side yard and my amazing cedar tree

I'm paying for some help with yard work- the continuation of removing all the overgrowth and such that was started last fall. The side yard is looking better. It's more obvious now how much bamboo there is needing elimination. The neighbors invasive bamboo has been working it's way into the front and side yards and I aim to remove the evil stuff at ANY cost. I have seen what it WILL do if left unchecked. Later, I pulled the lawn mower out of the basement for the first time since last fall- and it started right up. It's great when things work. And look/see what I did with a pair of leaky rubber boots. I was throwing them out, but decided to save the olive drab rubber uppers as material for possible use on my army cb450 project. So, I cut the top part off one and realized I'd made a nice rubber slip on yard shoe...so I made another.

rubber shoes

a view of unfinished shed with 2 lean-to extensions

The frost and the chilly morning burned off and it became a great day to be outside. I finished covering the end of the new lean-to against the shed with rough sawn oak boards and leaned a couple of my old iron wagon/farm wheels against the wall. It has the look of an old shed seen from one of the alleys in Tellurid Colorado. It's a good place for the cx500 and garden tools and such. I'll add an old looking shelf for auto fluids. I saw the daffodils blooming along the highway- the first blooms of spring.

west side lean-to roof in place

The place is getting more functional. Not having a garage, every square inch of extra space under roof is really appreciated. The west side lean-to is roofed and I also started putting up a wall of rough sawn oak boards (salvaged crate material) on the low side. I still haven't decided what type of roofing material to put on the shed itself. I've now used up all but some scraps of the used red metal roofing material I had.

the birds mouth cuts on the rafter ends

rafters and purlins from OLD rough sawn 2x4's

solo canoe and kayak storage

I started out with building a rack to hold the canoe and kayak, against the fence. Then later I worked on the lean-to I'm building on the west end of the shed project. By the end of the day, after numerous breaks, I had the 2nd post base in and a rafter pattern cut and several in place. I'm using the salvaged 2x4's I have on hand- removing old square nails before I cut- wood milled over 100 years ago.

post base set and lveled

west end lean-to roof coming to be

cleaning another cb450 carb

So windy today- along with the look of rain, but warm- 50 or so. There were three grape plants I put in last fall and today I moved them to different, more appropriate spots. Then, a little later, I was cleaning a cb450 carb outside on my redwood pic nic table and had to move to the basement to leave the wind behind. Last night, and again tonight, I went to the Banf Mountain Film Festival World Tour and saw some great films. I've been to/through Banf on a motorcycle trip and would love to be there for the actual film festival. They show about 16 films on the tour but like 85 films at the festival. All are quite inspiring.

cb450 carburetor dismantle

Another chilly day- maybe 40 with a dusting of snow on the ground in the morning. I managed a little time on the cb450. I decided to go with the carbs I took off the parts bike yesterday, as the one original I had already cleaned seemed to have a few things that could be issues. Maybe not a problem but why not start with the better ones. I have one of the 2nd set apart and ready to clean- outside, when the temps go back up. I sold my old rear truck cab window(I put slider in) this evening so felt free to order 2 new float needles and seats for the motor bike project. Oh, I almost forgot, actually I spent the $ from selling stuff the past 2 days on tickets to:
Banf Mountain Film Fest

 

the side reflector is certainly worth something

Cold today- a fire in Rex's belly since I cleaned out the ashes about 10 a.m. I sold a cb450 parts "bike" (a rolling frame mostly)I had acquired for free. I saved a few parts and sold a few, then passed on what was left for $15 to someone wanting the brake parts for his cb550. We chatted a while about old bikes and his problems repeatedly rebuilding and tuning 4 carbs- FOUR!!!(that's why my old bikes are twins). I told him how I'd been all over the county- through the Mojave desert, up and down Hwy 1 and 101, to the Olympic Peninsula and up to Alaska, Down to the Buffalo, etc, etc. ...on a single cylinder(ONE CARB!, a thumper) bike and I think he was going home to quit school and search for such a simple beast. I removed the 2 carbs from my complete parts bike while waiting for the guy to show, so now have 4 to pick from as far as making a good set for my cb450project. Last night I ordered new terminal boots for the starter cable. Ebay is your buddy.

I washed the CX this week- polished the 33yr old chrome

chipping away at the 2nd shed lean-to 

I started the on the support piers for the 2nd lean-to extension on the shed. I was able to get one in place yesterday. Today I worked more on the garden area- I moved more wood chips in to help kill the grass and make paths. I planted some perennials- yellow raspberries and tiger lillies. And, I put together the raised bed pieces I cut the other day and filled it with leaf mulch. I noticed the swiss chard in the cold frame bed has started sprouting.

the garden grows

the asparagus bed completed

Cooler today but the sun made up for it. The asparagus bed is finished and I'm liking the garden coming to be right outside my 2 favorite windows, the windows beside the window seat...two windows in my sleeping quarters. This evening, in the comfort of my tiny home(it's paid for), I cleaned up the cb450 starter using Simple Green- it's great for indoor work on such mechanical things. It looks quite sharp for 41 years old.

1973 cb450 starter  motor gets cleaned up.

dog

Another summer like day, plenty warm and plenty of sunshine. The asparagus arrived the other day (Heirloom Variety Mary Washington) so today I made it priority to at least start the bed. I managed to prepare an area in the front portion of the side yard and get 8 crowns in. I plan to do 4 more, for a total of 12- 2 year crowns- either another short row or lengthen the 2 rows I have now. That's 2 days now of playing hooky from tax work. Yesterday I cut/sized the last of my 2x10 salvaged lumber- enough for a 4.5'x 7' raised bed that I'll hopefully get set up tomorrow.

now I can feel free to collect more salved lumber for projects

A nice summer like day here on the edge of the city. I needed a break from organizing receipts and statements and adding things up, so I allowed myself to go out and work on the lumber storage lean-to. I installed the salvaged barn red metal roofing and added 2 more racks for a total of 3. Then I moved my stashed lumber to the racks and dreamt of all the perennials I want to put in the side yard-  now that it is free of lumber piles covered with red metal roofing/siding. While working out in the yard the guy that left me a load of wood chips stopped by and left more. Now I have plenty and think I will hire help to spreading them about the side yard.

Petra is making sure I got the right kind

ready for roofing

the metal cut nicely w/circular saw w/ proper blade

Warmer- maybe mid 40's today and plenty of sun. I'm focusing on tax work now- gathering and separating receipts, adding up $ in from various sources, etc. I took breaks to run errands and also worked on the little lean-to roof against the fence for salvaged lumber storage. The 12' 2x4 purlins are up and I cut the last of my salvaged red roofing tin into 50" lengths to eventually roof the lumber rack. There were lettuce plants for sale at Home Depot- the cold is headed out the back door.

made a big batch of beans and froze most for later

an easy load as pile was so tall

Winter is back- a little snow but more wind. I made it to the free mulch/compost site and loaded up on the fresh, hot compost they made last week. later, to help warm the house and use up crab apple sauce I have on hand, I made a double batch of bread- whole wheat flour, oats, raisins,etc.

Yesterday I unloaded the truck and trailer- and found places for everything. I planned, and started to build, another lean-to against the other side of the shed. On to another project, I made another hatch door in the fence so Petra could see out into the front yard some. In the end, a beautiful 60+ day with rain/sleet to come tonight and change to snow.

the handy blue trailer

A road trip to Route K to fetch some things-may table saw, the cb450 parts, file cabinet, shelves and my camping and gold panning gear...and so much more. The trailer did great and the 4 cylinder truck lulled it fine even if I did need to downshift to 4th on hills. While I was gone a guy gifted me a truck load of wood chips- so no more fetching bucket loads for a while.

free wood chips

New shifter bushing...what a difference.

Rain last night and a cool day today. Last minute prep to ready for a run to Como tomorrow with truck and trailer- to bring back tools and motorbike parts and kitchen items I've been missing. The truck transmission seems to be shifting better w/the new shift bushing kit I installed and the serious leaking of transmission fluid seems to have subsided w/the re-sealing of those 3 plugs at the top of the transmission case. With the fresh engine oil and filter in the truck I'm ready to do the 2 hour drive to Columbia.

The 3 plugs re-sealed. No more leaking fluid

Another warm...hot day today. So appreciated after the cold spell(s) we've had this winter. Laundry got done today...and hung out to dry. I'm dreamin' of Colorado. What else...I shipped off a spare 1973 CB450 fork bridge I sold to someone in Pennsylvania.

I removed the broken speedo first

oil change

salvaged 2x10's

They said 70's for today but I see it got to 80. I changed the oil and filter in the truck then went and scrounged more 2x10's to make some bins for composting-a double bin for kitchen scraps and a double one for the dog crap. I also took some parts off one of my parts cb450's in storage- to sell to someone doing a restore. After chainsawing out some stumps, the compost bins came together enough to start using. I may add on to them later/ as needed. It was nice the saw started right up after sitting all winter. I uncovered and started the CX also. It came to life on the first crank. Soon I'll have a proper place to put it.

compost bins

Petra waits for action

I gathered another dozen buckets of wood chips for various places in the yard -less grass and mud to deal with. I put a nice layer outside the shed- the end that will have the double doors. I put some hangers on the fence for a handy place to store the short extension ladder and added 2 more shelves in the shed with more of the salvaged 2x10's.

wood chips in front of shed

ladder storage on fence

2 rows of chard and lettuce down the middle

I had to get my hands in the soil- I planted Swiss Chard and lettuce in the cold frame.  Next I worked on building a small lean-to roof next to the fence in back. It will be a metal roof covered rack(3 tiered) to better store lumber I collect.

soon- a place to store lumber and such

2x4's and a couple 2x10's

In the 60's today. I hit a few construction dumpsters looking for more 2x lumber. I found a some odds/ends (an orange air hose, some red and blue pex tubing, bare copper wire and 2 small insulated glass window sashes) but my real find was behind the tax house I'm selling Andy. I loaded 16 nice, straight old school 2x4's as well as some 2x10's. After unloading and stacking lumber I added more shelves (2x10's) inside the ongoing shed project.

the Iowa place now gutted and getting new porch

   

sitting on the fence

A sign of spring. Cardinals are out and about.

40 or so today and I spent a bit of time finishing the work bench outside, trimming it square and INSTALLED A VICE!!!...and filmed this RYOBI Lithium ion battery drill commercial...

oh, and I received my Honda key via ebay -it fits my cb450 ignition switch and works great.

Petra The Wonder Dog chases light I reflect onto the wall.

I discovered The 1973 Condor...1973 Condor motorcycle
...reminds me of the 1973 CB450 I'm building, and the first such real (production) army/military bike I've found from that era (the '70's).