What a Storm!

What a storm we had last night!   Not sure if it was technically one storm or a series, but it seemed like 2 different T-Storms went past just to the north before the third one smacked us.  The second storm actually had a reported funnel cloud that set the sirens off in GR, I understand that the Channel 13 news had a photo of it last night.

I spent some time outside as the first two storms slid past us taking photos and movies, here is one photo:

Some of the video is pretty good, I'm going to see if I can extract some stills or maybe even get a you tube account so I can link it here.

The third storm went over us about 10:45 PM (although I think the worst of it was to the north a couple of miles), we got 5/8" of rain in about 20 minutes.  And, of course, it's all my fault because I spent two hours watering the garden earlier in the day.

Gas was at 3.999 when I got off work yesterday.

Another busy weekend. Started on Friday night (7/11), about 6:15 PM a storm broke. This storm brought tornadoes to other parts of the state. To us it brought LOTS of lightning and, by 7:30 PM, an inch of rain.

On Saturday Matt rebuilt the hay wagon. Then, on Sunday afternoon, he baled hay. This baler belongs to a neighbor, it's his backup baler that he hasn't been able to use because he can only get a couple of bales at a time before it misses a knot. Matt has been working with the neighbor (in between other things) on sorting out the problems with it. Looks like they succeeded, Matt got 75 bales without missing a knot.

Last week I noticed that the voltmeter on Vger said it was discharging. When I got home I checked with a voltmeter and the alternator output was fine and the battery was fine. Hmmm. Then, the next day, the fuel gauge suddenly went from full to 1/4 tank. Hmmx2. Then I noticed that the gate indicator light wasn't working. Hmmmx3. Well, after a lot of fiddling and wire tracing and unplugging it looks like the dash on Vger has died. I tried one of my other dash's that I have but that didn't work either, so it must be a connection to the dash that is the problem, but I can't find the connection. The turn signal, high beam indicator, and dash lights work so I don't think the problem is a ground since they all share a common ground, but the fuel gauge, volt gauge, low fuel light, gate light, washer light, belt light, all those have quit working.

Several months ago I bought a cheap oil pressure/temp/voltmeter gauge set by SunPro from Amazon.com, but I've never gotten around to putting them in. I wanted to put the gauges in the dash replacing the factory gauges, but there is just not quite enough room, and they don't mount very well. I discovered (with an old gauge) that the gauge mechanism fits just fine (but can't mount), but that the gauge housing is the problem.

Well, I needed gauges. So, I spent Sunday installing the set. I put them on top of the dash. Works OK there, but I would have preferred them in the dash.

The roses are done, but we have other flowers near the front door.

Gas Buddy currently says that gas is 3.999 but that's incorrect, it's really 4.029.

Gas.  Had a meeting over at the other building.  On way over I noted that gas was at 4.059.  Discovered that meeting was canceled (without notifying anyone).  Drove back to office.  Gas at 4.029.  There wasn't 5 minutes between the two observations.

T-Storms last night, got about 1/8" rain, radar looks like we have more rain right now but haven't been outside since 6:45 AM.  We need it, otherwise I will be spending the weekend watering the garden.  And, we need to get it over soon so we can work on haying this weekend.

Been so busy I hardly know which end is up.  Gas today at 3.979.  Was at 3.929 over Independence Day weekend, then jumped to 3.999 on 7/7, then 3.979 on 7/8.

Busier than *&^%$^* at work.

More watertower

6/30/08

7/1/08

Note that the "Grand Rapids" is gone from the tower.  I didn't have my camera ready when I drove by about noon on 6/30; part of the tent was open and it looked like a large part of the tower was in primer at the time.

Some gas stations are at 3.939 while others are still at 3.969.

Here's a better photo of the Horse mower tongue. This is a Minnesota No. 3 Mower, probably dates from 1890's or 1900's, don't know for sure. Hard to find parts and info on the Minnesota Mowers. Sorry about the busy background. The jackstand is set so that the tongue is at tractor hitch height, this is pretty much how it sits when in the field. Matt is currently working on putting new knives on, I'm hoping to get a chance to get some photos of that process, and maybe a photo showing more details of the tongue. If I'd been thinking I'd have got photos while building, but I didn't.