Friday, February 27, 2009

Lots of new snow again


Started sometime in the night and kept snowing until 10 AM. Had to work at getting the door open then a huge drift on the way to the garage. It was the most snow I have had to blow all winter. It is finally up to the bottom of the windows.

I took a panorama shot out the top window looking east towards the one mile hill. You will see all the snow that the town has from this pic.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

More work on tower today



Again workers are up at the tower. After lunch I went up to see what was going on.

One worker was up the tower attaching brackets to each horizontal bar on the tower, this is to hold the cables that are attached to the dishes. I asked one of the ground crew how many wires were in the cable, he looked up and smiled and said none. Yes it's just an empty elliptical tube with corrugated metal either copper clad or all copper covered with a rubber protective coating. The tube transmits microwaves from the dish to the equipment. One end connected to the dish and the other to the devices in the shed. The tube is pressurized to around 5psi. to keep out the moisture.
Before I could get home the snow was starting to come down pretty good and it's still snowing tonight. Break out the snowblowers again.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Lots of snow


Well here's a pic of this AM, just after snowblowing. I might as well just keep the snowblower idling in the garage, there is even more to come. This is just about the most snow I've seen since moving up here, only once before it was half way up the windows too.

Bright and sunny most of the day but going down to -20C tonight.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Just a few pics from today








Bright and sunny for a trip to take some pictures of the tower. Some close ups with the new lens. Not much else done this week but I hear they will be back on Monday.

Also a panorama of the lodge across the bay as the sun was coming up.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Not to much going on


Last two days busy snowblowing, and it sounds like another couple of days ahead too. The snow we lost during the warm spell is all back. At least it's nice and white again.

Hope to get out on the trail tomorrow, need the exercise. Have been up and down the ladder so many times the last while doing the mudding. Finished the third coat today and will start sanding and hopefully some paint will go on by the end of next week.

Been taking some more pics at the feeder, this one is a Redpoll.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Seeing is believing





Late this afternoon after finishing up some drywall mud I take a look out the window, by magic there has been work on the tower. One of four dishes have been put up and I missed it. As I'm watching I notice 2 workers still up attaching it. I took a quick pic out the window, not very good quality but there will be better, just had to show you the proof. I guess I'm going to have to take back what I wrote last post.

Early this AM the moon was still high in the sky, along with a jay in the feeder as usual.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

New lakefront property in Gowganda


With the MNR putting in lake trout for several years , fishing is now getting good. It must be for the number of ice huts that are on the ice this year. They have been pretty well in the same spots since the ice was thick enough.

Up to the tower again to see what has been going on. Nothing as I suspected. It's too bad that the West Tower company didn't have the whole contract, I'm sure we would have all the work done and the old tower taken down in no time.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Some more pics from yesterday





The promised freezing rain never really happened here. It was warm and damp, which wasn't very warm at all. Lots of melting going on, the last of the snow slid off the roof.

Spent some time starting the second coat of the drywall mud and cleaned the chimney and the flue pipes which was long overdue.
Pic of Lost Lake and a couple along highway 560 west of Gowganda.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Beautiful day and warming up too.








To nice to do any drywall mud today. Great day for going out and taking some pics. Took a couple around the house and then went west on 560 out to Duncan Lake and back. Also trying out a new lens that arrived on Friday.
The Evening Grosbeak is on the feeder, I had several dozen there this AM, more than I have had all winter. The raven is still not getting too close, you'd think he would get used to the handouts here.
All the trees were tipped with snow this morning. Great for pics.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Tower Update




Checking out tower after hearing of some workers were around. Went up the road to see what was going on, not to much. The only thing that I could see were three large reflectors (dishes), two about 5 feet in diameter and another about 8 feet in diameter laying in the snow at the base of the tower. Well I guess thats more than we have seen for some time.
Maybe with the start of a warm period coming in some work may be done. Who knows.
Last nights temperatures down to -27C, by Saturday forecast says +3C. with chance of rain. Starting to snow as I type if it keeps up for a while there should be quite a bit.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Not to much going on





With the cold making a return visit the last few days I have been working on the drywall. Have finished the first coat with a light sanding. Will start tomorrow with the second coat, it's actually starting to take shape. The new door I ordered at least 3 weeks ago still hasn't arrived but it's been too cold to put it in anyway.
It's supposed to go to -29C tonight with a warming trend the next few days, with Saturday going to +3. The days are even starting to last a bit longer and there is a new feel to the sun, maybe the groundhog was wrong.

Have been feeding a raven the last few days but he is still a little shy, hopefully he may gain a little more confidence as the food gets better.