Random pics with comments.

This is the garden. one of the garden plots actually. the cantaloupe, cucumbers and zucchini did great. So did the corn too but you will have to talk to the raccoons and deer to see if it tasted good.  Grrrrr

guess I'm going to have too build a fence next year.  I'm also going to build a fence around the whole place, that way it will deter the animal or animals that ate my guineas :O(  I am going to build my chicken house this fall with a covered pen. I do want to be able to turn them loose in the yard so they can eat bugs as well.  Nothing says country more than chicken running around the yard :O)

 

 

This is actually my nephews wood stove for his shop that he built out of a I think, a boiler tank. He put a different one in and asked me if I wanted it for my shop, of course I said yes :O) I was going to put it in the shop but it would take up a lot of precious space so I was trying to find a purpose for it or just safe it for a later date. In the mean time my burn barrel rotted out, they sure don't last as long as you think they should. So I hauled the old 55 gallon burn barrel off to the iron pile and was looking for another one but was not coming up with one. Looked around and saw the wood stove and thought why not :O)   its built out of really heavy steel so it should last a very long time. :O)  works better than a 55 gal steel barrel by a long shot.

 

The hay is cut and drying getting ready for the baler. The neighbor cuts it and we split the hay. Last year we go one bail. was a dry year, this year we got three and a partial one.  was a good year for hay.

 

I was going to town one day and saw this field of sunflowers, thought it was cool so I snapped a pic of it.  :O)

 

Just a sunset here at home :O)  I thought the rays shinning up into the sky was pretty cool. Don't know why but the way they shot up into the sky, it reminds me of the statue of liberty's crown. Don't know why it does lol but that's what I thought of when I saw it. :O)

 

This is my Mom :O) She loves her bull riding. She know the riders states names, and injury list etc etc :O) So I took her to see another bull riding show. This is the second time we have went, She sure does enjoy it as you can see by her smile.   Love you Mom

 

This is defiantly a red neck repair job.  and no it wasn't my doings lol  but I do know who is responsible for this "repair" job lol

 

This is a last winter, not much of a pic but there was a snow drift along the int tire front of the house.

 

another sunset.

 

And this my friends is a rattle snake :O) it was about 2.5 feet long. It was sunning itself in the middle of the gravel road

 

Not sure what these are called but its just weeds of some sort. but they sure are pretty. They were all over in the trees on my place.

 

this is my dads Honda Gold wing. Its a 1982. I brought it home finally. I need to make some repairs to it. Brake work, carb work, new battery, fix a slow leak in the rear tire, the rear air shock needs rebuilt, Its basically a time capsule honestly. Its exactly the way it was the last time dad rode it. The trunk has all of his stuff in it still, gloves, tic tacs, tooth picks lol  a bottle of water, halls cough drops among some other stuff.   Dad and Mom bought it in 1985. thirty years.  Dad passed away in Feb of 2009, I rode it home that spring and that was the last time it has been ridden. But, I am getting it ready for next spring I'm hoping. I'm not painting it or changing it in anyway, some people may say that's stupid or other things, but its going to be a memorial/time capsule for dad. He really loved his Honda.  He has ridden bike off and on all his life. His first bike was a Harley Davidson, he also owned another one as well plus a 1946 Indian Motorcycle. Man I wish I had them :O)  Of all the bikes he has owned over the years he said that the Honda was the best riding bike he ever had. Wasn't the fastest one lol but it was the most comfortable one too ride. The 1950 Harley cop bike was the fastest one he said.

  Its funny now when I get to talking to some of his old buddy's he used to run with back in the day. They will sit around and tell me things that dad had done and Its a long list of things lol Drag racing, trading cars, cruising towns, just the same stuff that any other teenager and young adult has done but he used to give me so much grieve for the things I had done :O) Things that he himself had done as well lol    anyway, love you and miss you dad.

 

And this is my uncle Tinker, he is getting his first helicopter ride. Hard way to get one, He wrecked his Harley on a curve. He missed all the signs and bridge, went down into the ditch and hit a rut and at about thirty mph he got slammed into the dirt.  Broke six ribs and some of those were broken in multiple places.  broke a bone in his shoulder, lacerated his kidney, liver and spleen. They were all small lacerations but still.  All he had was one cut on his forearm externally.  So they life flighted him to one hospital then too another one. So in one day he was seen in three different hospitals. he stayed in the hospital for about a week, that was about 3 months ago. His lacerations were small enough that they healed up on their own so they didn't have do do surgery like they were thinking. oh yea, he hit the ground so hard that it knocked his heart rhythm out of time, he had to go back and have them stop his heart and then restart it to get it beating correctly.   Hes healed up mostly now, has some sore days yet but hes back to work now. :O)

 

I will get a better picture of it from the outside but this is my view of the world at my work now. I am no longer driving a semi locally, long story lol  I maintain roads now :O)  I honestly like it so far. I started July 6th of this year. Its life at 5 mph lol  Its not stressful, I'm on my own, and its peaceful. :O) So I will be boring you all with pics that I take while driving around in the country blading gravel roads lol    So far I have had no complaints from people driving the roads or from my bosses so I guess I m doing okay :O) I have learned a few things though, some people are very picky on how and where they want the windrow of gravel put. Some mow the ditches and like for me to leave the windrow on the opposite side so they don't have to mow rocks. I understand this for I don't care to mow rocks myself.  

 

This llama is one of the surprises on my routes, I came around a curve and there stood this guy lol  by the way, he eats potato chips :O)  I ate my lunch right there watching him and the cows. He kept standing there looking ate  me eating my sandwich so I tossed a potato chip to him and he munched it right down. After I was done eating I went back to blading the rode way and he followed me for about half a mile, I imagine he was hoping to get some more chips from me. I have to grade that road this week so I'm taking some carrots with me to feed him. I'm sure carrots will be much better for him then the chips. :O) 

 

some of the produce from my garden :O)

 

I bought this lamp a while back, I cant find any markings or anything on it. Trying to find out where or when it was made.  I have looked online but haven't found one like it. any ideas? Its a beautiful lamp, all the metal in it is brass, heavy as all get out.. Not sure what the shade panels are made out of, some kind of plastic? old school plastic if it is. I have some porch lights that I got off a old house with the same kind of panels.  so I know that its old but other than that I have no idea. Any help would be appreciated :O)  Might have to send some pics to "antique road show" or something like that to see if they have any idea. 

 

In other new, I have painted the floor in the kitchen finally. Did that yesterday, should of painted the walls while I had it emptied out but I don't have the paint yet. oh well, will give my something to do later some day :O)

  The garden is winding down, still getting some stuff out of it but I should plant some fall crops now but not sure that will happen either.

  Made some red hot Cinnamon cucumbers a while back :O) yummy. Thank you aunt Peggy for helping me out with that :O) I couldn't find any lime to use in the recipe so we used some other stuff that is used to replace the lime. I thought they turned out pretty good :O) aunt Peggy wants to make some more using the lime though, I was surprised when she told me how long it takes to make them, we started it on a Saturday and finished on a Wendsday. But worth every day of it lol  

 

  Well all, I'm running out of time to be visiting here. Got stuff to do yet today.

Be safe :O) Talk later with you all.

Canning and other things

Just a few pics of some of my canning that I have been doing off and on this summer. I have canned chicken, chicken broth, pork and potatoes so far :O)

I get such enjoyment hearing the lids "pop" when they cool down and are sealing themselves lol All you caners out there know exactly what I'm talking about :O)

I just love the idea that you can pressure cook or steam bath jars of food and then just put them on the shelf in the house some where and it will be good later when you open them. No freezing, no refrigerator no Chemicals.  Just good food :O)



 my potatoes, still have some in the garden that I need to dig and preserve.

 just a few of my cherry tomatoes, I have been giving them away to anyone that will take them lol  

 

Just another pic of my "fire place" mantel. I really really like it :O) as you can see I am filling it up with stuff .

 

 

Closet is getting full. I still have to put shelf's on the left side wall. its funny how when your building something you think to yourself that it sure is a big area but after a little while after you start getting things packed in there it sure shrinks fast lol

 

You know, I have always wanted a plasma ball, every since I was a kid I wanted one. I never bought one for myself, I would always leave hints about wanting one. I'm not surprised that I never got one when I was a kid because back then they were very very expensive and we didn't have a lot of money growing up and I understood this. But when I got older and they got cheaper I still wanted one but again, I refused to buy one for myself. I would leave hints again with people in my life but too no avail I never got one.  It was kinda weird, I would always try my best to get things for people in my life i.e. ex wife's (two) and one long term live together girl friend. Not a one of them ever took the hint lol  always wondered why no one bought one for me. I really wanted one lol 

So one day as I was walking around the mall I saw one in a store and you know what? I bought the damned thing for myself lol  

 

 So there it is in all of its glory sitting on my dresser :O)

Besafe all :O) 

 

taking the back road

I had to go to the doctor the other day, took the back roads to the appointment. I have been up this road many times and really enjoy it. I thought I might share a few pics of the trip. Maybe someday you can take it for yourself and enjoy a nice peaceful drive in the countryside.

 

I started taking pictures at Alta vista Kansas, off hwy 4. I have only driven past this place but it would warrant a stop some time to see all the old time farm machinery and buildings that have a lot of early pioneering stuff in them.  I didn't get a pic of the sign by the road but it said that if no one was there then to give the number on the sign a call and they would be right there to open the place up.

 

 

There are a lot of tractors of many different makes and models plus old thrashing machines, combines, plows. just about anything and everything that was used in the early yrs of farming and ranching.

 

This is the start of the scenic drive that all of the following pictures were taken on, there is a lot of other stuff along the way that I find interesting but I thought I would skip some so that it would peak peoples curiosity enough for them to take the drive themselves :O)  just follow the main road through Alta vista which is main street, go to the east end of main and turn right at the welding shop, You kinda have too to stay on the road. then you will see this sign and you will turn east (left) and that is the beginning. You can also start on the east end of this road at eskridge but I don't know what the name of the road you need to turn on. I imagine that its marked with the scenic rd sign as well.

 

This is the "Gateway"  (railroad bridge) to the flint hills in our area :O)

 

I couldn't capture the expansive view that I wanted to but you can see for miles across the hills.

 

still trying to capture that impossible shot for my little camera lol

 

just a old school house/ church along the way. build a very long time ago. Just past this on the south side of the road is the Mayer (sp) ranch. was established around 100 yrs ago. It says it on the ranch sign out front of the place. I'm close to the date is all I can say. :O)

 

Just past the Mayer ranch (east side) there is a little gravel road too the south, its a dead end that ends at the no trespassing signs but just a short ways off the main road you will come to this rail road over pass with the creek beside it. I first found this place back in the early 90's when I was working construction. Helped the railroad repair a bridge just up the way from here, Actually saved a mans life there, I was digging the dirt out away from the end of the RR bridge abutment, he was welding some on the bridge and I noticed the ground was starting to crumble behind him, I yelled at him to get out of there just in time, he jumped out just as the dirt wall caved in crushing his welder ladder and other pieces of equipment. If I hadn't been paying attention to the embankment I am positive that he would have died right there in front of me.  Was a eye opener for all of us.   anyway :O) got side tracked there :O)

 

As you can see, its a really pretty area. I could sit there for a long time just listening to the water running and watching the wildlife. Sure makes a person wish they had brought their fishing pole :O) Saw several perch and bass swimming around in that pool.

 

Just one of the many Ranch signs. Some are quite unique.

 

A lot of limestone was used in making this place.

 

Another school house. Its right before the turn to Volland if you driving east.

 

Ummm, its Volland :O)

 

These are just a few of the original houses that is left in volland, I don't know how big the town really was but to my understanding it was a pretty fair sized town (for a Kansas prairie town)

 

this building was not too many yrs ago just walls and not much else. Someone has fixed it back up. I cant even imagine how much money that took, it now has a lot of antique photos from a local "famous" photographer from the early 1900's  I don't know when its open but it would be worth a trip just to see the old photo's and to hear the history of the town.

 

Just a pic lol  Thought it was amusing "trails end" 

 

Was driving along and out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of something on the side of the hill, actually backed up to get a better view of it. Just random siloetts (sp).

 

this sign is a oddity nowadays, there used to be many many of them scattered all over the countryside. It was before rand McNally or google earth, GPS or even paved roads. These would have the family's names that lived in the area on the them. There would be a name and a arrow pointing in the direction you needed to go plus the amount of mile you would need to drive to get to their house. When you got there most likely there was a mail box or even a sign with their name on it.  You could use these signs to find just about anyone and if that didn't work you could always just stop at someones house and ask them if they knew where such and such lived and they would tell you :O)

Most of these are gone but occasionally you will still see the metal pipes still there but not much else. Just a remnant of simpler times gone past. 

 

 

these two pics are of Eskridge Kansas. There is a lot of lime stone building there, very cool.

 

I hope you all enjoyed the trip :O)  and if you can, try to take the drive down this back road of Kansas.  Life is a lot slower and more enjoyable if you just get off the interstate. :O)  Until next time,  be safe all :O)

picture updates on the house

Built a wall around the backside of the kitchen cabinets. still need to mudd them and paint. will get to that one of these days :O)

 

 

Starting to paint the bedroom after I got all the taping and mudding done. Had my nephew help me on part of it.

 

The bathroom obviously lol but that is the before picture of the floor.

 

(learned something while painting, do use the blue masking tape, its designed for this. DO NOT use green automotive masking tape, the adhesive is alittle to good for interior house painting, has a tendency to pull things off the sheet rock. ) Just saying lol

 

this is the after pic of the floor :O) I think it turned out rather nice considering lol

 

Ceiling is textured, walls are painted and the floor is covered as well. The floor got the liquid carpet treatment as well lol

 

Another pic of the bathroom finished floor.

 

Not a good picture but I was trying to show you all the legs of the wood stove and what I was doing to them. wHEN I FIRST PUT THE STOVE IN THE CHIMNEY WAS ABOUT 1.5 INCHES TOO SHORT SO I STUCK SOME Scraps (oops, sorry about that, fat fingered the caps button lol)  of wood under the legs, I cut some pvc pipe pieces about 1.5 inches and then jacked the stove up and put them under the legs, I then filled them with quick Crete cement.  Worked pretty slick :O)

 

another better pic of the leg and pvc.

 

Another day I was looking at the wood stove area and thought it was kinda bare looking, decided it needed a mantel.  Got some old growth yellow pine that came off of ft Riley back in the day. Not sure when they built the building this came from but I can honestly say that this is some actual old growth yellow pine forest wood.  Anyway, just thought you all would maybe like to have a little history about where that wood came from.  Sanded it down alittle, left some of the roughness for character. There are even the old bolt holes and nail holes that they used to hold the building together.   Anyway :O)  there it is in all of its glory lol  I think that it looks pretty good.

 

I moved some more of my stuff home as you can see, The curio cabinets are in their appointed places, When I was in the planning stages of the house plans, I came up with the idea on where to put them and believe it or not lol that part of the plan stayed the same all the way to the finish..  A lot of other ideas never made it lol or got rearranged. I have a saying that I use often with my place here, inside or outside. "Subject to change"  and that is the truth :O)

 

So there is alittle bit of the updates I promised :O)  More too come.  Be safe :O)