The Adventures of a Middle Kid
  • Blog
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Extra! Extra!
    • The War Between the States--A Journal
    • Book List
  • The Bee Project

Truck Restoration: Fuel System

4/22/2019

0 Comments

 
I have way too many photos selected for this post...so I will have to see if I can pare down on them! 

This past Saturday, my long-anticipated truck restoration project had it's birth. A couple of real good friends made the trek from their home to ours to help this "mechanic-in-training" officially begin the project. Probably can't give you a real good "play-by-play" since this are a little mixed together in my head. I think once you see the pictures it will be clear that it was rather chilly! I will add that it was also raining nearly all day long...so it was a bit damp in the back of the barn.

Anyway, they arrived before lunch, and Katherine wisely suggested that those of us who were going to work on the truck not begin and get grubby before lunch...so we did a scouting job and then had lunch.
Picture
Checking out the fuel tank...and reading the manual.
Picture
I don't remember exactly what was under discussion here....but I think by this point, the guys were already suspecting something that we would later be very certain about....
Picture
I found this little hunk of Spanish Moss hanging from some wiring under the passenger side fender. A little piece of home. I'd guess that it has had to have been there for roughly 30 years at least!!
Picture
Lunch time! I learned a while back that my potato casseroles are a good bet when feeding these guys...and their brothers...(who if they had been here, I would have needed at least two! :D)
Picture
Our lovely photography duo! :) <3
After lunch, we headed back to the barn...where Luke and I promptly addressed ourselves to the fuel tank while Andrew prodded around in the engine (I guess...I was a little preoccupied) and later hooked up a battery...before we all ended up underneath the truck...then working on the fuel line from the tank to the engine. By the time we got around to me sitting in the engine (it is actually an asset to be short sometimes!) the girls had gone in, so any pictures from that came off the guy's phones.

However, before I get into this any further...we made two interesting (and to me) surprising discoveries! First, the fuel tank is not the original. The original was a 30-gallon (according to the manual) and the schismatics Luke pulled up on his phone showed that it would have sat within the chassis, not bracketed to the outside of the chassis like this 40-gallon tank!

Second, the engine is not the original '42/'43 Chevrolet...but a circa '55-'58 Jasper. (And yes, I still need to look that up and see what more info I can find.) It is thanks to Andrew's research that we know that. Anyway...it sure made things makes sense as to why the manual didn't seem to be matching with what we were looking at!
Picture
Andrew hard at work researching...
Anyway, back to the fuel tank removal and clean up:
It was about here that Katherine and Abigail went in...but here are a few random shot s from the day: 
After getting the fuel tank back on, the guys cleared the fuel line from tank to sediment bowl...then Luke cleaned the sediment bowl and the fuel pump...
Picture
The sediment bowl is at the far left. It has been recommend that I get an inline fuel filter.
Unattaching the fuel line from the other side of the fuel pump, it was decided that because the copper pipe was twisted so bad up by the carburetor to just cut it off and put the old connector back on further down the pipe. That was an interesting operation to watch...
Picture
Flaring the end of the tubing...
That old copper tubing got bent...and rebent...and bent again as Luke tried to eke out enough length to get it re-connected to both the fuel pump and the carburetor...which at last it made it...and between the all of us, we got it hooked up.
Then we tried starting her...and the battery charger whined...but nothing doing. 
Picture
Still, it was a decent days work--I think--and we all enjoyed it. There was plenty of laughter at any rate! 

Looking forward to the next time which will probably involve brakes....

     Racheal

P.S. Photo credits go to Katherine, Abigail, Luke, and Andrew
0 Comments

In Which I Acquire Another Brother-in-law

3/28/2019

0 Comments

 
WHAT? Katherine got married??

Not quite yet...but I look at Ethan as a brother already, so tacking on 'in-law' is quite natural. :) 

A couple of weeks ago, while up visiting the K family, Ethan proposed to my baby sister. And I couldn't be thrillier. :)
Picture
Just hours after he popped the question and she said yes. :)
These two adorable people hit the ground running when they entered the "courtship" phase late last year...and now they are on to the "figure out how we're going to work life and wedding planning" phase. 

Anyway, you are going to want to see the engagement shoot pictures. My future brother-in-law is not only an A&P mechanic (airplane mechanic, for those of you who are as ignorant as I was until sometime in the recent past)...but he is a private pilot who owns his own vintage Taylorcraft two-seater airplane. So, rather naturally, airplanes being something that have sort of been woven into these two's love-story (which I'm not really going to tell--it would be better coming for Katherine herself--so if she decides to blog about it you can read it on her blog), their engagement photoshoot involved Ethan's handsome little aircraft.

I was along as an unofficial second-shooter to the official photographer (Ethan's sister Abigail, who we all love dearly already)...so these are a couple of my​ favorite pictures that I took. 
Picture
Katherine had a tie for him... :) With airplanes on it, of course.
Picture
Trying to be "artsy"...
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
They haven't set a date yet...so for now, that's it... :)

      Racheal

0 Comments

Branch County Civil War Days/Memorial Day Weekend 2018

5/29/2018

0 Comments

 
It was a long, hot, fun weekend. I am now tired and hopefully will manage to make this an interesting AAR. I am going to do this perhaps a little differently than usual.

Thursday: We arrived at the park around 4:30-ish, if I recall correctly, and as we began to unload, with some slight assistance from Josh, Luke and Abigail arrived with their tent fly and wall for us to borrow again (our tent is a leaker, so the fly actually served as an extra roof). The finished set up looked like this:
Picture
I slept better this event--I now have my own cot!!
Picture
We need to lengthen the fly poles as like this it's about right for Hobbits.
Picture
Picture
I spent some serious quality time with this fire set-up...
Our next door neighbors on our right were, by choice, Hawk and Jill...and they had a new set-up!! What do you think?
Picture
While it is on a trailer, the cabin is based off original 1700's cabins.
We hung out under their fly and got eaten alive by skeeters...but still had fun.
Picture
Josh polished his boots...and then he did Hawk's. We had a nice conversation with General Lee later that evening...
Picture
Katherine working on one of Hawk's flags.
Friday: Being School Day we prepped for the kids to walk through. Once again, we weren't official presenters, but were open to questions. A little over half way through the day, I suddenly realized why people kept asking about candles....
Picture
Due to the number we had on our front table, people were assuming we were candle makers!
We made some new friends, due in part to a baby's bottle needing to be warmed and we having a close at hand fire...
Picture
The two ladies on the right are Jan and Susie--twins!
Josh "strutted" around in his new Captain's uniform... ;)
Picture
Abigail and Grace came over Friday evening for supper and to spend the night crammed into our tent with us. Before heading off to the Land of Nod, we ended up photo-spreeing...
Picture
Abigail...
Picture
Grace...this gal has the thickest hair....
Picture
Nobody and Anybody. At least I was behaving myself at this point. There are some pretty terrible pictures from this session... :D
Furthermore, Obadiah was called in to play "Taps". Now technically, "Taps" is to be played at 10 pm, but it was probably more like 7 or 8 pm...but it is a reenactment....
Picture
He NAILED it.
Saturday: The big day...the day when the whole K. family turned out for the fun...and Mom and Dad came up for the afternoon!! :)
Picture
I had the joy of rolling cartridges for the men...
Picture
Picture
Half of the K's battlefield contingent...
From my vantage point, the battle was sub-spectacular...not bad, but nothing uber exciting. Luke got hit twice (in the same knee). He said later the first hit was because he forgot to put in his ear-plugs and he wanted to put them in. Ethan got hit in the leg too, and later "died" and Andrew and Obadiah got into the action as well.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
After the battle, Obadiah played "Taps"...
Picture
Troop photos (plus a few of the girls cheering them on)...
Picture
I am totally showing my ankles here...a very shocking thing for a lady of the period to do!!
Picture
I love this particular shot of one of my favorite red-heads...
Picture
Picture
Picture
Random shots from the day:
Picture
Mom and Dad making the acquaintance of Mr. Craig...
Picture
After hours, comparing notes on the day...
Throughout the course of the day, music was played. In fact, we had an official request from General Lee to surround his tent and play. There are no photos of that, since the camerawomen were playing. Luke's accordion fell apart on him, which was really sad. 

The folks left sometime after the K's did and so Katherine and I sat around with Hawk and Jill for awhile, just relaxing and listening to the music from the ball (we didn't go for a number of reasons, one of which was my feet and legs were so tired), and wondering what was up "over yonder". Turns out a youngster had a 45 minute long nosebleed that led to a trip to the ER. He was apparently fine the next day because he was running around playing with other boys.

Sunday: A fairly peaceful day. Hot and humid. Hawk preached a good sermon out of John 4 (the Samaritan woman at the well), which just so happens to be where Pastor is preaching from at church. 
Picture
There wasn't a huge amount of interaction with spectators on this day, but we talked to friends and watched the battle which took it's toll on the Confederates. After that we watched the medical demonstration led by Mr. G (who is friends with the K's, sings "Messiah"...and has defeated Lyme disease himself). 

Something almost funny happened at this point. This lady I have been talking to at events on and off for the past two years came up behind me and re-introduced herself...and then asked a mutual friend/acquaintance, Lydia to introduce us girls to her four sons, as her daughter needed to use the ladies... It was a bit awkward, strolling with a girl in a Union artillery uniform into the Confederate artillery camp to meet the four boys. I remember all their names but one. (Philip, Nate, Curtiss...?) Anyway, I really kind of like Mrs. W. and she seems to like me. She asked how old I was and when I said, "26", her voice and body language seemed to say, "Oh...too old for my boys." :D 

We began to break camp not long after the battle and headed to the K's for Sunday evening church. Various people were taking walks or having naps when we got there, so I ended up standing in the kitchen drinking several mugs of water and talking to Luke for fifteen to twenty minutes while Katherine (poor abandoned dear!) rested herself on the front porch, alone. 

After church, some new friends of the K's arrived and we had popcorn and watermelon out doors.
Picture
Someone must have said something funny.... :D
Picture
We all spent the night because we were going to join them in/for the local Memorial Day ceremonies and parade. I know Abigail got photos, but we did not...and since I forgot to take my computer with me, I wasn't able to get any of her's. Therefore, no pictures.

Anyway, Katherine and I marched in our first ever parade. :) We were not too far from the head of it; the local High School band was in the lead, with something between them and Mr. S's (a WWII vet) 1939 Buick which we were behind, in the following order: Grace on a vintage bike, Luke and Abigail, then Katherine and I on either side of Obadiah. Behind us was Josiah on his unicycle. Isaac was supposed to drive his little red tractor, but it conked on him just before parade time. :( Poor thing, he was really disappointed (not that I blame him!) All of us, except Josiah were in 1940's dress (more or less), Luke decked out in his seaman's uniform. Andrew and Ethan did a fly-over in a Husky.

Before the parade though was a ceremony. Then after the parade was two ceremonies--one in each cemetery--on opposite sides of the main road. There was music and speeches and prayers which were Christian. Before the third ceremony, as people were mingling around, I accosted a WWII-vet and was allowed to plant a kiss on his cheek. I left red lipstick on his face, which he left there. The American Legion post was handing out plaques of recognition and he was one of the recipients. As it turns out, he was a sailor!! As he was coming up for his plaque, I heard Mrs. K saying something about the lipstick on his face and I leaned over and grinning said, "That's mine..." She laughed. 

Returning to the house and while waiting for lunch, Josiah and I  went out to look at his bees. In under five minutes, I had been stung twice. Once on the neck and once on the chin...so I about faced and headed in, with Josiah right behind me for ice and lavender oil. Next time, I'm taking my own bee helmet. 

After lunch, during which I bit down on my somewhat swollen lip, we talked and played our various instruments and just had a down right enjoyable time. We were the last to leave...we left around 9 pm, tired and worn out, but with another bucket full of memories. 

      Racheal

0 Comments

The Day That Was Yesterday

5/8/2018

0 Comments

 
Yesterday was one of those days that seemed like two separate days.

The morning saw us nipping into town so Katherine could purchase her new "beater" violin. She already has two, but both are family hairlooms--one is an antique and belonged to our paternal great-grandfather; the other belonged to Granddaddy's cousin and is in need of some repair work. So, as you can see, wanting neither to get (further) damaged, she wanted a new one for reenacting. And...she got a pretty nice one that is essentially brand new:
Picture
It has a mellower tone than the others.
When we came home, I fixed lunch before betaking myself out to mow. If you are guessing that something happened, you would be spot on.

I really planned on mowing more of the yard than got done, but that piece on the steering column that we replaced 2-3 years ago has failed again. I don't remember what the thing is called and I have yet to dig into the workings of the machine (may not even get to it this week), but I have a pretty good idea as to where to start. Still, I got the front/road done, and as that is the most important part, I'm not going to blow too hard. 

I discovered, while mowing, that some silly Killdeer has decided to nest in the driveway!! Goofy bird. If the cats don't get her, we'll see if the eggs get a chance to hatch before someone accidentally drives over them. I would have attempted to divert the bird from nesting in our driveway if I had had any clue she was doing it, but I was too late...and she has three pretty eggs laid. (Seem rather large for a bird of that size.)
Picture
Killdeer nest and eggs. Literally just a shallow hollowed out place in the rocks.
Well, along and along, I came in and decided that I wanted to go shooting, so Katherine and I gathered our gear and headed out to our own personal range.
Picture
We were both testing out some new (to us) guns. I've fired mine a couple of times before, but am not sure I really want to switch from my revolver to a semi-auto. 
Picture
I forget why I was making that face...
I shoot better with the revolver...it holds as much ammo (unless there is one in the chamber of the pistol)...and I am just a revolver lover. 

As both of us are out of practice we had some technical issues to deal with, but we ended  the session taking turns with my beefy .22 and shooting buffaloes at close range. She really actually won. Five shots, five buffaloes, the extra shot flipped an oil filter. Me, five shots, four and a half buffaloes (gave one a quarter turn), the sixth shot finished him off. Anyway, we had a lot of fun and I got my first real sunburn of the year.
Picture
Best group of the day. The one shot that didn't land on the target was due to a lobster that I caught too late. Even at that, it was just below the cardboard.
By the time we had used up a small pile of ammo, it was time for me to think about making supper, so we moseyed in. I took one of those "how on earth did that happen??" falls while I was closing the back of the barn. Actually, I know it was just that the worn tread of my boot slid on the very smooth concrete, but one minute I was standing up, the next I was flat. Surprisingly, after an hour or so, I would hardly have known I had hit the deck. Lord saved me from anything serious (maybe it's really actually a good thing to be short! Not so far to fall!) I ended up laughing about it because I'm sure it looked funny--but no one was there to see it, so we'll just have to imagine how ridiculous I looked.

Life marches on...next thing on my list, finish yesterday's laundry. It ought to be dry by now...

     Racheal

0 Comments

Truck Restoration: A  Projected Project

5/3/2018

0 Comments

 
Years ago, right after we retired from the Army, I boldly asked my Grandpa, "Can I have your old Army truck?"

The answer being yes, I became the proud owner of a 1942 Chevrolet. I have recently confirmed what my uncle once told us that it was an airfield fire-truck. Only the proper terminology is "airfield crash truck". 

In the post-WWII era the truck was modified from having a proper fire-engine-ish back end to a boasting a large white-painted wooden box. This was my Grandpa's beekeeping truck. I don't know (I will have to ask Grandma) if he built the box on it himself or not. I do know he purchased it in 1959.

Restoration to WWII-service configuration is not going to happen right off for me. I have no clue how much it will/would cost, but I know far more than I currently have to spend. 
Picture
"Bobbie Mae"
Finally feeling that I may be well enough to be serious about this, I am hoping to start working on it this summer. I have already drawn up a list of things that need doing--starting with a battery and a brake job. Whether that is "just" bleeding them (something I have zero experience with) or something more major (I hope not!). I want to do the work myself, though I will doubtless be running to Daddy for help...even though I found and was able to print off a copy of the shop and repair manual.
Picture
Once I can safely get Bobbie Mae safely out of the barn--it's bath time. There are layers of barn dirt on the old girl that a) are not good for my health and b) cannot possibly be good for the paint (which is going to have to be re-done at some point too--another pocket-book bleeder).
Picture
1943 dash configuration...stumped me for a bit...
Between pictures and research and help from a reenacting acquaintance (the gentleman in question is a practicable encyclopedia of WWII information!), I am completely convinced that she is indeed a 1942--only with a few 1943 features--like the dash. But, seeing, as I now know that a certain number sequence is the delivery date (December 4, 1942), that in all likelihood explains the next year model features.

I have GOALS of getting her RWWII ready for this year (clearly not 100% restored). In fact, Mr. Courter saw my FB post and personally contacted me to encourage me to bring her, no matter what she looks like! Talk about being somewhat flabbergasted...

​I love this event...and the people are amazing!
Picture
Anyway, back to my truck...I have a number of questions. The two most pressing ones to my mind are:
#1: HOW do I find out where my truck served? I did some poking this afternoon and came up empty.
#2: What was the original paint job's color? Was it the red I can see underneath the OD green or was it indeed Olive Green like the majority of these (or so I read)? I'd LOVE it if it were red (I have seen one colorized photo from 1944 with a red truck--up in Alaska) since that is my favorite color and vintage Chevy red is the best--but if it she needs to be olive, olive she will be--eventually.

Oh...and very importantly, I have to learn how to drive her. I'm fairly confident after reading the manual on top of what I already know about the mechanics of a manual transmission that I can without too much trouble learn how to drive a stick--even a beast of a truck like this one. 

Skimming the manual today after I printed it off, I ended up going to the internet for further descriptions of how internal combustion engines function and as of this evening, I understand better than I ever did before how vehicles go down the road. I still have a thousand things to learn, but each piece of info I tuck away helps. :)

Anyway...I'm excited. I won't say "stay tuned" because if I get started, you'll hear about it and if I don't you won't...and of course, this is an "as I can afford it" project.

     Racheal

0 Comments

Ride, Bolly, Ride...

5/1/2018

1 Comment

 
The rest of the quote goes, "In search of El Dorado" (from the film "El Dorado")...but in this case it wasn't El Dorado I was after.

Anyway, to back up, yesterday saw the day I had scheduled for Gardening Day 1. The morning started with a quick three-stop run into our little town (post office, bank to deposit a couple of checks, and the gas station). Arriving home with my fuel, I unloaded it at the back of the barn, parked the car, and headed back to open the barn up wide.

Done with that, I hopped on the mower and mowed the top half of the garden area. I mowed fairly high so that the shorter dandelions would not be damaged too badly, except for where I was going to till.

I don't recall if this is only our second year of strip-tilling or the third. Either way, strip-tilling the top half of the garden was the task I had laid out for myself. Once done with the mowing, I greased the Bolens, hopped on and gave the thing a crank. Oh, it turned over, but it was clear it wasn't going to roar to life, even after being on the charger over night. Thankfully, this battery charger has this nice 50 amp jump feature (I've used it several times for various vehicles)...and when I got that set up, old Bolly rattled to life! (By the way, I gassed up first. It's not particularly fun, especially for me being so short, to put gas in the tank over that muffler when it's hot.)

Merrily on my way (and this was before lunch y'all!), I made the first pass. At the end of the row, following my usual routine when the field is planted (it got planted Saturday), I went to back up and do a multi-point turn around (the Bolens turns like a barge on the Mississippi...or an oil-tanker--whichever "meterpher" you prefer). Nothing. 

Reverse was non-extant. 

You have got to be kidding me! 

Okay, you're not. Why do we always have something go wrong with our machinery?

I wasn't hugely upset and decided that I would just have to bounce over the newly planted corn to get Bolly turned around and back to the barn. I also decided that I wasn't going to bug my dad with the problem unless I really couldn't figure it out myself. So I headed in to do a little research. (The internet is a gold-mine if you know how to dig right.) Locating a manual for a roughly contemporary dated Bolens yard tractor, I poked about looking for something that might be of help. I was in and out a couple of times (had to take pictures with clean-hands!) and someplace in here was lunch. After lunch, I headed out with a page printed from a manual for reference...
Picture
I think this Bolens looks kinda funny without the fender arrangement...
Fender removal was simple (and I am ever so thankful for that little red Sears tool set we keep in the back of the Suburban. It comes in mighty handy). 

​I compared my set up to the somewhat striated photos on the manual page and went to work.
Picture
My area of focus...
I don't really know how long I spent tinkering, but I quickly figured out how the machine was supposed to work. 
Picture
When the drive pedal is pushed forward (with the toe), the forward jaw opens out (above photo) which, if my brain/knowledge is correct, engages a gear in what I think is probably called the gear box. When the drive pedal is pushed down (with the heel), it opens up the rear jaw (next picture), which reverses the gear (or some such thing). So, I may be a little sketchy on what exactly happens inside the box, but I did figure out that which side of the jaw opened corresponded with either forward or backward motion.
Picture
Furthermore, I was able to figure out, even without the help of the manual (though it confirmed my suspicions) that the thing (someplace in the manual, I thought it called it a clevis) in the next photo that is rather flat and kidney shaped was the culprit, more or less. 
Picture
The foot brake (which must be completely depressed for the engine to even think about turning over) is also connected to it (there at the rear is the foot brake bar's connection). There is a bar with an little "L" shaped end (you can just see it) that moves within the "kidney" determining the direction of motion. The Kidney is capable of some movement--which is where the problem came in. It had, somehow, since the last use of the Bolens gotten shifted ever so slightly, thus prohibiting the rear jaw to open wide-enough to engage the gear. It was an easy fix once I figured out exactly what I needed to do. (I didn't even need tools. Just some slight elbow grease--though I got more grease on me that the amount of elbow grease I needed.)

Before I put the fender arrangement back on, I cranked the machine (I was very careful, Mom!! I have zero interest in getting caught in a spinning drive shaft!) and using my hand, played with the pedal and ran it back and forth. Satisfied, I turned the tractor off, put the fender contraption back on, reattached the seat, crawled on, cranked up...and proceeded to spend the next several hours happily traversing back and forth tilling up the dirt.
Picture
The top half of the garden area...
I will have to till some more since today we pretty much filled up the ground I broke yesterday. But I don't mind. I like running machinery. :) 

And that was Day 1 and 2 of Gardening 2018....

     Racheal

1 Comment

Random Spring Updates

4/11/2018

0 Comments

 
It is finally beginning to look like Spring is actually getting here. But of course, as soon as I say that, it's going to drop off cold again here this weekend. (Literally.) 

Anyway, I took advantage of a beautiful sunny, low-60's temperature afternoon to begin the spring yard work. I started with the poor, mostly dead weigela out by the road.  
Picture
Before
Picture
I should have cleared the dead stuff up before I took the "After" shot...
Some of that might not survive still, but that was all that had any life left in it. 

​Once I got done trimming, I collected the trimmings and the windfall linden branches and zipped them up the hill in the go-buggy. After dumping that load, I collected another load of windfall maple wood.

Poking around here, there and yonder, I discovered that various mints are peeking out, the bleeding heart is coming up, and joy of joy--DANDELIONS!!
Picture
I need to figure out something with my camera here...
Right, so there were only about an even half-dozen that I saw, but still...bee forage is a comin'!

Katherine hied out to plant the cherry trees that Mr. Y, a WWII vet from church, had given us.
Picture
Cutie Pie...even if her colors *did* all clash!
I took my shotgun out with me, on the off chance that a Starling would show his pointy little beak. Naturally, true to form, I saw nary a one during the entirety of my time out of doors, but I decided to give my little break-action a mini-photoshoot of her own:
Picture
I have bees buzzing in and out of both hives (Huzzah!) I made up some syrup and put it out since it will be warm enough (day and night) for the next few days to enable them to consume the stuff. 

That's the outdoor report. Indoors, I am taking baby-steps towards conquering a few piles and messes that I have not been able to keep up with with my feet being broke out (speaking of which, they are look and feel the best they have since before they broke out in November).

I am still extracting the honey I took off the hive that died in January (I think it was).
I finally washed the honey bucket that had the Spring 2017 honey in it that I fed back to my little hive. It had been sitting on the table for weeks now. (Procrastination. And not feeling good. A combo that I really am trying to to address better.) 

I still need to vacuum the floor here to finish my to-do list for the day...better go do that....

      Racheal

0 Comments

Culinary Adventures with Racheal--Episode One

1/31/2018

2 Comments

 
"Episode One"...ha. Anyway, these headlines may or may not be semi-frequent in future. Just sayin'.

I think, one upon a time, maybe people didn't feel like they had to do "quick meals" and thus recipes took longer to make and more dishes. I'm trying to think that way in my cooking rather than, "How fast can I slap something edible on the table?" Undoubtly, we all have those days when slapping something to eat on the table is necessary, or all we have to give, but in general--at least these days, I am trying to go at my culinary adventures with a mind for flavor and learning to not rush through things (as well as thinking ahead). 

Of late, with the cold weather, I've kind of gotten fond of different varieties of meat-pies. Last night's was some version of Shepherd's Pie.
Picture
So much for artistic photos. Probably needed to have the flash on...
My ingredients were:
  • Lamb--chunked up leftovers from Sunday's leg o'lamb
  • Peas--frozen kind
  • Onion--if you know me very well at all, you know I can't cook without onion!
  • Carrots--peeled and chopped 
  • Potatoes--I used canned since we didn't have any other kind 
​Spice-wise, I used salt, pepper, garlic (I think I ended up using both powdered and fresh), rosemary, oragano, and probably paprika (I think I forgot to write down everything)​. I ended up putting a splash of milk over the whole shibang.

This concoction then went into my pie shell.
Picture
Pre-Bake
"Hold it there a sec", you may say..."PIE SHELL?"

Heehehh. Oh yeah. PIE SHELL. I have created a non-wheat pie shell that actually WORKS like a pie shell (when cooked). It doesn't roll out at all really, so it's a nice pressy, messy job, but as this kid never minded getting her hands into her food...who cares?

The recipe (to be cut in half, doubled, tripled, etc. to your heart's content) is as follows.
  • 1/2 c. Banana Flour
  • 1/4 c. chopped Rolled Oats
  • 1/4 c. Coconut Flour
  • 1 stick butter
  • a pinch of salt
  • splash of water
As I typed that up, I realized I forgot the water last night. Oh well. I guess it didn't need it. (I also forgot the salt, but I realized that about the time I popped the pan in the oven.) Because our food processor (in which I usually make the dough) is broken, I finger mixed it, then did my usual press into the pan routine. The glass pan needs zero greasing (just like a regular pie). No pre-baking necessary.
Picture
Right, so I didn't chop the oats either--food processor, you know.
I guess it took around thirty to forty minutes to bake. I wasn't watching the clock that close (sorry! I bake by smell and color to a degree). The shell turns a nice shade darker or so when it is cooked. As the filling was more or less ready to eat before it went in the oven, that wasn't a consideration at all.
Picture
Decided against covering with tinfoil...
It was probably that splash of milk--and no binding material (like flour) in the filling--that made it rather "fall apart-ish", but with a side of sour kraut, my Lamb and Veggie Pie was, to all perception, enjoyed by all....
Picture
I doubt this will ever come out tasting the same twice, but the general principle is fun to make and good to the taste. I've made several different versions of this...and one day, I will REALLY make mincemeat (how I originally got started on "meat pies"--a off the cuff mimic off mincemeat). 

And that, my dear reader, is the end of Episode One. It's about time for me to go work on supper...

      Racheal

2 Comments

Time to Clean this Instrument....

1/31/2018

1 Comment

 
Yesterday afternoon, I picked up my trumpet (y'all didn't know I had one did you? ;] ), inserted the mouthpiece, lifted it to my lips, and decided I'd had enough. The moldly flavor had gotten worse and I needed to do something about it STAT, so I put the instrument down, plopped down in front of my computer and I looked up "how to clean a trumpet". 

I've had this thing for over six years at this point (if I remember correctly which birthday I got it) and between year one and now, I never really learned how to play it (it sat abandoned in a closet for probably four years without being touched), much less take care of it (we'll make health excuses part of things). Anyway, I guess in my idiotic, not-knowing anything about brass instruments state (I grew up surrounded by strings, remember?), the idea that it might need to be cleaned never entered my head. (Seriously  though, all that spit that gets flung down-tube? Of course it's going to need to be cleaned!)

Now that I'm actually *trying* again to learn how to play it, I just couldn't get past that moldly taste yesterday...so this happened:
Picture
This was *after* the soap bubbles dissipated and I'd already cleaned the slides. (I also ended up getting some tea-tree oil in there to help kill the mold that I am positive was growing in the tubes.)
Picture
Air-drying time...
I didn't get around to putting it back together until this morning, when Katherine kindly took the re-assembly pictures (good thing too, because I ended up with slide and valve oil all over my hands).
Picture
Picture
It's amazing how *smooth* the valves are after oiling. I had oiled them not very long ago, upon the suggestion of a young friend of mine who plays...I'd never thought of it and it really, really helped. Of course, after washing, they needed re-oiling.
Picture
I can't imagine a brass-playing profile without a double chin...so here goes. It may just be me, but tone might have sounded better? Flavor is, irregardless. :D

      Racheal

1 Comment

The Year 2017 In Review

1/1/2018

1 Comment

 
Is it January 2018 already? Good gracious! Did 2017 ever fly by in a blur or what? I'll be hitting the highlights here...and maybe with the pictures available, I'll be able to pull some extra memories for you. ;)

January 

Well, I don't remember too much from this month. We had our usual "Little" Christmas (Epiphany) on the 6th. The 17th or so, Katherine and I had an appointment with our Lyme doctor in Ohio. Sometime in the following two weeks, my parents loaded up with Grandma had headed to the deep South for a few months...which turned into a full five month stay in the Sunshine State.
Picture
Due to our clothing, I'd guess this was a Sunday...probably end of the day by the exhaustion on my face.
February

There is really only one thing that stands out for me from February...a trip a little further north to attend/participate in a "Homeschool Show and Tell Day" put on by some friends. Now, neither Katherine or I are (or were) still in school, but we were still welcomed with open arms and presented. I gave a spiel on WWII B-17 bomber crews, with a special emphasis on 'Yahoodi'. Katherine spoke on the British Land Girls. The other "children" spoke on things from emergency shelters, rope ladders, family history,  gun safety, and clouds. (There was more, those are just the ones I'm remembering off hand.)
Picture
I made this blue 1940's suit for the occasion.
Glancing through my photos, I see this is also the month that I rag-curled (or sausage curled) Katherine's hair...and she finished her first 1860's dress.
Picture
It took probably an hour and half to go up...and after sleeping on a head full of rags--around 45 minutes to take them out. But boy! Did it ever work!! :)
Picture
 March

I had to look at the pictures for this one...Apparently, the only thing of note was continued work on reenactor prep for later in the year. I took in one of my first ever 1860's outfits (the one which Katherine had worn for reenacting 2016) and was delighted with the outcome. (I sure look like it, right? :D)
Picture
In other news, Katherine is just so photogenic...
Picture
April

This month saw more 1860's clothing construction, the arrival of my new bees, and a road trip to Illinois to visit some friends and celebrate Katherine's birthday! All in all, I guess we were rather buzzy...
Picture
Picture
Picture
Two nutty girls going cross-country again. ;)
Picture
For detailed info on this dress's construction, click the picture. ;)
May

This whole month was leading up to the "Grand Finale" the Civil War Days reenactment in Coldwater! We did actually go to the Hartford City Civil War days as well--but just for one day--we cut it short because Katherine got to feeling lousy before the day was over. But taking care of one's health is far more important than gallivanting. The following shots are from Hartford City.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Collected this one off Facebook. I cannot remember the name of the photographer.
I'll leave you to read the Coldwater blog post if you want more details...but a picture or two are in order here.
Picture
Cooking for thirteen. A new one for me, but accomplished without any undue trouble.
Picture
Food for the lads--as Mr. Arthur would say, "An army moves on it's stomach."
Picture
June

There were two main events in June...Turkeyville and another doctor's appointment in Ohio. Honestly, I cannot remember which was first. We'll list Turkeyville as first though...
Picture
Picture
Don't mind the modern vehicles in the background--those belonged to the Boy Scout troop that attended and camped at the reenactment.
On our way home from our Dr.'s appointment, we stopped at some church friend's house to pick cherries! Another new experience.
Picture
Picture
Oh yes...the folks got back from Florida on the 28th, I believe...just in time for the scramble for our Independence Day party!

July

No doubt about it. July the 4th is probably my favorite holiday--I may love it more than Christmas. :D So, our now annual shindig with friends is a wonderful highlight of the year.
Picture
I recited/read the Declaration of Independence. (I'd better get back to work on it if I want to have it completely memorized this year!)
Picture
One friend has wings...and he took Daddy and Katherine up. I think she had a blast, don't you?
Picture
Picture
Also of note in July, I had my first ever honey harvest.
Picture
I'd say roughly 25-30 pounds of honey.
August

Hmm...August. We were supposed to start sewing for RWWII in August, but with the discovery of MOLD in the parent's closet, that was put on hold and the contents of said closet moved out while the remediation and renovation took place. Meanwhile, Katherine and I took a two day jaunt to go help some friends with their chicken butchering. They do things differently than we do, but new experiences aren't a bad thing. 
Picture
Picture
Just a random cat picture...
September 

As has become the norm over the past several years, September was RWWII from start to finish. Sewing. Sewing. Sewing. And more sewing. (No kidding, I finished four aprons the very morning we left for the event.) If you want to read all about it, go here. My parents and Grandma were going to come this year, but Hurricane Irma threw a monkey wrench into that, so we girls went off by ourselves again, collecting a few friends along the way.

Photos are either from our friends cameras or the RWWII FB page.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
So thankful we got to stay in the Courter's cabin this year...it was so hot that the coolness of the interior was a huge blessing!
There really wasn't much else to September...we got home and crashed. Then picked up a new weekly routine as October arrived.

October

That new routine? Every Tuesday until the first week of December (minus one), found Katherine and I off on an evening excursion to practice Handel's "Messiah"! A new experience that I hope to repeat next year--only singing tenor rather than alto. ;)

Also in October, I hit 26. 
Picture
I've "missed" years before, but up until this year, I'd never had a "hard" birthday (I thought the idea simply silly). Turning twenty-six was hard for me, but I think I've moved past the emotional upheaval I went through at the realization I was closer to thirty than twenty and still single...and still fighting illness. Just ask the family. It was a rather rough couple of weeks for me. Sometimes, you really have to force yourself to stare into the fact that God is sovereign and works all things for your own good. Even if you are to stinkin' stubborn to acknowledge it. 

The end of October saw my older sister (pregnant with her first baby) going into early labor...so off the parents went to help out. They stayed til the baby was born...but that happened in November.

November 

Savannah just kept holding on...and ended up having the baby on her due date! Almost an entire month after she got put on bed rest.

I did the first stages of winterizing by myself:
Picture
This was my first Thanksgiving ever without my parents, but Katherine and I pulled together to make a traditional spread, hauled it out to Grandma's apartment and had a jolly enough time eating and gabbing. 
Picture
First time I ever baked a turkey!
Picture
It is almost impossible to take good pictures of Grandma because she refuses to cooperate...so we do the best we can!
Of course, I know you want to know about the baby...
Picture
Meet my nephew, Malcolm!
Mom and Dad got home with just a couple of days to spare before the end of November. 

December 

The month started out with a bang--the "Messiah" performance! (Photos courtesy of friends.) 
Picture
It was majestic...even if I did get hoarse and "cap out" by a little over half-way through.
Picture
The K's are to be "blamed" for us singing...here are the singers. All the girls were altos, the men all basses--except for Mr. K. I hope to join him in the tenor section next fall.
Picture
Closing the place down as usual.
It was a two-day performance--Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon. We left on Sunday (after showing baby pictures to the K's) and headed straight to Ohio for our Lyme doctor appointment. Dr. Ritchey thinks we are far enough along, and know enough how to keep fighting, that she told us she didn't think we really *needed* to come back, so we do not have a scheduled "next appointment". It's a little odd after three years. 

Between that weekend and Christmas, it was life...prepping for Christmas. I have been dealing with a skin infection on my feet for over a month, and as December ended it was finally beginning to really look like it was actually going away. Thankfully, it quit being horribly red, swollen, and itchy!! early in December.

Then of course...Christmas!
Picture
Picture
"Nate"
Picture
Picture
I think the new belt fit the bill perfectly! :)
Picture
Picture
You can't see "it" very well, but Katherine and I are pretty thrilled with our new camera!!
We ended the year out with a weekend trip (which ended up with us staying an extra half day due to exhaustion) to ring in the New Year! The weekend was a blast--cold(!!), ice-skating, talking, music, Chinese Lanterns, ringing in the New Year (a day early, but who cares), a slight snow fight (started by your's truly), food and more fellowship. 

Katherine and I went by ourselves because Grandma couldn't go and Daddy didn't really want to leave Mom behind and Mom didn't want to go without him (and vice versa), so anyway, that's why the two gal's hit the road for an overnighter (which turned into a two-night stay) by themselves.
Picture
Picture
A small smattering of photos...I think we need to learn how to use our new camera a little better, but photos are still photos when they are grainy!
The long and short of the year 2017 is this: it went by fast and in a blur, but God's hand of grace and provision and healing can be seen at every turn looking back. In some ways it was a really hard year to me, but God used (and is still using) the bumps to turn my weak and sinful heart more to Him and to seek after Him more faithfully. I look forward to where my path is going to lead in this next year!
Picture
Happy New Year 2018!!

     Racheal

1 Comment
<<Previous
    New post on The Bee Project! 04/26/18
    Picture

    The Middle Kid

    I chose to title this blog "The Adventures of a Middle Kid" because that is exactly what I'll be detailing (mostly). I chose 'kid' over any other word, like 'girl' (I am the middle girl so it also would have worked) or 'child'
    (since I am no longer exactly a child).

    I am a middle kid and I will always be a middle kid--even when I'm 80!

    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013

    Follow
    Picture
    The anti-Christ will not overrun Christ’s church or kingdom.
    Christ will win. He is winning. He has won. --Joe Morecraft, III
    Picture

    Categories

    All
    1942 Truck Restoration
    Accidents
    Agriculture
    Authentic Christianity
    Books
    Caretaking
    Cats
    Cattle
    Chickens
    Church
    Confederates
    Conference
    Cooking
    Costumes
    Cow Cavalry
    Family
    Farmers Market
    Filmmaking
    Food
    Friends
    History
    Holidays
    Horse
    Knitting
    Lyme/Co Infections
    Lyme/Co-Infections
    Mechanics
    Movies
    Music
    Musings
    Musket Echos
    Nonesense
    Pictures
    Politics
    Reenacting
    Rodeo
    Sewing
    Shooting
    Theology/Philosophy
    Video
    War Between The States
    Weather
    Weddings
    Work
    Writing
    WWII

    Picture

    Picture
    Picture

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Picture
    FREEDOM'S LIGHT FILMS
    Picture
    Picture
    Reformed Reviews
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    www.fold3.com
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    7 Lb.s of Bacon Mess Band
    Picture
    Picture
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.