Archive for June, 2006
June 17, 2006 – Takin’ Care of My Babies
Today was mowing and trimming day – got the pines and the hardwoods all mowed and trimmed. Also got the two thistle patches in the pasture mowed down.
The pine trees look good do far – all the new ones this year now have a drink.
The hardwoods are looking good as well – many of the trees that were eaten by rabbits have resprouted.
The rain still dances all around us.
June 16, 2006 – Bad Dog!
We have a bad dog! Yesterday we had a message on our answering machine from a neighbor telling us our dogs had been down chasing the sheep at his place. He also has very small dogs and was rightfully worried. These are things best discussed face-to-face, so I drove down and confirmed it was our dogs and told him I understood and would take steps to prevent it from happening again.
The first step was to buy a doggie trolley to keep Mazie chained up, yet give her some room to move. Next, we’ll get out the training collar and try to teach property boundaries.
June 15, 2006 – Thingamajig Thursday #28
Here’s this week’s “Thingamajig Thursday” entry. Also check out
last week’s answer.
As always, put your guess in a comment below.
The answer…
The tire from the cattle chute – it made it 6 miles home!
June 14, 2006 – Dry, Dry, Dry/Insulation
We are in the middle of a big dry spell. No significant rain for a few weeks – rare for us in early June. Lots of rain to the north, even 20 miles to the north got nearly two inches this weekend. Started watering the new trees and berries out of the storage tank that fill up from the barn roof.
We’ve been spending some time in the attic – starting on the insulation.
It’s slow, awkward work, especially in the corners.
We can start to visualize the room now. Here’s the inside of the biggest dormer.
June 13, 2006 – Martin Behind the Camera
I gave Martin the camera the other day and let him click away. Here’s a few of his photos. 
We’ve got an old granary that was dragged out into the pasture – this is a piece of metal that was tacked on the corner at one time that the wind has seen fit to detach.
One of his favorite subjects is the “scoop tractor.”
I think one of dozens of pictures of the tractor will be sufficient!
There’s hardly ever pictures of the cameraman so Martin took this picture of me.
June 12, 2006 – Berry Moon
Last night’s full moon was also known as the “Berry Moon” in times gone by. I’ll vouch for that!
Today was strawberry day. This was the biggest one day harvest from the patch so far this season. This strawberry season we’ve made canned strawberry sauce, froze whole berries, made jam (strawberry and strawberry-rhubarb). About the only thing left are fresh strawberry margaritas!
June 11, 2006 – A Joyful Sound
Last night was the much anticipated Bruce Springsteen show (about 24 years for me!). In short, it was a rock-n-roll hootenany! Imagine the legendary Bruce infecting 17 more musicians with his energy at full volume for the usual 2 hours and 45 minutes with no break and no warm-up band.
It truly was an evening of joyful, exuberant sound.
All of my favorite instruments on one stage, at one time – accordian, banjo, fiddle, steel guitar, even my old band instruments, tuba and trombone. The horn section was very uplifting. Thanks, Bruce for dragging all those great musicians on tour with you!
June 10, 2006 – Auction Day
I went to an auction for the first time in a long time today. It was a tough call as it was really cool (in the 50′s after a week of 90′s), so putting up ceiling insulation in the attic (without windows) was also calling. But I decided to go, in part, because it was raining and I thought the crowd would be a bit thinner. The auction is an annual event to raise money for the Mid-Iowa Antique Power Show. I can get there on all gravel roads, so it is good to drag things home. Most of the morning there were three auction rings going at once until they got to the big machinery.
I thought this old guy was a character (he was driving the auctioneer’s truck around). I don’t know how I managed to get a picture of him without a cigarette in his mouth!
There were hays racks full of treasure or junk, depending on your perspective. Here they are showing the merchandise up for bid.
The bidding gets hot and heavy as the ring men point out who has high bid. I ended up spending most of the day there and hauling things home at 15 mph.
Here’s a nice collection of burlap and seed bags – all bags $8.00. These were my favorites. Good local color from a Grinnell company – the town where we go to Farmer’s Market. I think one could more than pay back my entire bid price.
A nice pile of Dekalb seed corn bags.
More local color with these seed bags from Lynnville, Iowa.
I couldn’t pass up these metal emblems ($10) from John Deere tractors. They came along with a couple of side rails for a John Deere 2010 (whatever they are!)
This is an old animal chute. I bought it for the wheels and frame to make another trailer type. (A steal at $5)
Here’s a classic old wagon for whatever. Just needs one new tongue and groove floorboard on the bottom ($100).
Finally, a 6 foot blade that is VERY heavy, ready for use on the tractor ($30). I’m very pleased with this piece and especially the price.
After the auction it is off to Bruce Springsteen. More about that tommorrow…
June 9, 2006 – “Arbor” Day
Today we celebrated Linda’s birthday since it is the last evening we’ll all be together before her birthday (Monday). She hinted at wanting an arbor, so this morning, Martin and I set at it. To make it a real farm arbor, I used cattle panels on the side where the cheesy, fragile lattice is usually put.
Here the arbor is moved to position.
At rest in the perennial garden.
June 8, 2006 – Thingamajig Thursday #27
Here’s this week’s “Thingamajig Thursday” entry. Also check out last week’s answer.
As always, put your guess in a comment below.
Answer…
It is indeed the wheel rim of a John Deere tractor.
June 7, 2006 – Strawberries/Attic Building Continues
The strawberries are here!
Linda is being diligent about getting the fruit in. Claire made strawberry shortcake from scratch for dinner and the rest are destined for the freezer.
Today was a bit of clean-up in the wake of re-roofing. It is now very hot up there since there are no windows to open. I moved all the boxes and cleaned up all the nails, dust, bits of wood and asphalt shingles that fell down inside during the re-roof. We had about a dozen sheets of plywood left over and I moved them from the hay rack to the barn and finished hauling the branches that were trimmed to the burn pile.
Spent most of the rest of the day behind a paint brush.
Here’s Claire a couple of days ago, wiping the stain on the floorboards and window and door trim. Since it was hot and dry – it was a good day to throw a finish on the trim and beadboard for the attic. We’re on our 17th day in a row of above average temps and the grass is finally starting to turn brown. I’ve got two hay racks full of freshly finished boards.
June 6, 2006 – Recognition
It’s not always good to get your name in the newspaper, but here’s what the Marshalltown newspaper reported about me (a shorted version was in Sunday’s Des Moines Register).
“Mark Runquist has been voted Wholesome Harvest’s Board Member of the Year for 2005. Runquist has provided exceptional leadership along with his strategy, writing, and negotiation skills, the company said. He visited Japan where he represented Wholesome Harvest on a trade mission along with Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture and other state agricultural leaders. Wholesome Harvest is appreciative to be receiving Runquist’s advice as a Board Member Emeritus after his recent retirement from the board. He farms in Marshall County and is an award winning writer.”
There you have it – proof not to believe everything you read!
June 5, 2006 – Bottle Lambs & Dormer In!
Today, our lamb supplier called to ask if we wanted a couple of bottle lambs. He is off to the World Cup in Germany and couldn’t care for them. It was an easy choice for us – we have the milk (from the goats), the time (plenty of kids) and the price was right (free).
Today was the day the dormer went in along with the re-roof on the southern side of the house. Some people have a reoccurring dream about falling or getting chased. Mine is having a house that leaks (badly) in the rain. I’ve had it about a half dozen times, including last night. I guess I was a bit anxious. So, when the hole is cut in the roof, it gets my attention.
Here the hole is cut and the rough framing is in. The big hole in the side will be all window.
Here’s the view after the shingles are ripped of, but before the old rafters are cut. It will be a nice green light through the window.
June 4, 2006 – Inland from the Lake
On the way home, we stopped at Jay Cooke State Park. It is a spectacular park, relatively unknown compared to the other parks north of Duluth.
Martin couldn’t get enough “rock climbing” either on rock slopes or rock walls.
The railroad trestle behind the young woman is now a bike trail – part of the Munger Trail.
The St Louis River spills through rock cascades and falls. They’ve set up extreme kayaking through this portion of the river. For all you river freaks, the rapids are rated Class V in high water, which is right under Class VI (Niagra Falls).
Leisurely rock throwing is under-rated.
As is the “4th of July” throwing handfuls of rocks up all at once. We spent some time perfecting the art of rock skipping. I believe no childhood is complete without learning and practicing this art.
The trillium were in bloom along the trails and the light was just right!
