Wednesday, 1-19-11

Not a bunch of news today, spotty items from the Sdad follow:

I am working on several projects at once. The iPhone is coming along fine; I learn a little more each day.  Hashimoto's Thyroiditis was my recent look up for trying to pinpoint  CKS's recent swollen bilateral supra-clavicular area (both sides of the lower neck).

The bike shop spaces are really coming together.  After 16 months, Jamie has the space looking better than it ever did when I had it.  He is rehabbing a 1937 Harley (his hobby/avocation) in the slow days of January. A small cadre of cyclists meet in the side room and view a training DVD as they spin on bikes/trainers. I'll take and post some pics soon.

I am in the process of reducing my VW herd.  Friend JCP will be taking charge of putting the '85 Wolfsberg Weekender Westy back on the road.  My first task is to find/reproduce the title.  John's helping me tow it from its temporary resting place near Fred's pond.  Nephew Ben and I towed it the day before from PMW, where it had sat for almost three years. I bought it from a kid who nearly ruined it before finally giving up and selling it to me for preserving until it could be worked on.

I have two running campers.  Now that he's retired, John can use one.  Go for it good buddy.  Note the birds in the background.

Waiting for the road. What will he name it?  The container on the top is anchoring the covering on the opening for the broken skylight. The grill pieces are inside.  The tires have held air since I bought it. The DeadHead artwork will go when the broken windshield is replaced.

 The body is in amazingly good shape for a 1985 Ohio Vanagon.

The chickens are almost on auto -pilot.  The threat of another 22 cal treatment must have been taken to heart. This week their output (literally) has increased to 3-4 eggs per day. 

Unca Mark helped me construct the coop before Christmas.  

Livestock panels in parbolic tension against the shed, with a tarp to keep it dry are my test coop.    If it works out, and it seems to be,  I will build a more permanent roof. 

The chickens are completely free range, not even locked in at night.  The real test will be as Spring arrives and the various nocturnal, chicken-loving critters appear from their Winter's sleep.

By confining them inside the wire for three days, I "imprinted" the birds to get them to indentify the coop as their new home. They barely laid for the next three weeks.  In protest?
The Rhode Island Red is the last of Fred's birds.  The "spotted" ones are Plymouth Rock Barreds.  They and the Rhodie have yellow beaks and legs. The black ones are Australorps. They have black legs and beaks.

 Here's one the A'lorp roosters. I don't know if this one is gone or it was his brother who met his demise.   The survivor is much QUIETER, whichever one it is.  They pick at anything and everything, even under the snow.  I can't wait to see how well they control the bug population in season.  The dogs and birds  have grown used to each other and not much flightiness is noticed even with several dogs around.  They are pecking around old Chinese elm logs that support my mushroom and fungai crop. There were lots of bugs in this pile, until now.

No news from Preston and A-stan for the last few days. The IED he found turned out to be a hoax.  He reports a 50/50, USA pro/con population in the border area that he patrols.

The kids beg for stuff and especially like pens. Tyler is going to be collecting pens for shipment to Pres.

Tyler and Spencer were both under the weather yesterday, but improving today.
Later.