GOD has blessed me .....

GOD has blessed me.....

I got to spend the day with my best friend ! And that is truly a blessing from God .... She is everything to me ! No matter if our day is full of chaos or lazy as can be, I cherish  every minute I can spend with her .... We did a little "running" today ... Looking at clearances at the "Target" store that is closing in our mall ... 30-70% off whats left.... Hit the "dollar"store (we like to save a buck) then off to Tractor Supply for animal feed and a trip next door to the second hand store .... While we were in T.S.C. I asked Bob if they could get any coal in the store as I am working on a little Blacksmithing set up .... He said "what ya need coal for?" I told him of my little venture and how I was making an anvil from a piece of RR track until I could find a real one ... He say's to me "Well I'm a farrier and I'm looking to get a larger anvil when I can sell mine, It's in my truck... Would you like to see it?" I almost fell down ... I said "of course" so we walked out and he introduced me to my "new" anvil !!!

I have been doing the "HAPPY DANCE" for the last few hours and still can't stop !!! A great end to an AWESOME day spent with my best friend !!!!

Now if you will excuse me I feel the need to "bust a move"

Carry on !

Winter mud...

Winter mud.... 

Running low on firewood when its 12 degrees is always fun a chore.... But I had some help from the young'ens and that really helped .... 

A few days after the cold snap the global warming kicked in and the temps made it up to 40 for a few days .... The ground was still frozen but it got MUDDY .... Time for the straw ... It was a nice time to get outside and do some chores to keep the animals happy....

As soon as the first bit of straw hit the ground the birds started to scratch and peck there way through it ....

They are happy ! And when you have happy chickens you get happy eggs .... We have been getting them all winter long .... So they must be happy !

We keep the goat feeder full with a good quality hay, but for whatever reason they love to eat the bedding straw .... So I make sure to bring extra ....

Hay ... If they like it .....

While I was making the animals happy ... Took Mya for a well needed run ..... She is standing watch for predators....

And now its back to below freezing and more snow .......

Stay warm folks .....

Blacksmithing ...

Smithing .......

Working on an anvil ... All you "anything snobs" will say it's an anvil shaped object ..... So go ahead and say it ... But to someone that has a thirst for knowledge and a huge need to smith .... It is a work in progress and a thing of beauty ....

 Just ruffed it out with the torch... There is A LOT of grinding to be done before the two plates on top and the one on the bottom can be welded on ...... And then A LOT more grinding !!!

I don't really like to ask of favors, but ..... If any one has any old smithing tools (hammers, tongs and such) and would like to see them put to there intended uses .... Please let me know ! Hey I may be able to pay ya a little for 'em !

The COMMENT button is in green just under this !

Carry on .....

  

A sad, very sad day......

Not for the folks with a weak stomach .....

The last few days Moma goat has been acting funny

Not that she was acting much different.... When we got her back in July the old man that we got her from said she was pregnant ... We thought that's why she was acting skittish to people. But we have gotten her to eat from our hands .... But the last few days she didn't even want a banana from us (and she LOVES bananas) .... Watching for her to have her kids all summer and till now I (we) have been looking for her teats to drop and her udders to fill .... All my research said that is how we would know it was close to happening. We had made a second pen and shelter just for that time, but it hasn't happened yet.

So this morning I went out to feed all the critters on the farm ... And when I got to the goats Moma didn't even come close to the feed bowls ?? Odd ! After I filled the feed bowls and filled the heated water bowl I saw something in the shelter that made my heart stop for a second .... She had a kid !!! After I made it closer to the shelter I saw a second kid ..... Both were dead !!!! My heart DROPPED ... I an going to show a pic of the two (still born ?? ) kids ... Not to be morbid ... But maybe some one can tell me if they look a little small (never have I done this animal husbandry thing before) Were they not fully developed ??

They were cold but not stiff .... Maybe from the shock of being moved (but they got here in July) I feel safe saying that I KNOW it wasn't from malnutrition..... These goats eat better than some people !...... Well there is nothing we can do about it now... Just hope it doesn't happen again ....

My heart is still heavy....

Carry on ....
 

Social networking ....

Social networking....

  What kinda social networking sites are y'all using ?? I have grown to like LOVE Facebook but with all the news and facts and even more research ... I don't think I want to give anyone the "O.K." to search my property just because I want to "log in"

You do your own research... I can only speak for myself ... I think I need to leave this place but I'll miss you all !

My "friends" list is growing smaller and smaller by the day, in my life and on the interweb, mainly because of things "like" the interweb... So many people are using one of the best tools in anyone's lifetime for "useless" "me time" .. Ya know .... Games, soap operas, sports, porn, and all that crap. It seens to consume so many folk that it makes me want to just walk away ..... I guess I am trying to say "goodbye" to facebook....

So, what are y'all using other than the book of faces ?? I'm trying Seen.is and tweeter and of course blogger .... Please let me know what y'all like so I can try to keep in touch with you ...

For y'all that "like" this blog and know me .... Stay in touch ! For y'all that have only come here from "fed-book" .. Thanks for stopping bye !

I will be here and looking for some real "face" time from you all ..... Until then ... I love you all !

Carry on ....

Blacksmithing....

 "Smithing"

I have done a few "blacksmithing" projects over the years, mostly just fix'n broken stuff .... But a few "pretty" things as well. I made a few crosses from timber nails as gifts for a coworker ..

I just threw the nails in the wood stove and beat them flat ... And then brazed them together ....People loved them and I really found it therapeutic "shaping steel"

I have been looking for an anvil for a while .. But folks that have them conciser them "antiques" And want way to much money (in my opinion) for them. So I am working on making one for myself ... Crude but I can see it !

Here is one I found that is made from a R.R. track that I think will fit in my shop ...

So now I need a "forge"

Not this big ... But with some "scrap" and a little "need" I started making a small one ....

...... Yeah, I have the need not to be the "old guy" that makes bird houses ....

I shall make what is needed with my dirty hands !

Isaiah 54:16 Behold, I have created the blacksmith that blows the coals in the fire, and that brings forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the destroyer to destroy.

 More to come on my next "smithing" venture ...

Carry on ....

Update .... Last night was my Maiden fire .... https://vimeo.com/115450862

You can't do that ....

Maybe it was the way my father raised me ..... I have never opened my mouth to tell someone "you can't do that" unless I HAVE done that ......

Seems as of late most people to many people like to inject their opinion as the Gospel ... I have had superintendents on job sites tell me I "can't" drive a 16 penny nail into a motor joint simply because he never has ..... Yeah it works when ya know how to swing a hammer. I have had people tell me that I "can't" use wood chips for mulch in a garden bed .... What the hell do you think is on a forest floor ?!?!?! 

Every time I get told "you can't" I always ask "have you ever tried ?" And 99.999% of the time the answer is "well no.... But ya can't" ... I am so sick and tiered DONE with anyone that can not answer that with "yes and here is why it wont work" 

I do not care if I am leaving Facebook because of privacy issues or making a shotgun from scrap in my shop.... If you even think of telling me that it wont work or it's a bad thing ....... You better be able to back up your opinion addiction to what you have been told !

I do not want nor have a use for negativity in my life, to old and wise for that. So if you can't use your brain for something constructive.... Please do not try to pull me down to your level ... You'll just get left behind !

O.k... I'm done with that rant but I feel better getting it off my chest ....

Carry on ....