I found a pre-gardening season sale on Burpee's seeds while in Green Bay on Tuesday

February 13, 2013 – Wednesday

Cloudy/calm/19 degrees

Pentoga Road

I want to wish my third son, Matt, a belated happy birthday. He turned 32 years old on Tuesday. The poor kid… traveled on Monday to lower Michigan for a meeting. His plane was delayed and he had to spend the night in Newark, New Jersey, and didn’t arrive there until the wee hours of Tuesday morning, forcing him to overnight and grab an early flight to Boston. When I talked with him on his birthday, he said he was running on three-and-a-half hours of sleep. I asked what plans he had for his birthday celebration. He replied, “Take a nap.”

Matt leaves this weekend for China and Southeast Asia on business.  

Happy birthday, buddy. I hope you got your nap. I love you.

I well remember all the nights I spent in airports and alongside landing strips in the bush waiting for a plane. I’m asked if I miss my former Alaskan profession and way of life. There’s no way I would go back and do it now. First off, I love being retired. It was fun and exciting then, but that’s a younger person’s lifestyle. I’ve grown too selfish in my old age and prefer to sleep in a bed, preferably my own under my own roof.

Josh sent some pictures from New Hampshire of the kids playing after the big blizzard that hit the East Coast this past weekend.

Lucky kids... to have such a great sled riding hill in their front yard!

Ellie and Wyatt on snowshoes

We’re very grateful that Aubrey and Marley’s daddy, Derek, a deputy sheriff in Dickinson County, is well after a crazed older man stabbed him with a large knife this past weekend. On patrol at the ski jumping championships in Iron Mountain, he was attacked from the rear and luckily, Derek thought someone might be falling. He stepped to turn around causing the attacker to misjudge.

Derek was wearing a Kevlar vest and winter coat. The knife penetrated the vest, but only nicked Derek. We talked with him on the phone yesterday and he assured us he’s fine. We’re grateful that one of the finest young men we know was unharmed.

The attacker is behind bars and no doubt, will be there for many years to come.

Perched on the exercise ball Monday evening, Diamond 'Lil once again put on a clinic in how to play Rummy. She soundly beat me by over 200 points.

Sargie and I fired up the old Blazer on Tuesday and traveled to Green Bay for the day. The forecast was for decent weather and after watching it snow and spit ice crystals on Sunday with not much improvement the next day, we decided it was time to get out of town.

After the latest snow blew in, we knew it was time to go somewhere, even if it was a short day trip to Green Bay.

Sargie reading the sale flyer

Everything from soda pop to garden seed was purchased with the clearance racks throughout the city thoroughly searched. Sargie found a couple of summer tops she liked and I bought a new Packers cap to wear for everyday use.

Naturally, after stopping at Harbor Freight, I came home with tools and other items I really didn’t need. I mean, c’mon, a fiberglass framing hammer for $2.95? It’ll look great alongside the other ten or twelve others already in the shop. I want to make sure the sons are well taken care of after I’m gone. Since there won’t be any money, my legacy will, no doubt, be hammers for everyone!

I found a greenhouse I really liked. It’s a 6x8 aluminum structure at Harbor Freight; very heavy aluminum with heavy clear plastic panels on sale for $299. They didn’t have one in stock, but gave me a rain check and a promise to call when they arrive. I can’t build a greenhouse for that price and Sargie and I were impressed how sturdy the display was. We’ll see. If they call before maple syrup season, I’ll purchase it. If not, I’ll go ahead and build my own. Either will work.

Speaking of gardening, I purchased the bulk of my garden seed for the summer. Menards had a pre-spring seed sale of their new Burpee’s seeds. Other than tomato, sweet pepper, zucchini squash, acorn winter squash, parsnip, and specialty items, I think I have the bulk of my seeds purchased. The Burpee brand has always worked well for me and years ago, when we gardened commercially, Burpee was one of our largest suppliers.

Other gardeners have asked what I'll plant this year. Here's a list of what I have so far:

Beet – Cylindra (2)

            Detroit Dark Red, Medium Top

 Summer Squash – Early Prolific Straightneck (2)

Winter Squash – Waltham Butternut

 Brussel Sprouts – Long Island Improved

 Pumpkin – Jack Be Little

                     Big MaxEgg Plant – Black Beauty

 Pepper – Jalapeno

 Turnip – Purple Top White Globe (4)

 Beans – Contender

               Bush Blue Lake

               Tender Pick

               Burpee’s Stringless Green Pod

               Kentucky Wonder Pole Bean

 Cauliflower – Snowball

 Pea –  Sugar Snap

             Super Sugar Snap

            Super Snappy           

 Cucumber – Straight Eight

                       Bush Champion

 Lettuce Iceberg

 Basil – Genovese Basil

 Tomato – Supper Sweet 100 (Cherry)

 Broccoli – Waltham 29

 Marigold – Sparky’s Mixed Colors (2)

After witnessing the massive price increases in everything this past year, I told Sargie I'm going to can and preserve as much produce from the garden as possible this coming season. We froze quite a bit this past year. I don't trust the economy (or those who manipulate it) and being on a very fixed income, we can save money by eating not only frozen, but canned vegetables.

I had hoped to meet with Aaron and Clay and maybe see Donald for a going away gathering and an end of the year wrap up, perhaps grab a cup of tea, and after, talk about a few new plays and formations that might work for next season. I read last night that Don’s in Texas, Aaron’s in California, and who knows where Clay is? I guess my man forgot to tell their man that I was going to be in town. Oh well, maybe we can get together next time and do lunch.

We arrived home last night around 6 and after unpacking the car, enjoyed a quiet evening. 

Sargie made stuffed tomatoes with canned pike Monday evening. Mmm. There weren't any leftovers!

Other than grade and read papers, I don’t have many plans for today. The Kia will be taken to town this afternoon and left at the mechanic’s. It’s to peak above freezing for the first time in a while, so possibly I’ll work in the shop. I’ve got several projects that have been put on hold due to the cold weather. The garage is also looking like a rerun gone horribly wrong of Sanford and Son. This might be a good day to clean it. After all, a man’s work is never done.

Just finishing blowing snow off the back deck Sunday afternoon

So are the tales from Pentoga Road…

Jimmy walks up the back step and onto the deck for his daily can of corn