Good looking work on the splitter upgrade, Gene.  I have a B&S engine similar to yours on a pressure washer and it leans right into the load.  Probably smaller than yours as it is around a 6 1/2 H.P.
This is a picture of my old splitter.  Pretty simple but it has always done what I need.

Ralph, I have looked at the Go Pro cameras but so far am chased off by the cost of them for the little use I have.  I did put up a still picture of the new blower.

Charlie

Charlie, I am scared of the price of a lot of things nowadays but finally just had to have this Gopro. You can actually shoot good video with an ordinary digital camera but the Gopro has the sealed plastic housing that makes it impervious to water, snow, dust, etc.
Gene probably knows my weather already but here is a picture of the scene this morning and it pretty well covers the week. We had a few hours of sun on Monday morning and the rest of the week has been nothing but clouds, fog, mist, light snow, frost. At least the temperature continues above normal. Still a little cool to work with bare hands on old iron though.

Ralph, Ohio weather has been gloomy with clouds and no sunshine fore the past week. Only a few flakes of snow now and then. Sunrise promises a clear morning. 21 degrees with light fog. Odd how the high humidity affects the comfort of the air. High humidity lowers the chill factor of outside air, but humidity inside the house helps to make the air more comfortable. Guess it has to do with the evaporation rate. Charlie has been chasing our weather and is the warm spot this morning. maybe the snow blower has kept the snow at bay.

Has been a rough week for me. On Tuesday I came down with a severe chest infection and congestion. Kept me housebound all week. Just a walk to the mailbox was almost more than i could stand. Amish neighbor boy came down and brought firewood up to the house and that was really appreciated. Starting to feel a little more human today. Think I may survive.

Had our Christmas get together at Daughter's last night, so my Christmas festivities are over. Had a good visit with the kids.

Hope all have a Merry Christmas.

Gene

Glad to hear you are gaining on the illness,  Gene.  Oldest daughter in Delaware O. tested positive for Types A and B flu plus had bronchitis this past week.  She got to the Dr. early and they gave her a script for Tamiflu.  She took it and at last report she was feeling much improved and 36 hours w/o any fever.  Bad junk going around.  She is happy that she can now spend time with her granddaughter again.

As you said, days on end of dark, gloomy weather with dabbles of snowflakes.  Bright sun this AM is nearly blinding to our gopher eyes.  We are  used to being in the underground tunnel.  I might even take the SUV to the laser wash and get most of the salt flushed from underneath.

Charlie

Gene, hope you are through the roughest part of the week health-wise. Charlie, I have given up washing salt of my vehicle as I would have to drive through more salt to get home from town. Washing here at home would leave a protective coating of ice on it which I don't think would be a good idea.
At last we have sun shining today and it made some impressive displays of the hoar frost coating everything. Yes, I took a picture or two.

That frost is sure scenic, Ralph.  Makes for beautiful pictures.     The salt on the cars:   If it stays frozen solid it is not too destructive.  Here with warm ups to above freezing temperatures and high humidity the salt / sand lay wet on the metal and that is the opportunity for it to decay any bare metal it is in contact with.  Home washing is not particularly beneficial as most damage occurs on the underside.  The Laser wash that I go to has a rocker panel and under body spray  (high pressure with high volume) that you drive slowly over as you enter the wash bay.  Must buy the eight buck wash or more to get that.  It does a better job of flushing underneath than I could do with a garden hose and nozzle even if I laid on the ground and sprayed up.  I like to go there at least monthly during the bad weather, but only when we have above freezing with dry roads.  If I do that wash five times during the winter equals forty bucks.  My feeling is that it is a real preventive on the body rust.  That is not to say that spraying paint as needed on the underside isn't good too.  There are times you could catch me doing that as well.  Like you, I never drive far enough to wear a car out so I try hard to stop the rust from stealing them away.

In the end  Idid not go to the wash today. More warm weather on the way.

Charlie

That frost is sure scenic, Ralph.  Makes for beautiful pictures.     The salt on the cars:   If it stays frozen solid it is not too destructive.  Here with warm ups to above freezing temperatures and high humidity the salt / sand lay wet on the metal and that is the opportunity for it to decay any bare metal it is in contact with.  Home washing is not particularly beneficial as most damage occurs on the underside.  The Laser wash that I go to has a rocker panel and under body spray  (high pressure with high volume) that you drive slowly over as you enter the wash bay.  Must buy the eight buck wash or more to get that.  It does a better job of flushing underneath than I could do with a garden hose and nozzle even if I laid on the ground and sprayed up.  I like to go there at least monthly during the bad weather, but only when we have above freezing with dry roads.  If I do that wash five times during the winter equals forty bucks.  My feeling is that it is a real preventive on the body rust.  That is not to say that spraying paint as needed on the underside isn't good too.  There are times you could catch me doing that as well.  Like you, I never drive far enough to wear a car out so I try hard to stop the rust from stealing them away.

In the end  Idid not go to the wash today. More warm weather on the way.

Charlie

I like the sound of that lazer wash Charlie. We sure need it here with all the road salt lately. Today's weather is actually better for that as it is -30F this morning and I expect the roads will be dry and clear. I used to spray the under side of the vehicle with used oil in the fall as I thought it would help prevent some rusting. That is a lot of work getting under a low vehicle.
Just came in from plugging in the block heater on the old Massey. By the time I have had breakfast that engine should be warm as summer and fire right up. Just hope it keeps running til I get the hay bale hauled out to the feeder.

Have had a few pretty nice days. Temps in the 50's and light winds and a few sunny days. I still have not gotten over my bronchitis, but am improving each day.

Sunday was a nice sunny day so checked over the motor home. Serviced the engine and looked over everything. Took it to local gas station and filled it with gas. Gas price was $1.929 per gallon, so was able to fill the tank for $53.00. Haven't seen such low price in many years. Maybe I can afford to make a trip south for a few days.

Weather has taken a turn downward. Ralph is back to the negative temperatures with wind chill of -35. Charlie and I have colder temps in the 20's. Looks like some winter coming in the next few days.

Neighbors will be leaving tomorrow to spend 2 months in South Carolina. They rent a cottage on the beach each winter to get away from the Ohio winter. Will miss them till they get back. Sure they will enjoy themselves.

Gene

Glad to hear you are gaining on the bronchitis, Gene.  Have been wondering how you are.  You are just about stealing gas there in Ohio.  We on average paying a dollar a gallon more than you paid.  No competition and price fixing seem to be the norm here in NY.  Likely the state adores that because the higher the price, the bigger the sales tax revenue.  NY doesn't just tax the gasoline, but also applies sales tax to the state and federal tax charged on each gallon so it is tax on the tax.  makes me frequently wonder why I still live here.

We now have a trace of snow on the ground to turn the grass from green to white.  Low twenties with wind chill tomorrow.  Mild compared to Sask.. but cold enough for me.

Hope my friends here have a healthy, happy, and prosperous 2015.

Charlie V.

Lots lof loose and light snow fell here yesterday. Easy shovelling Once the wind gets up we will have some serious snow drifts but right now at -20F and quiet it is not too bad.

N0o white stuff in Ohio. Started this morning with 32 degrees and freezing rain. Has now warmed to 45 degrees and just cold rain all day. not a very pleasant day at all.

Checked Ralph's weather and he is at -13 degrees with 35 MPH winds. Looks like those tracks won't last very long. Looks like the hammer mill is all set and ready to go.

Charlie is right at freezing with the freezing rain we had this morning. Hope he doesn't get anything worse.

Yesterday was a good day for Dean's land clearing. I can only imagine the size of his brush pile. Hope he invites us to watch the bonfire.

Not a very nice day to try to do anything. Just keeping the fire going.

Gene

N0o white stuff in Ohio. Started this morning with 32 degrees and freezing rain. Has now warmed to 45 degrees and just cold rain all day. not a very pleasant day at all.

Checked Ralph's weather and he is at -13 degrees with 35 MPH winds. Looks like those tracks won't last very long. Looks like the hammer mill is all set and ready to go.

Gene

I question their wind speed Gene. I could not feel any wind here. When I stopped shoveling snow and listened I thought I could hear some slight movement in the trees but not nearly enough to drift any snow. Would be serious chill factor if there was much wind at these temps. -25F here last time I looked this evening. I think I will leave that light snow to lay awhile until the wind moves some of it.

Just went outside for a little walk around the barns. Temperature at 9:15pm was 54 degrees and still have a light rain. Forecast for snow by Monday and turning colder for the rest of the week. High temperatures by end of week in low teens and lows in single digits. Forecast quite a change. Think this is reason for a lot of people being under the weather.. Try not to go out in public more than I have to.

Went back and checked Ralph's weather history. Looks like the stronger winds abated after 5:00 am his time. History shows winds at 16 mph with gusts to 26 MPH. guess Ralph slept through them.

Gene

We are looking at 57 deg. F here this morning with light rain/mist.  Promised wind mid day with gusts to 60 mph.  Cold moving back in tonight.  I have to go out and put in some driveway markers.  Seems the garbage man doesn't know or does not care where his truck tires are and likes to cut new driveways across the lawn.  The ground is soft and the tire ruts will need repair in the spring.  I am thinking that some people never see daylight because of where their head is stuck most of the time.

I am with you Gene on avoiding people and crowds this time of year and especially food prepared outside of our home.  Every day the TV tells me how ineffective the flu shots are this year.   WHOOPEE.  I think we need to move to Ralph's neighborhood where it is too cold for germs to survive.  

Charlie

We are looking at 57 deg. F here this morning with light rain/mist.  Promised wind mid day with gusts to 60 mph.  Cold moving back in tonight.  I have to go out and put in some driveway markers.  Seems the garbage man doesn't know or does not care where his truck tires are and likes to cut new driveways across the lawn.  The ground is soft and the tire ruts will need repair in the spring.  I am thinking that some people never see daylight because of where their head is stuck most of the time.

I am with you Gene on avoiding people and crowds this time of year and especially food prepared outside of our home.  Every day the TV tells me how ineffective the flu shots are this year.   WHOOPEE.  I think we need to move to Ralph's neighborhood where it is too cold for germs to survive.  

Charlie

Well those germs sure won't last long outdoors today Charlie. It was -32 when I rode the old Massey out to put a hay bale in the cattle feeder. I was ok except my nose which is about the only exposed skin. Had to turn my face sideways and hold one hand up to protect my face a little more even at only 5 mph. Nice and sunny but the wind chill factor is around -40F they say. I believe it. No worries about making ruts in the lawn here Charlie. Its frozen solid and you could not make a track with anything. Yes, if you don't mind living like a recluse you can avoid a lot of the virus out there in the public.

Ralph, 32 below is some serious cold.  Years ago I spent a year at Thule Air Base, Greenland, and by the end of my tour I'd gotten comfortable with temperatures of zero F, ten below, etc.  But thirty below is just cold no matter how you look at it.

Here's a little clip of my snowplowing practice yesterday.  I need to get a GoPro... holding the camera with one hand while trying to operate the throttle, clutch, steering wheel, and hydraulic lever with the other doesn't make for ideal videos (or tractor work).

[video=youtube_share;GlMJ-tuVhvk]http://youtu.be/GlMJ-tuVhvk[/video]

Dean
Saint Paris, Ohio