Hamish and Kyloe

As spring blooms and cows thrive, a brighter future takes shape, filled with promise and possibility....and manure. Lots of manure.

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 316

Hamish and Kyloe

10 years ago today..and Kyloe was testing his big brother

1 month ago | [YT] | 80

Hamish and Kyloe

Another snow day…. but it’s nice because today is the first full day in 8 days that we’ve had power. Fortunately for others, i still had my Folgers so the grumbling was drowned out by the shivering…

1 month ago | [YT] | 313

Hamish and Kyloe

One of my all time favorite photos. This is my dear friend Sheri meeting Kyloe for the first time.

1 month ago | [YT] | 252

Hamish and Kyloe

For those interested, This is the first book I wrote a few years ago. Look at that handsome devil on the cover.

www.amazon.com/Tales-Triumphs-Misadventures-Scotti…

3 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 55

Hamish and Kyloe

11 years ago today, I posted a short story about the day I was working on Hamish's new and bigger, barn. Kyloe was coming to join our family and the barn was only big enough for one, so my plan was to double its size without taking down what was already in place.

The key to that was a Cedar tree which had been cut to serve as the center support for the roof.
This "post" was around 23ft. long and weighed 600-700lbs. After setting the post into place, it needed to be trimmed and notched in order to accommodate the ridge beam for the new (and much bigger, roof).
This is the story I posted that evening. Man, how time flies.



Just to the doubters.....I decided to set the ridge pole in place for Hamish House this past Sunday. I gathered my tools...figured out a plan of action....and hit the moonshine jar, just for good luck.

Now for those of you who don't know, God teased me into setting a Giant Sequoia as a main support. At least, it felt that way when I was trying to lift it into the 6ft deep hole when it first went up. (please refer back to previous FB pictures of rednecks....and shine, just for good luck)

I leaned my ladder against the side of this thing and climbed even with the top...17ft. in the air. "O.k." I said. "lets see how stable this thing is". And up I went, scampering to stand atop the mighty log, surveying all I lorded over. I was planning my kingdom when the thought hit me...I didn't bring any tools to the top with me. Oh well, the kingdom will have to wait another day.
So down I climbed, wondering to myself, what would work best on a tree that size.....hmmm (Can ya see it coming)

Looking around, I noticed that I hadn't brought my chainsaw out with me. So, off to the garage I went...to fetch my Stihl chainsaw...and another shot or two of moonshine...just for good luck, ya know.

I approach the tree with daring, like a wolf stalking its prey.....knowing that I will prevail.
As I reach for the first rung, my hand slips and I'm sent face first into the ladder, dropping the saw to the ground. Looking around to make sure Hammie wasn't watching, I brushed the dirt of me and voila'...another fantastic idea! I'll start the saw down here...and carry it up the ladder with me, so that I wont have to start it up there.
Soooo...I fire it up...I ignore the fact that it starts on the first pull, and once again, I reach for the first rung on the ladder.

With the warmth of the moonshine keeping me agile, I quickly reach the top of the ladder. As I looked at the angle I needed to cut for the ridge beam to sit into, I soon realized that it would be very difficult to do so from a level position.
I decided to climb back down to rethink the situation, again, with the saw still running. I pondered what to do for a few minutes when yet another incredible thought hit me. Cut it from the top. No time to waste...I grabbed the mason jar of peach shine and back to the ladder I went. I took one more taste of the shine(just for luck) and ripped the chainsaw to life, not waiting to think any more about what I needed to do.

I once again reached the top of the ladder and carefully laid the still running chainsaw on top. I grabbed both sides of the tree and boosted myself up so that most of me was precariously balanced along side the still running chainsaw. When I turned my head to look at the saw, I noticed it was mere inches from my nose, the freshly sharpened steel teeth spinning like a snake striking glass.

I pushed the image out of my head and pulled myself up the last few feet to once again stand atop the mighty log. The first thing I noticed was that my feet were hanging off the back of the log. Even after I picked up the saw in front of me, I barely had space to fit all of my feet without having to saw through a couple of toes. The second thing that I noticed was that this time, that same sturdy log, seemed to be swaying a bit. Had the soil loosened up? Had the weight of the ladder caused it to move?
I dismissed the thought without coming to any conclusion, thinking to myself that I would figure it out later..(after more moonshine) So...back to the task.

I gripped the saw with both hands....flipped the switch on the back to begin the process of starting it....and let out an audible cry when I quickly remembered that the saw WAS still running...and I had just flooded the engine.
*Sigh*...Back down the ladder I went, this time, without the saw running. As I sat down to wait for the engine to clear, I had another shot of moonshine..To hell with luck.

After a few minutes, the saw once again roared to life. I took off to yet again, stand atop the migh.....awww fuck it...I just wanna cut the damn thing. I reached the top, set down the saw and pulled myself into a standing position reaching down, I grabbed the saw and leaned over to make the first cut. As the teeth cut into the wood, I could feel myself leaning out into the void more, to get deeper into the wood.

Finally, I caught myself before I went any further and froze in place. As I looked around, a last great thought finally occurred to me...."No way dude..what could possibly go wrong".
At this point, two things were most likely: 1. I’d lean out too far and plummet head first to the ground while holding a running chainsaw, OR 2. I’d cut off a couple of toes due to the confined space in which I had to work…and THEN I’d plummet head first to the ground. My good sense finally came back from vacation and I decided that discretion WAS the better part of valor.

I turned off the saw, climbed down the ladder and began putting the tools away. I finished the jar of moonshine while sitting in the garage watching all the fallen branches from the yard, burn up in the woodstove.

All in all, not a bad day.

3 months ago | [YT] | 113

Hamish and Kyloe

Messy Marvin

3 months ago | [YT] | 268

Hamish and Kyloe

Happy coming home day, little buddy. 10 years ago today, we picked up the smallest 4yo steer I had ever seen. I cant begin to count the number of times I've said "Don't do it, Kyloe"...which is only dwarfed by the amount of joy you've brought all of us. Thank you for a decade of both laughter and tears.

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3 months ago | [YT] | 261

Hamish and Kyloe

Warm and happy...despite the weather.

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1 year ago | [YT] | 485

Hamish and Kyloe

Reflections....

1 year ago | [YT] | 227