Fall Pledge Drive

Spokane Public Radio just wrapped up their fall pledge drive.  I was able to help out some by doing some pitching on a couple different days.  I really love doing this!  The people involved with the station and the volunteers that love this organization as much as I do, are all wonderful.

My favorite!

Early Sunday morning and the pledge room is empty except for Susan who is going to be pitching with me this day.

And an empty control room!

And a quiet phone!  But not for long!!

Brian Lindsey and Susan Dankovich on this early Sunday morning.

So many wires leading somewhere....

Volunteers waiting for your call!

Peter Glarborg at the control board and Jim Armstrong.  This was our Friday night team.  

New shoes for Indy

Last week we put new tracks on our Indy tractor.  We got all the use that we possible could out of these tracks.  It was time for some new shoes.

The tracks arrived and a couple days later Kelly stopped by to help us replace the tracks.  With Reynald, Kelly and Alicia working, the task was completed before lunch time.

This is what $20,000 looks like!

Notice the deep traction on these new tracks.

Here's a close up of the old track.  You can see the cracks in the belt and the worn treads. 

If you enlarge this you can see the steel coming through the belt.

This is another shot of how worn these tracks are.  

We also decided to change the mid-bogie wheels.  The old ones were more narrow than the new.  The wider ones go out to the edge of the track.  It is supposed to make the track wear more evenly.

The new, wider bogie wheels will come out to the end of the tracks

Another shot of the bogie wheels that are narrow.

These are the wider bogie wheels.

It is possible to change the tracks without Kelly's neat service truck, but it would be a lot harder and would take much longer to complete the project.  It's also much safer with the proper equipment.

Kelly's service truck, backed up and ready for action.

Kelly and Reynald used two hydraulic jacks, one in the front and one in the back, to lift the tractor off the ground so that the tracks could be removed.  This is the front jack.

And this is the rear jack.

Kelly is releasing the track tension.

Reynald is removing the high rear drive wheel.

Kelly and Reynald removing the rear drive wheel.

Rear drive wheel leaning against the front of the tractor.  

Now, with the help of the boom lift, Reynald and Kelly are able to pry the track off the rear.

The track is off.  

Next, put on the new track......

New bogie wheels on, next the new track.

And now the new track on.  

Apple Picking

Yesterday we drove to Othello to pick some apples.  Our friend Larry has a friend who has an apple orchard.  The apples that the farmer is selling, have been picked.  We were after the left overs! 

With- in the "desirable" trees, there are pollinator trees.  A common variety to use for a pollinator is the Rome Beauty.  It is my favorite for making pies and sauce.  It is not a variety that is favorable for sale in the stores so those apples are not picked for retail sale.  They are left on the trees in the orchard and simply rot in the field. 

Crayton and Beth and Alicia were all part of our picking crew.  In one hour we filled two three foot by three foot by four foot tall cardboard boxes with the most beautiful apples.   Crayton's pick up was full to brimming!  We had so much fun.  Now the work begins!!!

Reynald and Alicia getting started.

Larry brought these neat picking bags which helped speed up the process.

Emptying a full bag in to a bucket to take to the pickup.

Rome Beauty apples on the tree.

Reynald with a full bucket and a couple waiting to be filled.

Look at this cute picker!

Beth ready to fill buckets.  Larry cautioned us not to pick up the apples from the ground, so we didn't.  There were plenty on the trees to be picked.  

Reynald and Beth getting as many apples as possible off the Fuji tree!

A Shop Full

I walked in to the shop a few days ago and it was full!  Reynald somehow backed the 42 foot Shulte mower and the Indy tractor in.  It pretty much took up the entire shop!

Reynald and Alicia changed the blades on the mower and it was so much more comfortable to do it inside, on the concrete shop floor than outside.  How he got it in and then back out again is a mystery to me.  Now it is ready to go next summer, which is a good feeling.

Indy and the mower taking up most of the shop space!

New mower blade.

A new blade and a worn blade.  You can see the need for replacement.

This reminded me of the Wizard of Oz when Dorothy's house fell on to the wicked witch!  The mower did not fall on Reynald.  He came out the other end, safe and sound.

Farm Animal Friends

The last couple days Baxter and the kitties have made for some interesting photos. 

Baxter enjoying the floor heat in the house.

He's also crazy about sleeping in sun beams.  I can't imagine that this was comfortable! But he slept this way for at least 45 minutes.

Then he turned around so his face was in the sun, and used the chair rung as a chin rest.

I have been wondering why Elmer's shirt was unbuttoned.  Yesterday I discovered that the cats are using him for a cozy bed!

Life on the farm is kinda laid back......