Used to be we said we didn't need a hobby, we had a Do-All. During harvest I tend to feel that way about a Stir-Ator. We tried some corn at Mom's and it was too wet. So we put it in the bin to put a little heat on it. Well, the !@#$!! mice had gotten inside the dryer fan control and made a mess out of things. I rewired until I reached a point of needing parts I didn't have and called an electrician. What has that to do with this? While they were working on the fan we found the Stir-Ator wouldn't start. Finally figured out the problem was in the fuse box bolted to the bin roof. They suggested a solution to get by until the bin was full enough to stand on and work on things. The only risk was it bypassed a shut down feature on the Stir-Ator. But it ran. So when the wheel jumped off the track (sorry for the poor photos, all I had was my cell phone) the machine did not stop.

The result was some things got really tight. Like this guide arm that is supposed to be straight.

And this pulley bracket that is supposed to be square.

But it DID shut down ... when it pulled the electric wire in two. Of course that is all overhead as well. I'm not really sure where the break is, if it is in the troublesome fuse box or in the box on the Stir-Ator or in the wire between the two someplace.

And of course this is 18 ft off the floor in a bin with 2 ft of corn in it. Which means a 20 ft ladder just does reach. Well, it doesn't reach everything. But that also means fighting a 20 ft ladder inside a bin with 2 ft of now dry corn in it. Remember walking in dry corn? You sink almost up to your knees.

I got the mechanical repairs all finished and was getting ready to start on the electrical when Mom stuck her head in the door and asked if I wanted to go downtown and eat supper.

I have to finish the electrical part tomorrow.

You know, some seed companies give away ink pens. Some seed companies give away thermometers. Some seed companies give away hats and jackets. Some seed companies give away trips. Becks gives away 4 wheelers...
The IH sticker is optional ...

I know, I actually paid for it. But the seed did not cost any more than the competition and is performing very well. So why not get everything you are paying for?

The plastic box is one I put on to hold the battery for the sprayer.
David and Adam spent the afternoon with Grandpa and Grandma Sunday. David found Grandma's lawn mowing glasses and gloves. He has on the glasses and the Dale Earnhart gloves and is trying to get his hand with the glove on inside a puppet.
Sorry about the quality. My camera was in the truck and all I had was the cellphone

nothing profound to share

It's going to be a long fall. As I mentioned on the farm site (www.BumpusFarms.US) it had been a start and stop, get ready and wait fall so far and will probably continue that way. Our driest corn is 28% (15.5% is where you want it). We have cut the dry milo, what is left is over 23% (you want 14% with it). We've cut nearly 200 acres of beans, but are at the point of having 5 acres of dry beans in the middle of 40 acres of replanted beans and everything else is green. Wheat planting should start this week ... all day of it.

I don't feel very profound. I should be outside doing something on a beautiful day but had to get the minutes together for the church board meeting tonight and got to updating web sites and blogs.

The church web site is current again (www.wucc.us)
The farm web site/blog is current (www.Bumpusfarms.US)
the West union start page is current (www.westunion.blogspot.com)
and once I hit Publish this blog will be current.

Think I'll go for a 4 wheeler ride on my new seed corn Polaris. Some companies just give out hats and jackets.

R I P
? - September 15, 2009

You know it will happen someday.
Doesn't mean you'll be ready for it.
Dogs are fairly short-lived creatures
but live longer than others.
Lizzie reached the end of her fight today.
She will be missed.

I found this online and it seemed very appropriate.
It is not used by permission, but I think the author would understand:

My Little Friend

I have a little friend whose always by my side,
We're never very far apart no matter what the time.
I have a little friend who listens to what I say and doesn't judge
me for what I've done but what's inside of me.
She gives me the support I need to make it through the day.
And when I'm sad she seems to know just what I need to have.
My little friend is not like me she has some things I don't,
like four legs, a tail that wags and a nose that's wet and cold.
She lets me know with a gentle nudge that she cares
and is there for me.
We'll never be that far apart,
and when the time does come,
I know we'll be together again in that spot above.

- Linda McBroom©1997

I'm doing pretty good for July 15th ...

I'm doing pretty good for July 15th ...
What do you mean it's Labor Day?

We are at a stopping point on the window painting / repair / replacement on the house. (Sorry, no photos) It started out as a couple day job painting window trim. We've spent close to 3 weeks on it. We have replaced 4 windows and have pretty much decided over the next year or so to replace almost all of them.

Moving along ...

Outside of a kid calling her Grandma, Sue can't think of a much higher honor than a little kid pulling on his Mom's hand and pointing and saying "That's my Sunday School teacher". Here are a couple of her students and a couch full of mine

Someone asked how the restaurant was doing, so here are a few candid shots

It's hard to get a waitress to stand still long enough for a photo

And it is so famous people travel all the way from Idaho to eat there

Well, enough for now. Be sure and visit the farm site at www.bumpusfarms.us

Middle August

Has it really been that long since I posted on here? Time flies ... whether you are having fun or not. Since my last post we have painted and irrigated and irrigated.
We've survived Vacation Bible School.

We've been to the family reunion.
(See www.BumpusReunion.info for some photos)
And irrigated.
We have gotten to see a lot of thunderclouds ...
in the distance

But we've been down this road before

Sometimes you just have to stop and park in the shade

and enjoy what there is to see

Oh, and if you want to have some real fun the next few days
we bought 3 gallons of paint for the trim on the house.

Mindless musings

Yes, it is 4:15 AM. It's irrigation season and I have been out shutting down a system in the middle of the night. Problem is I am now wide awake I thought it would be around about 3. Wrong! It was around about 2. So I reversed it, sped it up, and set my alarm on my cell phone for 1/2 an hour and took a nap in the middle of a soybean field. Now I'm home and awake. Maybe it is time for some unconnected mindless musings.

From http://www.thefreedictionary.com/musing
mus·ing (myzng)

adj. Deep in thought; contemplative.

n. 1. Contemplation; meditation.2. A product of contemplation; a thought.
I've been reading the obits again. I know,the kids don't understand why one would want to do that. It is probably the most "real" part of any paper. I saw a line in one today that really made me pause and contemplate A brief excerpt. "passed away Friday evening, in his residence. He was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years on Oct. 29, 2006. Due to severe prolonged loneliness, he took his life." I pondered on such loneliness. Who might I know that was that lonely and if so what could I do about it. No answers yet.

Actually, he sounds like he might have been one of those folks who would be fascinating to visit with if you could steer the conversation the right way. The obit said "in 1937, he joined the U.S. Navy. World War II broke out shortly after his release from the Navy. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps and served in World War II from which he was honorably discharged."

To my generation such dedication to country has been largely unheard of.

"He purchased a trucking company in 1946, in Annapolis, Ill., and sold it in 1961."

That all by itself would make me want to look at him and go "What? ...a trucking company in Annapolis?" And to operate it for 15 years and then sell it!

In 1952, he bought the *** tavern in West Terre Haute and sold it in 1961 as well.

Well, maybe that explains the exit from trucking. Beating around in a 40's or 50's truck on narrow 2 lane highways could drive anyone to drink!

During 1964, he became owner of *** Sporting Goods business. He transported live bait throughout the Midwest.

Putting his trucking experience back to good use?

During that time, he became interested in burglar alarms. He developed his own burglar alarm system that was UL approved called *** and distributed it to many homes and businesses in the Wabash Valley.

Sounds interesting. I just bet if a person could have sat and picked his mind there were a lot of fascinating stories and good ideas in there. But he let his loneliness get the best of him. Another lesson learned.

Well, enough musings for now. Maybe I'll have more later.



.