wanted to say!!

[twobears]

i,am making this post because of all i,ve learned from you folks and because of the great day i had today..  8) i don,t post much but,i sure do read alot and i,ve learned alot from you fine folks because of it.
on august/19th of 2004.i was working in the woods and i got cut very baddly by a kickback.
the husky 272 was going to hit me in the neck and/or chest soo,i blocked it with my left forearm.when,it was over with my arm was just about resting on my nose and i was cut from just above my wrist up around my forearm and going to the inside of my elbow.the cut was right to the bone.i ended up with countless stitchs and some wire holding my arm together.alittle over a year later i was joking around with somebody and she hit me right on the inside of my elbow.that ended up being worse then getting cut in the first place.i have been over two and a half years recovering.
i started feeling much better this summer and i have gotten better pretty much everyday scence.
heres the real reason for this post..the last few days i,ve been rereading that logging method post.i really like looking thur it..plus,i,ve always wondered about those iron mules and theres alot of pic of them in there. last night,even tho,i was dead tired i couldn,t sleep so,i got on the computer until after 1am..i was either on the forestry forum reading or searching the web for iron mule info.i finely figured out how there put together.
today,i was cutting some white pine on my dads land.i have some projects to do this coming spring and i need lumber cut for them..it was snowing this morning but,it cleared off and was really nice for this time of year.if i had been working for somebody i would have no doubt gotten fired..it took me all day to cut and skid three large pines and two smallish hemlock..i wasn,t in to much of a hurry and i ended up reflecting more then anything..i was sitting on logs or on the tractor half the time just enjoying the day or thinking about all the times i worked in the woods logging and i was also thinking about this forum and two other forums i visit alot..like,i said i,ve learned alot because of this forum and the people on it.
one thing that gets me is the fact if we met someplace we,de just walk on by eachother..but,when,we sit down on a forum we seem to be so open with eachother and helpful.
THANK YOU ALL!! for teaching me so much and being so open with your know how. ;D

delbert

PS:i had such a relaxing day,i just had to thank you folks and share it with you..after looking thur the method post,i got to really missing being at work logging.even tho the equiptment i was using was a far cry from what i used to run it was still very nice to be in the woods cutting trees and skidding again..i used to run,hood 24000 loaders with slashers and delimbers,jd 440,540 and 640 skidders,a 850 jd dozer,180 and 210 loaders,a couple diffent whole tree morbark chippers,and i,ve ran a 611 hydro-ax with a shear head.today,it was a jd 2550 farm tractor and a 262 husky chainsaw..it still felt good and was a great day tho.

[Sprucegum]

  8) I hear ya Delbert, It was -28 today but I went out to the woodlot anyway, I never miss a chance to go.

I plowed the trail in to camp OK, got right to the shack before I broke the plow again  :-\
Tried to start the old Cockshutt but it was too cold, tried to start the generater to plug in the tractor but it was too cold. Made one pull on the starter rope on the old snowmobile but it was obviously too cold. So I tossed a load of firewood on the truck and headed home.

All that took me all day and I loved every minute of it.

[WH_Conley]

Sure glad to hear you are up and going again. 8)

[Nate Surveyor]

Delbert, what a great post!

I am involved in sawmilling, cause it is cheaper than seeing a shrink! (wink) :D :D :D

Hearing about your day, just made stress go out of me!

Keep it up.

Nate

[Coon]

I think this is a big reason why most of us come to the forum.  It is a very calming place to unwind from a long day and possibly learn a thing or two.  Had it not been for this place I would have been in the "Looney Bin" long ago.  They probably would have thrown away the key too. ;) ;) :D 

[thecfarm]

Glad to hear you are doing better now.Lucky you.That is some scary.I find myself thinking alot and my Father and the people that had to leave this land when my grandparents bought it from them.There are fields now that are grown up into woods.Some I wonder how they could cut the hay with all the rocks in there.I feel it's alot more of a challenge to cut wood with a farm tractor.Takes alot more planning with the roads and the lay of the land.Takes more time traveling from the woods yard back up into the woods.Certain area of the woods road you may have to be real careful in to prevent a unsafe act or you may have to gear down more in a small hill.Takes more planing on how to get the log from the stump to the tractor..Stumps need to be cut down so you can go across them.Sometimes my dog will come up to see me.That's always good for a few minutes of pat time for him.He does not care for the noise of the tractor.It's nice to be out in the woods again.Doesn't matter what gets done.As long as you can enjoy yourself and you are happy at the end of the day.

[twobears]

i,am really glad ou guys liked this post.i have really enjoyed myself the last few days and i wanted to share it with you folks because it really invovled you all.
here one thing i was thinking about yesterday...it was those iron mules again..i really like to design and build things..it,s a hobby of mine..well,i got to thinking about how the fiirst one got built.i could picture oldgrampa gafner wallking around his back 40 looking over all the junk he had stored back there.he,s looking at a mf farm tractor that had seen better days and he was looking at the ww2 jeep buggy he had over by the fenceline.i bet he oved the buggy over behind the tractor and thought "yep,that will work" next,i bet he got to thinking about a good way to load it and he went out and found one of those old log loaders that was built out of steel pipe and had about a 12 foot reach and the iron mule was born.
the weather looks ok so,i think i,ll go back out today and cut a few more trees down.we have about four inches of snow and the ground is frozen.i can get some good clean logs now so,i figure it,s a good time to get a few piled up by my sawmill.

delbert

[Tom]

The woods is kinda like a religion, isn't it.   If we pay attention and have goals, and don't try to 'take' everything we see as fast as we can, we are the better for it.   I've had epiphanies like that before.  The most recognizable one being immediately after my divorce when the whole world took on a new meaning.  Life slowed, I noticed all the trees and the clouds and would actually look out of the window of the car at the scenery instead of just looking for other cars.

Sitting in my swamp and watching squirrels is healing.  I know when I've enjoyed it the most when I lose track of the time I was sitting there.

I'm really sorry for your injury.  I've not been hurt like that, but, I've been hurt.  Usually it is through negligence or trying to meet someone else's goal.  My most favorite days seem to be the ones when I go home happy and realize that I didn't bust my butt today, but still had some product to justify my being there.

That was a good post you wrote.  It has a lot of 'in-between-the-lines' philosophy in it.  Sometimes we just have to stop and make ourselves realize what is the most important thing in life.  To me, it's a hug from my wife and kids and a handshake from a good friend.  I owe it to myself to enjoy those things without having to schedule them amongst other deeds.

Thanks twobears and I certainly hope your recovery is sufficient to allow your enjoying your life as you describe.

[twobears]

TOM:theres no better place to get close with god then out in the great outdoors..when,your out in the woods your not standing back looking at his handy work your right there in it.your not standing back looking at a painting your a part of it.
TOM:your right too.thats alot of "between the lines" in my post.i got cut because i had my head stuck up my butt and was thinking about a few things way to much instead of thinking about my work. i think i was having a midlife crices(sp),thinking about a very special friends troubles way to much,and letting a few other things get to me. once,i got cut it was even worse because,i couldn,t work enough to keep my bills payed.
i finely feel good enough to work like i used to and that makes me feel great.i think thats why,i enjoyed yesterday so much.it felt like all that was finely over and behind me.now,all i really need to do is lose all the weight i gained while i was hurt.. ;D i lost 35 pounds when,i was logging that summer,then,i lost 30 pounds in two weeks after,i got cut.i gained all that back and 30 pounds more..i,am one chubby dude...but,i,am still kickin so it's ok for now.
well,enough of that...you folks have the best week you can...delbert

[ARKANSAWYER]

  Twobears if you will go down to Shows and Places to Meet and come to an event you will find brothers and sisters that you did not know you had.  Why I have sit in the company of Yankees and had a good time.  Now they do talk a bit fast and got some funny words but sawdust runs in their blood.  You will make good friends and can always do like Furby does and ride the grub line is needed.   ;D  Which reminds me he is about do a road trip any time.

[DWM II]

Godspeed TwoBears, in your recovery and your logging. Keep up the hard work (the honest hard work we all need to enjoy) and the pounds will come off.

[Furby]

Sorry Arky, can't afford any road trips this winter. :-\


TwoBears, Arky is right on with his thoughts. ;)
I'm happy for you that you got things back together and had some fun. 8)
If you get the chance to go to a show or meet up with another member, I know it'll make your day/month/year even better!

[twobears]

thanks guys.. i haven,t met anybody from this forum in person.but,a have other forums i use and i have met a whole bunch of those folks.. it sure is nice to sit around and hangout with those folks..i,am sure it would be the same with you folks.

delbert

[Raider]

Guess this "I wanted to say" might be the place for this I would like to thank all the FF members and the Mod's that do an ex job on this Forum ;) I would like to thank Jeff for all his HOURS that he must put in :P I met Jeff at the great redwood saw-in in Madison. I wanted my 50th post to be about the FF   Thanks for a great job!      PS: I could use an ex tree on top, I'am a little thin on top also, only place tho ;)     Raider

[TexasTimbers]

I enjoyed reading your ost twobears. I hit refresh way too often when I walk through the shop but I'm glad I did this time because i missed your post before. It expreses the way most of us feel I bet. Those of us who talk way too much (hand raised) and those like you who read alot and post little.

Out in the woods logging alone is dangerous, but there are very few things I would rather do. I love the solitude and the beauty of God's creation. The only thng that's better is when my wife can accompany me but she is the only one I like with me. If she can't go I would just as soon go alone because a big part of the beauty of being out there is the sounds of nature. Between the chainsaw screaming and the skidsteer humming. ;)

I'm happy your arm was not lost, but even if it had been I have you pegged for the kind of guy who would make the most of it, adapt, and just move forward without complaining and moaning about it.

[twobears]

TT:not bragging here but,the day,i sawed my arm i was laughing and making jokes about what happened,i can,t type about the first few minutes because jeff would have to ban me for life...lets just say the chipmunks got a ear full.but,once,i was out of the woods i started making jokes.it all started when,i was laying down and wanted to close my eyes to relax.the EMT told me i couldn,t be doing that.i made a deal with him..i,de get to close my eyes if i keep talking.i was out of shape and this fat old guy was dead tired from cutting those trees all summer in 90 degree heat.
i drive a school bus and it so happened that the EMT'S daughter rode my bus..i looked him right in the eye and said "your daughter might need a diffrent bus driver for awhile" the whole crew started laughing and that started it..later,i was in a army medic chopper on the way to the hospital and i told the army medic i always wanted a chopper ride..it was funny,he wanted to laugh but,tryed holding it back..his grin keep getting bigger and bigger until he just had to laugh..then,he said "you didn,t have to do that..we would have given you one for free"
in the hospital i was still joking around..all the nurses couldn,t believe i was acting that way.i just figured getting hurt was part of the job..every logger hopes it never happens but,we all know it very well can.i figured i was still breathin so,it wasn,t that bad and i tryed lightening things up abit.
i was already hurt and there was nothing i could do to change that so,i tryed making things better by joking around..my arm did hurt like heck and i was very worried about my arm/hand.i sawed my left forearm and i,am a lefty.once,i sawed my arm i had no use of my left hand what so ever.i couldn,t even wiggle my fingers the least little bit..i figured i,de be known as righty from then on..i joked around to take my mind off that too.
in the end i got very lucky..my left hand isn,t 100% back to normal but,it still works pretty danG good.i can use it for alot of things my doctor figured i,de never be able to do.the doc has been around for many years and he retired right after he got me fixed.he told me several times that he was very surprized how well i healed.at my last appt with him he told me the first day he saw me he figured all he was going to do was sew me back together so my arm looked ok.he really didn,t figure he could fix my arm so,it would be good again.
i feel sorry for the people that never get to enjoy the peace we feel in the woods....they sure are missing alot.i also think it does a person good to have a few close calls in there lifetime.it makes you see inside yourself and see whats around you in a whole new way.this time,i also learned that a whole lot of people care about me..after,i got hurt my phone rang off the wall for two days and my mail box was stuffed full of get well cards.i pretty much keep to myself and i was totally surprized that so many people took the time to check on me and/or send cards.
well,enough of that..lets all get back to cutting timber!!

delbert

[Coon]

Sounds like you are one good natured man.  You must have some pretty high pain tolerances.

I won't be sawing any logs for another couple of hours yet. ;D  It's not bedtime yet. ;) 

[twobears]

COON:if you don,t mind it don,t matter...lol.. :

[Coon]

It's like I've told many people before:  Of all the things I've lost.  I miss my mind the most. ;D

[twobears]

lol!!!!