When I was stationed in Germany there was a locally-famous young lady who wore brightly colored mini-skirts, and her poodle was often dyed to match!
This AM I finally installed the taller trees and of course in the process broke the first water column and then the well tower on the pump house. Nag dabbit. Oh well both fairly simple repairs. 100_4574-1 by John Moore posted Jul 23, 2015 at 10:01 AM Another shot from a different angle. 100_4575-2 by John Moore posted Jul 23, 2015 at 10:01 AM I now have to reinstall a few of the trees I had removed and possibly put a few taller ones by the mine instead of those short ones by the right side of the mine. Next up is to figure out the installation of the stack exhaust that is drifting back toward those trees.
The tall trees are an excellent distraction, even knowing where the match line is. "...discovery of plexiglass by an induced sore nose...", like the recent video of the man knocking himself out by head-butting a closed bus door.
I like the ones that show the dummies walking along with thumbs furiously working a mobile device totally unaware of where they are and where they are going. All winners of the Darwin awards. Especially when they step in a deep hole after walking obliviously past barricades and totally drop out of sight. The plexiglass front isn't going to be that tall. Mostly as a Grandbrat deterrent and a catch for a loco the manages to travel the 1.5 inch to the edge. Besides the three that seem to want to walk the layout get on from the window end and want to walk down the track. The end, shall I call them sidedrops rather than backdrops, may stop that as they will be full height like the backdrop. Added a few more trees after taking out a few short ones on the stamp mill/mine right side. That filled it in a bit more when viewed from the angle shown below. Plus there are some taller and same species trees behind the grain mill and Hops processing mill that I will probably thin and put them up top also the fill in some more. Same angle shot as previous only with a few more trees on the stamp mill right side that are now taller. 100_4576-4 by John Moore posted Jul 23, 2015 at 1:32 PM
Trying to implement another idea for the steam exhaust from the stacks at the stamp mill and mine. I have a bunch of transparent small thin fiber optic rods harvested from a kids Halloween flashlight. Found that they are evidently made of plastic so I can glue lengths together plus bend the ends to fit down the stack openings. Hopefully they will be just strong enough to support the wispy thin trails of steam drifting off into the tall trees and also disappear into the cotton being used for the steam. A fifth stack is at the left side from the boiler and that will get a tinted plume. So tonight I spliced and test fitted the small fiber optic rods. Hopefully tomorrow I will try fashioning the first steam plume while inside away from the plus 90 deg. heat and humidity. Friday Harbor my chosen circa 1940-50 modeling locale has a nice 65 deg. and cloudy. Shot of the rods in place for now. 100_4578-1 by John Moore posted Jul 24, 2015 at 8:15 PM
Yup. Just heard from a friend on the mainland, at Bellingham. That's exactly what he's seeing for weather. Even a little rain today as well.
Well I am hoping so. I may try to combine a couple of the steam plumes and reduce the number of rods. I am going to try and suspend a small plane from one of these if they will hold the weight. I don't know about my bigger flying boats though. And since the rods will take glue I assume they will take paint so maybe a very light sky color will help the plane supports further vanish. It beats trying to use thread so far as it is definitely stronger and won't deteriorate over time like thread will. Plus with the planes they won't be swinging around thus becoming a feline target.
Woke up this AM and walked down the hall to the train room/workshop/office/man cave/ and place of Zen like meditation on things trains. Left the fiber optic rods temporarily in place overnight and discovered all out of wack with several chewed and one missing. A state of war now exists between one old geezer with white hair, what is left that is, an expanded waistline, a few less teeth, and perpetually grumpy when forced to spend hard earned money at the dentist to the tune of another $400. Wife left to do a Saturday shift, and stated without any sympathy I might add, Ya shoulda closed the door, whilst behind me a younger Feline decided to take a short stroll from the window sill along the upper main cut to a chorus of NO, NO, uttered by one grumpy old man punctuated by threatening gestures. Last word from the Wife was I'll call you later to see who won as She went out the door and climbed in her truck to depart. Exit now, stage left, to go down the stairs and find the most potent red pepper I can find in the spice cabinet and I have several varieties, that I should have done long ago. Big Guy paid a visit and asked if he was included in the declaration of war since he doesn't go near it now that there is no place for him to comfortably plant his ample almost 20 pound posterior. I exempted him and his 15 pound relative since they do stay away from it. The other little innocent darlins are asleep in various areas. Fortunately I do have an ample supply of fiber optic rods from when I got into my Wife's stash of Halloween trick or treat items a few years ago.
Well it did prompt me to get off my ample butt and finally dig into the spice cabinet. In fact I have already generously applied cayenne pepper to trees, shrubs and structures, especially the end they favor entering from. However somehow I think this will end up getting me rather than them. I can see myself working on the layout and reaching up to my face to brush a remaining wisp of hair away, not that I have much to brush away, and end up with watering eyes and a burning face while a feline happily strolls down the mainline again. My answer besides keeping the door shut, which will only end up egging them on to get in the room first chance they get, will be most likely visit the pet store for a pet repellant spray. Plus I can just imagine this fine pepper getting sucked into some motors and then getting heated up releasing capsicum vapors into the room gradually during operations.
A cat repellent spray or one of those with a motion sensors that makes noise may be the next step. I knew I loved my dogs for a reason...they cant jump up on my layout
Wife arrived home a little while ago and stopped in to check on me to make sure I wasn't laying on the floor with all four in the air and covered by felines. While she was talking to me one of the younger ones hopped up on the upper main and strolled down to be part of the conversation. So much for the pepper. Did not even phase it. Plan B, the pet store repellant is next, besides shutting the door tonight. I expect to hear the door knob rattling in the night and to come out and find one standing on the others back working at the door knob.
I've seen videos of one cat jumping up, grabbing and twisting the door knob. Your bunch sounds like the type to accomplish this....
