CC_Ranger

Right there with you Tom !

HobbyFarm, Good thing I didn't know that auction was going on, or I might have bid up the Cub Cadet stuff. I saw the vehicles parked in the lot for a couple of weeks and figured that they were getting ready to get rid of them. Our local township used Municbid the other year to surplus items.

Congratulations to your son from one in the class of 1979. I am on the executive board of our local scout council, each year we do a recognition dinner for the scouts that earned their Eagle the previous year. It is always impressive to hear about the projects and meet the young men and women now the obtain the rank.

This is a good topic! Very timely. As I move towards retirement the end of June '24, I am really looking towards getting all my finances sorted out. I would love to have the mortgage paid off, but at 3% it doesn't make sense to take money out of investments to pay it off. This is the only debt we have. I too am looking to build a detached garage; I have been tracking costs and rates and am seeing them moving lower. Material prices have dropped, but not labor. I also do not understand the housing market and the current prices. The other thing that boggles my mind is the number of new pickups and large SUV's driving around. I have been doing some research on a new truck but am nowhere near making a move seeing the prices. I really notice the GM 2500's most with the Denali, AT4, Z71, or High Country package being used as grocery getters since I have priced out the GM trucks. I just don't understand where folks get their money to have these houses and vehicles. I guess that they are mortgaged to the hilt with bank. I have also read that the outstanding credit card balances are nearing a record high. I will be building the new garage, because once I do that, I could sell my property with the pole barn and bring in some cash and lower expenses with only one property.

Sorry that I missed the start of this thread. I second the recommendation of the ISOtunes. I have the PRO 2.0 at home and at work we just got the FREE 2.0. As much as I like the PRO model, the FREE is so much better at blocking noise and staying place. I highly recommend either one.

My Dad had a '75 Impala Wagon with the 400 small block. We used to strap on the trailer mirrors and how up to the travel trailer and it the road. It was the first car I had when I got my license. Not so sure on the roof top fifth wheel!

My bet is that it is the Tennessee Tom Bigbee Waterway. Tennessee–Tombigbee Waterway - Wikipedia

My bet it is the Tennessee Tom Bigbee Waterway. Tennessee–Tombigbee Waterway - Wikipedia

My bet it is the Tennessee Tom Bigbee Waterway. Tennessee–Tombigbee Waterway - Wikipedia

My bet it is the Tennessee Tom Bigbee Waterway. Tennessee–Tombigbee Waterway - Wikipedia

Yamaha made a TerraTractor model in the 80'a that had a PTO and rear lift and you could get a finish or brush hog style mower for it.

The other thing that happened to Levi's is that they shortened the front pockets. I still have several brand new pairs of dark blue 501's. I should be set for a while.

I bought the Dewalt 20 v pole saw and hedge trimmer set up. It has two extensions you can add on it. The hedge trimmer is 18", I use it to clean up along the driveway, things too big for it get the pole saw head. I am very satisfied with it so far. We have Echo and Stihl gas units at work and they are heavy. My Dewalt gets heavy after a couple of hours also. I wish Dewalt would come out with a grass shear head for it, I only need to do a little trimming along the brick wall below my patio, I really don't want to mess with a string trimmer.

Sorry, haven't been on the net for a bit. Silver Maples are brittle, the roots run high right at ground level, they produce a ton of leaves and the helicopters as mentioned. Not good for firewood, dries out too fast or goes punky. My place is littered with Norway Maple, an non-native tree which was planted on the 1700's farm across the street, they have a thick canopy which kills anything under the tree due to no sunlight. I am working on getting rid of them, but if I cut them all down now since I lost all my ash, I would be in a field instead of the woods. I burn the wood, but it does not have a lot of BTU's. If you want Maple go with a Sugar, it is know as "Hard Maple".

Dave, The volunteer looks like a Silver Maple, I would get rid of that now while it is easy!

A 2 up unit is nice to have. I am toying around with the idea of selling my Cats. If I could find a 2 up fan cooled unit to play around with that would be all I need at this point.

A little off topic, but I watched a Red Fox take a squirrel in the backyard this evening. He was on it and a couple of shakes, and it was all over for the squirrel. I was watching a young buck closer to the house when I noticed the movement. Not quite sure what is going on this year, but the deer are active in the backyard more this year than since I bought this place in 2014. Haven't seen a bear yet, but it is the time of year that they move through this area, mama kicks them out of the nest and it is time for them to find their own area. I wouldn't deal with a bear on the porch!

They were sold on the Industrials as highway mowers. I seen picutres, but don't remember ever seeing one in person. It would beat towing a brush hog for mowing around things.

The USDA uses a high powered "professional" air rifle. I will keep you posted on the progress.

Yes, I am the manager there.

We are dealing with them at work. We have a contract with USDA Wildlife Services. They perch on the railings of the bridge to the dam control tower. They poop all over everything and their poop is very acidic. They also pick out the caulk in the joints of the concrete tower. We have hung effigies the past two years and that chased them away, but this spring they are sitting right next to and under the effigies with no concerns. We also used bird bangers, 12 ga. fireworks that we shoot into the crowd either with a loud whistle or a bang, they fly away make a circle over the lake and then come right back to perch. I met with USDA today and they are going to start eliminating some of them.

The other week I was at a habitat field day for the Ruffed Grouse Society. After we finished our tree planting and were heading to another spot to have lunch I decided to jump into the brush to relieve myself. As I walked past this spruce tree I saw something on a branch about 4 feet off the ground, I glanced at it and thought, geeze someone threw a rubber snake out, what a litter bug, but then I looked again and realized it was about a 4 foot black snake stretched out on the branch. That was a first for me, it was one of the first warm days of spring and I think the snake just got out of hibernation. We found another one in the next location also. Now I don't just watch were I step, but what I walk under also !

Prayers from PA to you and your brother. '61 birth year hits home.