Power Cellar

I almost finished the retaining wall yesterday. There was only a small section left to complete, but I was spatially (mentally) and physically worn out. I started from both the end of the wall and the sloping section. I stopped where they met. It's like the Golden Spike National Historical Park but not a reproduction:


I was determined to finish the wall today with or without John. He was able to work--his back had healed sufficiently--and we completed the wall!! He said that my work was "awesome," which meant a lot, because he doesn't mince words. Take a look at the section that we finished today:


"That's one small step..." but it fits with the other steps on the western end of the wall. Personally, I like the smooth decline of the eastern end more, but the wall really looks great from about halfway up the driveway. Also, it's unmistakable that a guy owns this lot with the Dually and Kubota flanking a stone wall


To allow you to experience the scale of The Wall, I've uploaded a motion picture (51.3 MB). The Wall is a noticeably landmark! I still have some stones left over from the job. I neatly stacked them between two trees. I'm glad that this job is finished. I like to have a tidy place and having all those stones scattered around was not only dangerous but ugly. See my stack here. (The bucket contains smaller stones. It also has a hole in the bottom to drain water.)

Next, I will continue to backfill, consuming the material that I have on site, and then I'll button up the area for winter. Stay tuned for other small tasks before the snow flies. "Same Bat Channel! Same Bat Time!"

Power Cellar

I've capped about ten feet of the western side of the retaining wall. Most of it is level with the roof of the Power Cellar. (It doesn't look that way because the driveway extension slopes down) Today, I started to slope the wall down. My work is not perfect but no worse than anything that John and I built, so I'm content. The Bose speaker marks the end of our work and the start of my individual addition.

National Barometer

With only a few more business days before Election Day, the propaganda and antics are dramatically increasing. I'm especially ticked off by "our democracy is in jeopardy." The United States of America is a republic. You wouldn't want to live in a democracy. Look up ostracism in Ancient Athens.

The real theme of this presidential election is individualism versus collectivism. There is no denying that Mr. Trump is unique. Whereas, Ms. Harris is a person of color who identifies as female. She could be replaced by pretty much anybody, and the agenda would remain the same. It reminds me of the Borg. Destroy one, and another fills the gap to continue the attack, or in this case, to continue "fundamentally transforming the United States of America".

Fortunately, the federal government has a balance of power. Presidential elections--when not rigged--are a reflection of the mentality of the American people. So is our nation populated by individuals, or is it a collective? That will be the real result of next week's election.

Power Cellar

I've developed a way to protect the battery box vent and bulkhead door from sand & soil on the roof of the Power Cellar. It's really quite simple, and I'm surprised that it took me this long to make it work. Maybe I'm the simple one?

I had Plexiglass cut to size, screwed it to the fascia of the roof, and built stone walls--or, in the case of the battery vent, an U-shaped wall of stones--to hold back the banks of fill. Confused? Maybe a few photos are in order?


To connect the stone walls to the roof, I put down a layer of sand on the roof underneath stones that bridged the wall and roof. Also, I painted the Plex in camo green to eliminate its shine. Since the plastic is brittle, I used strips of spare wood to distribute the point loads from the wood screw heads. See the power of camo, and also my bulkhead stonewalls:


I had long been wondering how I would disguise the corner of the roof between the door and the vent box. (They're the highest points in the right half of this image.) I decided to create a stack of stones to blend the corner of the roof into the corner of that nearby vent. Take a bird's eye view here. From the ground, it hides that corner of the roof and the corner of the vent completely. Yes, that wall doesn't look stable, but what you see will be enclosed by fill. The friction from the sand will be more than enough to keep those precarious stones from shifting.

Water is powerful, and erosion can easily undermine any wall, despite being backfilled. I added smaller, smooth stones along the base of the wall adjacent to the bulkhead door with the hope that they will allow drainage without wash-out. This concept will be buried. What you see (from the ground) is the exposed wall. I'll post an image of a more finalized grade later.

I didn't feel comfortable placing stones on the wooden bulkhead. Sure, it can take the weight. My concern is the collection of moisture underneath the stones. So I left an inch or two gap, which I filled with a similar line of smooth stones to slow erosion. These will be left exposed. Then, I roughly backfilled to create an approximate final slope:


I'm holding fill in reserve until the retaining wall is completed. That's why the slope is a bit ugly. I did a better job around the vent alcove. It'll need some grooming before I apply the soil next year. Try to visualize a four-inch layer of soil on top of what you see. It'll mostly cover the stones, but not entirely. I hope that'll protect the vent from wash-out.

John wasn't able to work on his wall this weekend, so I continued on my own. I completed the eastern end by tapering the width as it dropped. He may have had other plans, but ha!: that's what happens when you're not here! I really like it, even though the photos don't do it justice:


Determined to finish the wall this year, I continued: "Go West, young man". I definitely don't feel young after today's work! This section seemed a relentless string of poorly fitting stones. Though, I didn't give up and managed to place a few feet of top to our stone wall. I marked where I started with an angular, smooth stone. It may not be a lot of progress but I was happy with it. The drop off is in the left of that image. Phew, I'm worn out!

Power Cellar

It's been nearly a month since I posted a shot of John's wall from the driveway. I'll start there, then! I've continued to backfill and groom the (now) shorter slope to the roof of the Cellar. I'll spread about two inches of sand over the roof to drain the top soil. The top soil will help prevent erosion!

As the frequent visitor surmised, the loose stones to the left of the wall are unplaced and will find a spot along the top. John was tired so we made less progress on the top. However, any addition to this monumental task is impressive, even if it is relatively small:


Mom took the time to visit my place this past Sunday. Thanks, Mom! She had been following the construction of the retaining wall and said that she was surprised by its scale. Since I see it regularly, I take our past triumphs for granted. I hope to better present the magnitude of the granite stones in this wall. Two of the largest individuals are shown below:


If you have a question, please do not hesitate to contact me with it. While it sounds clichéd; I believe that there is no such thing as a stupid question, because others are probably wondering the same thing!

Autumn

Autumn has been very pleasant here. The dry weather isn't yielding our famously brilliant foliage; however, it has allowed me to accomplish a lot without being washed out. The Indian Summer almost lulls one into the incorrect idea of not to prepare for winter. But that can wait. Now, it's time to enjoy the harvest and colors!

The new native grapevines grew very well. Several reached the six-foot cordon. One individual even fully spread to its allotted length in both directions along the cordon! Will it "wake up" at this height? We'll know in the spring.

One rue plant died, but the other two grew to a third of their mature height (of three feet) before yellowing. The small berry bush that I planted in place of the huckleberry is thriving. I can see it needing more space next autumn! It produced its characteristic small, wintergreen-flavored, red berries.

The lavender plant flowered, displaying its happiness with the pH conditions of the soil. I felled a few trees to the west of it to provide more afternoon sun. I had seen it "stretching" for more sun. It is located in a bed that had the sun only in the morning. Also, dropping the trees will benefit the butterfly bush that has been flowering only sparsely.

Last autumn, I felled two trees to provide more light to this bed, which also includes a wormwood. The wormwood seems to be happier, as it flowered more profusely and sent out a root for a child! Both plants are still green, so I'll wait to trim them to the ground. This practice seems the best way to ensure both survive the winter.

Why didn't I drop all the trees that I felt were a problem around this bed? That's a good question. I try to make changes to the conditions slowly to give the plants a chance to adapt to them. Plants aren't much different than us. Who wants to go from a comfortably cool house to a boiling car?

Currently, the real beauty is the Japanese maple. The sun shining through its bright red leaves can easily mask the ugly traffic cone behind it (sorry!). This beautiful little tree doesn't seem to grow. Maybe it's developing roots?

The only established plant that expanded a lot this year is the English thyme. I had planted three seedlings--yes, sprouted from seeds--and only one site survived. Well, it's done more than that! A photo can't show how much it has spread but I'll still try:


Work continues on the Power Cellar so don't forget to visit again soon. Thank you for taking the time to visit!

Power Cellar

With the top course mostly placed, John was anxious to begin his favorite part of a stone wall: the top! So we started at the highest point of the wall and added the top and brought the wall squarely up to it. We'll finish the top course and taper it as we see fit as we install the top.

Building a stone wall is kind of a shoot-from-the-hip task. The lay of the land and the available stones can slightly change the intended result. Still, it's a sturdy wall that will surely outlive John and perhaps his baby granddaughter! Think about that for a moment.

Yes, the top is a lot wider than the wall. John remarked that it'll make the wall appear that wide. I added that it must widen at the bottom to carry the weight. So you know the secret of the wall

Keen eyes will notice that I did not continue to backfill to the edge of the top of the wall. That is intentional because I now intend to spread four inches of packed soil along the slopes and over the Cellar. I'll spread seeds next autumn on that soil to create a living barrier to erosion. (Remember those steep side slopes.) So I want the soil and groundcover to be even with the top of wall.


Also, John and I have developed a way to cover everything but the door and the vents. I'll post images of that scheme when I have installed it. Thank you for visiting!

Power Cellar

The fourth course of stones is mostly placed on the retaining wall. The same side (the eastern side) needs this final course. The wall is as high as it will be. It's about five feet high!

We're going to taper the fourth course on the eastern side and finish the entire top of the wall. I added a pack-mix at the base of wall to cover the mud and clean up the appearance. The photos don't show it too well but, trust me, it looks good!


Also, I took a fun shot of the Kubota. See it here. Stay tuned!

Dually

The Dually has been running well. The ignition key is still recognized and the engine runs well. I filled the tank to prepare for winter, and the previous tank's worth of gas returned 11.8 mpg. That's not bad considering that I lost fuel during the fuel tank cleaning and tests. Though, it is a sharp contrast to the Mazda's fuel economy of 42-43 mpg!

Power Cellar

Today, John and I almost completed the next course of stones, that's the third. Yesterday, I felled two dying ash trees that were helping to conceal the project. (Emerald Ash Borers strike again.)

The trees' absence vastly improves the appearance of the site. See what I mean by clicking here. I cut their stumps to the ground and bucked the stems. The evidence of this task is the patterns of wood chips on the driveway in the foreground.

The wall is now able to mostly hide the Kubota! That's not the point of it; however, it does provide a means of scaling it:


The piles of donor stones have greatly diminished. One exists with only about eight stones. Soon, it'll return to being an uninteresting patch of forest floor. The other pile will probably see us through to the end of the wall's construction. It, too, is substantially smaller in size.

I've arranged three other piles of smaller stones ranging from baseball size to basketball size to somewhere between basketball and those pictured in the above link. These sets of smaller stones are used to fill the gaps in the wall. This three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle takes quite a bit of time, but not as much as you would think. We can cheat by breaking off sections of stones to make them fit. That's not something you do with a table jigsaw puzzle. Well, not in polite company

We are making much better progress, because the stones are being placed and positioned at the ideal working height, i.e. between the waist and the shoulders. That way, John can work from the ground without hurting himself. I work on the bank and provide additional grunt. Also, I can quickly stuff small stones underneath the "wall" stones for precise placement.

We're both pleased with the state of the wall. In fact, John said that we may finish it this year. That would be wonderful, as I'd like to focus of energizing the Power Cellar next summer.

Thank you for visiting!

Dually

The mechanic did replace the fuel pressure regulator but he neglected to connect the vacuum control hose. Wow! It's really a wonder that the engine ran as well as it did.

After replacing the regulator--and connecting the vacuum line-- , the engine would start and then would immediately die. Mike traced it to the Passlock security system. It took me hours but I managed to get the engine computer to recognize the ignition key again. Thanks for the research, Mike!

The random misfire seems to be gone, and the engine has that distinctive American V-8 exhaust rumble. Tomorrow, I plan to re-install the fuel tank so I can drive the vehicle again.

Power Cellar

We completed the second course of stones on John's wall. Also, we measured the wall length to be around 65 feet! Below are some shots that sort of show the scale of the structure:

"Orange man bad"

Don't forget to vote for Ms. Harris, because Trump beats baby seals with a stick; eats young children for breakfast; wants to jump up and down on your rights; and will prevent all abortions... even those for men.

Fortunately, Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity will ensure freedom for all. Just don't forget that while all humans are equal, some are more equal than others. See the upcoming version of John [sic] Orwell's Animal Farm on Facebook, ABC, CNN, and all other kind and good media outlets.

I simply had to add some levity to this political race. It's sad that they've convinced the public that this election will define the future of the nation. Sure, I can see life becoming more difficult if Harris is in office.

However, it's going to be difficult no matter who's elected. Our nation produces relatively little and mines/grows even less. Couple that with a couple of decades of low-interest money and a wasteful federal government, inflation and elevated unemployment are here to stay for a while.

What we really need is the federal government to get out of the way of business. Encourage job growth by reducing taxes on businesses. As for the budget shortfall, the solution is to reduce the size of the federal government, because, by its very nature, government produces nothing. Furthermore, the current services benefit only a small proportion of the population. It's time to burn the dead wood out of the government. That's my two cents' worth!

Thank you for visiting!

Dually

I finally managed to get the parts to install the fuel pump. That became quite a saga that I do not want to recall to report here! The pump is back in the cleaned tank, and I started replacing the filtered gas.

I use a coffee filter and a honey jar to remove the rust particles from the fuel, which I removed from the dirty tank. It may sound like overkill but I don't want to do this job again anytime soon!

The next problem is the fuel regulator. Yup, the mechanic said he replaced it. He probably did, but it failed again. So I'll replace it myself next week. I'll learn how to remove the upper intake manifold to get to the regulator. At least, the weather is very agreeable!

Repair of the Stone Wall

I completed the clean-up of the front stone wall. I harvested quite a few stones and used the backhoe to replace the ones that the Kubota couldn't carry away. Rick, who purchased the purple truck--now named "Biff"--, stopped while I was lifting the largest stones onto the wall. He thought that I couldn't replace one particular stone.

See the results by clicking the thumbnails. Any place with bare earth had been covered by fallen stones. And, yes, I did manage to remove that particular stone from the ground. It's atop the stone in the foreground of the left image:


FYI: I will purchase a stump grinder to remove the multitude of ugly rounds. I have so many stumps to grind that it's more cost-effective to buy than to rent. I would never borrow one from anyone whom I like, because the grinder will probably need repair afterwards. My intention would be to grind the multi-foot diameter oak stumps after dispatching the small ones in the "left" photo. A couple of the oak stumps are visible in the "right" image.

I took possession of a cherry red Craftsman self-propelled lawnmower powered by a Briggs & Stratton engine. It's front-wheel-drive, which is "good in the snow", as Peter jokingly told me when I purchased it. The snag came when I asked if I could get a mower in a box so I could fit it my supermini. The answer was "no" but Peter volunteered to drop it off after his shift!

Peter lives north of me, as the crow flies, and frequently walks by my place. When he--very kindly--delivered the lawnmower with his personal truck, I showed him the Power Cellar. Small towns being what they are, I'm sure that there was a lot of curiosity about it. I took him inside and explained that it was for battery storage.

I'm sure that the information has since found its way to the building inspector who may have wondered if I intended to place a house on top of it. I've learned that most people like to find out things in a convoluted manner. Maybe it's sneaky, but I think it's simply a way to allow a semblance of privacy while still being a busybody.

I used the mower and wow! It's smooth, nothing falls off, everything works, and the smaller engine starts easily. The driven front wheels will take some adjustment but I'm not so old and inflexible that I won't learn. I bought a paintbrush to dust it off after every use. Also, I store the lawnmower in the soft garage.

Power Cellar

The water leak is definitely stopped. Yay! The humidity is slowly dropping from condensing. Yes, the level was high enough that plastic bags sitting on shelves would collect "dew". While that can be an important survival technique, it's not desirable inside an enclosed, underground room that houses one's tools and books

John's wall is slowly taking shape. It's long and will be high. We added a bend to connect to an existing boulder and to protect the base of a nearby tree. It has to be longer than forty feet and will be about six feet at its highest point.

As I write these dimensions, I realize that this wall will be quite the masterpiece. We spoke about it today, and there's little doubt that the wall will distract attention from any exposed, albeit camouflaged, feature of the Power Cellar. When I stand alongside the current wall, it's already waist-high at the peak. Take a look:

Site Updates

I've added six films and one TV program to the GRS database. Enjoy!

Dually

The low fuel pressure of the Dually was caused by the fuel pump. When I dropped the tank and removed the pump--that was an unexpectedly experience: thank you GM!--, I found rust had clogged the sock, or strainer. The pressure line from the pump was rust colored. So, a replacement pump is needed. That's nothing.

GM engineers, in their infinite wisdom, eliminated the thread-on fittings to the pump. These are the same idiots who didn't bother to tell the fuel group that Dexcool dissolves the then-current gasket material. Yes, they strike again with an impossibly tight-clearance "fingered" fittings on the fuel pump. Even with the tool, I mangled the fittings.

The local part stores struggled to get Dorman fix-it parts. (Yes, I'm skeptical of Dorman, too, but I had no choice.) After one retail part store failed to order a Dorman part that I found for them and pre-paid, I took matters into my own hands. When the replacement part arrive from Summit Racing, I'll return the other parts for local refunds. I'm very tempted to never set foot in that particular store again. They had done a similiar thing to me in the past before today.

Next week, I should have the parts so I can get the Dually back on the road. I could have done without the run-around and annoyance. That's just the process these days. Incompetence and blaming. I try to see it as a challenge. I may be an optimist or a masochist! It's sad that these two can be confused today...

Power Cellar

At the height of the Dually parts shenanigan, the Power Cellar suddenly started to leak. (After a rainstorm.) Not a big leak but definitely from the roof. My leak tests were incorrect. It only took time for water to find its way inside. Perhaps it had always been wicking inside through the soffets, hence the high humidity?

There was nothing else to do but to remove the sand from the roof and around the wooden roof structure and sill plates. At least, digging up wet sand is pretty easy. Somewhat dirty, yes. But I didn't have to worry about unearthing stones or cutting roots!

I found that the FlexSeal was starting to fail. I believe that the sand shifted due to rain and abraded the coating. Chalk it up to wisdom. At least, the leak didn't develop during the winter when I would have been powerless to correct it!

Fortunately, modern science has developed a solution. Grace Ice & Water Shield is a rubber membrane with an adhesive that sticks to most surfaces. Normally, it is only used in trouble spots on conventional roofs. For instance, the transition between a vertical wall with siding and an angled roof with shingles. No one wants rainwater going into an interior wall!

I rolled two layers of Grace around the entire roof: sill plate to top! It should be good for at least twenty years. I'll check it in fifteen years. Shucks, I'll be 60 years old. And, I'll be damned able to shovel a bit of sand--goddammit! Now, where are my parachute pants, you, you --whatever you are... gen. z. gen. ai!, gen shits!?

I'll give the membrane a few test rains before I spread more sand. Worst case, I will leave the roof uncovered indefinitely. Sure, it's disappointing, but life is a compromise. Here's the completed job.

Miscellaneous

In better news, the purple truck is sold! Rick and I signed the bill of sale on Friday. I drove it to his house. He was very, very pleased with his purchase. That's understandable because despite the humid, pre-storm weather, the engine fired up from cold and idled well. He drove by honking happily today. He had the Holley carb professionally tuned, and the exhaust sounded great!

The Mazda engine is running well, and the supermini continues to serve me well. Oil pressure when hot and cruising is 60 psi. The lowest idling pressure is 20 psi. Job done!

Unfortunately, my winter's rebuild job on the generator isn't quite as good. The power output is about a third of original capacity. Still, I know this fact and can allow for it. I doubt that most people rebuild generators. In fact, I've never heard of anyone doing it ever. I just try to make use of everything that I own until it is no longer useful. This ideal can be taken to an extreme.

Got "Weed" Grass?

I acquired a John Deere lawnmower from my late stepfather. It's quite a machine. It has all the bells and whistles. The trouble with "options" is rust. Adjustable cutter height from the handle--cable snapped off from rust. "Deadman's bar" rusty cable snapped. Front wheel and support vibrated off deck. The vibration is probably my fault. Every spring we have to re-learn where the protruding stones are in our "lawns". My "lawn" is one of the roughest around, and I'm not always paying perfect attention. So, I've hit stones that stopped the engine, and not just once...

So when the re-welded wheel support fell off again, I decided to replace the lawnmower. Well, the decision finally came after my Mickey-Mouse repair to the "Deadman's bar" failed, smoke began to emanate from the oil fill tube, and the vibration around the discarded wheel support distorted the deck enough to force me to stop and bend the sheet metal out of the way of the blade.

After you're done laughing, which I would also do, I'll continue! I haven't taken delivery yet. I have (virtual) eyes on a 'mower at the local Ace Hardware store. Yeah, the store where they know me by sight. I'm hoping to have the Dually repaired soon so I can use it to transport the new lawnmower. Otherwise, it's supermini to the rescue!

Since I'll be purchasing a new--albeit inexpensive--lawnmower, I want to remove the stones that could damage it. Yes, I won't get them all. We can thank frost heaves. (They're like snow fairies but ugly!) Still, I want to remove the currently offensive stones.

I've been cleaning up the stone wall along my frontage. Unearthing stones that have fallen from the wall is not too bad. It is time-consuming but does provide stones for John's wall. In fact, I've removed two large boulders that I had previously pushed aside as too large to handle! Monkey can learn!

While I was using the Kubota to transport, and occasionally push out, stones; a squad car showed up at the end of my driveway. At that moment, the Kubota was on the "tree lawn" with flashing lights. (I use them whenever I am near a road to alert motorists. After all, they pay for the road, and the Kubota is a guest!) When the peace officer saw me notice him, he promptly turned around using my generously paved driveway apron.

I don't mind drivers using the end of my driveway to turn around. Never have. Never will. Especially, I welcome the emergency services. They could be rushing to save the life of someone you love. Who knows, so pull over immediately!

In this case, I believe that the policeman saw the flashing lights on my Kubota and thought that he was on the scene. When, in fact, it was my neighbor to the east who needed attention. Two squad cars spent some time at Maria and Dave's. An ambulance showed up shortly before the policemen left. I hope that my neighbors are OK. And I am very thankful for the police and first responders in my small town!

I returned to cleaning up the wall. The wall is surprisingly intact despite being about a hundred years old. (That's my estimate from old photos and counting rings.) I removed stones that I had added as "jetties" to connect the wall to glacial erratics. They had only become habors for insects and chippies. I did uncover a toad. It took me a while to get lazy "Lola" to vacate!

I mostly completed these simple corrections and removals today. Simple doesn't mean easy. I had to unearth quite a few stones and lever or manhandle them into the bucket. But that is mostly done. Next step is to hitch up the backhoe and lift large fallen stones back onto the wall. Law says that I can't disassemble a stone wall but it says nothing about harvesting fallen stones. Tomorrow will be my day to rebuild the wall after my harvest! If I can't collect the stone, I'll put them back the best that I can.

This activity may seem pointless. In the non-growing months, it really appears that way. But when everything grows, it's another story. Picture a line of large stones and another one parallel with no access by lawnmower. Unless you have cornered the market in string trimmer line, you would want to have lawnmower access. And, I'm not asking for a riding lawnmower access--I'm neither old nor lazy. No, just space for a small, power-propelled 'mower is enough. Yes, my decadent self wants a machine with drive to help cut my hilly "lawn". I hate mowing grass and/or weeds.

MG

Unfortunately, the repair of the MG is on hold for now. It will happen soon unless something else disrupts my plans.

Site Updates

I've added three films to the GRS database.

Also, I added one quote:

...we try, it doesn't work! We try again. We learn. We improve. We fail again... Because this is what being alive is, and it's better than the alternative. So come on, you brilliant humans, we go again and we win.
Doctor Who

Enjoy!

Miscellaneous Work

Welcome to August! I'm finally getting caught up with everything, That means that I can work on long term projects. But I won't get ahead of myself. I have covered all the brush piles that I want to burn, except the large one in the southwestern meadow. I will cover it once I have use of the large tarp covering a woodpile, which is "hiding" the Power Cellar.

I have moved most of my woodpiles to John's loading area. My thinking is that one: he will enjoy the wood before it goes punky & two: I can free the area of havens for mice, insects, and standing water. Disease follows those three. In fact, I am still recovering from a rash on my wrist that I contracted from dismantling a woodpile. It's unusual because my skin has no reaction to poison ivy.

Work on the retaining wall for the Power Cellar is slow but steady:


OK, OK: we've achieved what looks like nothing. I'd like you to say the same after a visit! It's hard work pushing around boulders with humidity sapping our strength! Here's what really changed in the retaining wall. Sure, it may not look like much. And, it really isn't that impressive until one tries to move boulders. Yes, I have a tractor. It can move the stones to a position. The fine-tuning is done by us with a long steel bar, or by brute force.

In other news, the contracts market seems to be slowly picking up. I'd like to get back to work; however, I am very lucky to be in an excellent financial position. Yes, inflation punishes savers and rising taxes beat up anyone who's not crooked. But, I believe in capitalism and feel that the tide is turning.

Dually

It was probably inevitable. The other day, the Dually's engine would start and then immediately die. After three times, I knew that it was not a freak occurrence. (It had done the same thing days before but only once or twice.)

I traced the fault to a clogged fuel filter. Yes, you're thinking that I forgot to change the fuel filter every 30K miles. Umm, no. The filter that I installed clogged after 5K. And, no, I don't go to the cheapest filling station. In fact, I run Techron additive in my vehicles every year, if not twice a year! Replacing the filter produced a fuel pressure still below the GM specification.

I feel that the problem lies in the gas tank. Hopefully, it's crap in the tank that clogged the sock. The mechanic who used to work on my truck--and said that he loved it--mentioned that the tank was dirty. (I no longer employ him, because I got sick of replacing dust caps and cleaning up after him.) Though, he's probably correct. I dropped the tank today with the plan to clean it myself.

The Floridian summer weather (i.e. heavy rain) stopped me around 2 PM before I could remove the fuel pump and extract the tank. Tomorrow's another day. I do hope that it's not a clogged return line. You see, the pump, regulator, and injectors are new. But, cross that bridge if it comes.

Long Term Projects

Once I have the Dually running with full fuel pressure again--oh yes, it runs well enough with low pressure--, I'll repair the MG. I was inside the car capsule readying it for departure and couldn't help to think: what a tiny car. We live in a motoring world where a Mazda 2 is noticeably small. What will happen when I re-release the Midget? Calls to the police about an escaped carnival ride? Will children attempt to pick it up to use as a toy? It will be exciting!

Site Updates

None yet! I'll continue to review films!

Maybe a snub at the environmentalists is in order? Here's a screenshot from The World's End. (They really should try to live like I do before pushing their ideas on everyone else. It's not a trivial life, unlike modern living!)

Vineyard

The grapevines are still growing well. I've fenced in the sunflowers and persimmon, which are both nearby. The deer had been eating the sunflowers, and I know that it will eat the persimmon leaves. Fortunately, the 'vines seem to be deer-resistant:

Power Cellar

The retaining wall is unchanged since last week, because John couldn't take the time on Saturday. This Saturday, too, will be an off day as he deals with a family emergency.

Meanwhile, I've taken the time to continue the western slope of the Power Cellar. (I had decreased the slope at the northeastern corner such that it will only need final touches later.) The west is still very much a work-in-progress. I do say that it's taking shape. I'm including a shot with the Kubota in the foreground for scaling purposes:

Brush Clean-Up

I've removed all the dead branches that can be reached with my electric pole chainsaw. It performed flawlessly. Previously, I burned up my original electric chainsaw doing this job, but this Black and Decker pole 'saw is ready for more! Andy purchased top-notch tools. I cleaned and sharpened it today.

The results are excellent. Visibility is vastly improved and walking around is no longer treacherous for the ankles or eyes/face. I left brush in and near the vernal pool for the toads. Also, I raked off the glacial erractics to punctuate the area. The brush piles have grown dramatically. Stock up on marshmallows if you want to join in this winter's fires.

I've more than 30 piles now. I doubt that I'll be able to burn them all this winter. Though, I am covering the ones that I want gone by the spring. The summer has been normally dry, so they would burn without covering; but I want to be sure.

A section of the Eastern Frontage is part of the vernal pool. This leaves an area of about 3,000 square feet to clean. It has a few standing, dead trees; a lot of brush; and the ubiquitous eye-pokers. Cleaning it would keep me occupied for weeks!

Site Updates

I've added three films to the GRS database. Enjoy!

Vineyard

The grapevines are growing quite well. I've killed a few Japanese beetles; however, it's tolerable. The 'vines are growing far faster than the beetles are consuming the leaves. The three rue individuals are growing very well. I have a feeling that I'll be spreading grub killer next spring and possibly the next until I dare let the rue, garlic, and chives do the job of repelling the Japs!

It seems to me that these native 'vines are more prolific than the Gamay (Burgundy) variety. I make that comment, because look where the Gamays were in early October of their first year. I did get them in the ground later than these natives, since I had to build the vineyard! Still, the second time around most things are easier.

Miscellaneous

Blueberry season is in full swing! I love collecting berries every other day. It saves me purchasing berries for use in my unflavored yogurt. The bushes are doing very well showing no white mildew and only a few "tasted" leaves.

I've stopped collecting firewood. I am, instead, continuing my practice of felling trees, bucking them, and stacking them in front of the panels for John. Furthermore as existing woodpiles fall over, I stack them for him. John jokingly admits to kicking over 'piles in the night I had stacked a lot of wood for him last year, which was a hard winter for trees. My current store isn't quite as large as last year's.

The hops plants are starting to come into their own. A few bines are eight feet long. I hope that they flower so I can remove any male plants. Male plants produce inferior cones. Feminists love it! Of course, hops plants are similar to marijuana, so...

I'm always continuing to stack brush on the lot. Lately, I've pushed east. The lot is clear of brush save the "Eastern Frontage" as I call it, which is distant from everything of mine. This area is located between the street and that stone wall inside my lot. Remember the one that doesn't mark a boundary and from which I collected fallen stones for the retaining wall? Due to Eastern Frontage's remote location, it will be the last area cleared.

Next on the list is to remove the eye-poking twigs and dead branches from the trees. The avid visitor may recall that is step three, and the final step, of why I stack brush. I'll admit to being less fussy picking up the brush in this newly-cleared area. It's fairly distant from my outbuildings and the Power Cellar, so I'm not as fussy.

Power Cellar

I've made some good progress on the Power Cellar. I raised the vent boxes so that they are about level with the roof:


I like how they have "aged" in the sun, sand, and rain! Since the additions are higher, I won't have to worry about sand from the roof spilling inside and stopping up the vent. Yes, I've placed sand on most of the roof! I think two inches will be enough. Since I will not be growing anything on top of the Cellar--I had planned to spread seeds of native grasses and 'flowers that are "septic safe" but gave that up when I could see how much fill would be needed. No, a covering of leaves and native weeds works for me!

The slope of the northeastern corner has become unnatural. Sure it's nothing for my Kubota to scale and park upon to offer me sand. Still, it's just too steep. That's why I ordered another 16 (cubic-)yards of fill. I write about backfill and most individuals have no idea the volume of material that I use. To put it into perspective here are a couple of shots of 16 yards with a couple of bucket-loads removed:


I've already placed 126 yards of material and will definitely need at least two more tri-axle loads. The local aggregate company has finally dismissed any illusion that I'm a one-time buyer. That's northern New England for you!

Fortunately, I know the drivers by sight and Charlie, in particular, seems to like me. He asked if I was "quietly building a house out back". There is a lot of pushback on building inspectors in small NH towns. (Some towns employ inspectors who challenge "Live Free or Die".) I told Charlie that I was covering a storage unit for the batteries for my solar panels, as I have told others in town.

Kubota

Yes, I painted most of the Kubota's wheels. You have good eyes! I had trouble with rust. The black rust blocker is mostly attractive. It breaks up the orange! When I replace the tires, I'll entirely paint the wheels with Rust Barrier. Flat black wheels will look good! Kind of like I'm a cool gangster, even though I am not!

I serviced the Kubota today. 700 hours! That's 200 hours that I've put on the clock! It has done so much work for me that I'm happy to service this marvelous machine!

Vineyard

Here's a shot of the vineyard that I took today. I think a deer is eating the sunflowers, which are in the left foreground. I sprayed them again with my special insect repellant just in case. Fortunately, the deer doesn't like grape leaves! Also, the Japanese beetle population is limited. The grapevines are growing quickly in the heat. Here's the photo from last week.

Power Cellar

I backfilled about 12 yards--that's cubic yards to a layman--and am trying to groom the slope so it looks better. It seems more natural from the end of the driveway. See it here. Here's an earlier photo of the same slope but looking from the buklhead side, towards the driveway. Click here!

I haven't raised the vent boxes yet. However, I have collected more boulders for the wall. The largest specimens measure about 18 inches in each dimension. That's more than 550 lbs! They fell off a farmer's stone wall. The Kubota has no trouble moving them. Wonderful machine!

Vineyard

The grapevines are starting to grow well. We're finally getting some summer weather! Of course, the weeds and native grasses are growing even quicker. I weed around the 'vines so they have the full use of water, when I water them. Grapes love heat, and I want the grapevines to "go deep" in search of water. Once they're established, it's my goal to only water them during droughts. I snapped a photo of the vineyard last week.

Power Cellar

I've disguised the top of the Cellar as I suggested that I would:


It's not bad. It would be pretty good if the area wasn't so large. That's why I'm going to increase the height of the vent boxes. That way, I can bury more of the Cellar and have less to disguise. It'll make more sense when I can post photos of the taller vent boxes.

Meanwhile, John and I have continued to build the retaining wall. After I dropped trees near the leading edge, John and I felt that it would be best to extend it closer to the driveway. (I had marked the trees with pink ribbon, which is visible in a previous photo!) That's the thing about stone walls. It's a fluid thing. We did, also, continue the course eastward and backfilled the wall.

I am now collecting stones that have fallen from a stone wall that's entirely on my lot. (Yeah, imagine that: a stone wall that doesn't define a property line on a 3.5 acre lot!) I don't understand why the farmer or shepherd would arrange a stone wall in a such a manner, but I'm sure that he had a reason. Where's my TARDIS?

Take a look at the current state of John's retaining wall:


It doesn't look like much has changed; however, the first course is always the slowest to build. It defines the shape and anchors the wall to the ground. It's important to take time with it!

Site Updates

I've added five films to the GRS database. This addition brings the database to 3,500 entries!

Also, I added one quote:

Emotions have their uses.
They restrict and curtail the intellect...
They also enhance life! When did you last have the pleasure of smelling a flower, watching a sunset, eating a well-prepared meal?
These things are irrelevent.
For some people, small, beautiful events is what life is all about.
The Doctor debating the Cyber Leader in Doctor Who

Enjoy!

Rue & Sunflowers

I forgot to post a link to a photo of one of the rue plants. Here is one. All three plants are showing new leaves, and nothing has dug at them.

The sunflowers were being eaten by insects so I sprayed them with my natural concoction. It's a solution of cayenne pepper, soap, baking soda, and rubbing alcohol in water. It stopped the attacks allowing the sunflowers to sprout new leaves.

Vineyard & Orchard

The past week was cool so the grapevines didn't grow too much. I did have to tie them again so they are growing. The upcoming week looks to be the beginning of a warm spell, so there should be plenty of growth!

Deer visited the orchard and almost stripped the peach and a plum tree of leaves. The bastard also ate all the small peaches. I've reinstalled the deer netting, halting the destruction.

Some people say humans are destructive, spreading like a virus to consume all natural resources. Their counter assumption is that other species are not destructive. If the deer had its way, all my fruit trees would be stripped of leaves. That would kill the trees in a year or two. Think about that next time Bambi is on TV!

Power Cellar

While I was working on the bulkhead, I heard a lot of motion in the woods. I figured the cacophony was caused by squirrels chasing one another. However, it was so much more noisy that I looked up to see a deer casually walking about five yards away from the open Power Cellar and me.

I had been disguising the Cellar, and it must be working In addition to adding fill around the Cellar, I painted the exposed surfaces. See what I mean below:


I devised a prop rod for the door. It has two positons to allow the door to be fully open or only partially:


Once I determined that the design would work, be secure, and safe; I stained the wood and painted the steel rod. Click here for a closer shot of the rod's track. Then, I insulated the door with two inch rigid-foam, just like the stuff on the roof sheathing. I secured the pieces to the door with plaster washers and screws. I intentionally installed one section with the "writing side" exposed so I could reference the manufacturer's data in the future.

The northeastern corner is buried to the roof. I will place a few inches of sand on the roof and continue to smooth the slope in the northeastern corner. However, this corner is pretty much what most of the Cellar will look like when the project is finished.

Those with good spatial ability will probably wonder how I plan to hide the edge of the roof above the vent covers. Recall that I planned to disguise the vent covers with a collection of stones (marked with blue arrows in that image).

Clearly, I can't bury the vent covers, which would defeat the purpose of having room vents. I'm going to disguise the exposed sections of the roof as pieces of ledge, or exposed bedrock. Hell, I've enough of the stuff on the lot and glacial erractics. Why can't I make it look like a piece of ledge has been exposed, perhaps even dug up, and then left exposed? Granite is our bedrock here, and it's always gray not black. So I painted the roof gray wherever it will be left exposed. I had a can of gray basement waterproofing paint, and it worked swimmingly:


I probably will add some brown and green to break up the gray. The cool thing about painting over black is it sneaks through randomly. That's ideal for camouflage. Another key is to break any sharp lines. Already there are a few lines since the insulation isn't perfectly cut. (The power of beer.) But that will work to our advantage and I'll "ahh-tistically" break up those lines. Yes, I have plans. The northwestern corner will be challenging because of the proximity of the door.

John and I continued work on the retaining wall. It will allow me to maintain the "driveway extension", which provides easy access to the back acres. The first course of the wall is almost completed. We started filling behind it, too. It is a work-in-progress so that's why the small stones are sitting randomly next to the wall:

I've been backfilling and even painted the battery vent so it blends in. You can see it in one of the photos above. I'll post more photos as I achieve more tasks. Thank you for visiting!

Rue

I planted three individuals of rue. This plant is traditionally for medicinal purposes. I'm using it to ward off bad bugs. I located two on either side of the vineyard. The other is in the orchard in the bed previously occupied by whole heads of garlic (planted in early May). Yes, a rodent dug both of them out of the ground. Bastard!

So far all three rue plants are doing well. Once fully grown, these bushes are quite showy but are known to cause photodermatitis. I planted them on "my" side of the stone wall paralleling the street. The stone wall is at least ten feet from the edge of the roadway so I figure any one touching them deserves to have a rash for trespassing. I warned James since he and Joyana are always welcome on my lot.

Vineyard

The native grapevines are growing enough to allow me to train them! When we have days of heat and sun, they grow inches in a day! They're not too tall yet, some may be a foot. It's a start. Take a look here. I'm allowing the native grasses and weeds to cover the gravel and am only removing tall weeds and those around the 'vines. I'll trim the rest with the string trimmer. I only have so much time for weeding.

Power Cellar

John sheathed the bulkhead. More importantly, we built the door! I thought about making the door lift away, as opposed to adding hinges. Once the door was framed and covered in plywood, I realized that I couldn't easily remove it. I could, and did, lift it towards the Cellar roof. John immediately piped up saying something like: "that's how you need to open it."

During the work week, I added hinges to provide the suggested opening action. I like it very much! I used hinges and carriage bolts that I had kicking around. John wanted three hinges but two are more than sufficient. The carriage bolts make tampering more difficult. Since the hinges are very close to the Cellar "soffit", there's even more security. The only 90-degree hasp that my "Beetlejuice" hardware store had in stock is super heavy duty. I like it After caulking the seams, I began to stain the wood. See photos below:



I continued to stain and began applying Leak Stopper to the plywood sides of the bulkhead. John had reminded me that paint wouldn't be enough to repel water if these sheets--even if they are vertical-were buried. Also, I smeared Leak Stopper on all nail heads and any hole on the door. The door hinges were carefully sealed. Then, I nailed down the vent covers. All was done in anticipation of a leak test:


The water-leak test caused me a bit of concern. I thought it would leak everywhere and all my work with Leak Stopper would have been for naught. So, I put the water hose on the Cellar carefully to simulate rainstorm. There were no leaks in the Cellar! I found a couple of small drips through the bulkhead and door, which I sealed with Leak Stopper.

Giddy on happiness, I took down the Big Top. The circus has left town! The weather forecast was rain, potentially with downpours. Sure enough, we had heavy rain. I checked for minor leaks and found two more in the bulkhead. Leak Stopper, my friend, solved them, because the following day's downpour left no evidence inside the Cellar!

Sighing with relief, I insulated the bulkhead. The door will be insulated after I build the prop rod. I've designed one using inspiration from my Kubota. I'll relate that experience later!

As the moist air moved in, I noticed quite a bit of condensation on the northern and eastern walls inside the Cellar. Sure, I have drains but I don't want water inside! I've determined that the effect is like when a glass filled with a cold beverage sweats in a humid room. The only difference is that the Cellar walls are concrete, which means a slower response time. The temperature differential is still there because the inside temperature of the Cellar maintained in the low 60 degrees despite the ambient temperature peaking in the mid 90s.

I purchased a large tub of DampRid. It does a very good job bringing down the relative humidity. But it's really a quick fix. And you know how I feel about them

I resumed my task to backfill the Cellar. (I had no more leaks during the daily rainstorms.) Covering the northeastern area, which sweated the most, seems to have solved the problem, with DampRid's help! I'm cautiously hopeful:


It's not easy to ventilate a cellar without a house on it, especially without electricity from my panels to power a fan to move air through the vents. Of course, the Power Cellar will be my center of electrical energy. It would be cool to find a solution that's natural and easy! Energy efficency is at the core of my way of life.

These projects do provide a lot of need for thought, and entertainment! Who needs to be glued to a screen to see what someone else did? Do something yourself! You may fail, but try again. And then try again. When that fails, try again.

Any regular visitor knows that many of my ventures fail. But, do I give in? No, I'm too stupid for that! Have an idea: do it! What's the worst that can happen? Try something. Maybe you'll stumble onto something Earth-shattering? That's why real scientists keep a log of every experiment. Spoiled experiments led to many discoveries!

Site Updates

I've added four films and one TV program to the GRS database. Enjoy the '80s again!

Purple Truck

I found a buyer for the '67 purple Chevy truck. Rick is a townsfolk. Actually, he was the first person in town to accept me. I remember one of my first Christmases trying to start a brush pile and he stopped to bid me a Merry Christmas!

Rick also purchased the unused plate compactor that I ordered 12 years ago but never used. Yay, it's gone! He should be purchasing the truck when he's rounded up the cash. He told me that he looks forward to taking it with his wife to cruise nights in the nearby "big" town.

Power Cellar

John and I resumed work on the bulkhead. We covered the triangular sides, and I finished applying Leak Stopper. See the work here.

We continued to frame 12-inch-on-center and narrowed the opening so the door wouldn't be overly wide and, thus, heavy. The opening will now fit a 4'x6' door. The 2x4 protrusions will discourage water from entering the Cellar. The door will also have 2x4s to fit around those on the bulkhead.


I gave the vertical sections two coats of paint using spare paint from Mom. These sides will be completely covered by sand so I went a little crazy! The pastel colors look out of place but are cheery! Color doesn't matter in the long run.

The vent boxes are all but complete. I need only screw the covers in place. I will wait to do that job until after I test the Cellar for water leaks. The covers for the vent boxes were cut from some spare plywood and the access doors are re-purposed mouse bait stations from James. I need access to ensure that the vent screens are intact without having to unscrew the covers. The trouble will be keeping small children from thinking they are Porta Pottis until I can disguise them


I'll post more photos when I have them! It's my goal to have the Cellar completely sealed with a door within a week. I want to check for leaks ASAP so I can continue backfilling.

Power Cellar

I made quite a bit of progress on the Power Cellar this past week. I added the snorkel for the battery box vent. Recall that I left out a half block for the vent? Below are two shots of the vent. I have trimmed the foam inside the Cellar for esthetical reasons. I left the foam intact outside, since it should provide the maximum protection against water, and will be covered in sand:


You're probably thinking what is going on? He used expanding foam? How did he keep it from blowing all over the inside of the Cellar? Why didn't he use mortar mix to enclose that vent?

OK, so I was concerned about the time required to seal around the vents with mortar. No doubt it would have taken several sessions of running the mixer. I got enough experience with mortar last year. I didn't want to slap some mortar up, clean everything, wait, and repeat the prcoess several times. That's why I tried expanding foam, and it worked very well!

But, you may ask how do you plan to stop rodents from clawing through the foam? Did you think of that? I did. Rodents are never far from my thoughts. I hate most of the bastards! (Chipmunks are alright, because they are not destructive and are quite inquisitive.)

I packed the holes around the vents with steel wool before I sprayed the expanding foam. I could place the wool halfway inside the half-block hole so that the foam could gain purchase on both sides of the Cellar wall. The wool stopped foam from blasting all over the inside and presents a future barrier for rodents.

Oh, and I used the same technique for the room vents. Take a look:


The room vents were assembled using three 90-degree bends. The end is covered in aluminum window screen to guard against rodents. Here are a few shots of the two vents:


But--umm--won't the vents be covered by fill, since you plan to bury the Cellar? That would be a good question I re-purposed the wood for the cellar footings. They'll live on as walls for the vent boxes. They'll keep out the sand and fill. Of course, I had to paint them to stall rot. I used some great exterior paint leftover from a job on Mom's house. Thanks, Mom! I secured the boxes to the Cellar with steel brackets. I caulked any gap large enough for packed sand to pass:


I tacked up some leftover Sill Seal where I could bang my head entering the Cellar. It may not be a pillow but it does a good job without further reducing the headspace. See what I mean here.

Water leakage has long been a worry of mine for the Power Cellar. The top is now protected by the skating rink. (I apologize for not posting that image before today!) But what about the wooden sides of the roof system? The asphalt goop worked well on the concrete blocks but seemed to be lackluster on wood and the roof foam.

Today, I found some awesome stuff at the local hardware store. (Yes, it's like the one at beginning of Beetlejuice. They know me by name and ask what I'm trying to do today. I know many of their names also. Small town!) The name of the product is Leak Stopper. It's not the easiest stuff to work, but it is thick and seals so well! It's FlexSeal Liquid for permanent structures.

I used two gallons to seal most of the caulked joints and, more importantly, the sides of the foam on the roof that is not coated by the "rink". It's excellent stuff! You can easily see where I stopped applying this product:


I need to pick up another gallon to finish uncoated potential leaks. Also, I hope to use the stuff around the seams of the wooden bulkhead. It's really worth the $23 per gallon! Just be ready to apply it with a trowel and to wear gloves!

Site Updates

I've added three films to the GRS database. Enjoy!

Dually

I finally changed the automatic transmission fluid in the Dually. I had helped Mike change the ATF in his Jeep and his Corolla. But I dragged my feet to do the job myself. I'm pleased to report that the change was not as messy as I expected. The fluid was a little brown but there were no metal filings on the magnet. Also, after the job there are no leaks.

I've caught up with the Dually's maintenance and repairs. I had previously painted the rest of the brakes, leaf springs, pitted inner wheel arches, and the driveshafts. Oh, and I replaced a stretched inner door handle.

Plants

Everything is growing or blooming on my lot. The native blackberry bush is rapidly filling the space that I allotted for it. I had divided the wildflower section into two parts. The left section is now for the 'berry bush and the right section remains the domain of the wildflowers.

The hyssop bush--like this other one that died--that I had uprooted last year looking for root rot is showing leaves. It should survive. (I had started the now-deceased one from seed. I purchased the current example from a nursery.)

The Lady Slippers continue to persist. They seem to be slowly expanding, but another individual hasn't appeared this year. I am avoiding removing trees around them to maintain the conditions. Recall that they are fussy.

The native grapes are growing. I doubt that they will be large enough to train this year. That's OK with me. I'd rather see them develop roots. They're still quite small, so no photos!

I had been afraid that one of the two spots where I had planted Wild Yam rhizomes had died. It is still hanging on; however, the other site is prospering!

The two Mayapples are still kicking. I was hoping that they would spread to form a colony. Since they grow on the forest floor, it's tough to provide sufficient light without scorching them.

Forests can change dramatically and suddenly. People don't realize the impact of a single oak or mature hemlock until they see the effect of its death. There's a dramatic hole in the canopy and usually a lot of damage from the collapse. The area around the Mayapples is covered by old oaks and hemlocks. Time will tell how these unusual and small plants perform. It's exciting if always a work in progress! Root for them!

While writing about trees, the two trees that I dropped in the autumn are helping the wormwood and butterfly bush. Especially the wormwood: it is not "leggy" and looks like a proper bush. Got absinthe?

Power Cellar

Today, John and I began framing the bulkhead. I look forward to having a door, because I caught a mouse on a sticky trap the other day inside the Cellar. I can't complain because it is the first one. We also spoke about my design for the vents. He liked my design. I'll post photos when I have one, or both, installed! Until then, here are some shots of the bulkhead framing:

Camper

I applied Flex Seal to the damaged area of the camper's roof. That stuff is really excellent! I had been planning to roll the entire roof but I decided against it. I found that these coatings will peel since I don't scrub the surface. So I thought, "Screw it. I'll just touch-up what I need to do."

At the same time, I replaced the broken vent in the bathroom. The opening crank failed, and I just managed to close the vent last autumn. Replacing it wasn't too bad. I learned a lot about how they are installed. Knowledge is power!

I left off the exterior vent cover to allow the Flex Seal to dry. And wouldn't you know it: we had a five-minute downpour that afternoon? Sigh, so much for "0% chance of rain". It's a good thing that I'm not prone to depression. I just swore like a nun

Fortunately, the downpour didn't affect that wonderful sealant. It had already skinned over and "beaded off" the water! I love that stuff! So, as of right now, all is wonderful in the camper. It's a perfectly comfortable 84 degrees. I began to enjoy the open-air life last week. And, boy, do I enjoy it.

Fresh Air

I used to question the value of fresh air. I even kept my car's vent on recirculate. Not anymore. Pollen, pollution, humidity are all tolerated now! I drive with the windows down unless I have to put them up. The same goes for the camper. Fresh air not only keeps things dry but seems to provide a connection to plant life.

People speak about the benefits of "forest bathing". But walking through the woods is only part of it. With all the negativity and pollution in today's world, we need more than "bathing".

I wonder if more health problems could be addressed by more time in nature. I mean real time. "Forest bathing" doesn't cut it if one goes back to an apartment in the city. Of course, it's better than nothing!

What we need to do is reconnect with nature. Yes, that yucky, dirty place. I'd take yucky over antiseptic any day. Parents used to let their children play in the dirt. Exposure to germs strengthened the immune system. There's no reason why we should abandon that wonderful idea as adults, or discourage our children from playing outside. (Pedophiles can be--and should be--shot dead. So, no problem with them!)

Mom

I spent last night at Mom's and helped her with landscaping work. Her lawn is looking so good! She cut almost all of both lawns, which is very impressive for a woman in her swinging 60s! I redefine the phrase because, if it were not for an arthritic hip, she'd be swinging around her place.

She had a major improvement made to her house, and it looks truly awesome! I mean, so good that even stoic New Englanders push aside their normal behavior and speak a compliment. High praise, indeed!

Life

So many people put off what they want to do with the idea that it'll be always available or attainable later in life. I have long felt that this theory is flawed. That's why I have lived my life and done what I want. My ideas have changed, as do anyone who is living life and not just watching it pass. But I have memories. That's life.

Gaultheria procumbens

I thought that I'd get the Latin name out there from the beginning! I purchased an individual of American Wintergreen for the small bed vacated by the huckleberry. (Flooding killed it.) This new shrub is a native, so it should be OK. The berries taste of wintergreen. Recember accidentally swallowing your Wrigley's chewing gum? ("Double the trouble") Well, consuming one of these berries is similar except without the gum problem! I really hope that this bush prospers.

Power Cellar

Work continues around and inside the Power Cellar. I've enjoyed sorting my hardware and hanging jars. I haven't named all the jars. But I love James May's organization! I'm really just happy to have segregated the fasteners so I can find them more easily.

The reactions have been different. John, a native, told me that he liked them. James, a relocated Torontonian, named my scheme "very New England". I took the comment of this mild-mannered individual as a complement.

The jars may not be perfectly spaced and they are not the same size. Maybe that's why James called it "make do and do what you must" and John simply liked it? Take a look here. What do you think?

Outside the Power Cellar, I asked John to begin his retaining wall. Because of the proximity of the Cellar to the driveway extension, he suggested building a retaining wall. He gladly started construction after we planned our future jobs to complete Power Cellar.

John is no stranger to retaining walls. He transformed the back yard of his former residence from a sheer slope to a useable terraced landscape with stone walls. It's difficult to understand until one has a piece of land that needs terracing. I am very lucky because my lot has no natural dropoffs.

The driveway extension will be in no danger with this wall! Take a look at the start. It's pretty easy to see the curvature that will shield the extension and look natural, if you click here. The arch will ensure that the wall will stand for a very long time!

I had extra Flex Seal, and I didn't want it to go bad so I covered the top of the Power Cellar. Now that it's cured, it presents a very formidable barrier to water. Before it, the top was covered in rigid foam.

Now that it's covered rubberized in foam: it makes a big difference. Of course, I rejoice in the small things! They are what makes life worth living, and enjoying. Now I have a skating rink! I'm kidding, of course, but I woe the water droplet that wants to corrode Elvis's collection below Same Bat-channel, same Bat-time.

Site Updates

I've added one film & one TV program to the GRS database.

Enjoy!

Painted Trillium

A longtime and frequent visitor determined the type of flower, which is growing in the northwest corner of my lot. It's a Painted Trillium (Trillium undulatum). Here's a link to the U.S. Forest Service's webpage. Thanks, Bonnie!

Roof Leak

The camper roof leak is gone! Now, I need a couple of dry days with warm nights in a row. Maybe in June! It has been a cool, wet spring. Maybe the summer will be hot and dry? It would be excellent to leave the windows open all the time!

Orchard

The fruit trees are growing again. I really should upload a new photo of the orchard, as they have filled out a bit. They do like to grow tall, so John's been toppping them to encourage them to grow outwards. Recall that they are all grafted onto dwarfing or semi-dwarfing rootstocks? But a dwarf base can allow a tree to grow to 7-9 feet. I want to keep them low so I can easily pick the fruit.

Also, I've planted new bulbs of garlic in four spots. I had planted a few cloves in these spots. But my frugality met with failure. Some rodent dug up those individual cloves. Try and dig up an entire grocery-store bulb, you furry bastards! I don't know why I was being stingy, because food-grade garlic is still quite inexpensive. I guess it's just a habit

These Alliums seem to repel Japanese beetles in my area. I have a garlic and chives bed in the middle of the orchard and the nearby fruit trees were unaffected by the beetles. (As I have reported these large insects will strip some trees and bushes of leaves in a matter of weeks, which will obviously stunt and then kill the tree or bush.)

A cherry tree that's farthest away from these "fragrant" herbs was visited by the accursed beetles last year. Fortunately, the damage wasn't severe. Also, the leaves of my blueberries showed some damage in late season. Neither were devastated; however, I am always trying to find longterm natural solutions to invasive problems. (Currently, I spread grub killer. It kills all grubs including beneficial insects, so it should be only temporary.)

It's easy for me to write about what and where I've placed these insect-repelling plants. But, unless you visit my place, it's difficult to visualize the entire scene. So, I've made another one of my classy diagrams from a photograph. Take a look here!

The circle demarcates the new garlic bed between two fruit trees. I planted two full-size bulbs there. Alvin, do your worst! The two arrows locate the two other bulbs that I planted in the existing chives/garlic bed. They should reinforce the-err--smell of the area!

What, you may ask, is the blue rectangle? That would be a good question. Enclosed inside that shape is my single peach tree. I selected a sheltered spot, since I read that peaches are vulnerable to cold chills. That tree is nestled against the native woods and on the highest ground in the orchard, which should allow cold chills to roll by. Unfortunately, the spot is also not well "sunned" so I planned to remove more trees to provide it with more sunlight.

That assumption may be incorrect. The peach tree seems to be very happy. I counted at least seven flowers forming on it! John suggested that I leave them on the tree. I may have some small peaches this year! (I know that Maria, my immediate neighbor to the east, has two peach trees in her front yard.) I circled the flower buds in this photo. Here's a a detailed view of the flowers. I'll report more fruitful action as it occurs!

Grapevines

The grapevines are still mostly dormant. That is, no leaves have unfurled yet. Hell, I don't blame them. It's been in the 40s overnight! I have high hopes for all 24 vines. However, any that fail can be replaced; since, I've converted to the Concord variety.

Power Cellar

I continued to add the better-packing fill around the Cellar. It does keep the sand in place, against the walls. I need to wait for the next step before doing a lot more backfilling. What is that next step? Be sure to visit again! Until then, you can see that I continued to built working "platforms" around the Cellar: I've been saving glass jars. Mom also gave me a bunch, also. Thanks, Mom! Once the labels are removed, the jars make ideal storage containers for hardware like screws, nuts, washers, clips, etc. I've been wanting to organize my spare hardware for at least a decade. Yeah, I'm that cool! Seriously, it's a lot easier to find that one screw of a certain length when they're separated into jars.

Now, I'm always tight on mouse-free space. So, why you ask, am I collecting a bunch of small, glass jars? Ha, I thought of quite a clever idea to get the jars out of the way. To give credit where it's due, my grandfather gave me the idea. I'll screw the jar lids to the plywood roof between the rafters! As long as the jars don't extend below the rafters, I'll never hit my head on the glass! Thank you, Grandpa. Elvis has left the Cellar!

Cool Flower

Last spring I noticed an unsual flowering plant along my daily commute. (Yes, an individual grows along the six-hundred-foot walk from my camper to the business section of my lot.) Last year something trampled it before I could snap a photo. This year, I got a shot of the plant, which is ever larger, before a deer or coyote crushed it to the ground.

I'm used to walking through my forest. I see things that most would not notice. But I don't concentrate on groundcover. Usually, I'm looking upwards to locate dead trees or suspended branches. This curious flower caught my attention last year and so I made it a point to watch for it this year. Take a look:

Site Updates

I've added three films to the GRS database.

Also, I added one quote:

In the end, winning is the only safety.
Avon in Blake's 7

Enjoy!

Back Home

The camper's roof leak persisted through the winter. I was fortunate that it only leaked in one spot. A five-gallon bucket was usually enough to contain the leaked water. Many times I would find ice in it. I mean a bucket of solid ice! Hmm, how do I melt the ice so I can pour out the icy water & ice block so I can start over? Place the bucket in the Mazda for a few minutes, of course! (The new engine is running very well.)

I continued looking for a good solution for the roof leak in the early spring. I tried the BlackJack brand rubber roof sealant, which I still had on hand. It continued to fail, like it did in the late autumn. My current solution seems to have worked. (I will, of course, seal the roof again with Flex Seal. That product --is-- worth the expense.)

What is my latest band-aid solution? Gorilla Tape the cuts in the original roof membrane and use Flex Tape to enclose everything. Any gaps in the Tape were sealed with 30-minute rain-ready caulking.

Fingers crossed; this fix will work until it is warm enough to apply Flex Seal to the entire roof. Before I roll all the roof, I'll replace the bathroom vent, as the plastic mechanism will no longer open and close the vent. Ah, the pleasures of camping in a nearly 30-year-old travel trailer!

Challenges aside, I've moved back to my summer quarters. I enjoy staying with Mom and enjoyed her company and the conveniences of "house" life; however, it's always great to be back home. Or nearly: I'm staying at Donna's where I can graciously use her hook-ups.

Lot Work

I put the "big top" back up a couple of weeks ago. It's been holding up against the rain and wind, so I did it right with only a little help from James! It has been useful, because I can paint things underneath without worry of exposure to water. I painted new handles for the snow shovels. This past season, my second shovel finally succombed to wear and exposure.

I've finished the bulk of the clean-up from the winter. I had a number of trees snapped in half or downed by the final, heavy snowstorm. The brush piles are getting large and numerous! I was only able to burn four brush piles this past winter. The others were too wet to ignite. I even put a MAP gas torch on a couple of them, but to no avail. We had the wettest summer in at least ten years, in 2023.

New Grapevines!

I removed my Gamay grapevines. Recall that they would never grow from last year's wood? It's a strange thing for grapevines to do. I replaced them with native twigs--I mean 'vines--from a NH organization. They were so tiny it looked like I planted twigs. I asked my neighbor's six-year-old daughter not to accidentally step on them. She enjoys walking along my stone walls and running around. My lot's southern exposure makes a warm change from her parents' shaded lot.

She heeded my request, because all of the "twigs" are upright and have leaf buds on them. I truly expected at least half of them to fail and, not due to a youngster's trampling. Amazing! I'll post photos when they look less like twigs in the ground

Power Cellar

Yesterday, I opened the vent holes for the Power Cellar. One hole will be used to vent any hydrogen from the battery box and the other pair will cross-ventilate the room itself.

The Cellar fared well over the winter. There was a little water leakage through the open bulkhead. However, it's not a problem since I have floor drains! Next winter the bulkhead will be sealed, so it'll be a moot point.

I continued backfilling the Cellar. I received more fill that packs better. Incidently, it's the same cost per (cubic) yard as sand. But 4-inch-minus bank-run packs a little better. (Recall that I am using screened sand against the Cellar walls to ensure there's no hydrostatic pressure.) The bank run will create the slope around the Cellar to meet the undisturbed terrain. In the below photos, the new bank run shows up against last year's sand:
I started to compact the fill with the Kubota, and it is less "runny" than the sand. The cleared vent holes are obvious. Work will continue! Please, keep visiting!

FORTRAN

My program successfully and repeatedly saves and restores files. As an exercise, It encrypts and recovers the save files. Of course the information in a saved game file doesn't matter; but, it was an exercise for me. I enjoyed it. The encryption is not RSA-compliant. After reading about RSA: I'm OK with my choice! Future programming will be reserved to bad weather days.

Site Updates

I've added five films & one TV program to the GRS database.

There are two new photos in the collection:

Enjoy!

Week Trip

I spent a week with relatives. Despite the fact that it snowed every day, it was a fun time! We visited several memorials, a dinosaur, and an art gallery. I still don't understand modern art. How can something drawn with a "crayon on paper" be considered art? Isn't that what a child does at the Red Lobster? Another exhibit displayed lava lamps and alarm clocks. Really? The museum did redeem itself with masterpieces by van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, and Degas.

The memorial for the Seabees was impressive. It showed where these men built or improved airports, roads, etc. for the soldiers. A massive Caterpillar tractor is the main exhibit but I wanted to see the stainless steel Seabee. It even wields a detailed Thompson submachine gun! The memorial to the conflict in Vietnam is just as prominent. The centerpiece is the attack helicopter. Both memorials name the men who served. Also, we visited a touching memorial for children who died young of diseases like cancer.

Site Updates

I've added five films, a TV program, and a TV movie to the GRS database. Enjoy!

FORTRAN

I've made a lot of progress on my computer program. While I couldn't code for a living, it makes a good pastime that keeps the mind active. Currently, I'm adding the capability to save and restore games. As users, we take this aspect for granted. There's a bit more to it than we think. Also, as an exercise, I'm encrypting the saved data. I should have a decent program by the time spring rolls in.

Spring!

Like many, I've already planned tasks for spring. Soon, we'll be able to put them into practice! And since the job market is slow, I have plenty of time to accomplish them! One must look at "lost" wages in the correct light. I know other contractors who wait by the phone and worry. I've learned to plan for being "between jobs". We're paid very well so it's not difficult if one has some self control.

In addition to finishing the Power Cellar, I plan to list and hopefully sell the purple truck. I like it but I have a one-ton Dually so I really don't need it. I'd rather use my time to get the MG back on the road. It has been safely stored in a CarCapsule for years now. I don't mind too much because it only costs me a small fan every few years. The fan runs continuously on a battery charged by my solar arrays. Still, it's not good to have any vehicle sit. So, "Barney" truck, when the good weather returns you're going to be listed!

Winter

This winter was really easy. I only had to plow twice or three times! The total snowfall was less than a foot, which is nothing for my area. I credit the overly wet spring, summer, and autumn. It's great that a lousy summer means an easy winter!

Site Updates

I've added seven films to the GRS database.

Three new photos join the others:


Also, I added two quotes:

...feelings aren't positive and negative. They simply exist. It's what we do with those feelings that becomes good or bad.
Counselor Troi in Star Trek: The Next Generation

Nothing in life that's worthwhile is easy. It is the struggle and the fight that makes us who we are.
Mac in The Changed

Enjoy!

A Winter Hobby

I contemplated rebuilding a worn-out chainsaw. (The first one that I bought circa 2012 failed to start last year. I have since replaced it with the same make & model.) A replacement cylinder/piston kit is available. But I'm a bit tired of getting oily. I can do that job next winter!

Instead, I turned my attention to a clean, indoor hobby. I had wanted to learn the programming language C for some time. After fussing with character variables,--C requires special handling when character variables are read from the user--I translated my program into FORTRAN.

I had been told that C is lower level than FORTRAN; however, I had never believed it. So the programmer has to do something special to read-in character variables and not real or integer variables. No, thank you! I may be a nerd but I'm not a glutton for punishment

I learned FORTRAN as a youngster and used it again in university so I'm not necessarily learning something new. Though, the program is developing well and holds my attention. It deals with very large numbers so I have learned about variable precision in FORTRAN.

Since it's written in this antique language, compilers are freely available and work well. I've been using the GNU compiler, which runs on Linux OSes and in Windows. Curiously it takes twice as long to compile in Windows. I noticed because Linux compiles my program instantly. GFortran in Windows pauses like a person taking a deep breath before reciting a tongue-twister.

I briefly thought about learning a language derived from C. But they all seem to be object-oriented. I work enough with that concept when developing this site. JavaScript and Perl use that stuff. I just don't like the idea that the length of a variable is--for instance--VARIABLE.length. In my mind, something needs to be done to determine the length of the variable, like calling a subroutine or a function: call return_length (VARIABLE, length)

This method of thinking must be why I am a trained mechanical engineer and not a computer programmer. (No, I can't call them software engineers.) For example, engineers measure an item to learn its dimensions. Something must be done to determine these dimensions. Of course, one may argue that dimensions are just a property of the item. I'll just ignore the abstraction and enjoy FORTRAN!

Site Updates

I've added six films to the GRS database. Enjoy!

Generator Rebuild

I finished rebuilding the generator. And it runs and energizes a load

I have built an automobile engine so I was interested to see how similar small engines are. I was surprised by the size of the piston. Previously, I disassembled a string trimmer. It's piston-conrod sub-assembly are tiny in comparison! The generator's conrod has no bearings, unlike a car engine. Aside from the oil slinger on the "bearing cap", the sub-assembly looks one from a car.

See the replacement piston & connecting rod here. Here's the original piston in the cylinder so you can scale it. I like the pushrods. I replaced the cylinder head as well so I wouldn't have any problems with leaking valves. I've ground and lapped valve seats. It's not trivial. The original cylinder head looks as one would expect. See it here.

I took a photo just after I cracked the crankcase. The two loose parts in the crankcase cover are part of the governor, which pokes into the top of the crankcase and runs on a nylon gear. The black sensor in the "sump" is the low-oil-pressure switch.

The camshaft is geared to the crankshaft. It reminds me of the cam gears on the Stovebolt Six in my '67 Chevy pick-up. The generator camshaft has a spring-loaded mechanism that keeps the exhaust valve slightly open until the engine is spinning at a certain speed. The idea is that it acts like a compression release to reduce the effort to start the generator (Thanks, Mike, for the research!)

The tapered shaft that forms the connection between the gasoline engine and the electrical alternator was a pain to separate. With no luck and fearing that I would damage the housing, I searched the Internet for a solution.

A clever individual recommended filling the bolt hole with water, loosely threading in the screw, and freezing the entire unit. They were joking about their wives complaining about a greasy engine in her freezer. I lucked out because I have a large freezer at my disposal, free of charge. Yes, I filled the hole with water and put it outside overnight. It worked perfectly!

Here's a shot of the generator fully assembled. As I reported, it runs and does what is should do! Of course, I kept the original parts for future use. I have another generator just like this one.

Site Updates

I've added four films to the GRS database. Enjoy!

Write In?

So the main candidate for the Democratic Party didn't campaign and didn't even bother to pay the fee to have his name listed on the ballot. I'm stunned. These politicians try to shove their dirty work down our throats and then when it comes to an election we are arrogantly ignored.

Of course, Mr. Biden is not responsible. He needs to retire. But, his staff should be ashamed. Want to vote for someone on the ballot? Why not vote for the guy who wears a boot on his head? Or the guy named President something-or-other? What has happened to the Democratic Party? The Kennedy Brothers would be stunned by the strangeness and haughtiness of these candidates.

I wonder if there is no campaign for Biden because they know that he couldn't live through another term. And they know that Ms. Harris isn't a strong enough candidate to win using her own name. Does it sound underhanded? Think about it objectively. Career politicians don't do anything without a personal plan.

Generator Rebuild

I'm nearing the end of the rebuilding project. It was fun to see the internal workings. I'll post photos when I'm done.

Site Updates

I've added seven films and one TV program to the GRS database.

Four new photos are on the page:

Enjoy!