I will start this year and month off cutting down a few dead trees on our upper property.  On February 23, 2016, tornadic winds broke the top third of two large pine trees which killed the standing trees.  I cut one of the trees down and cut it into manageable lengths.  There are several small trees, maybe sweet gum species that died also and need cutting down as well.

As soon as the weather is more conducive,  I will get the ole Husqvarna farm model 55 chain saw out and make a fresh gallon of mixed gas.  I will post a few pixs then.

Web published by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 01-02-19.

WEATHER IN THE LOW 70S - 02-04-19

Last month, it was either raining or cold, therefore I stayed inside as much as possible.

Today, the weather was around 71 degrees with a low this morning of 44 degrees and I worked on my curly maple end tables until around 2ish in the afternoon. 

I got the Husqvarna Farm model 55 chainsaw out and filled it with mixed gas and oil in the reservoir for the bar chain.  My first tree to cut down was one adjacent our little tomato patch.  When we purchased our home in 1989, that particular maple tree was used as one corner support for a dog lot consisting of 4 inch mesh hog wire and had power pole sections and other treated timbers holding the hog wire in place.  I removed the poles, post and hog wire and left the maple tree of which had the hog wire already embedded into the tree.  Lets not forget the hog wire which will come into play shortly.

Last year, the top portion of the maple tree came crashing down right beside our tomato plants and luckily missed the tomatoes and it was definitely time to remove the tree which had just about died completely.

I surveyed the scene and tried to miss where some of the hog wire was exposed on the back side of the maple tree and started cutting away.  It didn't take but a few second until the chain started cutting in to the hog wire and I was fortunate enough to cut through the entire trunk of the tree before the chain stopped cutting entirely.

As evidenced by the above pix, you can see the ends of the hog wire equally spaced apart in the tree trunk.

Below a couple pix of the felled tree:

I have a couple spare chainsaw chains and put my oldest one on there that was recently sharpened using a small Harbor Freight chainsaw sharpening machine which works great for home use, but is way too small for any type of commercial usage in my humble opinion.  As I have stated many, many times on this website, "Most of the time, you get what you pay for."

I replaced the chain and will sharpen the dull one when I get around to it!

I had a few other dead trees to remove on our upper property and it didn't take long before they were on the ground and cut up into manageable lengths of which I plan to let Mother Nature continue to take her course recycling them back to nature.

This afternoon was a great time to be outside and enjoy what God has created!

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 02-04-19. 

TOMATO GARDEN SPOT WAITING ON WARM WX

I cut the dead tree up and moved it out of the way to let Mother Nature continue to recycle it back to the earth in due time.

As soon as the ground dries out some, I plan to till the soil, add fertilizer and mulch in preparation to plant a dozen or two of tomato plants after the 15th of April.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 03-25-19.

VARNISH APPLIED TO YARD SWING

Today being April 4, 2019, has been a very beautiful day with current temperature 75 degrees F. @ 4:27 P.M., however it started out in the low to mid 50s around day break. 

I had a couple things on my mental to do list, being spraying weed killer, Weed-Be-Gone by Ortho and applying a coat of marine varnish to our yard swing.  I brought the yard swing inside the basement garage workshop back in late November to stabilize to the basement workshop humidity conditions before scraping and doing some light sanding to areas that had cracked during last years subjection to the elements; mostly scorching sunlight in August.  I applied a mahogany stain to the front of the arm/hand rests where I scraped the varnish build up off.

I built the yard swing aka hanging porch swing back in 2013 from treated pine timbers and treated bull decking material and it has held up pretty good.  It has the normal cracking of the wood due to exposure to the elements, but the stain and varnishes has protected it fairly well. 

I applied a coat of Epifanes gloss clear varnish using a 2 inch and 3 inch width foam brush.

I will allow the swing to dry overnight and hang it back in the front yard tomorrow.

It want be too much longer before I will get some swing time in.

Web published update by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 04-08-19.

WEED-BE-GONE APPLIED

I plan to re-seed the front yard in late Spring, early Summer with Bermuda grass seeds which require the ground temperature above 65 degrees F., whereas right now there is more weeds, clover, etc., than grass.  I applied a three (3) gallon mix of the weed-be-gone, clip hyperlink here.

Yesterday, we had at least an inch of snow and ice fall around 0930 hours while I was shopping at Walmart and certainly glad I haven't jumped the gun and put any tomato plants in the ground yet. 

Rain is in the forecast for tomorrow and later plan to till up the tomato garden patch getting some fertilizer and mulch type soil blended in with the prevalent red clay soil, the Lord willing of course.

I also need to aerate the yards and get some fertilizer broadcast as well.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 04-04-19.  

TOMATO PATCH TILLED

The weather was dry enough to till the small tomato patch plot, whereby I added several large bags of Miracle Grow garden soil, which is more mulch than anything else.  This should help the hard packed red clay soil to better absorb added nutrients and fertilizer.  Several weeks ago, I tilled the tomato patch and added additional fertilizer and mulch aka Miracle Grow garden soil.

I have plenty of room for twenty-four (24) tomato plants and have a trip planned to Hamlet, NC to purchase the tomato plants from the Hamlet Hardware Co.  I will also pick up our youngest Grandson, Xander McKnight Gonzales and we will have breakfast at McDonalds in Rockingham, NC. 

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 04-12-19.

A FEW TOMATO PLANTS IN THE GROUND

I picked up Xander this morning around 7:30ish and we stopped off at McDonald's in Rockingham, NC for their big breakfast plate.  After breakfast, we drove to the Hamlet Hardware Co. and purchased twenty-six (26) tomato plants with a couple of them growing in a gallon plus size container with a wire rack.  I spaced the tomato plants three (3) feet apart and will have to purchase some additional wire cages for them.

After getting back home, the weather was very overcast and we did get ten of the tomato plants in the ground before Xander wanted a lunch break.  However, the drizzle rain came and later it was a gulley wash and/or a frog strangler heavy rain as the ole country folks would call it.

I plan to get the balance of the tomato plants in the ground come Monday, the Lord willing of course and the tomato patch is not a mud hole.

I got a variety of tomato plants and remember a few of the varieties being, Cherokee Purple, Better Boy, Beef Steak and will check the tags on them the next trip out to the tomato patch.  I need to get a few Cherry Tomato plants in the ground, hopefully for future Western omelets and a fresh tossed salad.  I am certainly hoping the freezing weather is behind us to keep from stunting the growth of the tomato plants.

I can just about taste some "beautimous" home grown tomatoes as I type; served on some fresh white bread slathered with Duke's Mayonnaise and a generous sprinkling of salt and freshly ground black peppercorns (Tellicherry), a BLT and/or a Club Sandwich!

Xander was a good helper.  He was on the A Honor Roll at school and he earned himself a good cash bonus from my bride and myself for his hard work at school!

Web published update by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 04-13-19.

TOMATO PLANTS IN THE GROUND

Around 11ish this morning, I got the other sixteen (16) tomato plants in the ground and will later round up a few cherry tomato plants.  I will hook up the 150' water hose and have it ready to water the plants as needed.

Web published update by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 04-15-19.

DEER SHOW NO RESPECT

Our security camera monitoring the drive way and front yard picked up deer walking across the drive way and going onto the upper yard at 3:44 A.M. early this morning on 04-17-19.  They then went to the newly planted tomatoes and walked through the length and across it stepping on one plant which I believe will be ok.  I have to purchase more stakes and cages for the tomato plants to help them along.

The video of the deer are hyperlinked here.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 04-17-19.

SERVICED LAWN TRACTOR

I changed the oil, oil filter, gas filter, air filter and spark plugs in the lawn tractor along with sharpening the blades and greased all the fittings.

It would have been a hilarious video to watch yours truly wallowing around beside the lawn tractor deck removing the blades trying to be as safe as possible and the hilarious part of getting back upright onto my feet......grin if you must! 

Below is an archived pix from 2016 since I didn't bring out the camera today.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 04-27-19.

BATTERY PACK REBUILD

I have a Milwaukee 12VDC battery drill that has to be decades old.  I replaced the original set of batteries that came with the drill with a Milwaukee Fat Pack 48-11-0300 that was rated at 2.5 amp hour, equivalent to an 18VDC battery drill and has lasted many years.  I checked the date on one of the battery packs and it was purchased in 2006.  The past year or two, the batteries will not hold a charge long enough to carry me through some of my woodworking projects and I didn't want to pay 75 bucks for a new battery and even generic knock offs were around 50 plus bucks.

I looked around and found some reasonable priced and rated Sub C NiCad batteries rated at 2200 ma which should work out fine.  They were a little smaller in diameter and at least 1/2 inch shorter than the original NiCad batteries in the case which should not be a problem.

There is a some type of resistor in the circuit which controls the charger shut off when the battery pack is fully charged.  It works on sensing heat from one of the Sub C cells, since it is taped to the side of one of the cells.

Battery packs by law are required to be secured with screws, whereas they can be dismantled for proper disposal instead of having a case molded around them, or at least that what I viewed on some videos.  It takes a # 10 torx tool to fit the screws which appears to be pretty much standard.

The original batteries have the connecting tabs spot welded and the replacement batteries I purchased had a tab spot welded for the positive and negative portion of the battery.  After trying to align the tabs, I finally removed all of them since the top positive tab and the lower negative tab are in the wrong position when connecting all the batteries in series for this battery pack layout.  The Sub C NiCad batteries are 1.2 Volts DC and 10 batteries are required for 12 volts DC, no brainier involved here....grin if you must!

Below pix of the cells before removing all the spot welded tabs, I positioned the batteries per the original ones in the battery pack case. 

Since the batteries are 1/2 inch shorted than the original ones, I cut a piece of scrap maple to fit the shape of the battery pack which worked out great.

I tested the batteries with a multi-meter and were ok.  Below pix of the underside of the battery pack with the tabs soldered in place.

The 60/40 rosin core solder did not want to stick to the battery terminals even after scraping and had to use some flux to get it to stick.  The solder job looks like some of my welding back in 1986 when I was learning to mig weld thin wall steel tubing for hunters tree stand climbing devices....another grin is in order.

Everything went back together fine and I run the battery pack down by exerting pressure on the drill chuck and then the acid test to see if it would charge ok, of which it did.

In conclusion, I think I might bite the bullet in the future and just go ahead and pay for a high dollar battery pack replacement, but since I have an additional 10 of those Sub C NiCad batteries, will go ahead and refurbish the spare battery pack.  The Milwaukee drill is still in excellent shape after all the decades of usage, I am sure the metal storage box has attributed to the increased life span!  The only disadvantage to this drill is its 3/8 inch chuck capacity.

I have since gone to DeWalt 18VDC battery tools and have three drills which includes a right angle drill, hammer drill and a regular drill; all 1/2 inch chuck except the right angle drill is 3/8 inch chuck.  I also have a sawzall aka reciprocating saw which I will mostly use for cutting the hind quarters of a deer in half and/or opening the brisket and sawing the neck off.  It is about time to retire the hand meat saw and work smarter not harder.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 05-07-19.

GIFTED THE DRILL TO PASTOR SAM ABEE

I used the drill and the battery pack overhaul rated at 2200 amp. hours and the charge held out very well.

Since acquiring the DeWalt 18VDC battery drills, I have gotten use to standing the drill up on the flat base battery pack, therefore decided to gift the Milwaukee drill, batteries, charger and metal carrying case to our Pastor aka Bishop Sam Abee on 05-23-19 who will definitely get some usage out of it.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 05-23-19

A FEW GREEN "MATERS"

The tomato plants are looking good and gave have small green tomatoes on the two largest plants.  The smaller plants are beginning to take root pretty good and beginning to grow.  We have had several good rains aka nourishment from the sky and it beats the ole tap water by leaps and bounds.

THUMBNAIL PIXS BELOW

I need to purchase additional wire "cages" to enclose the young tomato plants because they do need support when the tomatoes start coming forth.  In the past, heavy winds have even blew over the support cages and had to reinforce them using wooden stakes to help keep them in place.

Looking forward to some ruby red tomatoes sliced on some fresh break with lots of Duke's Mayonnaise slathered on the bread and lots of black pepper and some salt.

Web published update by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 05-14-19.

TOMATO PLANTS 06-01-19

Want be too much longer, the beauty below will be on a tomato sandwich!

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 06-01-19.

FIRST RIPE TOMATO

Been watching the above tomato and she is about ready to harvest and render into a BLT "Samich."

Can you say "beautimous" out loud?

Web published update by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 06-04-19.

TOMATOES UPDATE

I harvested six (6) tomatoes yesterday that were the ripest and two of them were destined to render a wonderful club sandwich apiece for my bride and myself.  My bride and myself have been anxiously waiting for the tomatoes to ripen to enjoy those wonderful tomato slices sandwiched between fresh bread, slathered with a generous amount of Duke's mayonnaise, salt and black pepper.

We certainly did enjoy our club sandwich and looking forward to another BLT, tomato sandwich and those home grown tomatoes diced up in a basic tossed salad.

The soil where my tomato patch is located is mostly hard packed red clay soil and will have to keep working with it to get it into better condition to produce healthy tomatoes. 

The smaller tomato plants are beginning to take root and have a few small tomatoes on them already with the help of a weekly dosage of Miracle Grow.  One of my main problems was, I planted the tomato plants to shallow and the Lord willing, will correct the problem next planting time!

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 06-16-19.

SEVEN DUST APPLIED

Seven Dust was applied to the tomato plants a couple times and did notice one horned caterpillar had just started eating a few leaves on one of the largest tomato plants, of which the two larger plants have yielded eleven (11) tomatoes already.  That caterpillar had his last meal and expired quickly underneath my right shoe!

I counted thirty (30) green tomatoes ranging from a large marble to a tennis ball +- in size and plenty of blooms.  Looking forward to harvesting more of those "beautimous" tomatoes.

Hopefully more BLTs, Club Sandwiches and Tomatoes Sandwiches in the future!

Web published update by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 06-26-19.

PLANTS STILL GROWING

The tomato plants are still growing and there are plenty of green tomatoes on the plants.  Looking forward when they turn red in color.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 07-06-19.

TOMATOES 07-24-19

Getting a few tomatoes off the vine still.  I believe I have harvested 24 of those beautimous tomatoes that have rendered some wonderful sandwiches and going to enjoy them this afternoon.

The above ripening tomatoes will be given to Pastor Sam Abee on Friday, 07-26-19.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 07-24-19.