May 29, 2013 – Wednesday

54 degrees/cloudy/calm

Pentoga Road

We received some much-needed rain last night and this morning, Oz has nothing over my little valley on Pentoga Road. The green is so… green… that it could be described as almost dazzling. I love this time of the year. Everything seems to be in a hurry to grow, the birds are singing, fruit trees blossoming, and seeds sprouting in the garden.

An old commercial bread rack I use to screen the dirt before planting

Speaking of fruit trees; I plucked forty or fifty blossoms off a small dwarf apple tree I planted last year. The limbs aren't much bigger than a good-sized pencil and more than one or two would cause any limb to sag towards the trunk. I left three blossoms on the biggest branches, all low and next to the trunk, but basically, it’s has been deflowered. I’ll let it grow another year before allowing it to bear fruit.

The majority of Tuesday was spent planting in the garden. More beets were sown as well as carrots, several varieties of flowers, bush beans, and sun flowers. Another hour or two of planting should see that chore completed. My horticultural attentions will then be turned towards maintaining what is growing.

I was weeding the strawberry bed by the barn and came across a particularly well rooted clump of grass. I dug, then pried, and was prying with all my might when the handle on my favorite trowel snapped.

It’s a Walmart cheapie, one I purchased years ago for under $2, but still, I liked the shape, narrow, pointed, and long.

I tried using another trowel, but it was round and made for transplanting flowers into pots. What to do?

There’s a box of stuff in the shop containing everything from broken parts of gardening equipment to a piece of light switch. It’s the shop’s equivalent to THE kitchen drawer… one that almost everyone has in which there’s a token hammer, screwdriver, wall hanging nails, tape, rubber bands, razor blades, and... stuff.

I found an old handle from a cement trowel, cut it to size, ground, sanded, brushed, and finally welded. My new (old) trowel is about the ugliest tool in my collection, but it works, it’s mine, and I like it. New handle/same blade. Perfect.

Mark and Sheri came out last night and got some rhubarb. It’s growing inches a day and is thick and lush this year. I’ll separate the roots this fall to make some new plants. Honestly, if I eat a dessert containing rhubarb once or twice a year, I’m satisfied, usually a rhubarb/strawberry pie or some such concoction, but otherwise, I grow it to give away.

Sargie arrived home in the dark and wet. I warmed up some chicken/wild rice soup and along with hot biscuits, we talked about the day and enjoyed our comfort food. Sheri had brought out some friendship bread that was absolutely to-die-for good. We enjoyed every last morsel for dessert.

Turnips

Sheri also gave me a Topsy Turvy Hummingbird Hangout Planter. One plants flowers like petunias in it for the hummingbirds to gather nectar from. I’ll pick up some flowers in the next day or two and give it a try. I’ve not had a lot of success with tomatoes grown upside down, but flowers might be a different story.

I wish the darn knee would heal so I could resume hiking. Overcast and cool, this would be a good ten-mile day. I guess I’m going to have to break down and go see a doctor. The knee’s still swollen and stiff and I find the only real relief I get is by gulping handfuls of ibuprofen. I may borrow Macrea’s bicycle that is in storage and try biking, something that is less stressful on the joints. I’ve always had a fantasy of biking cross country and camping out at nights, maybe biking to Indiana to see Mom or out to the East Coast to see the sons. Whatever I do, I need to get active again. I’m beginning to feel more like a slug than a human.

Sargie’s working late tonight so I’ll be left to my own devices today. I’m going to fill some large pots in which to plant some Connecticut Field pumpkins. With the giant Dill Atlantic Pumpkins growing in the regular garden, there’s no room for those of the Halloween variety. I’ll try placing them in pots in the orchard where there’s more room. I’ve not grown pumpkins this way before, but there’s always a first.

YAY! The mower repairman just called and said the Cub Cadet is fixed and ready to go. He was good naturedly teasing me about the wear and tear on the machine. After several years of rough and tough mowing, it’s beginning to show some age. This fix came complete with two new belts and some nuts, bolts, and washers that were missing. I think for this mower, from now on, it’s one year at a time. I’ll keep it running as long as possible, hopefully for several more.

It’s about time to wake Sargie for the day and get myself in gear. A man’s work is never done, you know.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road…