Hello Mr Bob
84 460cid 3/4 ton ford with carburetor
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In the pre DOW days a comment on yahoo groups would sometimes result in a call at odd hours by Mike LaRosa. That call might last an hour. I am glad we have the DOW forum to communicate today. Thanks for being a contributor Jo and Bob I enjoy you both sharing with us all.
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I think Wayne scared the storm up to my place. Hope it doesnât last too long. Winds are pretty intense but Iâm not worried about tornadoes, I live in a basin so they usually go around or over us.
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Life has fallen into a weekly pattern for us here. Friday afternoon as soon as the two girls off of the school bus. Load up, and 1 1/2 hours drive up to our soon to be retirement house. Overnight stay, and Saturday working here.
I did get the left-behind old woodpile black plastic covered late last September. 3-4 year sitting outside wood. Halfway rotten now. Density loss, and crumbly, punky.
Mix of fir, maple and cotton wood. 6 days a week unoccupied this house goes low humidity inside. Iâve learned to rough split ~200 pounds and gap stack under the ductless blowing air to dry-down condition for out next 24 hour stay. Works.
I have learned so much in the last 15 years from woodgasing. I was so stupid starting out. Iâd thought that I could woodgas the trash woods. Nope. You need solid wood able to cleanly chunk up and make good char beds.
Ha! You woodstove the trash woods, barks and such. Why the poor char bed.
The squirrel-girls saw me photoing and had to run in and ham-it-up.
May all your fires burn bright and warming. Your hearts stay happy and loving. Peace be with your families.
Steve Unruh
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Did you find your glasses yet? 
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I just burned a bunch of wood that was a lot worse then that, but it was outside boiling sap. Some of the âwoodâ was like grapevine and honeysuckle. And some of it was starting to rot when I put it on the pile. It just smokes a bit until it dries.
a 55 gallon barrel is about 14-16" too tall for boiling. I would have adjusted the barrel if I had more to do.
Cut kids, but where do you hide them during squirrel season?
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This post concerns the current political situation but is focused on the economics.
Americans need to be aware of some things that will possibly change their lives forever. First you have to understand how and why the dollar became the worldâs reserve currency.
Why is U.S. dollar a reserve currency?
The United States dollar has been the worldâs primary reserve currency for over 60 years. Under the Bretton Woods system, the dollar was pegged to gold and most other currencies were pegged to the dollar. As a result of this arrangement, dollars were used as the main intervention currency and, hence, reserve currency.
As you will see in the first link, with the U.S. penchant for deficit spending the limitations for a gold back currency handcuffed the central banks ability to create money out of thin air. The value of the dollar was pinned to the fact that it was the monetary unit of the, by far, largest agricultural and manufacturing economy in the world, hence the saying the dollar is as good as gold. At this point the concept of fractional reserve banking went into hyperdrive. But even manufacturing has itâs peaks and valleys. One thing that was vital to all countries was oil. Oil for transportation, heating, manufacturing, on a day to day basis it was obvious that countries that possessed reserves of oil could in theory uncouple themselves from the reserve dollar and become more independent. While they still had the big stick, American interests were able to force all oil transactions to be done in US dollars. That meant, up to this day, that all countries had to buy and hold dollars to meet their energies needs. The Petrodollar. Two people that thought they were bigger than the petrodollar were Muâmmar gaddafi and Saddam Hussein. Both threaten to sell their oil in their own currencies. They both experienced shock and awe.
Due to the current political situation and proposed sanctions on Russia we have forced a showdown. The largest countries in the world by population have indicated that they are open to trade outside the petrodollar system. India with Russia and China with the Saudiâs If this happens the petrodollar dies, the dollar as a reserve currency is done and our smoke and mirrors economy becomes an ash pile.
When you watching your nightly major media news about the Ukraine you are not understanding tentacles of the situation. When Biden spends two hour on the phone with China itâs not about Ukraine. Itâs about whether the US will back off the defense of Taiwan if the Chinese agree to keep using petrodollars for middle eastern oil. Take any of this as you will but be aware that very soon we may be a bankrupt economy and virtually nothing will be the same. Time to get real self sufficient.
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Im nostalgic for the good old times, even thugh l never experianced them.
I dug out a couple of these, over a foot deep.
Still Sharp. Now, the interesting fact is, before we got to this abandoned homestead 3 years back, there wasnt a man present on the farm for over 40 years. Quality was a priority back thenâŚ
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Haha, yes I did. And had to look twice at that picture before I recognized Mr Wayne.
No bugs for me either. Thanks for the good work!
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We were out and drove a little gas car in the evening, it will be very nice with water that freezes, too bad the sun does not come down in the valley.
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First signs of real spring here, back yard cherry tree is springing to life. Need to get out for mushrooms and devilâs club sprouts soon
Jan that is beautiful to look at, but my wife said you can keep it
I like the cold, she likes the heat
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I understand her, 
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Those wondering about all of the recent DOW activity I think it is being driven are twofold.
Grass is beginning to wake up here. Mowing SOON. Then hand brush hoggin to do. Garden tilling anytime the ground can dry just enough. Ect. Ect. This is the last time of winter slacking off, for most of us. Sore muscles to look forward to.
The then new-reality gasoline and diesel prices driving in the must-be-a better way searchers.
Steve Unruh
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@KristijanL, I didnât want to clotter your thread with nonsens. I watched your water supply video with interest. I just wanted you to know how busy I am watching firewood and chunks drying 
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Yes , tough job JO but some of us has got to do it 
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It looks to me you need a mug of hot chocolate to hold for that kind of hard work. By looking at the long shadow of you sitting there and snow on the ground it must be a few weeks yet before you take your spring dip and clean out the gasifers cooling rails at the river or lake.
Bob
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Not nonesence, but highly skilled work process! I still got to learn it my self 
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Iâm glad to find out Iâm not the only one that folds down their rubber boots and jackboots.
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I did one thing for vegetables in the afternoon, do you have any suggestions on what I can put in the bottom so the grass does not grow through?
I have big problems with insects eating cauliflower etc., how do I avoid it?
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Jan, some use cardboard. Dead leaves work good too.
Regarding insects, if you want to deter them, your truck produces the right deterant 
wood vinegar, aka hopper condensate, is supposed to be diluted and sprayed over the plants. The smell deters the pests. But for the right ratio, you shuld find some recomendations elsewere. I know Koen posted some recepies a while ago
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