I do believe I have a new theme song!
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Friday, September 25, 2009
Feats Don't Fail Me Now!
So, the Peggy Lee video in the earlier post sent me to YouTube and through a weird, strange and eerie Kevin-Bacon-connection method that no one really understands but anyone who has been to YouTube experiences, I kept clicking around and listening and got to Little Feat.
And man does this one ROCK!
And man does this one ROCK!
A very nice day, indeed.
As I said, it was a nice day at the Aerie.
This morning's view to the northwest from the deck.
View to the west from the deck as the sun sets.
This morning's view to the northwest from the deck.
View to the west from the deck as the sun sets.All alone am I...except for 3 cats (again)
We woke up to 49 degrees at 6 AM this morning with lots of fog down in the valleys by the rivers and lakes. A breeze kicked up soon after sunrise, however, and the fog quickly dispersed. Still, it marely made it to 70 degrees this afternoon before dropping quickly back down to 65 within a half hour around 3 PM. The drop was a bit of a surprise since the wind actually died off and the sun was still shining brightly. A real pretty day.
Doug and Lou headed out for NJ soon after breakfast but before they did, I had to take them for a bit of a walk-about on the property. We did spot some deer tracks and I saw some raccoon scat but nothing else. We walked a little of the skidway beyond where I had been cutting firewood and I suddenly realized that there's an awful lot of tree tops still out there on the slope. I certainly get several cords of firewood from even the easily reached ones.
After they left, I took Terry's Jeep Compass down to the car wash to get the grime and clay off it from our driving around the construction sites at the top of the mountain. The clay actually matches the color of the vehicle pretty well but it was a matte finish as opposed to the shiny new luster one would expect from a car having only 1000 miles on it. She'll be travelling major highways out to Indianapolis and back to Pittsburgh so the Compass should stay clean for a little while. We packed it full of all the things she needed to take to the SAGA convention plus her suitcases for two weeks on thelam road. Then, after lunch, she hit the road for NJ, too.
So, here I am all alone doing the laundry, running the dishwasher, entertaining the cats and packing my overnight bag for when I head to NJ tomorrow morning to attend Jenifer and Matt's wedding. (I'll be coming back to the Aerie on Sunday after breakfast. The cats can entertain themselves for 30 hours or so.)
The above video is from when singers had to, you know, actually sing. Not prance around on the stage in swimsuits (or less) doing a dance that would normally require a pole to "entertain" the audience. I mean, I was okay with Elvis and Jerry Lee doing their thing...but they still could sing, man!
Doug and Lou headed out for NJ soon after breakfast but before they did, I had to take them for a bit of a walk-about on the property. We did spot some deer tracks and I saw some raccoon scat but nothing else. We walked a little of the skidway beyond where I had been cutting firewood and I suddenly realized that there's an awful lot of tree tops still out there on the slope. I certainly get several cords of firewood from even the easily reached ones.
After they left, I took Terry's Jeep Compass down to the car wash to get the grime and clay off it from our driving around the construction sites at the top of the mountain. The clay actually matches the color of the vehicle pretty well but it was a matte finish as opposed to the shiny new luster one would expect from a car having only 1000 miles on it. She'll be travelling major highways out to Indianapolis and back to Pittsburgh so the Compass should stay clean for a little while. We packed it full of all the things she needed to take to the SAGA convention plus her suitcases for two weeks on the
So, here I am all alone doing the laundry, running the dishwasher, entertaining the cats and packing my overnight bag for when I head to NJ tomorrow morning to attend Jenifer and Matt's wedding. (I'll be coming back to the Aerie on Sunday after breakfast. The cats can entertain themselves for 30 hours or so.)
The above video is from when singers had to, you know, actually sing. Not prance around on the stage in swimsuits (or less) doing a dance that would normally require a pole to "entertain" the audience. I mean, I was okay with Elvis and Jerry Lee doing their thing...but they still could sing, man!
#4 Mississippi 10 South Carolina 16
Need I say it? Yeah, they played on Thursday Nite.
The Rebels of Ole Miss went to Columbia, South Carolina and learned that if you have a high ranking in the polls you had better bring your A-game. They didn't and drop to 2-1 (0-1 in conference). The Gamecocks got the 16-10 victory and are now 3-1 (1-1).
I say again: "Beware the Thursday Nite Monster!"
The Rebels of Ole Miss went to Columbia, South Carolina and learned that if you have a high ranking in the polls you had better bring your A-game. They didn't and drop to 2-1 (0-1 in conference). The Gamecocks got the 16-10 victory and are now 3-1 (1-1).
I say again: "Beware the Thursday Nite Monster!"
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Another full day of touring
Today we went to Wellsboro for a walk about the town doing some window shopping and browsing.
After lunch we drove out to Leonard Harris State Park for a look-see of the Grand Canyon of PA, aka the Pine Creek Gorge.
Some color is starting to appear on the hillsides but not much. (We did see more as we went west into Potter County. Lots of purples.)
View to the North from Leonard Harris State Park overlook.
View to the South from Leonard Harris State Park overlook.
Historic plaque for George Washington Sears
aka Nessmunk at Leonard Harris State Park
After that it was out to the Potter County and the Lumber Museum which doubles as a museum for the CCCs of 1933-1942. (Did you know Pennsylvania had more CCC camps than any other state?)
The Lumbermen
Since much of Pennsylvania had been heavily logged by 1933, the CCCs were charged with, among other things, replanting many of the hills and valleys of north-central PA.
An Enrollee's view on Trees.
Looking over the CCC exhibit, one comes to realize that, while it may not have pulled the US out of the Great Depression, at least this program prepared boys and men for life in the military during WWII. Work life in the camps was very much organized in a military way with reveille, roll calls, messes, sick calls, etc. Training in the operation of heavy equipment, truck driving, radio technology, first aid, etc. certainly helped prepare young men for military service.
Then we went off to the Log Cabin Inn for dinner. Along the way we spotted several cars on the west-bound side that were pulled over and another on ahead of us on the east-bound side also stopped. Thinking there might be an accident or someone in need of assistance, I slowed down. That's when we spotted the immature Bald Eagle standing on the side of the road. It wasn't a person in need of help...it was the eagle. It probably came down to feed on roadkill and got rocked by either a car or truck. Hopefully the folks who were on the scene were able to contact DCNR and get the young bird to a vet/rehab center.
After dinner we went back to the Aerie for the night.
Tomorrow Lucille and Doug will head for NJ before lunch. Terry will leave after she has packed her car with all the stuff she'll need for the two (2!) conventions she'll be heading fro after the wedding on Saturday. Me? I'll leave here early Saturday morning also for NJ and Jenifer and Matt's wedding. Then Sunday it's going to be a riot as Lou & Doug catch a plane for Missouri, Terry heads for Indianapolis and the SAGA national convention, and I head back to the Aerie to babysit the cats, split the firewood, and do some PA bow hunting
After lunch we drove out to Leonard Harris State Park for a look-see of the Grand Canyon of PA, aka the Pine Creek Gorge.
Some color is starting to appear on the hillsides but not much. (We did see more as we went west into Potter County. Lots of purples.)
View to the North from Leonard Harris State Park overlook.
View to the South from Leonard Harris State Park overlook.
Historic plaque for George Washington Searsaka Nessmunk at Leonard Harris State Park
After that it was out to the Potter County and the Lumber Museum which doubles as a museum for the CCCs of 1933-1942. (Did you know Pennsylvania had more CCC camps than any other state?)
The LumbermenSince much of Pennsylvania had been heavily logged by 1933, the CCCs were charged with, among other things, replanting many of the hills and valleys of north-central PA.
An Enrollee's view on Trees.Looking over the CCC exhibit, one comes to realize that, while it may not have pulled the US out of the Great Depression, at least this program prepared boys and men for life in the military during WWII. Work life in the camps was very much organized in a military way with reveille, roll calls, messes, sick calls, etc. Training in the operation of heavy equipment, truck driving, radio technology, first aid, etc. certainly helped prepare young men for military service.
Then we went off to the Log Cabin Inn for dinner. Along the way we spotted several cars on the west-bound side that were pulled over and another on ahead of us on the east-bound side also stopped. Thinking there might be an accident or someone in need of assistance, I slowed down. That's when we spotted the immature Bald Eagle standing on the side of the road. It wasn't a person in need of help...it was the eagle. It probably came down to feed on roadkill and got rocked by either a car or truck. Hopefully the folks who were on the scene were able to contact DCNR and get the young bird to a vet/rehab center.
After dinner we went back to the Aerie for the night.
Tomorrow Lucille and Doug will head for NJ before lunch. Terry will leave after she has packed her car with all the stuff she'll need for the two (2!) conventions she'll be heading fro after the wedding on Saturday. Me? I'll leave here early Saturday morning also for NJ and Jenifer and Matt's wedding. Then Sunday it's going to be a riot as Lou & Doug catch a plane for Missouri, Terry heads for Indianapolis and the SAGA national convention, and I head back to the Aerie to babysit the cats, split the firewood, and do some PA bow hunting
Huh?
I had to shake my head (and bite my tongue) when I overheard a conversation about all the energy activity going on in the area while waiting to get my Tundra reshod the other day.
Seems this older couple were complaining that with all the windmills, gas wells, and pipelines being constructed all the electricity and gas would be going out of state and "we aren't going to get any benefit at all" from the changes being made.
All I could think of was the influx of cash from leases/sales being signed by landowners for the mineral rights and land for all the well sites and windmill sites (including to the state, since some of these sites are on and beneath state forest land), the money being paid to laborers and construction crews in the area, the money being dropped by those specialists who have come from out of state and rented up every hotel/motel/spare apartment, etc. Yet these folks could see "no benefit" to the state or local economy? How narrow minded can you be?
And let us not even speak of the fact that, at least as far as the natural gas is concerned, more supply means lower cost across the board.(Windmills are a different kettle of fish because of the government subsidies on their construction and operation.)
Seems this older couple were complaining that with all the windmills, gas wells, and pipelines being constructed all the electricity and gas would be going out of state and "we aren't going to get any benefit at all" from the changes being made.
All I could think of was the influx of cash from leases/sales being signed by landowners for the mineral rights and land for all the well sites and windmill sites (including to the state, since some of these sites are on and beneath state forest land), the money being paid to laborers and construction crews in the area, the money being dropped by those specialists who have come from out of state and rented up every hotel/motel/spare apartment, etc. Yet these folks could see "no benefit" to the state or local economy? How narrow minded can you be?
And let us not even speak of the fact that, at least as far as the natural gas is concerned, more supply means lower cost across the board.(Windmills are a different kettle of fish because of the government subsidies on their construction and operation.)
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
A day of culture
We had a pretty good day at the Corning Glass museum. Unfortunately, in many of the art exhibits, not only did they not permit flash photos, they prohibited ALL photography so I didn't take out the camera even in those areas where I could. I did, however snap this shot of an old Chevy pickip with two huge glass pumpkins in a bed of straw.
Glass pumpkins.
We sat in the Hot Glass Show and watch an artisan with 25+ years of experience take a couple of blobs of molten glass and turn them into a fluted candy dish in less than ten minutes and with virtually no effort at all. And unlike many of their demonstrations, this one went into the cooling oven at the end instead of being shattered.
While they had several new exhibits, I usually find the old ones to be the most interesting. I'm always seeing something new. But today, aside from the new art exhibits, there was a new (at least for me) display on fiber optics in the Innovation Center that I found fascinating.
After a good three hours in the Glass Museum, we headed down to the Rockwell Museum of Western Art. But first we stopped for some tex-mex in the cafe next door.
The Rockwell is a small museum compared to such places as the Fredrick Remington Art Museum in Ogdensburg, NY or the C. M. Russell Museum in Great Falls, Montana, but it is quite good.
In addition to pieces by both Remington and Russell, the Rockwell Museum has works by artists who predate those two and artists who followed in their footsteps.
Just a few of my favorites:
Prayer to the Spirit of the Buffalo by Joseph Henry Sharp(1859-1953)
Buffalo Mount
The Buffalo Hunt (My name as I forgot to write down
or snap a picture of the artist's card! Doh!)
Two Moose (Again, my name as I forgot...yada, yada, yada.)
Tommorrow we head west on Route 6 to visit Wellsboro, stop at the Pine Creek Gorge and Leonard Harris State Park, then into Potter County to visit the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum.
We'll end the day with dinner at The Log Cabin Inn.
Glass pumpkins.We sat in the Hot Glass Show and watch an artisan with 25+ years of experience take a couple of blobs of molten glass and turn them into a fluted candy dish in less than ten minutes and with virtually no effort at all. And unlike many of their demonstrations, this one went into the cooling oven at the end instead of being shattered.
While they had several new exhibits, I usually find the old ones to be the most interesting. I'm always seeing something new. But today, aside from the new art exhibits, there was a new (at least for me) display on fiber optics in the Innovation Center that I found fascinating.
After a good three hours in the Glass Museum, we headed down to the Rockwell Museum of Western Art. But first we stopped for some tex-mex in the cafe next door.
The Rockwell is a small museum compared to such places as the Fredrick Remington Art Museum in Ogdensburg, NY or the C. M. Russell Museum in Great Falls, Montana, but it is quite good.
In addition to pieces by both Remington and Russell, the Rockwell Museum has works by artists who predate those two and artists who followed in their footsteps.
Just a few of my favorites:
Prayer to the Spirit of the Buffalo by Joseph Henry Sharp(1859-1953)
Buffalo Mount
The Buffalo Hunt (My name as I forgot to write downor snap a picture of the artist's card! Doh!)
Two Moose (Again, my name as I forgot...yada, yada, yada.)Tommorrow we head west on Route 6 to visit Wellsboro, stop at the Pine Creek Gorge and Leonard Harris State Park, then into Potter County to visit the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum.
We'll end the day with dinner at The Log Cabin Inn.
Good grief!
I wax poetic on the coming cold of winter and this is what happens? Not only did the overnight low not fall below 64 degrees, but today's high will be in the area of 80 degrees. The breeze continues blowing out of the southwest which has produced this fine mess. If it was sunny, it would be welcome. If it were dry it would be fine. However, it is neither. It is overcast and humid. Blah!
******
We're taking Terry's sister and her husband up to Corning today to visit the Glass Museum and then the Rockwell Museum of Western Art.
******
We're taking Terry's sister and her husband up to Corning today to visit the Glass Museum and then the Rockwell Museum of Western Art.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Autumnal Equinox
Today we celebrate the Autumnal Equinox. Today the Sun passes directly over the Equator as it leaves the Northern Hemisphere and heads south. Today we have exactly twelve hours of sun light and twelve hours of darkness...more or less.
The sunlit portions of the day will continue to get shorter for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere until December 21st when the Sun will be at its lowest in the southern sky. As to be expected, these shorter sunlit days will also mean cooler temperatures. Already up north the Arctic ice is growing in its vastness and snow is appearing on the mountains of Alaska, the Yukon and British Columbia. It's just a matter of time before that snow heads further down the slopes and further south.
Here at the Aerie we have not yet had a killing frost nor has one occurred at the Bolt Hole slightly further north. But it will happen. And fairly soon, I'm sure. The deciduous trees have already started to change color and lose leaves. Not in any great abundance, mind you, just a few hickory, cherry and maples dotting the hillsides, but the rest will follow.
The hay farmers have been working hard to get their final cutting in for the year. Soon they will be looking to harvest the corn that still stands green in their fields.
The men working on the gas wells and pipelines are rushing to get their work done, too. As are the men erecting the windmills on top of the mountain and the road crews making improvements and repairs to bridges and highways. All must be done before the frost and ice fiends stalk the land.
Once we are in the grip of winter, most outside activities will cease. Cows that once went to pasture will stay in and around the barn. Construction equipment will be set aside for road plowing and salting trucks.
The real cold won't hit until well into January for it takes time for the Earth to give up what heat it has stored. But when it comes out of the north, it will come with a vengeance. The Bolt Hole will see low temperatures in the minus 10 to minus 20 degree range. The Aerie will see a day or two when it will get below zero and possibly as low as minus 10 degrees. The latter portions of January and most of February will be the coldest. Then the sun will be noticeably back on its way and even if it is cold, the promise of Spring will be seen in the longer day light.
******
Come October 1 I'll have to see about stockpiling some seed for our feathered friends. The feeders haven't been out since mid-June when we had a bear come up on the deck looking for a midnight snack. It won't take long for the birds to find the feed--nor to empty the feeders once they do. Right now they are scattered through the countryside enjoying their own harvest of natural seeds, fruits and insects. The first frost will change that.
******
Today has been a rather gloomy but mild at the Aerie. The sun did break through the scudding clouds from time to time but for the most part they held sway. The low this morning was around 50 degrees and the high only 65. There was a bit of a spritz of rain over night and a drop or two fell this morning as well. There's been a steady strong breeze out of the southwest and we may still get a drop of rain before midnight.
The sunlit portions of the day will continue to get shorter for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere until December 21st when the Sun will be at its lowest in the southern sky. As to be expected, these shorter sunlit days will also mean cooler temperatures. Already up north the Arctic ice is growing in its vastness and snow is appearing on the mountains of Alaska, the Yukon and British Columbia. It's just a matter of time before that snow heads further down the slopes and further south.
Here at the Aerie we have not yet had a killing frost nor has one occurred at the Bolt Hole slightly further north. But it will happen. And fairly soon, I'm sure. The deciduous trees have already started to change color and lose leaves. Not in any great abundance, mind you, just a few hickory, cherry and maples dotting the hillsides, but the rest will follow.
The hay farmers have been working hard to get their final cutting in for the year. Soon they will be looking to harvest the corn that still stands green in their fields.
The men working on the gas wells and pipelines are rushing to get their work done, too. As are the men erecting the windmills on top of the mountain and the road crews making improvements and repairs to bridges and highways. All must be done before the frost and ice fiends stalk the land.
Once we are in the grip of winter, most outside activities will cease. Cows that once went to pasture will stay in and around the barn. Construction equipment will be set aside for road plowing and salting trucks.
The real cold won't hit until well into January for it takes time for the Earth to give up what heat it has stored. But when it comes out of the north, it will come with a vengeance. The Bolt Hole will see low temperatures in the minus 10 to minus 20 degree range. The Aerie will see a day or two when it will get below zero and possibly as low as minus 10 degrees. The latter portions of January and most of February will be the coldest. Then the sun will be noticeably back on its way and even if it is cold, the promise of Spring will be seen in the longer day light.
******
Come October 1 I'll have to see about stockpiling some seed for our feathered friends. The feeders haven't been out since mid-June when we had a bear come up on the deck looking for a midnight snack. It won't take long for the birds to find the feed--nor to empty the feeders once they do. Right now they are scattered through the countryside enjoying their own harvest of natural seeds, fruits and insects. The first frost will change that.
******
Today has been a rather gloomy but mild at the Aerie. The sun did break through the scudding clouds from time to time but for the most part they held sway. The low this morning was around 50 degrees and the high only 65. There was a bit of a spritz of rain over night and a drop or two fell this morning as well. There's been a steady strong breeze out of the southwest and we may still get a drop of rain before midnight.
Sorrow and loss.
I lost a cousin-in-law over the weekend. Gary Cofield of the Tampa, FL area passed away at age 68 from stomach and esophageal cancer. He was at home under hospice care with a morphine drip at the time of his death.
I hadn't seen Gary in years, nor have I visited the relatives in Florida in far too long a period of time. I'll always remember him as a soft spoken, gentle man with one hell of a collection of Native American arrow heads and spear points. As an electrical lineman for the power company, he was always on the lookout for freshly plowed farm fields where he might find something to add to his collection.
He was diagnosed with the Big C just a few short months ago when, unfortunately, it was too late for surgical intervention. Progression was swift and the pain was great at the end.
Due to a family event of a more positive nature (a wedding) in NJ this weekend, Terry and I will not be able to attend the memorial service to be held on Friday, but our thoughts and prayers will be with my cousin, Linda, upon the loss of her loving husband.
God speed, Gary.
I hadn't seen Gary in years, nor have I visited the relatives in Florida in far too long a period of time. I'll always remember him as a soft spoken, gentle man with one hell of a collection of Native American arrow heads and spear points. As an electrical lineman for the power company, he was always on the lookout for freshly plowed farm fields where he might find something to add to his collection.
He was diagnosed with the Big C just a few short months ago when, unfortunately, it was too late for surgical intervention. Progression was swift and the pain was great at the end.
Due to a family event of a more positive nature (a wedding) in NJ this weekend, Terry and I will not be able to attend the memorial service to be held on Friday, but our thoughts and prayers will be with my cousin, Linda, upon the loss of her loving husband.
God speed, Gary.
Craftsman Joiner parts Q & A
I got a comment this morning on a long ago post about my getting replacement cutting edges (they aren't called "blades") for my Craftsman Joiner from someone called 1Elsie. I had to go back and do a little research to get the information again but here it is:
The model joiner I have is 113-206932
That's a 6-1/8" joiner for which the engineers at work have gone and retooled almost all the head assembly parts. (See here for the diagram.) If you're searching for the cutters, they would be under the bed assembly subcomponents.
I haven't ordered any of the parts that I would need yet. The problem I have is only a tiny little nick in the cutter which leaves a very small raised bead when I use it. (Which isn't often.) Fine grain sandpaper is more than sufficient to remove this "defect" and costs a good deal less than the replacement cutters (part #54) or, need I say it, the entire cutting assembly (#53) which would require contacting a technician just to order.
The model joiner I have is 113-206932
That's a 6-1/8" joiner for which the engineers at work have gone and retooled almost all the head assembly parts. (See here for the diagram.) If you're searching for the cutters, they would be under the bed assembly subcomponents.
I haven't ordered any of the parts that I would need yet. The problem I have is only a tiny little nick in the cutter which leaves a very small raised bead when I use it. (Which isn't often.) Fine grain sandpaper is more than sufficient to remove this "defect" and costs a good deal less than the replacement cutters (part #54) or, need I say it, the entire cutting assembly (#53) which would require contacting a technician just to order.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Good weekend.
A good weekend all around in the football world as far as I'm concerned.
First, my alma mater Rutgers defeated Florida International 23-15. Yeah, it should have been a bigger margin of victory, but 1) baby steps for an offense that is very, very young in the skill positions and 2) It was a "W" baby! and that's what counts.
Then Sunday afternoon the Jets over came some questionable calls (no way was that a fumble!) to down the New England Patriots 16-9. (Ditto my comments on the RU victory.)
And finally on Sunday night in Dallas, the Giants got a last second field goal to beat the Cowboys, 33-31.
RU is now 2-1, the Jets are 2-0, and the Giants are also 2-0. Sweet!
******
Terry and I went to dinner at the Penn Wells Hotel in Wellsboro yesterday. We could have had the Sunday Brunch but chose to order off the menu instead. I had a delicious crab casserole and Terry had a chicken Marsiella dish. Both came with a bowl of New England style clam chowder and a tossed salad. (They usually have a salad bar but that area was still set up for the brunch.) I had a mixed berry pie for desert while Terry skipped the apple pie, cherry pie, and about three different chocolate cakes that were also on the desert tray. The food was great, the atmosphere and service better, and the price was very, very reasonable.
******
I went and got a set of Cooper ATR tires installed on the Tundra this morning. I had ordered them before heading up to the Bolt Hole and, as promised, Ryan, had them waiting for me when I showed up. They aren't cheap, but the Cooper's have a great warranty plus there's a mail-in rebate of $75 which will cover the mounting, balancing, and sales tax.
******
We've been going around the house cleaning up because company is arriving tomorrow. Terry's sister (Lucille) and her husband (Doug) are coming in from Half Moon Bay, CA to attend the wedding of a cousin's daughter (Joe and Pat's daughter Jenifer) next Saturday and they've decided to come out to the Aerie for a look-see. It will be good to see them again as we usually don't get together too often. This past year was unusual in that we were out there for their daughter's (Laura) wedding in June of '08 and we all ended up at my son's (Rick) wedding in Eugene in May of '09 so, in a span of about 16 months, we've got to see each other three times. When they finally get out of California (they're trying, but with the housing market...) and back to Missouri/Kansas I will be sure to visit more often as Doug like to fish as much as I do.
First, my alma mater Rutgers defeated Florida International 23-15. Yeah, it should have been a bigger margin of victory, but 1) baby steps for an offense that is very, very young in the skill positions and 2) It was a "W" baby! and that's what counts.
Then Sunday afternoon the Jets over came some questionable calls (no way was that a fumble!) to down the New England Patriots 16-9. (Ditto my comments on the RU victory.)
And finally on Sunday night in Dallas, the Giants got a last second field goal to beat the Cowboys, 33-31.
RU is now 2-1, the Jets are 2-0, and the Giants are also 2-0. Sweet!
******
Terry and I went to dinner at the Penn Wells Hotel in Wellsboro yesterday. We could have had the Sunday Brunch but chose to order off the menu instead. I had a delicious crab casserole and Terry had a chicken Marsiella dish. Both came with a bowl of New England style clam chowder and a tossed salad. (They usually have a salad bar but that area was still set up for the brunch.) I had a mixed berry pie for desert while Terry skipped the apple pie, cherry pie, and about three different chocolate cakes that were also on the desert tray. The food was great, the atmosphere and service better, and the price was very, very reasonable.
******
I went and got a set of Cooper ATR tires installed on the Tundra this morning. I had ordered them before heading up to the Bolt Hole and, as promised, Ryan, had them waiting for me when I showed up. They aren't cheap, but the Cooper's have a great warranty plus there's a mail-in rebate of $75 which will cover the mounting, balancing, and sales tax.
******
We've been going around the house cleaning up because company is arriving tomorrow. Terry's sister (Lucille) and her husband (Doug) are coming in from Half Moon Bay, CA to attend the wedding of a cousin's daughter (Joe and Pat's daughter Jenifer) next Saturday and they've decided to come out to the Aerie for a look-see. It will be good to see them again as we usually don't get together too often. This past year was unusual in that we were out there for their daughter's (Laura) wedding in June of '08 and we all ended up at my son's (Rick) wedding in Eugene in May of '09 so, in a span of about 16 months, we've got to see each other three times. When they finally get out of California (they're trying, but with the housing market...) and back to Missouri/Kansas I will be sure to visit more often as Doug like to fish as much as I do.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Here comes Week 4: Rank and Opponents
The Top 25 (more or less) got a bit of a shake up after last week’s play. Upsets and loses within the ranks means the list has been shuffled considerably. At least from slot #3 on down they were. We get some more conference play this week. Pac-10, Big Ten and the ACC, and SEC are getting things into gear.
Here are the rankings and matchups going into week three of the college football season. The rankings are from the AP/Coaches Poll/CBSSports 120. Those in parentheses are from last week prior to play.
1/1/1 (1/1/1) Florida (3-0) The Gators will play at Kentucky (2-0).
2/2/2 (2/2/2) Texas (2-0) The Longhorns will be home to Texas-El Paso (1-2).
3/3/3 (4/4/4) Alabama (3-0) The Tide will host Arkansas (1-1).
4/5/6 (5/6/8) Mississippi (2-0) Ole Miss will play at South Carolina (2-1) on Thursday night.
5/4/4 (5/5/6) Penn State (3-0) will host Iowa (3-0) this weekend.
6/6/7 (8/7/11) California (3-0) The Golden Bears ravel up the coast to play Oregon (2-1).
7/7/8 (9/7/10) LSU (3-0) plays at Mississippi State (2-1).
8/8/5 (10/10/9) Boise State (3-0) will be on the road to Bowling Green (1-2).
9/13/11 (20/22/24) Miami (Fla.) (2-0) The Hurricanes are on the road to #11 Virginia Tech (2-1).
10/9/10 (12/12/12) Oklahoma (2-1) does not play this weekend.
11/12/14 (13/14/15) Virginia Tech (2-1) host #9 Miami (Fla.) (2-0).
12/10/12 (3/3/3) Southern California (2-1) The Trojans will be home to play Washington State (1-2).
13/11/9 (11/11/7) Ohio State (2-1) The Buckeyes host Illinois (1-1).
14/15/16 (17/21/25) Cincinnati (3-0) The Bearcats will host Fresno State (1-2) Saturday.
15/14/13 (15/15/14) TCU (2-0) travels to Clemson (2-1).
16/16/17 (16/17/18) Oklahoma State (2-1) The Cowboys will be hosting Grambling (2-1).
17/23/15 (21/NL/17) Houston will be home to play Texas Tech (2-1).
18/25/25 (NL/NL/NL) Florida State (2-1) The Seminioles host the South Florida Bulls (3-0).
19/20/21 (7/9/5) Brigham Young (2-1) will play at home against Colorado State (3-0).
20/19/19 (22/23/20) Kansas (3-0) he Jayhawks will host Southern Mississippi (3-0).
21/17/18 (23/20/19) Georgia (2-1) will be home against Arizona State (2-0).
22/18/22 (24/19/23) North Carolina (3-0) The Tarheels will be playing at Georgia Tech (2-1).
23/22/20 (25/NL/22) Michigan (3-0) The Wolverines will host Indiana (3-0).
24/NL/NL (NL/NL/NL) Washington (2-1) The Huskies will play at Stanford (2-1).
25/24/NL (19/18/21) Nebraska (2-1) The Cornhuskers will host Louisiana-Lafayette (2-1).
NL/21/NL (NL/25/NL) Missouri (3-0) will be at Nevada (0-2) on Friday night.
NL/NL/23 (NL/NL/NL) Auburn (3-0) The Tigers host Ball State (0-3).
NL/NL/24 (18/16/16) Utah (2-1) The Utes are home to square off against Louisville (1-1).
Here are the rankings and matchups going into week three of the college football season. The rankings are from the AP/Coaches Poll/CBSSports 120. Those in parentheses are from last week prior to play.
1/1/1 (1/1/1) Florida (3-0) The Gators will play at Kentucky (2-0).
2/2/2 (2/2/2) Texas (2-0) The Longhorns will be home to Texas-El Paso (1-2).
3/3/3 (4/4/4) Alabama (3-0) The Tide will host Arkansas (1-1).
4/5/6 (5/6/8) Mississippi (2-0) Ole Miss will play at South Carolina (2-1) on Thursday night.
5/4/4 (5/5/6) Penn State (3-0) will host Iowa (3-0) this weekend.
6/6/7 (8/7/11) California (3-0) The Golden Bears ravel up the coast to play Oregon (2-1).
7/7/8 (9/7/10) LSU (3-0) plays at Mississippi State (2-1).
8/8/5 (10/10/9) Boise State (3-0) will be on the road to Bowling Green (1-2).
9/13/11 (20/22/24) Miami (Fla.) (2-0) The Hurricanes are on the road to #11 Virginia Tech (2-1).
10/9/10 (12/12/12) Oklahoma (2-1) does not play this weekend.
11/12/14 (13/14/15) Virginia Tech (2-1) host #9 Miami (Fla.) (2-0).
12/10/12 (3/3/3) Southern California (2-1) The Trojans will be home to play Washington State (1-2).
13/11/9 (11/11/7) Ohio State (2-1) The Buckeyes host Illinois (1-1).
14/15/16 (17/21/25) Cincinnati (3-0) The Bearcats will host Fresno State (1-2) Saturday.
15/14/13 (15/15/14) TCU (2-0) travels to Clemson (2-1).
16/16/17 (16/17/18) Oklahoma State (2-1) The Cowboys will be hosting Grambling (2-1).
17/23/15 (21/NL/17) Houston will be home to play Texas Tech (2-1).
18/25/25 (NL/NL/NL) Florida State (2-1) The Seminioles host the South Florida Bulls (3-0).
19/20/21 (7/9/5) Brigham Young (2-1) will play at home against Colorado State (3-0).
20/19/19 (22/23/20) Kansas (3-0) he Jayhawks will host Southern Mississippi (3-0).
21/17/18 (23/20/19) Georgia (2-1) will be home against Arizona State (2-0).
22/18/22 (24/19/23) North Carolina (3-0) The Tarheels will be playing at Georgia Tech (2-1).
23/22/20 (25/NL/22) Michigan (3-0) The Wolverines will host Indiana (3-0).
24/NL/NL (NL/NL/NL) Washington (2-1) The Huskies will play at Stanford (2-1).
25/24/NL (19/18/21) Nebraska (2-1) The Cornhuskers will host Louisiana-Lafayette (2-1).
NL/21/NL (NL/25/NL) Missouri (3-0) will be at Nevada (0-2) on Friday night.
NL/NL/23 (NL/NL/NL) Auburn (3-0) The Tigers host Ball State (0-3).
NL/NL/24 (18/16/16) Utah (2-1) The Utes are home to square off against Louisville (1-1).
College results from Week 3
After week two I wrote: “The elite teams in the top 5 have firmed up their positions and, barring a major surprise, should continue to do so this week.” Well then: Surprise! Surprise! Surprise! And it wasn't just the top 5 that got kicked around this weekend. Numbers 3, 7, 14, 18, and 19 all took it on the chin.
Having escaped the Thursday Night Curse a week ago due to the play of their place kicker, Scott Blair, #14 Georgia Tech was crushed by a Hurricane(#20 Miami (Fla.)).
The #3 Trojans couldn’t stop the Huskies from kicking a winning FG in the final seconds.
#7 BYU lost to Florida State.
#18 Utah lost to Oregon.
#19 Nebraska (2-1) dropped a close one to #13 Virginia Tech (2-1).
In short, expect a whole lot of shaking and baking in the next polls.
Here are the rankings going into week three and results of the games as the wacky world of college football continues.
The rankings are from the AP/Coaches Poll/CBSSports 120. Those in parentheses are from last week prior to play.
1/1/1 Florida (3-0) hosted Tennessee (1-2). Florida prevailed over the Volunteers 23-13.
2/2/2 Texas (2-0) hosted Texas Tech (2-0). The Longhorns got revenge for last year’s last second loss with a 34-24 victory over the Red Raiders.
3/3/3 Southern California (2-1) played at Washington (2-1). The Huskies kicked a last second field goal to down the Trojans 16-13. Not bad for a team that went 0-12 last year.
4/4/4 Alabama (3-0) hosted North Texas (1-2). The Tide overwhelmed the Mean(?) Green 53-7.
5/5/6 Penn State (3-0) hosted Temple (0-2). A slow start for the Nittany Lions but a solid 31-6 victory over the Owls.
5/6/8 Mississippi (2-0) hosted Southeastern Louisiana (2-1). Mississippi routed Southeastern Louisiana 52-6 as they amassed 758 yards of offense. But the defense caused five turnovers (including a 58 yd interception return for a TD by D.T. Schakelford) and held SL to 0-14 on third down conversions.
7/9/5 Brigham Young (2-1) hosted Florida State (2-1). The Seminoles nearly doubled up on the Cougars with a 54-28 victory. FSU converted 12 times on 15 third down tries, amassed 512 yards of offense with 313 on the ground and 199 in the air, and got a 63-yard interception return for good measure.
8/7/11 California (3-0) played at Minnesota (2-1). Bears vs. Gophers? No contest. It was 21 all heading into the fourth quarter. Then the Bears got hungry for some Gopher. Two fourth quarter TDs resulted in a Cal victory of 35-21.
9/7/10 LSU (3-0) hosted Louisiana-Lafayette (2-1). A rather predictable 31-3 victory for the Tigers of LSU.
10/10/9 Boise State (3-0) played at Fresno State (1-2) Friday night. Ho-hum. The Broncos won 51-34.
11/11/7 Ohio State (2-1) played at Toledo (1-2). Buckeyes rolled 38-0.
12/12/12 Oklahoma (2-1) hosted Tulsa (2-1). The Sooners shutout Tulsa 45-0
13/14/15 Virginia Tech (2-1) hosted #19 Nebraska (2-1). The Hokies escaped with a 16-15 victory over the Cornhuskers.
14/13/13 Georgia Tech (2-1) played on Thursday night again. This time at #20 Miami (Fla.) (2-0). “Beware the Thursday Night Curse!” I said. The ‘Canes beat the snot out of the Yellow Jackets on Thursday night 33-17.
15/15/14 TCU (2-0) hosted Texas State-San Marcos (1-1). TCU romped over TS-SM 56-21.
16/17/18 Oklahoma State (2-1) hosted Rice (0-3). Zac Robinson rushed for one TD and threw or two more as the Cowboys beat the Owls 41-24.
17/21/25 Cincinnati (3-0) played at Oregon State (2-1) Bearcats beat the Beavers 28-18 as Tony Pike posted a 31-49-332-1 line while throwing two TD passes and rushing for another.
18/16/16 Utah (2-1) played at Oregon (2-1). The Ducks upset #18 Utah, 31-24.
19/18/21 Nebraska (2-1) played at #13 Virginia Tech (2-1). Nebraska dropped a tough one to VT dropping this contest 16-15.
20/22/24 Miami (Fla.) (2-0) hosted #14 Georgia Tech (2-1) on Thursday night. Miami beat Georgia Tech 33-17.
21/NL/17 Houston did not play this week.
22/23/20 Kansas (3-0) hosted Duke (1-2). They played even in the first quarter but it was all Jayhawks after that as Kansas triumphed 44-16.
23/20/19 Georgia (2-1) played at Arkansas (1-1). GA QB Joe Cox tossed a school record tying 5 td passes as he went 18-26 for 375 yards. But he wasn’t the best QB on the field. The Razorback’s Ryan Mallet threw for 408 yards on a 21-39 evening and he also threw for 5 touchdowns. Neither should have had to lose. But GA got an 80 yard run from Richard Samuel and three FG from Blair Walsh (35, 37, and 31 yards) while AR managed no rushing TDs and only two field goals by Alex Tejada (both 23-yarders). Bulldogs won 52-41
24/19/23 North Carolina (3-0) hosted East Carolina (1-2). Despite it being “Speak like a Pirate Day”, the NC Tarheels prevailed 31-17
25/NL/22 Michigan (3-0) hosted Eastern Michigan (0-3). It was close at the half but the Wolverines pitched a shutout in the final two quarters to romp 45-17.
NL/24/NL Oregon State (2-1) hosted #17 Cincinnati (3-0). Cincinnati prevailed 28-18.
NL/25/NL Missouri (3-0) hosted Furman (2-1). Missouri triumphed 52-12.
Having escaped the Thursday Night Curse a week ago due to the play of their place kicker, Scott Blair, #14 Georgia Tech was crushed by a Hurricane(#20 Miami (Fla.)).
The #3 Trojans couldn’t stop the Huskies from kicking a winning FG in the final seconds.
#7 BYU lost to Florida State.
#18 Utah lost to Oregon.
#19 Nebraska (2-1) dropped a close one to #13 Virginia Tech (2-1).
In short, expect a whole lot of shaking and baking in the next polls.
Here are the rankings going into week three and results of the games as the wacky world of college football continues.
The rankings are from the AP/Coaches Poll/CBSSports 120. Those in parentheses are from last week prior to play.
1/1/1 Florida (3-0) hosted Tennessee (1-2). Florida prevailed over the Volunteers 23-13.
2/2/2 Texas (2-0) hosted Texas Tech (2-0). The Longhorns got revenge for last year’s last second loss with a 34-24 victory over the Red Raiders.
3/3/3 Southern California (2-1) played at Washington (2-1). The Huskies kicked a last second field goal to down the Trojans 16-13. Not bad for a team that went 0-12 last year.
4/4/4 Alabama (3-0) hosted North Texas (1-2). The Tide overwhelmed the Mean(?) Green 53-7.
5/5/6 Penn State (3-0) hosted Temple (0-2). A slow start for the Nittany Lions but a solid 31-6 victory over the Owls.
5/6/8 Mississippi (2-0) hosted Southeastern Louisiana (2-1). Mississippi routed Southeastern Louisiana 52-6 as they amassed 758 yards of offense. But the defense caused five turnovers (including a 58 yd interception return for a TD by D.T. Schakelford) and held SL to 0-14 on third down conversions.
7/9/5 Brigham Young (2-1) hosted Florida State (2-1). The Seminoles nearly doubled up on the Cougars with a 54-28 victory. FSU converted 12 times on 15 third down tries, amassed 512 yards of offense with 313 on the ground and 199 in the air, and got a 63-yard interception return for good measure.
8/7/11 California (3-0) played at Minnesota (2-1). Bears vs. Gophers? No contest. It was 21 all heading into the fourth quarter. Then the Bears got hungry for some Gopher. Two fourth quarter TDs resulted in a Cal victory of 35-21.
9/7/10 LSU (3-0) hosted Louisiana-Lafayette (2-1). A rather predictable 31-3 victory for the Tigers of LSU.
10/10/9 Boise State (3-0) played at Fresno State (1-2) Friday night. Ho-hum. The Broncos won 51-34.
11/11/7 Ohio State (2-1) played at Toledo (1-2). Buckeyes rolled 38-0.
12/12/12 Oklahoma (2-1) hosted Tulsa (2-1). The Sooners shutout Tulsa 45-0
13/14/15 Virginia Tech (2-1) hosted #19 Nebraska (2-1). The Hokies escaped with a 16-15 victory over the Cornhuskers.
14/13/13 Georgia Tech (2-1) played on Thursday night again. This time at #20 Miami (Fla.) (2-0). “Beware the Thursday Night Curse!” I said. The ‘Canes beat the snot out of the Yellow Jackets on Thursday night 33-17.
15/15/14 TCU (2-0) hosted Texas State-San Marcos (1-1). TCU romped over TS-SM 56-21.
16/17/18 Oklahoma State (2-1) hosted Rice (0-3). Zac Robinson rushed for one TD and threw or two more as the Cowboys beat the Owls 41-24.
17/21/25 Cincinnati (3-0) played at Oregon State (2-1) Bearcats beat the Beavers 28-18 as Tony Pike posted a 31-49-332-1 line while throwing two TD passes and rushing for another.
18/16/16 Utah (2-1) played at Oregon (2-1). The Ducks upset #18 Utah, 31-24.
19/18/21 Nebraska (2-1) played at #13 Virginia Tech (2-1). Nebraska dropped a tough one to VT dropping this contest 16-15.
20/22/24 Miami (Fla.) (2-0) hosted #14 Georgia Tech (2-1) on Thursday night. Miami beat Georgia Tech 33-17.
21/NL/17 Houston did not play this week.
22/23/20 Kansas (3-0) hosted Duke (1-2). They played even in the first quarter but it was all Jayhawks after that as Kansas triumphed 44-16.
23/20/19 Georgia (2-1) played at Arkansas (1-1). GA QB Joe Cox tossed a school record tying 5 td passes as he went 18-26 for 375 yards. But he wasn’t the best QB on the field. The Razorback’s Ryan Mallet threw for 408 yards on a 21-39 evening and he also threw for 5 touchdowns. Neither should have had to lose. But GA got an 80 yard run from Richard Samuel and three FG from Blair Walsh (35, 37, and 31 yards) while AR managed no rushing TDs and only two field goals by Alex Tejada (both 23-yarders). Bulldogs won 52-41
24/19/23 North Carolina (3-0) hosted East Carolina (1-2). Despite it being “Speak like a Pirate Day”, the NC Tarheels prevailed 31-17
25/NL/22 Michigan (3-0) hosted Eastern Michigan (0-3). It was close at the half but the Wolverines pitched a shutout in the final two quarters to romp 45-17.
NL/24/NL Oregon State (2-1) hosted #17 Cincinnati (3-0). Cincinnati prevailed 28-18.
NL/25/NL Missouri (3-0) hosted Furman (2-1). Missouri triumphed 52-12.
Big East results from Week 3
17/21/25 Cincinnati (3-0) plays at Oregon State (2-1). The Bearcats beat the Beavers 28-18 as Tony Pike posted a 31-49-332-1 line while throwing two TD passes and rushing for another.
Connecticut (2-1) prevailed over Baylor (1-1) 30-22 as both Andre Dixon (149 yards, three TDs) and Jordan Todman (103 yards) ran wild.
Louisville(1-1) lost to Kentucky (2-0)31-27 in a game that resembled a basketball game more than football. Back and forth they went in the final quarter before the smoke settled.
Pittsburgh(3-0) beat Navy (1-2) 27-14. The Panthers held the Midshipmen to just 129 yards on the ground and 218 yards total offense.
Rutgers got the W over Florida International 23-15 after leading 23-0 with less than seven minutes remaining. RU’s Freshman QB Tom Savage did not impress in this one and sat out the last 12 minutes after getting his bell rung.
South Florida (3-0) romped over Charleston Southern (0-3) by a score of 59-0. Matt Grothe lead the Bulls on three scoring drives but then came out of the game with a left knee sprain. At the time he came out, he had already complete 11 of 14 for 149 yards and two TDs, including a 50 yards TD strike to Carlton Mitchell. Grothe’s replacement, redshirt freshman B.J. Daniels did fine as he also tossed a 50-yard TD pass to Dontavia Bogan while running for two others.
Syracuse (1-2) triumphed over Northwestern (2-1)37-34 when Ryan Lichtenstein kicked a 41-yard field goal on the final play of the game. Greg Paulus ran for one TD and was 24-for-34 with two TDs. On the negative side, he threw for one interception and lost a fumble that could have cost the Orange the game. Only an interception of Northwestern’s Mike Kafka late in the fourth quarter to set up the winning field goal saved the day.
West Virginia (2-1) roared out of the gates after a thunderstorm delayed the start of their game at Auburn (3-0). Noel Devine rushed for 128 yards on 15 carries and scored the first two TDs of the game (one a 71 yard sprint up the middle) and added a third TD in the second half. The Mountaineers had a total of 509 yards of offense (207 on the ground and 302 in the air). Should be a cake walk, right?
Auburn answered with 400 yards of offense and kept grinding away. Auburn was second in the nation behind Navy in rushing offense coming into the game. So, of course, it was QB Chris Todd’s arm that resulted in four TDs—three on passes to Darvin Adams and the fourth an 82 yard bomb to Mario Fannin.
But despite all the offense, it was defense that won the game. Auburn’s Craig Stevens returned an interception of a WVU pass 15 yards for a TD with 3:41 left in the game. It was one of five interceptions suffered by WVU on the night. The conversion made the score 41-30
Connecticut (2-1) prevailed over Baylor (1-1) 30-22 as both Andre Dixon (149 yards, three TDs) and Jordan Todman (103 yards) ran wild.
Louisville(1-1) lost to Kentucky (2-0)31-27 in a game that resembled a basketball game more than football. Back and forth they went in the final quarter before the smoke settled.
Pittsburgh(3-0) beat Navy (1-2) 27-14. The Panthers held the Midshipmen to just 129 yards on the ground and 218 yards total offense.
Rutgers got the W over Florida International 23-15 after leading 23-0 with less than seven minutes remaining. RU’s Freshman QB Tom Savage did not impress in this one and sat out the last 12 minutes after getting his bell rung.
South Florida (3-0) romped over Charleston Southern (0-3) by a score of 59-0. Matt Grothe lead the Bulls on three scoring drives but then came out of the game with a left knee sprain. At the time he came out, he had already complete 11 of 14 for 149 yards and two TDs, including a 50 yards TD strike to Carlton Mitchell. Grothe’s replacement, redshirt freshman B.J. Daniels did fine as he also tossed a 50-yard TD pass to Dontavia Bogan while running for two others.
Syracuse (1-2) triumphed over Northwestern (2-1)37-34 when Ryan Lichtenstein kicked a 41-yard field goal on the final play of the game. Greg Paulus ran for one TD and was 24-for-34 with two TDs. On the negative side, he threw for one interception and lost a fumble that could have cost the Orange the game. Only an interception of Northwestern’s Mike Kafka late in the fourth quarter to set up the winning field goal saved the day.
West Virginia (2-1) roared out of the gates after a thunderstorm delayed the start of their game at Auburn (3-0). Noel Devine rushed for 128 yards on 15 carries and scored the first two TDs of the game (one a 71 yard sprint up the middle) and added a third TD in the second half. The Mountaineers had a total of 509 yards of offense (207 on the ground and 302 in the air). Should be a cake walk, right?
Auburn answered with 400 yards of offense and kept grinding away. Auburn was second in the nation behind Navy in rushing offense coming into the game. So, of course, it was QB Chris Todd’s arm that resulted in four TDs—three on passes to Darvin Adams and the fourth an 82 yard bomb to Mario Fannin.
But despite all the offense, it was defense that won the game. Auburn’s Craig Stevens returned an interception of a WVU pass 15 yards for a TD with 3:41 left in the game. It was one of five interceptions suffered by WVU on the night. The conversion made the score 41-30
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Fall is in the air!
Clear, chilly morning with a low of just 40 degrees on the porch of the Aerie. Several degrees cooler down in the valley and Elmira reported just 37 degrees as its low. Standing on the deck and looking northwest I could see the morning mist rising from Tioga and Hammond Lakes and drifting up the mountain west of Route 15 like smoke from a forest fire. Surprisingly, that was all the "fog" that was visible despite the very light breeze. Usually the entire valley would be wreathed in thick grayness in these conditions.
Bills are paid and in the mail, the sun is warming up the air (slightly), and between the sun and the breeze the heavy dew on the lawn has almost dissipated. I guess it's time to take the mower for a walk about the yard.
After that workout and lunch, I'll be ready to answer that weekly question: "Are you ready for some football?" Hell, yeah!
I could even go watch the Mansfield Mounties take on the Princeton Tigers in a sprint football contest featuring a 200 member marching band at half time if I wanted to. Kickoff is scheduled for one o'clock. (Next weekend is the Fabulous 1890s weekend in Mansfield at which they celebrate the first college football game played under the lights. We'll miss that event being in NJ for a wedding.)
Or I could become a couch potato and follow the Mounties game on radio/computer along with half a dozen other games while watching several games on TV and sitting in the comfort of the Aerie with beer, chips and pretzels on hand.
Decisions, decisions.
But the lawn will not mow itself. (At least not until I purchase one of those robot lawn mowers.) Off to work. Later.
Bills are paid and in the mail, the sun is warming up the air (slightly), and between the sun and the breeze the heavy dew on the lawn has almost dissipated. I guess it's time to take the mower for a walk about the yard.
After that workout and lunch, I'll be ready to answer that weekly question: "Are you ready for some football?" Hell, yeah!
I could even go watch the Mansfield Mounties take on the Princeton Tigers in a sprint football contest featuring a 200 member marching band at half time if I wanted to. Kickoff is scheduled for one o'clock. (Next weekend is the Fabulous 1890s weekend in Mansfield at which they celebrate the first college football game played under the lights. We'll miss that event being in NJ for a wedding.)
Or I could become a couch potato and follow the Mounties game on radio/computer along with half a dozen other games while watching several games on TV and sitting in the comfort of the Aerie with beer, chips and pretzels on hand.
Decisions, decisions.
But the lawn will not mow itself. (At least not until I purchase one of those robot lawn mowers.) Off to work. Later.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Back at the Aerie, September 18, 2009
I did my clean-up at the Bolt Hole Reconstruction Site this morning, sorted through the tools and toys that had to come home for the next month, packed my bag, changed the sheets, and washed the dishes. Then I packed the Tundra, hooked up the utility trailer, loaded up the log splitter, and headed back to PA.
I had to stop at the beginning of the trip for fuel, at Lowe's to return some unused material, and at Wally-World to cash in some cans but after that it was smooth cruising on the NYS Thruway and Route 14. I checked the tie-downs on the splitter at every stop mentioned and again when I stopped to stretch my legs at a rest area on the Thru-way. No sense having that heavy thing either bounce off the sides or crash into the back of the truck!
The weather was pretty good with only an occasional sprtiz dampening my windshield. The temperature, which started at 55 degrees at 11 AM as I left the Bolt Hole, never got above 65 degrees on the dashboard computer as the afternoon wore on and I headed south into PA.
******
So I'm home at the Aerie and the first thing I notice is that the effin' grass needs cutting. Again. Except for those spots where I sprayed Roundup on the thistles. They won't be needing cutting until sometime next summer.
And the beans need to be pulled out before we get completely and majorly swamped by green string beans. The freezer is starting to over flow.
It's chilly here too. The local radio station even used the "F" word in its forecast as a possibility tonight and tomorrow night in some localized areas. Low temperatures will flirt with the upper 30s in the rest of the area. Cold air sinks, though, and being 700 feet above the valley floor, we, and our string beans, will probably not get a visit by Jack for a couple of weeks. Probably.
Which is why I must go out in broad daylight tomorrow and murder those damn string beans; tossing their still lush, green carcasses onto the compost heap. It's really self defense. Me or them. If I have to eat all those string beans past, present, and (gasp) future, I'll be standing astride the garden in a leafy green loin cloth next spring shouting, "Ho! Ho! Ho!"
I had to stop at the beginning of the trip for fuel, at Lowe's to return some unused material, and at Wally-World to cash in some cans but after that it was smooth cruising on the NYS Thruway and Route 14. I checked the tie-downs on the splitter at every stop mentioned and again when I stopped to stretch my legs at a rest area on the Thru-way. No sense having that heavy thing either bounce off the sides or crash into the back of the truck!
The weather was pretty good with only an occasional sprtiz dampening my windshield. The temperature, which started at 55 degrees at 11 AM as I left the Bolt Hole, never got above 65 degrees on the dashboard computer as the afternoon wore on and I headed south into PA.
******
So I'm home at the Aerie and the first thing I notice is that the effin' grass needs cutting. Again. Except for those spots where I sprayed Roundup on the thistles. They won't be needing cutting until sometime next summer.
And the beans need to be pulled out before we get completely and majorly swamped by green string beans. The freezer is starting to over flow.
It's chilly here too. The local radio station even used the "F" word in its forecast as a possibility tonight and tomorrow night in some localized areas. Low temperatures will flirt with the upper 30s in the rest of the area. Cold air sinks, though, and being 700 feet above the valley floor, we, and our string beans, will probably not get a visit by Jack for a couple of weeks. Probably.
Which is why I must go out in broad daylight tomorrow and murder those damn string beans; tossing their still lush, green carcasses onto the compost heap. It's really self defense. Me or them. If I have to eat all those string beans past, present, and (gasp) future, I'll be standing astride the garden in a leafy green loin cloth next spring shouting, "Ho! Ho! Ho!"
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Bolt Hole Report, September 17, 2009
Well, I got 'er done.
Finished Porch
The weather shields are in place and I even managed to attach the old steps as a temporary access to the porch. They will definitely have to be worked on since they now slope away from the house just a tad and are not level. Then again, nothing in this old house seems to be square or level except for the new porch. I found that out when trying to attach the weather shields to the facia boards and roof beam that run off the old house. The screened porch was square and level when I built it more than five years ago but it too has gone oblique.
The West end of the porch.
The East end of the porch.
I will say that the Tuftex PolyCarb is great stuff to work with. Cuts like butter with a pair of tin snips and you can predrill the holes with out a problem. It doesn't shatter the way plexiglass does at times.
Constructing the frames for the weather shields was a snap, too. Especially since I made liberal use of metal T-braces to create the corners. I also used T-braces to attache the shields to the facia board. and beam, and used L-brackets to connect the frames to the rail of the porch. It will take one heck of a wind to rattle those babies! I didn't enclose the entire front porch because of the need during the summer for some ventilation from that quarter.
T-braces used on corners and to attach frames to facia and beams.
L-brackets to attach frames to porch rail.
The screened porch was even easier to protect. I installed a couple of furring strips as braces across the screen and then simply screwed two sheets of the PolyCarb to the screen's frame, the braces and the porch's end joist. That should keep the water from splashing onto the porch from the first floor roof.
The Screened Porch corner.
The splash maker. Water off the top roof hits
the corner of the lower roof.
******
When I finished with the porch, I grabbed a sandwich and then went to do battle with the lawn. First I had to get the lawn mower started. Damn ethanol! I had filled the gas tank the last time I was here about a month ago. At that time the mower had been working just fine. Today it didn't want to start. Or if it started, it ran for a few seconds and then died. I checked the fuel line and guess what I found...oh, you peeked! Yeah, water. Rather than try to drain just the water, I drained the whole thing. I have to tell you that what came out of that tank didn't even smell like gasoline. Heck, it didn't even taste like gasoline.
Luckily, Mark had left that can of real gasoline (the non-ethanol kind), so I refilled the mower with that and started priming and pulling the cord. It took a while to get the water out of the carburetor, but it eventually caught and continued to run. Then it was time for me and the mower to walk...and walk...and walk. One snake and one toad later I had finished the west side, the east side and part of the north side when the tank ran dry and I decided to quit. I refiled the tank to the brim with the good stuff and put it in my shed where it seems to fare much better than the garage.
******
The day started out looking rather gloomy. It appeared it wanted to rain at any moment but just couldn't make up its mind as to how much or when if at all. The overcast all disappeared by 2 PM and the sun was shining brightly as I took the mower for its walk about the yard. The temperature never got much above 60 though the brisk walking did cause me to perspire a bit. The light breeze that is blowing is coming from the west northwest so I expect it to get pretty chilly tonight if the clouds stay away.
Tomorrow I'll do a little more clean-up, pack the truck, hitch up the utility trailer, steal my log splitter back from Mark and head home to the Aerie.
Tonight, I'll light a couple of fires in the wood stoves (because it will be getting pretty damn cold, okay) pour myself a couple of fingers of Dewar's (because it's all I've got up here, okay) and settle back to finish another of Jim Butcher's Dresden stories. (I'm reading Proven Guilty at the moment.)
Finished PorchThe weather shields are in place and I even managed to attach the old steps as a temporary access to the porch. They will definitely have to be worked on since they now slope away from the house just a tad and are not level. Then again, nothing in this old house seems to be square or level except for the new porch. I found that out when trying to attach the weather shields to the facia boards and roof beam that run off the old house. The screened porch was square and level when I built it more than five years ago but it too has gone oblique.
The West end of the porch.
The East end of the porch.I will say that the Tuftex PolyCarb is great stuff to work with. Cuts like butter with a pair of tin snips and you can predrill the holes with out a problem. It doesn't shatter the way plexiglass does at times.
Constructing the frames for the weather shields was a snap, too. Especially since I made liberal use of metal T-braces to create the corners. I also used T-braces to attache the shields to the facia board. and beam, and used L-brackets to connect the frames to the rail of the porch. It will take one heck of a wind to rattle those babies! I didn't enclose the entire front porch because of the need during the summer for some ventilation from that quarter.
T-braces used on corners and to attach frames to facia and beams.
L-brackets to attach frames to porch rail.The screened porch was even easier to protect. I installed a couple of furring strips as braces across the screen and then simply screwed two sheets of the PolyCarb to the screen's frame, the braces and the porch's end joist. That should keep the water from splashing onto the porch from the first floor roof.
The Screened Porch corner.
The splash maker. Water off the top roof hitsthe corner of the lower roof.
******
When I finished with the porch, I grabbed a sandwich and then went to do battle with the lawn. First I had to get the lawn mower started. Damn ethanol! I had filled the gas tank the last time I was here about a month ago. At that time the mower had been working just fine. Today it didn't want to start. Or if it started, it ran for a few seconds and then died. I checked the fuel line and guess what I found...oh, you peeked! Yeah, water. Rather than try to drain just the water, I drained the whole thing. I have to tell you that what came out of that tank didn't even smell like gasoline. Heck, it didn't even taste like gasoline.
Luckily, Mark had left that can of real gasoline (the non-ethanol kind), so I refilled the mower with that and started priming and pulling the cord. It took a while to get the water out of the carburetor, but it eventually caught and continued to run. Then it was time for me and the mower to walk...and walk...and walk. One snake and one toad later I had finished the west side, the east side and part of the north side when the tank ran dry and I decided to quit. I refiled the tank to the brim with the good stuff and put it in my shed where it seems to fare much better than the garage.
******
The day started out looking rather gloomy. It appeared it wanted to rain at any moment but just couldn't make up its mind as to how much or when if at all. The overcast all disappeared by 2 PM and the sun was shining brightly as I took the mower for its walk about the yard. The temperature never got much above 60 though the brisk walking did cause me to perspire a bit. The light breeze that is blowing is coming from the west northwest so I expect it to get pretty chilly tonight if the clouds stay away.
Tomorrow I'll do a little more clean-up, pack the truck, hitch up the utility trailer, steal my log splitter back from Mark and head home to the Aerie.
Tonight, I'll light a couple of fires in the wood stoves (because it will be getting pretty damn cold, okay) pour myself a couple of fingers of Dewar's (because it's all I've got up here, okay) and settle back to finish another of Jim Butcher's Dresden stories. (I'm reading Proven Guilty at the moment.)
Well, Happy Birthday to me!
I really do not understand some people's need to glorify (?) mile stone birthdays. Today will be just another day in a long line of days even if it starts my 60th year on this mortal coil.
Weather shield today. Clean up of the work area in the front of the house to include the movement of left over wood into the barn and shed where it may serve at some future date for emergency repairs. Maybe a final mowing of the lawn...or at least part of it. In short a full, normal day. Although it's more overcast and slightly warmer (made 50 before 8 AM!) than predicted/expected.
For the second night in the last three, I had a deer snorting outside my window at 9 PM before I heard some crashing around the apple tree across the street. Deer tracks in the soil in front of my parked truck yesterday. So there are deer in the area...just after dark. Not much help in the hunting plans.
I'll be heading back to the Aerie tomorrow (Friday) with the log splitter on the utility trailer. Company from California is coming on Tuesday. We've a wedding in NJ a week from Saturday and then Terry starts her convention tour going to Indianapolis for SAGA and then Pittsburgh for EGA. I'll be in PA with the Kittehs and the log splitter. I'll get a week with the string and stick trying to connect with a deer there before coming back up to the Bolt Hole for a bit when Terry returns. Then another wedding in NJ at which I've been asked to do a reading from the Gospel, before I can again hit the Adirondack woods.
Busy, busy times ahead. Who can spend it celebrating/worrying about just another day on the calendar.
Weather shield today. Clean up of the work area in the front of the house to include the movement of left over wood into the barn and shed where it may serve at some future date for emergency repairs. Maybe a final mowing of the lawn...or at least part of it. In short a full, normal day. Although it's more overcast and slightly warmer (made 50 before 8 AM!) than predicted/expected.
For the second night in the last three, I had a deer snorting outside my window at 9 PM before I heard some crashing around the apple tree across the street. Deer tracks in the soil in front of my parked truck yesterday. So there are deer in the area...just after dark. Not much help in the hunting plans.
I'll be heading back to the Aerie tomorrow (Friday) with the log splitter on the utility trailer. Company from California is coming on Tuesday. We've a wedding in NJ a week from Saturday and then Terry starts her convention tour going to Indianapolis for SAGA and then Pittsburgh for EGA. I'll be in PA with the Kittehs and the log splitter. I'll get a week with the string and stick trying to connect with a deer there before coming back up to the Bolt Hole for a bit when Terry returns. Then another wedding in NJ at which I've been asked to do a reading from the Gospel, before I can again hit the Adirondack woods.
Busy, busy times ahead. Who can spend it celebrating/worrying about just another day on the calendar.
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