A few years ago - just after the earthquake - the welding crew got a bit of "practice steel" from one of our local businesses. It's steel that the business would be casting off or is not able to use for structural uses or becuse it had already been cut down to a size that doesn't fit the products they make. It is prefect for welding students to practice welding on - making fun and useful items that don't have to have perfect, certified welds. It also makes great yard art/snow measure/pea protection for me!
Introducing the Big Roster! The steel piece, not the guy! That guy is Mr Parker, our welding teacher. This was taken while Reed was still in school - 2018, and one of the practice projects the kids worked on was this big rooster he is holding. FOr this piece,othe kids had to practice welding "round stock", and the rooster is made of two pieces of steel that they had to weld (seam) and cut out, or maybe they cut it and then welded it together. Lots of welding techniques. Isn't it wonderful! He is a great reminder that with practice great things can happen. That goes for the rooster and the guy! This picture also always makes me smile with great memories - Mr Parker has had to go to another building since our welding shop was part of the building that was destroyed in the earthquake, so our welding students go to another school to learn from him, so we don't get to see him often. We are being patient while our building is just starting the process to be rebuilt, and we can't wait until he is back closer to home. Practice and patience..
Here is the rooster guarding the peas row from the birds so they won't eat all my pea seeds. It does not however guard against baby moose who like to lay in the pea row after it has been planted - thats why the sticks behind the rooster are leaned way over! Darn it! Easily propped back up and re staked though - but I did have to replant part of the row as the moose had driven the pea seeds to the center of the Earth!
Here is the rooster guarding in the fall after the harvest had been made and the moose had made short work of the pea vines! Moose are not afraid of roosters! He is sturdy though - they have not knocked him down! You can see how the kids worked on the seam where his ribs are, and on carefully cutting out his comb in this picture!
And then the snow came!!! The rooster is barely keeping his head above the snow this winter! The birds are now using him as a mid-yard roost! The birds are not afraid of the rooster now either!
This was as close as I could get to him for this picture - I am barely keeping my boots above the snow on this day! We got a lot of snow! It is late March now and it feels as if Spring will never come! We must have patience and practice our shoveling skills!
Ahhhhh..... finally we can see the whole rooster again and we know we are down to only about 3' of snow left in the yard! Moving in the right direction. Birds are still using him as a roost - I think he might have to get bedazzled this summer to protect the peas - maybe some blowing ribbons, or a pinwheel or two? We shall see what works!
And finally he is roosting out of the snow, fully ready to embrace spring and enjoying that late Alaska sunset! Reminding us all that patience and practice make great friends! May you have both.
Happy Spring and Blessed Be!
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