This was a first

[bag of hammers]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

 

[Knots]

-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]

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]

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]

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. Heat 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.

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]

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

 

[Knots]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

They call me the Tree Whisperer

 

[bag of hammers]

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, at 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.

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

 

[bag of hammers]

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

 

[Ashful]

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]

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]

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]

...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.