pitw's living poor.

[pitw]

Dang it's fun being poor. Was driving down a back road a few days back when I came upon an older fella sitting in an older[but not old enough] Ford F150. It wouldn't run for him and I gave him a ride home. On the way he said the damb truck has let him down for the last time and I could have it for free if I was to drag it home. Kid and I went to drag it home but the kid tried starting it first and it fired right up, so he drove it home where it died again. I immediately had him check how much pressure was on the fuel rail and there was little. Then after it sat for a spell the pressure went way up. I suggested he change the filter and fuel pump with the ones from an old truck we have that blew an engine. For two days now the truck hasn't died anywhere. Looks like we got a decent 4x4 for free that the lad has now kinda/sorta claimed as his own. The boy is learning the poor life as he has a buddy coming out for the forks outta transmission from a 95 that died cause his brother is an idiot. He will get $100 for the 3/4 shift fork and the rest of the tranny is toast anyway. It's absolutely amazing how people either give good stuff away or are willing to pay good money for what most consider junk.

[pitw]

Living poor means enjoying what is free to observe/use.
At noon yesterday I found myself sitting on a hill overlooking a 15+- acre pond that had about 500 Canada geese standing on the fresh ice. A coyote came out on the ice and got within 50 yds of the geese that didn't fly :shock2: away. I watched as it sat down to study the situation and I was thinking why didn't the silly bugger come over to my end of the pond and sneak out to an island that would have put it within say 20 yds. Another coyote came on the ice and went right to the first[a pup perhaps I thought] which prompted them both to walk off the ice to the North. I sat watching and maybe 15 minutes later a coyote[looked like the first one] went out on the ice behind this little island like I had figured it should do. The coyote disappeard in the willow on the island and for 10 minutes all was quiet. Then that coyote came outta them willow doing mach 10 and slid into the flock, grabbing the first one within reach. The geese close to the attack raised up and took flight but very much to my surprise most of the birds remained on the ice like they felt safe. Only about 50 birds that were within say 10yds of the one who got caught flew and I couldn't believe it. I never thought ol' wiley had a chance on that slippery surface but it took it only a couple seconds to have a fresh warm dinner that he took back to the island. What a great way to spend a couple hours fella's.

[Recyclersteve]

Ok, I’ll confess. I was the coyote and the geese looked like boxes of coins to me.

[pitw]

Got up this morning thinking I should go and actually shoot a moose for some fodder instead of just looking around at neat stuff. Phoned the kid to see if he wanted to come and he declined saying his bed felt to good. So I drive into town[hamlet] to pick up another old bud, as I drove to his place I hadda drive by the kids and I noticed a truck owned by a very nice girl. I had spotted a couple 4 moose headed into one of my spots so we went there first. Spotted and stalked [not very far] this female.


This one hung around to see where her bud was going.


Bud who was going to feed cows stopped in.



Called the kid again and him and a bud showed up to help get it looking like this and was done by 11am.



Tomorrow we will cut and wrap, then eat. Ya don't need to be rich to enjoy good feed and entertainment.

[NotABigDeal]

I always look forward to your posts. Keep 'em coming.

Deal

[Recyclersteve]

I was wondering where Bullwinkle the Moose went...

[pitw]

I was wondering where Bullwinkle the Moose went...

This weren't "bull". Saw my buddy going down the road with another cow moose on his tractor today so I had to follow and check it out. The guys who shot it, did so three freaking times. I'm thinking they wasted more meat than I got. Buddy said this was the second one this morning and he will get 4 bottles for his troubles and that will lead to more troubles .

[pitw]

Well guys I can tell you now that young cow is as good a table fare as there is. Even the garlic coils I made passed the wifes taste test . Sure makes a difference how the whole job is done from start to finish. Had a feed of moose at another fella's place who doesn't take the care I do and maybe his wife ain't as good a cook but I can tell you I ain't trading him moose or wife.

[Recyclersteve]

Well guys I can tell you now that young cow is as good a table fare as there is. Even the garlic coils I made passed the wifes taste test . Sure makes a difference how the whole job is done from start to finish. Had a feed of moose at another fella's place who doesn't take the care I do and maybe his wife ain't as good a cook but I can tell you I ain't trading him moose or wife.

I'm gonna tell your friend that you said his wife looks like a moose...

[pitw]

Something I have enjoyed since I can remember as my ma made them frequently as a get home from school snack. My wife who can cook most anything thought I was nuts years ago when I stole some of her dough but has since learned it is a good treat and I like taking a batch out hunting or fishing for a bite. So easy a kid can do it and they feel prouder than [L] when it's done. We were looking after here again[Mandy's fella] yesterday and he asked for some and was told he had to make his own.
So he did


Looked as good as granny's.


Proud kid even made some bread sticks.


After frying in butter they turn out thusly.


Can be eaten plain or dipped in ketchup, jam, peanut butter or any thing one can think of.

While hew here anyway we planted some tomato's.


Being poor don't mean ya can't do stuff.

[Recyclersteve]

I'm curious about something. Has the COVID-19 virus changed life much in your part of Alberta, especially since you are in a rural area?

[pitw]

I'm curious about something. Has the COVID-19 virus changed life much in your part of Alberta, especially since you are in a rural area?

I think it has changed life for near every one. Myself not much as I never did like towns or batch's of people. A lot of folk have lost their jobs as oil prices tanked and the govt's go crazy. Wife or kid goes for grocery's and say the shelves were well stocked. I heard there were folks coming out from the cities to buy TP and meat but were met with hostility instead of open arms.
I still go for drives and see my buddy's but we sit in our own trucks and talk[not much different than before LOL]. Price of gas is half what it was so going for 3-400 mile drive abouts don't hurt soo much. I'm totally amazed at how the world could be shut down so easily, would have been better if they let the virus run it's course and just continued on as it did with the spanish flu, black plague and such. Yes some would die but I look at as Ma doing her thing, ya know like as in survival of the fittest, something we forgot about almost.

[TXSTARFIRE]

Happy to see another post on this thread, I always enjoy what you have to share.

[68Camaro]

Call me stupid, but having never purposefully planted tomatoes by seed I hadn't thought of simply planting slices of ripe tomatoes. (Need a hand slap on the forehead emoticon.) That said the last time I raised cherry tomatoes (10 years ago) I raised them through several generations of plants by letting some of the fallen tomatoes self-seed the pots I had them in and continuing on, so it wasn't like I didn't know that they would do that, but I hadn't thought to do that myself.

[IdahoCopper]

In January I cut open a store tomato and all the seeds in it had sprouted with tiny green tips. I planted some in starter pots and now have a dozen 12" plants on the south windowsill. In the next week or two, I'll put them outside daily (in at night) to "harden" them to the weather for a week, then plant them in the garden space.

[pitw]

Call me stupid, but having never purposefully planted tomatoes by seed I hadn't thought of simply planting slices of ripe tomatoes. (Need a hand slap on the forehead emoticon.) That said the last time I raised cherry tomatoes (10 years ago) I raised them through several generations of plants by letting some of the fallen tomatoes self-seed the pots I had them in and continuing on, so it wasn't like I didn't know that they would do that, but I hadn't thought to do that myself.

I ain't gonna call you stupid cause ya ain't. It is far from the best way to start plants but it does work. Worst is if all the seeds are viable they come up like a chia pet. LOL It's more of an exercise in showing the youngster to think a mite different than maybe someone else competing for a job. It all started when a tomato on the cupboard started growing a bunch of years back, so I cut it in 1/4's and planted it in the garden. Had to cut off about 100 plants to keep one and it was too late anyway. Just something cheap and entertaining to do with your time.

In January I cut open a store tomato and all the seeds in it had sprouted with tiny green tips. I planted some in starter pots and now have a dozen 12" plants on the south windowsill. In the next week or two, I'll put them outside daily (in at night) to "harden" them to the weather for a week, then plant them in the garden space.

He get's it and am glad there are other folk willing to experiment.

Happy to see another post on this thread, I always enjoy what you have to share.

Thank you.

[shinnosuke]

Every time I read the latest posts in this thread I can't help but think that in a national emergency we're all going to a certain friend's house in Canada.

[blackrabbit]

Every time I read the latest posts in this thread I can't help but think that in a national emergency we're all going to a certain friend's house in Canada.

Yeah I wish I was in a more remote location. Even though I am on the edge of the mountains, I am also at the edge of a city. If SHTF too much around here all the game is going to get killed and eaten in a week.

[Treetop]

Every time I read the latest posts in this thread I can't help but think that in a national emergency we're all going to a certain friend's house in Canada.

Yeah I wish I was in a more remote location. Even though I am on the edge of the mountains, I am also at the edge of a city. If SHTF too much around here all the game is going to get killed and eaten in a week.

I was insanely remote up until a few months back when we moved to a bigger house. We were 15 miles up a canyon with endless forest all around and lots of nooks and crannies in the mountains. Now we are at the edge of that same forest in the foothills overlooking a small town of 12k I think it is. I honestly feel safer now. All our neighbors here are great. I had a bunch of insane neighbors way out there. One I mentioned here before threatened to kill me. Another beat his whole family as best I could tell and didnt threatened my life but did try to fight me once, then his kids who werent allowed to play with mine told them through their fence accross the street that "we have guns now, your dad better be careful" Another group on the other side of the loop with about 20 homes out there in the woods are the type with feral dogs that once slaughtered my goats. Where I live now I have people bringing me eggs and one guy saw me building a goat pen and little house for them and came over with tools and even a few pieces of wood so I didnt have to buy it. Neighbors here wave at eachother. One of the only areas Ive seen around here people take care of their yards as well. And heck if it gets bad Ive got old logging roads I wouldnt even have to go on paved roads to get back into the woods..... and I know many of the places to get water out there.

[blackrabbit]

Every time I read the latest posts in this thread I can't help but think that in a national emergency we're all going to a certain friend's house in Canada.

Yeah I wish I was in a more remote location. Even though I am on the edge of the mountains, I am also at the edge of a city. If SHTF too much around here all the game is going to get killed and eaten in a week.

I was insanely remote up until a few months back when we moved to a bigger house. We were 15 miles up a canyon with endless forest all around and lots of nooks and crannies in the mountains. Now we are at the edge of that same forest in the foothills overlooking a small town of 12k I think it is. I honestly feel safer now. All our neighbors here are great. I had a bunch of insane neighbors way out there. One I mentioned here before threatened to kill me. Another beat his whole family as best I could tell and didnt threatened my life but did try to fight me once, then his kids who werent allowed to play with mine told them through their fence accross the street that "we have guns now, your dad better be careful" Another group on the other side of the loop with about 20 homes out there in the woods are the type with feral dogs that once slaughtered my goats. Where I live now I have people bringing me eggs and one guy saw me building a goat pen and little house for them and came over with tools and even a few pieces of wood so I didnt have to buy it. Neighbors here wave at eachother. One of the only areas Ive seen around here people take care of their yards as well. And heck if it gets bad Ive got old logging roads I wouldnt even have to go on paved roads to get back into the woods..... and I know many of the places to get water out there.

People are also very friendly where I live. We also have unlimited drinking water in Manitou having lots of springs and mountain streams. I think the town will band together for the most part if needed. However, being a tourist town full of small businesses, the economy here is screwed. I wonder how many are not going to reopen once they get the OK from the powers that be. I also think the local government will raise taxes on us because of the shortage of revenues.

[Recyclersteve]

Hey pitw:

I saw a show on TV about a floating bridge that was built in Kelowna, BC in 2008. It seems like a decent place to travel to. I know you live the next province over and don’t really care for city life. Have you been to Kelowna? What did you think?

[pitw]

Never been to Kelona but got a buddy who married a lady from there and he liked the area. Higher living costs and ya can't walk to where ya can see.

[pitw]

Sons girlfriend last fall trying her hand at living poor.[just got the pic today].

[68Camaro]

What was her firearm and ammo choice?

[pitw]

She has a 270 [too much gun in my opinion] and 130 grain bullets that were reloaded in my basement.