Wildflowers completely border the far side of the garden

June 30, 2013 – Sunday

46 degrees/clear/calm

Pentoga Road

I walk out on the back deck this morning and my mind turns to hiking. It seems as though I should be out in the boondocks somewhere, climbing from my sleeping bag and exiting the hammock, shivering slightly while I pull a light-weight wool fleece over my head.

I love early mornings on the trail, those that are clear and chilly. Each movement, regardless how minute, makes a sound that seems to echo through the woods. Squirrels and chipmunks that foraged through the area during the night magically disappear as the melodies of nearby songbirds announce the arrival of a new day.

The smell. An odor of last night’s hastily cooked meal and campfire couples with the smells of silicone waterproofing, a sleeping bag that could use a good washing, and pine needles.

Maps are reviewed in the early morning hours while water heats for the first (and only) cup of coffee. I try to calculate what elevations will be navigated in the coming hours, what opportunities there will be to collect water, and where I hope to be by day’s end.

The instant oatmeal, made from the excess coffee water, and peanut butter smeared on a soft tortilla shell go down easily. I finish off the high carbohydrate breakfast with a bite-size Snicker’s bar left over from Halloween. A long pull of water proceeds swinging the ultra lightweight pack onto my shoulders. I hastily look around the campsite, making sure it’s clean and that I’ve not forgotten anything. Looking forward, I take the first step of the day…

Saturday was a lazy one on Pentoga Road. I finished wiring the boat trailer and even succeeded in securing a light over the license plate. For the first time in twenty years, I own a boat trailer that’s legal. How long the lights actually work remains to be seen, but at least for now, I’m walking on the right side of the law.

Sargie had seen some sandals she’s been wanting in a sale bill from Kohls. I had several things I needed in town. With that being said, I suggested we make a trip to Rhinelander. She got her sandals, normally costing thousands, if not millions, of dollars for a mere $13 while I purchased what I needed (and way too much I really didn’t need) at Menards Lumber. We enjoyed burgers and fries while Sargie drove us home. It was a fun afternoon.

There are rows and rows of unsold flowers and bushes at Menards. There should be some good bargains to be found when they go on sale.

We spent most of last evening working outside. Sargie had several chores she was doing while I worked in the garden and around the yard. Brutus entertained himself by throwing a stick up in the air, catching it as it fell to earth, and then running around the yard in a mean, bulldog, fashion.

What’s on the agenda for today? I think we’ll try to go fishing. Certainly the weather is favorable for the gathering of meat for the table. I’ll, no doubt, work in the barn, Sargie will do her thing in and out of the house, and the dog… well, he’ll do what dogs do.

Time to head to the garden and see how much everything grew overnight. After all, a man’s work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road…