Monday, June 13, 2016

Project yard reclamation continues

It's been almost 2 years since I signed on the cabin property. Time flies and the project list still has some things on it from 2 years ago. Some of those will be handled this year, some are more of wish list items (bathroom remodel) that cost more than we are willing to part with unless things settle down in the world. Yard reclamation is a this year cross off.

This weekend gave me one day at the cabin and one in the city (someone can't say  no to house/dog sitting apparently). I had to work smart and fast but I also decided it was too nice not to go for a run. I had a couple from work staying at the cabin so we ran together and when we all made it back it was time to get dirty. It was dry this weekend so I was able to make headway with reclaiming the yard.

To the right of that pile of dirt and ash it used to be waist high weeds and sticker bushes. We need to get rid of the dirt/ash pile eventually but that's some back breaking work for a cooler time. This newly reclaimed section is almost matching green to the rest of the yard. The left of the pile needs the same treatment but there are a lot of large rocks that we need to remove first.
This is to the right of the first picture towards the road. We don't want the yard going to the road but we are glad to have more of an actual yard. We both t think it's going to look pretty amazing once it's cleaned up. The brush piles are mainly sticker bushes so once those are loaded up it's going to transition nicely and green up more. The tall weeds in either picture are what the entire property was like when we purchased it. We talked about making the yard go all the way to the road but that will kill some of the privacy and noise/dust barrier.
Our mower is an old craftsman, probably 15 years old, and just destroys everything in it's path. This section is left of the woodshed and we plan to push the yard way out into this area. The mower just cuts everything down and leaves it about 6 inches high. The left edge of the picture is where the spring bubbles up and becomes our little pool:
Water is flowing at a very high volume with all of the rain and snowmelt pouring down into the valley. This damn we added to a few weeks ago is working well but needs some more work once the water levels go back down.
This is the property edge creek. Eventually our reclamation will reach here, in the middle to the right. It's not that we just want grass everywhere, but this sort of project really increases the eyeball value of the property if we ever decide to sell. Being able to walk from the cabin to the creek without getting scratched up and stepping through weeds is a great thing. If you have ever seen a beautiful meadow with aspen groves (or birch type tree's), that's what we are going for. We have several tree's to cut down that I marked last year and they haven't leafed out so it's time to make firewood out of them.
The type of view we want, from the cabin looking out into the tree's. We are more and more amazed each week with how the clover and grass is spreading out. The deer love it and that brings some of it's own challenges but for now it's an acceptable tradeoff. It will also help keep down the mosquitoes a little more, and it's certainly the season for those bastards. When I'm out walking around it's fine but as soon as I stop they run into my backside like a truck.

Painting will begin next week and with any luck so will some electrical work. I need to see what the paycheck looks like before I dip into the mason jar (don't spend it unless you can replace it). We want to get two electrical panels in the bathroom combined into one new panel, hang a new dining area light, move and install a new bathroom light, and install an outlet in the bathroom. It's so hard to blow dry my flowing locks when you can't plug anything in...

That was a lot of work for one day so I got some sleep and headed back to the city for another shooting session. We worked on proper scanning procedures once your immediate threat has been neutralized, how to sweep from target to target, how to shoot weak side without switching hands, suppression to elimination drills, etc.  I was pleased to drop my time down to .75 for a draw and shoot and unless I'm hip shooting I'm not sure that time will get any better.
I was able to load up with all of my gear for a few hours to see what needed to be adjusted. My back plate needs to ride higher (something I didn't feel but noticed in a picture) but otherwise everything seemed pretty awesome. Nothing seemed to annoy, bounce much, rub, poke, etc. My new sling was spot on and my new rifle worked great. It needs a better trigger and charging handle but for sure the charging handle. I'm not sure why they use such junk sometimes when the rest of the tool is top notch.

We read some news last night and were glad that we keep our skills up, our preps up, and our readiness level up. It doesn't matter what you believe in, what your opinions are, what your differences are... when someone want's to kill people they don't care if you just got back from a 'we love islam, hate is not a family value' rally or not. I always carry when I'm out, even in a bar and while we haven't been to a club in a long time, we both would be armed there. No hero complex, we could both die in the first volley but leaving our safety in the hands of others is something we only do when flying.





23 comments:

  1. So does your employer allow you to carry at work? That's the main issue I have around here no employer will allow it.

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    Replies
    1. No, they do not allow it. Out of 200+ people, there are usually about 15 people with concealed handguns on any given day. We may add to that number, depending on if we think our lives are worth more than our job if it ever came down to it.

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    2. My employer doesn't allow it but I know of several people who do. Concealed means just that - hidden. Nobody is supposed to know. We did have a new person, who is an NRA certified instructor. The new person was being sent to the company headquarters for training. I made the comment how the big city office is so different from our little country office. I told the new person, "it's really different there since they have guards and metal detectors you walk through and all kinds of security things." Gave a good heads-up or that person would have lost their job that day.

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    3. That was a good heads up, shame that it's almost criminal to want the ability to defend yourself and others.

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  2. Max, as Harry hates to see discourse on his blog, I thought about it and decided to leave my comment here.

    As a religious person and to show some balance, I actually agree with your comment in this case regarding that individual's snide remarks at a most inappropriate and troubled time. Nothing he said helps any.

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    Replies
    1. Matt- I get where he was coming from, there are a lot of people from a lot of segments of society that I don't like/wish were different. It was the absurdity of the comment that drew me in, had it been a church shooting and someone posted 'snagged on the bibles' it would have been death by a thousand comments (not necessarily on Harry's blog but for sure just about anywhere else).

      It's hard to have discussion on social media (blogs included) because they are mostly post and runs but I actually enjoy trying to learn why people think a certain why, what makes them tick, etc. In the end people can be civil, not change what they think, and hopefully have learned a lot.

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  3. Max, I don't mind discourse, I just get edgy when people start getting getting angry. You and I have had some discussions about differences over the years but we never turned into jerks about it.

    I didn't mind Max saying what he said to Georges, I just know Georges gets his feelings hurt really easy and I knew that wasn't Max's intent, so I tried to keep anyone from getting bent.



    Besides, there was a time, Matt, when if you'd been in the service your fitness report block for tact would have been checked "Not Observed." Ya know dat rite.

    Your more mellow now in your old age.

    Max, you remind me of me, when I was younger. I worked on my place like a dog. We were always making it better, somehow or other. But these days, I struggle to keep it at the same level. It's much harder for me to get out and get the work done, especially in the heat. I have to work outside mostly at evening time and in the early morning.

    Your place is coming along beautifully.

    Matt, if you get mad at me now, I'm going to send a ferret after your old ass and you can't escape them!



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    Replies
    1. I meant to say "Matt, I don't mind discourse." One of you guys is going to have to change your name.

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    2. Harry,

      "You didn't want anyone getting bent"

      And that's why I brought it over here. I should have said "angry" or "snide" discourse. ... I was a little vague. I didn't want to be respondible for saying something over there that would start another long drawn out blogger fight. .... you closed up shop several years ago because of the sniping going on if memory serves.

      So yes I guess I have mellowed some. It doesn't do me well to get myself bent out of shape these days.

      And to be clear I wasn't trying to go after Gorges either so much as let Max know that I agreed with him. I generally like Gorges blog. I just thought his comment was in poor taste one day after the event when the bodies had barely assumed room temperature.

      It's all good, and no, I ain't mad.

      As far as the Matt/Max confusion on your part..... you're the one getting old. Neither me nor Max are having issues with our names. :)

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    3. I'm hopeful that all of the work now will make the work we need to do later, easier. Maintenance work, perhaps even the ability to use a riding mower on most of the property. Many obstacles currently but those can be removed to make it easier. We hope.

      Nice to have you both stop by for a visit and some conversation.

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  4. I do a lot worse than mix up Matt and Max. I spent a long time this morning looking for the tube of ferret paste. Finally gave up and went to get a coke. Found the ferret paste in the icebox. Damn!

    Yeah, I know what you mean, Matt. I haven't forgotten the hideous stinker over those guys with the white three musketeers mask, don't remember what they were called though.

    Mat, thanks for letting us "hang out" at your place.

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    Replies
    1. You did it again. - Max
      Perhaps I should use my real name and make it easy on you.

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  5. I'll be damned. Guess I should start seeing about getting a slot up at the nursing home.. :-(

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  8. Max, Matt and I didn't run you off the air, did we?

    I hope not, I sure like your blog.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. oh no, never! I have a lot I want to post but I'm busy getting a new manager up and running and satellite internet at the cabin isn't good for pictures.

      Delete
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