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Evildawg's Blog of Useless but Possibly Relevant Crap |
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This is just a small window into my chaotic yet lazy life. Oh, the life of an Information Technology Professional can be so exciting... Not so much, no. I'm a Fifty-something father of an amazing young man (I can't believe he's 20 now!), Atom and his brother, the Ever-Irish Finnegan (7 almost 8). I am married to my best friend and just wish I would have found her 15 years ago... I am a Geek, a Nerd and a Dork, but normal... I think. I DO collect comic books, on and off, as the money permits. I DO enjoy a good table-top RPG. I DO play MMORPG's and various other PC games. I DO live on the PC on numerous levels, but I think that we all do, to some degree. I was also in two rock bands that played in the Austin, TX area often, but I moved back to Southern California. I AM NOT a cowboy but I do own a farm in the mountains between Mojave and Bakersfield, I'm more of a Southern California Punk, if one were to generalize me.  Not to mention that I AM  Irish Which some would say explains a lot  Rambling, Ranting, Rating and several other "R" words can be found within these pages... There will also be Venting, Musings, Thoughts and Theories as well. While I cannot guarantee the validity of any of it , I can tell you that the topics shall range from  Love to  Science to  Paranormal Research to  Politics to  Writing ; no subject is taboo.Hooked yet? If you're not hooked in yet, just wait, someone may win a  MILLION DOLLARS!!!! Not here or by reading this blog, but somewhere in the world someone will win a MILLION DOLLARS!!! ...at some point... Maybe... I know, pretty bad, right? And you wonder why I am stuck writing only a blog... ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** |
| I can't believe that two months have flown by since my last entry... I've said it before and I'll say it again, Tempus Fugit (Time Flies). Since my last entry, a lot has happened. My oldest son, Atom, graduated from the USAF BMT at Travis AFB in San Antonio, TX! I could not be a more proud dad! Now he is in Monterey at the Defense Language Institute learning Chinese. The trip to TX was a quick one; flying in on a Wednesday close to midnight, waking up early to make it on base to see the Airman's Run then the graduation, then a stroll through Riverwalk and lunch and back to the hotel to sleep so I could wake up by 2 am to make a 6 am flight back home. It was so worth it. Work is back to full-time in the office and I moved from one side of the building to the other so they could have their gym back. I will have to do some cabling today to make it all work but that is the fun stuff. Okay back to work, we'll chat later. Steve |
| Hey guys! So, last week, a mountain lion made off with our pet pig. We have raised pigs for more than two years now and this is the first time any predator has collected one of our pigs. We have lost some free-range chickens to predatory birds before but never anything like this. We set up trap cameras to try and get a glimpse of it but only caught a squirrel after three whole days and nights of soaking down there. The next step is to put those cameras up again, deeper into the wildlands on our property, to get a shot or two, and to get some paintball guns as a deterrent. You can shoot to kill only if they are actively attacking, otherwise, it's only non-lethal means. I believe they are protected in California. The mountain lions don't seem to bother the goats or the donkey but donkeys and mountain lions are natural enemies so that makes sense. I hope everyone is well! Steve |
| Time seems like it's going by faster and faster every year... Updates: 1) Farm is doing well. We sent our five pigs to the butcher in October 2021. We raised four for other people but, with food, the cost was only $4.25 per pound. Donkey, goats, pig, and chickens are all healthy and happy as far as we can tell. 2) Work is still crazy. It's hard to work for a company that is based in two countries. 3) Photography is coming along well. Lots of pics of the animals (Insta: @bdfarms4me) and land. Okay, back to work. This was fun Steve |
| Pigs are getting big and should be ready to go to the butcher in late September. Everyone else is doing well - Check us out on Instagram - @bdfarms4me Lots of recent pics from the Farms new Nikon D5600 Steve -- Regards, EvilDawg ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** -- Regards, EvilDawg ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** |
| I've been keeping pretty busy @ B&D Farms - Here is a pic of our conservation area ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** -- Regards, EvilDawg ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** |
| I know, it's been two weeks since my last confess... errr... Blog Post. The farm is in full swing now! The 5 new pigs have settled in and I ordered and installed two 5 gallon, covered, auto-fill waterers. The one thing anyone will tell you about raising pigs or any livestock, is that clean water is the biggest priority. We solved that last year by getting a plastic (food-grade) feed can, about 20 gallons, and drilling a big hole in and putting in a fixture to allow for a pig nipple to screw in and we just filled it every other day. Now, with 5 we are having to fill that one up in the morning and evening. These will help a lot as I can fill them both up whenever I want with a turn of a dial. They should be able to be left on all the time so the water is circulating but these fitting are crap and until I replace them and maybe use some silicone these will do just fine. Our cow is almost ready to come to its new home. We are getting a calf and raising it until it's about 2 years old or 1300 pounds.I'm pretty sure his name will be Norman (from City Slickers). Alright, back to work Steve |
| We bought five little piggies this year that we will raise for food. We are raising the others (we are only using one but that meat will last a year) for friends and family. We have two girls and three boys - last year they were both boys. One three hundred pound pig produces two hundred pounds of useable meat. For example, from one pig last year, we got twelve pounds of bacon, fifteen pounds of sausage, about twenty pounds of ham steaks and another twenty to twenty five pounds of pork chops, a nineteen pound ham, two ten pound shoulder roasts (carnitas baby!) and a host of other cuts and parts. We met a new local pig breeder who is getting out of the breeding business and is going to focus on his pig feeds and we will be the only people in town to get his private pig grower food formula for his show pigs. So that was fortuitous! Okay time to get back to my day job! Steve |
| So, my wife left Sunday to go back up north for work. She called yesterday and said that her boss would like her to stay and manage these four clinics to ensure they keep running smoothly and per policy. ...for a few months. So that's fun. It is good for her career and I will always support her in her endeavors.She's the one person you don't want to see walk in the door because then you know you're screwed and that you or your clinic has been slacking and the big girls come in to fix you, forcibly if necessary. That is the reason for this; they had to let several people go in local and area management so there is a huge void to fill and no local staff strong enough for that kind of promotion yet. So, until this fire is over and a new one begins, this is the new normal... The new status quo, if you will. And I am okay with that as long as I have a place to vent and work it out with words... Kind of like this place. Steve |
| Good morning WdC! Well, today my wife comes back from Reno. She's been there Sunday through Thursday for the last five weeks and she has three more weeks to go.  Finn and I are excited, obviously. Plus it's Mother's Day this Sunday and she has to leave to go back to Reno. I know it is taking it's toll on her and we support her in whatever she wants to do. It is good for her career as she is working with VP/SVP and Directors and they are starting to ask for her by name; which is good. We'll make it through it, like we always do. The farm helps me in that it gives me something to do to fill in the gaps where my wife and I would just talk and dream and plan and cohort. I know that the animals know because my donkey, Maverick, has not been at all a meanie-head like he usually is; he actually has been very sweet and endearing. Usually that is a tactic he uses to gain your trust then bite you in the nipple. That is not fun, trust me. Have a great Thursday! Steve Plug: "Invalid Item"  - ...hailing frequencies open... *Accepting New Members* |
| I miss my wife. She has been out of town in Reno, NV recently. She leaves on Sunday and drives up there and returns on Thursday. I really only get to see her Thursday evening, Friday, Saturday and for a few hours on Sunday. Finn and I miss her. Having said that, this is good for her career as she is working with VP's and Directors who are asking for her by name now. This might be a new normal... Might be tough... Steve |
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