Evolv-ing Thread

[SlickWilly]

I want to thank Willie, publicly.

Last snow storm he mentioned adding rubber flaps to the impeller blades of a snow thrower to prevent it from clogging, especially in wet, heavy snow. Monday, ahead of this mess we now have,I did just that to our snow blower. The gap between the ends of the blades and the impeller housing was almost 3/4". I used some heavy rubber and double layered it, almost 1/4 inch thick with a metal bar to spread support, since the gap was that big. I just came in from clearing a path to the shed so I can get to the generator if needed and I cleared around the cars as well as the driveway up to the gate.

I can't believe the difference with those extensions in place. The snowblower was throwing snow, at best, ten feet and that was dry snow. It's throwing wet snow almost 30 feet now. That makes it really easy to clear a larger area without having to blow the same snow over and over again. It never clogged or even looked like it might clog. I don't think it will jam if it picks up a stone now, either. There's no gap to get jammed now.

Thanks, Willie, you made my day even with the snow!

Oh yeah, I was out there for about a half or three quarters of an hour and another inch plus where I cleared

Can't take the credit, I read it on the John Deere forum. But I'm glad it's working well for you, made a big difference with mine too, really does throw it farther and it will chew through the snow a lot faster. Having to keep stopping and unplugging a clogged chute constantly in wet snow was no fun, no more!

 

[awsum140]

Maybe you saw it on the JD forum, but you mentioned it to me. You get the credit!

 

[Rossum]

SE PA a bit after sunset today:

I'm not there. I got outa Dodge a week ago. No reports power problems this time.

 

[dwcraig1]

 

[tiburonfirst]

 

[mikepetro]

 

[mikepetro]

Can't like that Mike. How'r the fish?

Power came back on about 8pm, fish tank water was about 10 degrees low, but they pulled through ok.

 

[SlickWilly]

Ugh, rough morning.... One of those standing there watching the coffee pot dripping with my eyes half open waiting, I need my coffee and heating pad badly. Mornings suck when you get old....

 

[awsum140]

Glad your fish made it OK, Mike.

We made it through the storm without losing power. Given the amount of snow in the trees, that's amazing. I guess we got 12 to 14 inches or so and it's really wet stuff. I'll be going out there after breakfast to clean it all up. Need my second cup, already, and haven't really finished the first one yet.

Did I mention I hate winter?

 

[SlickWilly]

And there goes the neighbor on her morning walk, reminding me once again to stop my whining... Sigh, I'm sorry for being grumpy this morning.

Well the sun is shing, going to be cold but clear. I'm on Robin watch, it's a family thing my grandpop started long before I was born. He almost always saw the first Robin, then grandma would call the family with the news, to me it always meant soon it will be warm weather, can't wait.

 

[awsum140]

We've had robins here all winter, but more are showing up now.

Here's the view looking west in my front yard this morning. The branches of cedar tree on the left are normally not in the frame, or are standing straight out and the bottoms is just visible. This is actually a color picture, not a B/W. It's still completely overcast with the storm still moving out.

 

[kiba]

Power came back on about 8pm, fish tank water was about 10 degrees low, but they pulled through ok.

We used to have a real big salt water fish tank when we were growing up & my dad thought he was rich, we had a power outage while we were out I'd town during vacation & came home to this...

He never did get new fish, he ended up selling the tank & all the stuff that went with it for basically pennies.

 

[SlickWilly]

We've had robins here all winter, but more are showing up now.

Here's the view looking west in my front yard this morning. The branches of cedar tree on the left are normally not in the frame, or are standing straight out and the bottoms is just visible. This is actually a color picture, not a B/W. It's still completely overcast with the storm still moving out.

View attachment 730949

Yeah, here in NY the Robin's leave in the fall and seeing them in the spring is one of those happy signs everyone is earger to see. Once in a great while we'll see one that stayed the winter but it's rare.

Winter's on the way out, the skunks have been out and about for the last week or so. Their hungry and looking for easy meals until the ground thaws deeper. The young couple that moved in the house off to the side behind me that have the easement to use part of my driveway are all in a tissy over the skunks. They put up an electric fence and let their little dog run around the yard unattended, well the young pup took after one of the skunks at night and he got sprayed. So they decided they were going to trap the skunk with a have a heart trap, he came to me to ask me to keep our cats inside for a couple nights while he set the traps out. I tried to tell him he's wasting his time, they are common here this time of year, in a couple weeks when they can dig for food they'll move on. I told him to block anyplace they can get in or hide, don't leave any food, pet food or garbage out where they can smell or get at it and just chase them away when you see them, let them know they aren't welcome and they'll get the idea not to come around. I told them in the mean time don't let the dog run the yard after dark, take him out on a leash but they didn't take my advice, night before last they let the dog run after dark and the dog took after the skunk again, didn't get sprayed but he took after it. The kid went out and managed to back the skunk into one of the traps but he got sprayed then the gate slammed shut, then they had to get his dad's pickup to relocate it. The smell covered the entire block.....

So yesterday the kid saw me outside and came over to tell me with pride how he caught "the skunk", I asked him, "Did you get Mamma of one of the babies?" His face went blank and said, "What do you mean?" I said I told you there's more then one, I've seen one young one and the big mamma skunk and there is likely more, his pride turned to disappointment. I told him, I've been here 30 years, there's woods with a creek at the edge of our back yards, get use to it, there's wildlife here, just got to learn how to live with it. Other wise you're gonna need a lot more traps and it will never end, if the DEC finds out your trapping animals you could get fined and if you trap one of my cats and it get's harmed, we're gonna have a big problem....

 

[Steamer861]

In case anyone here hasn't all ready seen this? The 250c mods are all ready showing up for "Preorder" ETA 6/4/18
Paranormal DNA250C by Lost Vape

 

[tiburonfirst]

well, june's just around the corner!

 

[Steamer861]

I think it's suppose to be April 6?

 

[mikepetro]

We used to have a real big salt water fish tank when we were growing up & my dad thought he was rich, we had a power outage while we were out I'd town during vacation & came home to this...

He never did get new fish, he ended up selling the tank & all the stuff that went with it for basically pennies.

That is precisely why I dont do salt water tanks, unless I have an automatic backup generator.

 

[BillW50]

I did salt water tanks when I was a kid with sea monkeys and seahorses. Seahorses are cute, but boring since they like to stay motionless a lot. Maybe I fed them too much. Sea monkeys aren't so exciting either.

 

[kiba]

That is precisely why I dont do salt water tanks, unless I have an automatic backup generator.

Yeah basically my dad found out he had another kid (my older brother), & married my now step mother, & her having come from Russia w/ basically nothing wanted a big house w/ pool, hot tub & aquarium but no experience with what a royal pita all of that can be. But honestly, if I didn't have those experiences as a kid, with learning about living within your means, I'd probably want those things for myself but I'm glad I did, bc now I'll never feel the need to buy any of that (it's why I bought a condo instead of a house like my gf wanted), my dad & step-mom had all these things but were always stressed out & struggling to feed us, & ended up (now) in a town house with none of that & they're much happier... Something was in constant need of repairs pretty much at all times,we had this salt water aquarium in the living room that was huge, the fish were tropical & super sensitive, plus the tank would get really gross bc the fish are so messy, I remember we used to have to like, chase the fish around w/nets so we could get them out & put them in like, pitchers & stuff to clean it & one time to replace a peice of glass which took a while so my brother & I were taking care of fish in little mini aquariums, which, some of them didn't make it... Also the pumps used to go bad all the time, one time, one of them somehow had leaked water all over our floor, & we had to clean out these skimmers full of what I can only surmise was fish poop. After that one time that we had someone looking after them, & came home to the furnace off & literally all of them dead, he gave up on it. lol. I remember feeling sad bc I love fish but I did not miss cleaning up after them.

For me, I have no need for a big house, but I absolutely love looking at fish, which is why I have a bass boat & a simulated salt water aquarium on my 75" TV [emoji28] (basically its an app that comes on when there are people in the room but not using the TV) & w/ the pool/hot tub, in my condo I might have to share that w/ other people, but at least I have a pool & hot tub that I don't have to constantly fix, do major repairs every 5 years & scoop crap out of every day. That's the way I see it anyway.

 

[awsum140]

I gave up on fish tanks when we had an extended power outage back in the mid 70's. Problem was, we were in Long Island and the fish were at home in Lakewood.

It got up to 51 here, so far, this afternoon so everything I cleared is now clear down to the gravel, pavement or grass(?). I went back out after lunch and did a couple of "loops" for Leo to use. It was a real bear to get them done. The top stuff, from yesterday, was nice and soggy from the sun and under that was the crusted, packed, 2" sleet/snow layer from Tuesday. I'm pooped and having a third cup!