Spring is Officially here according to the Calender. I know it's still cool here in Eastern North Carolina and I'm just beginning to get ready for spring shows. Share your Cabin Fever and / or your Spring Fever Ideas that built up over the winter. Merton

Sorry I forgot to load the Sunshine Picture! Hope this will get spring moving forward!

Sure is pretty there in NC in your picture, Merton.  Our neighborhood was down to 11 deg. F again last night.  I am holding the thermometer in front of a calendar right now, in hopes the thermometer will get the message. I have been tinkering the newly aquired JD the last few days.  Went one step ahead and three back today.  Replaced the rear end cover with a new gasket from JD.  Put in three quarts of the 11 needed of gear oil only to find out the bottom of the cover is sprung out a little and leaks.  Back to the drawing board.

I am glad you put up your post.  Sad that this forum does not get a little traffic.  I guess most people are just lookers.

Charlie

Had a few nice spring days here in Ohio. Finished plowing the field yesterday. Had left a headland unplowed for access to the woods for the winter. Also plowed out the ends and fencerows. Rain this morning.
My project has been redoing my Yamaha golf cart. Started as just replacing the original engine with a 18 Hp Briggs V-Twin, then decided to sand and repaint it then built a carrier for the back. Also installed headlights and taillights on it. Paint is bright yellow, so will be very visible at the shows... Gene

It sounds like Gene will ride in style at shows this summer.  I have not had a ride for shows in the past, although numerous times I have wished I did.  This year it will be necessary if I want to attend.  Based on that a beat up old 1973 Cushman followed me home a couple of weeks ago.  It had a no good battery, one flat tire, and a piece of throttle linkage missing.  The  Good news is it is still all in one piece and the original 12 HP Kohler has been overhauled in the not too distant past and runs without smoke.  I hope to get some repair time in on it in the next couple of weeks.  It will not be pretty, but I hope to make it dependable, at least.  I will post a picture or two in my just stuff album.  Any suggestions anyone can offer (other than shoot it and put it out of it's misery) will be appreciated.

Charlie V.

The trees are budding fiercely and we just had a terrible cold snap with a north wind driving sleet and then 4 inches of snow, the morning temperature was in the low 20's. So much for fruit this year.

This year is probably the first year in the last 5 that we have actually had a spring. Last few years we went straight from winter to summer. The leaves here are just starting to bud and grass is turning green and starting to grow. Haven't noticed any buds on the fruit trees yet, so they will be safe from the cold weather predicted for Tuesday.
Amish neighbors have all got their oats planted and actually took time to work the ground to a reasonably level seedbed. Farmers are applying fertilizer and nitrogen. Some primary tillage was being done before the rain on Thursday night.

Gene

You are correct about going from winter to summer in the blink of an eye recently, Gene. Here in WNY we have enjoyed some lovely spring days mixed in this year.  Our trees and lilac bushes seem a little behind normal this season with small green buds just started.  As you mention, the grass has here has greened a lot with the rain of the last two days also. I have noticed some plowing (yes, they still do a lot of that here) in the last week, but only on the highest ground.  This area is still very wet and there may still be a little frost down deep to curtail drainage through the soil.  Today is going to offer full sunshine so I am anxious to get outside for some tractor puttering. It will be the only dry day of the next several.

My map shows me that you are not real far from one of my childern who lives in Delaware Oh., and another further East in Granville.  I have never been in your part of the country, but hope to make it eventually.

Charlie V.

Charlie;
I grew up only 20 miles west of Deleware, just northwest of Marysville and lived for 13 years just west of Hebron, about 6 miles south of Granville. Our tractor club there met at the Licking Park on Rt. 37, about 3 miles south of Granville.
I retired from Rockwell/Arvin-Meritor in Newark in 2002. I bought my present farm in the fall of 2002 and moved permanently in July, 2003. Have 28 acres of good land in a quiet area and very comfortable here. Moved back closer to family and roots.
Delaware and Granville are both college towns. Are your children associated with the schools?.... Gene

Interesting to hear how spring is progressing (or not) in other areas. Its been slow here in Sask. and we still have patches of snow. Ground still frozen although it gets pretty greasy on the surface when the sun shines. Got up into the 40s today which felt like summer. I'm pretty much ready having all the seed cleaned for planting. Dry fertilizer delivered and in the bin.
Machinery wise, I installed a new front tire on the little Honda "tractor", my 1986 Big Red trike today. The original front tire developed a leak over winter so I figured it was time to replace it. Only got 22 years of service out of it.

Only got 22 years of service out of it.

I can't help myself on this one, Ralph.

"They just don't make things like they used to, do they?"

Charlie V

Are your children associated with the schools?.... Gene

Small world sometimes, Gene.

My Delaware Daughter was associated with the schools for a number of years but at the opposite end from the universities. She worked as Director of the county latch key program providing after school care for kids with no parent at home during those hours.  She now spends more time at home and does free lance work setting up instructional programs with various school districts as I understand it.  Her husband is director of an area mental health rehab facility and they are doing well.  They settled in Delaware following my SIL's discharge from the military on the first day of the first Iraq crisis. He walked his discharge papers about Eglin AFB to get them completed.  The next day all discharges and leaves were being frozen due to Iraq.  He had a commitment to appear for work in Delaware that week at his current place of employment.  I guess that plan worked for them.

My Granville daughter relocated there with hubby and family after several years in Columbus.  They purchased in Granville to accomplish a better school environment for thier two children as the kids approached school age.  That SIL, like you, grew up in that part of Ohio and that is home for him.  They met in college in Northern Ohio.  After Marriage they chose to settle in Tom's home area.  They are not associated with the university there.

Charlie V.

It's really weird weather here in Nevada. The eastern part has 115% of normal snow pack in the mountains, the west where I'm at is 65% of normal. It highs been warm almost to the 70's a few times but in the last couple of weeks storm fronts are moving through bringing high winds snow and freezing mornings. It's not a normal spring here.

Yes, it is nice to hear others progress with the weather. We still have the tailend of winter. Had 27 degrees and snow showers yesterday with a high of 38 degrees. Today had a high of 59, lots of sunshine and light wind.
Have the Case 700 overhauled and new clutch. Installed new fuel injectors today. Seed beans are bought and machinery lined up at the end of the field ready to go. Just need to get a set of hoses made up for the cylinder on the cultimulcher.
Clover just starting to grow and looks like a good stand. Ground is actually dry for this early in the season, but timely rains should keep it moist enough for seeding. Subsoil moisture is only fair. But it may just seem that way after the very wet springs we have had the last few years.

Ordered water for irrigating my alfalfa yesterday, 30cfs for 7 hours. Today I'm cancelling the order. Raining like cats and dogs here in the desert.