future "closet" light goes in

I bent a piece of plastic conduit, over the stove burner, for relocating the light in the future hall/clothes closet(old kitchen sink nook outside the bathroom). The light is wired, installed and functioning. The conduit is painted now too. This evening I put the 2nd cb450 carb together while a small fire warmed my space. It's good to have all the bits and pieces back where they belong.

2nd cb450 carb goes back together

1981 CX500 speedometer with new glass

I was fortunate to find a local glass shop that would cut a 3 5/8" circle of glass for me- for $8. So the cx500 speedo no has new glass inside instead of plexi-glass glued onto the outside. It looks nice. The glue I used to reinstall the stainless steel ring is drying while the rig is held tight with a clamped. Later I painted the ceiling outside the bathroom(around the old kitchen sink nook) so now it's ready to start building shelves there for my clothes. In the evening I worked a little on the on-going bamboo removal. Did I mention BAMBOO IS EVIL!

cb450 float adjustment

I gave myself some cb450 time today. I got one of the carbs back together and adjusted the float using a bit of file folder paperboard to make a measuring tool.

old kitchen sink nook walls painted- ceiling later

I moved the one healthy looking red bud tree to the hole the dead looking one was in. I'd like to get a forsythia bush to put in the hole left when moving the good tree. Next I transplanted the giant sunflower seedlings to the front yard, in front of the porch. So far the rabbits have not bothered the smaller, multi headed sunflower seedlings transplanted earlier.  Also, I noticed the 10th asparagus has pushed its way up- 10 out of 12 is not bad. But the big news is- I painted the old kitchen sink nook- a nice earthy color I got free somewhere. No longer is there evidence the kitchen used to be there...that I moved the kitchen. I still need to build a wall, separating that area from the dining area of the eat in kitchen- but that is some rainy day project. Rain is falling now, with distant thunder.

1981 cx500 speedometer repair

A big variety today. I removed the cx500 speedometer to see about fixing the broken/missing glass. Removal was easy. Then I used a dremel tool to cut the stainless band joining the halves together. Now I just need to get a hold of a round cut of glass.

log splitter gets attention

the walls primed

I worked on my log splitter that has sat unused for a year or so. I removed the bowl and float and needle and sprayed cleaner about. It was in good shape since I had stored it properly. It had a piece of badly cracked gas line that I replaced and I reunited it with the ignition key. It started right up.

some scrap aluminum on door

I also defrosted my refrigerator and finally installed a bar across the door shelf- more storage now with warmer temps coming. Later in the afternoon I did some final sanding on the walls of the old kitchen sink nook, then painted the area with pva primer. Maybe  a finish coat tomorrow. oh, and I made a "gate" to use on the front porch so Petra can go out there.

the gate to block off front porch entrance

rabbit proofing

Rain was expected all day but didn't materialize till this evening. I noticed one asparagus shoot was cut off and left lying there. I suspect this very young rabbit I've seen close by- like he doesn't know what's good so tries things and leaves them...like the pepper plant the other day. I cut the bottoms out of plant pots and placed them around the asparagus. Nine of the 12 have come up so far. I also cut the bottoms out of plastic fruit baskets (abundant in a dumpster on Cherokee Street) and am using them to protect the young squash plants. The peppers each have their own chicken wire cage.

ground venison+onions,oats,eggs,oregano,mustard,tomato sauce

Venison meat loaf for dinner...after selling my old black road bike via craigs list and doing the final coat of mud on the old kitchen sink nook- maybe it'll get some paint tomorrow.

one less thing

conduit will go in the top

The old kitchen sink nook walls are about done now and I installed the extension electric box where the light was- this will allow me to add surface mount conduit to move the light to the ceiling. Yesterday the neighbor gave me some squash and cucumber seedlings she started and I got them in the ground today. I also transplanted some of the sunflower starts I had coming up. I made a "shelf" to go on top of the tub, a piece of western red cedar board salvaged from an alley and polyurethaned. Yesterday I placed the cedar(eastern) tree trunk piece on the porch- the neighbors are talking...hmm.

cedar board for tub

Petra in the stream a week or so ago

Rain is falling back to the earth. It's a gentle rain watering my red apple tree, yellow apple tree, peach tree, plumb tree, 3 grape vines, 3 yellow everbearing raspberries, 12 asparagus, 3 peppers, 3 rutger tomatoes as well as onions, swiss chard- and lettuce and garlic if it ever comes up. There's also the red bud tree, sage, chickory, sweet mint, sun flowers and tiger lillies...all also edible and getting watered right now.

cedar stump piece for the front porch

I did more with the cedar stump piece for the corner of the front porch. I added an old faucet from a 2 handle sink and a brass door knob with a brass plate...and a large bone.

The asparagus has started showing itself above ground.

should I eat it

cedar stump w/blue bottle, for the porch

I want to get the front porch secured for letting Petra out there so I need to move the mail box off the porch and make a "gate" at the end as well as close off  the corner gap in the railings. With that end in mind I came up with the idea to use a weathered cedar tree stump I had to block off the corner. So- to add a little more to it, I mixed some mortar to add a blue bottle and some aluminum wire I might do something more with. Too much mortar mixed led me to make more "concrete" turtles. I have the new mailbox, but need to come up with a post for it, but not just any post.

turtles from excess mortar

my real redwood picnic table outdoor work station

 

 

Today I took apart this wood wagon- as the bottom of the bed had rotted out. I actually used a pair of bolt cutters...to cut a bolt. A beautiful day here on mars. Spring is in the air. I saw two robins doing it on my fence.

drywalled, taped and mudded w/1st coat

The drywall is all in now around the old kitchen sink nook. I had to buy another sheet of 3/8" to finish but now I have a good bit left over for future patch work. This area will become a place for my clothes once I fill it with shelves and such...and maybe a dresser if I can find one the right size to build into the space.

the stove in it's new place- and the 42" cabinet

For some reason I started on extending the kitchen cabinets to the right. I moved the electric for the stove then the stove itself. I also removed some of the remaining old wall cabinets and hung the 42" tall one I got a while back. The shaker style 42" seems to fit right in with the bead board cabinets. Now I know where stove will be and the size of the counters needed on each side- I have temporary ones in place for now. I have not decided what I'll do in the corner where the one old wall cabinet still hangs.

a yellow delicious apple tree goes in

A cool night last night. Some places got a frost. I bought another apple tree and tomato and pepper plants today got all planted today. The apple, pear and plumb I planted last fall are all in bloom now and looking well. Later I did a little more on the old kitchen wall. I sealed the old lead vent pipe and finished the insulation before putting up some drywall.

old kitchen sink nook- wall work

Petra found a stick

On the road again. I headed south down Hwy 19 last Friday and stopped in Eminence at a place I was familiar with and spent the day with the dog and the canoe exploring the stream(Jacks Fork) and beach combing. I found quite a few things- probably lost last canoe season. One nice find was a quality digital camera in a waterproof case, that appears to be just fine except for a dead battery. Amazing.

42" tall cabinet

I found 9 year old, never been used 24"x42"!! shaker style kitchen cabinet on CL. I will incorporate it into my eclectic kitchen. I think it will go well with the bead board cabinets- and I really wanted a 42"...and found this one for $25. Knowing I'm going with a 24" cabinet next, I now know where the stove will go so I can run new electric for it as well as plan and build the counters on either side of the stove area. One cabinet solves many questions.

salvia/sage

I planted various perennials today- several sage/salvia plants, mint, lavender and hostas. I also moved some daylilies I found growing by the fence at the alley.

salvia/sage and sweet mint I put in a pot

hosta bunch I chopped in 1/2

The mess I'm starting with- right outside the bathroom

Plaster and lath coming down

A rainy day...a nice drizzle mostly. A day indoors. I, with no plans to do so, tore into the wall work where old kitchen sink was. It's to be an area for clothes- filled with shelves and such. I removed old broken plaster and lath and prepped for drywall and started insulating. 

Insulation going in. The lead vent has to be sealed before I finish

I also bent a piece of conduit to use for moving the light from the wall to the ceiling- so I won't have to tear into the ceiling.

I trimmed the lean-to roof- looking more finished now

It got up to about 60 today, a fine spring day with plenty of sun. I installed a piece of trim on the shed lean-to, made from another piece of the salvaged crate lumber. I hung a 3 story birdhouse, something I made years ago, in the big cedar in the side yard. I pulled the CX out to hang some yard tools in the west lean-to. while I had the bike out I did a little work on it. The fluid level in the battery was checked and adjusted and the vacuum hose to the fuel shut off received a little attention and then I test drove it in the neighborhood and around Clifton Heights park. Etc., etc.

bird house in the side yard cedar tree

canoe cart almost done

Yesterday I put together the canoe/kayak cart. The only things I had to buy were the 9/16" bolts,washers and nuts I used for the axles. I still have to put some foam on the rails.

plumb tree moved away from west lean-to a bit

Today, after Finishing Taxes!!!!, I moved the little plumb tree, for the 2nd time since planted last fall, and it's now in a place it can stay I think.

oak boards for siding the shed over the west lean-to

I also got to the siding over the west lean-to, more of the rough sawn oak crate lumber. And to help store auto fluids and such I made 2 shelves on the inside wall of the lean-to.

shelves in west lean-to

Another rain day- it's nice how it slows things down. I spent a little time on the canoe cart/dolly. It's nice working with aluminum as I can use wood working tools to cut it. I had an aluminum "thing" from some entertainment/t.v. related thing...I think- anyway, I cut a section out of middle to narrow it and drilled holes for axle bolts and for mounting 2x4 frame to the unit.

about 15" removed

the 2x4's sitting in place

upside down- but a rough idea of the finished product

A little bit of everything this rainy day, Some tax stuff...and MORE throwing out of record/papers more than 7 years old, a little more cb450 carb work, some cleaning, grocery shopping and designing a canoe cart out of things I have on hand. I also finally hung my holiday lights, everyday's a holiday around here. Oh, and the wet weather the past few days is really helping green everything up and I see the plumb tree I put in last fall is getting buds- I wasn't sure it survived.

upside down cb450 carb- intake boot and air filter still on

A nice day with a bit of rain late afternoon and evening. I rode my bicycle to mail some bills and then around Cliffton Heights park- nice houses around there. I worked some on the next carb for the cb450. It was a bit of a mess internally, I'll go back over some areas in more detail before I reassemble it. Out of the two sets(4 carbs) I am swapping parts between them and adding a few new parts to make the best set I can.

a lot of dried white residue, but no shellac