Progress report...

Progress report...  Yesterday was consumed with a modification to my Rincon ATV, to add a 12V accessory socket to the rear.  I also modified my sprayer (which has a 12V electric pump) to fit that.  Result: I can now tow the sprayer behind the ATV, which is much better suited to that job than the riding mower I previously used.  The sprayer has big pneumatic tires, so now I can take it over rough ground to attack weeds.  That's going to come in mighty handy!

Today I worked for a while clearing brush again, down in the southeastern corner of our property.  We've got a couple of 50'+ black willows there that haven't been taken care of for at least 20 years.  Those things have branches that break easily, so the trees are full of broken branches – some of them 8" or so in diameter!  We had rain come in, though, and that put a stop to my work outside.

I also installed the oak handrail on the stairway between the first and second floors in the barn.  I've been putting coats of polyurethane on the railing for the past week, one coat a day (top and bottom separately).  The handrail looks great and it's strong as all get out.  I'm glad to have it there.

The past few days, as it started to get warm, I noticed that the second floor of the barn has been getting mighty warm.  If it's warm now, just think what it will be like in the summer!  There's no ventilation up there now, so I've ordered a gable-mounted attic fan that's solar powered.  It comes with a fairly large (50 watt) roof-mounted solar panel.  That will be an interesting job :)

The field south of our house was planted in alfalfa about 10 days ago, and it's just starting to sprout.  The field north of our house was planted with an alfalfa/grass mix just yesterday.  In both cases the farmers are praying for rain in the storm that's just started wetting us down.  We've gotten very little so far, but the forecast (over the next three days) is calling for close to an inch...