Group Therapy

The best group of the day.

I took the “twins” out for some labor day shooting.  ( The twins are my matching pair of Ruger Vaqueros)  I have dubbed them 58 and 57 Which happens to correspond to the first part of their serial numbers.

When my dad was out a few months ago we filed down the front sight of 58 to get it a bit more dialed in.  The result worked great as you can see from the above group.  before I went out on Monday I did a little work to 57 as well.  I’m nearly done getting that one dialed in as well.  To aid with sight acquisition I’m opening up (deeper) the rear sight as well.  This require removing a bit more metal and this is a slower delicate process .

The Tale of Two Magazines

Last weekend I stopped by the Tanner Gun Show in Denver on my way to a condo project I have been working on.  I don’t normally get down to Denver much so this was an opportunity to hit the show without  a lot of extra driving.

One of my goals was to pick up a second (or replacement) magazine for the old .22 rifle that my dad gave me a couple of years ago.  It it the one the girls like to shoot as it has a basic 4 x scope and virtually no kick.  The original mag is pictured above on the left.  It is a bit beat up but still works, considering it was the only one I have for that rifle I thought it would be nice to have a second one that can be loaded while the other is in use.  This will help the girls in their back and forth use.

The new magazine (on the right)  holds 7 rounds, the original holds 8.  This old mag would be illegal in New York under their new “SAFE” gun laws.  Not only would it be illegal to use, but its mere possession.  So having this old mag in my range bag, pocket or home would make me a criminal.   Possession there of this is a Class D violent felony.

Just to give you an idea of how stupid this law is, here is a list of “other” crimes that are NOT classified as severe as simple possession of that little metal box that can hold a mere 8 rounds.

120.70 – Luring a child | E Felony
121.11 – Criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation | A Misdemeanor
125.10 – Criminally negligent homicide | E Felony
130.20 – Sexual misconduct | A Misdemeanor
130.25 – Rape 3rd degree | E Felony
130.40 – Criminal sexual act 3rd degree | E Felony
130.52 – Forcible touching | A Misdemeanor
130.53 – Persistent sexual abuse | E Felony (repeat child molester, must be caught and convicted in two separate cases before the charges even reach this level)
130.65A – Aggravated sexual abuse 4th degree | E Felony
130.85 – Female genital mutilation | E Felony
135.05 – Unlawful imprisonment 2nd degree | A Misdemeanor
135.10 – Unlawful imprisonment 1st degree | E Felony
135.45 – Custodial interference 2nd degree | A Misdemeanor
135.50 – Custodial interference 1st degree | E Felony
135.55 – Substitution of children | E Felony (switched at birth)
135.60 – Coercion 2nd degree | A Misdemeanor
150.01 – 5th degree Arson | A Misdemeanor
150.05 – 4th degree Arson | E Felony
178.10 – 4th degree Criminal diversion of prescription medications and prescriptions | A Misdemeanor
178.15 – 3rd degree Criminal diversion of prescription medications and prescriptions | E Felony
220.28 – Use of a child to commit a controlled substance offense | E Felony
240.05 – Riot 2nd degree | A Misdemeanor
240.06 – Riot 1st degree | E Felony
240.08 – Inciting to riot | A Misdemeanor 240.10 – Unlawful assembly | B Misdemeanor
240.15 – Criminal anarchy | E Felony
240.20 – Disorderly conduct | Violation
240.61 – Placing a false bomb or hazardous substance 2nd degree | E Felony
250.45 – Unlawful surveillance 2nd degree | E felony (Hidden cams for sexual gratification)
255.25 – Incest 3rd degree | E Felony
263.11 – Possessing an obscene sexual performance by a child | E Felony
263.16 – Possessing a sexual performance by a child | E Felony

So rape and child exploitation, arson, negligent homicide etc.,  are considered  lesser crimes.

Ya, that makes a lot of sense!

The Dream that Died

One of my photos was recently published on the Tiny House blog.  It is in the “Tiny House in a Landscape” series.  This post is to share a few more pics from that location.

Enjoy.

Our Summer Road trip to MI and back

Colorado up to Wyoming then over to Mt Rushmore, the Badlands, Ferry across the lake to MI, about a week at the beach cabin in Grand Haven. A swing by Kalamazoo then back on 80 through Nebraska for a bit then smaller roads up to Carhenge.

Measuring Time with Mother Nature’s Clock

The large snag in the center of this pic fell sometime between our new years visit of 2011 / 2012 and our visit back in April.  It was something I noticed as soon as we arrived.  Being in tune with your surroundings is something many folks miss.  A good example of this is the phase of the moon.  Ask any random person in the office or on the street and I think the far majority of them would not have a clue.  They would however be able to tell you who is on the current cover of  “People” magazine.  To me this is just sad.  When we live at the cabin we are always more in tune with nature.  I think some of this stems from having to go outside more, just like at home we go out to get firewood, but there we also go out to use the facilities  ( our sawdust composting toilet)  and to retrieve items from the cooler.  While most folk spend entire days sitting on the couch and stare dumbly at a TV.

 

A Void in our southern horizon.

Some possible firewood for the summer roundup.

The fallen tree was upwards of 2 feet in diameter at its base.  Its age is still a mystery, as well as how long it has stood silent and naked waiting for its turn to return to the earth and nourish the next generation of patriarchs.  This Ponderosa was one of a handful we have on our land.   In the southwest corner of our ranch we have the “Four elders”, who are still alive and going strong, as well as the “Moontree”  from which we named our ranch.

The four elders on the horizon and 2 youngsters in the foreground.

When we trimmed some juniper on our driveway, I cut some cross sections of the limbs which were about the size of my wrist.  After looking over them with a magnifying glass  I was seeing close to 100 growth rings per inch, putting the age of these limbs at 100 to 150 years old.  The big Ponderosas may be 500 to 1000 years old or more.

When I was building the cabin Gil stopped by one day,  as he walked past our picnic table he picked up and handed me an arrow head.  He says he has found many near our land, and along the ridge of the bigger canyon nearby.  Our little canyon is about 40 to 50 feet deep as it exits our land, the nearby bigger canyon is close to 100 feet deep.   Thousands and thousands of years of erosion,  and perhaps thousands of fallen patriarchs.

In august of last year I took my girls back to my home state of Michigan and got to visit some of my old stomping grounds.  Some of the trees we planted in my old front yard are now quite big and no longer resemble the scrawny sticks I remember.  We also visited the Nature Center where I spent many summers as a camper and, later,  as a counselor.  We strolled through the beech maple forest of my youth and the forest had indeed changed.  The big trees were laying about while a new crop of younger trees were reaching for the canopy.

 

 

Long overdue Cabin Visit.

Again it was way too long since our last visit to the cabin.  It has been a busy summer.  As mentioned in my last post from Tori’s and my visit in April.  The next project has been started.  I had hoped to get more cement board siding up as well but Boulder Lumber’s supplier screwed up and shipped 8 1/4 Hardiplank and not the 7 1/4″ I ordered…If I wanted 8 1/4″ I can get that at Home Depot.

So with that conflict I brought down materials to expand the woodshed and make a proper bathroom.  Not being made form scraps (like the woodshed) this addition will be rodent proof.

On our next Trip I hope to get the windows installed in there.

Upcycled Boxcar flooring

 

A project I have been working on for the last couple of weeks.

Cabin Trip Report

Tori and I got down to the cabin for a bit this week.  This was our long planned “spring break” trip.  Tori hinted that she did not want to spend the bulk of the trip sitting about the cabin watching me work,  so we planned for only some minor “work” to be completed.  With the weather not cooperating later in the week…she played the lets leave early card.  Since it is her birthday week, of course I complied.

On the short list was a paint upgrade for the exterior. Both of us did not like the way the “terra cotta” ( the actual name on the color chip from Ace)  turned out.  It was too pale and reminded us of the ugly boring beige that is common in many communities.  We nick named it HOA beige as is looks a lot like the color in the ex’s and girls neighborhood…sorry that whole themed lifestyle is not for us.

The new color is called “popcorn kernel” and is much closer to what we had in mind.  My target was to mimic the colors of the buildings located in the Taos Pueblo somewhat.

Taos Pueblo Colors

The color of our “dirt” at the cabin is very close to this, and we used an actual dirt sample to select the grout for the tile last year.  We are pretty close with the new look.

We headed down on Tuesday under warm sunny skies and Wednesday we got the siding on the south and west sides painted. Two coats in just a few hours, if more of the cabin was sided we could have easily done some more.  The beauty of building small is it is much quicker to paint.

New "pueblo" like color covering the HOA beige

Thursday we made a trip into Taos to get some new trim paint as well.  The existing blue was a Benjamin Moore color called “surf blue” that Tasha picked out last spring…the new blue color is also a BM color but “Caribbean blue” , just a touch less green.

Second Coat of "Popcorn Kernel"

Thursday found our weather a bit cooler and quite a bit windy, not so great for painting.  On the “work” list was grouting the black granite and border behind the wood stove.

New grout and cedar trim around stove tile

We had some rain late on Wednesday too,  a little thunder and a rainbow.  The Thunder was the first for the season for me, today( sat)  back home we had just a bit as well ..but today’s occurred during a snow shower..not rain.

Rainbow at Moontree Ranch

About an hour after our Rainbow the weather had cleared (in prep for Thursdays winds) and we had a decent evening.

an Hour after the rainbow

Friday morning I tried out the new blue trim color…we both like it a lot better. I got the first coat on the south side trim and will get the second coat and west window on the next trip.  Facia and soffit painting are on that list too.

Me working ( shot with Toris iphone)

Thursday we also had a canine visitor, who ended up spending the night.  It turns out he was a lost dog reported MIA by his family (5 days earlier)  We found this out after we dropped him off at the shelter in Taos on our way home. They called while we were driving back and left a message on our home machine.  So in addition to having some peaceful time at the ranch we saved a dogs life.  Poor guy was half starved and THIRSTY.

We named him “buddy” but his real name was “Worcester”  perhaps his family was originally from MA.

The cabin another baby step closer…

As we left..Friday.

Tori and I discussed the “next ” steps.  She is gung ho on a separate “biffy house” for the sawduster ( our composting toilet) not that it is stinky or anything but currently it lives in the “wood shed” and that building was hastily built from scraps and is not chipmunk -proof.  We have a good mess of squirrel / munk poo in there.  We decided it would be simplest and easiest to “add” a room to the side of the wood shed that can be a nicely finished with windows, tile mirror etc…those things that Tori and the girls will greatly appreciate.  Tori is also gung ho on the “bigger / better” deck…for starts 10′ wide along the entire south or front of the cabin.  I’m eager to get the east and North walls sided / painted and complete the “exterior” while the weather is summer…I can continue with more inside trim as the fall approaches.

Just more time and money eh? …I hope to get back down for a  “real” work season around memorial day or some time in June…with or with out the Woman folk…without I can get a lot done…after all I completed the bulk of the dry in in only a week or so.

wind…snow…no wind…lots of wind…drifts…and digging

Wednesday morning

Ah…the perils of mountain living.  A couple of weeks ago we got 3 1/2 feet of snow after weeks of nasty wind.  We had a minor break from the wind but then Whamo..60 to 80 mph all night Tuesday.  I spent 5 hours over three stretches getting the drive cleared.  Then Tuesday night we parked about half way down the drive as more wind was forecast.  Wednesday morning the “parking spots” were very drifted.  Where Tori normally parks it was about 3 1/2 feet deep and so windblown you could walk on it. Today after last nights 6″ or so…when I got back up the hill…I pulled out the blower to take care of some of the fresh.  But then got out the garden shovel to start working my way through the heavy drifts.

The process goes a bit like this….Chisel down some chunks with the garden shovel….then scoop and toss with the snow shovel…repeat about 868 times.  After about 2 1/2 hours, I have a 3 to 4 foot wide path out to where we can park…it will be many more days before I can get the parking spots cleared.

Looking out my office window

That pile of chunks on top of the 3 foot high drift is normally where Tori parks…lets just say we may be juggling cars these next few days / weeks.

 

Wolves are under attack…Again.

Apollo...from the mission wolf site

I saw a link on Facebook today about government sanctioned “Hits” on Americas wildlife.

Proposals to “shoot on sight” wolves in national parks, on forest service land and other places. Some even from the air.  This is just plain stupid, countless studies have shown that the re-introduction of top predators into ecosystems actually improve the entire ecosystem.

We have a great wolf rescue organization here in Colorado, and a while back I posted about it.

Take a few minutes out of your day to help those in need.

http://action.defenders.org/site/PageServer?pagename=savewolves_takeaction