2022, Farming Update, Nature, Technology, Uncategorized, work

It’s Always Something

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Today’s post comes from Ben.

It’s been a good busy week.

Last Friday we baled 337 small square bales of straw. Young Padawan stacked 150 in a wagon that will go to the neighboring strawberry farm.

The other 182 went to the pole barn. If you’re doing the math, that doesn’t quite add up. And that’s because we broke two bales and the first three bales out of the baler were hay from the previous baling.

Oh was Padawan in a mood that day. It was warm and there was a good breeze blowing, but he’s really not used to physical labor like this, and he was in a mood about it. I told him it builds character. He and my brother unloaded the bales into the barn.

The baler camera worked great! This photo does not really show much, but if you know how to see the strings, it’s helpful.

We go a nice rain on Saturday. And again yesterday.

Monday, I unhooked the baler and put the loader back on the tractor. As I unhooked the baler, I looked at the left wheel and wondered why it was sitting crooked. Discovered two of the four bolts that hold the axle on were missing. I put some jacks under the baler to take the pressure off the wheel and that became the number one item on the list for young Padawan‘s next visit.

I worked as an election judge on Tuesday. About 31% turn out in our township.

Wednesday, I started back at the college. ‘Work’ work. Classes don’t start until the 22nd and I use this time to check out all the equipment and get things going again. I picked up the choir risers that have been sitting on stage since April, and I still got to get back over to the sports center and get a couple of lights out of the rafters that have been hanging in there since commencement in May.

I feel like I’ve plateaued in my recovery at the moment. Although evidently, I still have a kidney stone. It doesn’t hurt, but it’s still showing up on tests. And if I don’t get that out on my own by the 24th, they’re going in after it. Every day is an adventure!

With me back at the college, and young Padawan starting school in September, I’m not sure how many more days I’ll have his help.

But he was out the other day, and since he worked so hard last week, we made it an easy day this time. The first thing we did was drive to Plainview to pick up some parts from the John Deere dealership. And we had lunch at Dairy Queen, then we went to check on a Township culvert replacement project and watched a skilled operator in an excavator. From there he got to experience some ditch cleanup by picking up a single size mattress and a very large flatscreen TV. Took those to the recycling center.

We fixed the tire assembly on the baler using impact wrenches and large Sockets with extension pipes for torque and he learned about working in uncomfortable positions.

He dumped a bag of chicken feed in the wall feeder, and then we got two chainsaws and it was time to cut up an oak tree that has been blocking a path since it came down in the December storms. I thought I’d be able to help more. But, it’s still tough for me to walk on uneven ground and with the branches and sticks around I didn’t do so we’ll. But he did great!

He got a basic course on chainsaw operation a few weeks ago. We expanded on that. And this was good practice since it was all on the ground and none of the pieces were too large. He got the saw stuck a few times and learned how to ‘read’ the tree and get the saw out BEFORE he wedges it in there. Eventually.

These rains are sure making the crops look good. Oats ended up at 61 bushels / acre which is decent, but nothing to brag about. I’ll blame the deer.

No corn photo this week; it hasn’t grown anymore since the tassle came out the top. Beans are looking real good! They’re waist high. I’m not seeing very much bug damage. Something is eating some leaves, but not enough to be a problem. Yet.

EVER WATCH SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE? FAVORITE CHARACTER OR SKETCH?

WHAT BUILDS YOUR CHARACTER?

76 thoughts on “It’s Always Something”

  1. I only became an afficianado of Saturday Night Live after retiring (4 years ago). My favorite recurring bit is Weekend Update, especially the interplay between Michael Che and Colin Jost. Their regard for each other makes me want to find that kind of friend. My favorite person on the wider cast is Keenan, of whom I am in awe.

    My character is built by being allowed to learn something new, which I don’t often enough allow myself to do.

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    1. I agree with weekend update. I think the last version with Tina Fey and Jimmy Fallon was also really good. And you’re right; the way Michael and Colin play off each other is fun.

      Usually the opening skits are pretty good. The monologues can be hit or miss for me.

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  2. Good morning all. Up early this morning (this common on a party day) and heard what turns out to be a great horned owl in the dark. I don’t think of myself as living in a place where there are great horned owls but I guess I’m wrong.

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  3. Good morning all. Congratulations to VS! I hope the party is great. Wish I could attend.

    My favorite character from SNL is Rosann Rosannadanna. I don’t remember any sketches, by any comedian, ever, in my whole life that made me laugh as hard as she did. That first SNL troupe was the best.

    Today is one of those character-building days for me. I will be working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today. We’re borrowing vans and taking all of our clients to a funeral for their former housemate and one of my most memorable clients. He was quite a character and we miss him already. He had twinkly blue eyes and he could get himself into a lot of mischief for a guy in a wheelchair who only had the use of his left hand. He reminded us, without speech, that everything needs to be put away properly and that we need to be kind and courteous to one another. Also, that we need to wear appropriate clothing for the time of day. He also felt very strongly about tractors. They had to be John Deere, none of those red ones, no thank you. What a character! He will be missed.

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    2. speaking of characters from last weeks question, there’s a guy in our township who is 6’6″, big and broad, bald, tattoos, rides a harley, (and looks the part) and is the nicest man! At least, when you’re on his good side. Drive reckless in his neighborhood and he’ll stop you on the road and pull your face close to his and inform you of the rules. And he’s moving out of the area. I’ll miss him. Talked to him at elections last week and when he said he was moving, it reminded me that he was one of those characters I should have mentioned last week. So here he is.

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  4. Rise and Shiine Baboons,

    I will be building character at the Mpls Farmers’ market this morning, where you can find me at the Master Gardener Booth.

    And Ben, the bug eating the soy bean leaf is an Asian Beetle. They leave a lacy pattern behind. They have been so hard on my raspberries.

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    1. I thought it must be Asian Beetles, but I just haven’t actually seen them on the plants. And, as I said, there hasn’t been too much damage. Course it’s pretty hard for me to walk in there and look for bugs.

      I did manage to get out there and pull a couple button-weeds that were fairly close to the road. Those plants were mocking me. Once in the rows I could walk OK but boy, getting through the tangle of plants on the end was a problem.

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      1. Be sure to watch twice. The little nuances from Hanks’ terrific performance are easy to miss. There are several other Black Jeopardy segments that are quite good.

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  6. What built my character were all the things Ben is telling his young man will build his. But mine was every day from age 4 to 18. Not only hard work but every day responsibilities you just did, get the cows, fill the wood boxes, feed the cows and chickens, etc. most of which were rather fun if you chose to think of it that way. Clean the barn also but that was never fun.
    There is an age gap between me and most baboons with SNL. I was 31 whhen it debuted. My kids were 3 and 5. Sunday was family day. We went to bed early to prepare for whatever we had planned, usually up in the forest. Daughter and husband just flew to Maine to spend all their time in the woods. My fault there I suppose. It was a few years before I even looked at SNL, heard of it of course. Thought the talent was deep, except for two of them, but it was still Sunday family day, was for many years. It just was not my style of humor. Then my kids watched it. I did too with them a bit. Still not my style of humor. Prime time sketch comedy was dying about then. Sandy watched it so I did. I know most baboons love sktch comedy. Wonder why I don’t.

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    1. Well I have enjoyed the SNL that I have seen, I’ve seen very little. It has nothing to do with whether it’s sketch comedy or how funny it is — it’s just that I can’t stay up that late. I have never been a night person, always a morning person. So about the only thing I see at 10:30 on a Saturday night is the inside of my eyelids.

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  12. OT- I learned today that cornstarch removes mats from dog fur. Just sprinkle it on with a plastic bottle like a ketsup bottle, and comb out the mats. Great advice from Kyrill’s breeder.

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  13. character building happens good or bad on an ongoing basis
    easy to become an unintended end result due to unrealized ambitions allowed to fill the band width

    watch out
    it’ll getcha

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    1. As my brother and young Padawan unloaded the bales in the barn, I told you Padawan was in a mood so he was already running low on energy and this was not helping. At one point in time I finally said “standing there ain’t gonna get them unloaded any faster“. My brother laughed and said “boy that sounds familiar”. It’s all character building.

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        1. Hey Fenton— good to hear your voice. I was just thinking about you yesterday so glad you’re back.

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        1. Thanks Tim, I’m trying to think of something funny to say about your confusing writing style. No doubt you’ll be quicker.

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    1. Already talked about that. Depending where the stone is, is in direct relation to how well sound waves can break them up. Mine is pretty low, it’s almost of the bladder so there’s too much body mass in the way for the sound waves to work very well. if it gets to the bladder before the 24th I should be OK. But it’s taken three months to move from the kidney to his current position so I have my doubts.

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  17. Waaaaay off topic but back to astrology.
    I’m playing a PC game, Civilization 6. A screen for the astrology research completed comes up and says, “I don’t believe in astrology; I’m a Sagittarius and we’re skeptical.”
    Arthur C. Clarke

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  18. Hello everyone. I’ve got to learn how to do this again. Funny thing, I was deleting stuff and the first Baboon Trail thing I found had the Seekers on it. With my comment about my love, 58 years now, for Judith Durham, who you will know, up and died on us last week. I had a very sad few days, having started catching up with her recently, first time in thirty years (Jane was jealous of her). But how are things in the John Deere enthusiasts club?

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      1. About time, after all in England the farmers have always thought of themselves as the aristocracy.
        Nice to see your farming post still flourishing, Ben.

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    1. Thank you Barbara. You know, correct me if I’m wrong, I think it might be you who posted that Seekers video that I came across yesterday. I do seem to remember you liking them.
      I was terribly upset at Judith’s death, but have put it in perspective now. She was ready to go, and I hope that she believed (as I don’t) that she was going to meet her beloved husband Ron. But yes what a voice, and what a lovely person.

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        2. I can’t find it now. I’ve forgotten my hard earned tricks for finding things in this blog, and it’s gone midnight here. Have to be up early tomorrow even though we’re in fiesta this week.
          Y’all come! Jane is marching in the Entrada Saturday.

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  25. OT. A post a day or two ago asked about dancing. Rock’nRoll is the only dance I will do. If they’re not playing R’n’R I’ll sit there all night, and have proved it on many, many occasions. The band or DJ only has to play one Rock’nRoll song and suddenly I’m on my feet looking for a partner, if you don’t know how to do it I don’t care, just dance with me. It doesn’t usually work out because Jane gets sick as soon as she spins around, a tragedy as she’s a terrific dancer who learned R’n’R almost instantly. And no one else tends to want to look silly. I’ve got a feeling I’ve told you this before.
    Nice that Tim posted Tuba Skinny for Steve. The swing dancers are great, but they swing instead of rock.

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  26. Sherrilee, your “welcome back” didn’t have a reply option, so this will appear elsewhere.
    But, oh, Sherrilee, did you really think of me? Really? Wow!

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