June Banter 2025

[CAPE]

4 minutes ago, WxUSAF said:

 

The pitching is just plain bad, and it puts pressure on the offense. This is a lost season realistically, but maybe the second half can provide some optimism for next year if Bradish and Wells can get back and be productive.

[Stormchaserchuck1]

13 minutes ago, CAPE said:

They are top 4. Very tough schedule but on paper probably the most talented team. If they stay healthy this might be their year. Just need to execute in the playoffs when its all on the line. They are super motivated.

Would you take them 1/6.5? I agree that potential injuries are the greatest variable to them not performing on top of the league. 

[Bob Chill]

On 6/28/2025 at 8:05 PM, RDM said:

Can relate to all that Bob.  Been working on a retaining wall project at home since last Fall.  166k lbs of prefab concrete blocks that weight 82 lbs each (42 pallets of block).  Nearly finished with most of the block work, which sits on top of 50 cubic yards of #57 stone.  Been working every weekend and most evenings after work, except early this past week.  Dew pts in the 70's just sucks the energy out.  I'm 60+ now and can feel every aching bone...  

I'm mid 50s nowadays and cannot take a beating like I used to lol but I've really hit a stride this year. Working very hard and but smart. When my body tells me to take a break I listen hahaha. 

It's hard for me to talk to my old friends in MD because they can't relate to what I'm doing and it's too hard to explain. You seem similar though and a kubota guy lol. I picked up a used kubota mx5200 tractor late winter and it's a beast. Also rented a kubota kx04 excavator for the month of March and pushed that thing to it's limits. Bad ass machine though. Worth every penny and i saved a mountain of money doing it myself. Cleared about an acre total in various locations on our property. Pushed over 100+ trees and this was my view for 4 weeks lol

 

It was an amazing experience although challenging AF at times. Saved all the good logs for my sawmill and have been making lumber. Built the first phase of our garden complex and now the beds are loaded with tons of veggies. I'll have to take some current pics. Turned out amazing and I'm humbled by being able to pull it off. 

 

I'm building a big greenhouse on the flat pad between the camera and beds. Our homesite is cleared and ready to build but since we have a decent place to live for now I don't have any time constraints. Greenhouse before actual house makes sense as crazy as that sounds 

When I'm not working on the property I'm working with a buddy doing land clearing and private road installs and things like that. It's a labor of love more than a chore. It's not for everybody but the lifestyle makes me feel better than anything i did in MD. I feel like I found my way in this crazy world... finally... lol. Life is a trip. Anything is possible if you have the enough confidence to take some chances. I never saw this coming 5 years ago and  it's been a wild ride with lots of twists and turns on the way I'm sure. 

[GramaxRefugee]

15 hours ago, Bob Chill said:

 

 

Looks like you hit a jackpot of cedar for those planter beds; (assuming you harvested/milled it yourself). The aroma must be great. (Or maybe my eyes deceive me)

Nothing like working outdoors on a winter day with mans-best-friend helping.

[Bob Chill]

8 hours ago, GramaxRefugee said:

Looks like you hit a jackpot of cedar for those planter beds; (assuming you harvested/milled it yourself). The aroma must be great. (Or maybe my eyes deceive me)

Nothing like working outdoors on a winter day with mans-best-friend helping.

I wish I could say all the cedar came off our tract but probably less than a third of it. We don't have a lot of cedar in the mix and few were in the way of the land clearing plan so I bartered with a small mill in Fincastle VA. Traded 2:1 with white oak boards. Had a lot of white oak come down so I milled that off and got cedar in return. Cedar is twice as valuable so it was a lot of work milling the boards lol. Around 150 10' 1x6s lol for 75 cedars. 

I wish you can preserve the deep purple heart wood of cedar. It's crazy looking when you mill it but it oxidizes quickly to brown. I did seal it all with a whey based food safe sealant from a company called Vermont Natural Coatings so the grain color should remain as is in the pic for years to come. Otherwise it turns silver/grey which is cool if you like the antique look. Wife and I decided to keep the natural red/brown color and we're glad we did. Came out better than we expected and the sealant is expensive. I think it was $350 for 5 gallons yikes lol 

[RDM]

On 6/30/2025 at 4:51 PM, Bob Chill said:

I'm mid 50s nowadays and cannot take a beating like I used to lol but I've really hit a stride this year. Working very hard and but smart. When my body tells me to take a break I listen hahaha. 

It's hard for me to talk to my old friends in MD because they can't relate to what I'm doing and it's too hard to explain. You seem similar though and a kubota guy lol. I picked up a used kubota mx5200 tractor late winter and it's a beast. Also rented a kubota kx04 excavator for the month of March and pushed that thing to it's limits. Bad ass machine though. Worth every penny and i saved a mountain of money doing it myself. Cleared about an acre total in various locations on our property. Pushed over 100+ trees and this was my view for 4 weeks lol

 

It was an amazing experience although challenging AF at times. Saved all the good logs for my sawmill and have been making lumber. Built the first phase of our garden complex and now the beds are loaded with tons of veggies. I'll have to take some current pics. Turned out amazing and I'm humbled by being able to pull it off. 

 

I'm building a big greenhouse on the flat pad between the camera and beds. Our homesite is cleared and ready to build but since we have a decent place to live for now I don't have any time constraints. Greenhouse before actual house makes sense as crazy as that sounds 

When I'm not working on the property I'm working with a buddy doing land clearing and private road installs and things like that. It's a labor of love more than a chore. It's not for everybody but the lifestyle makes me feel better than anything i did in MD. I feel like I found my way in this crazy world... finally... lol. Life is a trip. Anything is possible if you have the enough confidence to take some chances. I never saw this coming 5 years ago and  it's been a wild ride with lots of twists and turns on the way I'm sure. 

Hi Bob,

     Wow - that's impressive!  You've really done a lot - to say the least!  Very nice layout for the raised beds.  I wish I had the time to work on home projects F/T.  Maybe in a couple more years.   

     Can appreciate the clearing work.  After moving into our place in 2009 we reclaimed 1/2+ acre that was not maintained for decades.  Removed 30+ trees, regraded the ground with a power rake, removed four 30 yd dumpsters of debris and spread over 100 yds of 50/50 topsoil and mulch and 400 lbs of seed.  Managed to grow some great weeds!  It was a lot of trips with the Kubota BX and a 4 foot bucket.  You have a REAL tractor with that MX5200.  Would love to have a Kubota B with the glass cab, AC/heat and 5 foot bucket, but can't justify it with our smallish spread.  

     Below are a few pics of our wall project.  Started the project 3 years ago by relocating some azaleas that were on the hill where the terraces are now - fortunately they all lived!  In 2024 I removed the old steps, graded the terraces and relocated the water line running from our well to the house.  (we live 1/2 mile from Vienna but are on well and septic - go figure).  

     Started laying block last Fall with 42 pallets of wall block - 82 lbs each.  Have a little over 1 pallet of block remaining along with 5 pallets of caps.  The caps will be a patio at the bottom of the lowest wall to the right of the steps

     Will be happy when the project is done, but it's been fun - most of the time.  Can relate to the humble part too.  Part way through the pile of blocks I was not sure how it would go.  Kept at it steadily with a focus on the big picture.  Managed to lose 26 lbs in the process and feel pretty decent these days.  Not as sore in the mornings as when I started.  

     Good luck with the rest of your adventures on your homestead.  R.

 

 

 

 

 

[Bob Chill]

@RDM wow man, that's sick... love it. Seriously.

Masonry is one building skill I haven't practiced much but greatly respect. Not much room for error and it's gotta be just right from the get go. You'll remember the build like yesterday and appreciate it forever.

 

I'm excited to build our house. Modest size but lots of little touches that wife and I will love and appreciate until our time on earth is up. Then our kids can fight over it lolol

 

 

 

 

[RDM]

53 minutes ago, Bob Chill said:

@RDM wow man, that's sick... love it. Seriously.

Masonry is one building skill I haven't practiced much but greatly respect. Not much room for error and it's gotta be just right from the get go. You'll remember the build like yesterday and appreciate it forever.

 

I'm excited to build our house. Modest size but lots of little touches that wife and I will love and appreciate until our time on earth is up. Then our kids can fight over it lolol

 

53 minutes ago, Bob Chill said:

   You've got a great setting there in the woods from which to execute your dreams.  Wish you well with what's still to come.  If I was closer I'd come over and help!  Even though I'm an old fart now, I still enjoy manual labor.  (in moderation!).  Brings back memories of growing up in Ohio - bailing hay and cutting grass and shoveling snow as a youngster for pocket change, then working as a construction laborer while going through college.  That was brutal at times, but character building. 

   The wall block is fairly straightforward.  It's dry stack - no mortar.  The brand is Versa Lok.  They are precast with good tolerances across the concrete molds at the factory so the finished product looks decent.  This design lets water weep through the voids so you don't have to worry about back pressure from water buildup.  Mixing mortar is a PITA.  I'll pass on that and pouring concrete.  Done enough of it to appreciate the skill the pros have.

  Each row sits back 3/4" from the row below it to "lean" into the hill.  It uses plastic pins to hold the blocks in place, but the pins are not really needed.  The sheer weight and gravity does its thing.  The larger blocks are very cost competitive to the small blocks we find at Lowe's or Home Depot.  The challenge is moving them at 82lbs each, compared to 10-15 lbs for the smaller stuff and the large blocks are far more resilient.  Once they are set in place they stay put.  Had a UPS truck back into my first wall once.  Tore the heck out of his rear step bumper.  I could not even tell where he hit the wall.  

  The first wall I built 15 years ago has settled some over time - about an inch or so.  But it's all settled evenly so it's still level overall.  I'd never done block work before the first project.  Just watched videos on Youtube and read the manuals.  The key thing you have to do is get the base row of block dead level.  Even half-a-bubble-off-center on the bottom row will make things even more uneven as you go up.  

   Again, best of luck with building the house.  Hope things go well.  

 

 

 

[nw baltimore wx]

When “Quiet Place Day Real” comes, I’ll be @Bob Chill and wife’s house.