Right Now!

[Hosstage]

On 9/4/2021 at 12:14 PM, TEWKS said:

Not saying I’m ready for no bike rodeo but, it’s fun to practice. She’s actually 30 years old in January, I lied a little bit. 
 

 

Good to see the old girl out and running! Still looks good. Nice technique, reminds me I should get out and do a few exercises on mine even though I've been on it almost daily this summer. Never hurts to practice skills.

[Red]

21 hours ago, Rougarou said:

 

Ya,.....kudzu is not invasive,.....just non-native or more successful. 

 

We are rural, not even suburb, like acreage rural.  In my pastures, I have milkweed growing that is, after five years, under control. 

 

When she researched butterfly gardens, milkweed was a plant that was advised to put in the ground as a food source (a goal),......but neglected to say how easily it spreads and how hard it is to get rid of.  Anyway, they're in big pots now, so, the stuff that does come up gets a shot of roundup.

 

Roug, I never said non natives were not invasive.  The definition of an "invasive species" is a species that is 1) non native to the ecosystem under consideration and 2) the introduction of which causes or is likely to cause economic harm, environmental harm, or harm to human health.  Most non natives are invasive, kudzu being one of the worst.  You should know that some milkweeds are native to N. America and some are not.  The non natives tend to be more 'invasive' than the natives because they tend to exploit a niche environment that our natives don't use.  Once established, they tend to also out compete our natives because they have one or more attributes that our local veg has not evolved with and has no defense.  Think of small pox in the 1600's.  In Europe is was a nuisance.  When it came to the Americas it killed millions native people who's ecosystem had not experience and no defense.  New human habitat.  No competition.  No defense.

There are native and non native milkweeds.  Even some natives plants (milkweed included) can be what I call obnoxious weeds, but they are usually controllable.  The non native, invasive, noxious weeds are a huge problem.  Here's a bit of info on milkweed.  Milkweed for Monarchs (nwf.org)  Looks like it is pretty much an obnoxious weed.  Or as I like to call them not good or bad, simply a plant out of place.

[Rougarou]

4 hours ago, Red said:

 

Roug, I never said non natives were not invasive.  The definition of an "invasive species" is a species that is 1) non native to the ecosystem under consideration and 2) the introduction of which causes or is likely to cause economic harm, environmental harm, or harm to human health.  Most non natives are invasive, kudzu being one of the worst.  You should know that some milkweeds are native to N. America and some are not.  The non natives tend to be more 'invasive' than the natives because they tend to exploit a niche environment that our natives don't use.  Once established, they tend to also out compete our natives because they have one or more attributes that our local veg has not evolved with and has no defense.  Think of small pox in the 1600's.  In Europe is was a nuisance.  When it came to the Americas it killed millions native people who's ecosystem had not experience and no defense.  New human habitat.  No competition.  No defense.

There are native and non native milkweeds.  Even some natives plants (milkweed included) can be what I call obnoxious weeds, but they are usually controllable.  The non native, invasive, noxious weeds are a huge problem.  Here's a bit of info on milkweed.  Milkweed for Monarchs (nwf.org)  Looks like it is pretty much an obnoxious weed.  Or as I like to call them not good or bad, simply a plant out of place.

 

Its semantics.  "invasive" and "more successful".  What ye deem as "more successful" as a native plant, I'll go ahead and call it invasive due to it's ease at which it propagates itself and spreads. 

[TEWKS]

Both German, both black, good match! 
 

[RandyShields]

6 hours ago, TEWKS said:

Both German, both black, good match! 
 

And a handsome lad in the background.

[TEWKS]

Thanks Randy, yeah I think he topped the new class of recruits in handsome!  

 

[TEWKS]

Very soon, the tinfoil hat can come off! 

We be safe in this place.  

[TEWKS]

I obviously didn’t know where the camera’s centerline was. Next time. 

 

[TEWKS]

Gourmet Truck Food! 

 

Chick-fil-A Mac & Cheese / Nuggets / Buffalo sauce. Don’t knock it till ya…

[Rougarou]

47 minutes ago, TEWKS said:

Gourmet Truck Food! 

 

Chick-fil-A Mac & Cheese / Nuggets / Buffalo sauce. Don’t knock it till ya…

 

You'll be a 48 soon enough,.....shoulda bought the fashionable jacket!!  You coulda been on the red carpet of the Met Gala

[taylor1]

27 minutes ago, Rougarou said:

You'll be a 48 soon enough,.

[TEWKS]

31 minutes ago, taylor1 said:

Hey, don’t laugh too hard, I’m going to look at your new bike tonight! 

[taylor1]

LOL !  I thought Richard got a good one in . Now you got me on the edge of my seat

[TEWKS]

It was a good one, he’s pretty crafty at what he does! 

 

Yeah, hopefully the bike is as good as it looks in the pic. I’ll let you know a little later! 

[TEWKS]

Ok Dave, I looked, I liked, I rode, I want! 

 

 

edit..I will email some more pics and vid.

 

edit 2

@taylor1 did you receive that email info?

[taylor1]

18 hours ago, TEWKS said:

Pat  Just turned on my phone and watched them. Gonna get ahold of Oz today and set everything up . Guess I owe you one of these !

[TEWKS]

I think you’ll be happy with it! 

[Rougarou]

12 minutes ago, taylor1 said:

Pat  Just turned on my phone and watched them. Gonna get ahold of Oz today and set everything up . Guess I owe you one of these !

 

Ya, he really needs that!!

 

[taylor1]

Had to throw that in there. When I see him , he's getting the full blown 1 lb. hamburger

[Rougarou]

Wont be long now, both about to pop open

[Rougarou]

Better than  a shovel and rake but not as good as a top dresser

[TEWKS]

Shitty job but somebody has to do it!  Kidding, that actually looks like fun believe it or not. 

[TEWKS]

Just caught this little guy napping on the front lawn. I tried to put him back in the birdhouse we have but he flew out of my hand.

Any bird experts here?

[taylor1]

Tufted Titmouse ? Just wingin it

[TEWKS]

According to google you weren’t just flapping your gums. Your answer appears to have been a soaring success!  Didn’t know we had titmouse's up here. 

[Rougarou]

I dont think those tits come down south, never seen one before 

 

ive boarded up the purple Martin vacation house for the season, bluebirds have departed too. Canary’s are still infrequent visitors and the hummers have started their migration 

[taylor1]

Wifey really knows our feathered friends You would think that were I live would be relegated to the gulls and pelicans, but we are host to a large variety of different bird species. This one nested in our backyard last year

[TEWKS]

Tough to tell for us casual bird admirers, is that an owl of some sort?

 

Gotta look closely into the bag but I brought Rex a present.  

[taylor1]

Great Horned Owl . Got to see both babies fly the coupe. They were as big as their mother. Looks like a Yorkie peeking through ?

[TEWKS]

Great, every once in a while I’ll hear an owl hoot at night but rarely ever see them. Yup, Cloe’s in the bag, a 13 y/o Yorkie, she for some reason hates that shepherd. 

 

[taylor1]

Thought you might have gotten a new puppy. Guess your fahrvergnugen hasn't rubbed off.

[MikeB60]

Before he came to his senses, my youngest son climbed trees for a living. He was about 90 feet in the air and as he cranked up his chain saw an owl attacked him. Cut him up on his neck and arm,  think he ended up with about 20 stitches. 

[TEWKS]

^ Wow!  

[taylor1]

For a few years after I got out of the C.G. I worked for a sand blaster. We did bridges , water towers , and assorted stacks. Highest I worked was 340 ft. Now I shake when I get on a 32 ft. ladder.

[Hosstage]

We go thru different times of the year when extra owls must move in and hunt the area for a while, trimming out the rabbits, vermin, ducks, and who knows what. Sometimes we can hear at least half a dozen hooting back and forth thru the night for about a month, super cool!

[Rougarou]

When rain is on the way and you need grass seed

[Red]

On 9/19/2021 at 5:04 AM, TEWKS said:

Great, every once in a while I’ll hear an owl hoot at night but rarely ever see them. Yup, Cloe’s in the bag, a 13 y/o Yorkie, she for some reason hates that shepherd. 

 

Great horned owls love small pets.  The owls in my part of the world prey on feral and beloved cats.  They also prey on small dogs.  Had a good friend loose his toy poodle while they were jogging pre dawn.  A slight swoosh and the dog was gone.  Found the owl castings with dog hair in the spring.  Take care my friend.  All small creatures are food for avian predators. 

[TEWKS]

[Rougarou]

No happy-snaps, but I had to replace the ignition module on my John Deere 318.  One of these guys said the job was about two hours.  I started at 1000 and just finished, two hours my ass.  Of course, I had no helper and had to lift the engine out and finagle that thing back in by myself.

 

The issue arose after running for 'bout 10-15 minutes, it'd die.  After trouble shooting, this that and the other, I had to say it was the ignition module, which I  wasn't looking forward to replacing, alas, I just ran it for 'bout 15-20 minutes and she did not die.  No extra parts, but I do seem to be missing a 11/32 wrench

 

Right now, the hood stuff is still off and the belly screen is still off.  At some point in the very near future, I'll soak it down with some degreaser and wash it all off.  This little guy will probably never cut grass again and will be pushed down to yard trailer duty.

 

'twas a fun experience and no tools were thrown during the process.

[roadscholar]

Following up on birds of prey, this Coopers Hawk was swooping around on my road a few hours ago. We have plenty of Owls too and years ago Eagles had a nest in a pine tree next to the road and came back for a few years but this is a pretty regular sight.

 

He’s not easy to see (in the 2nd pic) which is the whole idea.

 

 

 

He dove down picked up something and flew off like a fighter plane.

 

[ESokoloff]

On 9/20/2021 at 2:06 PM, Rougarou said:

When rain is on the way and you need grass seed

And cow poop!!

 

Don't ask

 

[BrianM]

Fall weekend at the camper.

 

Important details:

Glenlivet 12 Illicit Still 

El Rey Del Mundo Robusto Suprema 

 

Drive home tomorrow sunny and 80F. Will take the back roads home,

[Rougarou]

We were never ecstatic about the vinyl siding when we bought the house, so off it comes Starting in the back. The cedar underneath wasn’t taken care of, so it will come off too.  Replacing it with Hardieboard. 

[Rougarou]

Finished this yesterday. Was a slope. Right at the gate is the septic, so a call to the dump pumpers was made to come suck it out and replace the lid with something close to flush with the surface. Once that is done, we’ll finish the gate area. 

[ESokoloff]

38 minutes ago, Rougarou said:

 Replacing it with Hardieboard. 

My buddy helped me cover the T1-11 trim 15-20 years ago & the paint still looks great.  
It’s said that you will get tired of the color & want to repaint long before you need to repaint HardiePlank. 
 

An angle grinder with a diamond wheel is your friend when fitting. 
Also pre-drill the screw holes including taper with carbide drill bit(s) & be careful to not over tighten screws as the boards aren’t forgiving (very brittle compared to other materials). 
Install with a slight gap at the edges (to be filled with caulk) to avoid expansion buckling. 
Always wear a mask when making cuts. 

And don’t cut it twice & wonder why it’s still too short

[TEWKS]

The colors are starting to pop. 
 

[roadscholar]

Picked up the dinosaur from across town (with a Harley going by in the background : )

 

[TEWKS]

This engine originally belonged to the Champion Texas fire department. I only mention it because it’s strange for a municipality to purchase used fire equipment. 

Burning more diesel to save the environment. 

 

edit..

this doesn’t explain the process but it does explain my comment about burning diesel to save the environment. These fire engines equipped with the first generation  “regen” systems require it done more often than a road truck because of the short distances they are constantly driven.  Stop & go in other words.

 

Manual Regen

[Rougarou]

Cool shot

[MikeB60]

Bath day in Cataula.  The old Mercury still looks good!