Trying one more time to post from my mobile… Don't seem to be posting the message.

Well men, it looks as if we are about to fall off the board here on the front page.  I am not too verbal but I can talk about this weather.  Mid thirties for high is not at all bad for mid January.  Not  a lot of sunshine around here but that may be a good thing.   The grass being as green as it is, two days of full sun and I would have to start prepping the mower to cut it.  Plenty of water in the ground so no rain or snow in the forecast the rest of this week is fine.  Spring is not just around the corner, but is quietly edging closer.

The only tractor that has been running a little here is the 1966 International cub.  That little thing runs like new.  The bad news is the battery is about finished. doesn't want to take a charge any longer.  It is dated 12/05, soooo, to be expected.

Charlie V.

Charlie, we are going to catch up to you in temperature here in Sask. today, if forecasts are right. Trouble is we are expecting 100K (62 mph) winds with it so that just cancels out any benefits of higher temps. Also light snow or freezing rain is possible so not a great day to be out driving.
I dropped the bale spear off the Cockshutt 40 on the weekend so I could install the snow blower. Getting tired of stumbling through snow banks as I walk around the yard. I have no idea what color the grass is here as it well buried under snow. Not as much as last year but just normal.

Wow, looks like Ralph is the hot spot today at 39 degrees, may be losing some of his snow cover. Charlie is not too far behind Ralph, but he has cold weather coming his way. Have 21 degrees here in Ohio, but had a few warmer days since the end of last week. Only snow left is the piles and bigger drifts. Was 47 degrees Tuesday with very little wind. Had a nice walk to the woods with Bandy. Windy and 21 degrees today and low tonight of 14 degrees, so will help freeze the mud.

With my new smart phone and tablet, I had to set up a wifi terminal, so had to buy a wireless router to make them work. I had another post all typed out and was not able to post it, that is the reason for my last post that did send.

Still waiting for the oil furnace to burn up the last of the fuel oil so I can install the gas furnace. Got it into the basement yesterday.

Bet Dean has been doing a lot at his new farm. Been nice weather to get a few things moved. Also just to stand and admire his new surroundings.

Gene

Hi Gene.   Are you going with an LP tank, or is there a gas utility to tie into?

"Stand and admire his new surroundings"... well, guilty as charged.  I'm anxious to really move in so I can be there full time, get to work on assorted stuff indoors and out, and just enjoy the beauty of the place.

I did run into a few practicalities.  Well pump quit working, so I called the company listed on a sticker on the pressure tank.  They came right out and said "Wow, we were just here a month ago to service the pressure tank and everything looked good."  I'd wondered if it was related to the cold, but none of the lines were frozen and when they pulled the pump out of the well it was just dead.  Blew another fuse when they hooked it directly to the power supply, bypassing the long cable inside the well to make sure the cable wasn't the problem.  Not seeing any other options, I had them put in a new pump.

That got me thinking about the water, since it looked pretty rusty (and had that sulfur-like smell) when we first turned the taps back on after replacing the pump.  The folks who'd lived there before had a little rental water softener and r.o. treatment unit, but I'd told them I didn't want to take over the rental--I'd rather buy a system of my choosing and then not have to worry about yet another endless monthly bill.  I hadn't been in any hurry to get to that since I'm not there full time yet, not showering or washing dishes there, etc, but the rusty/stinky water prompted me to speed things up.  So tomorrow some guys from a local water treatment company will come out and tell me what they think.

I've also been talking with some folks who stopped by to inquire about leasing the pasture and some of the buildings.  I would be delighted to keep the place in active farm use and a little cash flow couldn't hurt, but after brief discussions with a lawyer and the insurance rep I'm wondering whether I want to mess with it--and also wondering whether I want the activity of people coming and going all the time.  Right now I'm leaning toward not leasing the pasture, at least for the first year, and just settling in and seeing how things feel.  There's a hayfield that a young guy has been baling small squares off of and is apparently still interested in doing so, and I'll be happy to keep that up.  Also planning to get rid of a bunch of osage orange in the woods and start planting nice hardwoods.

Snowing again here, and temperature dropping...

Dean

Dean, sorry you had the pump troubles. Hopefully not too many more problems. My water here has a high content of iron sulfide and water from the well if allowed to settle will turn red overnight. I have a 48,000 grain softener that clears the water up real well. My well is only about 30 feet deep, so uses a shallow well pump in the basement. Just replaced my pump this fall with a 1 horsepower pump to replace the 1/2 horsepower pump that developed a leak.

For my gas furnace, I already had a propane furnace in my shop and own my own 500 gallon tank. I trenched a line off the tank to the house for that furnace. Put in 100 foot underground to the house and from the second stage regulator along the house to the furnace in the basement was about another 32 feet to the furnace. Hardest part of the installation was boring a hole for the exhaust vent pipe. Sill plate I had to bore through was a solid 8x8 hardwood beam and bored the hole with a 2 1/2" hole saw. Not a fun job.

28 degrees here with snow flurries. Trip back to the woods this afternoon had whirlwinds blowing the snow. Looked like dust devils in summer.

Gene

The up side of replacing some of the items at the new home, Dean, is that they will be "new" for some time.  That should cut down the worry of waking up at three AM on a cold winter night and wondering how old such and such is, and when it will give up the ghost.  The $$$ you are spending now is partly "peace of mind money".

Once again we are living in a white world.  The green grass of yesterday is gone from sight.  Sure was nice while it lasted.  I had very good intentions of snapping a green grass photo and sending it to Ralph just to cheer him up.  I had that thought several times but did not get the camera right then.  Too late now.  Sorry Ralph.  Next time.  In a few blinks of an eye I can photograph flower blossoms instead.

Charlie.

The up side of replacing some of the items at the new home, Dean, is that they will be "new" for some time.  That should cut down the worry of waking up at three AM on a cold winter night and wondering how old such and such is, and when it will give up the ghost.  The $$$ you are spending now is partly "peace of mind money".

Once again we are living in a white world.  The green grass of yesterday is gone from sight.  Sure was nice while it lasted.  I had very good intentions of snapping a green grass photo and sending it to Ralph just to cheer him up.  I had that thought several times but did not get the camera right then.  Too late now.  Sorry Ralph.  Next time.  In a few blinks of an eye I can photograph flower blossoms instead.

Charlie.

I'm sure you will get another chance to see the green grass Charlie. Here I expect it will be 3 or 4 months to wait. So I took a look back at last summer yesterday when I was editing yet another old international truck video.
[video=youtube;4boibVLyVYU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4boibVLyVYU&feature=youtu.be[/video]

Another good video Ralph. Gives hope for better weather.

Getting more winter here. Snow squalls coning down from Canada about every day. Have about 4 inches on the ground, but with wind drifting some areas and blowing other areas bare. Seems to like driftimg my sidewalk right outside the back door and then halfway up the walk. Forecast for below zero for middle of the week. This morning was 8 degrees and now at 7:30pm it is 28 degrees with clear sky, so temp will drop tonight.

Finally burned up all the fuel oil for the furnace, so pulled the oil furnace out yesterday and put the gas furnace in, so am heating with gas now, but still have the wood fire going with the furnace for backup heat. Will give it a good test when the cold weather moves in.

Gene

Trying another post. Reason I couldn't post before on mobile was because I wasn!t logged in. See if this works now.

Gene

Gene,

Funny how those little technicalities can mess things up so much.  These darned electronic devices always have to teach the users a whole bunch of rules and regulations.  Sometimes I am sure they were designed by Government.  Congrats on the furnace install.  Sure did not take very long once you started.

We still only have about two inches of snow on the ground.  Too windy to go out yesterday to do much although temp. was mild, near 30.  About the same this AM but the wind is easy.  That is all supposed to change as the day progresses and once the cold sets in it is supposed to stay for days, at least.  I took advantage of this small window and went out and cleared the walks.  Won't last long as the forecasted snow is already falling, but it makes me feel better to have it done for a few minutes.  That is about as lasting as mowing the grass in Springtime.  Maybe even less.


Wishing everyone a good week.

Charlie

Charlie, we have about 4 inches of drifted. Wind blown drifts are almost hard enough to walk on. No wind today, so clearing the sidewalk this morning lasted all day. Yesterday's wind made it miserable to be out, so stayed in and did some housecleaning. 30 degrees this afternoon and calm wind, so Bandy and I walked back to the woods and piled some on the brush I cut off a couple down trees. The snow made it hard to find some of the smaller limbs, but I think I made a difference.

Things getting goofy on the site tonight. Had much more typed, but wouldn't let me send it till I refreshed the page and auto save only saved the first part.

Gene

Looks like things are back to normal, so will try to finish my post.

The furnace install went pretty quick as I had been working on getting things ahead of time. Had the vent, electric and plenums all ready to set it in. It seems to be working alright, but will know for sure on Wednesday morning.

Checked Ralph's weather and he is below zero again, but with light winds so the cattle should be alright.

Gene

You are right Gene. We were up in the 30s and melting a little yesterday. Down to -20F when I got up this morning. Sunny and quiet so its not too bad. I even worked in the unheated shed for a while cleaning up the Massey engine head. I guess you will like the gas heat. It is supposed to be more efficient than oil. Also no worries of the oil tank running empty during a blizzard.

Ralph, just watched your latest video featuring your old IH truck.  That is just one fine machine.  Thanks, as always, for taking the time to make and post those videos.

Dean