Pipeline

Moving the pivot was easy compared to plumbing it back in. Plan your work and work your plan, though. The wind has been crazy all week, but the Lord gave us one perfect day to get all the work we had to do done. Heck, it was even fun. 

Dad's place is like a mine field. You don't dare plant a potato without calling for a line locate. There was a 2" natural gas line in our way so they wanted to be on site when we crossed it. We ain't scared. 

I think the guy that buried the main line the first time thought we were going to be irrigating in the winter. 3' deep in a field is plenty partner. Once we found it then we could stick with it and find a good place for our new splice. 

I feel like I did most of the shoveling.  

John came over for the important work. We cut the old line and 45'd it to lead to the new pivot point. 

Looks good to me.

Dad brought out his cute dozer for the back filling. 

Alls well that ends well.

Once the power is hooked up and the field is plowed, we'll be ready to plant corn. This was a pretty big project for a few farm boys to tackle. We moved it in our minds first. Then the actual carrying out of the task was no problem. With God, all things are possible. 

So it Begins

With Ernie back in town we can finally get to some serious ranching. My old buddy went south for the winter and things got a bit boring. No better way to catchup than a trip to the sale barn in Buffalo. 

It's not often that a muleskinner and a cowboy get along, but we seem to manage.

The dinner alone was worth the trip.

Herefords! Oh man, I was nervous about bidding on the right thing, but when these two girls crossed the scale I knew it was meant to be. They came off the Sheeley Ranch outside of Ranchester WY. Weighing in at 950lbs they went for $20cwt cheaper than their black counterparts. I love them. Think I'll name them Marg and Jan after Mom and her sister. 

Welcome home girls.

Thanks grandpa for tagging along and manning the gate. It's no fun to ranch solo. How great to start off the year's herd with a couple of Hereford beauties. I smell a good summer on the horizon. 

Word

Whoever listens to my word is my disciple. The word is God's voice.

           https://youtu.be/Zo6p7EU2rWE         

 

Grumpy old Men

Bring everything to the light of truth.

           https://youtu.be/Yt0Nsla_sGA         

Live and Learn

Only back up as far as you need to.

           https://youtu.be/Adb0JgqT-v0         

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.