Like I told my husband, this has really been a real fender bender of a Winter, but hope is eternal, so now we can at least hope that it will very soon be over. Mr. Groundhog did not see his shadow, at least not in these parts.
And like my husband told me, at this time of the year, most farmers would be checking over their harnesses, saddles, and any other leather goods they had to use with their horses or mules whichever the case would be.
To keep the leather soft and pliable, after a summer’s use, it would have to be washed real well with Saddle soap and then there were parts that needed mending, that was done by harness-makers, like the blacksmith, I am sure there are very few, if any of them left, it was a good trade. You see the reason he can remember all this so well, is because he is much older than I. All this work would be done after the fire wood was stacked and ready for use. Those were the good old days, coal, oil and gas heat were unheard of.
One of our subscribers thought it would be interesting to know how many ‘old engine bugs’ are on our subscription list. At last count it was around 4200 and still growing.
It will soon be time to get ready for the show, don’t forget the show in Cheraw, South Carolina on April 10, 11 12th.
We recieved a letter from Mr. Rodger O. Welch, 12/2 Church St., Waterloo, New York 13165, stating he had tried in vain to procure information as to where he can obtain specification sheets or parts manuals or prints on Antique farm machinery and/or horse drawn farm equipment, as well as other equipment. He is a model maker and tries to make working models all out of wood (no metal). Can anyone help him?
To those of you who subscribe to the Iron Men Album also, the March-April issue was late in mailing but don’t blame us at the office, we were ready and waiting a week for it. Uncle Jake will probably chew me out for this but we can’t blame the Tramp Preacher for it either, so the blame has to be put somewhere. I’m not trying for Brownie points either.
I think I have rattled on long enough so will close and hope you all have escaped the flu, and it not hope you have a quick recovery. I keep my fingers crossed. Until next time, good health and best wishes.