July 4th…..

….And today’s morning is just another day in Shorthorn country and still got a whole lot of cut hay to bale before it rains. Kind-a glad Tom didn’t cut anymore. No sun shinning on us yet. We’re clouded and overcast-ed.
I need to take another look at Ugly. Running badly with a rhythm I’m wondering if the firing order has go0tten mixed up. The spark plugs taken out, replaced with new or cleaned replacements and put back in, the wires could certainly have been mixed up. The carburetor problem may be seeing some light. I’ve been offered a carburetor and intake manifold off a 1976 Chevy pickup. Sure hope it has a working automatic choke. It’s been a long time since I’ve been afforded such a drivers luxury.
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Woke up this morning thinking about the northern lights. Don’t ask why for I’ve no idea why? Thought was my trying to remember the last time I’ve seen them. Even living in the country and living way to close to neighbors surely hasn’t helped. Flint, eleven/twelve miles away as the crow flies is acceptionally to close. It all boils down to light pollution. Believe me I can remember when there weren’t but Mother Natures own lights what covered me on a clear night. They weren’t but the only lights to be seen or reflected into our eyes. Such a shame the earth has also been polluted with man’s demand for artificial light. Who knows how or when it started: the second and/or the third factory work shifts, the first street lights hanging over street and road intersections, barnyard lights and then the meanest of them all the working residential around the clock yard light. (sigh) such is man ever more quickly in a hurry to destroy the earth. Even me,yet lucky I am one day unable to take my mess with me I’ll leave it behind me for others to contend with, unfortunately.
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On the road shortly after breakfast I think I was given a sign lunch was going to slim pickings when I sampled a couple bugs in mouth. Unable to cough them up swallowed them. They was either a post breakfast dessert or an afternoon lunch appetizer?
Five Oliver 1850’s and four of them are off their feed. One’s fuel distributor has sprung a serious spraying leak. Three more 1850’s all, everyone of them has a different hydra-drive problem. First Ollie, one never knows when the H-D drive will disengage itself requiring the machine‘s clutch disengaged until the H-D decides when it’ll re-engage? Comes in real handy during the muddy season? The second 1850’s H-D has locked itself into the high direct drive side of its H-D, plus It has a driver tire with a no good slow air leak. As for the third 1850 it’s H-D has locked itself into the H-D’s low side, has kind of a frightening thought, that’s the free wheeling gear which sort of has a troubling effect upon my mind for a road trip. AND, I’ve got three hay fields to bale today. And, one down grade into a busy intersection to contend with.
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8:00 PM and it is raining. Only just finished, the cut, rolling the last bale an hour ago. 1st field weeds went smooth as silk (considering) with a few modification what might be needed for the Indy Oliver, if it’s used here again next year, fitted with nerf bars, and shocks on all four the tractor’s wheels! I had hit couple (woodchucking) bumps so hard I saw a whole foot of daylight under each the two front wheels twice. 2nd grass field I hit a couple wads of hay and shamefully plugged that poor baler from gunwale to gunwale, stem to stern, starboard to port sides. Bro’ had just driven in and assisted my unplugging it. He left and I went on with my baling. Damned if I didn’t do it again only not near as full the 2nd time. And, who should come pulling in again at just the right moment, Bro’. This time I asked if he pick me up a strawberry shake. His words, “I don’t want to go. Coming back you’ll have it plugged again.” Well he was wrong. While I sucked on my straw Bro’ rolled a couple bales. Then let me have the rig back. 3rd field clover real heavy windrows I nursed he baler into them in 3rd gear, The machine taking the clover I moved it up to 5th gear. When the windrows had mellowed out I just throttled down for the bale starts, and when things looked good I advanced the throttle. This was my whole ten hr tractor time ride baling hay. I’m covered in weed seed, grass seed, and stale sweat when I come in. My lunch was that shake. Maybe a word or two more here, after a shower.
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Going on 9:00 PM. All washed up and rinsed down, I won’t broadcast any seed my walking around. As clean as I’m feeling thus. I won’t be taking any work away from the birds and breezes. I’ve go to be going horizontal soon. Maybe just maybe I can do something for the Ugly truck tomorrow. It’s sure been busy asking for attention about the whole of month past. Weather guessers been promoting rain. HA! I’ve nothing cut for wash and dry. :^)BGKC.
Fernan