Portable sawmills

I thought David would appreciate these:

It doesn't look like the Farmall C is powering the band, but Grampa and team were captured on film in March of 1954.

Move up 41 years and a crew using a Woodmizer bandsaw while my dad inspects the logs:

I must be getting nostalgic in my old age.

Headed to -20 at the homestead

But at least my water pump isn't frozen:

Grandpa found his pump frozen during the winter of 71. Grandma, in a safe warm house, chronicled him carrying a bucket down the hill to gather water in the creek in a series of photos. He would have been 72 at the time.

1971, Iowa, no running water in their house and I never heard them complain about it, but I imagine they did on days like this.

One of the neighbors thought I was crazy for working on the deck during the past couple of weekends of mid-twenties. Since I can't stand on the pond in the summer, this time of year is my only opportunity.

I think of my grandparents and their situation 40 years ago, and I think I can handle carrying 2x6s up the hill to the pond. Grandpa had a much steeper hill to carry his load.

Wednesday Wildlife, 1/1/2014

Predator and Prey edition:

Looks like a bounty on coyotes is in order.

In late October I discovered a doe dead in the hay field. I thought the neighbor's dogs cleaned the carcass, but now I'm confident they weren't the only carnivores picking the bones of the deer.