New Creek for Train Layouts Feb 24 - 27 2013

Well I broke ground on the new creek.  I hope it turns out like I have visioned.  But I plan to put a small rock hill with water run through it where you see the circle, and then I am going to dig a bigger circle down where the creek ends for a lake affect.  I mentioned I think in a prior post I planned to run two G gauge layouts instead of expanding one.  This will give me more flexibility in special effects, land scaping and so on.  Any way here are some photo's of the start. 

Of course the trolls showed up to supervise. 

Daytona 500 Our House Feb 24 2013

Chuck and Bettysue great friends of ours have been throwing a Daytona 500 bash for the last 10 years in memory of Gary Gillespie.  This year we thought we would give them a break and have their party at our house.  So of course the festivities as normal went well with a lot of fun. 

I do want to say that I am very Happy to hear that the fans hurt in the race yesterday look like they will make it and we are praying for their speedy recovery. 

Here is the little banner we put up.  Oh the bike in the pic is my old Kawa 1500 I sold to Philip some time back.  She really brings back good memories.

A couple of shots of the decorations in the back yard.

Tina, Ricki, and Lucy.  Great pic...  Shot by Val..

Next shot in the house with Bettysue, Terry, and Barb.

Bob, Jim, and Georga.

Sherry, Jean, and Ken. 

Phillip, Star, and my backside. 

Chuck (the originator) and Star (a friend of ours from the hood).

Judy and Diana Gillespie. 

Daniel (Phillips nephew), Phillip, and Chuck

It was very gusty today so the flag banner kept pulling over what I set up to support it.  I ended up putting a big rock on top of the holder I am messing with and when the party end it ended up getting blown over anyway.  Too top heavy..

And here is Payton, Micheal's and Brian's boy.  Cool kid.

Tina and Georga.

I promised Payton when I was done cooking that I would start up the train, so its train time.

We run a pool every year, you put some cash in the pot, grab a car that Chuckie put a number on the bottom and that is your driver.  Depending on how he finishes it pay those who come in 1st through 4th place depending on the possition of the driver at the end of the race.  If cars not picked come in, in front of your driver then depending on the order of cars picked depends on the 1st through 4th. 

This year we also had a pool for what lap would Danica wreck in, but if she did not wreck you also chose the possition she would come in.  I won that one.  That is the only reason why I am in the pictures. 

Here is Chuck, he runs the pools and the party.

Left to right, Jean, Diana, Michael, of course Payton.

Just a little more landscaping work on the G Track Feb 23 13

Added some rocks, and an interesting twisted dead branch I rounded up to the water source of the pilot creek. 

A little out of focus unfortunately but will do better next time.  I see it needs more work yet however, does not flow right (not the water) but the rocks.

The other direction.

I shot this as I noticed the pond creek lights came on.  So so. 

These next couple of shots are of the old track.  When I purchased this set, it was designed for indoor only.  But I put it outside for two purposes the first being to see how steady an outdoor track must be.  I learned a heck of a lot about many things.  The second reason I put it outside was to after the learning period see the natural course of old track and nature.  I expect to keep taking these shots from time to time as nature progresses.  As I purchase more cars and locamotives, when they go bad I will let nature take its course on them as well.  To see what interesting shots I can get. 

On this first shot, I have no idea at this time what those 3 stick like objects are going across the track.  Amazing how the lens don't lie. 

Ah, on the above shot those three stick like objects are part of a branch from the tree in the center of this layout.

The next three shots are just to get my creative joices flowing for some future photo's.

Photo Walk about in Park and woods behind house Feb 18 2013

Well I took the girls into the park and since there was a lady walking around decided to duck into the woods.  But first I got shots of the pond and some of the ducks.

The lady is getting closer so time to duck into the woods.  The girls seem to like the idea.

This is the wet creek bed I kept talking about in other shots.

I am now directly behind my house.  About 50 feet from my property line.  All woods from here to my yard.

I am now on the North West corner of Earls property.  As an FYI, Earl is no longer with us, but his son Philip now occupies the property.  Anyway, due to the constant flooding of this area the property is not of much Value.  Earl had put up a lot of cool things back here that just got destroyed by floods or kids. 

I am not in the dry creek bed looking up at 2 of 3 of Earls old decks.

Val asked in my last post where are the girls.  I took them on this Photo Walkabout and I think she thought the last one was these shots.  So to you Val here are girls. Ricki led the way up the hill, I had to take a bit easier slop up.  At first Lucy was wondering how to get up but she took a lead off run and headed up the steep end part. 

The junk all over the place is always left behind a good back flood.