Sharp-shinned Hawk

I was enjoying my morning coffee when I heard this very loud "thud" of something hitting a window. In our lawn, about 12 feet from the window, was this Sharp-shinned Hawk. I was only able to get this one photo of the hawk before it flew off.

Rototiller Maintenance

It started out as a simple little job of replacing a couple of oil seals on my 40 year old Troy Bilt tiller. As with many "simple little jobs", fixing all the problems you find will require more additional time than you planned.

While replacing the oil seals on the tiller tine shaft I discovered a deep groove in the shaft was causing the oil seal to leak. Removing the old tine shaft I found wear on the bronze gear and replaced it along with the new tine shaft and bearings. After installing the new tine shaft, bronze gear and bearings I discovered excessive end play on the drive shaft from the engine and ordered shims to correct the end play problem.

After having the tiller engine pointed down to work on the tiller tine shaft repairs I discovered the front input shaft oil seal was leaking and needed to be replaced. This required removing the 7hp cast iron engine to replace a $4.00 seal. With the engine removed it was a good time to replace the old drive belt.

The old bronze gear and tiller tine shaft with the groove that caused the oil leak.

I also installed a new set of tiller tines and re-welded the tine cover. One good thing about an old Troy Bilt tiller is being able to get replacement parts.

Bald Eagle

Within the last week I've had a few sightings of bald eagles around our barn but I haven't been able to get any photos. Today I found this bald eagle in a tree along Wysox Creek waiting for a meal when they restock the creek with trout.

Spring Turkeys

I was driving around our cabin property this morning waiting for the rain to quit so I could do some more ditch digging with the backhoe. As I headed back to get the backhoe I could see a flock of turkeys in the distance walking toward the barn. I quickly drove to the barn driveway and parked the truck. A few minutes later the turkeys were within 30 feet and crossed the road.

The spring gobbler hunting season starts in one month.

"What does the sign say?"

Ditch Digging

The 8 inches of snow from a week ago has melted and with the frost out of the ground it was time to work on some spring projects.

The ground is still almost a quagmire but I was able to dig a drainage ditch with the backhoe.

My ditch digging may have displaced one of the locals.

After digging the ditch I found this mouse on the rim of the backhoe tire.

A Sign of Spring

Last week we got 8 inches of snow and this week the temperature was into the upper 60's melting the snow. Today I found this bright spot of color in a ditch along the township road. A Crocus and a honeybee enjoying the warm weather.

Firewood

March 1st marked the start of Meteorological Spring and time to start working on next year's firewood. We've only used about half of this year's firewood but with this winter's frozen ground it's a perfect time to gather firewood from wet areas.

Finally able to get this dead maple tree out of the lawn at our barn.

At our cabin property it was time to remove a large hickory tree that blew down during last summer's wind storm. This 10 foot section of the hickory tree was loaded into a trailer for transport to our barn.

The last few larger branches loaded into the trailer.

The hickory tree is loaded and ready for the short trip to our barn.

Unloading the trailer load of firewood logs.

The firewood logs cut into blocks so they can start to dry.

Crazy Weather

This Winter's weather has been a roller coaster ride between extremes. The last snow storm dumped 7 to 8 inches of wet sloppy snow which turned to 3 to 4 inches of slop that turned to solid ice in the sub-zero weather that followed the storm. We saw a warm-up into the 50's yesterday which started to melt the frozen slop, but at 3:00AM this morning the weather took an abrupt "U-turn" with a rapid temperature drop and rain.

Some data from my weather station for "Weather Geeks" - https://www.wunderground.com/dashboard/pws/KPAROME2

We hit a high temperature of 57.1F at 2:00AM and then the temperature dropped 30 degrees in 30 minutes at 3:00AM.

At the same time as the temperature was dropping like a rock the rain started to pour.

Around 3:00AM the wind direction abruptly changed from the south to a flow from the north.

The wind speed also picked up and we recorded 20mph wind gusts.

The barometric pressure which dropped to 29.21 inches made an abrupt turn at 3:00AM and started climbing.

Looking for Warmth

It was another cold night and the neighbors cat was on top of a fence post looking for warmth from the Sun.

Deer in the Snow

Earlier this week we got our first real snow storm for the season and the overnight temperatures have dipped below zero since then. This is the first time for some of the younger neighborhood deer to experience snow covering their food source.

This young deer is learning to dig into the snow for food.

Success!

Game Camera Photos

While some people place suet cakes out for birds, I use the scraps from this season's deer harvest. These scraps attract many different birds, raccoons and opossums. I placed two different game cameras around this years scraps and got photos of a bear and fisher.

Not many fishers in this area and I only got a couple photos of this one. The fisher (Pekania pennanti) is a member of the mustelid family that includes weasels, badgers, otters, ferrets, martens, minks and wolverines.

Apricot Seedlings

Last July, while visiting Chuck and Nikki in Iowa, we stopped at their friends Jim and Amy to pick Apricots from their trees. We enjoyed the fresh apricots so much I decided to try to propagate some apricot trees from some of the apricot pits. To start the germination process I stratified the seeds by placing them in moist paper towels and storing them in the refrigerator for 12 weeks, until the seeds started to sprout. The sprouted seeds were then placed in potting soil and placed in our solarium. The seedlings are now ready to be placed in a cool location and allowed to go dormant until spring.

Cookies for Santa

Twas the day before Christmas and grandson Reed wasn't taking any chances with Santa Claus. Time to bake some gingerbread cookies for Santa.

The cookies for Santa must have worked. Lots of presents under the tree including a fishing pole from Grampa Rob.

Reed also got a drone from dad and Star Wars items from Uncle Ryan.

Deer and Warm Days

Record breaking temperature moved into the neighborhood and with deer hunting season over the local deer have been out during the daylight to enjoy the green grass in the fields (and lawns).

Gas Drilling

Yesterday was warm and sunny, and a good day to get some drone photos of the gas drilling operation at our family trust property in Forks township.

It only took a couple of days to move this drill rig onto the well pad and start the drilling operation.

Another view of the drilling operation. Drill rig in the center, crew quarters on the left and drill pipe storage on bottom left. The operation in the upper right removes the the drilled rock tailings from the drilling "mud" solution. The tailings are sent to a landfill and the drilling mud is reused.

A close-up view of the drilling operation. In the upper left of the photo is Ernie's new deer blind that is located inside the fence surrounding the drilling operation. New wildlife food plots are being planned.