I hate 2 cycle engines

So the little red homelite chainsaw that was supposed to be fairly new and ready to go just died on me.  I have cleaned the carburetor, checked the spark plug, checked compression (thumb over the spark plug hole worth of checking) and even checked the magneto for rust.  It won't even offer a pop on starter fluid.  I am at my wits end.  I have moved on to the green poulan, dubbed the green monster.  I hope I can get this one operating because I really need a chainsaw to start my fence line.  I did find a carburetor rebuild kit for the weed-eater, but I had to go to ebay for it, but it only cost 4 bucks.

Picture show and tell time:

Varg is growing and still looking cute:

 Size comparison for Squire, Varg, and my big baby Bone. Oh and Khain hiding in the background.

 My hatched chicks have begun exploring outside their house.  I really needed to let the out a little earlier with as bad as the heat has been.  There just wasn't enough breeze going through their house.  I believe I have 4 hens and 2 roosters.

 Also the hen I had lost several weeks ago is confirmed dead.  I found a trail of feathers when I went to move the goat pen yesterday.

 She had an egg ready for me too, which really sucks as the rest of the hens have shut down in this heat.

 All the was left was her feathers and her keel bone (breast bone).  Thankfully I haven't had anymore losses.  But something is killing the semi-wild rabbits.  They just get really lethargic and die.  I think there is some sort of parasite wiping them out.

 The goats in their portable pen helping clear were me and Dad had cute down some trees last year.  I hope to have a chainsaw running soon to get the wood chopped up and ready for winter.  You can see just beyond them how much they clear in a day or two.

tools of the trade

So I have been flooded with broken tools.  Our push mower broke the pull sting, the chainsaw won't fire up, a friend's mower and weed-eater stopped working.
Thankfully both push mowers were an easy fix.  Obviously with our's, just redo the string (which I still need to do).  The friend's mower just needed the shaft cleared of some nylon string, possible shredded hay string or fishing line.  Not sure exactly what it was, but once clear it fired and worked.

The chain saw is in pieces downstairs.  After several attempts at starting it, including squirting a little fuel into the spark plug chamber, I decided to check the spark from the plug.  (On suggestion from my dad) From what I could tell there was no spark, but I was trying to hold it and the chainsaw while pulling the string.  I have a new spark plug but I need to test it out.  Hopefully this will fix the issue.

And the weed-eater.  Awhile ago they had asked my to look at it; it would start but not continue to run.  When I finally got around to looking at it, it wouldn't start at all.
First problem: they didn't know to mix the 2 cycle oil with the fuel - oops.
Second problem: the fuel line came apart in the tank and the filter was just rattling around in it.

So I dumped the fuel and bought a new fuel line.  I just need to get that ran, mix up a new gallon of fuel and see if she even wants to fire.  Hopefully that is all that is wrong,

So that will be most of my day.

This all started because I wanted to use the chainsaw to cut down a stump in the front yard.

Stupid Stump.

Over a month late

Been really behind in my posts.  I can just own up to it and say I was lazy, but I also have the excuse of family in town, Mom and Dad's 40th wedding anniversary I planned and hosted, July 4th guild social, getting sick, oh and a new puppy.

His name is Varg.  Technically he is "Rob's dog".  (Not that we really divide up the animals like that but if he messes in the house I can make Rob clean it up that way.....)

 Also it rained for a week straight it seemed.  This used to be a field next to the river I usually swim in.

 Parking lot and soccer field next to the feed store.

Baby chicks are growing like gangbusters
(confused by this word I know, and yet do not know the origin of, I looked it up: Usage of the idiom like gangbusters has become a little weird over the years. Originally it meant with great initial excitement, speedily, with a strong start, or with immediate success. The idiom originally came from the midcentury American radio program Gang Busters, which began each episode with great excitement and vigor (i.e., with lots of loud sound effects). You can hear some episodes here.)
Unfortunately I lost one of the white hens to a predator, and the rest of the hens don't seem to be in much of a mood to lay any eggs.
Other than that .... I need to mow the grass.