Girl Power

With summer on it's way, the girls and I decided to build a picnic table to raffle off at this year's school fundraiser. Not sure who learned more, them or I. But we sure did have fun and we definitely got the job done.

This year's crew: Aryanah Miller, Fr. Bryce, Jada Cisneros, Elyse Neph, Alexa Miller, Avery McReynolds.

You have to start somewhere, and if you start square you'll end square. 

Progress is not hard to obtain when you get after it. 

Being an octagon, accurate angles are important. Avery kept us on target. 

We pointed to Jada with all our math questions. 

The first step of building the table top was a breeze.

The undercarriage, which is the most important part, took a bit more time and effort. 

Eventually a table began to emerge. Alexa and Aryanah put on some final touches. 

Elyse made sure we always cleaned up after ourselves. 

This year we chose boiled linseed oil for the top coat. Gives a nice finish and easy to reapply. 

No problem. 

Congratulations to Jada's parents Stacey & Richard Cisneros who were the top bidders. I hope it brings you as much joy as it did us. 

Begin with the end in mind is a good life lesson. Everyday before we began our work we prayed for the family who would receive this table. Such purpose and vision gives drive to our efforts. It also takes the labor out work. This project was a win-win on many levels. I learned a lot about teenage girls and hopefully they learned a bit about carpentry. We had fun and the school raised some money. But most importantly, a nice family got a nice table. 

Intercession

You can tell a tree by its fruit.

           https://youtu.be/-RzyvCNmQBc         

Praying for Rain

I don't think the 30's has much over the current drought in Campbell County. It's dry, and been dry for two years. Beings it's so early in the spring, there is still ample opportunity for enough moisture to get us out of this slump. But we decided not to wait until May to storm Heaven to storm us. So we started with a nine day novena of praying for moisture. Then on Wednesday evening we celebrated Mass on the Durham Ranch. I suppose that's about as close to a Catholic rain dance as you can get. 

It is starting to green up around the countryside. And timely moisture can really keep it going. As always, our Mass was a thanksgiving offering to God for answered prayers. In the end, we know that He'll provide for us in one way or another, and that He'll bring good out this natural evil called drought. 

Please join us in continuing to pray that the Lord bless us with moisture. 

The Great Depression led to the Greatest Generation. I have no doubt that there is method to the Lord's madness. He is permitting this evil to happen and we know that it is not purposeless. Nevertheless Lord, may this drought pass from us. Yet, not our will, but Your will be done.

4 Last Things

 Death, Judgement, Heaven, or Hell

           https://youtu.be/KRKkD1mIY7k         

Spring Time

The winds are shifting.

           https://youtu.be/AllTM2z5OnQ         

Wayward Son

God's will is ever pervading. 

           https://youtu.be/QqB82KWGZR8         

JD 450

I love yellow iron. Guess that's why one Sunday morning in 2004 as I was riding my bike to Church this John Deere 450-C dozer caught my eye. I turned around to check it out and immediately the wheels in my head started to turn. It went up for auction a couple days later and I bought it. She sure has brought a lot of joy to my life over the years.

It was originally used by Mountain Bell as telephone cable installer in Montana. 

The ditcher unit we would use to install poly pipe for developing springs. I eventually took it off and fabbed a backhoe attachment on to it. With hydraulics, the sky’s the limit. 

We also have a drawbar where we can pull all sorts of other tools. 

She was handy to have around the farm, but once I entered seminary, I thought the Carmelite Monastery might have a better use for it. In 2013, some of the family and I made a pilgrimage up to Meeteetse with her. They got some good use out of her, but for her last years there she had been sitting still, and not in running order. So we went back up and got her. 

The main problem was oil getting into the water. Eventually this turned into water getting into the oil as well. This both/and had us stumped. We tried a head gasket and later had the head rebuilt. None of which solved both of the problems, though ever since we rebuilt the head, oil no longer was getting into the water. So we decided we better tackle the inevitable, o-rings at the bottom of the cylinders. 

Taking the head off was no problem. Pulling the jugs was another story. 

This time we had to pull the skid plate, which then exposed the oil pan, and eventually the crankcase. We took a chance and left the pistons in the cylinders as we pulled them. 

Dad was lead mechanic on this job. The top o-rings did look bad. But we still weren't too sure that was the problem. 

Reinstallation really went about as smooth as one could expect. 

Earl

Queen Of My Double Wide Trailer (Official Video) - YouTube

So we fired her up and put her to some spring work. Problem solved, thanks be to God!

Bring it.

Sometimes I think golfing might be a simpler hobby to have, but I just don't think it'd be as fun. I've always loved moving dirt. Dad and I have been working on or with dozers since I was a kid. It's good father/son bonding time. We are certainly glad our little 450 is back on the ranch. I'm feeling like she's gonna get a bit of use this spring and summer. 

The Law

 Don't through the baby out with the bathwater.

           https://youtu.be/bziqUE8bics         

Be Aware

 Don't under estimate the packages the Lord answers our prayers in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf_Hf9wDtdY

Burning Bush

Man can only find himself through a sincere and honest gift of himself.

           https://youtu.be/XGZ2sxWOAsY         

Spring Cleaning

Coming out of winter, spring is actually a dirty time of year. Hence the need to get things cleaned up. The horses' winter coats are almost gone. They wintered well. But their hooves definitely needed tending to.

Mollie, on the left, turns 4 this year. While Chief will be 10.

Horses are no easy keepers and their feet are a prime examples of that. Their hooves are basically our finger nails. They need cleaned, trimmed, and filed down often.

The first order of business is to clean the sole with a pic. 

Then take your hooked knife and scrape the sole clean from all the built up junk. This also exposes the white line against the hoof wall, which guides your trimming. 

This year I'm going to try going shoeless. For as much riding as we do, the horses really shouldn't need shoes. But to do so I want to leave the hoof longer than usual. So I trimmed it down about 3/8" up from the white line. 

Rasping is the finest science. It's better to leave the hoof high and bring it down to the proper level with the rasp. This also levels it all out. 

I find it super crucial to bevel the edge of the hoof up after trimming so it doesn't splinter. 

Much better.

Two horses with four legs makes for eight hooves to trim. Me and my back need a break. With Covid being over now, I went ahead wormed the kids with my leftover Ivermectin horse dewormer. Hope they like the taste better than I did. Spring is in the air. Let's ride.

Trust

 Trust is faith put into action.

           https://youtu.be/DOMqcYlMGXQ