Yes, survived the birthday just fine. 72 is not much different than 71. Had a great supper at the Plaza and good visit with neighbors and others at the restaurant. Had a light snow for the trip, but only amounted to about 1 inch. Weather was rather mild for the weekend and spent some time Sunday walking through the woods identifying different animals from the tracks. Lots of rabbit, squirrel, raccoon and deer tracks. Saw one buck deer that Bandy protected me from. Sent him running. Woodpeckers are out too.

Monday I cut up the big hickory and oak that had finally come down from leaning in other trees. Tuesday I took the dozer back with a chain and pulled the main part of the trunk down from the 15 foot high snag. After that I was going to pull another hickory down in neighbor's woods, but on the way there, I discovered the master pin in the right track had come half way out. Spent almost 4 hours getting it back together. As soon as I got it running, I took it to the shop and drilled and tapped each end of the pin and put a large washer and bolt in each end. Won't be worrying about that anymore.

Last night had about 8 inches of snow with moderate north winds. Had some drifting, so got the little Case and snowblower out and spent about 3 hours clearing the barnyard and driveway. Getting some good size piles at edge of the gravel.

Laptop computer is doing a lot of updating right now, so doing this on the PC.

Gene

Sounds like you are moving as much, maybe more snow than I am Gene. I have only run over the driveway once with the snow blower. Couple of times with the blade as there were just a few problem areas. Otherwise we have had so much wind that blew a lot of the snow away. Continuing cold and below normal temps. Wind chill near -40 this morning they say. Not much wind here thank goodness. I put together this vintage video from 1988 showing how we used to plant crops here with the one way disker. Still got both machines but I don't plant crops with it anymore.
[video=youtube;nk5rWTudmhg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nk5rWTudmhg[/video]

Enjoyed the video of the discer. Had never seen one in operation before. Knew the principal, but never used around here.

Lots of below zero temps here. -8 this morning. Each day sets a new low for the date. Have probably 12 inches or more snow on the ground and each wind we get lust makes more drifts. Had 8 inches of snow last week and then 3 more inches Sunday morning.

Sunday about 11:00am I made a round to the woods with the little snowblower, planning to haul some firewood I had cut on Saturday. Came in for dinner and by the time I came out with the tractor, I could not even see the path I had cleared. Have a homemade driveway maintainer on the tractor and cleared the path again and cleared back through the woods so I could get back with the trailer and finally got the wood hauled.The wood pile and LP tank goes down fast with the cold temps.

Just checked the weather and we are actually colder than Ralph and Charlie. Weather forecasters keep promising a warmup but hasn't happened yet. Maybe by Friday.

Gene

That is about the way I saw it at the beginning of the weekend, Gene.  It looked like the 0 degree nights and high teen days would hold out till about next weekend.  then we might see some above freezing days tossed in.  We did get somewhere between 10 and 12 inches last Wednesday.  Very fine and light snow, so easy to move.  Now our friendly Great Lake is giving us very fine, light snow each day.  Not a lot .  About two inches yesterday.  It keeps the ground cover fresh and bright white.  Our temps have moderated a little.  Getting into the early 20's the last two days and last night stayed up to 7.  Nice sunshine off and on today, but it still cannot resist dribbling down the Lake snow part time.  The wind luckily has not been too much of a factor.  Some blowing across roads in the open country but not in town.  I have been getting out to do snow clean up and grocery duty as necessary and that has been going OK.  Even took the time to move four battery maintainers to different batteries.  I am currently running four chargers for eight batteries and switch the leads every three or four weeks.

 On my wife's 2005 Sable, I have to keep a maintainer on all of the time. Since she no longer drives, the car gets little use.  Ford in their infinite wisdom designed a perimeter alarm  system on those cars that sucks enough current to kill the battery in less than two weeks if the car is not started.  I read the shop manual and could see no way to disable the system as it is tied into other things in a very complex computer and sensor system.  I checked with my favorite car dealer and they pretty much confirmed the PATS system in not meant to be disabled and a battery maintainer is the way to go.  They tell me that many people have lost their batteries because of that on Fords.

The good word for today is that Spring starts in five weeks and two days.  Hang in there guys.

Charlie

Winter storm warning alerts on radio right now for all south Sask. but I only need to look out the window. Its a wild south easter blowing with new snow falling since before noon today. Last I checked the temp was about 0F. Guess I will find out in a few minutes when I head out to put a bale out for the cattle. Better things predicted for the weekend.

Ralph, can I borrow your Cockshutt 40 and snowblower?  I'm getting tired of using a scoop shovel.

Dean

Dean, if you spray the shovel with spray silicone the snow comes off much easier. Saves a lot of work. That wind Thursday night sure drifted the snow. I had cleared 2 different paths back to the woods on Thursday afternoon expecting to get to the woods to cut and haul some wood. The wind completely covered both paths and was a struggle with the tractor and trailer getting to the woods. Even with no new snowfall. After I got to the woods I had no problem. Fellow borrowed my trailer for a trip to an Amish sale, Got the trailer out and on cleared ground, but still had to pull him with the tractor to get down the drive. He brought it home last night and I had to pull him up the driveway. Couldn't get up the hill with a 2 wheel drive van.  

Spent some time last night on your Facebook page Dean. I am very inpressed with your talents there.

Still haven't gotten the warmer weather promised. Maybe next week? Morning lown have been just above zero and highs of low to mid 20's. Used the little Case and snowblower to clear the driveway and path back to the woods. Hope it stays clear for a while. Looks like Dean will have to get a 4 wheel drive to negotiate the long driveway.

Charlie seems to be getting the same weather we are here in Ohio. At least it has been above zero now for 2 mornings. Ralph is still getting the benefit of the Canadian clippers with snow, winds and cold temps. Five more weeks till spring.

Gene

Dean, just look at that snow shoveling as the price you pay for the life you live. That's how I justify my half mile driveway of snow, high priced ,limited internet, etc. The benefits of living out in the sticks still outweigh the negatives as far as I am concerned.
We had one nice day of sunshine and no wind yesterday. "Warm" at 0 degrees too.
Shot a bit of outside video the other day while trail blazing my driveway. Made it out without starting a tractor. Those 4 winter tires are paying for themselves.

This is what you need, Dean.  Stay warm and dry while you get the work done.  If you were right next door, I would swing over and take a couple of passes.

Charlie



[ATTACH=CONFIG]696[/ATTACH]

Charlie

Sure could have used that here this year. The winds keep blowing the snow into drifts in the driveways. Cleared it out Saturday with the snowblower and then pushed the banks back with the tractor. Didn't even use it till Sunday and wind Saturday night drifted it over and snow showers last night with the wind has made it necessary to blow it out again. Have to wait till the wind lets up a little. Don't really have to go anywhere today.

Ralph, my Jeep Grand Cherokee does a real good job in the drifts. Have been able to get through wherever I have to. All season tires are a great investment here too. Went to Ada, about 35 miles north of me to look at a grain drill, that I bought. The roads were drifting on the west lanes from the west winds. Hoping it warms up enough to start melting the snow so it will stay put. It is so fine and powdery it blows from the lightest wind. Forecast is for 3 to 5 more inches tonight and tomorrow and high tomorrow of 40.

Gene

Charlie, very nice setup on your truck!  Indeed, that'd have been downright handy.

Gene, the hardest part for me (aside for the sheer length of the driveway, which the above photo doesn't show well--look at the fenceposts on the right side) was that I'd already driven through the snow a time or two and packed some of it down, which made it hard to shovel.   Some of it had frozen crust, also, which might have cut down on further drifting but likewise made it hard to shovel.   I went back up today and got in and out without getting stuck and without shoveling any more.  I'm hoping warmer temps over the next week will give it all a chance to melt.

Ralph, no doubt, dealing with snow on a long driveway is part of the price of admission to living out there, but I'm happy as clam to pay it.  Many years now I've been looking forward to returning to a more rural setting, and not once since buying this place have I had any second thoughts.  Lots of chores to attend to but I'm looking forward to all of them.

Dean

Charlie's plow truck looks like a better option for when the weather is miserable but today was so nice that I was comfortable sitting out on the old 40 for hours blowing snow. Sunshine, blue sky, no wind and got up to about 30 degrees. Almost too warm for good snow blowing since it is easier with cold dry snow. But I won't complain. Shot more video using a few new camera angles.
[video=youtube;w3If1uIg7hA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3If1uIg7hA&feature=youtu.be[/video]

Ralph, another great video. That must be a good stabilizer you have on the camera.

Dean, I should have taken a picture today of my snow remover. The high winds and freezing rain and sleet had completely drifted my driveway. The ice made it too hard to use the snowblower, so got the Case 320 bulldozer out and cleared the driveway. With the frozen ground I was able to let the blade float and cleaned right down to the gravel. Some places was as much as the little dozer wanted, but got the drifts all pushed out. Then went back with the snowblower and cleand up the windrows the blade leaves. After that, I took the dozer back the path to the woods. Snow was starting to get wet and the blade rolled it up into a big roll twice as high as the blade. Was kinda fun doing that.

Had a storm here last night with sleet, freezing rain, snow and strong wind. I lost all internet and telephone when the wind blew the microwave antenna off location. Service guy came about 5:00pm and got it lined up and working again.

High temperature today was about 45 degrees. Nice day to be working outside.

Gene

Gene, I bet that 320 is a mighty handy machine indeed.  I found a few photos of such tractors on line, but only a few.  Late 50s?  

And Ralph, ditto what Gene said--you do an absolutely great job with your videos!

Dean

Thanks for the compliments on the videos . I have a lot of fun making them and am hopefully learning something in the process. I spent a day circulating canola from one bin to the next after cleaning up the snow. Since our railways seem unable or unwilling to ship our grain, all we can do is watch the price drop and move it around to make sure it stays in good condition until the day comes we can sell it (hopefully at a profit). Consequently the driveway blew in again before I got a chance to get to town. It did give me the opportunity to shoot another "trail blazing" video though. Back down into the -30s this morning. If this isn't the coldest winter we have had in years then I don't know what was.
[video=youtube;QiWzPTXfmAg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiWzPTXfmAg&feature=youtu.be[/video]