MikeL90

Hers a quick video of a nice hot, crackling and popping fire in my new to me wood stove. The stove is a 1977 Vermont Casting Vigilant Wood/Coal burner. I found the stove for free and Craigslist and couldn't pass it up. It was in decent shape but rusty and dusty from sitting for a few years. This Wood stove is amazing and ahead of its time. It has a bi-metal thermostat controlled air inlet. When the fire cools down, it opens a damper to get the fire burning again and when it heats back up, it closes the damper so the fire burns down a little. It's such a great little stove. I plan on sending the rust off it and painting it a dark black amd replace all the window and door seals. This stove is a piece of history. Burning wood is also great for the environment. I cut dead trees down, mostly all dead ash trees killed by the invasive emerald ash boring beetle from Asia that killed 90 percent of our ash trees, and burn that. The trees did their job of cleaning and oxygenating the air while alive and now are being used to heat my work area. Nothing goes to waste and a hot well feed wood stove emits very little, next to none, pollution. Thanks for watching and have a great day!

Here's a quick video showing a disabled man working with what he has and getting the job done to the best of his ability! This is a great example of adapting, improvising and overcoming! Men like this lead the way in overcoming and advancing those who have less to work with! Good for this guy! There are doers, there are sayers and there are complainers, this man is is doer! This guy here is a great example of being happy with who and what you are and not letting it define you. Bless this man and his family! Remember, you can do anything you set your mind to. Don't think you can't do something because you're different or because someone told you can't do it. Try whatever it is you want to do and if you fail, try again! Practice makes perfect! Hope you enjoyed the video and thank you for watching!

This is a video of the Blossom dam located in Elma New York. The Blossom dam is in the Buffalo Creek and is the first impassable barrier from where it ends at the Buffalo River, which then dumps into lake Erie in Buffalo NY. The Blossom dam is a historic site. The original natural dam stood half as tall as it does now. In the late 1800s it was built higher to keep more water behind it to run the feed mill which is the building to the right of the dam. The Blossom feed mill no longer is a feed mill of any type and is personally owned and used for storage. In the 1900s, the mill was switched from water power to steam and electric. As the area around it grew, known as the Ebenezer area, more businesses came about and mass feed production took over and small sized mills were no longer practical to compete in the large market. This video was taken September 23rd, 2021 after receiving heavy rainfall. This is the highest the Buffalo Creek had been this summer since spring. It will freeze over in the winter and when spring thaw comes, the ice will break free and jam up, causing ice jams and localized flooding. Thanks for watching and have a wonderful day!

Here is a quick video of a Tree Swallow pecking away at a bird house on a post in out yard. Tree Swallows, not to be confused with a Blue Jay or Blue Bird, is of the Hirundinidae family although they do look very similar. The Tree Swallow has a dark strip that out lines their wings and their head is a bit more round as opposed to a Blue Jay with a pointy head. They peck at trees and bird houses to open up a hole or cavity or to get little wood chips to put into their nests. This here is an adult Tree Swallow as shown with his blue color scheme. Here is a bit more information from 'allaboutbirds.org' on the Tree Swallow. "Handsome aerialists with deep-blue iridescent backs and clean white fronts, Tree Swallows are a familiar sight in summer fields and wetlands across northern North America. They chase after flying insects with acrobatic twists and turns, their steely blue-green feathers flashing in the sunlight. Tree Swallows nest in tree cavities; they also readily take up residence in nest boxes." Tree Swallows are quite the bird in both their behavior and looks. I was able to walk within 5 feet of this guy before he flew away. He sure is a noisy bird with his pecking but his song is beautiful too! Thank you for watching and have a wonderful day!

Luke is a good boy but, sometimes he likes to chew and lick a little too much! He had to get the cone of shame because he chewed the base of his tail raw. He's a pretty high energy dog, just like his brother Bo. Often times high energy dogs will chew and lick excessively for fun. Luke usually doesn't chew himself too much but with the recent heat and high humidity, he must of had a reaction that caused a rash and made him believe he needed to chew the spot. Luckily for Luke, his family loves him to death and immediately put a stop to his chewing with a cone and applied antimicrobial spray to his ouchy. He isn't happy about the cone but he has come around to accept it as a part of life for the time being. A couple more days and he won't have to wear the cone of shame anymore. Although he isn't too thrilled about it, he has taken advantage of the shape and placement of the cone and uses it to help him catch tennis balls and to funnel ALL of the attention directly to him lol. If your doggo starts to chew and creates a raw spot, its best to take care of it immediately and put a stop to it. While they may not be happy about wearing a cone, it is important to keep them from chewing excessively. There are alternatives to cones like chew collars and inflatable type collars that restrict there ability to chew and lick themselves, though they don't always work. You'll also want to cut away the fur in the area immediately around the problem area to keep it from matting into the area. Wash the affected area once to twice a day and let dry. After drying, apply some type of antimicrobial spray or lotion two to three times a day. The most important thing to do is not to let them chew or lick anymore. If they continue this behavior, you need to work with your doggo and replace that activity. If they start to lick or chew excessively, play ball or run them and keep them busy. Reward them with treats and praise as well. Thank you for watching and have a wonderful day!

Here's a quick video of welding the hinges for my shed. I had to elongate the hinges to make them work in the opening, and on the door as the door itself is recessed behind the trim. If you don't have it or can't buy it, make it! In the video, I am MIG welding mild steel plates to premade steel hinges. MIG, which stands for metal inert gas, is an arc welding process in which steel wire is feed through a hand held, trigger operated gun. Electricity flows throw the wire and when it contacts the metal you're welding, it melts because the current is greater than the welding wire can withstand. Voltage is roughly 20-25 volts DC and the amperage can range from 5 all the way up to 1,000 plus amps! The 3/16ths inches mild steel I am welding required about 65-70 amps. When the wire contacts the metal to be welded, called the base metal, the welding wire melts and the current is returned through the ground clamp which is attached to the metal work piece. The molten metal, which is called the puddle, is protected from atmospheric contaminants by an inert gas called shielding gas. Commonly argon or carbon dioxide or a mixture of the two. Thanks for watching and have a great day!

Doggo in the upside down position. Also known as the autosneeze position, because he usually sneezes within a minute of being upside down. Luke is a 9 year old Chocolate Lab German Shepherd mix good boy. He is a food driven, well behaved good boy. Thanks for watching and have a wonderful day!

Here is a video showing a common Redpoll I seen walking down a trail I ride my bike on next to the Buffalo Creek. I was cruising down the path and came upon him, I was able to stop just in time and not run him over! Usually, wildlife won't let you get that close. Something was off with this bird. He was walking sideways instead of in a straight line. He didn't try to run or fly away from me when I walked up to him. As you can see in the video, he also just pecked away at the ground as I recorded him. I figured it was best to let him be and continue my bike ride. A little more about Redpoll finches. "One of the winter finches, nesting in the Arctic and sometimes invading southern Canada and the northern states. Redpolls are tiny, restless birds, feeding actively on seeds among trees and weeds, fluttering and climbing about acrobatically, their flocks seemingly always on the move. For their small size, they have a remarkable ability to survive cold temperatures; their southward flights are sparked by temporary scarcity of food in the North, not by cold. At bird feeders in winter, redpolls are often remarkably tame." I didn't see him on my way back home so I'm guessing he was OK. He wasn't dragging a wing like it was broken or hurt either. After doing some research, I learned the Common Redpoll Finch can be quite tame. So maybe that explains the what seems like odd behavior to me. Sometimes, you meet odd animals and think this guy was one of them! Thanks for watching and have a wonderful day! Video: MikeL90 Information source: audubon.com

Here is a quick video showing the surface of the moon and its largest craters. This was taken with a cell phone through a high powered telescope. It was incredibly difficult to focus the camera, keep it steady and on the image just right through the viewer, all at the same time by hand. I will be building some type of device to hold the camera still and in the proper proximity of the telescope viewer to get a better video. Just wanted to share this with everybody. Hope you enjoyed the video and stay tuned for more!

Here is a video showing an Eastern Osprey singing from its nest atop a utility pole in Allegany State Park, New York. Osprey are large fish eating birds of prey. A type of hawk that you can find near ponds, lakes, rivers, creeks and coastal areas. They are large raptor reaching 24 inches long and can exceed 71 inches wide with its wings spread out! Full grown Osprey can weigh 3 pounds on the smaller end and up to 5 pounds on the larger birds! Osprey, not to be confused or mistaken for an Eagle, are mostly brown with a white breast and head and a brown strip down the side of their head. Osprey are an awe-inspiring animal to see in action, searching the water for fish and the dive bombing them from the air at up to 80 mph, reaching up to 3 feet deep into the water to grab their meal with their large claws. They have 3 large talon like toes in the front and one in the back. Osprey are known to fly into the water from 100 plus feet in the air! If you are ever lucky enough to catch one in action or find one in its nest, remember they are best observed from a far as they will dive bomb and attack if they feel threatened. Their sharp nails will cut you effortlessly and deep. Nature should always be left alone and observed from a distance. We don't appreciate when animals bother us and they don't like to be bothered by us either. Thanks for watching and have a wonderful day!

Quaker lake is a man made lake located in Allegany State Park, Salamanca NY, which feeds into the Allegany reservoir that was created by the Kinzua dam. Here is a quick veiw of the lakes spill over after receiving almost 4 inches of rain in less than 24 hours brought on by Tropical Storm Fred in mid August 2021. Kinzua was a small town that was in low laying ground and was flooded purposely to create the Allegany reservoir. The Allegheny Reservoir stretches 27 miles long and 120 feet deep. The Pittsburgh District of the United States Army Corps of Engineers completed construction of the Kinzua Dam in 1965 and manages it to this day. In 1936, Congress authorized the building of the dam as part of a system of reservoirs on the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers.According to Rose Reilly, a biologist with the Pittsburgh District of the Army Corps of Engineers, the Kinzua Dam has two congressional purposes: flood control and water quality improvement for the Pittsburgh region. The formidable Kinzua Dam, which protects Pittsburgh from flooding and pollution, came at a steep price for the Seneca Nation of Indians. They lost nine communities and 10,000 acres of their Allegany Territory to the dam. Pressure from climate change, however, could threaten the protection gained from the Seneca Nation’s coerced sacrifice. Allegany State Park and the surrounding area, known as the Southerntier, is a spacious, hilly, nature filled wildlands preserve in the Western New York area. The park itself is over 65,000 acres of woodlands and foot hills full of small streams and creeks. There is camping on the two sides of the park know as the Quaker side and Redhouse side. Both of which have a lake stocked with bass, bluegill, bull head, catfish and many other species including multiple types of trout that can be caught in the lake and in the streams that flow to and from them. There is pike in Quaker lake too but bring your stell leaders! It is also home to other wildlife such as eagles, osprey, deer, wood chucks, skunk, raccoon, porcupine fox and even black bears and the occasional bobcat! You can also rent a cabin which there are old fashioned type cabins with no electricity or water and have cots and a wood stove or all the way up to a newer modern multi room cabin with all amenities of home. There are tent camping trails on both sides too. Some have water and gas hook ups for your camper or travel trailer. I would highly recommend seeing the true beauty of the real state of New York in the Western New York area of you're ever in the area or searching for a new place to vacation. A short 20 minute ride into Salamanca NY and you have a grocery store, fast food and there is even the Seneca Nation of Indians casino resort and hotel if that's more you're style. Remember, never interfere with wildlife or feed them. It does them more harm than good! Thanks for watching and have a wonderful day!

This is a quick video showing the purple hair growing from one of my corn plants! This doesn't happen on regular yellow corn or cow corn, only colored corn. Along with some sweet corn and butter corn, I planted some Indian corn which is multi colored corn. You can grind Indian corn into flour or use them, along with the stalks, for fall decorations. It is not often eaten as it is bitter and doesn't taste like the corn we're all used to. Thanks for watching and have a wonderful day! If you like these types of videos, please follow and stay tuned for more interesting random videos!

These little kitter cats are now 7 days old! Their eyes have finally opened and they can now see the world around them! They still sleep most of the day and snuggle with Momma kitty but theu are starting to move about! If you love these little kitty's, follow and be ready for the next update! Thanks for watching and have a great day!

The Eternal Flame is an ever burning natural gas flame within a waterfall located at Chestnut Ridge Park in Orchard Park, New York. The flame is created by naturally occurring gas which seeps up through the shale rich ground and God decided to put a waterfall right where it seeps out! The flame never goes out and will continue to stay eternally lite until the natural gas reservoir runs out. In the Northeast region of of United States, natural gas is an abundant resource and commonly found in cracks between the shale. Fracking is quite common in the region but, is not allowed in New York State. Chestnut Ridge Park is located in a small Western New York town south of the City of Buffalo. The park feature miles and miles of hiking trails, paved walking and biking paths and shelters for picining with small charcoal grills, garbage cans, benches, access to town water and some sites even have a small refrigerator and electric stove inside the shelters! It is a beautiful Park that will suite every need from family get togethers and reunions, boy scout meetings, picnics, playgrounds for kids and there is a hiking and biking trail for every level from newbie to amateur to expert. The winter brings plenty of lake effect snow in the Western New York area and there are cross country ski paths, small down hill slopes and a large tubing hill! Thanks for watching and be sure to follow for more neat, random content!

On the way home from the store, I noticed a bunch of New York State police and other local cops. I started recording and zoomed in at the perfect time to catch a guy on the hood of a NYS State police car! I'm not sure what was going on here but, there was a ton of cops! Thanks for watching!

We were sitting around the fire, listening to the crickets and animals and a Screech Owl stopped by to say hello! Thanks for watching and have a great day!

Heres momma ragdoll with her big, bright blue eyes and her two new, three day old kittens! The kittens eyes are still closed. She is a beautiful cat and the kittens are just as beautiful! Thanks for watching, more to come!

Luke is a very gentle and happy dog. He doesn't care much what it is you're doing, as long as you're doing it with him. Here, a dog wears a CAT hat! Thanks for watching!

A Northeast tour modified was throwing sparks after a small wreck. Everyone involved was OK thanks to the safer barrier and thermal foam which lines the walls to take the brunt of an impact. This was at Lancaster Speedway in Lancaster New York. Thanks for watching!

These citter cats are not even a whole day old yet!

In this video, you will see a corn stalk with 3 sets of brace roots. The first, at ground level going into the dirt. The second, about 3 inches above ground level reaching towards the ground. The third, about 8 inches above ground level, again reaching towards the dirt. One or 2 sets of brace roots isn't uncommon. It's the plants way of reaching out for more water and nutrients and ends up giving the stalk extra stability. The third brace root here at 8 inches above ground level is rather unusual! This tells me my subsurface soil conditions are not conducive to roots growing into the ground. Next year before planting I will have some soil preparation to do. This year it was very wet and the soil clumped up and didn't break apart very well. Thanks for watching!

A quick veiw of Niagara Falls Canada from the American side of Niagara Falls at the Niagara River.

The Niagara River dumping into Niagara Falls from the American side at night.

The Niagara River right before Niagara falls on the American side.

Quick video of Possi the Possum saying hello! He stops by once in a while to eat the cats food. You can always tell when it's him eating because he makes a ruckus and tips the bowl over and eats with his mouth open. Thanks for watching!