Blacksmithing, snakes, and up the creek..... with a paddle

Well Yesterday I finally got to do some blacksmithing today, and was it ever HOT!!!!!!! Have I ever told any one that I hate summer????? The other day Dad and I went to Lowe's to buy a barrel bolt for the barn door, and when Dad saw how much they wanted for the size we needed he just about passed out!! LOL So I just had to open my mouth and say that I could make one of those in a few minutes.....OOPS So he said that I was to make him one......... SOOOOO I spent about an hour making him a what he wanted, sorry no photos of it, I didn't think about it. About the time I quit I looked at the thermometer in the shop, and it said that it was 102 degree's!!!!!

So after that I cooled down by going to the creek for a swim, and just when I had stepped in to the water, I looked down and there was a Water Moccasin at my feet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Apostle Peter doesn't have any thing on me..... I RAN ON THAT WATER!!!!!!! I there is any thing I hate more than summer it is snakes, poisonous ones at that. So with that being said the swim was off, instead I just go the canoe out and went paddling up stream for several miles and then floated back down. When I was paddling up stream I just stood up in the center of the boat in stead of sitting in the floor, but when I was coming back down I sat on the very back seat. For some odd reason :) the front of the boat was in the air a little bit, so on the slow parts of the creek I paddled as hard as I could, and was able to get the front of the canoe pretty high in the air, just like a speed boat. I wish some one could have been there to take a video, I bet it looked a little funny.

Here are some photo's I took while canoeing.

When I was driving back to the house I had the truck speakers blaring with country music, and when I drove by Jake's paddock he was shaking his head up and down to the beat of the music. LOL I guess he likes country.

Herb Garden

The other day Dad and I started on a raised garden bed for herbs, we built it out of old RR ties, and was pretty easy to build.

A pile of dirt, time to start shoveling.

 This drill is older than me, and just about vibrated my teeth out!!!!!

 The ties were a little long, so Dad had to cut them off.

 After a days work we got it finished, and even got the herbs planted.

I think it looks pretty good, we put it right behind the "turn around area of the drive way, and with my luck I will probably back in to the herbs and flowers!!!!! hahahahaha

Workin Over Time

Since Dad and I have a week before we go to NC, we need to finish the chicken tractor. so since Sabbath ends at sundown, we worked a little "over time" in the shop.

All we did was get the rafters, and lathing up, but we will take as much progress as we can. Now to BED!!! ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

The Garden

Well Dad, and I worked on our garden until dark yesterday. Here are some photo's of it.

 These are all the bell peppers

 In this one we have 2 rows of Peaches and Cream cor, Eggplant, and lettuce.

 Here we have the cucumber and squash plants.

 Bush, and Pole beans.

 MORE peppers!!!!! We have Hot Banana peppers, Sweet Banana peppers, and Haberneros.

 Also, a few tomatoes.

I think this garden will provide our needs for this summer, or until we sell the farm and move to a place where we can grow a bigger, better garden.

Garden Beds!!!!!

For the past week I have been building some raised garden beds out of wood, I built the last one today, and we were able to get Prentice Knight to come over with his skid steer. That way Dad and I didn't have to shovel all the dirt in the beds. Some might call us lazy because of that, but I have had my fill with a shovel. LOL
The dirt was behind the barn, so I had to move the fence so Jake wouln't  get out.

 Here is Dad showing showing Prentice how he wants the dirt moved in the beds.

 Here are the beds, filled and ready for planting.

 This one here is just a small one Dad had me put up at the last minute, he said that he is going to put tomatoes there. That way the fence will act as a tomato cage. I am not convinced that it will work.

I was going to plant some stuff in them this evening, but I have some blacksmith work I need to do. If I think of it I will take some photos of what I am making in the shop.

Took Longer than I thought!!! LOL

Well............. We didn't get the chicken coop finished, I will show you what we got done though.

I guess we will finish it some time this week, maybe even tomorrow.

New Chicken Coop!!!!!!!!!

Well after Dad  got off of work, he can help to me build 2 new coops for our chickens. It sure is hot working in that shop....... I think Dad should install AC in there. LOL We came in for lunch so I thought I would post our mid-day progress.

 First things first!!! We needed some good country music!!!!!

 And get some air moving.

Here is the design we are shooting for.

Here is the first wall, I will post what we get done this afternoon.

Back In Business!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Back in the chicken business that is. Dad was posting an add on Craigs List when he saw another add for 11 Rhode Island Reds, and a chicken tractor. So Dad called him and then he and I went and bought them. The coop isn't what we were exactly wanting, so after we brought them home Dad and I ate lunch, and then headed for BG to buy some lumber for 2 new coops.
Here are some photo's of the new chickens.

Just a little stange...............

OK I am blaming this on GLOBAL WARMING. Today while I was mowing the yard I saw this.

Black Raspberry's........ Now most of yall are probably thinking, "Now what does this have to do with global warming???" Well these berry aren't supposed to come in until around the 4th of July!!!!!!!! Also the temp today was around 65-70 degree's, so it is safe to say that the seasons are a little messed up.

New Welding Table!!!!!!!!

Dad and I worked on making our new welding table, it took us about 6 hours to weld it up. Dad isn't used to using the MIG welder yet, and every other time he finished a weld, he would say 1of 2 things. 1"That looks like a cat crawled up there and used the bathroom." or he would say "I can do better with the stick welder". Either way he used just the MIG welder, and we got it done.
Here are some photo's of the making of it.

                                                      That is some BRIGHT light!!!!!!!!!

                                                            Checking to see if it is level.

                                                    Now I got to cut the last piece of metal.

Last weld!!!!!!!

                  The finished product!!!!! setting up right was pretty hard, just the top weighs 258 Lbs.!!!!!!!

It looks good next to the new welder, now I shall start on my new mobile forge, I hop to get started on it this Sunday.