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Making it through another year '21-'23

Started by Old Greenhorn, May 17, 2021, 08:06:34 AM

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Old Greenhorn

Quote from: aigheadish on June 28, 2021, 01:58:48 PM
Glad you can finally call it a day(s)!

I had a 1977 Ramcharger that was my grandparents. I never had it running well enough to be reliable and back in those days I didn't have a place to store it, or money or time to work on it, so I got rid of it. Probably my biggest vehicular regret. That thing was cool.
I loved mine, it was a beast. It had a special order transmission in it. In 4 wheel low lock it would creep along and could pull dang near anything. I could back over a stump, but it in 1st, get out, hook a stump, all while it was chugging away, then climb back in before the chain got tight and yank the stump. Only issue it had was blown ballast resistors. Took me a week to figure it out the first time, then 30 seconds for the fix each time after. Finally had to give it up when we had our first baby and the front wheel bearing pockets wore open. straight bearings, not tapered, and the whole front end would shake. Would have made a great doodle bug. The body was falling apart as it spent the first 5 years of it's life on the beach and the saltwater killed it. I put on a new hood, roof, tailgate, and doors, covered the lower half of the body with aluminum all around after a trooper stopped me saying he was going to give me a ticket for littering because he saw pieces falling off as I drove. ;D I did love that truck. Never failed me.
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

thecfarm

We called that gear Bull Low in my neck of the woods.  ;D  My Old Ford had it.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

aigheadish

Yeah, mine had more holes than floor, but somehow it made at least a drive from Cincinnati up to Dayton with me in a seat the whole time. It also had sidepipes! I'd love to get another but they appear to be in the $20k range if they can be found to still be running.
New Holland LB75b, Husqvarna 455 Rancher, Husqvarna GTH52XLS, Hammerhead 250, Honda VTX1300 for now and probably for sale (let me know if you are interested!)

Old Greenhorn

Well I had written a long post this morning but I fat fingered and the whole browser dumped. I didn't have time to re-type it. SO a shorter version which is probably better for the consumer anyway. :D 

 Its been so HOT and humid it's really hard to work. Yesterday I finally heard from my farm customer, who seems to be fickle. They were not ready for delivery and asked that I deliver on Thursday after 4pm. I am wondering what kind of 'farm' this is. They picked the rainiest part of the rainiest day of the week and at the end of the day. I balked and we compromised on Friday after 10am when they have help there. Weird. So yesterday I had to unload the trailer so I could go fetch back the mule today, then Thursday I will reload those loads and more in the trailer. I will be glad to be done with this. I am not charging enough either for the logs or delivery, that's for sure. 
 It was so hot last night I couldn't sleep past 3am and finally got up at 3:30. I sent a note off to the accounting department at Cornell that was pretty 'direct' complaining about their lack of responsiveness. An email every 2 or 3 days with nothing concrete is no way to do business and I told them so, and a wee bit more.
 Instead of sleeping in today as planned, I was on the road to get the Mule at a little after 6. Had a nice final breakfast at the store and ran into Barge's Pop again. I really enjoy talking with him and we touched on the subject of rifles today. We may just talk more about that soon. I guess Barge was out hauling late last night and I didn't see him this morning. Got up to the property, loaded up, and headed home and was back by 11am. I found an email from my contact at Cornell who asked me to take it easy on his accounting folks and take my frustrations out on him. He said they are 'working on it' and I repeated my complaint that if they are working on it, why can't they tell me that and what they are doing. He thought 2 weeks for payment was reasonable, and I agreed that it was and reminded him the invoice was sent 2 weeks ago and there is zero movement except to tell me it may take a few more weeks. Finally we found a method of payment they could use if I issued them a paypal invoice. I did that and finally got paid, less 40 bucks for the paypal fee. I sent him a note to thank him for payment and pointed out that the 40 bucks in fees is equivalent to 4 hours of my heavy labor in the woods cutting his logs on this project. He sent a note saying he would make it up to me at the workshop with petty cash. AT this point I don't care, but I made my point and it's done.
 This heat makes it harder to do anything, but tomorrow I will regroup and figure out where to dive in. I am not quite ready to jump back into the property work until this heat breaks, it doesn't make sense. So I will look at getting back on the mill now that the Mule is back to move logs. Probably start by checking bed alignment and finishing cleanup on the drying racks which stopped when I began the property improvement in the spring. I also have one more hazard tree to take down behind the mill area. Have to get a high rope on that one.
 This afternoon some good rain came thru for 20 minutes and the temp dropped from 99° down to 82° in 5 minutes. It was back up over 90 by 5:30 and still climbing.
 Tomorrow is another day. It's slated to be 90 with another heat index warning, But I gotta get some work done.
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

WV Sawmiller

Tom,

   Sorry for the hassles with clients and accounting departments. I am pretty lucky with most of my clients and only have one accountant representing one of my clients who sent me a deposit to start work on some sheds and a composting toilet. I had already ordered the metal and bought the PT lumber for the base and the hardware so I was getting a little nervous. I finished the final base for the biggest shed this afternoon. I had taken wifey to the doctor for a pooper snooper exam. They knocked her out and she said it was totally painless and all clear results so that is good. I picked up my old beater of an ATV so don't have to run my new one in the rough stuff.

    I know what you mean about the heat and humidity though. I sweated through 2 sets of clothes yesterday with a cool shower and a long rest break in between. Went through another set this afternoon. I had a long mobile trip tomorrow but we rescheduled for next week due to high chance of rain. I don't like to make a long trip unless chance of rain is real low and I know this will be a long day but barring breakdowns I should finish and return the same day.

   I lifted a board off a maple stack today for a floor board and surprised a chipmunk resting between the boards. he jumped down and hid under the bottom. Sampson was no help even when he scooted out later. I'd seen where they were eating acorns and such between the boards but never expected to uncover one face to face like that.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Old Greenhorn

Yeah, I think we are all suffering through this heat. It's hard to stay motivated. We got over 1/2" of rain overnight, but it was still 72° at 4:30 this morning. Gonna be really humid today for sure. I am sitting here with my second cup of coffee and trying to get my head in the game for today. I have to get a move on here and make up some time.
 I am glad your wife made out so well and can relax now. As for your chipmunks, that happens to me all the time, they are getting pretty gutsy here and even tell me off when I invade 'their space'.
 I was thinking about you yesterday. All the shows I was hoping to do have been canceled this year again and with the mushroom log thing taking over and the spring property work, I didn't finish a lot of projects in the shop. Well on Monday I got contacted about setting up a table at a woodworkers show in Kingston at the same museum I have been delivering logs to. The local woodworkers club is running it and they want to connect small local businesses with their members for supplies and wood, also carvers, turners, etc. They also have a boatbuilding school there and it is planned for a 2 day show. They are just organizing it and it sounds like they want to keep it to only 10-15 booths of hand picked vendors with the right stuff to sell. So I was pleased to get the call. I need to get going on the mill and figure out how to do this to fit their needs. Then yesterday I was offered a table during the Mushroom workshop near the end of July. Not sure what I would bring to that or if I will do it (I am going anyway). But it's more to think about and prep for. SO it seems I need to build some boxes, get some more wood milled, and figure out a booth as I choose what to bring. The woodworkers are mostly looking for smalls and shorts for hobby projects. Maybe I will make some 'bench kits' with a live edge slab about 12"x48"x8/4 and 4 legs. I also have basswood to cut into carvers blocks that has been drying about a year now and some more to mill up.
 Time to get at it.
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

WV Sawmiller

Tom,

   Good luck with the show. I like to go to them and talk with people. For me they are mostly advertising as I give out cards and pick up a few, often very belated, mobile jobs. I have even had the guys I talk with hand off their card to friends and I picked up jobs that way.

   You mention of the boatbuilding reminds me I will always regret not building one with my old mentor when I was in my late teens to early 20's. He built several plywood fishing boats using cypress or juniper sides. We even owned one of his boats at one point. The last one he built was just a shell with removable catwalks and seats and such to keep the weight down to something he could more easily handle. He used Marine grade plywood, brass screws and nails and such. He would have built one with me and I am sure I'd have put it to good use. My grandfather built a small 8' plywood johnboat he used the last 10-15 years of his life that he was real well pleased with and got a lot of use out of it.

   That also reminds me on the boat we owned form him Dad loaned it to a co-worker friend and he and his son used it. The man told Dad a few days later they had caught the most fish they ever did but when they got back to the landing they found there was a hole in the live well and all the fish had escaped. Dad said he had hit a snag and knew he had a hole in the bottom of live well but he said it was so small he had never bothered to repair it as no fish he would keep could get out of it anyway.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Old Greenhorn

Not much to report here, the rain has slowed things down quite a bit, but it's cooler now. Chance of rain through the weekend too. We got another .7" in the last 24 hours or so. I have 1 more log customer to dispense with. The other, a 20 log pickup finally showed up yesterday afternoon after standing up up twice because he 'got involved in something else'. Not too happy about that as I make sure I am here and watching at the appointment time so that when they pass the driveway I can find and redirect them in. I figured if he didn't pick up yesterday, I would tell him to forget it and sell his logs to the farm. but he did show up, loaded his own (he's a big boy and had no issues with those 60# logs), didn't even drop his tailgate. He also bought a bag of maple sawdust I had saved out for somebody else who changed their mind. Payed me in cash and didn't want change, then asked me about other services I could provide. He managed to change himself from the PITA column in my book to the 'good' column. 
 I had re-loaded the trailer yesterday morning during lighter rain periods and today will deliver to that last farm and be done with this for a while. I was supposed to deliver at 10am but got an email at 1am this morning asking me to come at 11 when she would have people there. Well, I thought that was why I was going at 10? Weird farm op if you ask me. So now it pretty much falls in the middle of the day which I am not too fond of, but whatever, I'll just get it done. She may have some cedar poles I can swap for, to put up posts around the garden. I have been looking. But we will see. What's a 8-9' cedar pole worth these days? I just want to get done and get some milling moving along.
 As I said the rain has stopped, but we will be overcast all day with a high in the low 70's. It's 66 here now. I'd like to get the lawn cut so we can invite some neighbors over for a fire on Saturday night. but we shall see how the weather pans out. Right now it is way too wet.
 It's just another day.
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

Old Greenhorn

OK, the last mushroom logs have been delivered, so it is done. I just need to work up the final accounting to see how poorly it went. I surely did not lose money, but there were no big bucks made here. However, I learned enough to make some changes going forward and I think I understand this process now better than pretty much anyone and now know what I can and can't do or provide with much more certainty than before. I also think I have a much better understanding of the variables.
The last 100 logs headed out for delivery:



 

 I made my last delivery yesterday and was home by a little after noon. I was greeted by an email with a press release about the schooner project and associated workshop. I was pleased and surprised to see that they had listed my little company as one of the partners in the project. If you have an interest, you can read the press release HERE.
 Anyway, got home, unhitched, unloaded, and had lunch, and we had the Grandson's to watch for the day. Heavy overcast, with  mist and light drizzle all day. I got out the weed whacker and took down the grass around the yard edges and especially out back around the mill which was getting high and ugly and depressing. Found that the storm the other night broke off a rotten tree top and it is horizontal, hung in another tree about 35' up. It has to come down, and it is not an easy task, so I am thinking on that a bit. Then the trunk has to come down too, but the only way to get it down safe is to fell it on the neighbor's property (yes, THAT neighbor). So I guess I have to talk with him. The trunk is about 22" DBH and I'll need to put a safety rope on it because the risk is too high if anything goes wrong. It would flatten my shed or worse. So just another 'project' I wasn't looking for and I might have to take my climbing spurs off the hook again.
 The air dried up a little in the afternoon and we had almost 8 minutes of sun break through but the radar looked nasty. I finally jumped on the mowing tractor and started mowing but in some places I was leaving a wake in the deeper puddles. We have clay and it doesn't seep in very fast. Two of the boys wanted to take turns sitting in my lap and steering. One did the back yard and around the mill, the other on the front lawn. My son showed up with his landscaping trailer and mowers and offered me one of the zero turns to finish the front lawn with, but I was rolling and the sky was getting blacker by the second. He took his other mower off to do the 2 lawns he does near my house. I told my grandson to find something to hold onto because it was time to get this done and off we went. We did get it done, parked the tractor in the shed and I sat in the shop garage door just as it started raining. Then it came down hard and a few minutes later my son came up the driveway on his mower and I though he was done, he was certainly soaked through, but he just grabbled a rain jacket and went back out to do the other lawn. Then the rain came down in a heavy curtain and the wind picked up. I noted that the radar had turned a lovely shade of crimson and wondered if perhaps my son had gotten mired in a new mudhole. Just about the time I was going to get in the mule to check on him, he came up the driveway totally ignoring the 'no wake' rule I have. ;D He loaded the mower up and came in the shop to put on a dry shirt. A lot of good that did him. :D It rained pretty much through the whole evening and we got just under another inch for the day, so probably around 3 inches in the last 10 days. I think we are good now. It also rained a little more overnight so I am not sure how today will wind up looking.
 I was really hoping to have some neighbors over for a fire and some relaxing conversation and adult beverages tonight. But the whole prospect does not look to be shaping up very well. The ones across the road went to St. Maarten for the weekend, the ones behind us headed to Germany for a few days and I haven't heard from the newer gal down the road. She may be somewhere else. Our long time redneck friends that live just over the hill were planning on being at their cabin, but are not sure now and would love to come over if they stay home. They have dropped the precip potential to about 30% through the day as I had expected, but we will have to see what goes down as the day progresses. I still have not invited my Logger buddy down the road, waiting to see how the weather goes. 
 No matter what it will be a wet and soggy day. I have to pick some tasks to get done and get on them.
 Today is just another day, right?
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

samandothers

Great article and good publicity!  Hope it has positive outcome for you.

I noticed the logs transported by bike trailer on the other end!!  Oh boy that would be quite a feat! 

Old Greenhorn

Quote from: samandothers on July 03, 2021, 09:55:59 AM
Great article and good publicity!  Hope it has positive outcome for you.

I noticed the logs transported by bike trailer on the other end!!  Oh boy that would be quite a feat!
Those bikes will handle about a 400# load, so figure 10 logs on average per load. Glad it's not me, I already put enough sweat into this project. :D
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

Old Greenhorn

 As I try to get back in the groove after that Mushroom thing it seems like just doing the commute north for a few weeks allowed enough time for things to start falling apart here at the house. Some things I can tolerate for a long time, others need immediate fixing. We got a lot of rain in the last ten days and one of the old rotten maples out back finally gave up its top. So over the weekend I shot a line over the widow maker and hailed up a 3/4" sisal rope. The piece that is still connected is very small and I had fears it could give at any time so I wanted to get it down. Then I could take the trunk at my leisure.


 

As you can see, there isn't much holding wood. The branch is about 14" diameter. SO I anchored that rope to another tree, put a snatch block in for a re-direct and got the Mule to give it a tug from a very safe distance. About 50# of rotten junk came down but the branch stayed put. As I pulled and jerked more, the rope parted. So I retied and changed the anchor point to alter the angle. That didn't work either and this time when the rope parted all of it came down, so I will have to re-shoot and haul up a 1" rope to see how that works. I don't want to take this tree with that hanger on there, there are too many options for things to go wrong and my cold storage shed is too close. Still, at least I know it won't come down in a light breeze. It is a sizable chunk of wood.


 

Also last week, all the rain finally overloaded the back gutter on the house and the rotten facia tore most of the way off.


 
 Not a fun job 2 floors up. My son grabbed some materials and came over yesterday and we started poking at it. Lots of wasps to deal with as e tore out and added some blocking before putting up the new facia. 





We painted everything before hanging. It got pretty hot which slowed us a bit working in the sun. It took all day, but the fix looks pretty dang good I think.



 

 I didn't get a photo with the gutter rehung, but that came out good also. So at least that is out of the way.
 Today will be a lost day for me, I have to go help a neighbor make "party favors" for his wedding and that looks to be taking all day. (Don't ask). While I am there I can hopefully get some time in laying out the stage I need to build for them.
 Just another day, right?
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

aigheadish

Haven't checked the article yet but it sounds like, though wet, a few good days in there. (edit- Now I have checked out the article, you got top billing! Nice! [I don't count Cornell Small Farms Program as it looks like they run the show]). Also, this part: "support the livelihoods of foresters and loggers" In my mind that says up your prices, substantially!

As my kids get older (15 and almost 13) I'm finding myself prematurely envious of your relationship with your son. The amount of time he seems to come over, for whatever reason, sounds nice and that's just from me reading how many times you've mentioned him in these posts. I lost my dad a couple years ago, unexpectedly, and it was just about the time I was starting to have a better relationship with him, though it took until I was in my 40's and we didn't have a great go of it prior to that. We didn't have a bad relationship, just consistently not comfortable. Now, as I get more into messing around with woodworking and stuff like that he's gone and I don't have his genius to question.

I'm glad to hear you are through with the mushroom logs, for now, and can look at your data to determine what to make of it for next time, if there is one. Sounds like loads of hard work.
New Holland LB75b, Husqvarna 455 Rancher, Husqvarna GTH52XLS, Hammerhead 250, Honda VTX1300 for now and probably for sale (let me know if you are interested!)

Old Greenhorn

Yeah, mushroom logs are done, but of course I got a call on Wednesday from somebody who wanted to order logs. ;D
 Yes, I suppose I am lucky to have the relationship I have with my son, but things are not always as they may appear. There is quite a bit of stress between us in recent years that has not yet been resolved and gives me grief daily. But that does not mean I love him any less and I assume he feels similar toward me. We can set that all aside because if we can't find a way to work together it will be a poison that will kill one of us. So we do these things and when he gets in a bind he calls me for help or advice. He also comes to help with the things he knows are getting beyond my means to do alone. It's a life long quest. Life is not easy, it takes work, all the time. That's all I go to say about that. He needs me, I need him. We make it work as best we can.
----
 Well I was right, Tuesday was a loss, but we made about a gallon and a half of 'party favors'. We got rained on a bit, but muddled through. During the day I got contacted by the 'little sister' of a good frined through the high school years. I have not seen her since she was about 15 years old, so nearly 50 years. Her and her husband have a family summer place up this way, they still live on the Island. They have a tree that needs taking down right next to this house and asked if I did that stuff. Well, I knew it wasn't a job for me, but I wanted to help them out and it was an excuse for a visit. SO I drove the hour and a half up to Roxbury on Wednesday. About 15 miles west and south of where the log harvest site was but in the middle of nowhere. I measured the tree and looked over the hazards. Power line through it, 22" DBH EWP, 55' tall, easy fall, but the wires make it a climb or bucket job. I got hold of my buddy that night to see if he would drive that far. Still working on that, and I asked them to get a quote from the local insured arborist as a price point. I'd like to save them a few bucks if I can. I am trying to talk my buddy into doing it on a weekend and I'll be the ground guy for him, so he doesn't have to pay a crew. Still working on that. But we had a nice visit catching up on old times and it was a great day for a drive.
 Yesterday it was all rain all day, and wind, and lightening, and flooding. I got nuttin' done. Seems like I am still recovering or just lazy. Today was the monthly chiro visit and more rain finally stopping around noon. We are over 5.2" for the week, I lost count. Tomorrow my son and his boys are coming over for another work day to replace the facia and gutter on the garage and maybe split some wood and stack, maybe move some dirt and crushed stone. We will see where it goes.
 Tomorrow is another day, right?
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

Old Greenhorn

Well, I figured everybody could use a break, so it's been over 10 days since I posted here. You're welcome. :D
 The rain continues, every day so far. I lost count but we have to be over 8" by now. Very depressing. I haven't seen the sun for more than 15 minutes all month. The ground never dries up, everything is wet, even in the house it's very damp. I can't seem to get motivated, I split a little wood, do some stacking, run errands here and there, but not much else. 
 I did have a request from a neighbor lady to make some custom trim for the new tile floor she put in front of her new woodstove. Not much, about 13 linear feet. I made it out of ash and she will do the finishing. Just some planeing ripping and sanding then the miter cuts. I'll help her install if if she needs it, but she is probably good. I cut the tree that wood came from 3 years ago and it was about 100' from where her woodstove sits. She thought that was pretty cool.
 That little job was enough to show me that my wood allergy is not limited to pine. All I worked with was the clean Ash and last night my arms had the rash again. Dang, this could be a problem. This morning it is clearing up.
 Yesterday I also got a call from a magazine writer who is doing an article on those logs being shipped downriver, actually the whole project. He had me on the phone for close to 2 hours. We will talk some more at that workshop and boat loading event on Saturday. I hope the weather holds for that and I'll be glad to have it behind me so I can move on. I ordered an embroidered shirt and hat for the event so I look 'proper', whatever that is.
 Time to get a move on and slog through another dreary day. I hope this breaks soon.
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

Nebraska

Good to hear from you,  sorry to hear about the allergic reaction to the Ash.  It's weather it will change, then hopefully you can get something done.   I need to get busy with firewood as well but it's over 90 for highs all week. We will be needing rain by then.  It will be interesting to see the article on the mushroom log project when it is published. Hang in there.

Old Greenhorn

After yesterday's post I started to realize that I have been really depressed these last couple of weeks. Not just a bad mood but something more sinister. I am not the kind of guy who would ever be accused of 'being in touch with my feelings', you'd have to hit me in the head with a pipe to make me think on that for a bit, but things were really dark and that fact finally dawned on me. So I took the day yesterday to try and figure it all out. I'll not share the reasons, but it tuned out when I put them on the table, it was quite a pile. Financial issues, family issues, daily stressors, and environmental changes plus all the the never ending RAIN, that just all added up to put me in the hole. My wife is out of town until next week and that hasn't happened in a few years. Usually I use that time to do things I want, when I want and enjoy myself without worrying about the normal schedules. I eat adequately but not the best food and conduct a simple life while she is gone. (I like 2 meals a day.) No, there is no whooping it up or partying, but I might go visit someone, take a drive for no reason, or stop at a diner or something. (Yeah, that is me whooping it up.)
 But it also puts me 'on my own' and she is the 'regulator' in my life, so it's weird. That wasn't the trigger, but it may have helped.
 Anyway, I thought about it all day, took a nice hot shower and put on some clean clothes and 'thunk on it' then went to bed a little later than normal.
 Today was a new day and I got out and milled a log first thing. That's a good sign, I haven't opened up a log in months. I cut up a green red maple junk log that came down in a storm and creamed the mill area a few moths back. It was small, about 12" diameter but I made about 9 or so wheel barrow handle pieces out of it. I have 4 wheel barrows that need handles and I'll be danged if I am paying what they are asking for those cheapy replacement handles. This has been on the list for a year, so I got them cut. The mill ran great. I guess the tweaking I did a month ago between rain storms worked out. (Part of the reason I was avoiding firing it up, I didn't want more problems to deal with.) But the skies threatened and I did a complete cleaning on the mill bed, hosed off the cover, and buttoned it up. Shortly after my back was making noises, so it seems I was right in not rolling that next log up. 1 log was good enough for today. I got something done.
 This afternoon I noticed that 'the rash' is back on my arms from that short milling session. This is concerning since I wore gloves and never really had any contact on my forearms. It's mild, but it is there. In fact I think it is already going away, but boy this is starting to worry me.
 I attended an online zoom session on Ginseng harvesting, cultivation, regulations, and all that stuff, which was interesting. One of these days I may look further into that ($500./lb.!!).
 I sent some emails regarding the workshop thing on Saturday and now they want to know if I could possibly cut about 25 of those logs in half. Yeah sure, no big deal, take a few minutes. BUT there is really no place to do this at the museum, it's all manicured grass and not that much of it. So I will probably make up a sawbuck tomorrow to bring down, then put a tarp under it to collect all the chips. I can't take mine, it's 8' long, so I will make a little one. At least I'll have something to do for a little while besides look pretty. Publicity for this event has been in a lot of places, this morning I got another press release from the museum with my picture in it. Not sure if any of these have made the local papers, but they sure are trying. Cornell had two, the Schooner had one or two, and now the museum. Maybe we will have more than 5 people show up for this thing? We could be inundated and have, I dunno, maybe like 10?  :D :D
 So in general I am feeling better today and a little more productive and energetic. I even looked to see if any of my friends had a gig tonight or tomorrow I might catch but my timing is bad. One buddy was playing an hour before I started checking the listings, so I missed it. It's been well over a year and a half since I looked at gig listings. Maybe next week. At least I started looking.
 Tomorrow is another day, let's see what it brings.
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

WV Sawmiller

Tom,

   Catfish therapy in WV sounds just like what the doctor ordered. I have 50-60 night crawlers in the fridge in the barn that I think are calling your name. They will live for weeks like that. I assume your trip to the Pig Roast should also do the trick especially if you are in the camp with Doc and few others like him (Did I really say that - I am sure there are no others like our own FF Doc).

   You mention sawing some logs in half but I did not catch what they were. Are these mushroom logs you had already harvested or some other logs? Do they want them split (Sawmill) or just cut in half lengthwise (Chainsaw)?

   Stay safe. Remember phone therapy is just a phone call away.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Old Greenhorn

You know, you may have hit the nail on the head there. It never occurred to me that I need to go fishing. I had gotten out of the habit in the last decade whereas before that I would focus on opening day of [any] season to an obsessive level. My gear is all a wreck as the kinds 'needed' to borrow this or that and it came back broken, if at all, but I think I could still piece together a rod or two in a pinch. Usually I go with my son and his boys, but that just means I don't get to fish more than a couple of minutes and spend my time undoing snags, baiting hooks, etc. Maybe I just need a day to fish, actually fish. It has, on reflection, been a pretty long time. In this day of instant licenses over the internet, I really have no excuse even though mine expired a couple of weeks ago. Thanks, good advice. 
 I don't think I need phone therapy (is that a 900 number?), but a chat with old friends is always fun.
 The logs are just whacking some of those 300 logs I delivered in half (crosscut), hence the sawbuck. Quick easy work. I'll whip up a sawbuck in the morning if I still have some usable pine 2x4's on the pile.
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

aigheadish

Take care OGH! The rain can really suck it out, especially when you are thankful for the rain for all it's wonders for the first couple days but then it just gets to be too much. 

Ginseng is very interesting. From some of my minimal research it's marginally easy to grow and if you have the market to buy it you can make a decent bucket of money. 
New Holland LB75b, Husqvarna 455 Rancher, Husqvarna GTH52XLS, Hammerhead 250, Honda VTX1300 for now and probably for sale (let me know if you are interested!)

mudfarmer

Is it possible the rash is stress related and not wood related now that you are seeing it with different species? Don't know if that is a thing, am a hillbilly not a doctor  ???

Be well and take care, catch some fish and a couple shows!

WV Sawmiller

Tom,

 Do you even need a new fishing license? Many states exempt people 65 and older from hunting and fishing licenses. WV gets one last dig in and sells us a lifetime hunting, fishing and trapping license for $25 when we turn 65 - started this about 10 years ago. If older than that automatic exemption applies. We still have to buy special stamps like trout stamps or extra deer stamps and such but get the basic authorizations and bag limits on the lifetime license. I bought lifetime infant HFT licenses for all the granddaughter for their first birthdays so they can hunt, fish, and trap with Grandpa in WV their whole life.

  As you know you don't have to actually catch anything just spend time on the water and in the woods. Good luck.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Old Greenhorn

Howard, in my state they squeeze out every penny they can, so they only discount the fee for those 70 or older. And I think they still charge 5 bucks/yr at that point, but not sure. I just did it online (for too much money) and am good to go, also checked my reservoir permit and have a couple of years left on that. The DEC will give you a ticket if you don't have a state license, the DEP will arrest you if you don't have a reservoir permit and are caught with a fishing rod. If you don't have a fishing rod, permit or not, you are trespassing. It's all part of their "Good Neighbor Policy" on behalf of the government of the City of New York. :D >:(
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

WV Sawmiller

    That's a bummer but glad you are legal and ready to go. We'll expect pictures in both the outdoor and food threads soon. ;D Remember - grits are a great side dish to eat with fried fish.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

RichTired

Howard - Fish is a good side dish for grits. There, fixed it for you... :D
Wood-Mizer LT15GO, Kubota L2800, Husqvarna 268 & Stihl 241 C-M chainsaws, Logrite cant hook, Ford F-150 Fx4

Richard

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