Running Bear's May 2022 Coffee Shop

[troyphoto]

Well, howdy there internet peeps

It's troy again

Saw the kid... her boyfriend was under the weather enough they skipped the new marvel movie they had tickets for... so a fairly short visit.

got to see another set of friends when we were down in Indy. A nice weekend visit, but it and the last few days wiped the spousal unit and me out. She napped both directions on the 2.5-hour drive. I went to bed an hour early, and slept in an hour past my normal wake time.

Of course, the Mai Tais I made us after the trip probably contributed to my early bed time.

Since today is the hallmark holiday of Mama's day, I present Mama Bird

I didn't try to sex the bird, so it might be papa bird, but we'll pretend it's really Mama bird if that's the case.

Doing steak on the grill later today. Since the charcoal will be fired up, I'll probably smoke a batch of Italian sausages so I can make my sausage and peppers pasta dish later this week.

 

[santafewillie]

Good Morning All. Happy Mother's Day. Mostly cloudy and an uncomfortably warm 75° for this time of year. High today is expected to be 97°, after 83° yesterday. Yes, 97° today!!! That's 36° C to you Commonwealth folks. Back into the lower 90's tomorrow.

Yes, Mother's Day. Mom will be visited here by both daughters, one SIL and two of three local grandkids. The other SIL and grandson will be playing golf. Sil with his usual Sunday foursome, and grandson is on his high school team at a tournament.
I'll be off most of the day due to the high temperatures outside after the morning activities wind down. Mom and I will take a nap since these brunches always involve Prosecco.

Thanks to all who liked or commented on the vast expanses of rail yesterday; Tom O, Joe, Steve J, Smudge, Hughie, Karl, Curt, Louis, Sherrel, Gary, Guy, IB Ken.

Since birds seem to be a common subject this month, Guy started last week with the swallow, we've had the Mourning Dove from Troy and Gary's chickens; I'll post a few that live on my place. Specifically they live in the upper loft of my barn, coming and going through an open door.
Ma & Pa showing Junior around.

Then there was the year that they had twins.

And here is the block party.

M'm! M'm! Good!

These Black Vultures (they are not buzzards, no buzzards in TX) are monogamous and live for 10 years in the wild. They have used my barn for several generations.

Another short day in the train shed yesterday, but I started another project involving a structure that I got at the consignment table at the LHS many years ago. All that I did yesterday was clean and assess it for now.
Let me dig a picture or two out of the archives for y'all today.

OB Ken - Sorry to read that your eyes are still giving you problems. Get well soon.
Tom O - Have a good and speedy recovery.
Gary - I have two neighbors who both raise chickens and give us eggs, so I no longer have to raise them.

Everyone have a great Mother's Day. Remember that you are here because your parents had sex.

 

[McLeod]

Good Morning!
36F this fine morning, with a lite, wet snow falling.
There was too high a wind yesterday to carry on with the fence project, so I took the G-kids down for the small-town carnival day.

Notice some folks are wearing parkas. Hell-of-a day to have a carnival. I'm sure attendance was way down because it was so cold.

The cool weather saved me a bundle, as we didn't stay long. Just riding that ferris-wheel costs 9 bucks per person.
The children had a good time, though.

So, I dumped the kids at their home, and ran off to do some modelling.
Suppose I could have continued with the layout, but, I felt like something else. So I started a Sylvan kit:

I like Sylvan kits, but, they do suffer from quality control issues like sink-holes and blowouts. The differential in this kit was resin poured 1/2 hollow, and broke as soon as I started working with it:

So I fixed it up with a bit of 0.9mm brass tubing:

Also, if you can see the sink-holes in the grill; I'll need to fix those up as best I can. I've already applied a dab of medium CA to try and fill them.

I built as much as I could before paint. This is how it looks today, with all the flash cleaned off the parts:

Hope to get primer on it today. There's still work to be done on sink-holes, though.

I understand today is mothers day; another holiday we don't celebrate along with fathers day. We prefer mothers and fathers day to be everyday; try to keep the family together where ever they are in the world.

Well, enough yap. Time to walk the dog in hopefully the last day of cold. Then, I want to do some modelling.
Have a good one!

 

[BigGRacing]

I have two neighbors who both raise chickens and give us eggs, so I no longer have to raise them.

Yes, we have a chicken farm down the road where we used to get our eggs, but my wife always wanted some chickens so we are trying them out. We are actually only renting them until the fall for $60 to see if we want to raise some eventually or not. We like to travel and having animals to care for is a huge commitment so we are still debating. The winters are very long here and I dont know if I want to heat a coop for a longer period or not either. Just learning for now. Awesome vultures as well !

 

[McLeod]

I stepped outside to take a cold photo of the backyard. Can't see the wind or cold in the photo, but, it's there.

It's a very good day to stay home and model.

 

[Bruette]

Please pass on a Happy Mother's Day wish from me to all the Moms you see today.

Happy Mother's Day to you Jaz!

Oh, and Happy Mother's Day to all my train buddies, you mother...

 

[TLOC]

Good morning from a calm morning in So. Central Wisconsin. High today should be about 66 like yesterday but with a partly missing sun. Yesterday was a gorgeous clear bright sky, not so today.

The daughter and family are taking us (actually mom) out to brunch, I get to tag along. I will be leaving my credit card in the pocket as they can pay. This will be the first time I have ever allowed the daughter to pay when we have been out for food. I am still pretty ticked off about them wanting to sell the property and breaking the agreement. They have to follow the agreement and I am enforcing it.

I might watch some of the F1 race in Miami this afternoon. Just interested. We did go to Austin a few years ago and while the atmosphere was electric the parking situation really knocked out the joy of being there. I loved F1 as a teenager.

I looked at the financials with Terry last night. The stock market sure is a mess but a great opportunity for those who have cash. Terry’s interest in commodities has thankfully waned. She made her guesses and while just a bit ahead the last 4 months trying to keep up is way too much work. As for the stock market itself she has mostly been sitting it out after cutting down many of the investments. She wants to jump back in this week. I generally just nod and say do what you feel is best she wanted to go over her plan with me. Today we will Skype with my brother as she handles his stock market stuff. He has been pushing her to get back in but has been too occupied with the G/F breast cancer fight. When it comes to real estate and business investment there is no better an investor then my brother. If he has stock market advice, run the other way. Part of it is his impatience whereas Terry is ridiculously over patient which has worked out well for us and the last few years for him.

I listened to a plan yesterday that instead of sending $33 billion in aid to a European country instead give 1 million each to taxpaying US citizens. Could you image what that would do to inflation? Triple digits maybe?

344 ships waiting outside of Singapore Harbor, the largest shipping port out of China to get loaded for the USA
market. How will one USA party be able to blame the other for this one? China is blaming Covid as they have shut down factories and the docks again to contain the virus. Sure would be interested to know how many Chinese have really been lost to the virus over there. Way more then the 1million deaths here.

As you can see I had been doing some catch up business news reading since I came home Friday. Also feeling pretty damn good. Sort of sad that there are so many causes and excuses for poor management to blame except themselves.

I ran trains for about an hour on Saturday. Today I will clean some sections I marked yesterday but with the current keepers on the locomotives it might have been my imagination. I will run again this evening. No bench time and none planned for today.

TomO

 

[kbkchooch]

Good morning gang!

46 cold and windy degrees on this Mother’s Day, we might see 55 before it’s over. Hey, it’s not raining!

Gary, rental chickens? Dear Lord I better not tell the wife, she’ll be wanting to rent chickens and Pygmy goats!

Daughter is coming with her brood soon, time for a shower.

BBL

 

[Jaz avalley]

Eggs shop versus free range free range wins hands down, they get sun they give vit d, they get little critters to eat they give better meat, they get fresh greens, they give better meat, unfortunately avoiding the gum sweetcorn and organic costs loads so I g I’ve the cheap stuff. In captivity birds give 100 percent eggs first year 90 2nd year 80 3rd year, etc. Egg birds which are the type smallholders see are egg birds, meat is a bonus. Meat birds, poor souls only get months, 5 I think, they get so big and fat they literally break their legs. The reason you see the black marks on their legs is they just to walk to stand so sit in their own faeces.
So if you keep birds they get a better life. A cockerel, noisy creatures, especially if you get one that crows at night! Mean you get more babies.
Chickens will war anything, pretty much, do not go near them if your bleeding blighters will go for the blood!
Winrer as long as dry and wind proof they should be ok. If you go away and leave food ensure it is tied to the sides and they cannot turn it over, food or water sand issue. Avoid water trays if chicks, as they are suicidal little buggers and easily drown.
They are fun, the eggs will be massively more healthy, some people bitch about food scraps, but birds love them and weeds if your weeding.
Do NOT let them wonder into your allotment especially if young seedlings they are more trouble than bleeding rabbits!
Nice cage if they can get to the ground they will tear it up, but also eat any critters.
Feed then apples, and apple cider vinegar in their water as treats this helps keep them healthy.They need soil for bird dust baths to keep down parasites.

Gotta love a chicken.

 

[Bruette]

Gotta love a Chicken? Only if my wife or KFC cooks it.

Jumbo eggs $2.19 a dozen, raising them does not seem economical. That and they would become my pets.

I have to admit, chickens are fun to watch. I would never own one, but they are fun to visit when I'm making deliveries in "God's country"

 

[ctclibby]

Karl: Ya mean these guys?

A contractor for our State found us and wanted to talk about 'renting' goats. HuH? We said. Found out that it is cheaper to get local goats and let them wander on the side of the hiways clearing out just about anything. Because there was not way to 'coral' them to specific spots or spaces, we decided that it was to risky to leave them out there by themselves. We could not go along and manage the heard as we owned and operated a small Deli with Mocha stand. Other animals also like goat meat as you probably can guess.
Wife is a member of the National Pygmy Association and we buy/trade/raise purebred. Well, until we went on the road 2015. Family members could not be counted on to take care of the guys. Had 20 at one time - 1 Buck, 19 Does and Wethers. She wants back in and when we are done seeing America, will do it. I even like the little guys. Wife got a ticket from the County a few years back, seems one of the goat pens had a hole in it and they went wandering. Pygmy's do not 'go it alone' so the whole herd was out and about. Ticket was $1400 or about $75 per goat. When in court talking with judge we found out he knew about Pygmy's and how the go as a herd so we only got charged $100 for the whole thing.

As to renting chickens - you will love it. As Jaz says, as long as there is food and water and they are in a safe place where they can get outside to scratch stretch there legs they will be fine. Word of warning - only get ONE rooster as if you have multiples - the barn yard gets plenty loud. You will also find if you do let them out into your property your insect population will drop dramatically. Murry McMurry has a ton of chickens you can get delivered; pretty much the sex you want, along with shots. Once they get used to their new home, they don't stray far and know where home is. Up at dawn, bed at dusk. Winter is not much of a problem, couple of heat lamps inside an enclosed hut for wind protection and you are good to go. Fresh eggs here are now nearing $4.00 dozen. The people I talk to can't keep up with the demand. You are not gonna get rich on this, but it is sure nice to have eggs and a few bucks for feed and grain.

 

[kbkchooch]

Gotta love a chicken.

Yup, southern fried with mashed taters and corn on the cob, and an RC cola!

 

[TLOC]

Gotta love a Chicken? Only if my wife or KFC cooks it.

Jumbo eggs $2.19 a dozen, raising them does not seem economical. That and they would become my pets.

I have to admit, chickens are fun to watch. I would never own one, but they are fun to visit when I'm making deliveries in "God's country"

Eggs in Wisconsin, 12 grade A large. $4.99. Many months ago less then $2.00

TomO

 

[TLOC]

Karl: Ya mean these guys?
View attachment 145636

A contractor for our State found us and wanted to talk about 'renting' goats. HuH? We said. Found out that it is cheaper to get local goats and let them wander on the side of the hiways clearing out just about anything. Because there was not way to 'coral' them to specific spots or spaces, we decided that it was to risky to leave them out there by themselves. We could not go along and manage the heard as we owned and operated a small Deli with Mocha stand. Other animals also like goat meat as you probably can guess.
Wife is a member of the National Pygmy Association and we buy/trade/raise purebred. Well, until we went on the road 2015. Family members could not be counted on to take care of the guys. Had 20 at one time - 1 Buck, 19 Does and Wethers. She wants back in and when we are done seeing America, will do it. I even like the little guys. Wife got a ticket from the County a few years back, seems one of the goat pens had a hole in it and they went wandering. Pygmy's do not 'go it alone' so the whole herd was out and about. Ticket was $1400 or about $75 per goat. When in court talking with judge we found out he knew about Pygmy's and how the go as a herd so we only got charged $100 for the whole thing.

As to renting chickens - you will love it. As Jaz says, as long as there is food and water and they are in a safe place where they can get outside to scratch stretch there legs they will be fine. Word of warning - only get ONE rooster as if you have multiples - the barn yard gets plenty loud. You will also find if you do let them out into your property your insect population will drop dramatically. Murry McMurry has a ton of chickens you can get delivered; pretty much the sex you want, along with shots. Once they get used to their new home, they don't stray far and know where home is. Up at dawn, bed at dusk. Winter is not much of a problem, couple of heat lamps inside an enclosed hut for wind protection and you are good to go. Fresh eggs here are now nearing $4.00 dozen. The people I talk to can't keep up with the demand. You are not gonna get rich on this, but it is sure nice to have eggs and a few bucks for feed and grain.
View attachment 145637

When Terry purchased the property we are on in 2015, (1050 acres in bankruptcy court for 5 years) we used goats to clean out neglected pastures. I don’t remember the pricing but every day the goat owners would come in and move fencing to prevent the goats from back tracking. Had 3 herds of 25 in different sections but that 1st summer they were here all summer. It was much cheaper using the goats then overturning the soil that would have needed to be cut down first anyways. Now the horses keep the grass down.

Tom

edit at 1:14pm CST

Terry tells me it was $1.00 per goat per day. 120 days the 1st year here and 150 days the second year

TomO

 

[Sirfoldalot]

Happy Mom's Day if you fit the bill for being one - or in this day and age "pretending" to be one?

The days of 50 cent a gallon for propane, or even a dollar a gallon are long gone!
$4.99 a gallon ruined a $20 bill yesterday at the Tractor Supply store filling my empty bottle.

Waiting to hear if Irene tests Negative this morning. The Spousal unit will stay with her at the "ranch" until she goes near San Diego to stay with her male companion on Monday - said that she does not want to stay in the house by herself?

I picked up a close, one day out of expiring, roast yesterday morn at half price and took it with onions, potatoes, green peppers, carrots, and a bunch of flowers out to them and the Spousal Unit made a deliciously tasting meal yesterday afternoon.
Need to pull my pants up and head back out for a breakfast brunch that the youngest daughter is taking out this morning.

We are 55f looking for only 73f today with more partly cloudy - but no rain!
Ah --WoW - Have not had BBQ'd goat in many years!
BBL - gang

 

[MikeInHubCity]

Good morning. It's cloudy and 52.

Same here. Supposed to get to 61° today.

Eggs in Wisconsin, 12 grade A large. $4.99. Many months ago less then $2.00

TomO

yep bout what they’re costing up here, too.

 

[Bruette]

Eggs in Wisconsin, 12 grade A large. $4.99. Many months ago less then $2.00

TomO

Not so long ago Jumbo eggs were $1.09 at my favorite store, Redner's. Before Easter they were as high as $3.29. Now back to $2.19.

 

[D&J RailRoad]

Maybe the chickens are becoming more fuel efficient or using solar panels, somehow.
Anyway, Mother's Day. I used to tell my wife how much I appreciated her mother-in-law.

 

[LesterL]

You can do this yourself, it's very easy, search YouTube for "how to remove/install a DCC decoder" videos

I goggle and didn't see how to do that exact engine so I'm going to NOT try. I'm 88 years, have never installed or removed and don't wish to do so now. Of course, I'll pay postage both ways plus the fee for work

 

[PRR Modeler]

Afternoon All,

Started out with some chores earlier including steaming the bird's room tile floor. It needs done about once a month. I thought the train room felt slightly cooler (imagination) so I finished placing the rest of my diesel consists on the layout. then deleted the command station memory. By that time the command station was warm to the touch (about 20 minutes) so I shut it down. Tomorrow the AC and washing machine guy will be here. Thank goodness for the AC.

Happy Mothers Day to everyone.

Louis- I had the privilege to meet Garry in person 3 times when he traveled to the Orlando area.

Joe- You are 100% correct.

Mikey- No doubt they're still making money.

Gary- Nice job on the chicken coop.

Troy- Nice photo of Mama bird on the nest-maybe!

Willie- Nice photos.

Guy- I'll take some of that cold! Looks like a fun time with the grandkids. That's a good age. My grandsons are teenagers-need I say more? Look forward to seeing your kit progress.

I hope everyone has a good night.