PeeMan’s Gotta Have Hobbies: Airstream #2 continued

Hello!

It is warm and sunny here and the grass is growing like crazy. Mowing has once again become a regular part of my day, although my wife has grown attached to the zero turn mower, so I don’t have to do quite as much. Anyway, this post is the second in my “second” Airstream refinish. Demolition has continued and I have had to take the floor all the way down and build her again. The walls have mold and years of dingy buildup, so those will have to be cleaned and then painted.(I am hoping to recruit some grandchildren for that task-my 6′ 7″ frame makes painting the rounded walls awkward)The old benches and bathroom area have been pulled out as well. There is really not too much that I liked about the dated interior. I just bought it for that beautiful aluminum shell. Well, this was meant to be a short update today. There will be more to come about the camper. The clock is ticking. It needs to be ready no later than mid July, but preferably sooner. If I can keep up with mowing, gardening, oh and the busy pee season, I should be able to finish it up in time. Until I find more words . . . The PeeMan

PeeMan’s Gotta Have Hobbies: 2nd Airstream Refurb

Greetings from the green North woods!

Sunny and warm today. This post will be short on words and long on pictures. Since this is the second time that I have completely redone the inside of a classic Airstream camper, I decided more photo documentation would be good this time around. As to why I would take on such an endeavor. – I mean, I got pee to sell and a farm to manage, right? Well, it is like this – in order for me to do those things well, I need to have a project. Usually, it is more than one project. I want to work with my hands, mull things over in the solitude, and most importantly – see progress! I like results! So many things that we do in our lives either don’t produce clear results or the results may come after we’ve passed on. I may not pay close attention to the little details or do it like a carpenter would, but you bet I will get ‘er done!

The beginning

before: inside view 1

before: inside view 2

before: inside view 4

Well, as you can see, she wasn’t too pretty when I started. I ripped out all of the beds/couches and the table area. I only really kept the kitchen unit. Even the overhead cabinets came out. The outside is really nice to look at but the dated, plastic interior had to go. As soon as it was warm enough to work in the unheated storage area where the camper is kept, I began ripping and tearing and basically gutting the metal beast. Progress has been swift and many more pictures will follow in the weeks to come. This is just to give you a taste and to begin from, well from the beginning. The first step to getting results!

Until I find more words(and pictures). . .The PeeMan

before: inside view 3

Greenhouse Growing Pains

Greetings from the North Woods!

ok, it has been a while, I know, but I am back. While I have been away, I have been busy. Airstream #2 has been completely gutted and I learned a new skill while doing it – lock picking! I googled it and taught myself – went 3 for 3 on a set of cabinets! Anyway, that is for another post. This post is about my attempts to do some greenhouse gardening. My oldest daughter and I have been trying to grow seedlings in a greenhouse I have here at Winterberry Farm. I mean what could be so difficult? Just make some benches, pop a heater in there, insulated box, watering and presto – healthy beautiful plants, right? Well, maybe my thumbs aren’t so green or maybe it is a bit more complicated than that, but we have had some “growing pains”. First, we had too much heat and a couple of the seedlings my daughter had grown at her house bit it. Then, when we figured out the nighttime temperature, they started developing white edges on the leaves and they were looking pretty sad. Apparently, that was from sun scald – too much sun. We’ve remedied that and some of the plants have recovered but I am not sure we are out of the woods yet. Before she brings the next batch of seedlings out, my daughter is going to “harden off” the plants. Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Anyone have any suggestions or helpful hints for greenhouse gardening? Leave me some comments. Also, I have been fighting with my laying hens ever since the weather started warming up. They have been eating their eggs. I am checking 3 or more times a day so that I can rescue the eggs before they peck them to smithereens. Any suggestions to solve this problem?

Until I find more words. . .The Peeman

February 2015 – A month to remember or try to forget?

Greetings from the frigid North Woods!

I promise that not every post will be about weather, but this particular season has been remarkable in my neck of the woods. But, as I like to say – you don’t have to take my word for it . . . Just listen to what the experts have to say and then check out the pictures.

Caribou, ME

Weather Forecast Office

A Record Cold February, updated 2/26

Weather.gov > Caribou, ME > A Record Cold February, updated 2/26

This February will end up as the coldest month ever observed at Bangor. Through February 25th the average temperature at Bangor of 6.1 degrees was 14.2 degrees below normal. Based on our forecast temperatures through the end of the month, we project that the average temperature for the month will be near 6.4 degrees. This would break the all-time record for not only the coldest February, but also the coldest month ever observed at Bangor by about 2 degrees.

Here are the top 5 coldest months on record at Bangor with their average monthly temperatures:

1. January 1994 8.4F
2. January 1971 8.7F
3. January 1982 9.8F
4. January 2004 10.0F
5. January 2009 10.1F

Prior to this February, the coldest February on record was in 1993 with an average monthly temperature of 11.3F, so Bangor will shatter its coldest February on record by about 5 degrees. Records in Bangor began in 1926.

.PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME 1116 AM EST MON FEB 23 2015 ..BANGOR HAS SNOWIEST 31 DAY PERIOD ON RECORD… BANGOR HAS RECEIVED 67.9 INCHES OF SNOW FROM JANUARY 24 TO FEBRUARY 23. THIS IS THE SNOWIEST 31 DAY PERIOD ON RECORD FOR BANGOR…BREAKING THE PRIOR SNOWIEST 31 DAY RECORD OF 59.4 INCHES FROM FEBRUARY 1 TO MARCH 3 1969. RECORDS IN BANGOR BEGAN IN 1926.

Pretty impressive, right? Reminds me of 69 after I just moved up here from Jersey. I was living in an unheated camp and I woke up with a layer of ice on my sleeping bag. Then I went outside only to discover that I had to dig down through the snow drift to get to my car!

Speaking of things past and present, this time of year is always a little slower for the pee business, so I like to spend the time getting ready for the “season.” This year’s efforts include once again trying to wrap my old brain around everything that the internet and technology has to offer the small business. Things have changed quite a bit since I started as an entreprenuer.(For one, I don’t sleep in an unheated camp) I used to spend hours with an x-acto knife and rubber cement getting brochures and mailings ready for the printer. Now, I just sit in front of my computer and use a graphics program. I used to spend a lot more time on the phone and in face to face interaction with clients and customers. Now, so much of it is all done through email and social media outlets. I am not one to sit back and pine for the “good ole days,” instead I want to embrace the technology, and that is why our pee business is almost entirely web based. But, it is challenging to take in all the changes, understand them and then take the step to actually utilize them to help grow a business and raise product awareness. I know there are plenty of whipper snappers out there with an amazing grasp of the technology, but I am hoping that years of experience and the die hard entreprenuerial spirit combined with a slowly growing technological arsenal will still give this old guy the edge. Stay warm wherever you are!

Until I have more words . . .

The PeeMan

The Long Winter

Greetings from the FROZEN North Woods,

It has been four months since I last blogged. Four months of winter. I live in Maine, I should expect it, right? It may come every year, but each Maine winter has its own surprises. This winter is no exception. Big snow storm and freezing first of November. Early December more snow. Then, it all melts and it is near 50 for Christmas! January is colder but no snow. And then, the Emperor of the North(I stole that phrase from somewhere)descended on a carpet of white and has yet to recede one bit. We now have 4 feet of snow and February is going on the books as the coldest month in this part of the world. Not only the coldest February – the coldest month – jumping ahead of four Januarys in the top five coldest months on record. So, I have just been on shovel, snowblow, plow, roof rake and repeat mode for a month. My stink pipe has frozen over multiple times, the roof of the greenhouse almost collapsed under the weight of snow, my transmission went in the truck, I substituted the Scout for plowing, got the truck back, one of my laying hens died, and meanwhile the snow drifts just keep growing and blowing. My driveway disappears regularly with the drifting which means more plowing. In between snow duties, I have to find time to make sure the pee gets out the door. I have to have inventory deliveries made at my daughter’s house in town because the UPS guy can’t always make it down the driveway. So I haven’t had much time for blogging. I have complained an awful lot and I don’t like just letting problems hang out there without resolution. Advice to self – “So, quit your bellyaching and do something!”

Snow Scout reporting for duty!

Well, I can’t make the snow disappear but I can use the time inside forced on me by the brutal wind and snow to do something productive. So, I am updating the blog, changing some things up and broadening the scope of my posts. Don’t worry, I will still pass along tidbits about all the wonderful uses of pee – I am the PeeMan after all! But, I will start posting about what life is like for me. Now, I don’t know why anyone would really want to take time to read about a 60 something entreprenuer who lives in the woods of Maine, but my daughters tell me that this blogging is an important part of the whole internet commerce thing. On that note, think backyard chickens(2015 is the year of the chicken at predatorpee.com), think gardening – seedlings going to be started soon, don’t forget airstream refurbish #2, the Scout project, pig husbandry, and maybe even some excerpts from the book I wrote for my daughters for Christmas 2014.

The Great Iguana Dilemma – PeeMan Visits Puerto Rico

Greetings from the STILL frozen North!

It has been a couple of weeks since my last post, and that is because I was able to escape winter’s icy grip and vacation on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico. The trip served a few purposes – it gave me a good start on my tan, infused me with enough sunshine and warmth to get me through the stubborn chill of the next couple of months, and of course provided me with a whole new potential predatorpee market! Because while Puerto Rico is blessed with crystal clear waters, soft white sand beaches, lush vegetation and plenty of cold cerveza, there are some obnoxious, unwanted guests(and they aren’t tourists) – IGUANAS!!!

According to some reports, there are 4 million iguanas on the island! This means there are more of the lizards than people. Unbelievably, the iguana has only been a resident of the island since the 1970s when some people released their personal pets. Apparently, iguanas like the island as much as tourists do because they have thrived and multiplied. When I was horse back riding with my family, the fields looked like they were moving because of the sheer number of iguanas. Also, we had an iguana join us for dinner one evening in an outdoor cafe. Airport runways are even closed at times due to the overwhelming presence of the scaly creatures!

Well, as a entrepreneur, I am always on the lookout for new markets, so we are officially launching tests of our products in Puerto Rico. We hope to determine which of our urines might work best to help in the Puerto Rican Iguana Dilemma!! We will be sure to keep you updated on the results. In the meantime, enjoy some pictures from the island.

Can you spot the iguana?

My girls minus one

Until I find more words(or nuisance animals) . . .The PeeMan

Farewell to Stanley the Pig

Happy Epiphany or 12th Day of Christmas!

It is raining and windy today and the melting snow and rain is making walking a bit treacherous and leaking roofs a common occurrence. But, yesterday, before the rain came, Stanley the pig was loaded up in my hand-fashioned mobile pig crate and put on board my truck in preparation for his one way trip to the butcher. He actually enjoyed a longer life than a lot of the other local pigs due to the fact that we couldn’t get the appointment until now. But, as is inevitable for most pigs(except Wilbur, of course)the end had to come for Stanley. I think he may have had a notion of what was coming because all attempts that I had made to entice him into the portable pen had been met with frantic resistance. I was envisioning needing an army of pig wrestlers, but in the end all it took was some firm goading by my son-in-law(guess he missed his calling as a pig whisperer). And, almost as soon as he realized that he was crated, good old Stanley just resigned himself to his certain fate and laid down.

I offer this tribute to Stanley’s final moments for all you non-farming animal lovers out there, but you really must know that all I am thinking about is how much pork I am going to get to put in my freezer. Until I find more words. . .The PeeMan

Yes it is on skiis

Good Old Stanley

portable pig pen

PeeMan’s Christmas 2013: Holiday Warmth and Nature’s Freeze

Greetings from the Frozen North Country – literally!

Let me start off by saying that we were very fortunate at Winterberry Farm not to lose power due to the Christmas week ice storm. As I write this, there are still thousands throughout the state without power. Many spent Christmas in emergency shelters or in a constant effort to keep backup generators running. Power company crews have also spent their Christmas’ out in the sub-freezing temperatures around the clock attempting to restore electricity to Mainers. My thoughts and prayers go out to them. It has been a rough week for many, and it will certainly go down in the history books.

The flip side of the havoc caused by nature’s icy fury is the sheer beauty that it left behind. The family all agree that we don’t remember a more beautiful Christmas, The brilliant sunlight reflecting off the ice laden surfaces is certainly a sight to behold.

Each year on Christmas Eve, my family gathers together and in an effort to remember the true meaning of Christmas, the children, grandchildren, and nephews put on a simple pageant and the audience acts as the choir. It is a long standing, important tradition for our family and it sets the tone for the rest of the festivities as it reminds us of the humble birth of Christ our Lord and Savior.

Food, fellowship and fun including the popping of the English “crackers” and the annual paper hat family photograph rounded out the evening. Christmas day was a quieter, but no less pleasant affair. The family Christmas tree, cut fresh off the back forty was declared the best(and tallest)that we have ever had. My wife has a very particular aesthetic and she makes all decorating decisions. However this year, I sneaked in one Christmas decoration of my own.(see pic below)

Anyway, enough of this sentimental blathering on … just look at the pictures and Have a Happy New Year from my family to yours. Until I find more words . . . The PeeMan

Trim the Tractor

Oh Christmas Tree

Grandpa’s angel

PeeMan’s Christmas

: Ice coated trees

Raising the Roof

Greetings from the FROZEN North Woods! It is currently 28 degrees and while a brief warm up will bring rain instead of snow, it is back to brisk temperatures for Thanksgiving which means ice skating with the grandkids is not outside the realm of possibility.

While my last post feature the first episode of our PredatorPee Unleashed video series(more to come soon), this post is more of an update on the goings on at Winterberry Farm – the PeeMan’s homestead. Before the wife and I headed south for our 40th anniversary celebration trip, I had a few things to get done around the property. My major project of the fall season has been the installation and completion of a heavy duty metal and fabric building meant to house the boat, airstream, chickens, the Scout – oh yeah and maybe some pee related stuff.

The project involved the erection of several metal hoops and then the reinforcement of said hoops. I NEVER EVER want to see another sheet metal screw in my life. I had shards of hot metal flying back toward my face with every single installation. Anyway, while I usually tend to be a loner when it comes to construction projects(I do it my way and I don’t want to have to explain it or answer a hundred questions), the actual installation of the building cover was definitely not a one man job. So, I called in a few select helpers, constructed my own winches and voila got that baby up and over in no time flat. Actually, my daughter was quite impressed that it worked right the first time. I usually get the job done, but not without a little or a lot of trial and error.

Anyway, now Brown Betty and the Amish hen have taken up residence in their new digs along side my metal beauty and some other of my “projects.” Here are some pics. Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving! Until I find more words. . .The PeeMan

winches hard at work

PeeMan on the ladder AGAIN

inside

job well done

My Kind of Reality Show – PredatorPee Unleashed Episode 1

Greetings from the North woods!

Ok, we have had some serious chill this week up here! A couple of days it only made it into the low 30’s! Well, I shouldn’t complain since I choose to live here.

Anyway, moving on – would you believe that I received another email from a different production company based in New York about a PeeMan reality show?!! I just don’t understand why people would want to sit around and watch me and my family sell, package and ship animal urine. I mean – I think my job is great and definitely fodder for interesting conversation, but I wouldn’t want to sit in front of a screen watching me or anyone else do it.

I do actually have a worthwhile contribution to the “reality tv” craze. The following is a video of “real” live deer reacting to our 100% CoyotePee. Talk about drama! These deer want nothing to do with the scent of one of their feared predators. But, the whole point of reality tv is to see it, not read about it – without further ado – PredatorPee Unleashed – Episode 1