Jim Ruen

Wiring outlets for my shop reminded me for the umpteenth time how quickly an accident can happen. Usually it’s the result of mixing speed with sharp tools or heavy objects.

Choose the right piece (or pieces) of farm equipment to complete your spring farm-maintenance chores with help from this guide.

Earlier this winter, I began moving my shop tools to an old garden shed. After cleaning the 8- by 12-foot building, I moved about 70 percent of my tools and supplies, including my workbench and tool cabinet, into the shed … where they sat.

My late father-in-law collected nutcrackers in his later years. Nathaniel was his first.

One of the rubber track pads had begun to split. Zac, our driver, headed for a warming cabin where passengers could hole up while he made the repair—his first. When I offered my reapir services, Zac quickly accepted.

You never know when a little mechanical training will come in handy. Back when I was a young man just out of high school, I joined the U.S. Army. When I chose the training I would undergo after basic infantry training, I selected mechanics.

Christmas has come and gone, leaving behind (in my case) new tools for the shop. Of course, it helps that I dog-eared the tool catalogs for my wife. That way she has a number of possible gifts across a wide range of prices.

As we approach the end of the year, it’s natural to look back at the past year. An event that really stands out for me was one of those things that never happens traveling the interstates.

The other day, I was reminiscing about gifts of Christmas past. In particular, I was thinking about things that I had made for my son, daughter and wife. Many were very simple, such as a pull toy for my son and a sturdy (if unrefined) doll’s bed for my daughter.

Christmas is nearly here, and I am so grateful for tool catalogs. They make gift giving easier for my wife and receiving more satisfying for me. They also allow me to relive one of those great childhood moments … winter-catalog arrival.