Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Mighty tower clocks!

Ever wonder how these marvelous mechanical clocks keep time? Then this video is for you!








Sneaky Laverne......

                   ......... pushed against the fence gate and let everyone out. I finally found them in the front of the house:






They didn't want to go back to the coop, so I had to bribe them with a pancake left over from breakfast:




 When I took it away from them, they followed me back to the run: 



 Food ALWAYS works with this bunch.


Now I have to fix the darn gate!



Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Looking for new boots...

Was looking on line for new boots. I also came across these:




The original 'Hush Puppies"?



Looks like horse hooves



Tissue boxes?


Uh, NO!


Just impossible to get your foot into!



Who could love that?




Speechless!



Impossible to walk in.


And we don't want to forget about our men, now do we?


Battleship sneakers!

Guess you don't wear socks with these!



My favorites-a pair of Kenny Roger's about 20 years old!

What I usually have on.

Maybe I really shouldn't make fun of them. Before I retired I always wore business suits with heels. But now I am so thankful that I don't have to anymore. Oh, how my lifestyle has changed!

By the way, I didn't find anything I liked. :o(



Our stump grinder

He comes every day and works for free!







He truly is a beautiful bird, though and we are so glad he isn't pecking in the trees for a change!


Monday, April 28, 2014

A motorcycle ambulance?




Motorcycle ambulances were used during World War I by the British, French and Americans. At the time the advantages of light weight, speed, and mobility over larger vehicles was cited as the motive for the use of sidedcar rigs in this role. The US version had two stretchers arranged one on top of the other. The French ambulance used a sidecar that held a single patient, who could either lie down or sit up.


 http://img.readtiger.com/wkp/en/Motorcycle_ambulance_Popular_Mechanics_v._30_-_1918_page_165_a.jpg



The British Red Cross Society used an 8 bhp (6 kW) NUT motorcycle with a double decker sidecar like the US version
Nut-1919-wikig.jpg


 
. During testing it needed only a 9 ft (2.7 m) turning area, versus 35 ft (11 m) for a motor car ambulance, and had a lower fuel consumption of 55–65 mpg-US (4.3–3.6 L/100 km), compared with 12–17 mpg-US (20–14 L/100 km) for car ambulances. Due to lighter weight they were said to be less likely to get stuck and could be pushed out more easily than a large vehicle.


 http://img.readtiger.com/wkp/en/Motorcycle_ambulance_Popular_Mechanics_v._30_-_1918_page_165_b.jpg




Sidecar ambulances were used in Redondo Beach, California in 1915, stationed at a bath house at a beach resort to reach drowning victims quickly. Prior to using the motorcycle, life guards had to run or row up to several miles along the beach to respond to calls.


 http://img.readtiger.com/wkp/en/Life_Saving_Motorcycle_-_Safety_Engineering_page_270_1915.jpg


 Now that was something I never knew!



Broken egg!

There are five nest boxes plus the ones Charlie makes in the corners in the coop. For some strange reason they will just sit for a while in those, but then lay all the eggs in one spot.

This causes precious eggs to get broken!


 Lately Lucy has been going first. Then Shirley and Laverene is last to lay.


 It's my fault. I should have gone outside and picked up Lucy's egg when she started cackling.


 Laverne's and Shirley's eggs were covered in yolk from the broken egg and it looked like the girls nibbled on the egg shell while they were sitting.

Usually when this happens I throw the entire  mess in the run and they finish eating it. But this time I couldn't as there was a lot of poop mixed in.

After all this time you'd think  I'd learn.........


Sunday, April 27, 2014

Trees 'n roots

I love to look at trees and feel the different textures of their bark. The next time you are out for a walk, slow down and just notice how each tree is different. It's not as silly as it sounds. Nature is amazing!

Old Willow Trees Closeup Wrinkled Bark  DSCF2311 360x480 jpg




Trees With Knot 63098 480x360 jpg


Tree Roots Growing through the Rocks  IMG 0124 320x480 jpg

Charred Wood

Tree Roots Growing through the Rocks  IMG 0113 580x386 jpg



Root system


White Birch Wood Free Stock Image

twisted roots



Tree roots, tree








Lucky me

Got super - duper lucky yesterday. Two rainbows an hour apart!



















There should be TWO pots of gold waiting for me - right ??




Saturday, April 26, 2014

Dad's Suitcase

Just thought you might like to see a favorite picture of my Dad, since I write about the many things he taught me to love - mechanical things, steam trains, clocks, anything with gears, fishing, woodworking and just too many others to list! He loved being on the water, especially to be at sea.




1917-1997



With my brother back in 1943



I still miss him so...






Today's funny :0)


H/T to Terry in Florida!

Good to see people have a basic understanding of how railroads work









hose

Pic dump

Another ho-hum day here in Coopville. Just some picks of stuff around here (yawn).

Hubby dug a new hole for the fireplace ashes

Cut logs waiting to be split

One of the broken stone walls

Dogwood tree starting to get buds

Pile of wood Hubby split yesterday

Old barbed wire - it's all over the place

Just an interesting tree root

And, of course...
Charlie!