Author Archives: Joel

I have three old shirts that get the most wear in the hottest part of the desert summer. They’re all old green Dickie workshirts, worn thin, with the sleeves cut off – they got a little too small in the … Continue reading →

A neighbor texted me, asked me to come over, and when I did he handed me a pistol case and asked if I could evaluate it and tell him what’s wrong. He’d only put a few rounds through it and … Continue reading →

This is right up there with ‘I don’t have to be faster than the bear, I just have to be faster than you.”

It’s what the Jeep’s tailgate latch connects to. It’s been broken for years but recently gave up the ghost to the point where the gate is tied shut with 550 cord. I don’t know what it’s called and I’m having … Continue reading →

I live near a town where “the internet is down” is an actual phrase. One that hasn’t been used for a few years but it does happen and when it does it demonstrates the danger of excessive reliance on a … Continue reading →

That’s all I wanted to say.

At least once every day Tobie gets very excited at the windows and comes to get me. It’s usually to demand that I go chase cattle out of the yard. He is resolved – reluctantly – that he’s never going … Continue reading →

My generator has been hanging out in the cool of Ian’s powershed since I dragged it there in the Spring to run his pressure pump – which has since completely failed, complicating the shower situation. I needed it today, though, … Continue reading →

S&L are traveling so Tobie and I went to take care of their chickens and cat… And on the way home we ran into someone unusual. I don’t know what breed of bull this is. The others are all Angus, … Continue reading →

So far this summer I’m getting bulls in my yard frequently but they’re not giving me a hard time about moving on when I want them to. They’re just not in a hurry about it. Tobie and I ran into … Continue reading →

When I first started shooting the Arex going on sixteen months ago I complained that the ejection pattern was all over the place. Since it isn’t a gas-operated gun I didn’t expect that to settle down at all but for … Continue reading →

I haven’t felt well for the past few months, and my outdoor activities have pared down to necessities. Except lately I’ve been feeling better – I’m eating again, though I’m still trying to get into the habit of doing it … Continue reading →

I pruned the living hell out of the pear tree late last year, and remembered to put the anti-cow fencing back up just in time this year so the tree has resisted the persistent cattle invasions of my yard. I … Continue reading →

Yeah, I got complacent. Happens every time. I got a rat nest on top of my engine and from that point it’s a mere matter of time before one of the little bastards bites through a fuel injector wire.And the … Continue reading →

This happened Saturday. I rode my ebike into town and it was such an unusually beautiful day I decided not to head straight back home. If you toured this town the first thing you’d notice is that there clearly are … Continue reading →

…that’s been around for a long time, and he’s prone to sleeping an awful lot, and he doesn’t want to chase sticks anymore, but he’s still cheerful and he isn’t sick – until one day he just stops eating for … Continue reading →

One of the things I got away from when I switched from a .44 to a 9mm. It was so nice not to clutter my belt with ammo. But lately poor Tobie has barked himself ragged trying to scare cattle … Continue reading →

I’ve had infrastructure problems and transport troubles for most of this year, and one thing I’ve wanted to do has had to hang fire since some time in April. I replaced my main charge controller almost exactly three months ago, … Continue reading →

It’s summer, so it’s hot. So far there’s almost no sign of monsoon, though we do get windy bits that might eventually add up to a weather change. Tobie and I are walking again. For a while it was very … Continue reading →