Tuesday, May 31, 2011

A mixed bag day

It has been a mixed bag day. I started out on the road for elevator supplements and picking up empty ground grain wagon. All my needs in place we were blessed with waiting for the vet. Yeah sure, he was going to be here at 10:00, then called he was running late. Wonderful. By the time he got here I could have had my grind done before noon with plenty of time for other projects. The Krapsman lawn tractor was merely waiting for the bearings known to be in the neighborhood, only not yet here. Shortly before lunch I ground grain so’s I wouldn’t be doing it on a fed stomach. A tea break later I delivered the ground grain a-riding the WD45 with the AC rake in tow I took it to the shop. Backed up on the shop apron I (we) looked it over. There’s plenty of wrenching ahead. Yup the center part of the machine had spread looking like to me a key had managed to fall out. Perhaps if the wear is to much I may find some spare parts from the original donor hay rake I used to assemble this hi-bred. It’ll be fun taking it apart and reassembling it for another dozen or two years. The tractor a 1957 model, the rake is that old or older. Still have plenty to do tomorrow. Along with these two projects I must be bringing out one of the hay balers on an Oliver I must check the gear cases for water. I’m hoping drawing any water that may be present goes easily. The trick’ll be opening the drain plugs without loosing them as well as the heavy oil behind them. Why must there have been two drain plugs? When I’ve finished I’m hoping I’m not handled slick!
“Rainbows.”
Fernan
PS: For such an involved day I do believe I may be bordering on slightly exhausted. Good Night

Monday, May 30, 2011

Memorial Day’s day

3:00Am snack, a can of peaches to comfort the tummy and I was back to sleep until almost 8:00AM. Then sorted my rattlers and sat right here forgetting to take them. Great start. Awake only thirty minutes and I’ve already started a screwed up day. Contrary to all the wet and gloom of the night’s rain. The sun’s shinning is a welcome sight to behold. We’ve had heavy cloud cover hovering over our heads for more days than I can remember the number. However the mud should be well stirred enough to make it some miserable slogging around bringing up ladies rears.
Had one local tornado doing little open country rural damage here plus plenty of wind bringing down a number of trees and power lines.
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Heard an interesting question put to me yesterday, “What are we going to do for firewood this year?” Well, one thing’s sure If I’ve got to cut it all it’ll be if I have to falling one tree at a time. This would be a pace I can manage to keep up with. Thus far I haven’t found anyone to help me cut up last Fall’s windfalls. I trust worthy loader operator would be a big help. If I could just get one guy’s ass off his morning’s butt? That’d be a big help and at this stage of the game not a whole lot to ask!
This written! Let me see what happens?!
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Seen to cow in sick bay. Then headed for shop there I successfully took the spindle apart salvaging one bearing and cup pair. Using the part numbers on those one new set will be ordered come morning. If were lucky parts will be her by 1:00PM. Meanwhile, I sharpened and balance the mower deck blades, and made a new bolt for the one I destroyed removing one of the three blades. I’m ready to put it all back together. Hmmm, Just realized it’d be a good time to tighten the machines multi-use brake while its easy to get under the tractor without the deck in the way. Before I’m all done the whole machine will be greased and oiled. I ought to work like new when finished.
Shucks, I wasn’t invited to participate in the round-ups here or the other end. Bro’ is being careful what strains I put myself to. I did tinker with new mowing machine on the small Ford’s three point hitch. Using a tall implement jack I managed to re-thread the tractors right side rocking shaft’s adjustable third point link. Whew, I’ve got that implement riding level on the Ford now.
So, it weren’t such a bad day after all. I had some accomplishments and some disappointments. One disappointment came along with all the rain we’ve recently continually gotten. Even walking the pastures or hay fields are so wet its like walking on loaded sponges each step squeezing the earth out its water to rise and envelope my shoes. The poor Cushman was handicapped unable to do a swimmer’s Australian crawl to get around. Without any help what so ever I got ¼ ton truck stuck several times. The engine rebuilt with 4 extra horses I had managed to rock it out of trouble all buy one time. Then it was a long walk up to the farmyard for a tractor of some substance to retrieve the caught Cushman from it muddy entrapment.
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Soapbox thoughts and questions?
I do believe in my saying political campaigning’s has become big business. Any current election ending with counting the votes in a ballot box is actually only the beginning of the next campaign for the next election. It all starts with vague announcements somebody is about to run for some political office and the first thing which is planned and required carrying out is in the process of razing campaign funds. Just what are these campaign funds used for? I first see organization. Somebody has to be a leader (a secretary) to see to it all the planning is carried out. A campaign manager has to be employed, so wages are involved for a manager and secretary. A book keeper is the next logical employee also requiring a living wage o subsist his family and household on. And, this is as the campaign begins to grow. Okay we’ve got the beginnings of a campaign’s management and labors opening expenses.

It follows money has to come from somewhere to pay these wages so we have to have a series of fund raising events. More help is needed. Here our candidate seeking volunteers induces number’s of bodies to volunteer to phone campaign for the chance at all the job promises made for helping him elected to office. These small rewards can go a long way in enlisting more and more people to print and distribute signs (printer employment involvement), what else?
Our candidate likely needs to get around. So more money’s required for planes, trains, and automobiles. The cars dependably required more moneys’ need for trouble free new cars. Cars, Limousines for enough space for on the go conference meetings. Oh oh, a publicist is required to inform the public were the candidate may be seen for hopeful gatherings around him. Needing more money our candidate must trough even higher priced ticketed banquet plates at ridiculous prices. Prices higher than my poverty income where as no comparison may be logically made. How about those talkative telephone campaigners phones, more money’s required to pay the telephone bills. Then, there’s the ever widening influences good advertising (yeah right, back stabbing, and lies) will buy on radio, TV, news papers and hand bills. So you the reader can see this campaigning for public office can likely run into the hundreds, thousands, and millions even if the office is high enough. I ask you, what becomes of any contributed left over funds. Where’s that money go? Any ideas?
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Memorial Day morning

Good Morning report….
About 3:00 AM, maybe I can catch-up these urinal entries. Was some sort of a weather evening last. Youngest son called warning us to keep our heads down strong storm fronts, shear winds and tornados headed our way. In-spite the few moments the sun I saw just about sun down we’ve practically been covered in rain ever since. It’s going to be a fun day today, slogging through mud refreshened, rounding up a few ladies for pregnancy checks, the vet’s coming tomorrow, oops, today!
Now, where all I’ve written I correct I little now. I can’t keep up these busy passes like I used to My mind and body have slowly and sneakily gotten out of these sorts of living in the fast lane adventures. Whew! Regardless how quickly I may feel I’ve readily recovered for another day, I’m not so sure I’m totally ready for todays relaxing go-go escapades.
If not for tomorrow maybe for Wednesday I’ve found some very interesting bearing part numbers for the mower deck’s needs. Perhaps we’ll figure out the seals from these bearing in’n’outside dimensions‘. Of-course there’s always the hard measurements done all the parts once when we’ve fully taken the spindle apart.
Right now, I’m not looking forward to the sure fired wet butt I could very likely be getting more than once today.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan
Most importantly: Mustn't for get honoring all those who have given their all protecting our freedoms. Looks like another busy day our growing that what helps feed all.

5-29-2011 Sunday Moral Day weekend

Been busy and forgone writing a single word yesterday. A quick note to cover it was up’n’out early, In’n’a-sleeping just in time so’s I didn’t find the sandman on the front step. That could have been embarrassing, if somebody had seen me, let alone, it’d been bad enough my waking up at first light to come in with a wet derriere.
Highlights of the day I lent my Crapsman lawn tractor to Juan to cut his yard and he run it until the primary jack shaft with mounted pulleys was froze up bigger than Klondike Jack’s winter watering hole. That was a discouraging oops. Today I found I didn’t know it had a grease fitting on it. Seems no new parts are available. A typical cheap Sears’n’Sawbuck trick to sell to the poor unsuspecting soul another planned throw-away machine. Last plan thought on, we’ll press the old cutter blade’s spindle out of the bearings. Have nothing to loose at this point. Once the parts are divided perhaps we’ll find a couple new aftermarket bearings to press back in.
First shot out the door Picked up four two bushel sized tubs Juan’s fresh mowen lawn grass for the lady in sick bay. Loaded up lawn tractor for shop repairs. Along the way saw a couple yearling heifers out. Found Keith handy and we put them back in, locked them in yard behind barn. I continued on to shop. Hung up the Crapsman tractor removed deck and commenced to take it apart. Found primary spindle shaft assembly solidly frozen. Bearings shot. Was lunch time about time Bro’ comes around with an early high-noon start for the day. I had to go for two reasons. Fencing tools at home and more importantly I was hungry. While I was gone Bro’ took most of the decks center shaft assembly apart, all but the last two bearings. Getting back I was delighted.
Afternoon found us working fences. New top wires in half the replaced insulators, a couple additional wires, and an discontinued wire wound up for use another day. Almost quiting time for the day. Weather threatening, I locked up and headed for home. Picked up more loose lawn grass for sick-bay lady on my way home. Fed her and took eight empty tubs back to Juan for more loose lawn grass pickups tomorrow.
It’s about here inside having made and devoured a home made pizza before a loss of power. That was just a short time ago I’m getting sleepy and shutting this down. It’s something like I have got to lay it down before I fall down. I’ll post this another day…..
“Rainbows.”
Zzzzzzzzzzz
Fernan

5-27-2011 Sleep Escaped Us

Woke up to continued rain. Such miserable weather. What an interesting night. Both of us pee-bodies. I was likely up about eight times immediately going to sleep each time I returned to my bed. Her Mostess upon the other hand up about the same estimated number of times each time she returned to her blankets she tossed and turned even to sit up a couple times out o sheer sleepless boredom.
My waking for good this morning the house so very cold and damp I had to start a fire out of pure need for ourselves preservation. My breakfast: Wild honey on toasted oat bread. The honey to counter act sums the Spring and Summer allergy’s facing me the season’s haying days, the oat bread to continue scrubbing my arteries and veins of nastily none cholesterol pluggers. For Her Mostess’s breakfast she couldn’t make up her mind. So it shall be, she’ll either skip it and loose some weight getten up and forage for herself and loose some weight via the exercise? (evil grin)
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Double dealing. The trash pick-ups on Tuesday my side of the road and Friday’s my neighbor across our road we’ve come to trading trash, which works out much better for both our un-necessarily having to keep our stinken trash’s a whole week’s worth until our next individual trash day’s pick-up. The same company serves both side’s the road and the driver’s don’t mind. These guys are a-okay. One exception, I don’t carry a whole pickup truck load across the road.
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Some manufactures are wising up putting details involving what goes into their products. While I may not be writing this well, just the same, myself unable to find the papers that had come with the por purchase choice my buying a Ryobi String trimmer I was pleased to fine Ryobi (Homelite) Co. had put a parts and assembly pictured information on the intrnet. Maybe my purchase was such a bad on after all. I had originally purchased it for two reasons, price and need. The needed part was in the extended (extensions) chainsaw accessories I so badly wanted to cut (trim) unwanted limbs out from over head so needed clearing tops my tractors and also important my empty head. (there had been talk somebody mentioning looking in one my ears and seeing daylight out the other at same time) (smart Alec)
Studying the informative pages I found offended part plus it’s ID number and price. I could either instantly order from here and pay hefty price for shipment or order locally and wait same amount time for arrival for less money.
Part ordering taken care of might better put offened trimmer back together keep rest parts from loss. May try again to start like trimmer bought at yard-sale. Figured two power heads better than one for use with all differently configured, reconfigured, or other wise southern end implements. The industrial world does come up with a worthwhile surprise every now and then.
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It’s 2:00 AM Saturday morning 5-28. Just woke after sleeping since 8:00 PM evening last. Can’t sleep thinking about an old romance. I had only closed my eyes for a moment. I didn’t even see myself drift away. Waking up, thinking I’d not be easy going back to sleep opted for whittling on an apple and bit of carving on a fat o’ piece of cheese some unlucky mouse didn’t get.
About the girl, I’m pissed off at her Ma, denying her daughter a properly lived romance sheeting a lovely colleen out of a whole Winter’s courting, Christmas and New Years parties, a proper period time for the colleen’s chance for proper dreaming, celebrating a last who-rah under her maiden name, enjoying a couple three showers I’m sure she’d been blessed with, celebrations an up coming winning event. I’m PO-ed having missed courting the pretty colleen via Winter dances, candle-lite dinners, taking her tobogganing, washing her face in snow, and perhaps some other rather devious devilments. (grin) Butt, a-lass, the best I could do was ask her to dress up in her finest, her Wedding evening outfit, walked her through a couple short city blocks shoveled snow to over look our old high-school’s senior class. Entering the school gym’s doors we were met by a commity of past teachers. Two teachers I remember exceptionally well.
One a Miss Holmes, she was my home room instructor and the girls gym coach. She was liking my Mom when I was in school. She talked and sounded like my mom in every word and tone she ever spoke. There was no way getting away from continued being a good boy. (sheesh) She was rosy cheeked all smiles. She was oh so happy for my bride of almost three weeks. Giving my girl a hug to last a lifetime.
A second teacher Mr. Jessup taught economics, book keeping and standard math. This gentleman I had never seen a smile even upon his lips all my HS years. He grinned and smiled the entire widthe of the Lobby. Although I had never had him for a class, he took my hand squeezing and shaking it and my arm loose in my elbow. I had wondered if I would ever swing a construction hammer again. I was to young to be maimed.
Asking if we could watch the Christmas Ball proceedings from the balcony, my heart sunk when we were denied. My bride was delighted when we were commandeered, commanded more like it, for chaperon duty, we were instructed to check the punch bowl, the dance floor, whatever nook and cranny, behind any open door we might find ourselves in we were free to check these places possibilities. I had gotten my Mrs. To one of the high-school parties she had missed. My bride was delighted. I was mortified as Hell. But by the time the evening was over I was exhausted in a very happy way. I had managed to entertain my wife in a most remarkable fashion beyond any other kind of a party imaginable.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Friday, May 27, 2011

now ain’t this just…. ....(a day late!)....

….ducky weather. Between the rain and the cable service has quit us. It includes the TV, Internet, plus the phone in a package deal. The service is working so well completely dead the phone isn’t working either so that I can’t report the other two failures. (grrrr) Now in where as my options are ever becoming more restricted, I am becoming ticked off (cleaned that up for women and little children looking in). Add to this when I came in tonight I immediately forgot to take my rattlers and I want to eat now; only, the clock has seemed to automatically go into slow-motion just because I’m famished. I finally took my pills, I’ve washed up, checked my laundry, and cussed out the cable company. Then called them on my cell phone furnished by a competitor!
Lets see, what are my options. I could get myself ultra comfortable (get ride of shoes, bibs, down to my black boxers. I just happened to grab them out of an after shower drawer. I’m not in mourning. Putor still comes up and working for private stuff. Hmmm? I can still write, but about what? An animal story, something about one of the kids, err ouh about something naughty and spicy about my children’s mother? Oh the possibilities are endless. Only, my mind has gone blank. A natural phenomena these later aged days. (LMHO)
Wouldn’t somebody know it. I’ve got a couple machines taken apart in the shop and I wanted to research them on the I-net this evening. Locat needed parts numbers and a dealer where available. (grumble, grumble, growl, growl) I’d point a raspberry at these screens if I weren’t the one who’d have to clean them.
“Rainbows?”
Fernan

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Rain Day

M so disgusted with rain, rain, rain, and when we aren’t getting rain it is raining. I refuse to associate with any fish, for fear I may up and grow gills.
Today’s activities I fooled away my morning up to naughty shenanigans on the internet. Nothing enticed me but my memory sure was hyperventilated or hyper stimulated to no good. This after noon I stowed away off and on in the kitchen doing dishes. Do a batch, let them dry, do another batch, let them dry. Why I even found a counter top under one pile. Stove’s covered with soaking pans.
All this activity has brought out two things in me. One I wish my Mom had made me do dishes, they’d might not be as bad to do as I swear they are. Secondly every time I put my hands in water, I’ve got to go a pee each and every time. And as wrinkled as my hands are getting I don’t know that I want to be seen in public after today? I men I’ll be wrinkled more and dehydrated older looking than I am.
Well, It’s time to go get my hands wet and really go-go. Nuts!
KP break time. Just mixed me a Cherry Juice and Ginger ale drink and got off my feet.
Along with the continued rain, we’ve got rolling thunder boomer’s over head nicely entertainen me in with my woik.
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Soap box time.
Everybody knows no job is finished until the paper work’s done during library meditations. The new generation paper rolls are shorter narrower, squattier, the sheets shortened and thinner. Think of it all these paper roll improvements haven’t cost us one red cent less. Rumor is this re-dimensioned paper is saving us our wooded environments.
Soap bos’s free.
Well, It’s off and on time again with a fresh hot batch wash water for the poys and pans.
Put supper on ate and did more dishes and three fry pans. Kitchen’s looking better but has a long way to go. Enough for today.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Should-a mined my English…

…..lessons and read and used the dictionary more. I just found another definition for the word engagement: meeting the enemy.
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Called out soon enough to assist Bro’ loading out his Polaris Ranger to take it in for dealer repair.
My word, I swear he’s had more problems with his new Polaris than I’ve had with my 1972(?) Cushman truckster. Of-course his is an almost all weather 6x6 ATV, and my Truckster is merely a fair weather ATV. But on the other hand my vehicle is more useful making fix the fences around all these fields. And it does do a good job scurrying over the neighborhood open roads weather permitting. Then there’s putting the windshield down enjoying the motored breezes in the face and lose hairs bellowing blowing around my face.
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In trying to keep Her Mostess happy she wanted to have her hair done. Sounded alright to me. I needed one also. So, I figured I might be able to negotiate a 2-fur (a discount for 2 hair cuts). Didn’t work but the negotiations were so much fun I gave the gal who clipped us a modest tip. (grin)
Backing the Ugly truck up No openings at the hair dressers I got to take, What’s Her Name, out for lunch again to supposedly save gas. After lunch, what was to fattening large I drove us over to the local Kersley Damn boat lunch ramp to enjoy looking at the water. Sheesh! I live and pay taxes in this county and I was expected to pay for the privilege to park to look at the same water that flows out of our Duck Pond into that man made lake. Duh, heck with them, off to one side the Crossroads bridge going over that same water I buggied down through a two track and parked on an old abandoned county boat ramp and enjoyed watching some crazies and wildlife water fowl until our hair cutting appointed time.
Getting home I loaded up all the lawn trimmers to see if I could get them to run. The easiest one of the lot likely 25=30 years old knew no better and ran beautifully on a cleaned sparkplug and fresh gasoline. The other two the rewinder needing attention I took apart. A 3rd machine (same as the second) I finally got spark but no gas. I may play with it tomorrow. This last machine a garage sale bargains for parts I’m sure it’ll run when I get it right.
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Was a beautiful drying day for our fields our airs filled with sunshine and gentle breezes. It’ll be my luck I get rained on before this seasons haying start again? Well I can hope and busy myself fixing big boys toys.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Monday, May 23, 2011

Doc’s all day

It has been a day that was? Frieda had it in her bonnet she had to see Doc. So we saw Doc starting out early this morning. She’s lost some weight, is breathing easier, and penicillin medicated for a sore throat. (sigh) she should be in good voice shortly.
Took her out for lunch as she had likely contrived this morning Doc appointment just a finagling an out on the town lunch. I know her ways, and there be no fun in them if I didn’t fall for them most of the time.
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Here’s snapshot poor Craftsman having lost hood. Been suggested to accept it as a blessing in disguise allowing the engine will now run cooler.
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A slow day and well caught in a rained down deluge we went checking on Clover hay field. Didn’t do to well. Most clover didn’t reseed back. Looks like a winter seeding coming up for 2012. Grass looking good. Another adjacent field under water. No tell when we’ll get on it to work up and plant? Made phone call and acquired another twelve or more acre hay field for the season.
Another week in sick bay that cow will go to the livestock exchange. Other wise it’s been a slow day.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Just another farm Sunday

2nd day's entry.
Just another Spring day following all those that had gone before. Warmer than last week, wetter than usual. It has been a dampable Spring to contend with if there ever was one or had there ever been another like it. While like a lot of us may talk about the weather there’s little we can do about changing it into what might suit our individual needs. “It’s been rain, rain go away, come again another day.” Whoever wrote this had to have been sick in the head. Any way, getting out I found we’d had another shower. The grasses wet all the way up to my knees I wasn’t any to eager to go tramping through rain soaked grasses dampening my pants and shoes. I play it cool all morning. I fed and watered my cow in sick-bay. Then went into public relations mode….shooting the breeze with a couple neighbors. As noon approached I thought to myself why hurry now. I’ll have lunch and then look busier than _ell. It all boils down to organization.
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While I supposedly missed it Bro’ brought me a dozen more cows from just down the road and dropped them off. No more bailed hay to feed them they might just as well eat it at the source. With all the rain we’re getting the pastures could not be greener.
Just to make living among trees going on a hundred years and more old so many of them and the land the grown have/has become so water logged the trees are either collapsing from their own weights or uprooting. Nature has been it’s entertaining craziest best around here.
After making lunch for us I abandoned Her Mostess and went fence tending. Had a good time if I may lie. Started out with the chainsaw cutting up limbs small enough I could handle them for ease of movement either ditching them picking them up or pitching them into wood piles to gather i later. Next I walked down the wires lifting them out of matted leaves or unsnarling them from falling limbs as the case may be, all of-course without kinking them three sides the pasture.
Eventually the wires all back up and working I snuck away to go Crossroads hardware store and market. Can’t tell ya what I wanted from the hardware store; but, I’ll know it when I see them. The other thing was milk. Food from the gods milk, my staff of life. Better than a beer, not quite as refreshing as cold water or in a pinch iced tea. I save my beer drinking for little celebrations. Yeah, I know, I’m a weird one…so be it.
Getting back from the Crossroads I finished my afternoon’s play in the same pasture where I fixed feces cutting up more wind-falls. Next winter’s fire wood is starting slowly to pile but will be mounting as time goes on. By time I had gotten home I was late for my rattlers. Took them and did my evening chore. Grained the single cow in my charge.
With Bro’s Polaris Ranger towed home last night my barn’s parking space reopened I managed to bring out my Crapsman lawn tractor and fairly well did a good job mowing my yard, almost. Goofy tractor run out of gas right at the very end of the ramp. I took as a sign to make supper. macaroni and cheese was quick and easy. I ate it and liked it. Finished, I gassed the tractor and finished the lawn mow, even some the other side the driveway. He day had turned out nice. Still no haying started nor crops planted, nor ground work either for that matter. Ohhhhh Lawd! Its going to he asses and elbows when the weather breaks. Then it be the doings that’ll do us in even if were not broken.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

I been challenged “Hic”

1st entry
I had written something like, for a good dinner wine the imports are the best. Okay! I could be wrong and I’m going to have to look into this further……
Meanwhile I am using the following quot to help me explain my position:
Two men talking....
“HANSEN: Explain the relationship between alcohol content and taste.
Mr. KUTCH: Sure. As alcohol goes up in wine, it brings out different characteristics in the wine. Pinot noir, being the most sensitive or delicate, I'd almost say finesse-driven grape of all the varieties, has a big, big meaning when that alcohol changes or elevates or decreases. So, you really want to have it at a lower alcohol level because it brings out more of that beauty and finesse.
HANSEN: Describe the difference then in flavor. Will the wine taste lighter?
Mr. KUTCH: Not necessarily. A real important part or aspect of making the wine is the pick date. So, when you pick grapes earlier they tend to have and retain an acidity and the sugar levels are lower in those grapes. And then when you produce the wine, lower sugar levels equals lower alcohol levels. If you pick riper, the grapes are hanging on the vine longer, what in turn happens is you have higher sugar levels. Higher sugar levels translate in the fermentation to higher alcohol levels.
HANSEN: Is it just the selection of the grapes and the time that you pick them or do you manipulate the production of the wine as well?”
http://www.npr.org/2011/04/24/135678921/slow-buzz-builds-for-low-alcohol-wines
…….meanwhile let me speak from my childhood experiences: I have considered that part of my childhood growing up on the farm my most informative years.
Bottom lines: Work periods were long, playtimes short,
Learning was almost out of this world excellent. It was at that time when I had been started in a beginning war time school classes growing weekly by leaps and bounds teachers were over loaded in TWO a day classrooms trying to learn kids in thirty-five student plus crowded classrooms. Folks fed up with the growing/growning city life moved back onto the farm from where they had originally come from.
Cutting too the chase on that farm my folks had a five acre vineyard. It was just barely manageable for them its existence was a practically guaranteed income to cover the property taxes and some expenses. Every fall my little brother and I were pressed into wild abandoned employment harvesting those grape within threes days after a Fall’s first FROST. The challenge as to leaves those grapes n the vine the longer the better for low acidic high sugar content. The higher the sugar the more the grapes were worth upon delivery the winery’s pickup station where upon the grapes chosen form three lugs where squeezed and tested for that sugar content. The higher the number the better the final payment. Most American wines were ,then, made for the palatable taste second only to the cheap buzz. This is the way I saw it and until I’ve researched the American wines further.
Personally my wine making skill has been limited to making the sweeter after dinner desert wines for our home’s use. Although I have riskily made a few bottles of Apple wine bubbly now and then over the years. Frieda giggled the bubbles tickling her nose. I shan’t go into detail what had tickled her fancy next. (hubba hubba)
A future Dinner menu could very well include an ultra fine domestic dinner wine with the/my main course, Crow?
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Saturday, May 21, 2011

World’s end….

…has kept me so busy with running hither and yond, two elevators for shelled corn, weight slip, supplements, pick up empty feed box, setting up equipment, and generally sweating my tukhus off. I did this finishing up the whole lot plus loaded out my afternoon’s needed tools for other end’s fence fixings. I even wrote this while cooking lunch all before high noon.
World’s end prediction had to have come from another cracked-pot and I was looking forward to a day off to watch all the subordinate nuts run around as in more nuts. (grin)
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Dinner come’n’gone, left here to go Bro’s with ground feed. That taken care of drove out back to make fix Bro’s back fences. Just as I got there he calls wanting some vinyl gloves. So I delivered. Then I’m told about an inner barnyard fence problem. Could I fix.
Okay. So while I begin preparations for the next a apocalypse. The hot wire was two fold shot as in brittle and corrosion rusty insulated. Old wire removed and rolled for scrap, the ways cleared I set about a complete electric fence wire rebuild; corners, including switches, gate closures, beginnings and ends. This took me most completely the entire afternoon. Checking fences strength, it was a 9.3LW hot. I’ll get back outback tomorrow.
Even as I worked upon the fence a local lady gave my Cushman a custom car wash. ‘Twas nice of her.
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While I’m posting one picture here’s another one a magnet equipped crane unloading scrap tin off the wood-hauler day before yesterday. All done with it, fifth trip, I left the freezer cabinet behind as well this time.
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This is it for a truly rare sunny Shorthorn country day….
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

My grapes or wrath (part 2)

It was some time between way back when until the present somebody near to me owning a small one and a half acre grape arbor (vineyard). In it he had planted a wide variety of grape species most of them destined for an acquired taste for making different tasting flavored wines. Oh sure he had a goodly representation of the all American concords for his lady’s grape juice and jelly making supplies.
Well it happened other activities coming to press upon his time he more or less lost some interest in his vineyard sort-a letting it go some. It then come to pass a friend of his took up taking care of the vineyard on shares. Most the shares going to the friend as vineyard owner’s time still pressed him further, his keeping more and more the fruits of his labors he then brought back a share of home-made wines for the owner’s share his vineyard’s spoils. As time passed his friend ageing putting in less and less time, taking him less and less the heaven given fruit the vineyard came to just holding its own.
One day one of the neighbors come along asking if she may have some drapes for making jelly. As was the vineyard’s owner was a generous man he suggested some particular grapes be taken for some more colorful jelly tastes. “What kind were they?” she had asked. “They are wine grapes.” the owner explained, The woman would have nothing to do with those. I suppose in her mind wine grapes make only wine? Oh Lord, this lady about went into a tizzy.
Let me explain something of the woman’s makeup. I’d have sworn she was the type of an individual who’d go to church on Sunday to be pre-forgiven all she was about to do to any one else the following week. A churchy one she professed herself to be. Now I wonder when was the last time she’d seen the inside of a church. Oh my God, she’d been guilty all manor of sins if she were to make jelly out of wine grapes. I for one never quite understood the woman, so she refused those tastier grapes for her own small minded reasonings. It followed that it also come to pass that as she was delighted with her grape harvest she made her grape jelly: butt ahem, she’d made a mistake somewhere over the cooking’s flame and by the time Winter and Spring had rolled along she’d found her efforts had turned to a wine jelly. She was mortified, disgusted, horrified, humiliated, embarrassed, feeling quilts unreasonable, rather than letting a coinsure liking myself enjoy them she destroyed the entire batch jelly glasses, waxes, lids and all. She wasn’t about to bask in any knowledgeable way her having made a sinful wine. And so this was another loss to mankind from an unbeliever. I don’t believe she’d any idea the value of those sweet nectars she had created. Nor any understanding the fermenting process that preserved a good many goods for man’s continued existence use hundreds of years already gone by.
Whatever you (or any reader) do, don’t let any narrow minded behavior destroy any zest of life what may come your way intentionally or by accident. Life’s such a large bowl of sweet and sour cherries, a body shouldn’t waste tasting a single one of them.
This concludes my grape jelly stories.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

What ticks me off, if I should really like a dinner wine to go with my meal I must either make it myself or buy foreign. European wines are made of a much lower alcohol content than our domestic varieties. What’s wrong with this picture?

Something extra: When I make wine I make it with the whole fruit juice. I’ve made no watered down false wines in my cellar. This reminds me, I need to draw off a handy bottle or two red pop.

Friday, May 20, 2011

5-20-2011 My real day

It is now noon, I been out back enclosing the hay-yard, an adjacent part of a field that’ll not be harvested hay, plus all of that area the ladies had once occupied this last winter’s weather on dry pasturage and the emptied hay-yard. All this I‘ve just fenced in sure to let my Shorthorn country ladies to peruse the delicacies waiting for none but the most discerning appetites in my neighborhood to graze and let me know if my offering was pleasing to their palates.
Meats balls for lunch I was well fed. So fed up (grin) I had to sit a spell to let my dinner settle. Then I was off again out back to tidy up what might have been needed for the ladies next pasturing.
Things looking good here I scootered down the road to fix a fence the other end. Had some nastily rusted wire to replace. Did that, gassed Cushman (aka. scooter) and cans, checked more fence. Feeling my day’s pain for all the fence I had walked and the pesky multifloralrose trimmings. Worn down more than enough, “I hadn’t felt like extending my day.” I was homeward bound.
It might be said it has been a good story telling day!
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

PS: I jelly well story follows.

My grapes or wrath (part 1)

My first grape story started one early morning in a little Michigan town on the shore of Lake Michigan. It were Spring about this time of year it was in perhaps in the year 1959, maybe 1960 even. Seeking some subsistence in the way of some belly fillen, I found in my Mom’s kitchen a loaf of bread. This was okay for a start, but what to go with it? Ah yes, perhaps there’ll be something in the cellar. So I descended the steps down around the winding steps lowering me into the cooler reaches of the area Mom had reserved for her many varieties of home canned good beautifully done up in mason jars. Towards the end of the masonry shelf on the left I found what I’d thought would make taste addition to some toasted breads, my Mom’s homemade Jelly. Oh it was a glorious repast. Two slices toasted bread slathered with honest to goodness real butter and topped with Mom’s grape jelly what a morning feast. I didn’t then know what had caused me to want more for two slices toast had me wanting two more, so on and so forth. I couldn’t lay my happy fingers on just what it was so good about that particularly simplest of breakfasts’ for I ate that toast and jelly until what was left of Mom’s bred was gone. Only a couple cups of coffee suggestively drinkened to wash the toast down I do believe had no effect upon me. However, getting up from the table to leave the house for the backyard shop to work upon a customers order I found my walking from hither to yond a bit more than wobbly. On reaching the shop, looking about me over the scene, I felt it less important than I had imagined, for the need be my doing it right then and there. Besides something was telling me I had better return to the house. Inside I laid down but for a few moments upon my Mom’s sofa. Only for a few moments until my head and body’s alienating behavior had cleared the funny cobwebs clear of my conscious mind and body. I slept for several hours. Sometime later I awoke wondering what had happened to me? What manner or illness had befallen me those hours when I had so much else to do. I had lost a questionable day to Lawd only knew what?
When I had related my story to my family including taking full responsibility for the missing bread, I do believe they all thought I were bonkers. This weird behavior was going to take some rather deep sleuthing upon my part to figure out what had happened to me for whatever it was my behavior’s it had gone unwitnessed.
After a great deal of thought I started with examining the jelly jar and its remaining jelly. Thankfully I had run out of bread. It smelled okay. With a teaspoon I sampled the goods. It was tasty, very tasty, with an unmistaken-able extra tang to it, in it, with it? A day or two had gone by and I knew I had to do something in the interest of my family’s safety. So unselfishly I moseyed back down into the dark confines that cellar and intentionally moved all those very samely labeled jars to the further distanced far reaches way to the back of another masonry shelf and there do to the fact there weren’t that many of them to keep them from falling into the wrong hands I turned the open panels of a cardboard box inside and placed thus upside down of the questionable jarrings. Thankful I had taken the steps I had taken to save the evidence I didn’t speak of it for years. For I had discovered Mom’s unintentionally made homemade “Happy Jelly.” Least wise that’s what I called it. Happy Jelly, yum.
Near as I figured, Mom had failed to cook her jelly long or hard enough to have pasteurized it before she’s canned the goods, waxed and lidded her grape juiced brew to set and jell. It was terrible, simply terrible the responsibilities’ laid upon me to save and protect my family from such stuff I had safely hid away for all the ensuing months it personally took me to do away with the inebriating evidences. Hic!
Part two tomorrow night
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Weather’s questionable

Yesterday’s rainy day was liking an unusual back wash the we stuff blown over us from the East. Got been cause some body out East didn’t want it a sent it back pushing hard at it.
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Frieda and I have been blessed another day. We're preparing for the world's Saturday end, making sammitwitches and getting in an 18 pack beer.
Today's gonna be a busy one fur me. Got so many things to, made plans, and having forgotten a couple impotent aptpointments there may be times I wont know for sure whether I should have either been coming or going. Thank goodness I don't box myself like days it's going to be today.
Oh well! Grinning and bareing it....
Fernan
PS: In the loco news we've some serious flooding which doesn't happen all that often. Whew. All the last three/four days rain continues catching up with us. Shorthorn country's has gotten enough new lakes to keep a flock of mallards busy stocking them with freshly laid bluegill fish eggs.
Life has some day's more of a hoot than others.
"Rainbows."
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Story time:
This morning’s GMA TV show, they asked viewers whether they preferred public or private marriage proposals? My bride and I were denied either one. It happened something like this: I had introduced myself Thursday, we picnicked Sunday (6hrs), Monday I asked if she like to dine and dance? Picked her up a couple times for a motor drive-in hamburger (both with onions), on date night dressed to the nines (she vamped me)(I still hate that little black cocktail dress in navy blue). My first picnic love at first sight reaffirmed within a week or so after our second date, a few coin in my pocket I mistakenly purchased, locally, a set of rings.
It was June, July only days away, while I had the money I was guaranteeing my Christmas gift for my special lady well ahead of time. What I didn’t know, there was a big mouthed busy body in the jeweler’s store had immediately gotten on a wired grapevine. Everybody in town hearing the news even before I had time to realize what I had done. Only a very few short hours later stopping by the pretty young colleens kitchen for an afternoon cup-coffee, her Ma laid into me for who was I buying rings while my seeing so many other young ladies besides her Frieda? OMG! Taken by complete surprise and by no means myself not the only first one, that bonny colleen in question had just come through the kitchen door hearing everything as she approached her Ma’s side. Frieda hearing the key words immediately spun on her heal to turn away in astonishment. Only, only she had given me her approval without knowing it for as she supposedly turned away from me in embarrassment I saw her left cheek rise into a broadest opossum eating grit smile. She knew then who they were for…., the vampress. Everything out in the open upon matters none of witch yet were her Ma’s business, whomever all was in that kitchen left save for mine Frieda and myself. Composed she asked if I had gotten coffee and wordlessly served me. The kitchen in total and continued silence she sat herself down at the kitchen table across from me. Then what happened next shouldn’t have happened to a dog. As I lifted the steaming coffee cup to my lips the steam rising up my nose, she had let her right foot kind-a drifted across the free space under that table and stroked the suddenly tender side my calf in a second approval’s caress. Totally surprised I burnt my lip, snorted hot coffee up and out my nose, and knew I had just been irreparably been had.
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Back from the burbs a whole dollar short the wood hauler’s load of tin‘s value. This returning home could well find me tagged with another impromptu name, Mr. Goofer. From where I had cashed in that small load of scrap I was but only a block or two from where could have turned in a core on that troubled-some rebuilt Ugly truck starter I been hand to hand combating for most of the late Winter and early Spring.
Then to add more goofing up to Mr. Goofer’s shame had he properly had that small oxygen bottle with him he could have turned East three miles and come out only three or four mile North of that oxygen re-supplying depot.
Well at least I’ve my wood-hauler back home, take that, add it to the WD45 I can finish mending my immediate fences for the ladies, I’ve only one bale left. I’ve got to turn them out on something new tomorrow.
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Long into evening late coming in, the hay-yard’s empty. My hitting my wall with a double whammy the fence fixing will have to wait until morning. Making a couple late afternoon mistakes I found it most prudent to quit for the evening before I had made a real mistake. I’ll accept what I had managed done as good a day’s efforts success.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Almost a “Ho Hum” day.

Nothing particularly exciting happened today. Lakes and new mud everywhere of any paved road might be said I’m shop bound. One thing I managed was to totally screw up what I really need to do during the next couple days. Any pans I should have made should not have included having Tom weld some he wood-hauler’s tongue jack anchor. Now I’ve got the wood hauler near fully loaded with scrap iron to get rid of. Bummer, I had forgotten I had some appointments to keep come tomorrow morning. My problem is becoming more complicated by the moment. So, tomorrow afternoon I must finish topping off that scrap load one-way or another and get rid of it. All because I’ve only one bale green hay available to last the ladies into the weekend. No doubt about it I’ve got to finish my fences using the wood-hauler behind the WD45 to carry my fence making needs. There’s no way the Cushman could even make it across the barnyard to go outback. On top this the last of my dry hay is needed down the road. What I’ve got left is a couple haylage plugs to keep the ladies an extra day If I should need them. Add a big plus when finished with the haylage wrapper last Fall it was left where it had finished its work last Fall. So it has to be moved. As muddy as Shorthorn country has turned into Ugly won’t even make it moving that heavy machine out of here. (fun, fun, fun)
The brightest moments in my day involved my turning into the lower-drive having Ugly just a stomp its way around down and up over the grade to where I had parked out her aside the house. Shure nice to have that mechanical critter doing what I wanted of it. (I’m one proudly happy camper over Ugly’s proper mechanical working‘s) (smiles)
Getting home I wasn’t to late taking my rattlers. And while I waited for my medications taken hour slowly dragged by I fed here and down the road’s rushing’s time feeding all these ladies. Oh yeah, by the time I got back in I wa ready for chicken.
”Rainbows.”
Fernan

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Tease, teaser

Up and at’em before sunrise I saw the Sun come up. The morning wasn’t half gone when the shy sun draped a cloud over its face, and continued ever darkening cloud covering our existence.
Even before thinking dressing I hard a bossy sound just outside Frieda‘s window. Running to the windows throwing back the drapes I saw nothing. Even so, I knew I had heard what I heard. Out the door barefoot my night shirt liking to try sailing the grasses wet my stepping was lively rounding the second corner the house I could see her around. Yup, I was right and lucky it were only one of them. It was back into the house for my tux and boots. The first dash a bit dash I wasn’t about to take a whole loy of that draft. ‘Sides I wasn’t gonna wade the barnyard creek barefoot. She’s cooperative enough to go right back where we both knew she belonged trying a couple hesitations as if I didn’t mean her. Yeah, right. I meant her all the way from my booted naked feet to the top of my reservation hat covered head. In between there were some cold zipper backsides coming in some body chilling contacts inside my tux encouraging my hurrying her along to get myself in this intrusive condition back inside the house. Well anyway anyone passing would never had guessed my ill logical discomforts.
Having a ride neighbor took me shopping as long as he was going anyway. Getting Back Tom helped me put a lockable gang box inside the barn. Going to use it for looking up my hand tools. Fed critters and settled in for lunch. Then have to woik on Ugly’s nonworking hub, More later….
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……much later same day, today:
Hot damn, I’ve finally gotten that Ugly truck’s right front 4x4 in’n’out hub working correctly. What more I’ve no idea what was wrong with it. What I did do was put enough slip’n’slide lithium grease on all the parts I had one Hell of a time putting all back together. I must have made at least a dozen attempts at assembling the loose parts all other in one swell swoop into the axle hub housing. But by the hairs on my chiny chin-chin the Ugly truck’s four wheel drive is again in working mode. All Ugly’s tires had also gotten some attention my topping off their pressures with fresh Spring airings. One thing sure that rough riding hulk surely has more bounce to the ounce giving my liver a whale of good shaking the two miles I drove it home. It could be I’m slowing down my driving even more saving me from bouncing off the road via hitting a loose road pebble just might be my wrong luck sending.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Monday, May 16, 2011

Funny Sun’s shinen

For our last night’s supper I built a pizza, I baked an apple pie. The kitchen had not only smelled good the afternoon its use had also helped warm the house. Eating was good, life was good.
During the night I threw a bit of kindling on the fire I had started over some 24 hours ago. The cowls so minimal I more than half expected the fire to go completely out. In-stead it had revived and burned for hours. The fire’s rebirth had not only kept us but also made the house toasty warm. And, on rising its surely nice seeing something livelier than gray, darken, gloomy skies hanging and dripping over our heads. The new scene brings a smile to me lips, the teeth though they sit in a prominent throne room cup.
I worked on Ugly truck without ant success of accomplishing anything. I continued on in a mind blanking dark through lunch, then went out to feed the animals. By time I got back to lunch I crawled under Ugly’s frame again making twist the drive-shaft finding right hub free and left one locked up. I freed the left one and found it to spin freely that a-way. Ah ha, the right hand Spicer shifting in’n’out 4x4 lock out isn’t working at all. To late in day my not wanting to tackle it as late it’d gotten I’ll attack it come morning, when I’m fresher as liking a daisy.
These activities pretty much made up my day. This evening I started washing dishes wondering how much longer the old girl is going to keep this sitting on her butt up? Lawd knows I’ve got to keep moving. I don’t see her getting any better lazing around. We’ve already had some pretty days and she hasn’t taken a single step a one of them. Bottom line, I’m enjoying myself looking back at my daily accomplishments. Jobs well done.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan
PS: No long writings tonight. I've assigned myself to KP Duty. (sob) Bah!!!

Sunday, May 15, 2011

What day…..

….“is it ever going to quit raining?” Not really although how many times has it ever been said. This time I was thinking more along the lines, “What day is it?” Okay let me look and speak more of these lines. While it rained all over us yesterday I traveled making numerous shopping stops The stops mixed picked up a part ordered and a few others in my travels. A big part of my motoring about was grocery shopping one stop for the bargains, another for those things I couldn’t buy at the first one.
So, why am I acting (who’s acting?) a bit confused I did enjoy a few rainy hours pecking away at setting to print a story or two. Oh, I did complete a needed feed grinding parking and/or setting Shorthorn country’s machinery doing it, but it was those precious few stolen moments here and there that refreshed my mind. Sitting on my can during those concreted same moments a many my joints savagely locked up leaving me some displayed action involving some rather undignified efforts to loosen the sums of them merely going after a drink more than once to also refresh my palate and thirst. How about this! The last flurry of action upon myself succeeded taking care of two folds. Enjoying a beer and the exhausting exercise’s displayed my lazily up to a point enjoyed. Moral? Yes there is a moral to this story. I must personally keep moving to stay loose? Humbug!
Now then, my conscience kleared, want-a read my idears for my day for an even rainier day? Thinking unloading Cushman here, wrapping myself as well as I might from the rain and head for the shop. It could be a right good day replace that leaking transmission seal AND once and for all take up the Cushman’s brakes to properly wear in against the machine’s stronger engine capable of operating against their drag.
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What is written is written. I’m not changing a woid. Butt, what’s happening is happening, I’ve just been down to the barn looking over the eastside pasture walking along my way alls quiet. So quiet the ladies in their fur covered leather coats don’t seem to be the least bit phased by the drenching rains descending upon us. I had managed a spectacular broad jump over the barnyard creek to make my way to the barn three sides bordering on water front property. Inside I fed the cats. I also unloaded the Cushman trying to consciously remember why in face the continued down pour outside even to the wet creeping under the barn doors. While I ain’t left yet don’t mean I’ve given up on driving Cushman to and into shop don’t mean nothen yet…. (grumble, grumble, growl, growl…)
The weather yet will either way likely make a liar out of me what I’ll either do or don’t get done today.
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A-Farm-TIP to save a buck:
An aerosol can fluorescent orange, some masking tape, and pre-read newspapers.
Photobucket
A squeeze of the button and an Slow Moving Vehicle sign is rejuvenated for another season and more. Cost? That can paint was $5.98. It has brightened the orange on uncountable SMV’s priced from $7.95 upwards to $19.95 dependent upon whether the SMV is just the contact paper image or the hard copy ready to wear plastic of tin backed versions, plus place of purchase.

Here’s yesterday’s grinding scene between the heavier showers.
Photobucket
Shelled corn augured from wagon on left into hammer-mill part grinder mixer center. Small hopper on back machine’s where the supplements have been poured in. When large bin is mix filled (seen through staggered tank windows) the augur on back right side machine will be slipped under the cover of waiting wagon behind Ugly truck. When the grain’s been processed and all’s done machinery goes back into barn. Lastly the Cushman Truckster is parked temporarily behind it just inside big door for now.
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By golly gee whiz, I have had one great afternoon. Having looked up from my naughty story I saw the tarp on the shell con supply wagon appeared dry. So, I looked out at the deck and seen it drying. Lunch over, I was on my way. I grabbed some loose parts of Ugly’s seat, got out the Truckster and was on my way. Holy smokem’s Fat Man three hours later I had returned home the new transmission seal installed, the hydraulic and mechanical brakes taken up some and working so much better. The Cushman should be trouble free for the whole warm weathered seasons. I’m one happy camper counting the frogs jumping about as I waded the barnyard creek. I’d been a good afternoon, Fat Boy. So happy with my efforts I even let Fat Cat Sweetheart congratulate me. She really just wanted a loving bet; but, I assumed to take it as a congratulant gesture. I can be flexible that-a-way.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Almost wish it’d rain….

…..not that it’d help much. Something obviously has gone wrong in my mind, something has got to give I feel as though I need a day off just to take care of some bordering on domestic matters. I desperately need to do some grocery shopping first. Secondly I need to pick up a part to solve a Cushman transmission leak and some ultra slipper stuff to lube Ugly’s lock in/out hubs.
Opps, I forgot to mention some of the interesting little of nature’s tidbits covering nature’s passing parades yesterday.
My tending to fencings out towards the Duck Pond I was thoroughly honked at by a pair of low flying water fowl. I imagined they were cussing me out for my bothering their sanctity. Bull Shyit, I was here first, guaranteed likely I was here before either on of them were born. Boy, would I have liked to give them a Goose. (hehe) A bit later a big dumb arsed doe came charging out of the cattails ahead of my drive around the field’s border flagging me the entire time she loped out of my sight. She wants to be all that fussy who she don’t wants to keep company with, I’ll fix her first delivering her a defining dinner invitation with a bang come this Fall.
Seeing an expired red winged blackbird laying off on the side of the farmyard driveway reminds me of the dummies of the same species nesting in the very fields I’ll likely be haying in three/four weeks from now. They keep up these nesting habits they’ll continue to make themselves extinct.
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OMG
Rubber mulch from recycled tires is being pushed in TV advertising and thoughtless home improvement shows.
To read more about this disheveling treatment of our earth and lands, I see it as an industrialized way of getting rid of hazardous waste without so much as a stewards concern to protect and take care of the land we all live off of. Outrageous, read more about it here http://www.paghat.com/rubbermulch.html
And what about all he fine wires also ground into unsuspecting slivers for our children-grandchildren may drive into under their tender shins to fester, poison and infect these younger growing bodies.
Where are our leader’s heads to allow such a travesty to befall our present society. And when the damage has had the time to become a cast problem over the land, who’ll pay for the clean up. It wont be the industry who’d sold the dummies upon its use. If this product is so damned good, show me how to plant flowers in my Ugly trucks rolling rubber tires to assist in beautifying America.
Incensed
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It’s a great rainy day in Shorthorn country. Weather reports we’ve had two to three inches rain over our area. Have had thoughts going down the barnyard creek for some sucker fishing. Nothing’s swimming up stream in this creek but that doesn’t mean it’s be without its resident sucker fisherman, me.
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Fields almost about dry enough to get on, I (we) get to wait on them all over again for the minor lakes to dehydrate all over again. Fun, fun, fun, seeing as how I never got on a single snow slop all winter maybe I could take this opportunity to go water skiing.
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Went shopping this AM making four stops. 1st as cheap as I am, it was Save-A-Lot for what groceries I could lift there. What to my wondering eyes did I see but a whole stack of full flats of canned apricots. Yum, yum, yum. I loaded up on two of them. Thinking about them, now that I am home, I should have gotten more.
2nd stop I picked up Cushman part and Ugly lube. Now if they were in the shop I could make like fixing them. Moving on to 3rd stop I picked up what I couldn’t buy at the 1st stop. From here on to the 4th stop my travel’s got sticky. Putting my hand up to my hat my hand landed on sunglasses. Oh Crap, out on the road by this time I discovered I hadn’t paid for them. Shucks, next time I go in I had better take the price tag (sticker or whatever its called) with me and make them an honest purchase. Meanwhile, parked at the hardware store I wanted and purchased some sort of a heavy finish varnish sealer ti cover a bed’s head and foot boards. Added some implements pins and left for empty feed wagon and elevator swing-by. I’m supposed to grind. I’m feared to for as hard it is raining the feed ground getting wet could mold… It was what to do?
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Along about 1:00 PM the rain lightened some. I turned out, set up machinery for the grind, and picked up afterward. All equipment was put away with all secured under cover at about quarter after 2:00 PM. Then and only then the low pressure system hanging over our heads had finally told me my arthritis hadn’t exactly been cheering me on. Sure, I’ve plenty to do, only it be time for a small amount of R & R some of it gladly refreshed with a cool beer.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Friday, May 13, 2011

Friday the 13th

This was my Mom’s luckiest day of the year. I’ve written this story before, and not to long ago. So there’s no use chewing on that good listening for awhile.
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Morning’s duties I rounded up a cow for Bro’s treatment inside and out. A half a bottle the-cillines in her neck and four (big enough to choke a horse) good sized pultices in her uterus.
Her calf is supplementedly fed two quarts milk twice a day now. Only two days, when that calf sees the bottle coming so is he. Mama just hasn’t got it. Perhaps treatment will change her ability to feed her calf. We’ll see?
Early afternoon had me “outstanding in my fields” winding wires; three short wires by hand in close, one lengthy wire with machine way out back (along side duck lake). Not quite half done my intended rounds thirst over took me and coming in I put away almost two quarts to bring my fluids back up to about eye level.
Late afternoon’s return to my fields I set two lines of posts and run two lines wires ignoring my rattler taking time. While I couldn’t finish the whole project I wanted a clean end to that part of it I was working on. Tomorrow I’m expected to grind grain. After that I expect to turn to finishing my in close purely pasturing field fences.
This evening, rattlers downed I went back outside, BS-ed some with my neighbor, climbed aboard the Ford and with an average four passes around the house I mowed the larger areas in ten minutes or less with my new (to me) mowing machine.
It turned out be a great day in-spite all the gloomy weather forecasts the guessers had hung over all our heads.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

5-12-2011 Sleep’s good

The night’s sleep was good. Only the wakey wakee was as rough waking up to a running nose crossing the finish line out front any other morning. I should be coming used to this phenomena. It happens every morning. Is it sinus? Is it an allergy? Is it hay fever, After some denial it may be just be any one or all of the above!
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Outside the ladies all gathered together down by the barn are looking content including The one who looked down in the dumps evening last. Da weather wise we’ve had an overnight Camelot rain.
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Continuing my quest to have my old Ugly truck behavingly running as good as I’d like it, I may have suck-seeded. Bro’ took the carburetor to a professional carburetor rebuilder last Wednesday (I think it was) that carburetor came home yesterday. On rebuilder’s instructions I replaced (put back on) a piece of vital throttle linkage. Putting the carburetor back on Ugly’s engine, started engine, engine runs fine. There was a whole bunch of troubles with the thing. Warped throttle plates, weak springs, I might have put it not only wrong I had over done the lightening it up awhile back. Now the word, I had better not tamper with it. All I know, its working and working well.
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Backin’ up Ugly I busily spent my whole morning in part looking for a missin’ carburetor part. When found had to re-figure how to put it back on rebuilt carburetor. When readied I brought that carburetor home with me. Something else, I greased those disc parts I had missed greasing yesterday to finish that project.
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What next I’ll do with my afternoon only time will tell.
Our coyote control volunteer come by about the time I had finished lunch. We talked about many an important matters. Then in-comeing cell phone call, Bro’ had a cow out. So our chit-chat was cut short and stopping down by the barn I was on the down road again.
There all the fences were near dead. Looking about the darling yearlings had run through a wire. Inside an adjacent lot I spied another parted hot wire. While the 1st one I could interrupt the field energy to it, the 2nd one didn’t boast that same feature, I had to shut the whole system down. Two fences fixed and two fences rolled up, the power back on, all was copasetic. Back here I was obliged to help catch a cow and calf. I suspect the cow is suffering a severe case of feverish mastitis. I could be her remaining days may just be number along with another two. Their sacrifice won’t be to hard to take. Farm land even during these difficult times is hard to hang onto. Corn and beans futures are going out of sight. There are some planters trying to get into a fast buck. Once they’ve all been burned, it’ll ba a fat chance land rents will ever come down?
I’ve no idea where the day went? By the time I got home I was an hour late for my rattlers and still had more outside to do. It’d be almost 8:00 PM before I got in. I’m near ready for supper given a wee bit of time to mellow out. By’n’by I had to make my own poison veinersnitchels on whole-wheat bread buried in some spice punishing chili (made with beans) sided with them gosh awful tator bought chips I thought were a bargain? Never again!
“Rainbows.”
Fernan zzzzzzzz’s

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Awoke-tired

It is 3:00 AM and I’m supposedly tired, really thinking exhausted. Okay, I’ve got Baby Boom on the tele, Della wanting that rare attention from me, I want to sleep giving up the widdl middle of the night notion. Shucks, maybe I’m thirsty and hungry. Ah ha, I’ve got a solution! I’ll make me some Celestial’s “Sleepy Time” herbal tea. Yup and much on just a few potato chips I bought cheap. Disliking their taste a very few go a long way, besides I’m not supposed to have all that much salt. So, I’m trying to psyche myself back to sleep even if not dream land. This is a bummer.
I usually either come up with new solutions to how to fix old, repair current, build new, or better yet how to pull Herr Clink’s chain. Night’fore last I come up with a sneaky solution how to get her a traveling O2 bottle she’s supposedly legally denied. I’ll cap on how I managed to pull it off in one of two ways should I suck-seed….. Dran, that tea has a haunting sort of a flavorful taste. Me think’s it time I lay it back down. I’ll report upon the zzz’s gotten accomplishments benefit later.
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Now, back to my regular scheduled programming: (Hey, did I get it right this time?)
It feels like it has been a long day. All four the Disc’s four center gang’s mounted u the that implement’s main frame, Plus some tidying up a couple more parts areas to finish the rebuild.
Have I mentioned I’m exhausted. Today’s efforts to get our machines field ready has drained me to the point this work is getting to be much for my own personal frame.
Now if we can just get something a-field giving me some laid back tractor time. Me’s thinking it be a restful place behind a wheel just so long as I don’t fall asleep and fall off a tractor. I know I haven’t the steam to chase down a run-away tractor. (big cheese grin here)
Wow, what a beautiful day. A nicer one couldn’t be asked for. This is my kind of comfortable working weather.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Ghost
Something big and almost sort-a white out for a walk was given away by a barking dog. I was called out at about 11:00 PM. Just ducky, I’m not only called out in the middle of an heavily overcast night it was beginning to rain too boot. This was just what I needed, a wake-up call and water in the face to miserably hold my attention. Oh yes, are there real ghosts roaming Shorthorn country.
Thoughts of put top half Cushman’s plastic windshield down would have been sacrificing head on rain socking protection, but better open eyed road visibility. Oh sure the Cushman has lights relatively good enough to be seen and working well enough to be on the road over-driven(*); but, scarcely strong enough to see to far.
Arrival the other end finds Bro’ had already been out, found, and returned to her bovine tribe the mystery solved solution. I missed all the fun. I missed seeing it all. The offending living mass, was she up to voyeur shenanigans looking in neighbors windows frightening the be-cheeses out watching dogs? So I missed the roamed fantasy images cast shadows about the neighbor’s homes and their yards. I now may only assume whatever had been going on beyond the twilight zone had been simply vanquished.
(*)This asterisk could very well spell an expensive acquisition’s change-over away from the (so-called) tractor head lights (utility) into genuine automotive types. Through my research the closest I’ve found suitably sized and truly functional parts will most likely cost me an older Ford Tractor headlight-shell purchases to hold and aim my wanted late 1950’s replacement headlight bulbs.
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It went this away:
Bro’ had figured it all out this morning, while I greased the MoCo. Then he’d said, “The cow out wandering around evening last, having likely walked out an open gate, and then night havin’ fallen wanted to go home. So she went next door to get PeeDee’s attention so he’d bark to wake up Chip. Chip in turn was then supposed to call and wake up Bro’. Opps, Chip never woke up. But, Bro' heard PeeDee for himself. So he get up, went out, and opened the gate so the cow could walk back in.” Once it was explained to me it was all very simple.
Duuh
So why'd I get called?
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Now back to our interrupted programming.
Today’s shop time I’d been seen working off’n’on three jobs all at once. I cleaned after the Ro-Co (rotary mower conditioner) to uncover the many zerk fittings for greasing hidden bearings. Tom showed me a couple tricks for undoing the PTO shafts safety shields for more hidden zerks. Spent time either putting together disc gangs together or taking them apart. I saw to it the tractor the Ro-Co is hooked onto was fully serviced. Made a missing part for the Ro-Co I’ll install next time I think of it. Left it out where it’ll be easily found.
It’s evening now, taken my medicine and waiting my hour. And, while poking at the letters to make this a read, I’m thinking I better get off my arse and hay the ladies a 1/4mi down the road. Then when I get back put the Cushman away. I may get as good and comfortable as I may. It’s my castle regardless how humble it may be.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Monday, May 9, 2011

“I thought I had seen….
….seen it all today!” Almost first thing out of the box I was summoned down the road. A cow was in trouble and I had to either catch her or driver her into the barn.
The cow pushed into the barn, tied to a post, Tom holding her head, Bro’ put the chains on the unborn calf’s front legs. When it came to my turn, to do my part, I got to pull the calf. The deed done. Then we all got out of there so’s they could bond.
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Here it comes. Ready for this? Here it is!
Our heroine Frieda aka. Her Mostess, Herr Clink.
Della der house cat.
Sweetheart the world traveled cat, mouser extraordinar’.
This story starts with my coming home, walking through the door what did I see?….
I suppose it had to come to this. Della jumping on top a chair havin’ seen a mouse. Sweetheart refusing our hospitality to come in upon a friendly invitation. Even if it were for our good we’d let her to rustle up her own fresh meat vittles.
I can’t help but shake my head in wonderment. Sitting upon the couch as comfortably as pleased her Her Mostess with Della beside her, Frieda was trying to show and tell Della the Cat and Mouse the way in world, through both of them watching a televised “Tom and Jerry” show!
Now I ask, “Will odd balled wonders ever cease to exist?”
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Lunch put away, filling der belly out, it was time I readdress Frieda’s seeing Doc. His office closed for lunch I run down the road for another man’s need of a piece of exhaust pipe. Along the way I had called Doc’s office and got a promise to bring Frieda in straight away. Bro’ was our volunteering transport and driver. My leaving ahead of Bro’ for home I had to see to it Frieda was ready. It were ten minutes of 3:00 PM appointment time already. Yeah, she needed a bit of help. So, here I was putting socks and shoes on her our motoring out all awhile I was remembering those days I ritualized taking clothing off her. (sigh) but, enough of this….Getting to doc’s office I had Frieda walk near the length of the parking lot trying get her oxygen level for perhaps a change in her qualifying status for portable oxygen. Hmm! Seeing as how I had forgotten to have us stop for milk, I’ll get the travel oxygen set up my Frieda needs. There’s more than one way to solve such a problem-ed law ruling!!!!
As usual we were the last people out of Doc’s clinic. Over three hours time Frieda was subjected to all manner of checks and double checks. Z-rays, EKG, BP, o2 levels, stethoscope listening. Her medications gone over Doc made but one modification. He cut her back on one medication saving it as he explained for emergency use.
Late back home little time was left for much of any really productive production. I did however run into a certain pump I’m interested in acquiring. Over the years we’ve had a difficult time loading/unloading calcium chloride fluids in tractor drivers. Looking this machine up on Enternet it is made of Stainless steel. What a fine, if I can only complete the buy it in a couple/three/four days. It shall last (the rest of our lives) use for years.
It wasn’t a bad day. It wasn’t a great day. It was a day I hadn’t heard anything about my Ugly’s carburetor. Oh well, tomorrow is another day. We shall see what it brings?
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Mother’s Day

Her Mostess making plans, keeping me informed of an up-coming day’s expected celebration’s activities has last moment refused herself a yeller chariot’s ride to a restaurante in either Otisville or over to the Crossroads; and, it’d only taken me but a few moments to have taken the gas and grease cans, barbed wires, field tools off the Cushman to make it a more acceptable (rumatic) buggy ride. Her change in manner is liken she’s suddenly become fussy. (frown) And, it’d been a beautiful sunshiny day for it. Why, I could have put the windshield up, even washed, to lessen her hair blown around. “The old gray mare ain’t what she used to be.”
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The plans supposedly changed, daughter not coming we had breakfast home. About the time we had finished here guess who come to take her mother out for breakfast. The plan had been changed again. So. We went out too do breakfast again out this time. Frieda and I ordered light to accept our daughter’s intention’s in properly polite manner.
Back home thems two took off for a drive. I went shop and wrenched changing tall skids (Sudex ) for shorter machine lowering skid (alfalfa-lighter grass‘s) changes.
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While I was gone our Filly took Della cat outdoors to sit with her. Della so traumatized carried outdoors feared she was about to be taken away. She insisted upon making a bee line back into the house (her happy home). (grin) poor cat?
Oh, before I forget, we’ve another new calf out back.
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On going back to the shop, I worked the harvesting blades on the turtles. Almost finished ready to replace a last and second blade the whole turtle mechanism jammed. Not to awfully sure I knew the reason for such a drive train lockup I hollered at Bro’ for a second opinion. He almost immediately spoted the very problem my x-ray vision had missed seeing. I first replaced knife I had laid to one side had been caught by another turtle and turned into an instant jamming piece of worthless junk. Ouch, at least and above all last I was relieved there wa no trouble with the turtles drive-train. Whew! Back home invited for coffee I stopped by home for my meds and carrying a given computer monitor. Okay, I’ve got all the essentials for setting up a second computer for writing my stories and family ancestral research.
Frieda’s breathing difficulty I must take some serious issue over with Doc. Now hopping Ugly’s carburetor comes tomorrow as she is hesitant to ride Cushman four miles to either village we live between. Me, I drive and ride the Cushman as if it were merely an over grown motor scooter. Oh well, maybe I’ll luck out on Ugly’s new part delivery, part installed, and get her comfortably delivered for some seriously needed sensible medical attention. For example just walking down the ramp she was winded before she had gotten to the bottom end, twenty-four feet. The car was still only a few steps away. At the restaurante, on my arm, she had to stop twice to regain her breath both ways in and out. I’m wondering how’ll I make my point tomorrow? I’ll take her emergency bottle along and suggest we more or less see to it she’s stress (out) tested just plainly walking around Doc’s parking lot?
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Saturday, May 7, 2011

5-7-2011 Will I ever…..

….get caught up. First thing out of the house, it all running together, I was going to pay for my new mower. Guess that’ll be next week end. Tom moseying around he finds a calf lost outside the hot wire. Mother was behind barn. By time I got to calf Tom and I had to escort critter’s direction and movement. Mother had moved onto opened east pasture. The three of us covered a lot of ground before caw got her act together. When she had finally caught on, here she come her bags just a swinging, her mouth wide open either bellowing, and calf cooing. I wasn’t sure whether she was cussing Tom and I, greeting her calf, about to take us out, or thanking us. Cows, females, they’ll be the death of up standing males yet. Under calf’s insistence I had to fix fence after it. As if I hadn’t already more to do than I had planned to do all day?
The meats I had sorted out of freezer a couple evenings back had to be disposed of. I took them out to the NW pet cemetery for that disposal. And all because all the packages weren’t labeled I threw away probably a good eight pounds steak, chicken fresh fish. Darn it, I can read labels, I can’t read through frosted mystery wrapping’s. While I had tended to the garbage I had also emptied my ash buckets for next season’s use. Have taken mental notes, Cushman and I must cut some fallen firewood plus move off the fields some fallen tree limbs. Why Cushman? Because its easier stepping off and onto than tractor. For doing the picking up the incidentals.
Done here to soon for lunch. So I moved lunch up and devoured a couple buned dogs buried under chili. I liked. Then hit road with Cushman for stop by elevator for selenium.
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At shop I assembled one gang of discs, took two others apart. Bro’ and Tom taking turns revitalizing my newly purchased mower I stayed out of it. About the time they had it together and I had done all I was going to do with disc. I headed for home to exchange Cushman for tractor. Green-chopper on Ford I was done with it. Time to re-park it. The chopper off it was time to put the new to me mower on tractor to move it out of its way in the shop. Most the afternoon went well until the top lik refused to adjust. Ho boy, this turned into an hour’s wrestling match me against some mechanical pieces rusted one unmovable mass. Bro’ joining me we had finally gotten the parts a part using heavy implement for a grounded anchor, a pipe wrench assisted with a torque converter (a chunk-a-pipe), some impromptu employed hammers and rods for assisting adjustment wrenches. When everything had been parted leaned, I greased all related surfaces before reassembly. The top link shall work well for awile now my not knowing for how long?
By gum the house warm enough throughout as well as through and through. Tonight’s the night for a Spring shower of my own making. Lookout frogs I‘m wading in. Lily pads move over if yas don‘t want me stepping all over yas……
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Friday, May 6, 2011

I want to kick……

….one certain Della cat’s arse what obviously has no grasp upon her employed duties around here. (grrrr) Goes something like this… Four days ago Frieda saw a mouse run under the kitchen sink area. Della watched the varmint run by, go by, and duck out of sight and did absolutely nothing about it including even flexing a curiosity’s muscle. Frieda shocked! What kind of a cat is this? Never saw a mouse before.
Ever since then Della has taken up a guarded position upon a small chair I’ve had sitting in the kitchen to help me with kitchen chores. I don’t know? Della cat’s mouser instinct must be DNA messed up? Della has no idea a mouse is a promising good or even rare cat eating delicacy?
Latest talk within this house revolves around our talking Sweetheart cat into the house to rid our frustrated home of this miniature menacing vermin monster? Sweetheart is a dedicated vermin huntress…… More news at a-lemon.
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Have got a brand new calf born to us this AM. I haven’t checked it out although I was concerned for its welfare for a few moments. I almost had an unappetizing opportunity to apply some throat clearing, artificial respiration and closed heart massage. Gladly the critter had started coming around before O got half way to it. Mother cow was doing a grand job tending to her newborn calf and within minutes that baby was trying to get up. (smiles)
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I greased and oiled my new mower. Had it running for a few moments. It seems to be working although I can’t guarantee just how yet. The three point needing some serious attention, the rest of the machine will also see a good going over before pressed into service.
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4020JD is hand fueled for a few more days before I must do-it allover again. (frown)
Now, then I’, not sure what all else I got into today. One thing the new mowing machine is in the shop for repairs. And, because I can’t handily use it today or tomorrow it was remembered we’ve got the old New Holland green chopper. I serviced it, aired the tires, grease and oiled it, limbering it up I hooked to the Ford and eventually brought it home for mowing down those (woody) pesky weeds covering the middle of the east pasture in that very area we‘d planted perennial rye grass a year ago that hadn‘t grown. (bummer) That done I may let the ladies in to graze the grass off it. With those weeds gone I may clearly see over the entire pasture scene with no place for calves to innocently become lost in.
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On the firewood scene, I brought in a few more pieces wood just in case we should need a fire and then finished emptying the wood hauler to one side the front yard. It be that Spring-time I start loading it up for a scrap-yard run. Plus I had done a bad job of it welding the parking jack anchorage onto the trailer’s tongue.
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Now what? Or is it what have I done to deserve this late afternoon mean trick for my tea break. At about that time it was nearing the hour for my rattler takings. So sitting down to chill out for a few minutes I got these gosh awful restless leg shacks. Darn, they hurt coming and going at uneven intervals. One thing they did for me they got me off my duff and in motion. I wanted to go back outside and mow the east pasture anyway before settling in for the evening.
Lastly, Frieda had made another drop cake. Me thinks she’d baked it to long My thinking including a nap. A glass of milk is a definite sipped addition to soften the crustiest part of the dessert. I’m telling her how good it is so’s I don’t have to make’n’bake the next one.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

5-5-2011 Looky what JD brought home

Looky this. First one I've seen. To me an interesting old machine to me.
Photobucket
Looks to be in good shape looking underneath. Previous owner thinks it may need a bearing. That's no news to me around here. I quite often lose all my bearings.
Do some PTO shaft cleaning. Add some grease and oil. Hook it up behind the 951 Ford. I want to see what it'll do. Supposed to be roughly some kind of 1950's vintage Ford 78" cut flail mower: grass, weeds, and small brush. Off-set like it
aught to woik good along-side fence lines.
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I was busy all day. Little of this, a little of that. Mostly I find myself fretting over all what I can’t seem to either get to or get done. Seems like I’m continually preempted from a many (Hell, all) things, machines, chores, whatever needing timely attention done let alone well done.
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Tom’s sick! I mean really sick! He’s been diagnosed with lymphoma by our country Doc. Now we’ve got to get him to treatment. Such news has this place in an honest hardly good news turmoil. Some treatment is paramount to save and keep him amongst us. Now it is how to move him through medical channels.
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Seeing as I’m a day late with this urinal contribution, I’m leaving it as it is. All of us in Shorthorn country could use some serious “Rainbows.” stuffed into our in box.
Fernan

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

another New day

Was supposed to have been nice yesterday; so, it rained.
I was surprise given another glorious opportunity to grind grain again. That chore started out with the greatest of ease. Taking my chances I drove Truckster to shop exchanging it for Ugly skipping the need to replace the needed starter part. Ugly started just fine and we were off and on our way. Picked up empty feed wagon, stopped by elevator for supplements, then stalled less than half way home. Theoretically ran out of gas. Pouring gas in tank, priming carb, some under my breath cussing, replacing the carb, etc., etc for an hour I finally got the I’ll running Ugly home, switching fuel tank along the way. Ugly ran good enough to deliver reloaded feed wagon and returned home. During my enjoying all the fun I was having during such a forecasted beautiful day I had gotten rained on wet arsed. I had golden opportunity gotten myself a whole bunch of mechanicin’ to do over again on Ugly truck. I had to fit all that into today’s fun filled Shorthorn country exercises.
And while I was at this morning’s writings, my nose was hard running, obviously draining out all the rain my being had absorbed my playing in the weathering elements yesterday. And to make it look good my sinus senses had me-being compulsively throwing wild nose paining‘s well orchestrated drippings going, from the deep head earth shaking sneezings, Plus irritable eye itching, and lastly a desire to stay in and research various sore throat remedies. Let’s see. How many ways are there to mix Rum? Oh yeah, it’s supposed to be nice again today. More later…….
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…….much later:
Lunch over, Ugly made it only out of the driveway, and there stalled. BALDERDASH!!! Yesterday couldn’t get gasoline out of the carb to drive it home. Now, I can’t slow the gasoline down flooding the goofy thing drowning the engine out.
While trying start Ugly, took a couple time outs, one of them bringing home my latest acquisition. A Ford flail mower. Some grease and oil may be I can give it a try. Owner thinks here may be a bearing out somewhere in it. Figures! So, what else don’t need fixing around here? Several times already!
To keep up the pace I brought out the Truckster and drove it down the road. Planning on working on R-C-mowing machine it had been moved away. To heck with it may be I’ll work on it tomorrow. Helped assist some disc dis-assembly. What a monstrous cost. What are we going to do? After some discussion a rebuilt carb has been ordered for the busted Ugly truck. That part and the disc parts expected here next Monday. Perhaps I can sneak in the new mower and see some use out of it.
Next adventure may see Frieda Cushman round robbined transported Doc’s office. Might be if the weather holds, (yeah sure), I may find a smidgen of time to fix Dumpy truck brake line. Little drier than it has been for months I just may get down under on the dirt and see what I can do with it. This raises another question, dare I use a little heat on the fittings. Not red heat just warming metal expanding heat on the fittings?
Gambling big time, I’m trying to thaw out the freezer over the next as the fewest hours as the process will muster. Got to! Frost growing so darn thick under the lid’s edges, can’t close it tight anymore. Suppose I ought-a save it for mixed summer drinks.
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……later even:
In late for doing nothing, least-wise that’s what today has felt like. Pills after 6:00PM it was seven before I eat. Between waits and etc. I started defrosting freezer filling 4 ½ two bushel tubs. Set a milk house heater down in freezer to thaw frost and ice. Ate my supper and checked freezer progress. Scooped or picked up slabs of ice and threw them close to sump-pump. Checking progress twice more the last time finished scooping out the last of the fallen ice. Wiped down interior, towel drying, and put the food back in. Unbelieving and amazed the defrosting went so clean and easily I finished just in time for bed.
One side note, maybe two, finding a couple oooooold ½ gallon packs ice-cream; one I gave to the cats the other I dipped me out some cherry fudge royal, added a dash of cherry juice, splashed in some ginger-ail. Got tell it like it was/is chewy; but, taste. The other thing I threw away about a whole bushel full of organ meats neither on of us can healthily eat with our taken heart medications. This was my day.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan
5-3-2011 Acclimating
Duuh!
Getting used to the snoring. A body might think she hadn’t slept in a week.
While she hadn’t talked to me a couple days ago. She like to wore her fingers out letting them do the walking and making her voice horse talking. Woman? Driving me nuts and I cant shoot her. (grin)
I now I had moved some machinery around for working on them. Three large gangs on disk need some serious parts replacements. Hope we can get what we need or all redy got them on a donner Disc? The 1345 rotary-conditioner is positioned for shoes (skid plates) lowering replacements. So it had been an interesting day.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Monday, May 2, 2011

She’s home

Finally, I’ve what’s her name home after an eight day hiatus. When it was said our union wouldn’t last sex months some going on 53 yrs ago, them sex months may just be coming up. Della the cat ain’t talking to her having been feeling as though she had also abandoned her. I can’t blame her much. I’ve felt that way these same eight days and then Her Mostess not talking to me since yesterday’s noon.
When the call came though she was ready to come home, Ugly decided not to start right at that moment. The harder I tried it the more stubborn the mechanical beast misbehaved. Blessing Annie’s heart, one phone call on my part she was right down to the shop to drive me and bring us home. There the cussed Hostell didn’t have the paper work finished, as usual, making all three of us sit around, our cooling our heels.
Now that she’s home I’ve got to run after filling her new prescriptions. I had forgotten to stop on way home. So, Ugly’s solenoid giving me fits I need a new one anyway. This’ll make my running into Otisville a little easier to take. Drugstore for meds and milk, grocery store for a couple pizza kits and discounted pies, and parts store for new starter solenoid.
I’d appreciate it if you’ll watch out for me. I’ll be driving the Cushman. Engine renewed it’s a pure pleasure to drive these warming days.
Oh nuts, I guess, there’s no point my staying mad at her, she’ll be forgiving me anyway. Then it’ll be what about those six months? I don’t see any way out of it. She’s likely hidden the marriage license right under me nose And during our courtships negotiations I had forgotten all about an out clause.
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A late 4:00PM lunch it’s now 7:00PM and not particularly hungry. Asking, neither is Frieda. Thinking maybe some honey covered toast for a later evening snack to hold us over night. Having to relax some, it has been a long day. It may even be longer tomorrow. Ugly needs fixing be for the unsolicited need my grinding a new load of feed grain.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Grrrrr

I’ve stayed home a second day, unable to talk to Herr Clink since noon.. The woman is driving me Crazy. Do you read me? CRAZY!
Staying home a second day in a row hasn’t seen me set the Foxfire Farm farms on its ears. But it has allowed me to put the straightened out damage parts back together on the rotary-mower-conditioner. They don’t look like new, but they do look reasonably functional.
I talked to Her Mostess somewhere around noon, and then the lines of wired communication must have died. Filly our youngest daughter finally got through this evening going thru hospitable channels until She got to the nurses station who in-turn passed the message onto the hibernating hostile clam, Herself finally getting thru to her mom. Mom’s message darling daughter passed onto me Boss Lady didn’t want to talk to me. Her complaint her talking tired her out. From what candid news I did get she’ll be ready to come home tomorrow, her pain’s gone.
So this is all I may report, she hasn’t even allowed me a code key for my asking details her physical condition before she’d know for herself, then she may report for herself. Eeeek! I am so very glad there never be any more news report any descending the pitter patter little feet running about the house. At least none of our own.
Supper was good. A neighbor brought me in a Lion’s club pancake breakfast this morning. I supped it for my evening meal. Does it always taste better if somebody else fixes supper?
Oh give me strength, I feel just as tired as if I had worked hard all day. Sleep tight.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan