Shaving Horse

I've been woodworking, primitive and modern all my life, but I've never had a shaving horse. I just never got around to building one until this weekend. Went to Scotty's and one beer lead to another and before we knew it I had his new Stihl chainsaw and went to work on a poplar log laying by the barn. Split in half and roughed out the head. Brought back home and finished today. Now just a project so I've got some reason the use it.

Now that's recycling

I had been off on vacation hanging around the house. Dennis came over for a few days and we took the Ranger to WNF to do a couple days riding, 75miles worth I'll add. But as the Otway covered bridge restoration is well on it's way the're a lot of old siding boards they weren't

going to reuse. Dennis and I loaded enough of them to put them up in the kitchen for the barn siding look. Well it came out great, and the pictures really don't do it justice. I also refinished a maple burl table I made over 20yrs ago that the finish had bubbled. Again the picture doesn't do it justice either. I think it looks better than the day I did it. So once again Dennis and I kicked out another project. Him and I are taking the Ranger to Colorado later this summer to explore the Silverton/Gunnison area. Can't wait.

New additions

As we are ever striving to update and change the grounds to keep thing fresh. My neighbor is a chainsaw artist and made a deal on eagle. The I spotted a standing "Welcome" bear. I wanted the bear, but I couldn't  show my hand. Well 3 days of tough negotiating and he was all mine. I think he's a great addition to our quaint little abode.

Pigs and Toms

Well its been a frustrating couple weeks of hunting. Went after wild boar in Vinton Co. an hour east of us. It was a night hunt with a small light shinning on a pile of corn. Well the first night got a little chilly and I left the blind a 1 am. Trail showed that they showed up @ 2:40 am. Left too soon. The next night I stayed until 4am, nothing. That was it on a 2 day hunt. I had 3 days leased for a turkey hunt last weekend. Friday was a rain out, but Saturday was a gem, birds gobbling everywhere. Finally a big old tom came out in the field and put on a show for an hour, flipped me off and walked the other way. Oh well at least I got some pictures. Sunday was slow, only heard 1 bird and he sound like he was in the same spot all morning. So I snuck down thru the cedar thicket and set up on a narrow green spot. He gobbled once and then there he was. I thought he was close enough, and I guess me not getting a turkey for a few years, made him seem closer than he was. At the shot I knocked off his feet, flopped around, got up and took off. The second shot knocked him down again, but the tough old bird took off through the woods like a scalded cat. 2hrs of searching proved fruitless. I guess that's why the call it hunting, not shopping.

Otway Saturday night.

What a night. Got the coolest and biggest milk bottle ever. A super rare 1902-06 slant print Griswold skillet, which worked perfect and we had to cook some bacon in it as soon as we got home, a wrought iron copper skillet,and a copper planter. Some stuff went for too much, but there were deals and I think we scored

Surfs Up

Thursday and Friday saw torrents of rain. So we knew the creek would rise. The creek that acts like a river came up the highest since we've lived here. I can't image what it looked like in 97' when it got almost in the house. The like a bathtub with a pulled plug this is how it looked this morning. The life of a river rat.

Otway Cover Bridge

Our cover bridge restoration is underway. A new used steel bridge with new concrete was put in a few months ago. Now the siding is off, scaffolding, cable jacks to straighten it up. Looking good. I only hope they now the use the old or a rough sawn siding to finish it. Not sure how long its going to take, but at least they got started. Tawny & I have been going to the old Otway High School every other Saturday for auction night. We take the Ranger to get the best parking spot. We have a lot of fun and have gotten some cool antiques. Old post cards, which I made into wall art, and old wooden shotgun shell box, kerosene lamp. Plus meeting everybody at the fire house who provide snacks and drinks. Locals, the regular buyers, and some real characters are always there. If you every get bored come on out, maybe we'll see you this Saturday night. Find it at Auctionzip, type in 45657 see the schedule and look what we got. Going pig hunting again next weekend and the turkey season 2 weeks after that. I think I hear a mushroom popping up now. Listen, you hear it?