Smoke

It's called the Whitewater Baldy fire complex after the two fire combined into one.

InciWeb the Incident Information System: Whitewater Baldy Complex

This is now the largest recorded wildfire in New Mexico.

I started watching this fire when it was 10,000 acres, last Tuesday, May 22nd. Four days later after 3 days and nights of high winds the fire climbed to 82,000 acres. After that the winds shifted and our little valley was filled with smoke for two days then drifted North.

Today I noticed the fire has reached 170,272 acres. I read some where that this fire could go to 360,000 before they can begin it's reduction. Last night the smoke started to return and this morning we were in a Haze. Breathing smoke is a drag. Much worse the the winter when the neighbors burn wood to heat in old wood stoves. This is not the Northwest or California where wood smoke is regulated.

Who would want to be a fire fighter? Me! but I only do structure fires. Hands down to the gal's and guy's over in the Gila right now. I have taken the NFES S-130 and S-190 Introduction to Wild land classes so I know what they are up against.

We all pray for rain but realistically we have a month to go before the actual Monsoon season beings.

This is not the Blue Ridge Mountains

A natural sun filter.

Clean Water

Lets call it filtered water for iron bacterial and harness. A well in town needs some attention. The major compounents arrived today via semi truck. Due to two low bridges on 152 between Hillsboro and Kingston the drivers don't like to come up to Kingston so I had to buzz down in my pickup to pickup the order. The rest of the parts are still coming by UPS, I expect them Tuesday after the holiday. I'm supposed to have this install completed by June 7th. I'm starting to think my time is getting tight.

Off loading to my pick up

5 Boxes

5 tanks to go

End of an Era

My Mini Sport Flyer has seen it's day.

Earlier this year I built a shipping crate and sent my mini disc mold off to a fellow disc player to see if he could re produce this vintage flyer. The 350 pound mold was returned after numerous failed results. Discs were molded but the cycle times did not reach productions levels worth pursuing and the cost to retro fit the mold could not be justified.

 So the question was what to do with it. 350 pounds of steel is unmanageable so I decided to take it apart. This way I can maybe use the steel plates for other projects.

This then is the offical end of the Mini Sport Flyer. My hope is to prolong it's memory by donating the mold cavities to one of the disc museums. Now I need to build a nice display case for the two aluminum inserts.

350 pound crate back home at my shop

Top off

Sides off

Hoist to remove from pallet

Mold halves seperated

Hot half, ejector pins side

Cold half

Mold base disassembled

Inserts removed

Hot half

Cold half

End of an Era!

Arizona Final

Our Arizona job is over and we are back home. Our mornings always started with fresh coffee. Too bad I forgot our coffee cone but Satomi was clever.

Instant Coffee

Saw this guy on our way to work. A good way to start the day after coffee.

South side lime looking East

South side looking West

Completed Lime Wash color coat 

South side bay window

Completed East side earth plaster

Last summers North side 

West side Owl house

Owl's do it too!

Proof, one of two baby's

Loaded up after grocery shopping

Arizona five

Today, Tuesday, we finished up the East side.

We started by prepping all the edges which allows us to move faster on the flat wall surfaces

Finished! 

Leo and Mary. Mary out did herself again and invited us for lunch

Sandwich anyone?

Going home we take a right. It always reminds me of my dad.

Hum?

Unknown conditions

Smile

Where we stay 

View of our room #14 from our van

Lugging up our lunch box and tools after another long day of work. I carried the camera.

Arizona four

Monday day 6. Today we plastered the finish coat on the North end of the East. Tomorrow this side will be done and on to go.

What a worker

Done except for drying

82 year old Leo and sun Bob working on their oven.

Time to get back to the Laker game

Arizona three

Day five. Today we plastered the second half of the south wall with again a primer base of clay lime, ate lunch and then the first coat of rough lime. After that we did a bunch of clean up then mixed 4 big tubs of mix for tomorrow's final plaster on half of the East side.

 South side with it's base coat of sand lime

No this is not a green house. The misters are going so we are hoping this plastic structure will help keep the humidity  up.

Through the gap is Cochise Stronghold in the Dragoon Mountains. tomorrow morning I will take this picture in the morning light.

Arizona two

Day 4 in Arizona and we are progressing right on schedule. No rain, no rain. 70 in the am and 80 during the day. Perfect weather for shorts and tee shirts except we wear collard shirts to keep the sun off our necks.

Base coat drying on the second half of the East wall

Elvis, 11 years old

Lets see, no he can't, hard to eat and can only walk about 6 feet before resting.

First base coat of sand lime over a clay lime primer. Not perfect weather for lime, too hot and dry but we will make it work

We asked for shade and a misting system on the south side, half done

Tomorrow it's back on the South side. First a coat of clay lime primer and then the base coat of lime.

Ok no more blogging, the Lakers are on.