Full Moon and stars

The clouds left last night. I was out last night and the mountain range with its fresh snow shone brightly in the moon light. With no clouds the air cooled quickly and the frost on the grass sparkled in the moonlight.

Tonight as I was splitting more logs for firewood I stopped and took a few photos of the moon rise. While I like that my camera is very light sensitive to allow photos in low light situations, I need to figure out how to adjust it as you can see the bright moon is a blur.

I also took a photo of Venus and Jupiter. I wasn't able to remain completely still as the stars look like like two little rectangles - but you get the idea.

The rich

Another article I read.... (I'm in that kind of mood tonight )

How to know if you're rich -- in your city

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/LearnToBudget/how-to-know-if-youre-rich-in-your-city.aspx?GT1=33009

Now the article crunched the numbers on the top 5% and top 20% of households as being rich. That makes sense as the top 20% could be considered rich, the middle class as the 21% through 80%, and the poor are the bottom 20%. Of course if it were me I would put the numbers as the top 25% being rich, the middle class at 26% to 75%, and the poor as the bottom 25%. That would make a nicer bell curve.

According to this article (and the Census Bureau) the average U.S. household income of the top 20% of the population is $173,953. For the top 5% it is $311,427.

If you are a couple with no kids, the top 20% = $136,971. For the top 5% = $245,218

Now Obama during the campaign wanted to target his tax cuts at people making $200,000 or less and his tax increases at those pulling in $250,000 or more. After being elected I believe he has dropped his plan on increasing taxes on who he considers rich.

Still with all the money the politicians are giving out in bailouts, the money needs to come from somewhere - and not just China. Of course raising the taxes on just the top 5% won't be enough to support the remaining 95%. Even 20% of the people supporting the remaining 80% is tough, but it is a start. Obama needs to raise the taxes on households making $175,000 and more, or more likely on those households with no kids making $137,000 or more. Those are the rich people.

Write your politician today. Oh wait... each member of the U.S. House and Senate makes $169,300. Yes, that's right. Each individual member makes almost as much as the top 5% of U.S. households. (http://www.govspot.com/know/congresssalary.htm) No wonder Obama chose $250,000 as the starting point to raise taxes and $200,000 as the point on which to cut taxes.

Musical taste interpretation

Today I read an article from the Sept/Oct 2008 issue of Psychology Today magazine, about what a person's taste in books, movies, music, and art says about them. Here the link to the article, and below is a quick summation on musical tastes.

I like several of the musical styles below, and some musical styles not listed (i.e. Blues, Folk, and Bluegrass). So I don't know what that says about me. Of the styles listed below - if I had to pick one - I would say Country music, even though I have a weakness for electronic/dance music.

Interpreter of Melodies

Decoding taste isn't exact—and exposure and geography matter too. Here's what the research says about how to judge someone based on their musical choices. Keep in mind not everyone fits the mold.

If you love…

• Rock music: You're a social person, but easily stressed out or depressed.
• Country music: You're athletic, reliable, and focused. You're a friendly, cheerful person and don't get stressed out or depressed very often. You're voting McCain.
• Pop music: You are friendly and social, but not verbally gifted.
• Rap, funk, or electronic/dance music: You're an energetic and social Obama supporter.
• Hip-hop or soul music: You're upbeat and conventional.
• Classical music: You are reflective and complex. People describe you as quiet and thoughtful, and you have a gift for language.
• Jazz music: You're outgoing, social, and verbally gifted.

Sunday evening sunset

Here are three slightly different photos I took of Sunday night's sunset.

The weather forecast calls for several inches of snow overnight but I doubt it will snow. Of course I am risking getting teased by my uncles who'll never let me live down my inaccurate forecast of no rain when they visited me a couple years ago.

Trying to slip into Winter

Winter is trying to make an appearance. While there isn't quite enough snow to open the ski resorts, the mountains seem to have a bit more snow each time I can see them.

Last night we had some freezing rain which quickly turned into a crusty crunchy snow that was unsweepable by broom. Even through the temperature got a few degrees above freezing by afternoon it wasn't enough to melt the snow. The road by the ranch turned slushy. I am not sure if it was because, even though it was cloudy/foggy all day with intermittent 'some sort of' precipitation, the pavement's new black surface attracted enough heat to partially melt the snow, Or maybe the County came by and spayed some sort of deicer on the road.

As a consequence I didn't do anything outside today unlike the previous days where I found something to do outside in the afternoons.

The weather forecast has rain/snow showers all next week with several inches of snow in the Valley floor Sunday night. Highs are predicted to be in the mid to upper 30s and overnight lows in the mid to upper 20s. It seems as if the weather will be in a kind of a limbo next week. Neither Winter nor Fall. I guess I should take this time to get caught up on stuff inside the house.

Barn floor done

I haven't just been standing around watching the sunsets... I finished rebuilding the part of my barn floor that had rotted away.

If you remember from mid-July I had removed the rotting boards. Then I had gotten sidetracked with cattle and the start of my loading corral rebuild, etc. Well... now that there is snow on the ground, and ground is freezing up, I returned to finish the barn floor.

A few weeks ago I had built the framework and added the rocks. Later I cut and put down the boards for the first level of the floor. Then on Wednesday I added the second level of the floor and finished it. I was only able to use two of the old boards. The rest are "new" from my scavenge pile - the better to fit in with the old boards.

It is nice to have another project done.

It doesn't take mice long

Below is a photo showing the tunnel a mouse dug in a matter of a couple days.

Earlier when getting some railroad ties from my stack I moved one tie and set it on the ground. A few days later when I went to re-stack the tie I found the new tunnel. When I returned from getting my camera I saw a quick glimpse of the mouse as it hurried back under the ties on the top of the photo.

I don't know where the mouse moved the dirt to make the tunnel.

I guess it is better than the mouse moving into my house. Knock on wood - so far this year I have not had any mice move into my house this Fall.

Another beautiful December sunset

Here is a sequence of photos of Thursday evening's sunset. I am happy to be living in Montana as I never saw sunsets like these when I lived in Minnesota.

Even though it was fairly chilly outside with a temperature in the low 20s F, I stayed and watched the whole sunset.

Here the sunset is reflected in the upper barn window on the right side of the photo. (you may have to click on the photo to enlarge it to see it better)

Start of loading ramp rebuild

Now that I finished the fence on the south side of the loading corral I started on the north side of the loading ramp part of the corral. The south side had used 8 of my 10 wooden 8 foot corral panels. I used the last two panels on the north side of the loading ramp part of the corral starting at the head gate.

While the north side of the loading ramp still had posts in solid condition I decided to rebuild this side because:

• it probably won't be but a few years before the posts deteriorate and I have to rebuild this side,
• the 'newer' look will match the south side,
• I want to make the loading ramp narrower at the end.

To clarify, I call this section a "ramp" as that was what it used to be. In the old days, and even during my father's time, the ranchers often didn't have stock trailers and would haul a few head of cattle in a stock rack in the back of their pickup. This ramp used to have an adjustable board that raised or lowered depending on whether a trailer or pickup was used. When I came on the scene the wooden ramp had rotted out. I removed it as everyone uses a stock trailer these days.

I want to make the ramp narrower at the end as I found over the years that several of the cattle often would try to get through the end gate first. That is what hastened the breaking of the old posts. I made the last 8 ft section the same width as the head gate which is about 26 inches. Yup. Narrow.

The second 8 ft section is wider by a few more inches. Still too narrow for two cattle to be side to side - which is good. Side by side cattle when there is not enough room puts lots of stress on the corral fence.

I know the cattle can get through the head gate so I believe the last 8 ft section is wide enough, though when I stand in it, it feels very narrow. I'll see how it works when I have cattle next year. If it is too narrow I do have the option of removing a few end boards on the section and that will get me a few more inches.

Monday the weather was great as it was in the mid 40s F. Even in the evening after sundown it was warm. But that was to change. A warm weather system arrived during the night from the Pacific. Early Tuesday morning a massive cold front from Canada came down east of the mountains. The cold front was so large the mountains didn't stop it like they usually do. The result was rain, then wind, then snow. Fortunately the rain stopped before it got cold and the snow started so we didn't get ice in my part of the valley.

Monday I started on the north side of the loading ramp. I took part of the fence apart, put in the first post and section of fence, and removed the post for the second section. It was dark by the time I got the second post out of the ground so I covered the hole with boards to protect it from the weather - whether moisture or freezing.

Tuesday afternoon I put in the post for the second section on the north side. The snow had let up though the wind was still blowing strongly. Even though the temperature was around freezing, surprisingly I didn't feel cold. Perhaps it was because I was fixated on getting the hole dug and the second section built before the ground froze.

I don't know why but different railroad ties of the same length weigh differently. For the first section I mistakenly dug the hole a little too deep as I got mixed up on the tie's length. This tie was not one of the heavier ties and I was able to lift it up slightly to allow dirt of get underneath. After several attempts I got the tie raised up 6 or so inches. Tuesday's tie was super heavy and I was barely able to lift it to slide in the hole much less lift it once it was in the hole. I correctly measured the tie length and hole depth so my only adjustment was side to side and keeping the tie straight.

Unlike the holes for the south fence, the two holes I dug on the north fence was entirely soft dirt with no rocks or gravel at all. A matter of less than three feet away from the south fence posts. Go figure.

If the weather forecast is correct, this may be the last of the major corral rebuild for the year. Already Wednesday the ground is starting to freeze again. It is too bad as I really would like to finish at leas the loading ramp part of the corral this year. Six more posts to go. Still, to keep me occupied I have some finishing work on what I have rebuilt so far, and the gate to install.

Photo 1: Damaged corral. I took this photo last year with my old camera (hence the poor quality image). The rope is to hold the two sides upright as I had two steers left to load. The previous cattle almost knocked the left side down.

Photo 2: left (south) side is done. Right (north) side is left to do.

Photo 1: taken after I replaced the first two sections on the right side.
Photo 2: taken from inside the loading corral.

Standing on the head gate, here are views before and after I started on the right side.

I think my corral will be pretty solid after I finish my rebuild.

Before the snow flies and the ground freezes

The end of November and the beginning of December and the ground is not frozen!! This past week we saw warm temperatures in the 40s F. (Yay!) I've been busy taking advantage of this good weather as soon (like today!) the snow will fly and I won't be able to do much work outside.

I've been working more on my loading corral. I finished the south side of the corral - or at least the posts. I plan to make the last panel a gate so I put that off till another day as I can work on that after the ground freezes.

Note: the white piece on the green gate is because a few years ago a steer tried to jump the gate and came down on top of the gate bending it. The white piece is my patch once I hammered the gate back into shape.

Here is the corner post I removed. Even though you can see signs of rot, the post was solid in the ground. In photo 2, the hole is 35 inches deep.

Here is the south side now that I rebuilt the fence. Leaning against the fence is one of the two remaining 8 ft wood corral panels I have left to use. It later went on the north side of the loading ramp. I don't have a 'before' photo, but trust me, this fence is now so much better and solid.

Except for the corner railroad tie, all the ties are 10 ft long and set into the ground 30 inches. The corner tie is 11 ft long and set into the ground 35 inches. The panels are about 5 ft high. Later I plan to nail one more level of boards a little higher on the ties - then the cattle won't even think about trying to jump the fence.

Sunset and stars

As I was working on my loading corral rebuild this evening here is the sunset I saw.

Then the crescent moon along with Venus and Jupiter came out. I hope you got to see it as the three won't be this close for many years.