Good morning!!!!

[rswyan]

71F and cloudy @ 20:00, rain has still not materialized ... but radar shows it is very, very close, with some heavier cells just to the south of us.

This morning I noticed what looked like a (female) bluebird from the bedroom window out on top of the nest box down here by the house and pointed it out to The Woman. Looked out the picture window in the living room a little while after that and noticed the male and female out at the birdbath ...

Finished mowing down here around the the house, me and the mower were covered in pollen.

Put FEL and box blade on Kubota and took a bucket load of cat litter, old coffee filters, some corn cobs, and veggies from refrigerator clean out up and added them to the compost pile and then buried them.

Pumped up the flat on the Simplicity and rolled it out of the garage. Then swapped the bucket for the forks on the Kubota and ran back up and grabbed a pallet that was sitting up in the field and brought it back down to the house.

Loaded the Simplicity on that and moved it over to the pole barn, refueled the Kubota while I was there.

Then moved the auger bit rack from out in front of the house to around back.

After that we unloaded the new dump cart from the van and I put it together, with Woman assisting.

After that Woman went back to garage clean up and I hooked the cart up to the Cub and hauled up some styrofoam packing materials to the can up at the road. Dropped off some cardboard at the shop on way back, also loaded a piece of FRP into the cart to take it down to the house to wash it off (going to use it in the aerator's tray to set the concrete blocks on)

At that point, I unhooked the cart and mowed about 1/3 of the lower front again ... to knock down the dandelions that had sprung up overnight

She headed off to Jimmy John's around then to pick up another Gi-normous Sub or whatever they call it (we had one the other day and I thought it was great)

After chow went back out and blew the Cub off with the Stihl and parked it and the aerator in the garage, closed the door, and then blew off the pavement in front of the house.

All in all, a reasonably productive day ...

 

[rswyan]

Taking Coco to a new vet internist this morning...she can't eat before the appointment, so is puzzled and was really bugging me for breakfast, finally gave up. The other vet put her back on prednisone and tramadol, so she has been quickly improving back to "her" normal.

Billy,

Glad to hear Coco is doing better.

Randy, glad you're back home sweet home.

2x ...

RS, real nice mower...congrats!

Thanks.

Spent most of the day yesterday spreading pine bark mulch over the expanding flower bed with my wife. Finally emptied the trailer load by dinner time.

Sounds like a very productive day ...

 

[rswyan]

I’m curious about the steering.
So the front wheels are not casters like a typical ZT and actually steer?

Correct.

Do the rear wheels steer or just use differential power to steer?

The latter.

Can it pivot like a traditional ZT?

Not sure if I understand exactly what you mean, but I believe so. This is a picture of what happens when you turn the steering wheel all the way in one direction (in this case it was to the left) and drive forward:

The disturbed gravel in the center of the image was made by the left rear (driving) wheel as it pivoted.

Also verified that the wheel (in whatever direction you're turning) will turn more than 90 degrees from straight forward:

The other (trailing) front wheel:

 

[sodamo]

Geez Ted, please be careful out there. To much hurt and healing on GM with that so of stuff. Glad you are OK.

 

[Popgadget]

Thank you for the explanation and pictures. I never knew such a thing existed.
I have a 60” ExMark Lazer Z that I have had for years, and I thought all zero turns were like it with the lever steering. I like the idea of having a free hand to scratch your head or hold your drink!

 

[mostly_gas]

Good evening all. 69F for the start, overcast, breezy, .1 inch in rain gauge. Overcast and rain/drizzle all day, so far another .5 in rain gauge, moderate wind and high of 70F. Men's meeting for start, putter till lunch, nap, put truck in garage because of hail potential, changed batteries in shelter light. Sever thunder storms in are until 2AM.
Covid update: Cooke 3162 confirmed cases, 8 active cases, Montague 1750 confirmed cases, 4 active cases, Grayson, 11251 confirmed cases, 27 active cases, local not updated.
RS sounds like the mower will be a good fit.
Roy sorry to hear about left eye
Buppies thanks for continued prayers
Drew glad brother can come and help. sorry night not more restful. Prayers for healing
Bill hope you can dump your old incinerator dumped, and lawn work done
Thomas good luck with insurance, have fun putter
Don sorry no rain, have rain up here
RNG sorry about wrestling match, glad more wood progress.
Dennis nice pic
Billt thanks for Coco update, hope new vet can help
RNG nice story
Work hope you can finish install and get home
Paul hope shearing goes well
PJ hope no severe weather
Ted glad greenhouse worked
RS nice pic and sighting, hope fish are still talking to you
David hope day goes well. good luck with new timer
Roy after dilation hard to drive home, bring extra dark lens to help with outside sun.
Don thanks for info, please keep posting
Bird happy anniversary, gotta admire wife's staying power good luck with roof.
Thomas good job giving squirrel hard time
Drew thanks for update, can they do something about other spur if there before tendon tore up?
Chris de-greaser or something that breaks up oil to remove the poison ivy.
Steppenwolfe, sorry to hear about son, sending prayers
Ted bad news and lots of damage, glad was not worse. any idea what pulse was when feeling light headed?
Bill now you have done it. Talking about gravel when Ted is banged up ...
RS got a lot done!
RS interesting track, thanks for pic
prayer for all, especially Jay/Peg, Kyle's daughter,Bird/aging issues, David(moss)/remodel/divorce, Ron/return, Buppies cancer surgery, Phil/reflux/wife's eyes,Steppenwolfe/son-auto immune disorder, Dennis/older brother/son, Grev/wife's eye, Randy/recovery, Bill/DIL home care, Ted/knee recovery, Doug and wife/health issues/nerve and pain/ wife's eyes, Ken/uncle, Drew/tendon, David(sadamo)/Sophie's eye surgery, and Country.
stay safe and healthy you all.

 

[check]

Site is missing good pictures, Ron we need you.

Until then, here’s one from last night.
View attachment 696412

Wow, BEF, that is by far the prettiest picture I have ever seen on TBN!

 

[sodamo]

Got furring strips for the sheetrock on one long wall of the container. I decided the best way to accommodate the wiring and insulation was to attach the sheetrock via furring strips. A bit more intensive than normal as these have to be attached via screws to the metal, more time consuming than just driving a nail. Currently predrilling, but broke 4 bits today.

Greenhouse fittings have been ordered, decided to expand to 10x8 footprint. I went with Home Page GV Tools and Tarps as Starr was very accommodating as to shipping. She also worked getting the proper fittings per my drawing and description. Never had good luck finding a ready made leanto kit. Still bound to be challenges .

This greenhouse is pretty much a semi permanent structure and likely more expensive. I’m figuring that as I age out of more physical projects, this growing effort might fit the bill. Still need to flesh out the interior design but right now see a mix of soil and hydroponics.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

My uncle had a hydroponic greenhouse in the 1970s.

 

[sodamo]

My uncle had a hydroponic greenhouse in the 1970s.

This is pretty new to me. We did some 5 gal bucket hydroponic, but not this. My Canadien friend, Dave, is doing some and I hope to learn from him. He as already expressed interest in pursuing their next visit.

Being off grid, mine will have a twist - self sustaining. I’m envisioning a couple of PV panels with battery backup to drive a DC pump and grow lights.