Drill Project Phase II

The weather has been warmer than normal this past week, which makes for spring fever!  Time to start making a list of things that "must be done" before spring work starts, and top of that list is getting the drills put back together.

Today we worked on taking all the packer wheels off the shafts.  Some we will keep and put back on the drill frames that we stripped before Christmas.  Some we will turn in to a welding shop, to be rebuilt, before they can be put back on to the drill frames.

We have a long way to go, before this project is complete.....a long long way, but we're still hopeful that we can get humpty dumpty put back together again!  When I look at all the pieces, that's what it feels like!

So we need to get all these packer wheels off the shaft where they currently live.

Here's a closer look.  You can see that there is a bunch of stuff between the wheels, which also has to come off that shaft.

Reynald getting ready to strip one of the ten shafts that we need  take apart.

In a perfect world, all this just "slips" off the shaft!  And, I have to say, about half of our world was perfect today.  The other half, not so much!

This shows the spacing pieces and a sprocket that is used for the drive chain,.  

Sliding the sprocket and spacing pieces off the shaft.

This is the pile of packer wheels that need repair.  I think it looks like a bunch of coins laying on the floor.

Another view of the wheels in need of repair.  It's quite a pile!

K, many years ago, I found these coveralls.  They used to belong to Reynald, he thinks when he was in early high school.  They fit me perfectly!  Plus, I'm kind of in to vintage clothing!

This is the pile that doesn't need repair/  The next step is to figure out precise measurements for replacing the wheels on to the shaft.  It's all going to be different than it was.  It will require a lot of math, something I have no intention of being involved with!

Also in the shop is little Colt.  Reynald is putting a new style radio for communication purposes in.  He has my little fellow all torn to pieces.  (More tearing apart and putting back together!)  Once he is finished with the install, I will spring clean little Colt like I did the other two tractors.

Here's Colt, patiently waiting for a new antenna and communication radio.

I try so hard not to panic when I see what Reynald has done to my little Colt!

He assures me that it's not as bad as it looks!  All I can see is a bunch of stuff torn apart, and wires sticking out where they aren't supposed to be sticking out etc!  Glad I don't have to put it all back in order.

Spring Cleaning

Most years, before spring field work begins, I do a thorough cleaning of the tractor cabs.  Of course they will get dusty through the season, but it's nice to start out clean!

Reynald had both Arthur and Indy in the shop, doing some maintenance work, so today I took advantage of both tractors being in the heated side. and grabbed my bottle of windex and roll of paper towels and set to work!

It will be at least a month before we are in the fields, but it's nice to have these two tractors ready to go.  Little Colt still needs to be tidied up, but that won't take long.

Here are a few before and after photos!  I kinda like to clean!!

Here I am, armed and ready to go!

Indy is the tractor that Reynald bought me for a Mother's Day gift a few years ago.  

I used Murphy's oil soap and hot water to clean the floor mat.

Reynald puts his water jug in this area.  It leaks slightly now and then, making for a bit of a mess.

Nothing that a little soap and water won't clean up however!

This is my satellite guidance screen....just a little dusty.

Again, nothing that a little windex won't handle!

Not sure why this area got to be such a mess, but it did.

But now it's clean!

Looking forward to spending some time in both tractors this season!  It won't be long now.

First Egg

This morning when Baxter and I went out to feed Leo and check on the chickens I was happy to find our first egg from the new girls!  They are always small to start with.  Hoping I'll find a few more tomorrow morning!

The first egg from the September chicks.

This late afternoon the sun came out and Baxter found the perfect place to take advantage!  He's not supposed to be on this bed, but he was snuggled in so cute and cozy, that instead of shooing him off, I snapped a photo!   Yep, he's a spoiled dog!!!!

Baxter in the lap of comfort!

He is our sunbeam dog!  

Can you believe.....

this parsnip?  Rather, can you believe I got it out of the ground without breaking it?

We love parsnips.  They are sweet as candy when left in the ground, covered with straw over the winter.  Still have about a third of a garden row left to dig before the weather turns more spring like.

One of these days soon, I'll stuff as many as I can fit, into a large, flat rate mailing box, and send some to Boston.  The girls complain that you just can't get good parsnips in Boston!!!

Sewing Center

A few weeks ago my dad delivered a brand new sewing center!  It still smelled of freshly applied finish to all the wood.   Dad started with rough quarter sawn oak lumber and ended up with this.....truly amazing and spectacularly beautiful.

You may remember that I started out last year with the new cutting table that he made for me.  Now my room is complete with the best equipment I could hope for.  I may never leave this room again!

Dad assembling my new sewing center.

Baxter is always willing to help!

You can see that we had to move the unit in to the basement in pieces.

Fully assembled, ready to be used.  

 

I'm still trying to decide what goes on the walls, and where it all goes.  Just kind of shaking hands with the new look.

I found these darling knobs on Etsy and I'm so thrilled with them.

Behind the above knob, is this drawer with the super cool insert that dad made for thread storage.

Another neat knob.....

and can you guess what is in this drawer?

Another favorite knob...

The first quilt from the new sewing center.  One of the "fall quilt" series!

A closer look at the blocks.  A scrappy 16 patch....all pieces from my stash so I didn't buy anything!

Sausage Grind 2016

Monday a group of us gathered to make sausage.  Reynald and I are rather new to this group, at least as sausage makers.  We've been doing it for maybe ten years?   Our relationship with this group goes back generations however, and we always seem to have a wonderful time, no matter what the reason for getting together.

This is a particularly fun event, because we get to take home, and enjoy and share, the fruits of our labor.

Here it is........Sausage Grind 2016!

This folder contains the recipes, and various other book keeping details.

Setting the stage

Cutting tables...

Grinding station....

Les set up an art gallery on one of the shop doors.  This is not your typical sausage making party!  Art is an essential element.

Del is touring the art gallery.

Les' art studio name is Pencil Farm Studio.  As you might imagine, he has collected some pretty unique pencils over the years. 

The watch is one of Les' newest art projects.  The mannequin hand is for display purposes.  Les labeled the box that it is stored in as "poison" so no one would take it!

OK, enough fooling around.....time to get to work.....

Here's Del inspecting the cutting station to make sure all is in order.

David trimming and cutting...

And Les doing the same.

This year Del and I were the garlic peeling crew.  Eva is giving him some encouragement!  Just look at that large bag of garlic!

Reynald is the grinder!

Apparently Chemyn didn't get the "enough fooling around" memo!

Louise and Eva have the most work of all!  They do all the cooking for the crew.  Lunch was lentil soup and fresh bread from a Spokane bakery.I forgot to take a photo of dinner, but it was equally as amazing with Eva's lasagna and all the trimmings!  Chemyn made a tiramisu tort that I also didn't get a photo of, because we are all too busy savoring each bite!  Oh my goodness was it good....

This was the lunch dessert plate!  

Enjoying our delicious lunch.

 Back to the grind, so to speak.  We were now ready to mix.

David mixing the spices in to one of the varieties.

After mixing each recipe (three this year) we do a taste test and then adjust the spices accordingly.

We rely heavily on Louise and Eva for accurate tasting.  You can see by the photographers shadow, that I had a constant companion that day! 

Cooking outside on the Coleman camp stove.  

The color of the sky was almost the exact color of Eva's vest!  There's Chemyn's dog Tucker in the background.

After we receive the taste tester go ahead, we stuff the sausage in to links, and then some in to bulk packages.

We all took a moment to admire the sun setting on the farm.

The next morning, after Les has smoked the links, we get together to wrap and mark the packages.  We all go home with an ice chest full of yummy sausage.  Such a fun time together we do have...

Smoked links, being prepared for packaging.

We all favor Louise's handwriting to any one of the rest of us!

And here you can see why!

 Guests staying at the Rolinco Road Resort are often served this sausage for breakfast.  No one has ever complained!  Book your reservation now!!!!