One of many decorations that adorn Mr. Milligan's room to celebrate St. Patrick's Day

March 17, 2012 – Sunday morning

-11 degrees/clear/calm

Pentoga Road

And a Happy St. Patrick’s Day to ya there at the top of this mornin’! When one loves a girl with the last name of Milligan, the day’s not wasted in name and word only. We’re going to the St. Agnes Catholic Church’s annual St. Patrick’s Day corned beef and cabbage feed in town this afternoon.

We went last year and had so much fun. Mark and Sheri treated us to our first-ever St. Agnes feed. As I later told the priest who joined us for the meal, the only thing missing was the wheelbarrow to roll us out when we were finished. I’m looking forward to same great meal this year.

A year ago, the high for today, March 17, was 77 degrees. Sargie raked parts of the yard while I sprayed and treated the back deck. That’s an 88 degree difference between this morning and last year on this date. Wow.

I well remember those spring-like temperatures of a year ago...

The frost completely out of the ground, I took advantage and pried a few troublesome rocks from the back yard.

Sargie hanging out clothes in 2012. As of now, there's about three feet of snow under the clothes line.

Luke and Josh were texting back and forth yesterday commenting about their maple syrup season. There’s a good-natured rivalry between the boys, sending pictures back and forth and commenting on the day’s sap flow. All I can do is read and dream. I have a feeling that when our cold spell is finished, we’ll have a very quick and very hard run of sap. I’m envisioning two weeks of back-breaking, twenty-four hour a day gathering and boiling.

I remember back in the old days of northern Maine, before Al Gore was invented, when our average winter was like the current one. It would be cold and wintery up to the beginning of April, then suddenly, we’d wake one morning to find it sixty degrees and almost summer-like. I wouldn’t be surprised that will be the case this year in the UP.

I rode with Sargie back to Iron Mountain on Saturday morning and purchased the needed supplies with which to plant this year’s tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant seed. After, I stopped at Home Depot and got four 2x12x8 ft treated boards for the base of the greenhouse.

The rest of the day was a busy one. I needed to clean the barn to make room so I might begin construction. Thankfully, the day had warmed significantly with the sun shining brightly and little wind. It was pleasant putting away tools from this past winter, finding the tops of the work benches, rediscovering projects started last summer and never finished, and mentally planning this summer’s remodeling of the shop; one where I can work all year ‘round.

I backed the tractor from the barn into it’s usual summer place. That inside area will be where I’ll begin to construct the greenhouse this next week.

I also took the opportunity to cut another circular hole in the planting table to put a heat lamp. After, I planted this year’s tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant. Once those are sprouted and growing, I’ll plant marigolds, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli. It’s a process, but one that will grind to a halt unless I get the greenhouse constructed… and that’s assuming the snow will eventually melt so I can pull it out to the garden area. Oh if only you had my life.

Sargie was home early last night and we enjoyed a big pot of beef stew and dumplings that I’d put together earlier in the day. We ate until we thought we’d bust. A game of rummy followed with the usual results. Sargie was victorious by over a hundred points. I’ve accepted the fact that my mama gave birth to a card-challenged son many years ago.

I’m going to take my walk in a few minutes and enjoy hiking in sub-zero temperatures while the day is still and clear. Often, I pretend that I’m already hiking on the Appalachian Trail and these are the conditions I’ve encountered. I hope I live long enough to make my dream come true. Maybe it will in the next year or two. I’m not getting any younger.

Later this afternoon, Sargie and I will make our way into town for the annual St. Patty’s Day feast, socialize with other revelers, and no doubt catch up on life with Mark and Sheri (if we can get Mark out of the kitchen. He’s one of the chef’s in this whole process.)

Meanwhile, I need to throw a log on the fire and pour another cup of coffee. A man’s work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road…

A rainbow in an otherwise crystal clear sky on Saturday morning. What's that all about?