# This was a first



## begreen (Feb 23, 2015)

First time I have ever mowed the lawn in February. This has to be the earliest I have ever mowed. It needed it. The grass was 8" tall in areas.


----------



## jatoxico (Feb 23, 2015)

You almost make that sound bad, almost. Haven't seen green around here in a long time.


----------



## velvetfoot (Feb 23, 2015)

ummm, it's -2 here


----------



## begreen (Feb 23, 2015)

It was a beautiful day and I didn't mind mowing. Still, it's still February! Normally I wouldn't be mowing until at least 3 weeks from now. At this rate by mid-March it will be needing a cut every 5 days or so. That's when it gets bad, especially if the grass is wet.


----------



## valuman (Feb 23, 2015)

That sucks. One of the many things I love about living in the climate we have here is, by the time fall arrives I'm worn out with mowing the lawn and don't have to do it any more. Then, by the time spring arrives, I'm worn out with moving snow and I can look forward to mowing grass again. We've got a month of winter left and I'm not tired of the snow yet so I guess all's well.


----------



## vinny11950 (Feb 23, 2015)

Damn!


----------



## firefighterjake (Feb 23, 2015)

We have grass here too in Maine . . . it's just buried under several feet of snow.

Incidentally, a whole bunch of snow and ice came off my back roof yesterday thanks to a warm up . . . before I had a gradual incline from my woodshed to the back porch as the stairs were buried. Now I have stairs cut into the snow going down to my porch . . . and the snow is now at the same level (actually a little above) our above ground swimming pool. Epic amounts of snow this year . . . and the crazy thing is . . . we were most definitely not receiving the brunt of the snow this year.


----------



## Pellet_Pete (Feb 23, 2015)

I just resurfaced my backyard ice rink, which overall is kinda like the winter version of a lawn - lots of back & forth motions.  So cold I made 2 passes 5 minutes apart with straight hot water.


----------



## begreen (Feb 23, 2015)

As a kid I probably would have liked all the snow, but no longer. A dusting once or twice a year is enough for me. If I want more I'll head to the mountains to see it.


----------



## Dix (Feb 23, 2015)

begreen said:


> First time I have ever mowed the lawn in February. This has to be the earliest I have ever mowed. It needed it. The grass was 8" tall in areas.



At this point, they might never find what is left of your body, from my point of view at the current moment


----------



## BrotherBart (Feb 23, 2015)

Doing The Dixie Eyed Hustle said:


> At this point, they might never find what is left of your body, from my point of view at the current moment



I hear ya. That is worse than bragging about your damned Blaze King or Woodstock Hybrid.


----------



## begreen (Feb 23, 2015)

We are on the flip side of a very confused jet stream now. FWIW I didn't hear a lot of sympathy 3-4 yrs ago when we were still burning in May.


----------



## Dix (Feb 23, 2015)

begreen said:


> We are on the flip side of a very confused jet stream.



We do not care.


----------



## begreen (Feb 23, 2015)

I paid my dues growing up in NY and experiencing -15F in CT. As much as I love the Berkshires I would not go back to spend another winter back east.


----------



## firefighterjake (Feb 24, 2015)

I still like ya BeGreen . . . and as much as it would probably pain some folks to admit it . . . we like seeing the pics of the flowers and greenery during this time of year . . . gives us hope that in our little corner of the world sometime in August or so we may see some crocuses and daffodils.


----------



## Chimney Smoke (Feb 24, 2015)

-25 here this morning and the backyard is covered under 4-5 feet of snow.  I have bird feeders 5 feet off the ground and I have to shovel them out so they aren't under the snow.


----------



## Swedishchef (Feb 24, 2015)

BG: why do you even heat with wood? You must cook yourself out with a T6! I think if you lived in Quebec you'd die of temperature shock.

I am moving too...in my head.

Andrew


----------



## firefighterjake (Feb 24, 2015)

Swedishchef said:


> BG: why do you even heat with wood? You must cook yourself out with a T6! I think if you lived in Quebec you'd die of temperature shock.
> 
> I am moving too...in my head.
> 
> Andrew




I sometimes go on vacations in my head . . . mostly to various islands in the Caribbean . . . it's really nice . . . and then I come back to reality and it's a bit cooler . . . and snowier.


----------



## Jags (Feb 24, 2015)

Mowing lawn?  Does not compute.


----------



## Grisu (Feb 24, 2015)

The only stuff I mow is white.


----------



## Bobbin (Feb 24, 2015)

I can't even feature that, Begreen.  I'm still harvesting dog -hit from the limited paths available to the resident canid.  I make sure to give it at least 4 hrs. to freeze dry.    Beats hitting it with a lawn mower, though!


----------



## begreen (Feb 24, 2015)

Swedishchef said:


> BG: why do you even heat with wood? You must cook yourself out with a T6! I think if you lived in Quebec you'd die of temperature shock.


Cuz I like FIRE! We are having clear days and cool nights right now. It's 38F and there's a full-load fire going this morning. I just let it die down without a refill until evening. We do get winters, just not much of one this year. I think this will be the lowest wood consumption for us since 1997/98 when we had a large el Nino event. The T6 is ideal for this kind of heating. It has never overheated the house. I like how it slowly releases it's heat for a long time, even after the fire has died down. The stove was still at about 150F yesterday evening when I started up a small evening fire.


----------



## johneh (Feb 24, 2015)

Bobbin said:


> I can't even feature that, Begreen.  I'm still harvesting dog -hit from the limited paths available to the resident canid.  I make sure to give it at least 4 hrs. to freeze dry.    Beats hitting it with a lawn mower, though!


Watch out where the Huskies go don't go eaten that yellow snow


----------



## Bobbin (Feb 24, 2015)

Zappa... lol.  I'm surprised I remember those misspent years.


----------



## Adios Pantalones (Feb 24, 2015)

My wife is in Miami on business and sent a pic- she's drinking ice coffee in a tank top, outdoors.

Meanwhile- it was -10F when I got in my car this morning- so cold, I almost had to put on pants.


----------



## Osage (Feb 24, 2015)

BG
 Funny you bring up having to mow. Just spoke with my son two nights ago who lives in Bellingham, he told me the same thing, that he was going to have to mow.


----------



## Warm_in_NH (Feb 24, 2015)

I planted about 80 bulbs in the fall. I'll post the pics in August if they don't rot in the ground before the snow melts.


----------



## begreen (Feb 24, 2015)

http://www.pri.org/stories/2015-02-23/how-warming-arctic-might-be-behind-bostons-deep-freeze


----------



## TX-L (Feb 25, 2015)

When this month ends, we will have had 20 days in Feb with a below 0 reading, there have already been 16 days below zero as of yesterday, with four more days forecast through Sunday to be below zero for a low temperature. 

The municipal water lines are freezing/breaking in random spots in the city of Watertown; the city manager stated the frost is 5 feet deep right now.

I rode 155 glorious snowmobile miles yesterday, +4 with wind at our 10 AM departure, but it was sunny and great!  Went to the Hideaway, and GASP:  the fire was not going in the bar dining room!!  WTF?  And it was a little cool in there, too, only in the 60's.  But I did have Poutine for lunch, so that balanced out the lack of fire! 

Oh, and I don't really like mowing the lawn very much at all.


----------



## begreen (Feb 25, 2015)

TX-L said:


> When this month ends, we will have had 20 days in Feb with a below 0 reading, there have already been 16 days below zero as of yesterday, with four more days forecast through Sunday to be below zero for a low temperature.
> 
> The municipal water lines are freezing/breaking in random spots in the city of Watertown; the city manager stated the frost is 5 feet deep right now.
> 
> ...


You should move to Alaska... to warm up.


----------



## firefighterjake (Feb 25, 2015)

begreen said:


> You should move to Alaska... to warm up.



No kidding . . . I've been looking at pics up there from the Iron Dog Race . . . all I can say is that it looks like they would have been better off racing ATVs and jet skis on the terrain there right now than snowmobiles. Lots of dirt, snirt and water . . .


----------



## jatoxico (Feb 25, 2015)

firefighterjake said:


> No kidding . . . I've been looking at pics up there from the Iron Dog Race . . . all I can say is that it looks like they would have been better off racing ATVs and jet skis on the terrain there right now than snowmobiles. Lots of dirt, *snirt *and water . . .


Learned a new term .


----------



## firefighterjake (Feb 25, 2015)

jatoxico said:


> Learned a new term .



Snirt = a combination of snow and dirt, typically seen when riding the snowmobile in March when the spring thaw has started


----------



## BrotherBart (Feb 25, 2015)

Here we have snice. Four inches of snow, covered with eight inches of snow packed down to four inches of snice by all night sleet.


----------



## jatoxico (Feb 25, 2015)

A few years ago we had an 8" or so snowfall followed by a short but steady rain. Overnight temps plummeted, real cold. Next few days I drove my 98 Pathfinder around my back yard and never broke through.


----------



## blacktail (Feb 26, 2015)

I mowed on Monday. A week before that I got the garden ready. I know it'll freeze again if I plant anything, so I'm holding back on that.


----------



## TX-L (Feb 26, 2015)

firefighterjake said:


> Snirt = a combination of snow and dirt, typically seen when riding the snowmobile in March when the spring thaw has started


 
The "Snirt Run" is the biggest fundraising event of the year for the local snowmobile club.  It's an ATV poker run in April -- most recent years have been almost all snow.

Grand prize each year is a Can-Am ATV!


----------



## johneh (Feb 26, 2015)

Adios Pantalones said:


> Meanwhile- it was -10F when I got in my car this morning- so cold, I almost had to put on pants.


To much information


----------



## Warm_in_NH (Feb 26, 2015)

Pic stolen from local news. People want their spring flowers!


----------



## Dix (Feb 28, 2015)

I'd settle for not "Slip Sliding Away" in my mud ruckers walking the Murph, at this point.


----------



## Knots (Mar 1, 2015)

Posted in the break room at my office:


----------



## hossthehermit (Mar 1, 2015)

Doing The Dixie Eyed Hustle said:


> We do not care.



We are not amused ..............


----------



## begreen (Mar 1, 2015)




----------



## BobUrban (Mar 1, 2015)

BG -  We had a winter like that in 2010 I believe.  strangest darn thing - really almost no winter tall and I started mowing in February and never stopped until the following fall.  Warm winters do wonders for the 3+yr plan. 

Of course they are offset by a winter like we had last year with 60 days in a row with below zero low temps and record snowfall - kind of reeks havoc on the 3yr plan.


----------



## jatoxico (Mar 1, 2015)

Well its snowing here...again.


----------



## begreen (Mar 1, 2015)

BobUrban said:


> BG -  We had a winter like that in 2010 I believe.  strangest darn thing - really almost no winter tall and I started mowing in February and never stopped until the following fall.  Warm winters do wonders for the 3+yr plan.
> 
> Of course they are offset by a winter like we had last year with 60 days in a row with below zero low temps and record snowfall - kind of reeks havoc on the 3yr plan.


Oh yeah, I am enjoying this one with full knowledge that the tide can turn on us. It was only awhile back that I spent 24 hrs in SeaTac airport due to 3 back to back snowstorms. In the meantime I just planted broccoli outdoors and will be transplanting cucumber and tomato starts in the greenhouse. I am ready for spring. I hope things warm up very soon back east too. Time for winter to move on.


----------



## rwilly (Mar 1, 2015)

Ha!
I mowed my lawn today too. I keep the fire going on weekends, if it gets too hot I just open the front door for awhile.
I like to burn. It still gets cool at night.

The paper said this might be how winters are going to be in this region from here on out. I could get used to that.


----------



## Ashful (Mar 1, 2015)

Right now, I'm trying to plan my morning, so I can get to work at a reasonable time.  I'll be up and out at 6am, moving the 6 inches of white stuff we got this afternoon / evening, and the half inch of ice we're expected to receive overnight.  Another two weeks, and I'll be itching to get mulch and fertilizer down, but alas... the lawn is going to be too soggy for tractors this spring!



BrotherBart said:


> Here we have snice. Four inches of snow, covered with eight inches of snow packed down to four inches of snice by all night sleet.


Yeah... what he said.


----------



## Ashful (Mar 3, 2015)

Our next few days... more of Bart's "snice".  I feel bad for Boston.


----------



## begreen (Mar 3, 2015)

The sun is getting stronger and warmer. It won't be long now. Planted some broccoli and parsley outside. Plum trees are in full bloom. Lilacs have big fat buds, early daffodils are starting to fade.


----------



## jatoxico (Mar 3, 2015)

begreen said:


> The sun is getting stronger and warmer. It won't be long now. Planted some broccoli and parsley outside. Plum trees are in full bloom. Lilacs have big fat buds, early daffodils are starting to fade.



Saturday I climbed on screen porch roof to shovel the snow off to lessen the load and try to help the ice dam problem. Had 7-8 more inches of snow Sunday night into Monday. Spent most of yesterday taking wheel barrow loads of snow off my back deck since there's no room to put any more snow. Loaded it onto the driveway then blasted into the back yard with the snowthrower. Calling for snow this afternoon, turning to sleet then back to snow. Should have it cleaned up in time for Thursday's predicted snow fall.

I also cleared the path back to the wood shed again and a little bit of grass started to show. A Canadian goose showed up and started to feed (not kidding). Tough times to be a goose.


----------



## begreen (Mar 3, 2015)

Hang in there. This should all be over by the end of the month.


----------



## Jags (Mar 3, 2015)

Chipped 3/8" of ice off my windshield and drove 40 MPH for my work commute this morning.


----------



## Warm_in_NH (Mar 3, 2015)

Did the spring seed order this weekend. Hard to believe that we'll have trays of starters in the window while there's still 36" of snow pack out there. 

I'm going to need a ladder to pull my maple taps back out after the thaw. They're chest high right now but that's with snow shoes on top of the snow.


----------



## Warm_in_NH (Mar 3, 2015)

Just spent 20 min on the phone with a very nice lady (potential customer) who just moved here from FL in the fall. She and her husband bought a 50 year old home.

It was comical to hear her description of how the snow just kept piling up on the roof, then the water just kept pouring in the cabinets, the basement has water in it, the driveway is a sheet of ice, etc...

She really can't fathom why anyone chooses to live here. Actually felt bad for her, it's a rough introduction to a new england winter.


----------



## jatoxico (Mar 3, 2015)

Guess we take for granted some of the things we do to cope with ice/snow and mitigate damage. Doesn't always work but for the uninitiated this must be rough winter to be on the learning curve.


----------



## Ashful (Mar 3, 2015)

Warm_in_NH said:


> Just spent 20 min on the phone with a very nice lady (potential customer) who just moved here from FL in the fall. She and her husband bought a 50 year old home.
> 
> It was comical to hear her description of how the snow just kept piling up on the roof, then the water just kept pouring in the cabinets, the basement has water in it, the driveway is a sheet of ice, etc...
> 
> She really can't fathom why anyone chooses to live here. Actually felt bad for her, it's a rough introduction to a new england winter.



This one has been written many times, and I had previously seen it credited to Vermont, not Connecticut.  In any case, it's a fun read:



> *Winter Diary*
> *August 12:* Moved to our new home in Connecticut. It is so beautiful here. The mountains are so majestic. Can hardly wait to see snow covering them.
> 
> *October 14:* Connecticut is the most beautiful place on earth. The leaves are turned all the colors and shades of red and orange. Went for a ride through the beautiful mountains and saw some deer. They are so graceful. Certainly they are the most wonderful animal on earth. This must be paradise. I love it here.
> ...


----------



## Chimney Smoke (Mar 3, 2015)

begreen said:


> The sun is getting stronger and warmer. It won't be long now. Planted some broccoli and parsley outside. Plum trees are in full bloom. Lilacs have big fat buds, early daffodils are starting to fade.



My lilacs are under a 7 foot snowdrift right now


----------



## jatoxico (Mar 3, 2015)

My goose is still here but the snow is quickly covering up his little patch of paradise. Sucky day goose.


----------



## bag of hammers (Mar 4, 2015)

Forecast here is for -24c tonight don't even wanna know hat the windchill is outside right now.  I broke the starter switch on the snowblower last night - almost had a heart attack trying to pull start the old beast.   Hard wired the starter motor and got it going - but fubar'd something else and now starter is pooched.   Pulled something shoveling the end of the driveway this morning from the plow - was throwing the snow 10' up over the bank.  I've always liked the change of seasons but seems like the only change lately was going from winter 2014 into winter 2015.  Begreen it's nice to know there are gardens and lawns somewhere right now 'cause it sure ain't happening here for a while.  You guys out east - wow - I feel for 'ya...


----------



## begreen (Mar 4, 2015)

This winter has been hard on man and machines. Not too kind to animals either. Hang in there, the thaw is coming.


----------



## Ashful (Mar 5, 2015)

I don't mind it one bit, and actually enjoy a few good snow storms each year.  I can go have fun with some snow removal equipment.  I sure do feel sorry for the homeless, this year, of which we have many in Philly.

The most frustrating part for us is all the school closings.  There were two this week alone, and that's been pretty typical of this winter.  They play the game of opening late and/or closing early, so that they can still "count" the day by state rules (and bill us... private school).  It's very difficult to manage all the late drop offs and early pick ups, in a dual-career family, but others are dealing with much worse.


----------



## Bobbin (Mar 5, 2015)

We share ownership of 2 snowblowers with BIL next door.  A couple of weeks ago the newer (more powerful of the 2) gave up the ghost in spectacular fashion.  Grinding and some smoking... Tecumsah motor is kaput... cracked block.  We're hoping "old faithful" keeps on chugging until the thaw.  We'll be shopping this spring/summer.  And I'll tag along... it's clear to me that my 'til now refusal to deal with snowblowers has to end.  And whatever we purchase has to be "girl friendly"!


----------



## begreen (Mar 5, 2015)

Meanwhile in Hawaii...
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/28265707/snow-falls-on-mauna-kea-as-winter-storm-warning-issued


----------



## Ashful (Mar 5, 2015)

Bobbin said:


> And whatever we purchase has to be "girl friendly"!


You could paint it pink...

Actually, what kind of square footage are you dealing with?  I'm a big fan of tractor-mounted snow-blowers, and even the little 42" unit I had on my 12 hp Cub Cadet 123 (50 year old tractor) was way more capable than any walk-behind.

I've since gone a "little" bigger, with my tractor-mounted blowers.


----------



## Bobbin (Mar 5, 2015)

I don't really know, frankly.  But it's a lot.  We have a circular driveway (large enough for the oil truck to navigate comfortably; based on architectural standards c. 1970) and a large area in front of the barn.  I've mentioned a tractor mounted snow blower before but have been repeatedly shot down.  It's still under negotiation, but when price is factored in along with the likelihood of a repeat of this epic winter I'm not sure it's the best option.  As I said, still under consideration and I simply "dunno". 

The driveway has also been designed to accommodate plowing, with several points along the circle designated to "store" snow and no plantings to impede a plow.  But plows are tough on lawns and oftentimes they're really not the best option.


----------



## begreen (Mar 5, 2015)

Bobbin said:


> We share ownership of 2 snowblowers with BIL next door.  A couple of weeks ago the newer (more powerful of the 2) gave up the ghost in spectacular fashion.  Grinding and some smoking... Tecumsah motor is kaput... cracked block.  We're hoping "old faithful" keeps on chugging until the thaw.  We'll be shopping this spring/summer.  And I'll tag along... it's clear to me that my 'til now refusal to deal with snowblowers has to end.  And whatever we purchase has to be "girl friendly"!


What would it cost to just replace the motor or is the whole unit not that well made and worn out?


----------



## Bobbin (Mar 5, 2015)

I'm not sure what a motor replacement would cost.  My brother (metalsmith/gear head) has the unit now and is fiddling with it.  But we'll be "shopping".  I'm not at all confident about picture posting but I'll give it a whirl.


----------



## begreen (Mar 5, 2015)

Looks pretty from afar in my warm office. Just the way I like it.


----------



## Bobbin (Mar 5, 2015)

OK, what did I do wrong to have the 2 shots diagonally opposed?  I really want to get this stuff right, but don't know how. 

And it _was _really pretty.  I always like that part of winter!  And, to be honest, it's not usually this severe.  We often have what can only be described as "brown" winters.  We're in the zone for the dreaded "changeover" and while inland they get 6" of snow we'll get rain/freezing rain (the pits).


----------



## velvetfoot (Mar 5, 2015)

Bobbin said:


> We share ownership of 2 snowblowers with BIL next door.  A couple of weeks ago the newer (more powerful of the 2) gave up the ghost in spectacular fashion.  Grinding and some smoking... Tecumsah motor is kaput... cracked block.  We're hoping "old faithful" keeps on chugging until the thaw.  We'll be shopping this spring/summer.  And I'll tag along... it's clear to me that my 'til now refusal to deal with snowblowers has to end.  And whatever we purchase has to be "girl friendly"!


I got a new 24" Ariens to replace the old 24" Ariens that ran fine but was just old.  It is also somewhat 'girl friendly' (for my wife, just in case), since it has a differential that's supposed to make it easier to turn;  maybe it does, a little anyway.  I don't think the Briggs engine is as strong as the old Tecumseh engine-it doesn't seem that way.  And, it positively crawls along in reverse, and doesn't go as fast in forward-safety 'features', I assume.  I think all the heated handles do is melt the snow on your gloves, thus soaking the gloves and making your hands cold.  The chute turning/angle of throw controls on the handlebar are very helpful-I wonder how long they'll hold up though.  This model with the differential is weighted more to the front, which I like, generally, for getting up the snow, but it might not help with maneuverability.

Not to turn this into a snowblower thread, but newer is not necessarily nicer.


----------



## begreen (Mar 5, 2015)

Bobbin said:


> OK, what did I do wrong to have the 2 shots diagonally opposed?  I really want to get this stuff right, but don't know how.


Hit return once or twice before inserting pictures so that they are on a new line. I did this for you on the last post.


----------



## begreen (Mar 5, 2015)

Looks like the ski resorts are tossing in the towel. Normally there would be at least a month more of spring skiing.
http://www.kptv.com/story/28266866/skibowl-to-open-summer-attractions-by-spring-break

Mt. Baker is still open, barely. This is quite amazing. Typically there would be a 130" to 230" base at this time of year.


----------



## Ashful (Mar 5, 2015)

Bobbin said:


> I'm not sure what a motor replacement would cost.  My brother (metalsmith/gear head) has the unit now and is fiddling with it.  But we'll be "shopping".  I'm not at all confident about picture posting but I'll give it a whirl.
> 
> View attachment 155251
> View attachment 155252


Looks like a nice setting!  I envy your view of nothing but trees.


----------



## Bobbin (Mar 5, 2015)

You likely wouldn't envy the endless deafening thunder of "loud pipes" that cruise by with impunity when the weather is warm (it's their god-given right, after all).  I can hardly wait for the first warm day, however many days from now... NOT.  And you prolly wouldn't care much for the necessary "KP duty" to clean up the empties and litter chucked out the windows as the oglers stream by.  My personal favorites are the "disposable" diapers;  I guess "disposable" means you simply chuck it out the window of your car for someone else to clean up...  Whatever has a front has a back... and the back is usually marked by an -sshole.  It's not all you see in the attached shots, my friend!


----------



## bag of hammers (Mar 5, 2015)

Joful said:


> I've since gone a "little" bigger, with my tractor-mounted blowers.
> 
> View attachment 155248


Wow nice toys.  Wish I could swing something like that.


----------



## Dune (Mar 5, 2015)

begreen said:


> First time I have ever mowed the lawn in February. This has to be the earliest I have ever mowed. It needed it. The grass was 8" tall in areas.


Your a funny guy. It snowed 2 days ago, we got 12 more inches today, there is another storm heading in...


----------



## bag of hammers (Mar 5, 2015)

begreen said:


> This winter has been hard on man and machines. Not too kind to animals either. Hang in there, the thaw is coming.


Expecting -24 overnight and we woke up this morning to -30.  Poor pup got a 5 minute power walk, barely stopped to do her business.  But - forecast for next week looks much milder.  As long as we have a warm place to come home to, guess I should stop whining.  Many are not so fortunate.


----------



## Dune (Mar 5, 2015)

begreen said:


> The sun is getting stronger and warmer. It won't be long now. Planted some broccoli and parsley outside. Plum trees are in full bloom. Lilacs have big fat buds, early daffodils are starting to fade.


Breaking out a weed burner tomorrow to try to melt a path to the road.


----------



## Ashful (Mar 5, 2015)

Just got in from moving a fresh 8 inches of heavy white stuff.  Power went out while I was finishing the driveway.  Stayed out the whole time I was finishing the walks.  Wife asked if I was going to set up the generator (large portable Honda with suicide cord), and that went something like this:

1.  Find a flashlight.
2.  Pull release on garage door, and drag out generator.  Garage is currently full of crap that should be in my barn (barn reno project underway), so this meant climbing over all kinds of fun stuff.
3.  Walk around to far end of house, thru basement entrance, find breaker panel and kill main breaker.  Yell up to wife to turn off as much crap as she could (the house was lit up like the Philly airport when the power went off).
4.  Walk back around house to genny in driveway, and string up suicide cord.  Kill back-feed breaker.
5.  Try to start generator on old gas.  No go.
6.  Walk up to barn to fetch gas can.  Lock is frozen shut with solid ice.
7.  Walk back to house to fetch lighter.
8.  Walk back to barn, melt frozen lock with lighter, fetch 5 gallon gas can.
9.  Walk back to house with gas, fill generator.
10.  Go digging in dark garage for screwdriver and empty yogurt container.
11.  Drain old fuel out of carb and lines.
12.  Fire up generator.
13.  Go into garage, engage back-feed breaker and watch house momentarily light up like Philly airport.  Hear generator die.
14.  Walk back around to far end of house, enter basement, yell up to wife about not turning anything off.  Turn off all major appliance breakers, and half of lighting circuits.
15.  Walk back around house to generator, fire up.
16.  Engage back-feed breaker, and house comes to life.
17.  Walk back around house to basement.  Engage all critical breakers.
18.  Walk back around house to generator to clean up gas can, screwdriver, etc.
19.  Turn around to head inside and see neighbor's lights coming on.  Power was just restored.


----------



## begreen (Mar 6, 2015)

My day was much calmer. Planted peas today. Hang in there. Spring is coming.


----------



## Knots (Mar 6, 2015)

-10 this morning.  If you believe the forecast, that may have been the last below zero night here.  Looks like a week of slow melting, which is what I'm hoping for.  A big rain now would be a mess...


----------



## Knots (Mar 6, 2015)

Dune said:


> Breaking out a weed burner tomorrow to try to melt a path to the road.


I remember last March, when it was cold the whole month, seeing my neighbor snow blowing his snow off his lawn and _ONTO_ his driveway so it would melt faster.  His yard is meticulously cared for and he couldn't wait any longer!


----------



## Chimney Smoke (Mar 6, 2015)

Knots said:


> I remember last March, when it was cold the whole month, seeing my neighbor snow blowing his snow off his lawn and _ONTO_ his driveway so it would melt faster.  His yard is meticulously cared for and he couldn't wait any longer!



I'm not that meticulous but last spring I was raking the snow on my lawn so it would melt faster.


----------



## Warm_in_NH (Mar 6, 2015)

Joful said:


> Just got in from moving a fresh 8 inches of heavy white stuff.  Power went out while I was finishing the driveway.  Stayed out the whole time I was finishing the walks.  Wife asked if I was going to set up the generator (large portable Honda with suicide cord), and that went something like this:
> 
> 1.  Find a flashlight.
> 2.  Pull release on garage door, and drag out generator.  Garage is currently full of crap that should be in my barn (barn reno project underway), so this meant climbing over all kinds of fun stuff.
> ...




And I'm sure your neighbors thank you for all you did to get the power restored.  Would've been out for days if you didn't do all of that.


----------



## velvetfoot (Mar 6, 2015)

At least the temporary power request wasn't "Bachelor" related.


----------



## Knots (Mar 6, 2015)

Chimney Smoke said:


> I'm not that meticulous but last spring I was raking the snow on my lawn so it would melt faster.


I really shouldn't talk.  I was out in waist-deep snow yesterday knocking the snow off the tops of my wood piles so that when it melts it won't get the wood wet. 

Farmer drove by on her tractor and gave a long look followed by a half-a-wave.


----------



## velvetfoot (Mar 6, 2015)

My wood guy said he'd be delivering a log load this weekend or next week.  That's a sign of spring, for sure.


----------



## Swedishchef (Mar 6, 2015)

I am hoping the snow melts soon..I don't have ANY (YIKES) wood for next winter..gotta get my new load and bake it in the sun and wind for 5 months!!

Andrew


----------



## jatoxico (Mar 6, 2015)

Swedishchef said:


> I am hoping the snow melts soon..I don't have ANY (YIKES) wood for next winter..gotta get my new load and bake it in the sun and wind for 5 months!!
> 
> Andrew


The Chef on the 5 month plan!


----------



## firefighterjake (Mar 6, 2015)

Chimney Smoke said:


> I'm not that meticulous but last spring I was raking the snow on my lawn so it would melt faster.



Sounds like my wife . . . toward the end of spring she starts attacking the last big pile of snow in front of the house and chucking the snow all over the place to make it melt faster. For me . . . it's always a bit sad to see the last of the snow go away.


----------



## Swedishchef (Mar 6, 2015)

jatoxico said:


> The Chef on the 5 month plan!


  I know! I wasn't planning on being here next winter. So time to get some white birch and yellow birch. I should be able to get the MC down to 24-25% before putting it away. I bring in 2 weeks worth at a time in the basement, with the fan on, I normally get the wood down to 22% or so. 

Andrew


----------



## jatoxico (Mar 6, 2015)

I figured you had access to some of the faster seasoning species. Believe me I wish that was an option. Taken me awhile to get on a three year rotation. I can usually pick up a little bit of pine and maybe cedar but not much. Other than that it's all slow seasoning hardwoods for the most part. Good stuff when dry but no amount of pleading or coercion makes any difference, they will not be rushed.


----------



## Swedishchef (Mar 6, 2015)

They call me the Tree Whisperer


----------



## bag of hammers (Mar 6, 2015)

Joful said:


> Just got in from moving a fresh 8 inches of heavy white stuff.  Power went out while I was finishing the driveway.  Stayed out the whole time I was finishing the walks.  Wife asked if I was going to set up the generator (large portable Honda with suicide cord), and that went something like this:
> 
> 1.  Find a flashlight.
> 2.  Pull release on garage door, and drag out generator.  Garage is currently full of crap that should be in my barn (barn reno project underway), so this meant climbing over all kinds of fun stuff.
> ...


I hope step #20 involved copious amounts of La Trappe or similar.


----------



## bag of hammers (Mar 6, 2015)

This morning -27c.  Tonight -4c.  What a wild jump in temps.  There is hope....


----------



## Ashful (Mar 6, 2015)

bag of hammers said:


> I hope step #20 involved copious amounts of La Trappe or similar.


Was too close to bed time to crack open a fresh one, by the time it was all done, but there was a pre-game:  Old Rasputen.  I do like Imperial Stouts, but have to admit Old Rasputen is not one of my favorites

Steps 20 - 30 were a repeat of half the preceding steps, in reverse order.


----------



## bag of hammers (Mar 6, 2015)

I wrestled with generator early this winter, on a test run (had my son out with me, high winds, prime time for trees down on lines etc.).  I drained, refilled, new plug, finally had to hit it with carb cleaner to get it fired up.  Some nasty crap blew out when it turned over, like my shed was on fire. Then purred like a kitten.  My bad for letting it go stale for so long.  Now I run it for 10 or 15 minutes every other weekend, fuel conditioner and a drop of fuel line antifreeze in the tank, and use the fuel valve ( no kill switch) to shut it down.  I'll drain it again once the snow is gone, when I fire up the other summer implements of destruction.  The generator carb is not very forgiving, that's for sure.


----------



## begreen (Mar 6, 2015)

I switched to a propane fired genset a year ago. Gasoline is a pita to maintain over time. Propane doesn't go stale or gunk up carburetors.


----------



## Ashful (Mar 6, 2015)

bag of hammers said:


> ...a drop of fuel line antifreeze in the tank...


You know you live in a place too cold for man, when you have to put antifreeze in your gasoline.


----------



## begreen (Mar 6, 2015)

Exactly. At that point the antifreeze should be going directly into the man.


----------



## Ashful (Mar 7, 2015)

Next he's going to give us that, "I enjoy having four seasons up here," BS.  When one of your seasons is "frozen gasoline," and summer is three days long, I'm not sure it really counts as four seasons.


----------



## jatoxico (Mar 7, 2015)

Stale or evaporated fuel in the carb sucks. My two snowblowers and the generator have electric start which I wasn't using because they start pretty easy. I always run them out of fuel or shut the fuel valve till they run dry, then I would use the prime and pull start a couple times. I also use Stabil in the fuel.

Recently I started using the starters to turn the motor over to more easily and thoroughly get as much fuel out of the carb as possible. Once it stops running, choke on, full throttle and hit the primer while turning over with the starter. The idea is to get the carb dry and burn up anything left. Should be even better.


----------

