neither exploded, lifted of nor embarrassed me in my neighbor hood. May I suggest as been so often heard on TV, “Don’t be trying this at home!” BGKC.
Fernan

Day four….

…..for the cat I saw ah but a few back hairs last Friday. Calling “Della” I get no answer. With Frieda it has been different. Frieda talks her kitty talk to that darn cat and the cat timidly answers Frieda back. But letting neither one of see her? No way. At least she’s eating, drinking well and using her sand box. Her appetite seems to be improving and she is obviously doing her laundry, So I’m assuming she is a clean cat.
Out the door it wasn’t exactly tuxedo weather one way or another. I wore my water tight boots. Neat thing about them if I fill them I won’t loose any water until I empty them sure taking them off. All dressed up and having no place to I went for a leisurely walk around the barn. The leisurely part of the walk is look and occasionally quickly stepping from clump of earth to earth clumps what want to either mush-out from under foot or seemingly risky at no better than to let me sink to far, the found suction trying to keep a boot or two as souvenir’s my having passed so near.
My hick not without peril my keeping my footing and myself up-right I counted nine calves. Somebody had snuck another one into the herd overnight. Having made it once around the barn without a stroke ot heart attack I wasn’t chancing another muddy foot race I may not win, even though I were the only contestant. All ready winded, to old to muster up a second wind, I merely suggested to myself I might go again for a closer look to find who had dropped this ninth calf later. Could be as wet the terrain,, later could be a long time coming.
Shop time early enough to be well ahead every body else’s day’s start, I managed to get a lot done. The front crank seal looking a might less than stellar I greased it good, held the timing cover just so clear of the motor block hand turning in a few five inch guide bolts. While the bolts freed my hands for installations the bolts also held the cover gasket so it be where it belonged everything coming together when the covers own bolts were to be screwed in. This helped my re-drive the front seal on the crankshaft letting the cover to just simply follow along.
The front cover almost completed Tom come walking in. While I let Tom tighten the cover bolts I stooped to re-cleaning the oil pan. Not even started there was an accumulation of sludge in the oil-pan’s bottom after the oil had been drained.
With Tom’s help the oil pan went on easily, as did all the other miscellaneous parts we had had to take off for the split. Putting them back on we soon had gotten to push the to ends together again. About finished with all the wrenching part, it was high time to break for late lunch. I get back I’ll add three fluids and JD should be ready for start.
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A sneak peak at poor JD just a few details to add before pushing it all back together….

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E-gads! Lunch was so late my Fillis had stopped by on her way home from work. We chatted some she told me she had been photographed working at and the picture published in last Sunday’s Flint Journal. I looked for it not finding it. Maybe in a day or to?
Talking her into spending some time with me we rode an 1850 Ollie around in the mud identifying calves to cows. There’re nine calves out her now. Next we took Cushman down the road to collect soil samples of a recently planted hay field to be checked for what we might broadcast on it to improve crop production. The Cushman’s tricky behavior had me introducing Fillis to one her neighbor’s Juan and Genie. If that weren’t bad enough Cushman insisted on my introducing Fillis to another neighbor. The last stop was Handy’s home. Before we turned truck for home Handy needed ride to druggist’s for prescriptions. I promised I’d be back, dropped my baby girl off at her home. Bro’ and Keith tattooing and tagging calves Bro’ pointed out fence shorted out. Swilling rattlers down changing shoes for boots I fixed fence, changed boots back I was of to pickup Handy for the druggist’s. Written enough I call this day quits. BGKC.
Fernan

April Showers….

….continued rain is getting real tiresome. The muds aren’t deep but sure as the devil annoying. It’s like one day a week Ugly and I may come in and out, come and go, once without spinning a wheel and loosing traction. The barn down yonder is water front property again with it lake’s outlet the creek free running again; I must ford when I go to the barn. Arrggghhhh!!!!! And here I am, lucky me, when I’ve handily got my holey boots by the back door. The dry ones are out in Ugly’s care. Ya’s ‘spose they’s a may-west available on Craig’s list? Three more days they’s better be a lot of blooming flowers!!!!!!!
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“Son of a bitch,” through the wisdom of our Fedral Gobbermint ordered the airforce to buzz Nude York with Air Force One. If Nude Yorkers weren't already paranoid enough. Where's DC's flubisity hound's heads? Up their ass-is's!
This act is no freaking Joke.
Fernan
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Since Della’s arrival into our happy home last Friday evening, Sweetheart’s been in and out of the house twice. Better yet SH is giving my lap and I a rest this evening so I may type upon my keyboard in peace. Egads, it’s been four days and Della ain’t showed her face to me yet. From wherever she’d hiding she’d coming out sustenance and sand box use. Oh well, three days is usually the norm, so she’ll fit right in this place’s abnormal misfits. So we wait to see what we got?
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Looking out over this morning’s landscape everything looked normal and quiet. Nothing too awful exciting going on. What I wanted was a real needing me scene for my doning boots without drainage holes in them. So I went PT where I was advised I had week to go. I’m gonna like that! Getting back……where are they? Looking out across the landscape somebody found some mischief outside the bounded areas. It was the heavy boots time. It was also time to call up backup. It was a good idea anyway. First couple calls were fruitless. One last call Bro’ he’d be on his way. I could just see myself pulling him out of the mud. I might luck out if he displays some commonsense and with him shows up the bro for my first called candidate. I get a piece of wire a couple insulators, make three quick fixes all’s be set. The girls un realizing there were no fences beyond all their beyond. All I had to do was fix that original RR Crossing wires and they’d drive home none the wiser. With help of two more. We had what looked like a mob. Even with the help of one I’d no be out flanked. So the homeward drive went well. Only the girls all of a suddenly became dumb as to where they had come out from. That fence fixed I let them back home through the barnyard way-out-pasture’s gate.
More than ready enough for lunch I did it, lunch I Mean. Afterward I tried winding either a short or open wire in the fences. I found a couple. Slooging all to much mud I was through for the day. Came and searched the net for a plow I know not the name for it. Description, it looks like a right and left put together back to back. Use, drawn across wet fields surfaces it makes a temporary ditch for field surface drainage.
One shortened look around and I’m off to bed. Oh, one last thing the two cows (924 & 870) each trying to claim the attention of the same calf, 870 had her’s today in the rain. Now, she’s happy. BGKC.
Fernan

My parents good old days

Today’s topic
My parents met in So. Haven, Mi. Mom unintentionally took her best friend’s boy friend and married him six months disowned by her grandmother who’d raised her. Their first home was built with lumber Dad had traded for with hand cut fire wood. Seasonal farm labors they were paid in produce. Nobody had money.
Gambling on a big move, Dad bought two Maxwell automobiles sitting in the Black River’s bottoms behind the fruit exchange. He swapped parts to make one run, cut the back half body off, added a deck, and loaded what tires on wheels he could save for spares. The half made Maxwell truck loaded with what possessions they had they headed for Detroit. There unloading/abandoning the Maxwell one tire still holding air they were welcomed into a Marine Corp Buddy’s home.
Born 1936 Detroit during the depression when the economy was looking up. Their purse filled slowly Mom worked at the 5 & 10, Dad a day worker at one of the auto plants whenever he’d guess right the position they needed filled that day. Their heat was coal carried up four flights from the basement. Hot water came out of a manually lit on and off gas hot water heater.
Dad aspiring to be an automobile repairman found he was allergic to motor oils and grease. He eventually found a job in a camping trailer factory. In the cabinet shop he found his alternative calling. Visiting book stores he built himself a whole library upon the subject. The one book I found most interesting was upon the steel square it’s illustrating there’s scarcely a mathematical problem that can’t not be solved on a steel square (provided the user had the complete set). Into the late 1940’s Dad was a recognized master carpenter teaching apprentice Union carpenters on the job.
As for me, back when, when I started walking and talking (every man passing called, “Daddy”) coincidently my red faced Mom harnessed me on a leash to the front stoop’s iron railings. At age three my parents fed up with the city life started move North to 12 mile road, lumber ordered, delivered that same day, was stolen that same night. Only enough money for a very small room’s lumber Dad slept on that pile every night until he had built us a cozy little tar-paper shack. So small it was Mom and Dad had to get up from their trundle bed, slid it together so’s one of them could tend me n my crib. By age 5 yr starting school I learned the bigotry’s bad side for having the wrong Sir Name. Those lessens learned by the time I entered high school I was already swearing no such bigoted notions would ever enter my head or cross over my lips. Dad and I got on some serious odds over that subject. Enough of this this day, I’ve calves waiting to see me either again or for the first time. You all have a good day, specially Sir Ron!
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The morning warm and sunny I hope the weather terminators are wrong about this afternoon’s rains. My drive had just gotten dry enough I can turn around in it. Back in the house for breakfast, informed I must grind, I had counted 8 calves, one of them brand new overnight. Finally confirmed one anxious cow indeed didn’t have the calf she had insisted was her’s when in fact it truely belonged to another. Anyway, all the mama’s and the baby’s are all matched up for now.
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Look closely at photograph. Two calves left center are running about celebrating their births in a world new and strange to them. Their tails high the upper ends flying like pennants; this is where the term “High Tailing” come from.

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The JD semi split the front crank pulley and timing gears cover removed the timing gears for crank and cam shaft were timing marked right ON as I had insisted. Backing the tractor up the real culprit was the guy who had insisted he’d set the oil pump timing himself way back when. It weren’t, it were the engineer, Bro’. He’s going to take more heat than he got today for sure. I’ll not let this fowl up go away lightly. No sir reeee.
So as it were to turn out I had a delightful afternoon (with Tom’s help) draining oil and removing the oil pan. That easy part done one of us had to get down and get under. In a democratic society meeting within the farm shop I was dually elected to go under as my one vote remained one vote shy to even make it a tie with the other two. (grumble-grumble) While I had tried to catch the oil drops I laid way done and under I lost. Taking some clever manipulating I opened the bent over lock washers and with a number of wrenches and drives I removed the oil pump bolts. While I held the oil pump Bro’ used my lead headed hammer to gently strike the oil pump’s case. When it had come loose, myself prepared it settled safely within my hands, at that moment I had also bathed me in an overt amount of crankcase oil. My hide well covered in softening elements. Either that or I had just become a most unusual hairy likeness to Oil Can Harry whom I haven’t seen from such a long time ago.
The oil pump reset, retimed from two gears off I enjoyed re-bolting the oil pump back into the JD’s block. This was also where we stopped working on JD while we were ahead.
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Here we also started Bro’s chores. Those finished, it was my time to hit the road and do whatever it was needing doing at home. I went out counted the calves, thinking I had just seen nine out there I never found the rascal. So I accepted the eight count and called it a day.
Finally in I showered as I needed it, started my laundry as my clothing needed it as much as I did. The wrist brace I bathed it in pure dish washing detergent before letting it show the rest of my laundry how to come clean. I swear, I asked no questions. As far as individual water boarding I skipped it giving the whole bunch an equal opportunity to come clean with one of the best agitator’s in anyone’s employ. Plus a couple additional spin dry’s to leave’em dizzy coming out of there presumed brightening space ship ride.
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It being late, having lived another full day, I’ve simply got to lay it out, before exhaustion takes me over. Good night Mrs. Calabash wherever you’re spirit resides. BGKC.
Fernan

Sunday sure

As bad as my left wing has felt all day, for as little I accomplished all day, I should gave gone to church. Cussed arthritis is ever and ever more taking over my frame. Got to put ice on this and that muscle every time any one or more spasms accure to avoid the brain attacking lightening striking pain hitting me in my temples. Now my left arm has taken up zoneful paining the arm to uselessness. What’s with these idiotic isolated pain attacks on my forearm one day, the upper arm, the shoulder the next, or combination of two. This behavior’s going on day in day out, this morning’s hit returned to my left wrist in such a fashion I can not either hold nor push or lean the hand to function without, I don’t know, painfully letting me down maybe? By gum it unimaginably hurts! To escapes the wrist’s pain through a wonderful afternoon nap.
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Frieda had said last night she was going to church this morning. Looking out the deck’s wet, rain drops falling here and there. Like a finicky cat wasn’t going out there and getting her paws (feet) wet. She decided to stay home.
I got outside and checked upon the ladies. Wow! They must have finally gotten hungry. Everything I had set before them was gone. I mean real gone! So, I set before them what one bale I still had here. It were time to hit the road and bring back hay from down yonder. But first I checked out my charges. Seven calves in the pasture one or two of them new last night and this morning. Only there was no telling who they belonged to. These ladies can be so tightlipped a body (me) has to be sneaky sitting a spell until they make a move or moves. So I attentively got them ID-ed. It was time to move on. Some shop time, Bro’ and I picked up talking where the removal of from engine pulley had bogged down. While we contemplated the idea of making a new set of puller forks we loaded my hay wagons and hayed his ladies. I was on the road home. This time I could finish feeding y ladies with a badly wanted second haylage bale. I again rode the perimeter looking for AWOL calves who’d slipped under the fence who knows where. I was still without enough info to make an accurate accounting. No solid information yet. I could only assume something was wrong. I knew there had to be one more calves. I counted six, expected to see seven. The day was not over yet.
So while this may seem short and incoherent, I’m exhausted and heading for my sleeping zone. Keep a light in your window for me to steer by. BGKC.
Fernan

4-25-o9 A nowhere day, yesterday, plus

Busy all ‘YESTERDAY’s’ day busting up time having accomplished nothing. JD continued refusing to start. The fickle finger of fate has been pointed at me, I’ve supposedly done something wrong in assembly. Sue, we Mc-Started re-splitting tractor. We got as far as crank shaft pulley it refusing to come off. Grrr! Can’t wait to “nah, nah-nah, nah, nah!” Good day on a whole to stay inside, threatened with showers early afternoon on. While stayed dry most the day I saved my soaking for evening chores. I red someplace one folk went out so far as getting all wet and only watching other’s share in catching one keeper fish. Well at least they did the truly sporty thingy, she didn’t by a can of Mackerel nor Salomn calling it the her catch of the day. (hehehahahoho strange things are happening).
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A big ‘PLUS’ I saw Logan yesterday. I passing I had to turn it around, doing it just short of doing a “U’y” in the middle of a four lane rush hour scenario. I took for one of them speed pumping turn a-round’s in the neighboring trailer park entrance. He’s wanted to build barn to keep his gun truck “MeatLoaf” as in (brought home from nom). He’s even had to pay the TWP code zoning board for a hearing upon his collection expanded vehicle of interest housing proposal.
Logan has collected a very the unusual numbers of things which he keps in a barn that’s finished of inside and out more smartly than a many a home. I’ve got to make special trip over to his place to do nothing but take a hundred pictures what could not even begin to cover his material menagerie of hard goods.
Besides MeatLoaf he’s a Near perfectly restored and tricked out 1964(?) 17,000 miled one ton International 9’ boxed pickup truck. This pickumup truck has to be seen to be believed. And then he’s just one of a favorite tractor’s to be seen unconventionally pained gray-white tin over dark marooned iron “Minneapolis Moline” tractor. This is one polished most regal tractors ever restored to Logan’s personal taste. He’s a Farmall “B” complete with a Honeymooners Sweety’s seat for plowing Winter’s snows. He often uses a 1906(?) Round Oak cooking range he keeps in his livingest display living room. He’s an WWII tin type Jeep I’ve ever seen. His place hidden just enough from plain view a body would never know of ‘cept by word of mouth.
May thee all keep your sunny dispositions on display for the whole world to see. BGKC.

Suggested partly-partly day

The subject come up mushrooms.
When a kid, we had a wood lot famous for morels. Everybody else found them I/we never collected a single one out of it. As I've grown up I've found my secret areas, before moving here; although, they exist according to others they're found around here each spring time I at just the time I don't have the expedition time. It seems We’ve a primary area just a quarter mile down the road from here.
Now that I am here, when I see Summer’s meadow mushrooms they get picked. Easy to find as I never have to look for them. If they’re there, they’re there a fact as simple as that. And when Fall roles around puff balls make their appearance. Same see and pick as the meadow mushrooms with Fall’s arrival. I slice them up, blanch them, and freeze them until we eat’em with winter’s steak servings.
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An early check, no body new babies in the pastures. PT for an hour. Frieda not home having gotten the gambling fever, she went to the senior center for some serious bingo. No one at home to answer to, I went a around about way home to see Wilma. Gosh she was as pretty as ever as well all eight of her off spring. Then it was on home experiencing some overly digestion problem. Eating lunch I was off for the shop. While I didn’t but scarcely put some time in trying to start the JD, Bro’ was about spring on e I had assembled the engine wrong. Putting it together I already aware I did it right. I suggested carburetor trouble he denied until I made it a suggestion a second time. He opened it up with it hanging on the intake manifold. Then I was taking the carb off. Opened again further some damaged parts were found. All my searching through workbench parts nothing found for it as yet. Tomorrow I hit the carp parts kits way up on the shop wall, my trying to save $205.00 for a carburetor rebuild kit.
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Junk covering shop apron, I spent most my time trying to move it away while at the same time sorting and putting some of the good stuff up for keeps even more out for scrap, and still some wheels and tires put together for spares.
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And, now a fun Picture.

To much sun for me and I had sprung a leak.
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Oh yeah, the partly partly part? Sunshine, cloudy, and rain or showers for weather whether we liked it or not and not necessarily in this order. BGKC……
Fernan

Sunny day’s news

Cheerleaders at a California high school are protesting the firing of their coach over a series of nude photos from Playboy. Carlie Beck — named in Playboy as Carlie Christine — lost her job at Orangevale’s Casa Roble High School after a parent found and complained about the images.

Shame to, She could have coached, cheered me up and cheered me on all three at the same time.
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Now closer to home.
Car-rumba, 30* going out this morning’s door. I didn’t even tux for it. Wore North Woods shit alone for warmth. There weren’t room for another soul in my tux regardless how thin s__ might have been. A man has got to know his limits.

Calf born sunup this AM.

Calf all cleaned up, dried off, mom is still bonding.

The three calves what were here yesterday are in this photo.

The light roan cow in foreground is so very close to deliver a calf she could be tonight or tomorrow. She was talking to me about it this morning.
Having finished crazy lunch, a clowslaw sandwich.
I managed to fix a couple tires, took a couple more apart, and failed to take another one apart. Played at taking parts off a smashed up Pontiac wrecked by a teenaged girl down the street, last winter. The car unrecognizable she crawled out of it to be found in the middle of the road by a school bus driver. It’s a wonder she hadn’t froze. Some scraps and abrasions, with no broken bones she was lucky she weren’t more seriously hurt or worse.
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Today Frieda let me misplace my favorite vacuum bottle. And any misplaced vacuum bottle is my favorite. BGKC.
Fernan

early to rise….

….for no reason at all? Well maybe not? I did throw a log on the fire last night what did a sloe burn all-the-nite-long. No blanky need to wrap me the heat I’d felt more comfortable generating for my hibernating self, than the woodstoves heat what held me just on the edge of deeper sleeps. A weathering low pressure headache didn’t help matters a bit joining the effects of to much Spring nite warmth. 4:00AM I’m watching pretty woman. Only thing on cable what ain’t spilling blood and guts all over the screen. So I listen and open my only good left eye to those scenes I like best: her Lady’s emergence coming off that lounge stool, her stylish look in polka dots for the polo match, and her proud walk of accomplishment her hotel’s return after her disgustingly obscene attentioned shopping expedition. Oh yeah, even the character enhancements Vivian brought out of Edward’s inner boy to the more pleasant light of day.
The weather hadn’t turned Winter’s cold. No ice, snow, nor sleet of night to keep me from my morning’s appointed rounds. One of which does not include A medical appointment. Still a two Tylenol morning my face quite possibly feeling like a long time abused catcher’s mitt. I could sure use one drier day.
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Oh Lawd! I’ve just gotten wind of a most discerning gentleman’s heart is set upon acquiring an 1850/55 Ollie. I wish his lovely bride buckets of luck. And upon hearing something else I shall keep, but hold dear, a little lady’s secret. (smiles)
As idiotic as it may seem, if I had money to throw away or all the major pieces brought together for a song I’d have to learn how to sing first, I’d find it a gas to assemble a 1850 tub and Perkins engine to an 1855’s final drive. Now that’d be a tractor or just save my coin for a later model 2-105 White. And sneakily paint it two toned Deep Purple tin over Blackened iron. Be it accessorized with fender fuel tanks, a hard top, 18.4x38 drivers and 11.00x16 steering wheels and tires. (smile) I’ve never liked White’s silver-magenta gray. It’s like putting a luxury Cady limo finish on a throwaway Chevy Vega. Gray’s an un-impacting dead end color.
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Ladies here already headed up to the table set (round ring over hay bale). The little guys are the three calves born last two weeks on other end.


One of these critters is on the wrong side of the hot wire. Not a good idea where I was concerned.


Disturbed, this same pair had decided they’d had enough of me; for, they’d gotten up and walked away. I’d guess they were showing me!

Also notice mom hasn’t expelled all the calves afterbirth. If co doesn’t loose it the next three days one of us shall have to put my hand in(up to my shoulder to help her clean out. When one of us has removed as much of this afterbirth, that one of us inserts three antibody poultices’ into her body where she had carried that calf to term. A task when finished, fresh air is a never more welcomed commodity.
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Only other activity I’ll jot down per-record keeping is I’d finally found my favorite two day lost stainless steel vacuum bottle right where I hadn’t had permission from Her Mostess to have put it. BGKC.
Fernan

Limitations

I can only take so much.
Just when I was fixing to give up my long underwear it’s supposed to turn cold and snow again in Michigan.
Don’t pack it away yet girly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Taking a different tact
The genuine farm children leave a good deal of their daily education back at the barn these days when they board a consolidated school bus.
It just might be one the reasons farm raised young people spawn fewer hard way learned pregnancies.
Years ago I never understood how so many city kids could think the were either or both smarter or wiser than us so called hicks. I’ll tell you in my day country boys and girls went skinny dipping in the same water hole with nothing extracurricular coming of it.
Hmm, now only about 1.5% or less the US population still live on the working farm. These days could well be coming to an end.
Funning you! Sorry about the soap box.
Fernan
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A real day lived such as it was I woke up to rain. I lost Ugly’s keys and was half hour late for therapy. I was so tight I got heat packed neck. Shortened on muscle massages, and left on a table to relax. Back and neck so tight little could be done for yesterday’s over exertion. Told to come home, stay home, stay in, do nothing but totally relax.
Yeah but, had wagon wheels to fix before next wagons use loaded with hay to move up this road.
Wagon’s first wheels hub up and checked out found bolts enough to make wheels re-installation secure. Front wagon whell same side taken wheel off had more problems One bolt missing another holding and a third already replace with a stud. Remaining two bolt holes stripped. It was a drive to town for two studs. Proper parts on return front wheel assembly together and ready for working. Then bro’ gets bright idea take rear hubs off junk car he’s picked up. Wonderful. Just what I needed for total relaxing. I was not happy, especially when the rain was coming down hard enough the road out front had disappeared. Some more determination upon his part he handed e torch ,, burning a lot of gas the only thing I accomplished was starting the car on fir. My pre-filled water bucket near by, the fire was handily extinguished. Was time for home my saying so. I took care ladies and observed brand new calf from afar. I’ll ID mom and sex the calf come morning. This makes four farm survivors for 2009 model year.

BGKC
Fernan

I gotta change……..

……..my ways. I mean it, I gotta change my ways….or take-up new ones.
I must have gotten to much sun the last few days. Instead of tanning them, the sun has thinned them to the point they’ve started bleeding again. A condition I should have taken steps to prevent. This may very well mean I’ll need to wear a pair/two dreary, unfeeling, insensitive, disgusting gloves. (sniff) Thoughts of gloves the rest of Spring, all Summer long, and Fall, how so entangling droll.
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So heavenly pleasant here. It’s raining rain. Sheesh, bah humbug, I’ve been informed I gotta grind today. That’s not so bad. I’m even dumb enough to enjoy it. There’re day’s everything goes all right as it’s or supposed to. Then there’re days something goes wrong out of stupidity and got a mess most likely to clean up. And, then there’s the occasional day something needs fixing. And fixing’s top priority as feed has to be made to keep critters fed.
The bah hum bug part is I’m out-of grain I have to go to replenish that grain supply first.
Yeah, rain’s alright. It’s an element of nature to enjoy, feeling it, drying out after its gotten you chilled and wet all over. Gosh I’m remembering playing in the rain with our kids to show them it didn’t hurt and it could be fun getting dried out and warmed up after a dousing. It was absolute best day I walked in the rain with our kids still future mother. It was a day I knew I had to have her in my life forever and ever hap….. Hmm well, that’s another whole lot more stories…..
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I mention going grocery store yesterday. While there among other things I pick-up one of the giant economy sized eighteen battery packs, all for my Camera. I got home replaced my camera batteries. Feeling odd (over normally) tried taking my BP with the auto-BP machine. It didn’t work beyond a zero. Tries it again. Same thing, it were harder to turn on than a brand-new bride. Rolled her over….opps….it over opened her….opps….its back. It held a whole slew the same batteries the camera does. Whatever happen to the “D” batteries of yesteryear?
BP wasn’t good, wasn’t bad either, but forgot to take it again. So, I’ll take it now. 147/94. That is in the neighborhood the very same as early evening last. Called Doc’s office. Nurse said, “Wait and take BP again just before lunch, then after, and call back.” Forgetting BP before lunch it was 152/93 after lunch. Well, I got half her instructions correct.
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Long before the preceding adventurers I was saying then, “I gotta get out of here,” but that was just before I had started dressing. Now the way of my dressing, crossing my limbs to put my socks on, somehow I managed to crush (or pinched) my left testicle to a real ouch ouwwy. Kinda hunkered over, Herr Mostess was calling me, Numb Nut, as I still continued getting ready to go out the door.
“Just you wait, deary, until I get something new on you!”
Needing some real compassion..…..I wasn’t getting any.
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Sewing Wild Flower Seed yesterday included two Sunny Area Mixes: Alyssum, and Impaitens. This morning picking up grain grinding supplements Mr. Roger’s made me a two bagged Hummingbird Flower Mix deal I could no way refuse. The exact details of which I’m not at liberty to divulge.
It is so good having friends in the strangest places.
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BP 151/96 it was just before heading back out the afternoon’s rainy wet air. Coming back in it were 149/95 BP. So I guess this about where it is going to be. Coming in I also brought with m e a dandy low pressure system headache of the colossal kind. This one’s wall banger if ever was one.
Between my comings and goings I delivered the ground grain sticking ugly coming out of Bro’s hay-yard. Less than a hundred yards from my upper driveway I noticed a badly wobbling wagon wheel. Stopping to look at it there was no way to even get it off the road let alone all the way into my drive. It was fix it where it set. It had lost four lug bolts od a set of five. Trying to jack wagon up jack refused. Having power steering fluid and an old bottle spout I managed to put some fluid in that itty-bitty hole they provide for just such fillings. (grumble-grumble). The jack then lifted the loaded wagon but couldn’t hold until I stuck a block of wood on end to help the jack. Disgusted I was about wishing I had another block to hold me up. All the lug bolts to tight to get off on the road I managed to get one off another wheel already lacking one. Well, I could at least move the wagons off the road and into the farmyard on two bolts each two wheels. Wagons unloaded will be lighter going back for shop repairs. Balder-dash! I had forgotten all about the lift having fallen off one side tractor last night. When Tom helped me grind this morning giving heart stressing a break, I forgot the While he were here he could have helped me with the lift. Irregardless, having called Keith even before the near lost wheel account, Keith Hadn’t showed up. Seeing Sparky was home maybe, just maybe? A call couldn’t hurt. No immediate contact. About time I was rolling in drive Sparky celled me back and changing duds was going to be on his way. It took three of us to put that lift back on last time, but looking it over, starting tractor, lining-up lower three point arm I tried manipulating the lift levers the arm to engage the lift’s pivot pin. No worked. Getting one of them Ford Ideas I got a round point shovel off Ugly’s back, using it across tractor’s implements arms Working lever slowly I managed to hold those parts in line enough everything connected. Whooppee, Here’s come Sparky down the road just as I didn’t need him. Wrong-o, He picked up my jack what had fallen off Ugly in the road. I got to get onto Ugly for such slipshod help. I had needed Sparky after all. (grin) (smiles) AND, two Tylenol sure had broken up the headache’s grip on my head.
It rained all the night the night I slept filling the creek I’ve got to cross everyday. Then it continually rained all day to keep me wet. When I got in I thought I could use a pass through an old Maytag’s wringer to squeeze out all the water I’d soaked up all day, if it had the gas. BGKC.
Fernan

4-19-o9 Temptation only knows how…..

What a mixed up day…. Sitting here I’m asking what I did today for an accurate journal accounting? She says, “Ashes.”
She was right I had gotten the Cushman woken up, unloaded it and brought it up to haul my ash out back. My ash loaded the ladies had given me a break. There’d be no stampede on either our parts racing for the open gate. Them to pass, me to close. They were to far away. About to empty each bucket was a fruitless exercise to attempt it up wind. That was fun each time I had thought I were up wind, I’d tipped the ash bucket, the wind had changed. I was to come back to the house the look of a gray ghost.
After that….. The Cushman took me down to a corner where oodles and oodles of wild flowers grow. Digging those wild flowers roots I brought home three buckets tiger lily's. Once they had their freedom, I’d guess they just naturally followed me home for my kindness. The Tiger Lily’s in the Cushman’s gentle care. I came inside for a filling lunch. While inside I was asking the same question of myself and the internet. Now, is there an easy way, or special tool as Frieda suggests, to make the planting task easier?
Tiger Lily plants sitting outside in emptied ash buckets the Cushman held them close. Well fed I decided to go over to the Crossroads for wild flower seeds, groceries and gasoline. On way home I stopped to confer with my flower expert. She had suggested shovel. Not once but twice. She told me how to sew the wild flower seeds and I came home.
Everything for the house from truck unloaded. I shoveled and stuffed the Lily plant into the ditches earth about a yard apart. Those tubers finished I sewed the wildflower seed as liking using a salt shaker. All I need now is rain. Then wait and see what develops…… BGKC
Fernan

decisions, decisions, decisions

Spring time on the farm. I have got so many ways to go, today.
(1)Have got that 4020 JD to get to when the distributor rotor comes in; meantime, need fertilizing field unfinished yesterday afternoon. What must be done here the second part following the first part.
(2)Have got so many trees to cut up and move out of/off haying ways. This before the alfalfa gets to vigorous a growth start.
(3)Got that forage box removal project to knock off for the needed running gear to go under a new hay wagon deck. The final resting place for that box is just beyond some soon worked up ground for a hay planting. There's one drawback rushing this project's final outcome is the need for two 5"x10"x22' plus white oak main beams. Ash deck planks already in stock.
(4,5,6) Utilization of volunteers help. Have Chips (Farm’s volunteer forester) assistance on weekends only and her cuts valuable firewood on shares what heats three homes. Tom’s a volunteer who should also get something for his contributions. I had thought some wind fallen fire wood a good way to go, only I’ve got to avoid bending Chip’s nose out of joint??? Tom’s time is a mite easier free
Okay, lets see if all this may be tidied up a bit. Bro’ goes for distributor rotor and Tom helps Bro ‘ start and tune JD. I get out at daylight, check ladies activities, head for elevator and the last fertilizer I need. Then head start wood cutting windfalls till Chip shows. This’ll take care of today. Tomorrow Tom and I may finish tearing forage wagon apart, for dumping box part off Monday or Tuesday. There! Now all that’s figured out. That wasn’t all that difficult was it.
Thanks for the help….
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Michigan farm country deer hunting.
I wouldn't be talking about deer hunting this time of year. :lol: Somebody may get the wrong idea.
I live and hunt in farm country. Deer here are used to the sights, sounds and smells of tractors and implements around here. So much so those years I had to green chop later than usual into Fall or picking corn, the kids wanted my call so they'd be on stand before I started. Invaritably the deer came out to see what was going on out of curiosity getting the better of them. I've worked the fields with deer watching me making my crop corn and hay harvesting rounds. It's also reasonably for me to accept the deer knowing my Cushman. So much so, after I had climbed my stand's 24' height the odd ball varmints had come out to checkout the Cushman carefully looking it over getting some good nose's full. Arrggghhhh! The Cushman's painted in an educating bright school bus yellow. Add to that the cargo box had been winter sealed with used diesel engine crankcase oil. And then there's the smelly portable boat gasoline tank strapped down on a frame shelf one side. I sat up there in that tree stand unable to either get a clear shot past the trees what had just happened to be between me and my stinking yellow ride nor was I willing to take a miscued shot for fear of killing my Cushman by mistake.
I suggest you know your deer hunting environment. If you need the use of your ride for heart related handicapped use law check with your local conservation officer. RV Permits are often issued for handicapped individuals in Michigan.
Now then years ago when hunting State or Federal lands I wore clean clothing and had given up smoking for those seasons. No smoking near drove me nuts but I found it critical cutting it out so those deer headed my way came in rather than veering off.
While this is be my hunting style, it may only work for me?
Good hunting.
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Day’s changes, I still completed my work list.
Out extra early because I was not sure everybody else’s plans. Getting with my program, I was off and running the roads to finish fertilizing the alfalfa hay fields. Getting back the ladies were in need refreshed vittles. My evening chores have been done before noon. (hehe) With Tom’s arrival and help we cut up/cut on a number of trees. We cut up two already down and brought down another. Rather than bringing down two more trees to limb those branches we could not reach Tom had volunteered to ride the back-hoe’s loader bucket to its top most. The tractor lined up for sawyers lift, as Tom started to step into the loader bucket He (cluck-cluck) chickened out. I knew in an instant he had a fear big time as his face whitened like grandma’s boiled sheets lung on a line to dry. So, it were alright, we traded places he at the tractor’s wheel and hydraulic levers. Slowly he lifted me toward the heavens. Finally high enough standing in that loader bucket without handrails, I didn’t want to fink about it. I just wanted to get that limb cut before I flew away. Got to tell it like it was. A-feared taking that limb down all in one peace kin-a had me worried it could go all that way down there taking me along for company, so I smartly cut a bit of the end off. The next lift I lopped off that limb in wood stove sized chunks. Five more repositioning that tractor lifting me too as many adventures I was ever so happy to see color coming back into Tom’s face. Wood and chain saw loaded, the tractor and I pushed a couple smaller windfalls off the hay field. Lastly, I took some three to four inched skimming’s under some wild bushes to clear a source of more useful grass hay. We were done that field and took it all home. A couple more saw cuts at home, we transferred the firewood from wood hauler into Tom’s pickup truck. The best of the day’s adventures were over. Shop time, even without me was a total disappointment. That rotor still hadn’t come in. Might be Delco-Remy has to make us one?
A beautiful sunny day, I enjoyed every moment of it. So did Frieda, Missing finding her home a couple times she’d said she was going walking. I considered that a wonderful enterprising idea. Thinking gone so long it started to worry me along about mid afternoon. She’d been gone walking so long I had no I-dear where she had gotten to. BKGKC.
Fernan

Something added

Same ol‘, same ol’, start of the day, PT, Doc’s for MRI explanation ate up this morning.
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Treat of the day
Saw those kids in their late 80’s. I don’t know what it is in my looks but this young lady like so many who’ve seen me before handed me their bag to carry. GD, it was heavy. I’ve no idea what was in it, but I remember my Mon’s. My mom carried no less a screwdriver, a pair pliers, an address book what could put any computer’s memory banks to shame, and her keys strung out on a tow chain. In total my Mom’s hand bag was a lethal weapon. Regardless all I’ve likely needlessly written, this senior couple and I coming or going I was there to help her in and out Doc’s office. I learned Doc and wife are celebrating 33 years matrimonial bliss. This prompted me to ask the young lady I had had on my arm twice in one day how long she’d been married? “Going on 70 yrs.” she answered me. They were teenagers, his fessing up he was 19 yr and I assumed he didn’t know what he was doing, for my looking upon her she had to have been an exceptionaly beautiful bride. One he couldn’t help himself nor turn down. };^)) Oh yeah, Doc the romantic he is, let it slip, he was taking his wife out to Micky-D’s tonight for a candle lite supper. He’s got to be one of the last big time spenders.
Did I ever have a good time this AM!
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My MRI only showed my lower back’s cartilage between the vertebra was like oozing out my entire lower back. I guess it’ll be ice and heat packs from here on out. He didn’t give much hope for my inversion table use, time limited 3 to 5 minutes at a time. Odd, I feel taller when I come back down, and pain free for a spell. To each his own. May I suggest trying one out before buying. And just because I purchased one I’m saying nothing less than my liking it. Would I stretch a truth. Darn right I would. (hehehehehehehe)
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Had to spread fertilizer today while spreader and loading tech was available to service my needs at the elevator. So it was a “Bon Voyage!” The idea was to give the alfalfa fields a shot in the arm, so to speak, while the plants were still young and close to the ground for doing less rolled over damage to their stems.
Damn it, I hit personal invisible wall around 4:30 PM. Shouks I only needed another 600 pounds fertilizer to finish the last field I had been on today. Word from Tech, he’s working tomorrow, I’ll finish then. I fueled tractor and brought more hay home. My day’s finished unless a lady needs me. One more check on them during twilight time should do it?
Finally I’m in and able to rest it.
Un happy with my picture posting I’ve got (want to) open or start an ongoing picture internet album. Any ideas or suggestion are welcomed. HELP!
BGKC
Fernan

Coincidences Abound

More on my title later for it fits. But first I’m going to relate an additional yesterday’s happenings.
Making a cell call Tom and I had finally connected yesterday. Having missed his company the last few weeks I finally had something I was doing I could use some help with. That was a three days ago. While I had dangerously taken a couple shortcuts achieving my adventurous needs preparing these fields for Spring and Summer’s hay-making/pasturing needs I got the jobs done. Tom’s absence was directly related to Wilma’s delivery a dozen piglet additions to his farm community. Sadly Wilma had laid on four of the off-spring requiring Tom to sit Wilma around the clock to save the remaining eight from her laying on any more of them. Interesting side note, since Wilma’s become a mom again she wont let anyone near her, even near her pen, with the sole exception of Tom. Tom may sit or nap beside her as if he were immediate family. (this causes me to smile) Animals can be so peculiar.
Reading the http://countryvisits.com/forum.php Home Board, boots have been mentioned for additional protections. It’s coincidental the commodities mentioned needing all our protections from can’t fertilize crops as efficiently as the imaginations.
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So wet yesterday’s morning I was spinning my wheels having to drop to FWD to make it up the lower drive. So bright and sunny, with just the right amount of breeze I could still spray paint, I near like gave up panicking in and up the lower drive without a FWD thought.
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Had to grind. So that is plug in Leland, go to elevator for fixings, get empty feed wagon, come back home. Had lunch, brought machinery out old barn.
Then it was set up machinery, grind adding supplements, put everything ground in feed wagon, deliver and spot. When this was done I slipped out before Bro’ caught me. (he-he) I just had to see and met a new young lady who’d just been moved into the neighborhood.
Couldn’t help, butt think of Ron and what he had missed. Things happen. This, the beautiful Lady Wilma had just given birth to whole liter of the cutest little piglets liking this one in Tom’s hands.
Coming to see, coming to meet, it had come time I put some time at the shop.
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Getting back, bro’s truck held the JD’s new batteries. The battery boxes readied I started putting these parts together which took some time. Heavy and awkward I finally managed to hang the batteries on the tractor’s sides.
All together it were time to try starting it. I volunteered to do the highly technical job, of polishing out the seat and turning the ignition key. We had spark which appeared strong .The engine rolled over several times before a single cylinder fired. The carburetor was drained of some stinkingly old smelly gasoline. New gas filling reaching the carburetor we had several fires rolling the engine some on its own. Bro’ called away for calf weighing in, Tom took fine assessing ignition parts. He found the rotor was/did fall apart. We need a new ignition rotor. Bro’ can take morning’s time to find another rotor. My morning’s filled with medical appoints. Whoopee!
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Eat your heart out Ron.
You’d have missed seeing these……
…….and this peaceful scene…….
……..but not for me. Just had to show you I’ve got some of the nicest neighbors.
Fernan

Now, if an of this does not make sense....Tough!
I'm tired out of my mind and skin. Say "good night," Fernan.
Good Night

4-15-o9 Tax Day

Unlike a lot of procrastinating people I got right on mine a whole week ago and sent it in next day. (smiles)
Chatting with my physical therapist, she was telling me about a mystery animal ripping up there lawn. Their thoughts had included woodchuck and skunk. I told her true that it was an enterprising feral hog. Either way the porker’s original owner will deny ever knowing or having owned the critter as the damages done by said critter will exceed the value of the same mischief maker. Why the rout or rooting in a plowing motion? The critter’s looking for grubs, roots and truffles (a French delicacy).

Hoy faloy Porkers? Who’d have ever thought?
Here’s a Link http://www.natruffling.org/ or google “American truffles” for even more info.
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In boots for the slip and slide mud everywhere around my farms work sites me thinks they’s been a prime reason me mind and brain were for sure played out leaving me no soul nor wit enough to make a journal entry evening last. Trying not to leave any day uncovered my journey in life uncovered here’s another day late entry. Hope every body’s BGKC.
Fernan

First words written today

The first time I saw her, the one outstanding feature I had noticed of a lovely girl way back in 1949 were her soulful eyes burned into my memory. Loosing sight of her I had carried buried in my adolescences cobwebs those eyes until I had re-found her in 1958. Those eyes, the very windows to my looking into her soul have never hidden nor kept anything secret from me. In my eyes they continue to give her away while continually swelling my heart even today.
Fernan
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And then but a moment’s thought for this‘n‘that:
Had got up, took meds, dressed, checked ladies, and no more new calves yet? (disappointment) Had oats breakfast, been to PT, pharmacist’s, picked up Mrs.‘s meds, came back, had coffee, thought shop and NPR listening?
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About to turn right out the drive,…..ever mindful of the slippery sticky fingered activities going on everywhere,….I spied a red pickup truck in drive across the road, and somebody loading up the scorched tin off the recently fired granary. Pulling straight ahead I blocked that pickup. Whoever it was they weren’t goanna get by me. I had him hemmed in. A moment passed and an individual having just thrown another piece that tin on the pickup truck, he came around the vehicle to confront me. I was ready for him, seeing him, I spoke first, I, I , I said, “Hi Terry! Somebody’s stealing your tin and you’re helping him!”
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I put in shop time messing with this’n’that getting absolutely nothing accomplished. Well almost nothing. We got me some haylage loaded out my feeding the ladies one I had pre-unwrapped when I brought the load home. Nicely raining I left the rest of the unloading haylage until morning. Feeling lousy I had had enough of today. Naturally wearing out parts of my anatomy a low reassure system hanging over head leaning hard on my shoulders enough hurting was enough. I’m inside, dried out, warmed and comfortably seated more than I should be allowed. Tough! I’m in my favorite ugliest chair leaning back, my feet up. It be nice if my favorite cooker serves my lazy arse in my chair….. I hope it’s supper I fall asleep. My already having to give it up I’m calling it quits for the evening. BGKC.
Fernan

Monday Blues

Day opened with a ladies look-see finding nothing to worry about before breakfast. A bit later back outside I’d decided to free the WD45 from the AC hay rake to draft the wood-hauler trailer about the fields to cut up windfalls and haul in the firewood. Checking the WD over it needed fuel (I had some) water having gotten into the oil over the winter the WD45 needs an oil change. I made a couple call for engine oil and the oil was supposedly on the way. I made a second call for some help. “I’ll be there in a couple hours.” he’d said.
While I waited, I loaded Cushman with wood cutting equipment (needs), and started to witling firewood in my yard a windfall I had brought up a three weeks ago. Wood cut as far as I could go without wrestling the wood splitter out of the barn. It beginning to appear I was my lonesome until when?
Okay, I’ll take the Cushman for drive and start cutting alone. I did that. The second tree hung up with out a little help I could see myself dropping it on me. Nope, better leave it alone. There are two more trees needing attention, the next one the Ford digger-hoe could handle I’d never have it over my head. A few little adventures to keep me busy I went for the digger-hoe.
Passing machines both ways by the ladies just managing the gates I had the Cushman back home the digger-hoe out. Oh, What the Hell. I went for the first windfalls I had just looked at before. I tilted the load bucket just so and started bushing the first tree’s branches and trunk away from me into the fence line’s undergrowth. Out of the way, It had been easy enough to have done. Bravery knowing no bounds I approached the second tree the poor old guy snapped and was just still hanging on twenty feet in the air. This trunk wasn’t going to come down easily. Picking the loader buck up mid-height I approached some limbs and started bushing all the time trying to cock my eyes in two directions One up and left the other straight on and level. All this mumble jumbling was all to no avail. Had the right eye rolled freely about in my head as I had wished it could, it’d not seen anything anyway. The break holding tight the tree’s upper holding fast I swung the tree-top counter clockwise far enough into the fence lines underbrush the hay field was cleared. What the Devil, two for two what could I possibly do wrong?
The next wind fall was clear any obstructions and was ridiculously easy, or I made it look so. The forth windfall was a dandy. A good sized limb broken off and still hanging on some twenty feet in the air. I cha-wa-wa, this hanger looked good enough to really leave alone. But where there’s no sense there’s no feeling nor smart either, I took it on. How was I going to handle it. Bucket low or bucket high? Straight on from out of the field or attacking it from the right sort of like winding clockwise a humongous Paul Bunyan pocket watch. Hell before I wore my brain out thinking to hard on it. I just put the bucket half way up in the air and went at the limb first from the right, watching waiting for the heavy end to break off and make me sorry I had started this. Bushed as far as I could push it from this angle, I moved the digger-hoe to a head on position. I charges and the upper younger more pliable limbs I managed to push them far enough to be tied behind some saplings strong enough to take up their challenges. This area of this field was cleared of that menacing over hanging out there limb. The fields finished for the moment I headed home taking up moving some more earth. To move clean earth I had to pickup and remove trash from the dirt. I filled five tubs, in first tub filled the cans were numbered by dead soldiers and four more tubs I had filled with carpet remnants. Terry for his help yesterday and before I delivered him three quarter yards dirt to raise the grades in his dog runs. Lastly I mounted the little Ford tractor with the back blade and did some more grading. I level off a couple ruts through the ladies pasture gate way, and leveled again that area of the lower drive dried enough to make rough grading effective. Getting on late for my tired arse, my meds taken on a water break shortly after 5:00 PM. Finely in by 7:30 PM I felt it time to call it a day, besides I had some laundry to do. Do? Yeah do! Somebody has to put it in a auto-washer, then the auto-dryer, and then back in the basket for her ladyship’s perusal. Wouldn’t been a chore had I remembered to do those parts of the laundry requiring the drier until I was in the house sure. BGKC.
Fernan
PS: Neither the WD45 motor oil as well as my helper neither of them showed up. Interestingly enough I managed to handle everything I had listed on my original day's work list. Spose I didn't have anyone under foot?

For 4-12-o9 It wasn’t all games

What I didn't say for Sunday's adventures.
I counted my balls. Got a lot of them. And, then I don’t remember the count. Moved some piles of earth what the country had dumped in one of this land’s natural drains. Well I at least tried. The Ford loader digger’s material bucket only a quarter yard to takes a lot of bucket loads of material to make difference whether I’m taking or delivering. Moved about 2 ½ yards dirt to east end barn to fill a hole. I’ve no idea how many yards I added to the lower drive way hoping eventually to build it up enough for a dryer year round driveway drainage. And, at the same time reopen the natural lay of the land’s drainage.
Having lunch snack I was on the road again to move JD’s left side battery box out into the sun to warm it up for painting it an hour later. That done I was back to moving more earth. That hour going fast I had to paint that JD part. The box warmed I wish the paint had been. To late for that I measured out a quantity and added thinner stirring (not shaken) and sprayed the box. The shop cooler than outdoors I carefully laid some pieces 2” x 4”’s around my painted project and placed an inverted black plastic oil catch pan over the finished paint job. My idea was the black plastic would absorb the suns energy making the underside than pan warmer to faster set the paint. Then it were back to use little 961 Ford ’s back blade to even out my moved dirt piles. Just getting into it Terry (not of the pirates) returned home and took over Ford. Stepping down I hayed the ladies, emptied the Cushman to take Terry for ride out back showing him some likely turkey ground. Thinking about it I can show him some even better ground tomorrow.
Anyway, the Cushman unloaded Terry had done a fair job carving away some ridges turning into the lady’s present pasture. I’m wanting them cut down the heavy depressions filled for smoother transporting hay wagon later. That was my real Easter Sunday Day tiring me out just as if it had been another ordinary work day.
Fernan

My bestest find wasn't an Easter Egg

…….I’ve finally caught the Easterest Bunny and brought her home.

Herr Clink took one look and immediately told me, “You take her right back where you found her and turn her loose!!!!!”
“Both hands full?” I shouldn’t have asked. (sniff)
“Clank!”

My Easter Sunday

I’d picked up so many them’s odd Easter eggs put my Easter basket. Running over I also used my reservation hat. The same hat I had traded one my Gilligan hats for with the Chief of the Huckowy tribe Chief some years ago.

Fernan

An Easter Memory

I was speaking with Miss. Frieda telling I had promised the masses I was all through showing of my yearly EASTER egg collections. Well, it’s seeming like I can’t do it being so sure I‘ll surely find something different tomorrow morning. I have ESP feelings about these mysteries. Anyway Miss Frieda told me about the time I took a turn in the kitchen coloring every egg we had in the house to help the Easter bunny out.
Way back when unbenounced to me I had grabbed the wrong eggs in a carton straight out of the refrigerator and colored the whole mass before I had found a second bowl full of eggs. Not sure which was which I colored those in the bowl also putting all of them in one refrigerated container until the Easter Bunny’s dawn delivery. Somebody cracking one of them expecting one thing found a somewhat snotty surprise. The children were delighted in the whole after Easter morning’s hunt outcomes. Surprisingly, the kids had a grand time from then on for the next few days cracking any colored egg over a bowl. My miscue seemed to have worked out well all the way around, the amusement value the next few day’s was priceless.
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I Had a good day finishing for the most part winding fence wire. During one of my stops I followed a mammoth shadow crossing over me right on up into the sky. There was a large red-tailed hawk soaring on the breezes overhead. Watching him I noticed a small bird or two taking cover in the branches of a small tree. And yonder I heard some more birds making warnings and complains about his presents.
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This is it for today’s entry. There was more but so tired I give a hoot. BGKC.
Fernan

Good Friday

“Breaker, breaker! Any body got a copy on the big Foot?”
I’m surprised it isn’t a gray day for a good Friday. Most unusual by the odds on over the years I remember. Rained every year when I was a kid.
Four cups coffee, three large cups tea, a quart of milk, and a half gallon water was all I had drunken to clinch a thirst yesterday. Can’t imagine what kept me floor walking sloshing as I did all night.
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Laying on a medical care facility hardwood table this morning I get two calls I needed to grind grain today. Sheesh! I could be laying on my hostile death bed and they’d want me to resurwreck myself for one more grind. Looks like fence winding gonna be put off one more day!
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More good news. Lost another hay field this morning to a couple more horses. Only lucky thing about this sitsheation, were only 70 miles from the Canadian border, slaughter houses, horse meat canners and foreign dog food markets. (No offence intended, Donna!)
I learned of the hay field loss while driving my circuit to pickup supplements and picking up the empty ground-feed wagon. This news didn’t help to make my day.
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I had lunch and a bit of a quiet sitting spell. Finding a piece of fun paper work to do, I did it before heading backout to what I had to do. That was set up machinery, grind, haul and spot the refilled wagon’s gravity box. The feed delivered the rest of the afternoon is a bit of a blur. I was busy until supper time, come home, took med's and got to wait an hour before eating.
What I didn’t do today was finish taking up my fences. (curses)
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In my travels and stops, while waiting for prescriptions, found the pharmacist even has a dope kit so I can check meself out drug abuse or if I happen to be on something?
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v343/FMGruber/FarmPics2009004.jpg[/IMG]
I avoided reading package any details I didn’t want to know. Gosh, seems somebody’s always thinking of something new.
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Since snows melted grass is greening.
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v343/FMGruber/2009%20Farm%20Pictures/FarmPics2009002-1.jpg[/IMG]
Snow near gone the ladies nibble on grass, fill up on hay and vice-versa all day/all night long. Makes it difficult to figure out how to keep them fed with out excess waste is a headache.
Sheesh, I’m just as tired as if I did something worthwhile today. I’d have liked to celebrate one of my own accomplishments. Happy Days to You.
Fernan

Cheese-O

This morning’s settin’ moon was as bright a yellow-orange-d in color as an iodine yard light. A sneaky moon in a plantin’ disguise as a harvest moon. Really?
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Left turn out the driveway it were same-o’-same-o physical therapy. Back home I checked the ladies for any activity while I were gone. Nothing new. Fed cars and something else down to the barn. Wasn’t important enough to remember I guess? Getting onto noon had lunch saving dinner run back here. Put in some shop time bundling engine stands, might say, making more room on the floor. Spent some time working right side JD for installing second battery box. Gear case tapped holes just for second battery box mounting were either full of bugs, cocoons or sand and dirt. Between small screwdriver, 5/16 drill bit, and a 3/8” thread chaser, I managed to clear them for use. Swept a floor area big enough to throw down an 18.4x38 radial tire inner tube to air up to find air leak. I found it and stuck a piece wire into the guilty hole. I’d have patched, but not sure of patches on hand for inner tube patching. Whatever had cut the inner tube I never found it. Bro’ getting hungry he as much as sent me on my way. I head home to pickup more fence wire. In route, Handy calls, has an after work appointment to Doc to sew his finger shut in one hour. Weren’t enough time for my starting wire winding for less than an hour. I had brought home two wagons hay needing unloading. Started Ford digger and move a few yards dirt trying to fill a watery mud hole in the lower drive. When that’s finished this Spring I’ll have me a dandy mud hole all summer long. A man must look ahead for making such accomplishments. Handy’s finger finally taken to doctor was found finger to late for sewing. I guess it’ll either heal or fall off. (snicker, oh well) Stop by MickyD’s for Handy’s carry out three orders: two Chicken McNuggets and one double super burger(?) with fries of course. I don’t eat there that often to remember the details? By time I returned home day was late enough to call it quits. I did without hesitation. Not a bad day. Liked to have gotten more done, but…… BGKC.
Fernan

A Week To Go

Indoors/outdoors, always something to do, around here, I got seven whole days to complete and mail them’s fool yearly accountment papers to the Federalies*. Ya know, the ones what need us to start paying for all the past RRR administrations mistakes and thefts, I’m surprised the big“D” congress’s ain’t having to look like the bad guys raising the taxes on us what’s left who ain’t been high level RRR money hungry assholes licensed to steel unsuspecting Americans, (Hell the world’s citizens of their moneys by hook or crook.) Taking their savings kicking them out of their homes.
How is it I’m thinking it’s coming up time for all the numskulls who’d voted the RRR’s into those positions they held, to sell out their unsuspecting neighbors.
“Well, good buddies, It’s been nice talking at cha ya. This is where I get off. Keep the shinny side up, the rubber side down. I’ll be reading ya on the rebound. Meanwhile, it’s the pedal to the metal. I’m down and out!” Big Foot’s gone….
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3:00 AM. What is this? What the Hell? I ain’t been up this early for over a month. I know what did it! Instead of my walking right on by the wood stove. Feeling sorryly cold by it, I stopped and threw a couple logs in its big mouth to keep its heart warm and functioning. So much for my being a nice guy. Humbug!
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11:dirty I’m just finishing up the Federalies paperwork and phone rings. The MRI clingick has called a cancellation. They can take me in if I can be there in 45 minutes. Not leaving much room for washing hands and changing hats, I wore the bibs I was in. Me driving, Frieda’s letting me drive alone. I wonder if she knew something? Talk at ya all later good buddies. Big Foot down and out.
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5:00 PM my trip was an hour’s turn around the entire trip driven without incident. On way home had ½ hr coffee in another favorite kitchen in route. Home I dived right back into my paper work finishing adding the governor’s needed scripts to the masses. For the masses, I cramped my hand writing checks supporting so many peoples dependent upon me, my poor wealth.
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Accomplishments abounding I’m near tickled pink with my efforts to get things done. Weather teasingly warming today has me thinking shop for tomorrow. Gosh, three days holed up in this house I’m experiencing stir crazy. It’s not the company, it’s the activity enjoyed being out of there.
Right now an hour early I’m downing my meds, before feeding and counting bovine ears tonight for a different approach to bovine’s calf checking’s boredom. I’m seriously needing another fuzzy 80 pound critter to get my grubby hands on. (smile)
Supper’s done. TV line up stinks. I should look to some put off to long projects. Tonight’s supper was roast turkey, stove top dressing, mashed taters and gravy, Dessert was Boston cream cake and fresh strawberries.
It’s seven PM and I’m running out of gas. Frieda ‘s looking at me telling me I’m tired, my inability to talk straight. I guess she’s going to make us soda’s and then we’ll go to bed. Hmm. She’s run out of chocolate Ice-cream and she no wants me to no go to basement for another carton. Were having black cherry in a dish. Oh Lawd. I’ve got toget out of here. I’m beginning to maudle. BGKC.
Fernan

*Those damn government officials always bustin up shit goin down

Trying to catch up

This 1st part written for Betty:
Whenever/wherever I/we've traveled U.S. I/we've taken a many a rural road from here to there. CB is/was as close as a body gets to a "good buddy" on an express way. Over rural roads it is eye to eye contact for new long lasting life remembered friendships. Rural roads are where invitations to sit and talk awhile happen. On rural roads are where a family is asked to stay a while. Beside rural roads, a case foreign beer (anything what ain't brewed locally), a bushel Michigan apples, a bag unwashed sassafras root, gifts get you everywhere/everything and the area's best home cooken. True U.S. country people are truly the absolute friendliest open armed trusting souls imaginable. I can tell stories.
I beg of you, please, please don’t ask me about the bigger big cities.
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Co…col…cold this morning I dressed up in my finest barnyard tux of the day. (brrr) No more new snow yet as of the morning hour. But uncomfortably cold just the same. I’ve already been dressing down before this latest freeze an unsettling weather.
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What a delightful morning, absolutely delightful. I kept my physical therapy appointment as a good lad should. I mean what would those pretty young maids do without me? In as much as I enjoy seeing the young ladies I’ve been wondering how much longer I’ll be required to keep up these treatments. After all, enough is enough, specially when I’m no longer feeling any hands on improvement my gentle nature.
Thinking as I was entertaining the idea quitting this regimented going’s on’s I went next door to Doc’s office and signed myself in. By and by the Peg of my heart brought me into the good Doc’s inner-sanctum to hear my pleas. Doc finally making it around to me read what had been writtened and asked me for a more detailed self assessment my conditions. I spoke of daily coming in packing my lower back and neck in ice just as the daily afternoon’s headache set in. The ice logically working the headache has been going away after an hour’s such relaxation,…..before my going out for more activity such as loading truck with firewood and/or unloading same into the house.
He thought about me for awhile and has decided I need an MRI covering my lower back before I permanently injure myself indulging in my favorite outdoor activities. I hope that didn’t exclude my often chasing the ladies.
Having spoken to a delightful young lady while donning my tux, she wanted to know from where I had gotten my tux finery? She was asking as she was wanting to keep her husband warmer during his outdoor excursions (their yard).
Well into our conversation my merchant directions for two of them, the receptionist came out and reported this grand lay’s husband had arrived. Only to proud I helped the lady to her waiting husband. It was right about here in this morning’s I was put to shame. Myself having made a box for my bride’s easier entry into Ugly I saw another truly a gentleman build for his Mrs.‘s not only a step but also a porch for her pinnacled entry into a pickup truck lower to the ground than Ugly. Keeping it in I fained display my mortification.
This couple have had to been married forever. Either one of them speaking of the other their eyes sparkled. 86 years young, each of them, this gentleman was tutoring school children two days a week. Good thing he had something to do, grumbling he was wanting this snow to end so he may get up on his roof and re-shingle it. Her complaint, there was no keeping her husband down!
It was another good morning, by Jumpin Jiminy
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Holy-Leo-Gee-Horse-A-Fat! Been a busy busy-day. Medical appointments and questions kept me occupied till 12:30 PM. The set out a bale for the ladies. They’re supposedly set until tomorrow. I only need check on them a couple more times.
I’ve been on the phone for hours. It all started with a “Holy Smok’ems” infiltrating my mind. Having thought I was being called for a double billing for something I had purchased, I got a bit hot under the collar. That being a couple days ago I’ve since wanted all the recipes covering these matters in my hands before I went up against the nationally known retailer. Frieda asked me where the papers were, as if I didn’t know. Well, I pointed out I knew where I could exactly lay my hands on them pointing to the place. (A pile of papers four feet wide by two feet high.) The very idea her asking me such a ridiculously silly question. Humpht! About to dive into that pile I looked someplace else first, luckily saving it from being the last place looked. (That pile still remains un-molested until next time.) Not to be one to take any crap from anybody, armed to the teeth with my recipes I called that mercantile Goliath to get things righted or else. When I got a lovely young lady’s voice on the line I apologized profusely. I even managed to have all the late charges waved. The big shot supper store taken care of I moved onto the business of telephone charges. There’ll be more about this matter next week. I also settled all the safe internet protection for my computer. It has been a busy afternoon. Butt, for know I’ll tell ya… it don’t pay to get the tall goober mad. Then I had wondered where’d I put my income tax papers and forms? By now, It was almost so close to my everyday wished quitting time, I did.
Sheesh! Weather and winds changing so profusely around here today it has not been easy to keep body and soul warm. Sure glad I got that firewood in day before last. Good thing I quit when I did only a few moments later and ago. I could have been caught outside in a truly horizontal snow. Spring is the heart warmingest season of the year. AND, drinking lots of tea, there’s been no time for coffee! BGKC.

Just trying

If’en the locals aren’t writing about it, they’s calling me on the phone announcing were in for six inches of snow along with a Winter storm watch! Wonderful, just frapping wonderful!
Hush now! Winding wire I've been treated to the frogs croaking start yesterday and their really with the program this morning giving with their kind of song. Frieda wants ride out there to listen for herself and says spring's officially here when the frogs start croaking. Problem is, neither one us quick enough get on and off Cushman before the unsolicited ladies aid society should choose to come along uninvited.
Oh, the wire winding’s going strong. More on that subject later….
Dad-gum-it! In for lunch its taking the cook forever making dinner I guess? The air's smelling like rain when I come up. I want to get back out their before I'm shoveling Loop's unsolicited snow to get back up to the house this evening.
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Offered a second opportunity to go outside day before yesterday Sweetheart and she went without so much as a “Good Bye” or “Bye you leave,” The Hussy. Oh sure I saw her outside teasing four or was it five tom’s, the Hussy! Now given an opportunity to come in this morning she’s in, the Hussy!.. She’s curled up over there on the sofa sleeping away with no immediate intention of telling me nothing, the Hussy!
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Mama cow sure is giving me the bovine rendition a what for all morning long and following me around to make sure I get her message, “I want my baby back!” She’s no idea how much I wish I could have been there to help that calf out of trouble had I seen the accident happen.
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After all my negative troubles I had with my fence wire winder all yesterday afternoon. It behaved near flawlessly for my this AM. My operation flawless is another matter. Scarcely out of the barnyard the fence I was winding ran right through the Spring water hole in this picture’s foreground. It had come time to test just how cold that water was if it were deep enough. Nonetheless it was a test for waterproof boots?

Then to get to the other side there was a bit of this…

And so went some of the morning.
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Well, I didn’t make a long afternoon of it on shortness of breath, generally all over all over achy achy-feeling. Could have been more hiking than I’m used my field test some odd three seasonal water puddles. Or how about a low pressure system moving over our heads the weather guessers with their crystal balls are predicting 6” to 8” snow over the next couple days. They even called for a storm watch, a ridiculous idea if I ever heard one. How‘s one go about doing that? Sit it out in the middle of it? Naw, I ain’t got time. I’ve got to study my coffee making home work tonight. Plus I’ve got wood, I’d loaded on Ugly’s back before six, to bring in during my study breaks.
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I think I had jump startled this goose earlier this morning along with a couple mallards, out of the following water hole. In addition there were any number small flights (family units likely) flying circles overhead perhaps looking for one of those private little hideaways. This water hole sits half way between two suck skinny dipping sites.

This is another view my backyard. The north side property line is 3/8’s mile away. When the ladies are turned loose they take great pride n keeping these fields short and green liking it were a park.
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I’m sure there was more what could have been said if I had only remembered it. So, what I had managed to do today has pleased big. All the intermediate fences are picked up time, plus a quarter mile perimeter. This good these fences out of the way I can spread fertilizer and pickup or chip brush piles.
I hope my future enjoy’s reading this as I did living it.
Fernan

Saturday’s fun

It’s the good, the bad, and all a day ugly
Yesterday morning was a comedy relief. By afternoon I was so busy I couldn’t keep track my own tail. This morning I found my first calf got himself entangled in a hot fence. and was evidently electrocuted on the spot, everything wet, he had died right there. Bummer! The calf’s mother is following me around expecting me to fix it and return it. Bummer! I finally get out back. Water’s standing everywhere. I’ve started winding fence wire the hard way, by hand. Found one fence line suitable for machine winding, and had left one of the three basic pieces of the machine fence winder way back in the barn; AND, I had designed built the whole durned thing myself. Balderdash! A drove up to the barnyard, the ladies waiting for me, I could make a mistake. Instead I walk across the barnyard. Wasn’t taking any chances . What the heck, it was also tea time.
Missing component in hand plus a couple extra spools. I was ready to take up some fence. Back to the scene where I had discovered I was missing a part, I was putting them all together finding the take up spool assembly warped, oh-crime-ale-m-me. There was more wrong with the third part in assembly. It’s take it up to the farm yard this time and truck with my tools. Darn it, I was over to neighbor’s trying to save shop time. In the end I had to make the shop for another part. Back in my own yard that last piece was a pain to fix. Align it, tighten it, it’s bound. Looked it over, frame was bent two ways. Take it a part three more times before the final working assembly. By this time its working as was intended. The acid test is tomorrow if it don’t rain. Getting late I gave it up. Started some laundry, hit the freezer for some burger for a beef-gravy over biscuits meal for tomorrow‘s supper. BGKC.
Fernan

4-3-o9 Explanations
These days……
We haven't recovered from the ethanol craze yet. Is good the ethanol plants we all (tax payers) were paying for are shutting down. This act alone will save a lot of rubber alcohol destroyed in older vehicles and aluminum engines in newer cars.
And most importantly fertilizers have come down for nourishing hay fields and pastures. Most of all we need some improvement in the economy.
Milk was cheap here last week at $1.88/gallon. This week it is selling for $1.77/gallon. We as farmers are doing our best to keep ourselves and livestock well fed and decease free.
It becomes very difficult when a bullet and compost pile are cheaper that taking a cull to the livestock exchange.
Myself not a RRR enthusiast I obviously don't see the RRR big picture. It is going to take some many years to heal the economy. Meanwhile, it's bad when parents can't buy all the milk their children need for strong teeth and bones. It's economically shameful parents can't buy the meat products their children need for proper brain development.

Years ago, as a very busy entrepreneur…
I know what some one had said about all what he couldn’t do. I can fully relate to that. I mean while I was a bachelor Scout Master many years ago, I did manage to also scout out the girlz while I was busy along other avenues. My own boss I could budget my time while I scheduled time for this’n’that. I averaged a day per week for Boy scouts.
When an opportunity arose, a new interest should present herself to my gaze and eventual interest, it didn’t take me long to hit on her, succeeding 50% of the timeI had set a date-out convenient to both of us. Next, I didn't take'em (goils) to shows to neck in balcony shadows. My dates, if they were to accompany me, we were going to museums, outdoor walks, window shopping, picnic's, etc.. I wasn't going to waste any of my time in the dark someplace when or where I couldn't look inside the gurl.
So bad (good) I was my final selection, I was out on a Scouts Winter Klondike Camp in three feet of snow less than week after the "I does." I knew I had the right gurl, when she had found my childhood teddy bear and packed it deep inside my sleeping bag. I took a lot of heat over that teddy bear, (a-hum) that looong weekend. If she were going to take some heat, she made sure I did also. And them "I does" have lasted two lifetimes.....
This also shows, I didn't give up all my fishing!

Spent some time trying to download computer protection. Worked at it for three hours and have no idea whether it had downloaded or not. One clue one way or the other I can’t find MaAfee listed in my programs.

My present day
The morning started out great. It was jocularity everywhere I happen to wander for more than the day’s first half. Afternoon into evening was a busy ho hum. I sometimes wonder if I’m going to get anything done water either standing or making slippery mud sucking machine traps. Plus early out checking and twice more throughout middle the day and once more before twilight time. By time I got in washed up and ate, I had to ice it down a couple/three places and then out check the ladies before laying it down. BGKC>
Fernan

PS: If I don't make sense alow me some slack.

opportunity’s help

Been asked, “Where you at?”
I haven't given it much thought where I am. I am where I am any given moment around here as busy is busy does. I don't even get to go to farm auction social event today. Got therapy under the hands of a couple beautiful women, and grain needing grinding for the day's starters plus calving has started. That's checking pastures three/four times a-day.
I should-a gone to auction!
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Following my morning’s four stops running, home just before lunch, I found this mom and bull out back.

The little guy was still wet behind the ears and a little tipsy on his feet. Looking back, as I walked away, he had miraculously started holding his weight up and looking for the lunch counter to find what was on tap.
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Grain ground, delivered and spotted, I was going to turn to bake for taking the 4-180 White tractor down the road. Well it was a good idea.
Frieda and I fed up with Sweethearts yowling all but two days since she’s come home, Frieda gave her every opportunity to go free outside. Sweetheart was on the threshold hanging over the outside edge looking like she was going to go. The utter a couple “I’m not going to go, “Mer-ows,” she beat herself right back inside the house between Frieda’s feet. Neither one of us have seen her since. So much for getting rid of the cat.
While I was in and out of the house a couple times I thought I might better get a hold of Charter cable and subscribe to all the free Internet computer protection free-be’s, I mat be missing. Worked at it for two hours and have no idea whether the updates had downloaded correctly or not. Also didn’t get my bundled Charter deal either. Something to do next rainy day. That could be tomorrow my figuring on getting out on the fields? Then I finally got back to the 4-180. Using the Cushman I charged up the batteries (at least warmed them up) so it’d start easier. While the Cushman did it’s thing I was in and out of the house for a couple more small matters. When readied I cranked that gunmetal gray White its starting immediately. Was almost startling. Letting it warm up I disconnected the Cushman and put it away. Looking back and walking back for the 4-180 a blue fog had risen from somewhere (something) nearby blanketing all the near areas between my farmyard and all our nearest our west side neighbors. The tractor’s exhaust emitting what looked like only warm air it were time to get under way. Driving the 4-180 it bends in the middle (articulated) two turn from side to side starts out a challenge. I found it to easily over steered making for an instant panic situation bringing the big monstrous machine thing back straight. Once on the road I managed to miss all the mail boxes and cross butternut creek over the bridge. I also managed a couple snapshots.
My goofing off while driving down the road:

And another, the road I was driving down:

Parking it in the farmyard at the far end It didn’t take up near as much room as I had predicted myself it would. No books on the machine other than the operator’s manual (missing the repair and parts manuals) it’s going to blindly fun to make fixes the monster? I feel like an unprepared warrior without being armed and armored with the proper books to take up the fixings challenges battles to come out a winner? BGKC.
Fernan