Greetings from SW Michigan

vljenewein

Active member
Dec 1, 2021
118
170
Fennville, MI
Parrots
Rocky & Adrian - Budgerigars
Greetings all!! I currently live in SW Michigan, and retired (due to Covid-19 cutbacks) at the winery where I worked for over 20 years. Now, 68, but retirement is not too bad. I worked in the lab as an Assistant Winemaker, and also did purchasing for cellar supplies as well as vineyards. We did all the testing of our wines "in house" at teh lab and so I have a general idea on chemistry and processes involving food stuff.

I grew up on a ranch/ farm in NW rural Nebraska where we raised beef, pigs, sheep, horse, chickens and ducks. We also raised Wheat, Rye, oats and put up hay for the winter feeding of the cattle. So pretty familiar with livestock. Later on I raised chickens as well as a dabble in raising quail.

We have 4 Toy Fox Terrier dogs, 2 we got as puppies and 2 we got later on as older dogs rescue - rehome. We love them dearly. We also have Jinx, a black neutered cat (from our Daughter), and 2 Zebra Finches, and now 2 Parakeets named Adrian (green female - hen) and Rocky (blue male - cock) Some years back my wife had a Peach Faced Lovebird named Hammerstein. Not sure if it was a boy or a girl, but his name was Hammerstein.

I read a lot and do a lot of research these days as the internet is like having the library in my own home. I look for facts and try to steer clear of opinions. It is hard to say how an opinion gets fostered, whether it is something read, which may or may not be true, or was told to someone else, which, again may or may not be true. Science is the basis, and I like to find reasons and studies to try to base off my own personal opinions, but I also like to provide links so that others can research for themselves.

The Budgerigars are not the only "Aussie" items in the house, as I also have a Mago Didgeridoo That I can play and learned circular breathing to be able to play it better. Lots of info on the web, that is for sure!!

On our property we also raise Heartnut trees which are a sport of the Japanese Walnut that the nuts are shaped like a heart when you split apart the nut to get the kernel. We have planted enough of these to provide some income later on when the trees get full maturity. We love eating these nuts as they are both heart healthy and lack the bitterness of some English Carpathian walnuts. In Nebraska, before moving to Michigan to take a job as Winemaker in 1999, we were also raising wine grapes and had an apple orchard of dwarf apple trees. Also back in Nebraska they encouraged the farmers and ranchers to plant chokecherries in their wind breaks on the farm as a means of erosion control and food for wild birds, from the USDA Conservation Services. In fact, they offered these plants in bundles of 100 each for plantings. Makes GREAT jelly if you can get them when they are ripe before the birds get them.
 

wrench13

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Isle of Long, NY
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Welcome and be welcomed! I can see you've led an interesting life. Variety is the spice! For your 'keets, we love pics here and yours are no exception. And we have a huge membership who keep them, so you're in good company.
 

LaManuka

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Greetings from Australia, and welcome to the forums to you and yours! Welcome too to the wonderful world of parrot custodianship, in addition to the rest of your menagerie. And your property sounds just beautiful as well :)

Thank you for joining our international, virtual flock, I'm so pleased to have you all on board!
 

SailBoat

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Jul 10, 2015
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Western, Michigan
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DYH Amazon
Western Michigan is home for several of us who hang around Parrot Forum. Guessing that you are likely from South, Western Michigan as that area has the largest number of wineries. I'm from a bit further North where all the Beer Plants grow.

Welcome!!
 
OP
vljenewein

vljenewein

Active member
Dec 1, 2021
118
170
Fennville, MI
Parrots
Rocky & Adrian - Budgerigars
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  • #6
Western Michigan is home for several of us who hang around Parrot Forum. Guessing that you are likely from South, Western Michigan as that area has the largest number of wineries. I'm from a bit further North where all the Beer Plants grow.

Welcome!!
There are quite a few vineyards and wineries up near Traverse City area as well. BTW, Larry Bell sold Bell's Brewery to a corporation in Australia. Still has his name on the label though. You might have not heard. TOO much snow for me. I'm from Western Nebraska, where it can snow to beat the ban, and then quit for a month or more. Here, it snows and keeps snowing for weeks. At least it does not get to -50 F like I saw in Lewellen, NE when I was a Deputy there in 1983 ish.
 
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vljenewein

vljenewein

Active member
Dec 1, 2021
118
170
Fennville, MI
Parrots
Rocky & Adrian - Budgerigars
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  • Thread starter
  • #7
Greetings from Australia, and welcome to the forums to you and yours! Welcome too to the wonderful world of parrot custodianship, in addition to the rest of your menagerie. And your property sounds just beautiful as well :)

Thank you for joining our international, virtual flock, I'm so pleased to have you all on board!
Thank you! I have spoken on the phone years ago to a native there in Western Arnham (sp) land who played a Mago Didj on Youtube. I have one an authentic Didgeridoo made out of Eucalyptis that came from Australia. I also have made and Armenian wind instrument called a Duduk, and have made them in my shop. I never learned woodworking in school or trade but watched Youtube videos and bought a wood lathe, extension and some special long drill bits ( I used to be a drill press operator at Boeing in Seattle for several years) and made a few Duduks. They are a middle eastern instrument and can be heard in some movies like "The Passion of the Christ". I sent one to a Duduk player in Cairo Egypt and he did a comparison of it against an expensive Duduk made in Armenia. It is on Youtube "Comparing VJ and KM Duduks"

I've had a few hobbies.... Now I wish to teach a bird to talk. So, I have 2 Parakeets.
 
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vljenewein

vljenewein

Active member
Dec 1, 2021
118
170
Fennville, MI
Parrots
Rocky & Adrian - Budgerigars
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #8
Welcome and be welcomed! I can see you've led an interesting life. Variety is the spice! For your 'keets, we love pics here and yours are no exception. And we have a huge membership who keep them, so you're in good company.
Thank you for the welcome!! Yes, I have had some interesting hobbies and I still love to try new things and learn new things. I hope my background in foods and chemistry, along with being raised on a ranch/farm will give me ability to make meaningful contributions. I will have an occasional question. I also have another update on the thread I started about holding out food overnight. It might have worked to my advantage... :)
 

Scott

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Aug 21, 2010
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Goffins: Gabby, Abby, Squeaky, Peanut, Popcorn / Citron: Alice / Eclectus: Angel /Timneh Grey: ET / Blue Fronted Amazon: Gonzo /

RIP Gandalf and Big Bird, you are missed.
( I used to be a drill press operator at Boeing in Seattle for several years)
Did you produce parts for the 737-300 or -500? Might have flown your handiwork!!
 
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vljenewein

vljenewein

Active member
Dec 1, 2021
118
170
Fennville, MI
Parrots
Rocky & Adrian - Budgerigars
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Did you produce parts for the 737-300 or -500? Might have flown your handiwork!!
I don't know how much is cross compatible. I worked in shop A-3510 on E. Marginal Way South, Seattle, Plant II between 1977 and 1981. We were primarily a gear box machinist shop there, but also did other parts s well. I drilled holes for thrust control levers for the 747, and remember seeing little gray "tabs" that had numbers 1-4 designating engines. I drilled and double reamed the holes to get to the precise dimension required. I used a bore gauge to check roundness of the holes, hence the double reaming. Across the aisle, and upstairs, they put the bronze-nickel busing in them. Quite a trick! They would put the bushing (bearings) in a freezer on dry ice, and put the aluminum parts (thrust control levers) in an over to get them hot. Then, they would pull out the part, take a bearing that was super cold and use a press to put it in the hole I had drilled and reamed and pressed it in place. Once the colder bushing (which had shrunk just a few ten thousands of an inch and the part came to temp the bearing could never be removed or it would destroy the part. Hence, it was critical to get the hole just the right size.
We also did a lot of gear boxes for landing gears. Every part that Boeing made was tested to destruction so they could see how much stess it took before breaking. I even saw them land a plane at a 30 degree angle to the runway to see if the gear mechanism, landing, would take the stress.

Air Force ONE, a presidential plane was across from our Plant II at Boeing Field for quite a wile as they did some finishing work on it. I knew engineers who worked on it from association with the Boeing Employees Winemaker's Club an the Photography Club. Most don't know that this plane is lead lined to prevent nuclear explosions from knocking out the controls, and people. There are 2 antennae that can drop our of the back of the tail (attached to a cone) that they can use for very long wave radio transmissions, if needed, such as HAM or such. The antennae wire is about 1/2 mile long.

I believe, the 737 series might have come about at a later date, so unless it was built around 1991-1982 I doubt that they would have used those parts I machined. ;)

I have a friend, Larry Furst, who was a pilot for United, (helped out at the winery near Fennville), and he informed me of the pounds of fuel used for his flights out of the country, to Germany and China. He flew the 737 planes. Seems like it was round 4,000 pounds of fuel onboard for the long flight. I might need to add another zero to that.
 

Scott

Supporting Member
Aug 21, 2010
32,673
9,789
San Diego, California USA, Earth, Milky Way Galaxy
Parrots
Goffins: Gabby, Abby, Squeaky, Peanut, Popcorn / Citron: Alice / Eclectus: Angel /Timneh Grey: ET / Blue Fronted Amazon: Gonzo /

RIP Gandalf and Big Bird, you are missed.
I don't know how much is cross compatible. I worked in shop A-3510 on E. Marginal Way South, Seattle, Plant II between 1977 and 1981. We were primarily a gear box machinist shop there, but also did other parts s well. I drilled holes for thrust control levers for the 747, and remember seeing little gray "tabs" that had numbers 1-4 designating engines. I drilled and double reamed the holes to get to the precise dimension required. I used a bore gauge to check roundness of the holes, hence the double reaming. Across the aisle, and upstairs, they put the bronze-nickel busing in them. Quite a trick! They would put the bushing (bearings) in a freezer on dry ice, and put the aluminum parts (thrust control levers) in an over to get them hot. Then, they would pull out the part, take a bearing that was super cold and use a press to put it in the hole I had drilled and reamed and pressed it in place. Once the colder bushing (which had shrunk just a few ten thousands of an inch and the part came to temp the bearing could never be removed or it would destroy the part. Hence, it was critical to get the hole just the right size.
We also did a lot of gear boxes for landing gears. Every part that Boeing made was tested to destruction so they could see how much stess it took before breaking. I even saw them land a plane at a 30 degree angle to the runway to see if the gear mechanism, landing, would take the stress.

Air Force ONE, a presidential plane was across from our Plant II at Boeing Field for quite a wile as they did some finishing work on it. I knew engineers who worked on it from association with the Boeing Employees Winemaker's Club an the Photography Club. Most don't know that this plane is lead lined to prevent nuclear explosions from knocking out the controls, and people. There are 2 antennae that can drop our of the back of the tail (attached to a cone) that they can use for very long wave radio transmissions, if needed, such as HAM or such. The antennae wire is about 1/2 mile long.

I believe, the 737 series might have come about at a later date, so unless it was built around 1991-1982 I doubt that they would have used those parts I machined. ;)

I have a friend, Larry Furst, who was a pilot for United, (helped out at the winery near Fennville), and he informed me of the pounds of fuel used for his flights out of the country, to Germany and China. He flew the 737 planes. Seems like it was round 4,000 pounds of fuel onboard for the long flight. I might need to add another zero to that.
Deep respect for highly skilled crafting of Boeing airliners, unsung heroes building aircraft with superb longevity! I flew the 727 predating your tenure and 737-300/500 series of the late 1980s through early 1990s. Despite media hubris, Boeing remains a world class manufacturer albeit in dire need of managerial and ethical rebirth.

Airliner fuel loads precisely calculated by dispatcher using plethora of guidelines. Rough rule of thumb for 737-300 is 3000lbs fuel consumed first hour, 2500lbs subsequent + accommodation for taxi, alternate destination airport(s), known or expected delays, enroute weather, unforeseen contingencies, and roughly one hour reserve. (varies by operator and regulatory venue)
 

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