Yooper Brother Mark stopped by to tell Mom goodbye on Tuesday evening

July 31, 2013 – Wednesday

60 degrees/cloudy/calm/humid

Pentoga Road

We’re up and around this morning getting coordinated for Mom’s departure. I think she’s excited. Mom’s dressed, her bags are packed and if we had to leave this very moment, she’d be in the car in a heartbeat. The only problem is her flight doesn’t depart for another five hours.

Tuesday was a low-key day. Brutus and I rode with Sargie for a mile then walked home. The knee continues to get stronger and I am gaining confidence that it’s not going to twist or turn the wrong way when stressed.

The rest of the morning and a lot of the afternoon were spent grading final projects and making a final exam. The big test will have to be submitted to the educational tech person by tonight so it can be posted tomorrow for my students. They’ll have a full week to complete and submit it.

Mom and I did watch a movie later in the day, Cold Mountain, the Civil War love story starring Nicole Kidman. It’s one of my favorites and Mom had never seen it.

We drove to Iron Mountain so we might ride home with Sargie after work. A stop at Pizza Hut produced very full bellies and lots of conversation.

Yooper Brother Mark stopped out last night to tell Mom goodbye. The four of us talked for a while before he headed back to town. It was a quiet evening after and with the television playing, I continued to write the final and have only fourteen more questions before it’s complete.

Mom departs out of Iron Mountain this afternoon around 12:30. I hope to stop and have my fingerprints recorded so I might substitute in the local schools this coming semester. Any finishing touches that are needed will be put on the final exam and that will be electronically dispatched to Alaska. It’s going to be a busy day.

But then, I’m not surprised. After all, a man’s work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road…  

Brutus is going to miss his newest bestest friend. Mom was trying to check her email on Tuesday. Brutus had other ideas.

The wind blew so hard during the storms of the past several days that it whipped our normally calm lake into foam

July 30, 2013 – Tuesday

52 degrees/clear/calm

Pentoga Road

Seems strange, sitting here in the predawn hours, to think that each day is now minutes shorter than the one before. It was just a month ago, at this exact time of the morning, that the sun was peaking over the tops of the trees and we were enjoying the longest days of the year. Winter seemed so far away. Now it seems much closer. One season is hinting of closure, another just beginning. It’s called the cycle of life.

With the recents rains, the wild flowers are brilliant

Brutus and I rode with Sargie a mile and a half towards her work on Monday and walked back home. The knee felt good at the end. It was somewhat weak and I was happy to sit for a few minutes after, but there’s a real glimmer of hope that I might return to the normal regimen of activity sooner rather than later. It’s been a long summer hobbling around with a gimpy knee.

Mom followed me into town Monday morning and I left the Man Truck at Brother Yooper Mark’s plant to be filled with wood. I stopped into the office to see him and Ann, but made my visit brief. Both were very busy. Their work is never done either.

We shopped a bit, did some sight seeing, and I made an appointment to get the Blazer’s driver’s side window and electronic master control panel replaced. It’s going to cost around $400, but the SUV is in good shape mechanically, the body is excellent with no rust, and for the year, ’98, doesn’t have many miles. Unfortunately, I think the years of being housed in Sitka and exposed to the salt in the air, took their toll on the electronics. I’d rather spend the money and keep it in good shape than take a chance on purchasing another used SUV. At least I know what I’m dealing with. That’s worth something. Also, the biggest reason for keeping it in good condition, it’s paid for.

While driving through a local campground, we came across a giant-sized inflatable... Santa Claus. I wonder if Santa accompanies the camper when he's fishing?

Mom and I did laundry throughout the day. The last time I was with her when she hung clothes on the line, I ran through the sheets and got my bottom paddled. Almost sixty years later, I was tempted to do the same, but evidently the smack on the bottom worked. I restrained myself.

We took a break from the day and watched the movie Rudy. Mom had never seen it and as she said after, it was nice to see a good, family film.

I did sneak out of the house later in the afternoon to mow the grass. The lawn looks as full and green now as it did early this spring. The grass isn’t growing as fast and hopefully, the heavy mowing season is slowing down.

Sargie was home early and we had a good evening. She works the early shift today and with any luck, will be home tonight before suppertime.

This is Mom’s last full day in the UP. When I asked if she wanted to do anything special, she mentioned something about spending time packing and asked if I would print off her boarding pass. I think Mom’s ready to head south to assume her usual place as head of a committee or two, play BINGO, Mexican Train dominos, work out in the exercise room, and otherwise live life to the fullest. Judging from the email traffic, I'd say Mom and her good buddy, Phyllis, a retired librarian, will be happy to see each other.

The day lilies and hostas are in full bloom in the perennial bed in front of the house

Other than give Mom a hand preparing to return to Indiana, I’m not sure what is on my agenda for the day. I need to make arrangements to be fingerprinted in anticipation of doing some substitute teaching this coming year. I think I’d like to work a couple of days a week, make some extra money for a few extra things Sargie and I would like around the house… like building on a first-floor bedroom/den so we don’t have to climb the stairs in our old age. I’ll still be teaching my university courses. After forty years, it’s hard to leave the education field completely.

I’m not surprised, because as you well know, a man’s work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road…

Brutus had never seen foam before. He couldn't bite it, was unable to eat or drink it, so in the end, he simply ignored it.

My total cherry crop for the year. Not quite enough to make a pie, I popped the entire 2013 harvest into my mouth.

July 29, 2013 – Monday

52 degrees/calm/clear

Pentoga Road

It appears the monsoons that have kept our activities to a minimum for the past two days have been replaced with the promise of warmer temperatures and sunny skies. We needed a respite from the hot and dry weather of two weeks ago. After breaking two all-time low temperature records and seeing over two-and-a-half inches of rain fall, this week's forecast is for near normal conditions.

The maples are already beginning to turn red showing signs of an early fall.

About the only substantive activity that occurred on Saturday was emptying the Man Truck of wood between rain showers. Mom certainly helped, not in a “little old lady” fashion, but rather, the 86 year-old matriarch of the Pennington family donned gloves and began pitching hunks of wood into the shed. At one point, I told her I was going to send her to her room and make her sit with her nose in the corner if she didn’t cease the heavy work, but no amount of warning could deter Mom. Upon awakening Sunday morning, she claimed she slept the best she had in a long time. I hope I inherited those genes that makes her a super mom of the octogenarian set!

We watched a movie or two while it poured outside on Saturday. It was a day meant for popcorn, movies, and occasional naps.

Sunday was no different. Sargie was off and the three of us ventured to Rhinelander where we shopped for pavers with which to lay a small walk from the back patio to the drive. It became a muddy path last maple season when the frost came out of the ground. We also looked at various bricks with which to remake the floor of the hearth in the living room. Rather than carry a pad of paper around and try to remember which price went with what, I simply used the digital camera to record what we might be interested in. In the end, Sargie will make the decision since she is head of the Design Committee.

Sargie works early today. I think Mom and I will bring the old truck back to the plant to be filled with another load of wood. No doubt we’ll stick our nose into a store or two while we’re in town. I know there’s laundry to hang out (after the towels dry that have been hanging on the line for the past three days) and I’ll continue putting things away in the barn. It’s a daunting list of chores, but I’m not surprised. After all, a man’s work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road…

A wood fire, fire wood, and a late July monsoon... all on Pentoga Road

On this cold, damp, morning, Mom has a good book, a hot cup of coffee, and is snuggled up to the wood stove. She also has her own personal foot warmer and body guard. As I said a few days ago, ain't nobody gonna' mess with Grandma.

July 27, 2013 – Saturday morning

48 degrees/cloudy/damp/windy

Pentoga Road

Over two inches of rain, mixed with thunderstorms, wind, and hail fell yesterday. At first, I was fearful for the plants in the garden, but in the end, it appears only the flowers suffered. They’ll recover.

We certainly needed the moisture. Areas to the north and east received significantly more precipitation; one community registered over six inches of rain. I’m glad we didn’t receive that much. As it is, the ground water has surfaced on the trail going to the back of the property. Six inches would have brought Lake Pentoga back to life.

It’s chilly and damp in the house this morning and for the first time in my tenure at Pentoga Road, I’ve got a fire going in the wood stove in the month of July.

Mom has thin blood. After a heart attack and a couple of procedures last year, she gets cold easily. I dug deep into the scrap wood box in the shop and brought in some wood that never made it to the project stage. We’ll see if we can’t get Mom cozy warm this morning.

After Mom and I arrived back home from riding with Sargie to work Friday morning, I immediately changed clothes and attended the internment of the remains of Yooper Brother Mark’s parents. His mom passed away a few years ago, Grandpa, this past year. The rain pelted down and the thunder crashed as we said our goodbyes.

We enjoyed Mom's specialty for lunch on Friday, peanut butter and dill pickle sandwiches. They were a staple when I was growing up.

The Man Truck’s windshield wipers quit several years ago so driving in dry weather is a necessity. Nature presented us with just that opportunity between rain showers Friday afternoon. Mom and I went to town in the Blazer and she followed me as I drove the truck home filled with firewood from the plant.

I enjoy splitting wood, working it into burnable chunks to keep us warm in the winter months. About a third of the load was completed Friday afternoon and the rest should be finished this weekend. I’ll take the truck back into the plant early this next week for another load. It’s that time of year.

Mom helped. She carried wood to the shed or handed it to me to stack. Mom claims she’s getting older and can’t do what she used to, but I think she’s got the rest of the world fooled. The girl is a wood-workin’ machine.

The rain returned and we retired inside for the day. Sargie was home early and the three of us enjoyed a meal of super nachos in front of the television. There was a lot of talking and laughing and the evening was too short.

Sargie works late today. It’s going to be a long one for her. With a forecast high in the fifties, I imagine Mom will sit by the wood stove and read. I’ll do what I do… whatever that is, because as you know, a man’s work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road…

That's hail mixed in with yesterday's heavy rain.

Turnips, brush hogs, and toilette bowls

The popple woods were mowed Thursday afternoon. (And I only ran into one tree!)

July 26, 2013 – Friday

58 degrees/partly cloudy/calm

Pentoga Road

It’s going to be a quick entry today. Mom and I drove to Iron Mountain late Thursday afternoon so Mom could see the Vision Center and we all rode home together last night. We’ll take Sargie back this morning, get the Blazer, and come back home. Right now, we’re playing Bathroom Shuffle so we can get Sargie to work on time.

Driving into a large storm. It missed Iron Mountain, but dropped several inches of rain and hail on other communities to the north.

Thursday morning began by planting more turnips. The ones planted this spring weren’t all that good as they developed during the hottest week we’ve had this summer. There was too much nitrogen in the soil causing too many tops and not enough bottoms. We’ve eaten hearty off of them, but this fall’s crop should be much better. It was obvious the cantaloupes weren’t going to develop and ripen before the first frost this year. I pulled the few scraggly plants, worked up the ground, and planted turnips. We ought to be grazing on them in September and October, after the frost has chance to turn them sugary sweet.

I lightly fertilized the giant pumpkins. This is a lousy pumpkin year but I am somewhat optimistic I may have one that tops a hundred lbs by summer’s end, possibly more. It’s finally growing by leaps and bounds, but we’re going to need some warm weather. Time will tell. If nothing else, I would like to get some seeds from the fruit as I paid almost $5.00 for a few seeds to plant this year’s crop. Since these are hand-pollinated, I know they are genetically pure.

One of the rapidly growing giant pumpkins. All fruits but one have been plucked from each plant in an effort to force all the plant's energy into that pumpkin. Now if the weather will  cooperate.

The bush hog was hauled out of storage and made ready for a day of mowing. I sheared the front half of the popple woods and around the front meadow, also the closest trail into the maple woods. A bearing is going bad in the rotary mower and one blade is loose. That will be a fall project and probably will wait until next year. I use the mower for four hours once a year and after the popple woods are landscaped and become part of the yard, it will be much less than that.

The shelf in the barn was finished and is already full. I’ll begin to build another later today. As I told someone, it’s not pretty, but it’s functional. The barn is slowly going back together and should make building the shop much easier this fall.

It stormed last evening and was raining hard when we went to bed. I don’t know how much rain we received, but any is greatly appreciated. We’re dry, but for this time of the year, everything is still Oz-green. I remember in the past when the yard was brown and the tree leaves pale. I’m still hoping to pound a sand point well in the garden area later this summer or fall. I’d like to install a solar powered pump and irrigate directly from that well.

One of the meadows mowed and trimmed.

We’ll take Sargie back to work this morning, then I’ll be attending a small ceremony for Yooper Brother Mark’s parent’s remains internment. Depending on the weather, I’ll probably work in the barn this afternoon.

After all, a man’s work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road…

Last night saw me replacing the flapper in the bathroom toilette tank. The job was simple enough after I raided the silverware drawer and extracted a water flow inhibitor.

Mom and Sargie putting up beets on Wednesday morning

July 25, 2013 – Thursday

51 degrees/sunny/calm

Pentoga Road

I just remembered that I have a test to upload and post this morning. It’s hard to believe this summer session is almost over. The fall semester begins around Labor Day.

Wednesday was picture perfect and I didn’t waste any time getting into the garden. Both the carrots and beets needed thinning. I was ruthless as I tore out tender, young, plants to make way for others to grow strong and healthy.

I hate to waste anything. The carrots were small, but at the stage when they are the best… young, tender, and sweet. Mom cleaned and put them all in a bowl of ice water. That makes for good munching.

The beets were blanched and placed into freezer bags for some good eating this winter. I like the Cylindra variety I planted this year, but for as big as the tops are, the roots are small. Their flavor is really good and they are extremely tender. I think I’ll plant both the Detroit Dark Red and Cylindra next year.

One thing’s for certain, I need to expand the garden area. I hope to FINALLY get the grading and landscaping completed this fall so there’ll be more growing space next year. Everything is finally taking off and growing. At least I don’t have to worry about weeds. There’s no room for any.

In this picture: tomatoes, cauliflower, zucchini, green beans, cucumbers, cantaloupe, and marigolds.

Mom, Sargie, and I, traveled east to Old Mansfield, a ghost town and former mining community about fifteen miles from here. Mom especially liked the restored log church where I played the pump organ for a few minutes. 

I’ve not accompanied a church service for over thirty years, but that’s one place I’d consider it. An organ over a hundred years old, a log church, a wood stove for heat and no electricity… somehow, God just seems much closer there.

Mom treated Sargie and me to lunch. We enjoyed pastys (Yooper meat pies) and left the restaurant much more full than when we entered!

I spent late Wednesday afternoon finishing the shelf in the barn. I’ll fill it today before beginning to build another.

We came across this sign while sight seeing on Wednesday. I know times are bad, but...

Sargie’s closing tonight and it will be a long day for her. I’ve got several ongoing projects to work on. I imagine Mom and Brutus will supervise. Though there are thunderstorms in the forecast, it’s dawning the perfect day.

Time to pour another cup of coffee and get that quiz uploaded. No doubt, there’ll be deep thoughts to think. A man’s work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road… 

The knock-out rose on the left has been in constant bloom all summer

A park bench worthy of sitting on!I

Deep in the woods, a butterfly sits on the blossom of a thistle

July 24, 2013 – Wednesday

42 degrees/sunny/calm

Pentoga Road

I’m wondering where in the devil the summer has gone and where it’s going? With the knee beginning to get back to some sort of normalcy, all I’m doing is playing catch up.

Now I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy multiple projects. On the other hand, as much as I enjoy the winter months, there’s much I’d like to accomplish before the days grow too much shorter. I love living life; to wake up every morning eager to see what the day holds, roll up my shirtsleeves and dive into a task, observe the fruit of my labors at the end of the day. I think most people dream of retirement and how they’d like it to be. Even with the setback of knee surgery earlier this summer, I’m getting to live my dream. I truly count my blessings.

Tuesday began with Mom and me going to town. I had some banking to do and later, stopped by Brother Yooper Mark’s plant where we visited for a bit. The wind was blowing, the temperatures quite chilly. Before we left, I changed into jeans and a flannel shirt. It felt good to put on my fall clothes, cover up those two lily-white sticks I call legs, and wear some man clothes. No doubt, there’ll be ample opportunity to wear shorts and t-shirts yet this summer.

Arriving back home, Mom gave me a hand and we worked on Sargie’s park bench, the one she inherited from a family member somewhere along the way. I’ve never been able to get the proper cuts and as she's done for the past sixty-one years, Mom made everything right. Sargie’s park bench, the one with the cement ends, looks almost as good today as it did when it was first manufactured, probably close to a hundred years ago.

My band saw broke down yesterday. The rubber part, the tire, that the blade rides on on the lower wheel disintegrated yesterday. It’s a fourteen-inch Buffalo brand. The company went out of business in the 1970’s, so there are few manuals and most parts are after market. I talked with Neighbor Mike, down from Marquette working on his camp, and he seems to think he can get a new wheel tire there. I’m going to call the store he mentioned this morning and see if they have such a thing. If not, I’ll be shopping for one on the internet.

Yesterday ended by hanging a shelf in the barn. I’m still trying to get everything put away after getting the new floor. It’s coming…. slow, but steady.

Sargie’s off today. Other than laundry, I’m not sure what she has on her agenda. I do know this is the last day she won’t be working for a while.

I need to stake up some stubborn tomato plants that the strong winds blew over. I’ve tied, propped, and leaned all in an effort to get them to grow upright. The dozens of green tomatoes hanging from their upper branches are too heavy.

It’s time to get out the bush hog and mow the rough places around the property. I use the large rotary mower once or twice a year and will spend more time greasing and preparing it than I will actually mowing. There’s the wood shed to paint and two more boxes of “stuff” in the barn to be put away.

But first, I need to get a cup of coffee and think deep thoughts. After all, a man’s work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road…

 

A wood shed, twenty foot antenna, and scrumptious ribs

Sargie taking a load of wood scraps to the burn pile on Monday morning

July 23, 2013 – Tuesday

50 degrees/clear/windy

Pentoga Road

I'm going to admit that I could care less about England's new prince. When NBC preempted regular programming last night for an hour special on his royal birth, I knew we'd hit an all time low. NBC also had a special on the Trayvon trial last week. Anything for sensationalism. I guess as long as there are people who will watch, they'll continue to show such nonsense.

Though there were severe thunderstorm watches out for the entirety of last evening, none appeared over Pentoga Road. At one point, we had about three drops of rain. It cleared off after, the temperature dropped fifteen degrees, and the rest is history.

I began Tuesday by working in the garden. The pole beans have outgrown their teepee support so I strung a length of garden twine from another pole fifteen feet away. If they grow across, I’ll have a trellis of pole beans across one corner. The whole thing has spawned some ideas for next year’s garden. Since I’m always short of growing space, why can’t I grow all the beans overhead? Now I’m thinking of making a terrace from a raised bed on one side completely across to one on the other. If nothing else, it would be a conversation piece.

The cucumbers are beginning to bear and the onions growing

Mom had a first in life yesterday as she crawled into the Man Truck and accompanied me to the lumberyard.  I purchased two pieces of OSB board to repair the back and side of the old woodshed. Though she didn’t say anything, I could tell she wished she were me and could call the Man Truck her own.

Sargie helped and together, we made the repairs and cleaned out any old wood and pieces. 

It was quite a job and without Sargie’s help it would have taken me the rest of the week. Soaking up the warm sun, Mom supervised from a lawn chair.

Mom is incapable of simply watching. While I was dumping a load of scraps, she'd hopped up from her lawn chair to help Sargie.

A coat of paint on the outside walls and it will be finished.

The internet guys came out yesterday and hoisted the antenna another ten feet into the air. So far/so good. The reception has been nonstop and the speed doubled.

There’s still a problem of a different nature. It’s fastened on the roof directly over our heads in the bedroom and is so tall and gangly that it’s making a noise as it sways in the wind. I need to crawl up onto the roof today and make sure it’s not doing any damage to our tin roof. I’m beginning to wonder if this internet saga will ever end.

I drove the Man Truck to Mark’s plant and left it off Monday afternoon. Sargie and Mom followed in the car and we spent a couple of hours sight seeing around the area. There’s an old mine shaft that caved in years ago that has made a beautiful pond. We spent some time on the dock enjoying the blue water, breeze, and scenery.

Sargie pulled out all the stops last night and fixed barbequed ribs for supper along with baked potatoes and corn on the cob. The ribs were so tender that the meat fell off the bones and was to-die-for delicious. If anyone was hungry after, it was his own fault.

Sargie’s back to work today. There are a ton of projects around here with my name attached to each. It’s going to be cool and breezy, a perfect day for doing “stuff.” After all, a man’s work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road…

The hydro electric dam on the Paint River is being repaired in nearby Crystal Falls