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| We've told Brutus a monster lives under the steps going down to the basement; one who eats puppy dogs like candy. I doubt he understands, but he's yet to go down the steps. |
66 degrees/clear/calm
Pentoga Road
I believe it’s going to be another scorcher today. With the
temperatures climbing into the mid to upper 80’s on Sunday, Brutus and I spent
most the day inside, sitting in the air conditioning. Looks as though today
will be a repeat.
I did spend some time in the garden before it got too hot. I
sprayed the pepper plants that seem to be suffering from aphids. Amazing, two
hours later, they were already looking much better.
The biggest chore was manually pollinating a large female
pumpkin blossom with that of a male. I poured a couple of glasses of wine, put
on some soft music, dimmed the lights…
Okay, that’s a lie. I simply took a male blossom and rubbed
his stamen on one of a female blossom. I’m fairly certain the female was
disappointed as it was over in a matter of seconds. Manual pollination ensures
that the pumpkin stay true to it’s line and not be contaminated. It also is a
sure way to know the female blossom is fertilized.
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| That's right, you're eyes aren't playing tricks. In a wild session, a female Dill Atlantic pumpkin blossom was pollinated by hand on Sunday morning. |
Honestly, I’m not sure there are enough days left before
frost to grow very big pumpkins this year. The garden is a month behind
schedule due to the cold weather earlier this spring and summer. That’s what is
fun about this gardening business. There’s always next year.
I worked for a couple of hours on the carving. Sitting in
the doorway of the barn, trying to catch any hint of a breeze, Brutus plastered
himself to the floor beside me in an attempt to stay cool. He’d look at me
every few minutes as if to ask how soon we’d be going inside.
Speaking of inside; I was swatting a wasp that was in the
living room yesterday when I stepped backwards, tripped over the coffee table,
and landed on my back. As I lay there doing a damage report one limb at a time,
Brutus came over, lay beside me, and put his huge head on mine. That pup was
going to protect me; from what, I have no idea, but I was well covered.
We had deer burgers and a pork loin barbequed on the grill,
plus fresh beets for supper last night. After, Sargie whipped up some yogurt
with fresh fruit mixed in for dessert. No one around here went to bed hungry.
I’m going to get this uploaded then wake Sargie. She works
from 10 to six today. After, I want to spray Round Up around the garden before
the wind begins to blow. I was about ten minutes late yesterday and just as I
was going to begin, a breeze came up and I had to postpone my activities.
Mom arrives tomorrow from Indiana to spend a couple of weeks
with us. Sargie took the day off and we’ll pick her up in Iron Mountain a bit
after noon on Wednesday. For the first time in a long time, we should have the
time to sit around and talk and enjoy visiting without being rushed.
I received an email from the former Commissioner of
Education, in Alaska, who was talking about a new Native teacher education
program sponsored by Illigsavik College in Barrow, Alaska, beginning this next
year.
The high arctic (doesn’t get much further north than Barrow),
education, Natives… initially my pulse quickened. It wasn’t but a few seconds
that I came to my senses and remembered how very good I have it right here on
Pentoga Road. I’ve got the most beautiful, loving, girl in the world, a dog who
may not be very bright, but he loves me, forty acres of maple woods that any
outdoors person would die to own, and a retirement I’ve always dreamed of having.
No, I’ll stay right where I am and do those things that allow me the privilege
of saying, “A man’s work is never done.”
So are the tales from Pentoga Road…
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| Until I tell him he can go and play, Brutus is never far from my side. |
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