I knew…

….there was more I wanted to write about. Nothing world shattering. Nothing that’d have anything to do with solving any the worlds problems. Not that I mentioned this maybe I’ve three things to talk about if I may remember what they are long enough?
Fistly: I enjoyed some wildlife scenes. Really, putting in tractor time, the kind I don’t have to keep a constant eye on what the implement in tow is doing nor where it was that closely negotiated I enjoyed some the scenes going on around me. Had a lone hen turkey more or less trot a diagonal line across the field ahead of me like she owned it.
Saw two deer. The first one (a doe) jumped out of the brushy edge of the field. Startled seeing me she did a hundred and eighty degree turn and darted right back where she had come from. The second deer (another doe) a bit later coming out of similar brush just sort of sauntered across the field paying no mind me nor my machine sharing the same field.
Lastly I saw a coyote. They’s one of the funniest conceived varmints if ever one so contrived just showing if there is a God he has an unimaginable sense of humor. This dummy looked as though it didn’t know for sure either where it was going or looking back acted like it was being followed. It must have changed direction a half dozen times to looking both ways over its shoulders. (I had to laugh in spite of myself.) A coyote doesn’t need a cartoon road runner companion to be entertaining.
Succonly: I spilled my emotional misgivings to Doc. And he listened with an nonjudgmental open mind. I told him I had blown up at my Brother an unwarranted verbal attack. I told him a particular wife of mind hadn’t even washed a dish over the last couple weeks, and we were eating off paper plates. Lastly between the weather’s instability doing its best spoiling my attempts at plantings and harvestings, I was spinning out.
I also explained my falling off the non-smoken wagon, not full scaled mind you, yet using a pack lasting me a week, but falling off just the same for the calming nicotine fixes I needed to cope.
He knows me well enough I not be telling him an untruth. It’s surprisingly how well he knows his patients. I know (overheard) of another really extraordinary example I can’t write about, as it is non of my business. Still knows us!
Thudly: Doc renewed an old prescription, Wellbutrin. This is about as strong a mind altering drug I hope I’ll ever need to stay on an ever calmed even keel. It’ll likely take a couple weeks to work its magic calming me out so’s I may easily quit the evil smoking again. Those coffin nails aren’t doing either my throat nor lungs a bit of good.
Fortith: I’m out of here even earlier than the usual kicking the proverbial time clock in the shins to wake it up. Putting a hurting on it is already making me feel better until I’ve brought home my belated meds. Now that I have spilled my innards I’m maybe feeling better.
Fiftly: My wearing, miserably wearing, gloves out in the sun, the backs of my hands (all both of them) itch something fierce. Asking Her Mostess what I may do with them she suggests trying some the lotions sitting on the shelves in the throne-room. Only thought I have to that, while I can’t stand the gloves, I spend all my day’s shop time washing them. How’ll I ever take to and stand some preconceived greasy lotion smeared upon myself, this’ll be a new trial to over come.
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Having repeatedly had had a calling some years back and giving it up ‘cause all the good corners had already been taken I still get in a little out of the usual spiritualizing upon special occasions liking putting to rest saddened person’s critter.

I was please as punch when she rolled into the hole into a resting position. Looking so natural made it a mite easier back-filling the excavation.
I not only was paid well for my services, I was even treated to lunch. It wasn’t a bad morning’s mourning.
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Back at the shop I straightened the hay rake’s one bent rail. Replace some original equipment IH fingers with JD. The JD’s bent at a mite different worked well fitting in with the machines operation. I had them whirling around where the IH parts refused to go.
Been thinking (oh oh) we’ve got a extra large caster wheel somewhere that I may just be able to build into this tired old IH hat rake. An extra wheel strategically placed and supported between the right rear machines wheel and the rotating basket just might help with the implements well being I I cane eliminated some of those bottoming out the poor machine experiences hitting (falling in/through) hidden holes or dead furrows has been a many the rails more than once. An extra wheel may just be what this machine needs. And a big PLUS, I think may just the wheel and materials without an out lay to use up some junk what’s laid around on the farm for to long.
One of life's little rewards are those what may have had something useful made and working out of basically nothing. (he he)
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Speeding on along, The rake fixed, the tractor gassed I headed it for home. Having eatened I went straight to raking the Duck Pond Hay mown field. It was just as I had figured still wet. All the tires rolled up almost everywhere they rolled wet, The hay needed moving off the wet earth under it to the dry ground beside the mown windrows. When I finished my time was short. I had forty minutes to get back down the shop road. Luckily Terry home he shuttled me. The Cushman under me I hit the road, back roads most the way to Otisville. I made the auto parts store with three minutes to spare. There traded in a disastrous looking core and some hard earned cash and walked out with what looked like a brand-spanking-new rebuilt starter. Ugly’s going to go again.
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Moving on had a couple close calls, The Cushman’s brakes had suddenly become sub standard. Curses, Have got to move it into shop for a chain-fall hoisting and take up then lazy brakes again. (sheesh!) making it to the drugstore unscathed I picked up bags and bags of drugs for Frieda and myself. From there headed home the long way around the block. Wanted to check out a couple fields, one for a single season’s haying, another for worken and planting.
By the time I got home I was an hour rattler chugging late. Took them anyway. Checked fuel in 1855 Schultz Ollie and headed out for a right and left turn to mow me a field. Whooppee. Oops here come the image of doom. Bro’ come rolling along stopping me. I had said, “I’m going to mow a field whitest I got the chance.” He says, “It might rain.” That is about the extent of my brother’s vocabulary every hay season as long as I’ve known him. (negative waves, really) Well,as it turned out, I turned in, made about a hundred or so feet and burried the tractor and rotary-conditioner. Nuts!
I was back home before 8:00 PM. We’ll use the 4-180 White to retrieve the 1850 mower combo out of that soggy hay-field come morning. Guess, just guess who’s gonna be happy to get back to his own water holes if we’re lucky tomorrow.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Got to much….

….to do about nothing. My memory so short I’m not sure I‘ve accomplished anything thus far today. The morning’s start was my banking the drier with sopping wet cloths. I needed a few dry things to make trip to Doc’s office. Was also involved with more shop duties. Ah, I remember, I serviced a couple tractors. Greasing them and topping off fluids. Delivered 4010 JD a-field and used an 1850 Ollie to go elevator for mixed seed with fertilizer. Then drove it on to spread the same. Seed spread changed implements around upon a couple tractors and left Shane to set the seed. I had to run, clean, up, and hit the road…..Would you believe I’m running late now trying to let my physical matter catch up to reality. I’m hungry and got to postpone lunch.
Later……
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Well, I made it within five minutes or so keeping my appointment. The waiting room was full. Chairs a premium I took the last one and was immediately called in for my appointed time somewhere around two hours later. There’s anything I hate it is being rushed. Picking up a Field And Stream magazine taking my chair I eventually started falling asleep bobbing back and forth on my chair clutching that Field And Stream. If anybody else had wanted to read it they’d had to pry it out of my hand.
When I was finally called, unbeknownst to me Handy had also joined the waiting room crowd. If it hadn’t been for Handy raising the dead in my resurrection, I might have spent the night locked in Doc’s outer waiting room. It must have been close to 7:00 PM before I still had a sense it was still daylight in wherever it was I was being held captive for an x-ray, an EKG, and enough blood letting the pretty miss siphoning me off was beginning to look pretty good to an old fool the likes of myself. I was there so long dancing to the tune “You can’t leave until you’ve given us a specimen.” I figured I might just as well wait for Handy and take him home with me, He only lived a few days down the way from me anyway.
Upon getting all out scrip’s settled including four extensions for Her Mostess, my calling the druggist they be ready for me I an hour and a half. For crying out-load I had a funeral to officiate. I had promised. Guess I’ll pick up the scrip’s tomorrow. Maybe I can pick me up another starter as well. That’ll make the second trip into Otisville more reasonably necessary. Got-a think positively making each run an economical one.
Eventually making it for home driving right on by I was treated to an ice-cream sandwich. It was good to one of them premium like types two extra rich chocolate cookies sandwiched over a even richer slab of vanilla ice-cream. Yum!
Darkness descending I couldn’t finish the burial. That’s alright. I been given more time to work on the eulogy. Getting home it was good and dark when I parked the Cushman in the barn, Next I got in the house just in time to tell her Ladyship “Good night.” Whatever it was I was going to have for a combined belated meals I rummaged through the frig and found a something to warm up. Whatever it was it was alright eaten dually chased with a whole quart of milk.
Good gosh golly, I’m thinking exhaustion. Bed time.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

1st Day….
…..by either one or more old scripture rules. A day of rest?
Oh bunk! Moving on I’ve over slept again. It was a good sleep. No cramps! The Valium must worked. The red-pop had worked also. Over time maybe? Scarcely finished that brew I was out like a light for 9 ½ hours. Now I wait my hour’s wait to delve into an éclair offering I bought and brought home from yesterday’s store. One principle change in shopping I bought us three gall on milk in hopes the stuff lasts longer between pickem-up needs in passing milk outlets.
No rain forecast for today, maybe again tomorrow night. I truly need a masterful wizard who may read the signs for honest weather reportings. Arrggghhhh……!
The weather guessers are at it again or rather yet. Have tuned in three I-net wedder channels each their forecast different.
More later
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This morning fallowing a couple false starts I took the 4010JD to the shop for throttle repairs. This’d keep Bro’ busy all day. I replaced parts on the IH hay rake until I run out of parts. Having been asked to hold a couple parts for Bro’ when I had finally got him settled into his project he gave me a ride to where I had left the Cushman to drive the JD earlier.
Home filled with baloney I replaced five knives and went to cutting another field. I hadn’t completed the first round when the muffler fell off tractor. I-ca-rumba, talk about something loud. I had to shut it down. Remembering cold ears last winter’s weather I walked up to Ugly and brought back a pair sound proofing ear muffs. They helped some for when I had finished making like a cut up, everybody, everything sounded like long distance, The durn crickets are going to be loud tonight.
Moving on I got back to shop intime to be the helping hand holding this’d’that for Bro’s throttle reassembly. Took my rattlers on time, an hour later Ugly’s starter quit working. Tired starter bendix I’m thinking. This required me a hitching a ride home. As chance would have it a very high toned
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My old hat has taken such a beating I thought it time to replace it. Before giving the old one (left) the old heave-ho I moved my by the chine-e, chin, chi-nee, leather lace ties to the new hat (right). I simply had to replace my old haying hat with another newer looking straw specimen. To protect my ears from the Sun’s evil ways.

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A late bulletin:
The simplest of tasks the first too fits into tomorrow’s Shorthorn country program I needs to see Doc. George for my bi-annual check-up primarily to update/renew my many prescriptions.
The second more somber task I’ve been called upon the administer the sorrowful last burial rights for an old neighborhood dobbin. I’m sure this dobbin will be missed by some children who’ve looked up to him for a many adventurous ride. Take to wing old mate and may you sprout Pegasus wings and join him flying on high transporting heavenly angels there protectorate rounds.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Hey hay

Slept good, so good I slept rat up to 7:30 AM. Ouch! Sorted, took my rattlers, waited hat hour dressed, small chores gotten out of way, when braking an all night fast time rolled along, I ate a quick pint glass oats wet in with milk covering the grain flakes. Half chewen, half drinking, half swilling, it were gone in two blinks of an eye. Don’t matter which one, either eye would do.
So fed short time, headen down the road, Bro’s ramroding today. First order put the disk back together the parts found fallen apart evening last. Yep he’s got it well organized. He’s not tool one, I have to furnish. His trying to back disk to drag, a dozen attempts he finally got lucky. Has he dot a hammer? No! I got-a furnish. Disk wings swung down an bolted, bolts in tractor tool box, he got wrenches? Nope. I got-a furnish wrenches. Struts needing bolting, Bro’ got a 2x4 for pry? Nope! I got-a drive home for one. What blisters my butt, If he’s gonna do it? Then he should do it!!! Instead wasting my time. Well, as the day wore on and he finally figured it out he’d fowled up h let me go my way and let his own way fall down. Darn it if he’s gonna do it, DO-IT!
My filled up to the gills with Bro’s idleness I split. Took care something, damifiknowwhatitwas, moved on to raking hay Did it in 2 1/2hrs running lil’ Ford in road gear. My part taken care of for a couple hours checking with Bro’ he’d faulted his parts. I don’t know? So he’s going to call it a day. He suggests taking me home (I had delivered the abused old IH hay rake to shop for repairs). Then tells me he’s got to go store. That was fine with me. Take me along. Save me a trip anyways. Then did it different buying three gallon milk instead of two. Make milk runs further in between. Shopping done, taken home, groceries unloaded, put away a glass milk and a bottle cold water fixed to go I tried rollin’ a bale. Checked 15% moisture content. ‘Twas no point stopping until I had baled the whole field. I finished 7:?? something.
And, and, and to go with that Valium I took some hours ago after my Ford ride hay raken I’ve just now popped a top on a cool refrigerated Red Pop. My giving everything a moment or to to-correlate, I should be feeling real good shortly.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

6-3-2011 Busy

Out earlier than my usual, first task of the day Bring the Hay baler out of the barn. This involved moving everything between it and the front door. Was okay it went smoothly enough. Everything ship shape. It was time to move it on down to the shop.
In here somewhere I had contacted, Handy, to ride with me to check fences before turning the ladies out on the old RR right-way. I get to his house and his mom had decided she needed go hospital. He was to call ambulance. He was supposed to call me later.
Second task of the day I brought out the assist in 2150 Ollie fix. I removed the plugged (machine not getting fuel part), Bro’ cleaned it and made a screen stand pipe for it (in it/on it), put it back in replacing the modified part.
About time I had finished servicing hay baler everything supposedly ready to go the tall Ollie’s hydraulics failed to open the baler tail gate. It is out of this big-a gate the made and tied Hay bale is rolled out onto the earth for later transport. Bro’ took to make fix. Sheesh, while he was poking his nose in the book of baler instructions and calling the baler dealer, Shawn*, and I borrowed (replacing piece for piece) a female outlet part off a temporarily laid up Ollie (flat driver tire). So, I had it working when I had the time, in a manner to wit I had been originally denied to know knowing. Sheesh, some people.
Every thing FINALLY ready to roll we were all off and on the road with a convey of farm machinery, one to work ground, one to make hay. Shane, upon instruction, operated his first farm tractor a-field (a big-a one at that) into evening. Leaving Shane behind, doing his thing, I went onto the mowen hay field.
Third thing I did I took my lonesome being, Handy never called me, and rode old RR line fences. Gosh almighty the deer sure had been busy knocking off hot wire insulators. A half dozen replaced I let the ladies have what they’d been wanting me to turn them into for the hour I was at it. What a bunch of BIG MOUTHS! 3:00 PM I finally got to grab a sandwich for lunch.
Forth my thing for the day I rolled up one bale, one round, skimpy hay om the farm’s longest field and it tested wet, 29% to 44%. Darn, darn, darn! That bale should either be fed out right away or wrapped. The wrapper not set up that leaves….. There was no more dry hay baling this day.
Going back to shop I could ready the 4010 JD (our reduced to utility tractor) off the five bottom plow movement and use it to bring out a Spring tooth drag for smooth finishing the second days disking. Was great JD’s batteries were dead. The HD battery charger an hour on JD, I worked on the Krapsman mower deck readying it closer to renewed use knocking down my ever wildly gowning lawn. Toughest part of the afternoon was finding a single hitch pin to hook the drag to tractor. One these days somebody around here has got to make some more rainy day job hitch pins.
Getting in late about 12 working hours spent a-field, shop, riding fences, tractor times, and grumbling other’s short sights it been a long day. And slept almost eleven the hours that day’s very night. Sure’d like to know what wore me down?
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Weather

I am so disgusted. I can see and listen to two TV weather forecasts, I can read three internet weather forecasts, and everyone of them is different. With such a wide diversity in imagined weather offerings just how am I supposed to cut and package a palatable food product for all the ladies I oversee in my neighborhood?
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Today’s program: Check Tall Ollie for transmission water and drain off same. Then properly service the mechanical beast for hat was to come next. Must move machines around to bring haulage baler out into the light of day and service to make ready for either later today or noon tomorrow.
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Cutting anymore hay on hold until possibly Sunday, maybe Monday even? Meanwhile
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I’ve set here bitching to Frieda one my primary dislike‘s, “I’ve gotten five absolutely different weather reports! How am I supposed to plan and expedite my crop plantings and harvests to these meteorologists mindless meanderings?”
Her comment, “That’s like getting together five housewives to agree on one recipe!” She crakes me up!
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With the best of intentions what I didn’t get done today I’ll do it tomorrow. Well, some of it maybe. Was going to bring out the hay baler, grease it, and replace the string cutting knives. Gotta do it tomorrow sure. I’ve got hay to bale. At least I managed to service the tall Ollie to go on that same baler. So during this morning’s meantime Brouht the 2150 MFWD Ollie out of Winter mothballs. Serviced it from stem to stern. Then was going to work up some acreage for a Sudex planting tomorrow. Tractor refusing to run managed only a round trip to the field and back to shop. Porly running found primary fuel tank oulet almost completely plugged. Fuel tank filled for a day’s work had to be emptied. Between dribbling outlet and siphoning I got it done.
Getting late put some waiting assembly time into the Krapsman mower deck, and had managed to run the tall 1850 Ollie home for bringing out tomorrow’s baler. I don’t know who’s gonna fix the 2150, work ground and plant all tomorrow. I’ve gotta bale hay.
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How about a side trip:
I sat down for a few moments late yesterday afternoon waiting for a ride back to shop for my Cushman drive. I got this,
,
my Sweetheart jumped up into my lap and homesteaded as if she planned on staying for the duration. A couple moments more my ride had arrived. Sweetheart sure was disappointed my putting her down. I asked her to go along for the ride and she got an attitude. She’s been down the road before and she’s decided she ain’t going again. {;^))
“Rainbows.”
Fernan

Nuts

One fine day, I tried cutting our Winter rye. Planed to late last Fall, snowed on when the little fellers were just breaking ground the planting got snowed on obviously stunting its Fall and Spring growth. Like I’m writing, I tried cutting the crop for hay this very morning, the very first opportunity we’ve had under all this season’s rains. What I found was the rotary-conditioner not only had trouble cutting the limp stalked grass, whatever there was of it coming out the back the machine I likely could find enough of it tomorrow morning to even find it to bale it. Well, not a total loss what there was of it has made a weak cover crop and what there is of it it’ll still be of some good either plowed down or disked in. (a week Balderdash!)
Leaving the field it was break time: A glass iced tea and piece reheated leftover pizza was about to fill my bill. I was looking for courage to take on a field out back here, out of pure necessity. I need some re-grown pasture and soon for these ladies to munch on. Havin’ eaten some, I still felt a bit empty. Went scrounging around in refrigerator. That wasn’t easy, and myself in no mood to really fix anything substantial. I but got into a bit of this and bit of that.
Somewhat satisfied I was about to miss lunch I left the house Her Mostess laughing at me. I had told her, “Well, I might just as well go out and see just how stuck I can get everything stuck but good this afternoon.” Laugh, she did. I get no respect!
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I cut a lot of hay this afternoon, But it was not without its perils. Water standing every where I had to be on my toes each and every round. Unable to avoid any grass hidden water holes when I felt one coming up there was my lifting the mower some to control rotary-conditioner drifting. Then there was the lifting the mower to avoid looping off the heads of ducks swimming around the clusters of wild orchard grass they were nibbling on. That last was all just as well for I’d no time to pluck and dress a bunch of dumb ducks anyway.
I can’t remember when I’ve seen so much standing water. While I had thought the rain had made the grasses grow occupationally tall that wasn’t the case I’ve an idea baled grass yields will be rolled up a good deal shorter than last year.
While I’m pecking away at the journal entry I’ve got three different weather reports. The weather guessers just can’t seem to make up their minds what us who are crop gathers can count on or even plan for or around. (curses)
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Out and around beyond my Shorthorn country perimeter: Close in a tree fell down on Vassar road either on a car or the car run into it. Just around the corner on Mount Morris Rd. a barn caught fire and umpteen fire departments answered the call. No fire hydrants (surprise to me) fire fighting tankers rolled by here from all over. Had to been eight engines carrying water before all’s done. Further out a big old tree (it was said) tobbled somewhere near the little city of Clio putting all their lights out.
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I took my rattlers on the go cutting hay. I picked up 12 more bushels lawn grass clipping and fed them to the ladies. Some turned their noses up over the dumping’s, others relished the offering as though my offering was some sort of a delicacy. Just goes to show a lady’s taste is unpredictable.
My eye lids drooping I’ve got to give it up. Whether anything I’ve written has made any sense is invenarial to me. I’ve simply got to close this menagerie of words and lay it down.
“Rainbows.”
Fernan