Another trip between Georgia and the New York farm

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Its unusual that I make the trip this late in the year. Although it is highly unlikely it would snow (and bring the road salt and all the other bad stuff). It is often rainy. I had excellent weather. The main objective was to bring the brush hog up and mow trails. The trails have been disapearing and there are a number of bush islands appearing everywhere a small finish mower can't do the job. The tractor worked well. Back up over a multiflora rose bush with the brush hog up and drop it down and take care of business --at least for another couple of year or so. I spent many hours years ago yanking these things out of the ground with tractor and chain which yields a more satisfactory long term outcome. I will be doing the same with the largest ones for sure. I understand that these bushes were originally planted as a natural fence. Animals and humans alike don't like the thorns. They are invasive.
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A lot is happening. It is Summer and I guess a lot always happens with the longer days and warm temperatures. The barn and fence are looking better and better. We have the gates made, painted and hung. We also got the front of the barn painted. That made a big difference. I will be working on the loft door and it will be pretty much done. I am using a remote low voltage switching arrangement for the light on the barn. That will properly control the light from inside the house over a 25-pair phone cable that I ran underground when I had a ditch dug for the main power service entrance. I buried every king of wire I had in a separate 2 in conduit when I had the ditch dug. It will feel good to actually start to use that function that we planned on a couple of years ago.

I had a flight lesson tonight. I seem to be retaining information and my lessons well. There is a lot to a landing. Greene (4N7) is a great place to learn since it is difficult. You lose sight of the runway right away since it is in a valley. Finding it again can be difficult when you are learning. I feel better and better about my flares on landing. I felt great about one of my takeoffs. It was perfect by my toughest critic, me. I wish I could take pictures when I am learning but I am kind of busy. The sight of the runway lining-up turning on final is really quite a view, knowing everything is aligned and seeing the future unfold.

We finally had out night-blooming Sirius bloom. After years of waiting it when between these two photos in about an hour. That was kind of neat. We have at least two more blossoms ready to go now. It is fun to watch.

On my way home tonight I thought I was coming up on some wild turkeys (as I did about 5 miles before) but when I got closer they didn't scamper. They stood there. As I got close I could see they were free-ranging peafowl. Free range birds of all types in my neighborhood can be found.

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